Mercedes Benz

Preview October 2008

PREVIEW OF ANNIVERSARIES 2008

October 1, 1883 – 125 years ago:
Together with businessman Max Kaspar Rose and sales agent Friedrich Wilhelm Esslinger, Carl Benz founds Benz & Co. Rheinische Gasmotoren-Fabrik, Mannheim(related links:1,2,3,4,5,6,7) (Rhenish Gas Engine Factory) as a general partnership.


October 12, 1908 – 100 years ago:
Benz & Cie.(related links:1,2,3,4,5,6,7) inaugurates its new factory on Luzenberg in Mannheim-Waldhof and relocates its automobile production facilities to the new site. The total investment amounts to 600,000 Reichsmark.

October 4 – 14, 1928 – 80 years ago:
The 18/80 hp Mercedes-Benz Nürburg 460 (W 08) makes its debut at the Paris Motor Show as the brand's first passenger car fitted with an eight-cylinder in-line engine.

October 15, 1998 – 10 years ago:
Daimler-Benz opens the Customer Assistance Center (CAC) in Maastricht, Netherlands. The CAC is the port of call for Mercedes-Benz customers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to respond to emergency calls, provide round-the-clock service, answer inquiries for and deal with complaints.

Other memorable dates:

October 2, 1898 – 110 years ago: A motorized Daimler bus, powered by a two-cylinder ten-hp (7.4 kW) engine and with capacity for ten passengers, provides regular service between Künzelsau and Mergentheim in the state of Württemberg. This private bus line is commissioned by German Mail to carry out deliveries along the length of the 30-kilometer route, making it the country’s first motorized postal service – albeit one which only remains in operation until July 1899.

October 1, 1963 – 45 years ago: Das neue Werk Wörth nimmt die Produktion auf. Zunächst 100 Mitarbeiter beginnen mit dem Rohbau von Lkw-Fahrerhäusern.

October 22 – 25, 1978 – 30 years ago: At the “transport 78” international transport technology trade fair, Daimler-Benz presents the OE 305 hybrid-electric bus and a track-guided bus for the “O-Bahn” system as alternative solutions for local public transport.

October 29 – November 6, 1988 – 20 years ago: At the AMA show in Stuttgart, Daimler‑Benz presents an exhibition to mark “100 years of women drivers”. The exhibition is split into subject areas, such as “Women and motor sport”, “Women and driving behavior”, “Women at work in the automotive world”, “Fashion” and “Unusual facts”.

October 2, 1998 – 10 years ago: The smart city coupe, as the fortwo was known at the time, goes on sale in Germany and one day later in another eight European markets.

October 27, 1998 – 10 years ago: “smartville”, the production facility for the smart city coupe in Hambach, France, becomes the country’s first automobile plant to gain certification and registration in recognition of its environmental management.

October 31, 1998 – 10 years ago: Daimler-Benz acquires the 19-percent stake in Micro Compact Car AG held by Swatch Group AG. This makes MCC a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler-Benz AG.

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