This year marks the 140th anniversaryTh Birthday of BMW’s legendary rival Mercedes-Benz. It’s a milestone that forces even die-hard BMW loyalists to pause and acknowledge the magnitude of the history involved. Whether you love them or loathe them, you have to admire the fact that Mercedes practically invented the car. Without Karl Benz, no car manufacturer would be where it is today. And for BMW, whose identity has long been forged in opposition to the Stuttgart star, the Mercedes anniversary is as much about rivalry as it is about awe.
BMW, Mercedes-Benz and how we got here
The accepted starting point for the history of Mercedes is 1886, when Karl Benz patented the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, widely considered to be the world’s first true automobile. BMW, on the other hand, would no longer exist for the next three decades. The brand’s official beginnings date back to 1910, before it was restructured in 1916 and eventually became Bayerische Motoren Werken in 1922. It’s also worth noting that cars weren’t BMW’s original bread and butter. It started as an aircraft engine manufacturer before moving into motorcycles and eventually cars. This difference in origin stories has shaped both brands ever since. Mercedes has always relied on tradition, dignity and technical innovations. Meanwhile, BMW built its reputation by challenging this establishment. The brand’s lighter, sharper and more rider-focused machines were aimed at people who liked to drive, not just get there. It later leaned into its aviation background and adopted cockpit-like lighting and buttons.
The philosophical divide becomes clear when you look at the long-standing chess game of brands across the luxury and performance spectrum. For decades, Mercedes defined the standard for comfort, safety and technical prestige. Anti-lock braking systems, airbags, crumple zones – Mercedes was often first. BMW did not respond with a copy, but rather with a redirection of the conversation. The BMW 7 Series E32 and E38 didn’t outperform the S-Class; They made luxury sedans exciting.
The rivalry arguably reached its peak in the 1980s and 1990s, when BMW’s motorsport-derived ethos collided directly with Mercedes’ growing performance ambitions. The E30 M3 lapped everything in touring car racing, even beating Mercedes’ own 190E 2.3-16 and later Evolution models. Stuttgart quietly took notes – now it was their turn to reorient themselves. AMG went from being a skunkworks tuner to a factory-backed performance arm, and BMW M had a real opponent. The ensuing arms race – M5 versus E55 AMG, M3 versus C63 – defined modern German performance cars and elevated both brands in the process.
The best is yet to come – for both brands
At 140 years old, Mercedes is also a reminder that BMW’s golden days often came when there was something to oppose. Without competitors, including Mercedes, to counteract BMW’s “Ultimate Driving Machine” mantra wouldn’t be nearly as popular. Even today, as both brands grapple with electrification, software-defined vehicles and increasingly blurred model lines, the dynamic remains familiar. Mercedes leads with sometimes bizarre spectacle and technically advanced luxury. BMW counters with chassis tuning, balance and driver involvement – even if electrons replace cylinders.
Of course, Mercedes-Benz’s 140th birthday deserves recognition. Not because BMW fans suddenly had to wave their star, but because the brand’s longevity underscores how important this rivalry was to the progress of the automotive industry. BMW grew up next to and because of Mercedes-Benz. And as the next era of mobility begins, one thing is reassuringly constant: Munich and Stuttgart will continue to compete with each other, as they have for well over a century.
