Together, the Mercedes-Benz star’s 3 points represent the company’s drive for universal motorization — but each point also has its individual meaning. The points represent land, sea, and air — environments the company believed they would one day dominate with Mercedes-Benz engines.
To know the origin of the Mercedes-Benz logo, it’s important to first know the history of Mercedes-Benz. It all started with two engineers/entrepreneurs: Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz. In 1890, Daimler founded Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG), and Benz founded Benz & Cie. seven years earlier. In 1900, DMG built the “Mercedes,” but war in Germany made fuel scarce. In 1926, DMG and Benz & Cie. merged into Daimler-Benz AG (later Mercedes-Benz—its trade name) to avoid crisis and continued building a strong presence in the burgeoning auto world.
Upon finding the appropriate spot, he purchased a post card in the 1870s of the landscape beyond. Gottlieb marked where he was staying on the postcard so his wife would know, and highlighted it with a three-point star. “One day, this star will shine over our triumphant factories,” he wrote.
A Three-Pointed Star is Born
After the merger, the star and laurel wreath were combined into one logo.
Over time, the color of the Three-Pointed Star changed from gold to white to silver, but it always carried one meaning.
