1954

16 - 27 January 1954
The Mercedes-Benz 180 D (W 120) makes its debut at the Brussels Motor Show, adding a diesel variant of the new "Ponton" saloon to the range.

6 - 14 February 1954
The 190 SL (W 121) and 300 SL (W 198) sports car models are presented at the International Motor Sports Show in New York. The 300 SL production sports car is based on the racing version from the 1952 season and likewise features a tubular spaceframe and gullwing doors. The 215 hp / 158 kW 3-litre engine under the bonnet of the 300 SL is fitted with a Bosch injection system, making it the first series-produced vehicle powered by a four-stroke engine to feature petrol injection. Petrol injection permits a boost in output and at the same time more efficient use of the fuel compared with conventional mixture preparation by means of a carburettor.

11 - 21 March 1954
The newly developed Mercedes-Benz 220 (internally designated 220 a, W 180) with "Ponton" body and the revised 300 (internally designated 300 b, W 186) with uprated engine make their debut at the Geneva Motor Show. The luxury model 220 a, which marks the introduction of the single-joint swing axle in passenger car construction, replaces the 220 (W 187) from 1951.

March 1954
The Indian company Tata Engineering and Locomotive Comp. (Telco) and Daimler-Benz AG sign an agreement concerning cooperation in sales and the building of an assembly plant in Jamshedpur, India. Daimler-Benz AG acquires a share of 11.44 % in Telco.

June 1954
Daimler-Benz introduces the L 325 truck with new OM 325 engine as a further development of the L 5500 model. At the same time, the L 6600 is given the new designation L 315. All other Mercedes-Benz truck and bus models are also renamed over the second half of the year. A three-digit model series designation replaces the previous figure, which indicated the payload in kilograms.

4 July 1954
The first race in which the new 2.5-litre W 196 Formula One racing car is entered brings a spectacular one-two victory for Mercedes-Benz. In the streamlined version of the W 196, Juan Manuel Fangio, competing for Mercedes-Benz for the first time, wins the French Grand Prix in Reims, with Karl Kling coming in second.

July 1954
Cab-over-engine versions of the Mercedes-Benz L 3500 and L 4500 medium-duty trucks and L 315 heavy-duty truck become available, although initially only as a chassis without driver’s cab and body.

1 August 1954
After finishing fourth in the British Grand Prix in Silverstone on 17 July, Juan Manuel Fangio wins the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring.The Argentinean follows this up with victories in the Swiss Grand Prix on 22 August and the Italian Grand Prix in Monza on 5 September. Fangio can already celebrate winning the Formula One World Championship crown by a huge margin after the penultimate race of the season.

August 1954
Series production of the 300 SL (W 198) sports car with fuel injection engine, presented in February, begins in Sindelfingen. The characteristic upswinging doors of the high-performance sports car result in it being popularly referred to as the "Gullwing".

24 October 1954
In the final race of the Formula One season, the Spanish Grand Prix in Pedralbes, Juan Manuel Fangio finishes in third place. Four wins in six races, plus two more wins in a Maserati, are the outcome of his first season with Mercedes-Benz.

October 1954
The first 500 parts kits for Mercedes-Benz trucks reach the Telco works in Jamshedpur, 300 km west of Calcutta, India. By year's end 100 vehicles are completed.

6 December 1954
In Mannheim Daimler-Benz presents the O 321 H, a forward-control bus with rear-mounted engine. As the first Mercedes-Benz bus to feature a semi-integral design, the O 321 H heralds a turning point in bus production at the company.