1975

3 January 1975
Friedrich Karl Flick informs Franz Heinrich Ulrich, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Daimler-Benz and Board Spokesman of Deutsche Bank, of his intention to sell his 39 % stake in the share capital of Daimler-Benz (worth some DM 3 billion) to Iran.

14 January 1975
Deutsche Bank acquires 29 % of Flick's Daimler-Benz share block for approx. DM 2 billion; Flick retains the remaining 10 %.

7 April 1975
In Esslingen Daimler-Benz presents a test bus which can run on battery power or overhead cables. Based on the OE 302, the duo bus (dual-powered bus) starts its trial period in regular service the same day.

16 - 24 April 1975
The Unimog U 150 (425 series) as a new road-going tractor and the MB-trac 65/70 in a version as industrial tractor unit are unveiled at the Hanover Trade Fair. The U 150 is the most powerful Unimog model to date, developing output of 110 kW / 150 hp.

22 April 1975
The Board of Management of Daimler-Benz AG decides to purchase a 1.7 million sq m site in Campinas, about 100 km from the main plant of Mercedes-Benz do Brasil in São Bernardo do Campo. A new assembly plant for buses and a central spare parts store are built there by 1978.

15 May 1975
The new top-of-the-range S-Class model, the Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (116 series) with a 210 kW / 286 hp V8 engine from the M 100 series and hydropneumatic suspension, is unveiled to the public.

28 July 1975
The 500,000th truck built since production began in July 1965 leaves the assembly line at the Wörth plant.

11 - 21 September 1975
At the Frankfurt International Motor Show, the New Generation range of commercial vehicles is rounded off by the addition of new medium-duty trucks with 10, 12 and 14-tonne gross vehicle weight. This completes the upgrading process for the truck range upwards of ten tonnes, which began in autumn 1973. The 2032 S (6x2/4) semitrailer tractor presented in Frankfurt with two steered front axles and a planetary rear drive axle continues the tradition of the renowned LPS 333 from the 1950s. Also at the Frankfurt show, Daimler-Benz unveils the first test vehicle with hydrogen-powered drive system and hydride storage tank – based on the L 307 minibus model – to the automotive press.

September 1975
The one-millionth automatic transmission for passenger cars is completed at the Hedelfingen sub-plant of the Untertürkheim plant.

September 1975
Cruise control is made available as an optional extra for the first time for all S-Class models (116 series) and SL and SLC models (107 series) with automatic transmission.

9 October 1975
The one-millionth commercial vehicle diesel engine is built at the Mannheim plant. The OM 401 V6 power unit develops an output of 141 kW / 192 hp and is part of the OM 400 engine family introduced in May 1970. The landmark engine is donated to the city of Mannheim to be used in a Mercedes-Benz fire service vehicle.