Montreal, PQ -- Nowadays, it's hard to picture the Mercedes-Benz lineup without the small
B-Class and
C-Class models. Yet, if you go back in time to the early 1970s, the German automaker used to sell nothing but large premium cars in North America.
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| Werner Breitschwerdt, "father" of the Baby Benz! |
The oil crisis of 1973 and the company's desire to increase its presence on the global market soon led to the birth of a more compact Mercedes. "Some members of the Daimler-Benz management doubted it was possible to create a small car that would offer the same levels of quality and safety as a large Mercedes," recalls Werner Breitschwerdt, the man known as the "father" of the C-Class. Now at 81 years of age, Breitschwerdt still has the same passion for automobiles which allowed him to play various managing roles at Daimler-Benz, including Chairman of the Board. His eyes light up when he talks about the development of the 190 (code-named W 201 by those inside the company). Auto123.com met with him in Montreal on the eve of the
Canadian Grand Prix . He gladly agreed to tell the story of the "Baby Benz".
25 years already! A quarter of century has passed since Mercedes first introduced the 190 compact sedan, which later became the C-Class. But while this model is now a jewel in the brand's lineup, it was considered at the time as truly revolutionary by some people. Truth is, the W 201 was not actually the first-ever small car produced by Mercedes. In the 1930s, the automaker built a rear-engine vehicle that was barely larger than a Volkswagen: the 130 (W 23). Then, from 1953 to 1962, the mass-produced Mercedes-Benz 170 (W 120) was similar in size to today's C-Class. However, back then, it was marketed as a midsize car. This sedan eventually grew bigger and bigger, spawning what we now know as the E-Class. Mercedes-Benz Canada President and CEO Marcus Breitschwerdt, who's a cousin of Werner Breitschwerdt, claims that "today's Mercedes-Benz cars are often viewed as technological masterpieces." He's right: 25 years ago, the brand essentially focused on luxury and prestige cars, especially in North America.
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| The 190 achieved higher sophistication levels than any other Mercedes-Benz at the time, or so says Werner Breitschwerdt. |