Daimler & Benz: The Complete History: The Birth and Evolution of the Mercedes-Benz - Hardcover

Adler, Dennis

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060890266 ISBN 13: 9780060890261

Publisher: WilliamMr, 2006

Synopsis

From the earliest workshop days to the grandest marque in the automotive world, the story of one of the most important enterprises of the twentieth century comes alive in this complete history.

The rich history of Daimler-Benz (now DaimlerChrysler) has its roots in the early experimentation with the use of the internal combustion engine by three men: Carl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler, and William Maybach. Benz, working alone, and Daimler and Maybach, working together, the two shops separated by a mere sixty miles, in the late 1880s simultaneously laid the foundation of what would become the German automotive industry.

At first there was competition between Benz & Cie. and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft, as they engineered and styled the earliest motorwagens and began to develop markets for their products. These early efforts led to the establishment of an entire industry by the start of World War I.

But the war and its aftermath devastated these two companies, as it did the German economy overall. By the early 1920s it became apparent that the only way to survival was a merger, and thus, on June 29, 1926, the stockholders of both companies gave approval to the new company, Daimler-Benz, which led directly to the birth of one of the world's best-known brands: Mercedes-Benz.

In the hands of noted automotive photographer, author, and editor Dennis Adler, the history of the marque and the company unfolds through the decades, as Mercedes-Benz advances in fame, from the racing glory years to the present, becoming the standard that all automakers strive to meet. With archival (many never before published) and the author's own photographs, the beauty and power of the automobile comes alive, from the earliest models to the first crop of twenty-first-century Mercedes-Benzes. It is a story of excellence that is in many ways unmatched in the history of any industry. Today, as a global leader in design, safety, and overall excellence, Mercedes-Benz continues to lead the way.

About this title

Synopsis:

The official history of two of the world's pioneering automotive firms, lavishly illustrated with over 400 color photographs (some never before seen), noted author Dennis Adler tells the inside story of 80 years of automotive excellence. June 26, 2006 marks one of the important dates in automotive history: the merger of the Daimler and Benz motor companies. In this official history, written in cooperation with Daimler Motors, noted automobile historian Adler presents a decade-by-decade look at the evolution of one of the world's leading car companies. The book opens in early days of three pioneers, Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, and the birth of Mercedes, the modern motor car. It describes the Great War years, followed by the merger that created this classic car company in 1926. From there it takes a decade-by-decade approach, tracing the inter-war years, the rebirth after the destruction of German industry in World War II, and the succeeding years of prosperity and automotive excellence.

With an introduction by racing legend Sir Stirling Moss, and new and archival photographs (some never before published), this book will become the standard for all Mercedes fanciers worldwide.

About the Author:

Dennis Adler is the editor in chief of Car Collector magazine and consultant/historian/author for four publishers and organizations, including senior contributing editor of The Star -- the offi cial publication of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America. He serves on the Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance Selection Committee and as a chief class judge at the Meadow Brook and Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. He is a noted portraitist of automotive collectors and their collections and is the author of twenty automotive books, including The Art of the Sports Car and The Art of the Automobile (Collins). He lives in western Pennsylvania.

About this edition

• Publisher: WilliamMr
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0060890266
• ISBN 13: 9780060890261
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 288