- Mercedes-Benz Classic now offers factory data cards for most passenger cars built between 1986 and 2010.
- Owners must provide proof of ownership and pay €130 (NZ$255) through the German Mercedes-Benz Classic Store.
- AMG models, vans and smart vehicles are excluded from the new digital certificate service.
Mercedes-Benz has opened a new online route into the factory records of its more recent classics.
Owners of eligible cars can now order a digital vehicle data card - effectively a factory-backed birth certificate showing how their car was originally configured.
The service covers almost all Mercedes-Benz passenger-car series built between 1986 and 2010. That window takes in cars that are now firmly on the enthusiast radar, as well as younger models whose provenance may become increasingly important as they age.
What the certificate reveals
The digital record can include the car’s precise model and variant, its original equipment and option codes, paint colour and interior specification. Production and delivery information is also supplied where it remains available in the factory data.
That makes the document useful beyond simple curiosity. It can help an owner check whether a car still matches its original specification, identify factory-fitted equipment, or add supporting provenance to its history file.
Mercedes-Benz says the service covers almost all passenger-car ranges from the period, but there are clear exclusions. Mercedes-AMG models are not included, nor are Mercedes-Benz vans or smart vehicles.
Proof of ownership required
Orders are placed through the German Mercedes-Benz Classic Store and cost €130 (NZ$255).
Applicants must provide proof that they own the vehicle before its records will be released. Once the required documents have been accepted, Mercedes-Benz says the digital data card will be delivered within five working days.
The result is a tidier alternative to piecing together a car’s original build specification from old paperwork, parts catalogues or unofficial online decoders. It will not cover every vehicle wearing a three-pointed star, but for eligible passenger cars it offers a direct line back to the factory record.
