On March 31, 1901, the world saw the first car named Mercedes — this day marked the beginning of a new era in the history of automotive engineering. The name of the future automotive legend owes its existence to an eleven-year-old girl — Mercedes Jellinek, who, although she did not become a car enthusiast, forever etched her name in history.
This is reported by Finway
The Origin of the Name and the Influence of the Jellinek Family
The history of the brand is closely linked to the Jellinek family. Mercedes’ father, Emil Jellinek, was an influential businessman from Vienna and the first dealer who purchased large batches of cars from Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and sold them to wealthy clients in Nice. Emil’s fascination with his daughter’s name was so strong that he named not only her but also his villas, yachts, and later even his company after her. Eventually, he officially changed the family surname to Jellinek-Mercedes, honoring his beloved daughter.
On April 2, 1900, Emil Jellinek signed a contract with Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft, which stated that the company’s new engine would be named Daimler-Mercedes. At that time, Mercedes was only eleven years old.
“Anyone who utters the name of this German car inevitably recalls the girl Mercedes, who lent her name to the brand when she was just 11 years old.”
The Debut of the Mercedes 35 HP — A Breakthrough in the Automotive World
The first car to bear the name Mercedes was the innovative model Mercedes 35 HP from 1901. With its front-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive, this model set a new standard for modern cars. Its powerful 35-horsepower engine allowed it to accelerate to 75 km/h, making it one of the fastest cars of its time. Emil Jellinek committed to purchasing 36 such cars, and the success of the model laid the foundation for the future popularity of this name in the company’s developments.
Through profitable car trading, Emil Jellinek became a wealthy man, and his daughter grew up in affluence, eventually becoming part of high society. However, Mercedes herself was not passionate about cars, and only one photo shows her behind the wheel — when she was 17 years old.
Mercedes Jellinek married Baron von Schlosser, had a daughter, and later, during World War I, her husband was forced to go to the front. After the war, the family faced financial difficulties, and Emil Jellinek passed away. Mercedes left her husband and lived with her children and a sculptor, who soon died of tuberculosis. In 1929, Mercedes Jellinek passed away at the age of 39.
Despite her dramatic fate, Mercedes’ name became a symbol of automotive excellence. In 1926, the Daimler and Benz companies merged, and since then, cars have been named Mercedes-Benz. Today, the brand ranks among the top ten in the world by sales volume, and the name of the little girl still adorns every Mercedes-Benz vehicle.