A Stunning Visit to the Mercedes-Benz Museum
Our Masters in Global Luxury Management students – Rhea Kumar, Ragith Nair, Saloni Verma and Sejal Doshi – visited the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany as part of their international study tour. Read as they share their experience of taking in the history of an iconic luxury automobile brand.
The visit to the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany was a unique experience where we learnt about the evolution of automobiles showcased by milestone moments in terms of technology, social history and popular culture. Overlooking the Mercedes-Benz headquarters – one of its largest production plants and test tracks – the 9-level museum consists of thematic and chronological sections featuring 150 vehicles.
We started our tour with an introduction to the Motorwagen – the first ever 3-wheeled car built by German inventor, Karl Benz. The vehicle ran on an internal combustion engine and was fuelled by ‘Benzin’ (the German word for gasoline, named after Karl Benz), which was available at chemist stores and drugstores at the time. Benz acquired the first patent a year later and was also one of the first to be granted a driving license. As the idea of a car seemed rather long-winded for its time, Karl Benz’s wife took the vehicle out for a sixty-six-mile trip with her children to prove its functionality and practicality to the world. Spectators were appalled at the sight and mistook the horseless carriage/vehicle as one being driven by black magic!
The story of how one of the world’s most luxurious car brands got its name is also an interesting one! A rich European entrepreneur named Emile Jellinek, who worked at an insurance company and dealt with cars as a side business, asked Benz to design a car with certain specifications. He promised to buy 36 units of the type, provided Benz named the model after his daughter, Mercedes. That’s how the famous Mercedes-Benz came into being.
Here’s a look at some of the other Mercedes Benz cars.
The Mercedes-Simplex Touring Limousine was the first of its kind, known to display a taste of luxury. Owing to its length, which was also the main attribute of a Limousine, the makers installed a communication system in the vehicle that enabled the passenger to speak to the driver directly from the back. This was one of the inspirations for the later Mercedes S-Class.
The Beer Wagon was one of the first trucks that was designed as a carriage was used for transporting Beer – the drink Germany is most famous for.
The famous open two-seater with the legendary sporty look, the Mercedes Benz 500K Special Roadster,is a treat to the eye. Of the eight different bodywork versions of the 500K, the Special Roadster was the most appealing and also the most expensive, worth €98,000.
Fun fact #1 – Did you know that the Mercedes W-123 series had the highest output ever, i.e., 2.3 million sedans?
Fun fact #2 – With 450,000 units built, the Mercedes 240-D was a bestseller, renowned for its safety, comfort and reliability.
About the authors:
Rhea Kumar, Ragith Nair, Saloni Verma and Saloni Doshi are recent graduates of the Masters in Global Luxury Management program from SP Jain School of Global Management. Rhea is a business analyst who also holds an MBA in Finance and Marketing and consults banks on their business requirements. Ragith holds an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering and aspires to work in the automobile industry. With a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and experience in digital marketing, Saloni has her eyes set on the fashion and beauty industry. Sejal has her eyes set on taking up a marketing role in the fashion industry.
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