Welcome
Dear Club Members and friends of the Mercedes-Benz brand, the Mercedes-Benz Car Club of WA welcomes you. Our club allows us to share the passion we have for the brand through the dedication of our members, we hope to provide everyone with a warm and welcoming environment where they can find not only technical knowledge but a great deal of camaraderie too.
We have something to offer everyone, from seasoned Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts to newcomers to the brand. Our ever-changing member demographic has recently taken on a great deal of younger members which is encouraging and will allow our club to evolve.
Through our club activities, we hope to promote the brand and its history. We participate in car rallies, display days, and social events that cater to all walks of life.
History & Origins of the Mercedes-Benz Car Club of WA
The Mercedes-Benz marque has been a part of Australia’s motoring culture for well over 60 years, and in 1954 Diesel Motors commenced the distribution of Mercedes-Benz motor vehicles. Mercedes-Benz Australia was then formed as a separate entity from the head company in Germany in 1958. That point marks the beginning of the widespread growth of the brand across the country and the ever-expanding number of owners and enthusiasts.
Our club was founded in 1960 by like-minded individuals who all shared a common interest – that of the Mercedes-Benz brand and its vehicles. They wished to create an environment for all types of members including both social and technical aspects, something our club prides itself on to this day. Please take a look at the benefits that our club can provide new members.
The Mercedes-Benz Car Club of WA was formed in February 1960 when a few Mercedes-Benz owners met at the Brisbane Street Service Station at the southwestern corner of Brisbane and William Streets North Perth. Several models joined the group namely a 220, a 180, and a 220Sc, as well as some other models.
The club members spent productive time designing a distinctive radiator badge showing the map of Australia with WA coloured blue, this became the basis for each state badge.
The club organised its first Rally and gained the participation of 12 vehicles and went on a route that ended at Mundaring Weir in the Darling Scarp. After admiring the masterful construction of the Weir, the rally was declared a success. There were other rallies that went to Bunbury and Cranbrook as well as many other destinations around the state.
There is very interesting correspondence between the club, the West German consulate, and Daimler-Benz AG regarding the authorised use of the Mercedes-Benz name and logo. This resulted in Daimler-Benz agreeing in March 1962 to the use of the three-pointed star in the club’s emblem but dependent upon:
1. The registered name of the club being Mercedes-Benz Car Club of WA
2. Daimler-Benz AG providing information and support for the members to continue the enjoyment of Mercedes-Benzes automobiles
3. The club being a non-profit organisation for promoting the popularity and enjoyment of Mercedes-Benzes automobiles
It seems certain that our WA Club was the first Mercedes-Benz club in the Southern Hemisphere.
Since those early days, our club has evolved into an incorporated organisation for the enjoyment of all its members and affiliates. We adhere to our Club Constitution to ensure our club is run with transparency and fairness, and that Constitution also lists the main objectives of our Club:
(a) To foster the use, enjoyment, preservation, and restoration of current and historic motor vehicles made by Mercedes-Benz
(b) To facilitate the enjoyment of these vehicles by participation in social and motoring events and gatherings
(c) To assist and encourage fellow members with restoration projects
(d) To help promote and maintain Western Australia’s automotive history and heritage
(e) To liaise with other groups and organisations of similar interest
Our willingness to ensure everyone enjoys their time with the club has resulted in a full calendar of events that allows us to achieve all of the above. Attendance at a Mercedes-Benz Car Club WA event will show any member, guest, or protentional member just why we have been around for so long and why we will be around for a long time to come.
Club News
For the latest news about the club, visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mbccwa/