Mercedes-Benz’s three-pointed star inside a circle is a world-famous logo. Let’s check out the meaning.
But it’s also true that even those who are least curious about the automobile industry know about five to ten most prominent brands in the world and can identify them based on logos. Mercedes-Benz usually comes at the top of this list with its easy-to-remember and elegant three-pointed star.
Being on the scene for more than 90 years with its simple logo, this German brand is highly recognizable and praised globally, among both gear heads and newbies. In modern times, Mercedes-Benz stands for luxury and top performance, and it’s hard to confuse it with any other brand. But is this the meaning behind the three-pointed star stamped and mounted on every Mercedes-Benz ride?
No. There’s a whole history behind this famous logo. Today, we take a closer look at its birth, evolution, and meaning. If you’ve never wondered or read about the Mercedes-Benz star before, this article is for you.
A Brief Overview Of The Mercedes-Benz Early History
Two men and their joined efforts prompted the making of the Mercedes-Benz brand. Karl Benz built the first motorized tricycle in 1886. Gottlieb Daimler made a horseless carriage soon after. They were both creative persons with a sense of engineering and mechanics, which ultimately drew them together.
Although Benz and Daimler started their businesses separately, they joined the companies right after the war. Benz & Cie and DMG merged into Daimler-Benz in 1926. One year later, the production and the sales jumped, and three years later, the W15 became the most popular car of its time. The rest is history, as we like to say.
But what happened to the logo? Initially, the two distinct and competing companies had their own logos. After the merge, however, these two designs conveniently blended into the internationally-recognized logo we all know today.
The Evolution Of The Famous Mercedes-Benz Logo
In 1909, Benz & Cie developed a logo containing a laurel wreath around the “Benz” lettering. Previously, the company used black ring gear as a symbol of expertise in engine and vehicle construction. The more modern laurel wreath, on the other hand, highlighted the success of the brand in races and competitions.
At the same time, DMG pushed to register its trademark containing a star. The idea came from Paul and Adolf Daimler, the sons of the Gottlieb Daimler, who passed away several years earlier. They remembered that Gottlieb used a three-pointed star on a postcard to illustrate the town of Deutz and its potential.
After the two companies merged, the logo changed to combine the previous concepts of both parties. The laurel wreath ended up being wrapped around the star, and the “Mercedes-Benz” wording was pushed at the top and the bottom of the circle.
Not long afterward, the symbol evolved once again. As the brand continued to develop, so did the logo. The laurel wreath became sleeker and transformed into a single silver circle around the three-pointed star. This logo began to appear on all new rides, embedded in the grille or as an ornament on the hood. It was elegant and easy to remember, but it also represented the rich history of Mercedes-Benz.
What Does The Star Really Mean?
In the early days of the DMG operation, the three-pointed star was set to symbolize the Daimler engines on land, at sea, and in the air — or more specifically, their domination in all three environments. But it was also meant to show the exceptional potential of the brand itself. As Gottlieb Daimler said in his postcard: “A star will rise from here and I hope it will bring blessings to us and our children.”
Indeed, Mercedes-Benz became a worldwide sensation, and it remained one of the top brands in the automotive field over so many years. But the meaning of the star in a silver circle also evolved to represent all the Mercedes-Benz stands for. Surely, the star still shows the brand’s plan to dominate the automotive industry in three aspects, but it can now also be seen as a representation of the past, present, and future.
Today, Mercedes-Benz is a brand with rich history, impressive present offers, and a big promise for the future. Many people also see it as synonymous with beauty, performance, and reliability. So, a three-pointed star bores the essential meaning of the past, but it also allows observers to interpret it freely, at their will, which only makes the logo even more beautiful.(Source: hotcars.com)
