1. Five Other Vehicles That Daimler AG Produces Other Than Mercedes Benz All over the world, Mercedes Benz cars are known for being extraordinary, and rightfully so. The parent company of Mercedes Benz, Daimler AG, only produces the best in automotive. But did you know that Daimler also manufactures vehicles other than Mercedes Benz? Here are five other vehicles and companies in the Daimler AG line other than Mercedes Benz: Buses Thomas Built Buses was founded way back in 1916 as Thomas Car Works. It is the oldest known manufacturer of buses in North America. They began by making streetcars – about 400 of them – from 1918 to 1930. They then shifted to making buses. In 1933, Thomas built its first trolley bus, and 1934, built 10 transit buses. It then went on to build a whole fleet of different buses over the following decades, including the famous school bus, which Thomas was the third largest producer in 1962. In 1998, Thomas Built Buses was acquired by Freightliner, a subsidiary of Daimler-Benz AG. Trucks Daimler-Benz AG purchased Freightliner Corporation from Consolidated Freightways in 1981. For more than two decades, Freightliner had operated in the automotive industry as a manufacturer of commercial vehicles like freight trucks and large buses. Moving forward, the company grew significantly – opening a new corporate headquarters in Portland, Oregon and buying other companies like Thomas Built Buses and the Detroit Diesel Corporation. In 2007, Freightliner LLC was renamed Daimler Trucks North America, and the company has gone on to create many astounding designs like the first diesel-electric hybrid fuel truck in 2010. Microcars The Smart Fortwo was originally meant to be a microcar with a hybrid or electric engine and was to be created under the company MCC AG, which was founded as a subsidiary of Daimler- Benz in 1994. However, plans changed, and in 1998, the Smart Fortwo was released as a rear-

2. engine, rear-wheel-drive hatchback for two (as evidenced in the name) marketed by the Smart division of Daimler AG. Sold in 46 nations worldwide and available in the UK courtesy of the Sandown Group, the Fortwo is now in its third generation and comes in various models like Cdi, Crossblade, and Nightrun. Motorcycles Yes, the same line that produces the four-wheeled wonder also produces two-wheeled dreams. MV Agusta is an Italian-founded motorcycle company that has been in operation since 1945. It was created by Count Giovanni Agusta who also operated the Agusta Aviation company. Run by the family for a time and then passed to other hands, MV Agusta has produced many world- famous bikes, like the Vespa 98, the 175 CST and CSTL, and many others. Many of MV Agusta’s bikes also went on to win various Grand Prix and Moto GP championships. In 2015, Mercedes- AMG acquired a 25% minority stake in MV Agusta. There they are; five other vehicles in the Daimler AG line besides the Mercedes Benz. Next time you are chatting with a Mercedes Benz fan, bring them up and see if they know these facts about your favourite car company. Visit https://www.sandown-group.co.uk/smart/new-cars/