Daimler drops Chrysler for good, Benz name stays on at Mercedes

Shareholders of DaimlerChrysler have approved the company’s new name ‘Daimler AG’ and have also agreed to rename the car division ‘Mercedes-Benz Cars.’ Following the split of DaimlerChrysler earlier this year, shareholders were required to vote in a new name for the group. Many of the investors still wanted to honor one of the carmaker’s founders, Carl Friedrich Benz, whose name was dropped from the official title seven years ago following the merger with Chrysler. That’s why the former Mercedes Car Group is being renamed Mercedes-Benz Cars.

CEO Dieter Zetsche confirmed to Automotive News that the Daimler name was always going to be the name of the new group but said there was still plenty of room to honor Benz. "The proud name of Benz will not only remain prominent, it will have significantly higher visibility," he said. This is the division that’s responsible for Mercedes branded cars as well as Maybach and Smart.

Incidentally, Daimler’s commercial van unit will be called Mercedes-Benz Vans, the truck unit becomes Daimler Trucks and DaimlerChrysler Bank will be renamed Mercedes-Benz Bank.