On November 22, 1900, the first Mercedes was tested. The car was custom-made for a wealthy German entrepreneur who wanted a racing car. The company he bought it from was Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft, and Emil Jellinek commissioned them to build a sleek, fast car. They designed such a car for him, and he was so pleased he ordered 36 of them. In deference to such an important customer, the company agreed to name the car for Jellinek’s 11-year-old daughter, Mercedes.
