Mercedes-Benz (often just Mercedes) is a trademark of the German car, truck, tractor and bus manufacturer Daimler AG and its divisions. Prior to 2007, Daimler AG was called DaimlerChrysler AG and before that Daimler-Benz AG.
The Mercedes-Benz brand was established in 1926 after the merger of Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft and Benz & Cie., whose founders were Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz. The subsequently formed Daimler-Benz AG has adopted the Mercedes-Benz trademark for its vehicles.
The original company Benz & Cie., Rheinische Gasmotoren-Fabrik of the late Karl Benz is the world's oldest car manufacturer. The symbol and logo of the brand is very well known - since 1926 it has been a three-pointed star designed by Gottlieb Daimler, surrounded by Karl Benz' traditional laurel wreath. Mercedes cars are named after the then eleven-year-old Mercédès Jellinek - the daughter of a car dealer and the Austrian Consul General in Nice, Emil Jellinek.