For some, the Mercedes star symbolizes luxury and good technology. Others see it as a sign of pensioners' vehicles. But the star also has an official meaning.
What does the Mercedes star stand for? Is this meant to symbolize the reach for the stars - the top of the automaker? Does the star just stand for excellence? The theories surrounding the Mercedes star are numerous, but only one explanation is correct and we will tell you which one it is.
What does the Mercedes star mean?
The famous Mercedes star can look back on a long history. As early as 1909, the idea arose to mark Mercedes passenger cars with a clearly recognizable symbol . Gottlieb Daimler's sons - Paul and Adolf - proposed the three-pointed star.
The suggestion was no accident. As it says on the Daimler website, Gottlieb Daimler used the star as a marker on a cityscape of Deutz when he was working there.
But the star doesn't just have this emotional meaning. The three rays of the Mercedes star represent the use of Daimler engines in land vehicles, ships and aviation . The star has adorned the radiators of Mercedes vehicles since 1910.
Daimler also had a four-pointed star protected. However, this was never used and became the trademark of Deutsche Aerospace AG (DASA) in the 1980s and today belongs to the logo of the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS).
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The long way to today's Mercedes star
In the long history of Mercedes-Benz, the star went through an extensive development. In the first few years, the Mercedes star did not have an encircling ring . It was emblazoned on the radiator and partly on the sides of the bonnet. The star was often supplemented with the "Mercedes" lettering.
The evolution of the Mercedes star.
© Daimler
The star received a ring for the first time in 1916. The lettering was retained and was expanded with four smaller Mercedes stars. After the merger in 1926 of the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft with the company Benz & Cie, there was a further revision.
The star surrounded by a ring was preserved. The lettering "Mercedes" moved up . In its old place the name "Benz" was added from which the branches of a laurel wreath grow.
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Mercedes-Benz slims down the star
In 1933 there was another variation of the star. This has been streamlined. The new trademark consisted of a thin, black hoop in which the black silhouette of the Mercedes star can be seen. This form of the star was mainly used for printed matter.
There was another variant for the radiator grille of Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The slender Mercedes star was placed on a sticker that shows the lettering "Mercedes-Benz" and the laurel wreath. This form persisted until the late 1990s. After that, only the star was still emblazoned on the Mercedes-Benz models.
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