The 22 millionth Mercedes-Benz vehicle, a EQS 580 4MATIC in MANUFAKTUR hyacinth red metallic [WLTP: combined electrical consumption: 21.3 – 17.7 kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km] [1] rolled off the production line at Factory 56 in Sindelfingen, Germany. This flagship electric vehicle marks the most recent chapter in production of luxury vehicles at the Mercedes-Benz plant, which opened in 1915 and emerged as a centre of excellence for producing high-end vehicles ever since records began in 1946. The 22 million milestone is the culmination of a phase of steady growth for Sindelfingen, following the resumption of passenger car production in 1946.
In addition to the EQS, all variants of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, including the hybrid, as well as the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, come off the production line at Factory 56. The E-Class, GLC, CLS, S-Class Guard and Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door models are also built in Sindelfingen. New models and drive variants are quickly integrated into the running line - proof of the high flexibility and efficiency of Factory 56. In 2022, deliveries of the S-Class rose to over 90,000 units, an increase of 5% over the previous year. In addition, EQS was able to win new customers for the top-end segment. In 2022, 19,200 vehicles of this model were delivered to customers, driven by strong demand in the US.
"I congratulate my colleagues in Sindelfingen on the impressive production anniversary of 22 million vehicles. Flexible, digital, efficient and sustainable: Sindelfingen is and remains our centre of excellence for luxury class vehicles in the global production network. Sindelfingen has an impressive history, while at the same time being ideally positioned for the future: The lead plant in the Top-End luxury segment will produce models using the electric AMG.EA platform from 2025 onwards."
Jörg Burzer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG,
Production and Supply Chain Management
Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant in operation since 1915
The Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant has been in operation since 1915 and, with a history stretching back more than a century, is the competence centre for the production of luxury and luxury-class vehicles in the global production network. The site employs approximately 35,000 people and combines all areas related to vehicle production, as well as planning areas and central purchasing and supplier management. Sindelfingen is also home to Group Research, Development and Design of Mercedes-Benz Group AG.
"22 million vehicles produced, that's 22 million wishes fulfilled - an impressive figure that we can be truly proud of. This pride and dedication is embodied by our colleagues who give their best for Mercedes-Benz every day. They deserve my very special thanks. They have guaranteed the success of our site for 108 years. With our agreements on the Sindelfingen 2030+ vision, we have laid the foundation for ensuring that dream cars from Sindelfingen will continue to be shipped all over the world in the future. The arrival of new technologies and products at our site is the key to securing the future and thus safeguarding employment."
Ergun Lümali, Chairman of the General Works Council of Mercedes-Benz Group AG
and Chairman of the Works Council of the Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen Plant
"The workforce at the Sindelfingen plant can be justifiably proud of this production anniversary. My thanks go to our highly qualified colleagues who work here day after day, highly motivated, with great commitment and heart and soul, to produce the world's most desirable automobiles. Particularly since the start of car manufacturing there in 1919, the site has successfully reinvented itself time and again - each time with state-of-the-art production technology as well as design and development services."
Michael Bauer, Site Manager and Head of Production at the Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant.
"Sindelfingen is one of the most traditional vehicle plants of our brand. The 'Sindelfingen bodies' of the 1920s are also legendary. They stand for a golden age of Mercedes-Benz top-of-the-range automobiles with individual bodies for the highest demands from a single source. These highlights are an important part of our heritage."
Marcus Breitschwerdt, Head of Mercedes-Benz Heritage
Sustainability in production
Mercedes-Benz has been producing CO2-neutrally in all of its own plants worldwide since 2022. The electricity comes exclusively from renewable energies. In addition, the company aims to increase the generation of renewable energy at its sites. Factory 56 in Sindelfingen is committed to more sustainable and resource-saving production: there is a photovoltaic system on the roof that supplies the hall with self-generated green electricity. Over 12,000 modules generate around 5,000 kWp of power. This can cover around 30 per cent of Factory 56's electricity needs annually. By the end of 2024, investments will be made in a further expansion of photovoltaics at the entire site. The Sindelfingen site is also focusing on a steady reduction in water consumption and waste.
Production milestones at the traditional Sindelfingen site
The history of automobile production at the Sindelfingen site of Daimler-Motor-Gesellschaft (DMG) begins in 1919. It was originally founded in 1915 as an aircraft factory. The first model produced here is the Mercedes-Knight 16/45 hp. In the 1920s and 1930s, Sindelfingen was synonymous with particularly exclusive bodies for sporty Mercedes-Benz luxury vehicles - the "Sindelfingen bodies". In the same era, body construction was converted to large-scale production and modern assembly line production was introduced at the plant in the 1930s. The rapid rise of Sindelfingen then began in the 1950s. By way of comparison: in 1966 alone, twice as many vehicles were built here as in the entire period from 1946 to 1952. In addition to production, other areas play an important role in Sindelfingen. These include safety development, among other things with the start of systematic crash tests in 1959. Design and aerodynamics development are also based here.
The Mercedes-Benz Classic vehicle: Mercedes 15/70/100 hp Open Touring Car (1924)
The Mercedes 15/70/100 hp luxury car with six-cylinder engine and supercharger was presented by Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft at the German Motor Show in Berlin in December 1924. It is built under the direction of Ferdinand Porsche, who heads the company's design office from 1923 to 1928. Together with the Mercedes 24/100/140 hp, which was developed in parallel, the Mercedes 15/70/100 hp heralded a new era in the construction of top-class luxury automobiles.
Technical data Mercedes 15/70/100 hp:
Production period: 1924-1929
Engine: 6 cylinders/row
Displacement: 3,920 cubic centimetres
Power: 51 kW (70 hp) at 2,800 rpm, with compressor 74 kW (100 hp) at 3,100 rpm
Top speed: 112 km/h (with rear axle ratio 1:4.88)
Milestones Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant
1915 Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG) acquires 51 hectares of land in Sindelfingen for an aircraft factory and an automobile body plant.
1916 Construction of the first aircraft assembly hall begins. The building still exists today.
1917 Delivery of the first aircraft with Daimler engines from Sindelfingen.
1918 The plant, previously under the management of Untertürkheim, becomes an independent operation.
1918 The Untertürkheim body department begins moving to Sindelfingen.
1919 Production of car bodies begins. The first vehicle is the Mercedes-Knight 16/45 hp.
1919 Sindelfingen produces furniture as emergency products.
1924 After a study trip to the USA, Wilhelm Friedle, who later became director of operations, became involved in modernising the body shop based on the model of the Ford Motor Company.
1928 Conversion of the press shop from manual single-part production to series production with deep-drawing presses.
1930s Introduction and restructuring of assembly line production.
1946 The 170 V (W 136) is built as a flatbed, panel van and ambulance, from 1947 also as a four-door saloon. This marks the start of passenger car production after the Second World War II.
1952 The 100,000th Sindelfingen passenger car since 1946 is built, a Mercedes-Benz 170 S (W 136).
1953 Premiere of the Mercedes-Benz 180 (W 120) "Ponton" in Sindelfingen. First Mercedes-Benz passenger car with self-supporting body.
1954 Start of production of the 300 SL (W 198), from 1955 also of the 190 SL (W 121).
1959 Start of the first systematic crash tests in Sindelfingen.
1962 The one millionth passenger car in post-war production from Sindelfingen leaves the assembly line: a Mercedes-Benz 220 SE "tail fin" (W 111).
1966 Sindelfingen produces more than 200,000 passenger cars in one year for the first time
1969 In May, for the first time the plant produces more than 1,000 vehicles a day produced at the plant.
1971 2nd International ESV Conference in Sindelfingen, Mercedes-Benz presents the ESF 05 experimental safety vehicle.
1972 Europe's first fully automatic robot transfer line goes into operation in the body shop
1972 Production start of the 116 luxury class series, called "S-Class" for the first time.
1976 Production capacity is to increase to 430,000 vehicles per year by 1986.
1979 Partial automation of the production lines is introduced with the start of production of the S-Class 126 series.
1981 Opening of the new customer centre for the personal collection of new vehicles.
1994 Ground-breaking ceremony for a new development and preparation centre.
1994 Kick-off for the nationwide switch to water-based body paints.
1995 Opening of the world's first designo consulting centre.
1998 Inauguration of the Mercedes-Benz Technology Center.
2000 Inauguration of the most modern virtual reality centre in the automotive industry.
2002 Opening of the Centre of Excellence for the luxury brands Maybach and SLR McLaren brands.
2002 Transport by rail with closed car transport trains begins.
2006 New start-up factory for prototype construction and next-generation vehicles.
2009 Entry into plastics processing for body parts with the CL-Class rear lid of the C 216 series made of glass-fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP).
2014 The production method of heat-assisted forming (HEF) is used for the first time in the start-up of the new S-Class Coupé.
2014 Start of production of the Mercedes-AMG GT (model series 197).
2015 Celebration of the centenary. The site has around 37,000 employees.
2015 The 20 millionth vehicle is built in Sindelfingen, an S 500 e Plug-in Hybrid from the 222 series.
2016 Opening of the Technology Centre for Vehicle Safety (TFS).
2018 Starting signal for Factory 56 for the highest possible flexibility and efficiency.
2020 Opening of Factory 56 and start of production of the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class (model series 223).
2021 Start of production of the EQS (model series 297): the first electric luxury saloon from Factory 56.
2022 Start of production of the latest generation of the GLC (model series 254) and opening of the Electric Software Hub.
