Mercedes-Benz is positioning 2026 as one of the most significant years in its history, combining a dense calendar of anniversaries with what the company describes as its biggest model rollout to date. The year will mark 140 years since Carl Benz patented the motor vehicle in 1886, a moment widely regarded as the birth of the automobile, while also aligning with several other milestones that span the brand’s passenger car, commercial vehicle, and safety innovations.
Among the key anniversaries is the centenary of the Mercedes-Benz name itself, created in 1926 through the merger of Daimler and Benz. The company will also recognize 130 years since its first commercial vehicles entered service, 75 years since the patenting of the safety body that led to crumple zones, 50 years since the debut of the W123 sedan that became the foundation of today’s E-Class, and 20 years since the opening of the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart.
The automaker plans to anchor its celebrations around the theme of “140 years of innovation,” using museum programs, heritage exhibitions, and enthusiast gatherings to connect its earliest machines to its latest technology. Events will include special “Classics & Coffee” meets in Stuttgart and partner exhibitions such as “Mercedes, The Story of the Star” at Autoworld Brussels, where vehicles from early three-wheelers to modern hypercars will be displayed. Commercial vehicles will also be highlighted, tracing a lineage from 1890s transporters to modern vans and trucks.
Alongside the historical programming, Mercedes-Benz is preparing a major product push timed to the centennial of the brand. Internal plans call for dozens of new or refreshed models across entry-level, core, and top-end segments through 2026 and 2027. Among them will be a new CLA family built on an electric-first platform, along with updated SUVs and continued expansion of electric trucks and vans. The company intends to frame these changes as an evolution rooted in long-standing engineering traditions rather than a departure from its past.
The anniversary year is also expected to amplify interest in both classic and modern performance models. The W123’s 50th anniversary is likely to draw renewed attention to surviving examples, while newer AMG coupes are increasingly viewed as future collectibles. With heritage-focused auctions, museum events, and an unprecedented wave of new vehicles converging, 2026 is shaping up as a defining moment for Mercedes-Benz as it balances its legacy with a rapidly changing lineup.
