Mercedes-Benz is marking 140 years since the birth of the automobile with a new public facing studio in Prague, one of about ten cities worldwide selected for the Mercedes-Benz Studio concept. The move gives the Czech capital a place in the brand’s broader anniversary program across Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia.
The temporary space will run at Galerie Mánes from May 3 through May 24, with a three week schedule built around changing themes, rotating displays, and a parallel calendar of events. A café, a retail area, and special programming for registered guests are all part of the plan.
Mercedes is using the Prague studio as more than a static exhibit. It is presenting the space as a blend of heritage, design, culture, and current product storytelling, which fits the way the company is framing its 2026 anniversary campaign.
That anniversary reaches back to 1886, when Carl Benz filed his patent for the motor car and Gottlieb Daimler built his motorized carriage shortly afterward. For Mercedes-Benz, Prague becomes one more stage for telling that story in a modern, highly curated way.
From Patentwagen To The Present
Photo Courtesy: Autorepublika.
The first week is centered on innovation and the long arc of Mercedes history, tracing the path from the earliest patent motor car to the company’s newest luxury models. Visitors are expected to see a fully functional Patentwagen replica on loan from a Czech collector, turning the opening section into a direct bridge between the origins of the automobile and the company’s present day lineup.
That same opening section will also feature the recently revealed S Class and the new CLA. Local preview coverage initially mentioned a European debut for the C Class, but the clearer lineup details published afterward point to the S Class and CLA as the headline contemporary cars in this part of the exhibition.
Mercedes is also leaning into the gallery’s social and cultural identity during this week. The schedule includes salsa dancing, robotics activities, floral workshops, barre fitness sessions, and running classes, all designed to make the studio feel more like an urban lifestyle space than a traditional auto show display.
Maybach Style In The Middle Week
Photo Courtesy: Autorepublika.
The second week shifts the mood toward personalization, luxury, and design under the Maybach banner. That section is expected to include top tier models such as the Mercedes-Maybach SL Monogram Series, a Manufaktur themed G Class, a refreshed EQS, and the iconic 300 SL roadster.
One of the most visually distinctive pieces in Prague will be the pink CLA created by Swedish designer Gustaf Westman. That car is tied to Mercedes-Benz’s wider creative collaboration work around the new CLA, and it gives the studio a strong art and fashion hook in addition to the usual product display role.
That design focus continues with the spring edition of Lemarket and a program of discussions around style and fashion. It is a smart fit for a city center location like Galerie Mánes, where Mercedes is clearly trying to reach beyond traditional car enthusiasts and into a broader culture minded audience.
AMG Takes Over The Finale
The final week turns toward performance and motorsport, with Mercedes-AMG taking over the gallery. The headliners include the Mercedes-AMG ONE and the Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed, two machines that push the studio concept away from heritage nostalgia and toward modern halo car spectacle.
That closing lineup goes further than just those two centerpieces. Local preview reports also mention the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Coupe, the AMG GLC 53, and a 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLS race car, adding both present day performance and period competition history to the same room.
Visitors will also be able to use Formula 1 simulators and step into a commentary studio environment, with the week ending around coverage of the Canadian Grand Prix. Mercedes-AMG’s own Formula 1 site lists the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix as Round 7 of the championship, giving the Prague event a timely motorsport tie in rather than just a decorative one.
More Than An Anniversary Exhibit
Photo Courtesy: Autorepublika.
What makes this Prague project interesting is that it reflects how Mercedes now likes to celebrate milestones. The company is not limiting its 140 year message to museums or corporate speeches, but is instead pushing it into flexible urban spaces that connect cars with design, art, retail, and social programming.
Prague was a fitting choice for that approach. The city gives Mercedes a culturally rich venue in Central Europe, and Galerie Mánes offers the kind of recognizable architectural setting that works well for a brand trying to present both history and modern luxury in the same frame.
For visitors, the result looks broader than a standard brand showcase. It is part exhibition, part cultural program, and part anniversary statement, built around the idea that the story of Mercedes-Benz did not begin with today’s flagship sedans and hypercars, but with a patent filed in 1886 that still shapes how the company wants to present itself in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Autorepublika.com and has been republished with permission by Guessing Headlights. AI-assisted translation was used, followed by human editing and review.
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