The official history of two of the world's pioneering automotive firms, lavishly illustrated with over 400 color photographs (some never before seen), noted author Dennis Adler tells the inside story of 80 years of automotive excellence. June 26, 2006 marks one of the important dates in automotive history: the merger of the Daimler and Benz motor companies. In this official history, written in cooperation with Daimler Motors, noted automobile historian Adler presents a decade-by-decade look at the evolution of one of the world's leading car companies. The book opens in early days of three pioneers, Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, and the birth of Mercedes, the modern motor car. It describes the Great War years, followed by the merger that created this classic car company in 1926. From there it takes a decade-by-decade approach, tracing the inter-war years, the rebirth after the destruction of German industry in World War II, and the succeeding years of prosperity and automotive excellence. With an introduction by racing legend Sir Stirling Moss, and new and archival photographs (some never before published), this book will become the standard for all Mercedes fanciers worldwide.