At the end of the year, Autoworld Brussels traditionally serves up the very best once again. This year, the museum is dedicated to Mercedes-Benz, and there are several reasons for this. The three-wheeled Benz Motorwagen, probably the first practical automobile with an internal combustion engine, was patented 140 years ago, and 100 years ago Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and Benz & Cie merged to form Daimler-Benz AG. And one might add: 90 years ago, Mercedes-Benz launched the first passenger car with a diesel engine, 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the W 123 model and the small SLK roadster is now also 30 years old.
Given the company's long history and the brand's diverse activities, it was certainly not easy to set the right priorities. The exhibition organizers therefore had to limit themselves and - with the exception of a Unimog and an O 319 minibus - leave out the entire commercial vehicle sector. To start with: the exhibition concept is convincing and a tour of the carefully curated exhibition shows visitors the milestones in automotive history that the brand with the three-pointed star symbolizing the elements of earth, air and water has produced.
The 60 or so exhibits range in time from 1886 to the present day, or in other words from the patented motor car to the Mercedes-AMG One. The exhibition is divided into five segments: "Icons and Symbols", "History", "Sport and Competition", "Super and Concept Cars" and finally "S-Class and SL". As always, showcases with model cars, information boards and films are part of the exhibition.
Let's start our tour with the smaller part of the exhibition on the first floor, which can be seen as the quintessence of the brand. It all began with the Benz Patent Motor Car, which is on display as a replica.
It is framed by a red 300 SL Gullwing from 1955 and a Mercedes-AMG One and an AMG PureSpeed from current production - a two-seater that has no roof or windows at all.
The complex paintwork of both cars with its gradients is certainly worth a mention.
Nearby is a 540 K Sport Cabriolet A from 1937, a typical supercharged sports car of the time.
Also on display is a Mercedes-Benz 190 E Evo 2 with its highly visible rear spoiler.
Probably the longest car in the special exhibition can also be found here, a Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman.
The O 319 minibus provides even more space for passengers.
Elegant coupés are not neglected here either. A dark red 560 SEC Coupé from the 126 model series from 1989 is on display, alongside a 220 SE Coupé from 1965.
The corresponding limousine counterpart, a Mercedes 220 S ("big fin") is also on display.
This is complemented by a rare 230 S station wagon from the Belgian company Universal from 1967, which was somewhat peripherally positioned at the time of our visit.
Also a little further away is an early Unimog loaded with Christmas parcels.
Finally, a replica of the 1971 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.9 AMG known as the "red sow" awaits visitors in front of a decorated Christmas tree before they ascend to the main part of the exhibition.
To the left, a phalanx of silver vehicles awaits him there, starting with an SLK 200 from the first series.
Next to it is a Mercedes 500 E, which is known to have been developed in collaboration with Porsche.
Next to it is a Mercedes-Benz AMG C 55, a station wagon from the W 203 series.
Next to it is another AMG, a black Mercedes-Benz AMG A 65 Final Edition from 2019.
Next to it, two large series models are shown, each with the most powerful six-cylinder engine, namely a Mercedes 190 E 2.6 and a 280 E from the W 123 series with only 30,000 km on the clock.
An impressive double row of twelve vehicles illustrates the evolution of what later became the S-Class and the SL models. In this block, the respective saloon is accompanied by a corresponding SL model.
The saloons range from the pontoon Mercedes 220 S through the W 112, W 108, W 116 and W 126 model series to the W 140 model series, represented by a Mercedes-Benz S 500 AMG 6.0 from 1994.
The corresponding SL models start with a Mercedes 190 SL from 1957, followed by a 300 SL Roadster from 1958, then a "Pagoda" through to a 500 SL from 2004.
We approach the historical aspects of the brand via an example of the first A-Class painted in striking red, which once made the "moose test" famous.
A Mercedes-Benz 630 S Sport Cabriolet from 1928, otherwise housed in the D'Ieteren Gallery, is representative of the great sports cars of the pre-war era.
A short time later, Mercedes launched the first passenger car with a diesel engine; a 260 D cab is shown.
However, not every innovation was a success, such as the Mercedes-Benz 170 H with rear engine from 1936.
This leads on to the front-wheel drive version of the Mercedes 170 S, of which a saloon and a Cabriolet A are shown.
Next to it is a light blue 220 S Cabriolet from 1958, which can be seen as a symbol of the so-called "economic miracle era".
Of course, the prestigious Mercedes 300 - known as "the Adenauer" - is not to be missed.
There are numerous exhibits on the subject of "sport and competition". The W 25 racing car from 1934 represents the era of the "Silver Arrows", while the SLC 500 coupé for the 1984 Dakar Rally and a Mercedes-Benz ML 430 from 2000 are on display as rally cars.
From the ranks of touring cars and racing cars: a Mercedes-Benz 190 E Evo1, a CLK DTM AMG from 2005, the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR from the Loh Collection and the Sauber-Mercedes C9 and Mercedes F1 W 05 Hybrid racing cars, once driven by Lewis Hamilton.
There is also no shortage of "concept and supercars". These include the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition from 2004, the SLR McLaren "Stirling Moss" from 2009 and the SLS Black Series from 2014.
Perhaps the best-known concept car from Mercedes-Benz is the C111, naturally painted in "white autumn metallic", shown here in the second version.
A total of 16 examples were built, 13 of them with rotary piston engines, two with diesel engines and one with a V8 engine. The C 111 is known to have gullwing doors and is therefore attractively displayed at Autoworld alongside a 300 SL Gullwing. However, the latter probably deserves the inflationary term "iconic".
We approach the end of the tour and discover two off-road vehicles. A Mercedes 230 GE Cabrio from 1990 is a reminder of the history of the G model from military vehicle to luxury car.
At its side is a luxurious Mercedes Maybach G 650 Landaulet from 2017, whose V12 engine from AMG has an output of 630 hp. Incidentally, alongside the 260 D mentioned above, it is the second car with the only partially closed "Landaulet" body style.
Now it's time to let the many impressions of this large exhibition on the history of the star sink in. If you combine this with a detour to the "Bagnole" bistro, you can leave with a view of a 300SL Roadster from 1959.
Further information on the exhibition "Mercedes, the Story of the Star", which is on display until February 22, 2026, can be found on the museum's website.
