Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of luxury automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. It is currently a division of the parent company, Daimler AG, after previously being owned by DaimlerChrysler and Daimler-Benz. Mercedes-Benz has its origins in Karl Benz's creation of the first automobile in January 1886, followed by Gottlieb Daimler and engineer Wilhelm Maybach's original Mercedes automobile in 1901. The first Mercedes-Benz brand name vehicles were produced in 1926, following the merger of Karl Benz's and Gottlieb Daimler's companies into the Daimler-Benz company. Mercedes-Benz has, over the years, introduced many technological and safety innovations that have become common in modern vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz automobiles are available at dealerships in over 130 countries and their work fleet (trucks and commercial vehicles) are available from a group of dealers worldwide as well as direct from the factory. As with several other European automobile brands, Mercedes has offered a European delivery option for American customers who purchase a Mercedes-Benz automobile.

Today Mercedes-Benz has a full range of passenger, light commercial and heavy commercial vehicles. Production is on a Global basis. The Smart brand of city cars has also been part of the Mercedes-Benz Group since 1994.

Since its inception, Mercedes-Benz had a reputation for quality and durability. Objective measures looking at passenger vehicles such as J.D. Power surveys demonstrated a downturn in reputation in this area in the late 1990s and early 2000s. By 2005, Mercedes temporarily returned to the industry average for initial quality, according to J.D. Power. In J.D. Power's Initial Quality Study for the first quarter of 2007, Mercedes showed dramatic improvement by climbing to 29th place, surpassing quality leader Toyota and earning several awards for its models. For 2008, Mercedes quality improved by yet another mark, now in third place. On top of this accolade, it also received the Platinum Plant Quality Award for its Mercedes’ Sindelfingen, Germany assembly plant.

Check out the Mercedes Benz wallpapers and Mercedes Benz Pictures (pics) collection below: