1988

Event20

Re-entering motor sport

Re-entering motor sport

15 January 1988
Daimler-Benz AG announces its decision to revive the company's official involvement in motor sport, and to provide works...

Ten-millionth passenger car since the war

17 February 1988
The ten-millionth Mercedes-Benz passenger car produced since the war leaves the assembly line at the Sindelfingen plant...

Five-millionth passenger car diesel engine since the war

25 February 1988
The five-millionth passenger car diesel engine built in the post-war era gives Daimler-Benz another "million milestone"...

Front-passenger airbag: optional extra for S-Class

Front-passenger airbag: optional extra for S-Class

February 1988
The front-passenger airbag is available as an optional extra initially for the saloons and coupés of the S-Class and is...

Successes for Schlesser/ Baldi/ Mass in the C 9

Successes for Schlesser/ Baldi/ Mass in the C 9

6 March 1988
The driver team Jean-Louis Schlesser/Mauro Baldi/Jochen Mass wins the first race of the 1988 Sports Car World Championsh...

O 303: world's most frequently built touring coach

O 303: world's most frequently built touring coach

24 March 1988
The 30,000th Mercedes-Benz O 303 bus is sent out from the Mannheim plant, giving the O 303 a production run unsurpassed...

One-millionth car from the 201 series

One-millionth car from the 201 series

29 March 1988
The one-millionth car of the 201 series compact class, a 190, is completed in Bremen and presented by Prof. Werner Niefe...

Weekly working hours shortened to 37.5

1 April 1988
The length of the working week in Germany's metal-working industry is reduced by one hour to 37.5 hours. The monthly wag...

Revised Unimog model range

Revised Unimog model range

20 - 27 April 1988
Daimler-Benz presents a revised Unimog model range in the heavy-duty category to the public at the Hanover Trade Fair....

New Freightliner generation

New Freightliner generation

May 1988
The Thunder & Lightning Edition of the new Freightliner heavy-duty truck generation, available in conventional and cab...

Humanitarian payments to persons subjected to forced labour

13 June 1988
Daimler-Benz AG makes a total of DM 20 million available to various organisations for humanitarian payments to persons...

Leasing and financing from one source

1 July 1988
Mercedes-Benz Finanz GmbH, formed the previous year and wholly owned by Daimler-Benz, commences operations. Mercedes Le...

New generation of heavy-duty trucks presented

New generation of heavy-duty trucks presented

4 - 8 July 1988
The new Mercedes-Benz heavy-duty (SK) truck range is presented to the motoring press in the town of Singen on Lake Const...

Stylistically revised compact-class models

Stylistically revised compact-class models

22 August 1988
The stylistically revised compact-class models are unveiled to the press. The 190 E 2.5-16 becomes the new top-of-the-r...

First championship title for Sauber-Mercedes

First championship title for Sauber-Mercedes

25 September 1988
After three wins in Hockenheim, on the Norisring and in Diepholz, Jean-Louis Schlesser wins the Supercup by taking fourt...

China builds heavy-duty trucks under license

27 September 1988
Daimler-Benz AG and the Chinese mechanical engineering group Northern Industries Corporation (NORINCO) sign a contract i...

Debuts at the Paris Motor Show

Debuts at the Paris Motor Show

29 September - 9 October 1988
The 200 E, 250 D Turbo, 200 TE (124 series) and 560 SE (126 series) make their debuts at the Paris Motor Show.

Runner-up in German Touring Car Championship

Runner-up in German Touring Car Championship

15 October 1988
In the final race of the DTM season at the Hockenheimring, Roland Asch takes second place in both runs in a Mercedes-Be...

Sauber-Mercedes: one-two win in final race

20 November 1988
In the final race of the Sports Car World Championship in Sandown Park, Australia, the Sauber-Mercedes C 9 racers driven...

One-millionth 124-series passenger car

19 December 1988
Prof. Werner Niefer presents the one-millionth 124-series model, a 200 E, to Ursula Späth, wife of the Minister Preside...