1. Illustrated Chronicle
  2. Chronicle 1951 - 1960
  3. 1952

1952

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Haspel dies, Wagner Chairman of Board of Management
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Facelift for the 170 S
    Facelift for the 170 S
  • January 1952
  • A model enhanced version of the 170 S passenger car is unveiled, internally designated the 170 Sb. At the same time, a diesel variant – the 170 DS – also makes its debut. Both models are part of the W 191 series.
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    Annual car for employees
  • February 1952
  • Daimler-Benz employees are given the opportunity to buy a brand new Mercedes-Benz passenger car every year at a discount. This represents the start of the employees’ annual car scheme.
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Presentation of the 300 SL racing sports car
    Presentation of the 300 SL racing sports car
  • 12 March 1952
  • Mercedes-Benz presents the 300 SL racing sports car (W 194) to the press. It features a 3-litre carburettor engine developing 170 hp / 125 kW, and a tubular spaceframe. The first new Mercedes-Benz competition car developed after the war is to be used in sports car racing.
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100,000th car of the Mercedes-Benz 170 family from postwar production
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    Agreement to set up a joint venture in Brasil
  • 4 - 7 April 1952
  • Daimler-Benz AG concludes a contract with Brazilian businessman Alfred Jurzykowsky to set up a joint venture in São Paulo. Erection of an assembly plant for the production of trucks and buses is planned.
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300 SL: second in the Mille Miglia
    300 SL: second in the Mille Miglia
  • 3/4 May 1952
  • The first competitive outing of the 300 SL racing sports car is a great success. In the Mille Miglia, the legendary thousand-mile race from Brescia to Rome and back, the 300 SL driven by Karl Kling and co-driver Hans Klenk takes second place against a strong international field.
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Triple win for the 300 SL in Switzerland
    Triple win for the 300 SL in Switzerland
  • 18 May 1952
  • In the Bern Prize for Sports Cars the 300 SL racing sports car not only captures its first victory, but sweeps the first three places. Karl Kling is winner, followed by Hermann Lang and Fritz Rieß.
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170 V and 170 D models presented in further improved versions
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First place in legendary Le Mans 24-hour race
    First place in legendary Le Mans 24-hour race
  • 13/14 June 1952
  • The legendary Le Mans 24-hour race ends in a spectacular double victory for Mercedes-Benz. Driving Mercedes-Benz 300 SL racing sports cars with gullwing doors, the team of Hermann Lang/Fritz Rieß wins, followed by Theo Helfrich/Helmut Niedermayr in second place.
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First O 6600 T trolley-bus completed
    First O 6600 T trolley-bus completed
  • June 1952
  • The first O 6600 T trolley-bus is completed at the Mannheim plant. It was developed specifically to fill an order from Argentina. The delivery of 350 vehicles to Buenos Aires is one of the biggest export transactions of the early post-war period.
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Car sales arm established in North America
    Car sales arm established in North America
  • 31 July 1952
  • Daimler-Benz AG secures access to the US market by signing an agreement with Maximilian ("Maxi") Hoffman. Hoffman Motor Car Co. initially functions as general distributor for the east of the United States, and from the end of 1953 for the entire USA. Daimler-Benz delivers a total of 253 passenger cars to the USA by the end of 1952.
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Guaranteed access to the US market
    Guaranteed access to the US market
  • 3 August 1952
  • Mercedes-Benz celebrates a clean sweep of the top four places in the Anniversary Grand Prix for Sports Cars on the Nürburgring with 300 SL racing sports cars in the roadster version. Hermann Lang takes the win, with Karl Kling, Fritz Rieß and Theo Helfrich following him home in second, third and fourth places respectively.
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    Increased global quality assurance
  • 20 October 1952
  • Daimler-Benz AG sets up a quality assurance department, charged with the task of carrying out additional measures aimed at securing the quality of the company's products. In 1955 its sphere of responsibility, originally restricted to Untertürkheim and Sindelfingen, is extended to all production plants in Germany and abroad.
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1-2 win in long-distance race in Mexico
    1-2 win in long-distance race in Mexico
  • 19 - 23 November 1952
  • Karl Kling and his co-driver Hans Klenk win the third Carrera Panamericana Mexico – an endurance race over a distance of 3,111 km – in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. Hermann Lang and co-driver Erwin Grupp finish in second place.
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    Remarkable rise in export sales
  • 31 December 1952
  • Daimler-Benz AG's export revenues from over 80 countries reach a total of DM 226.2 million, up 42 % on the previous year. The most important export country is Argentina, which retains this position until 1955.
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    Provident fund "Securitas" created
  • December 1952
  • Daimler-Benz AG sets up the "Securitas" provident fund and initially allocates DM 6.7 million to the fund. In March 1954 it is renamed "Daimler-Benz Unterstützungskasse".
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