<PAGE>   1

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                                    FORM 10-K

     [x]  Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
          Exchange Act of 1934 [No Fee Required]

          For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 1997

     [ ]  Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
          Exchange Act of 1934 [No Fee Required]

Commission File No. 333-35525

                     DAIMLER-BENZ AUTO GRANTOR TRUST 1997-A
           (Daimler-Benz Vehicle Receivables Corporation - Originator)
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           Delaware                                       13-3770955
-------------------------------             ------------------------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of             (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
incorporation or organization)


                      1201 North Market Street, Suite 1406
                           Wilmington, Delaware 19801
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    (Address of principal executive offices)
                                   (Zip Code)

                                  302-426-1900
           ----------------------------------------------------------
                         (Registrant's telephone number)
                              (including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:   NONE
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:   6.05% Asset Backed
                                                              Certificates,
                                                              Class A

     Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days.

                Yes     X              No
                      -----------         --------------

     Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item
405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the
best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements
incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this
Form 10-K. [X]

     The registrant is a trust and does not have any voting stock outstanding.

                     Exhibit Index is on Page 8 of 10 Pages.

                              Page 1 of 10 Pages
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PART I.

Item 1.           Business.

                  Omitted.

Item 2.           Properties.

Daimler-Benz Vehicle Receivables Corporation ("DBVRC") established the
Daimler-Benz  Auto Grantor  Trust 1997-A (the  "Trust") as of October 1, 1997 by
selling and assigning to Citibank,  N.A., as Trustee (the "Trustee"),  property,
including  a pool of  retail  installment  contracts  secured  by new  and  used
Mercedes-Benz  automobiles,  together with all accessions thereto (collectively,
the  "Receivables")  and, in general,  all payments due  thereunder  on or after
October 1, 1997 (the "Cutoff Date"),  in exchange for certificates  representing
fractional   undivided  interests  in  the  Trust  (the   "Certificates").   The
Certificates  consist of two Classes: a) the Class A Certificates  evidencing in
the aggregate an undivided  ownership  interest of  approximately  95.50% of the
Trust,  which  were  sold  to  the  public,  and b) the  Class  B  Certificates,
evidencing in the  aggregate an undivided  ownership  interest of  approximately
4.50% of the Trust,  all of which  were  retained  by DBVRC.  The Trust does not
intend to acquire additional retail installment  contracts and,  therefore,  the
Receivables assigned to the Trust will liquidate as the principal amounts of the
Receivables are paid down.

Mercedes-Benz Credit Corporation ("MBCC") services the Receivables pursuant to a
Pooling and Servicing Agreement dated as of October 1, 1997 (the "Agreement")
and is compensated as the "Servicer". In order to facilitate its servicing
functions and minimize administrative burdens and expenses, the Servicer retains
physical possession of the Receivables and documents relating thereto as
custodian for the Trustee.

The rights of the holders of the Class B Certificates to receive distributions
with respect to the Receivables are subordinated, to the extent described in the
Agreement, to the rights of the holders of the Class A Certificates.

The Receivables were purchased by MBCC from dealers in accordance with MBCC's
requirements, under its agreements with the dealers. The Receivables were sold
to DBVRC by MBCC pursuant to a Purchase Agreement dated as of October 1, 1997
(the "Purchase Agreement"). The Receivables are serviced by MBCC and evidence
the financing made available indirectly by MBCC to the Obligors. The property of
the Trust also includes (i) such amounts as from time to time may be held in
segregated accounts (including a reserve account) established and maintained
pursuant to the Agreement, (ii) security interests in the Financed Vehicles and
any accessions thereto, (iii) certain rights of recourse relating to the
Receivables against Dealers under the dealer agreements between MBCC and the
Dealers, (iv) the right to proceeds of physical damage, credit life and
disability insurance policies covering the Financed Vehicles or the Obligors and
(v) certain rights of DBVRC under the Purchase Agreement.


                               Page 2 of 10 Pages
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The Receivables were purchased by MBCC in the ordinary course of business in
accordance with MBCC's underwriting standards, which emphasize the Obligor's
ability to pay and creditworthiness, as well as the asset value of the financed
vehicle.

The Receivables were selected from MBCC's portfolio by several criteria,
including the following: each Receivable (i) was originated in the United
States, (ii) had a contractual annual percentage rate of interest ("APR") of at
least 7.25% and not more that 28.24%, (iii) had a remaining maturity as of the
Cutoff Date of not more than 84 months and an original maturity of not more than
85 months, (iv) was not more than 30 days past due as of the Cutoff Date, (v)
had a remaining balance (net of unearned precomputed finance charges) of not
more than $155,043.08 and not less than $260.40 as of the Cutoff Date and (vi)
was originated prior to October 1, 1997.

The Receivables are prepayable by the Obligors at any time. Prepayments may also
result from liquidations due to default, the receipt of proceeds from physical
damage or other insurance, repurchases by the Seller as a result of certain
unsecured breaches of the warranties made by it in the Agreement with respect to
the Receivables, purchases by the Servicer as a result of certain uncured
breaches of the covenants made by it in the Agreement with respect to the
Receivables, or the Servicer exercising its option to purchase all of the
remaining Receivables. The rate of prepayments on the Receivables may be
influenced by a variety of economic, social, and other factors, including the
fact that if an Obligor sells or transfers a financed vehicle, the related
receivable must be repaid in full.


                               Page 3 of 10 Pages
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The following table sets forth the dollar amount of delinquent receivables and
information relating to the delinquency rates as of December 31, 1997.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

          -------------------------------- ----------------------- -------------------------
                                                                        Percent of 
               Delinquent Contracts          Delinquent               Remaining Pool 
                (by aging schedule)            Balance                    Balance 
          -------------------------------- ----------------------- -------------------------
<S>                                             <C>                       <C>
          31-60 Days                          $8,494,241                   1.38%
          Delinquent

          61-90 Days                          $2,384,217                   0.39%
          Delinquent

          91 Days or More                       $915,765                   0.15%
          Delinquent
</TABLE>

As of December 31, 1997, the pool of Receivables was $613,652,677.94.

Additional information concerning the pool balance, payment of principal and
interest, prepayments, the servicing fee, the weighted average maturity and
seasoning, the pool factor, the remaining reserve account amount and other
information relating to the pool of Receivables may be obtained in the monthly
reports provided to the Trustee by the Servicer (See Exhibits 20-A, 20-B and
20-C).

Item 3.             Legal Proceedings.

                    There is nothing to report with regard to this item.

Item 4.             Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

                    There is nothing to report with regard to this item.


PART II.

Item 5.             Market for Registrant's Common Equity and Related
                    Stockholder Matters

                    At December 31, 1997, there was one registered holder of the
                    Registrant's Class A Certificates ("Certificates"), CEDE &
                    Co., as nominee of The Despository Trust Company ("DTC"). At
                    that date, forty-five (45) CEDE participants were registered
                    on the books of DTC as owners of Certificates. There is no
                    organized public market in which the Certificates are
                    traded.


                               Page 4 of 10 Pages
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Item 6.             Selected Financial Data.

                    Omitted.

Item 7.             Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition 
                    and Results of Operations.

                    Omitted.

Item 8.             Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

                    Omitted.

Item 9.             Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting 
                    and Financial Disclosure.

                    There is nothing to report with regard to this item.


PART III.

Item 10.            Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant.

                    Omitted.

Item 11.            Executive Compensation.

                    Omitted.

Item 12.            Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and 
                    Management.

                    Omitted.

Item 13.            Certain Relationships and Related Transactions.

                    Omitted.


                               Page 5 of 10 Pages
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PART IV.

Item 14.       Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules, and Reports on 
               Form 8-K.
             
(a)            The following documents are filed as part of this report:
             
               Designation        Description
               ----------------   -----------------------------------------
                             
               Exhibit 3.1        Pooling and Servicing Agreement among     
                                  Daimler-Benz Vehicle Receivables
                                  Corporation, Mercedes-Benz Credit 
                                  Corporation and Citibank, N.A. dated 
                                  as of October 1, 1997.
                                  
               Exhibit 10.1       Purchase Agreement between Mercedes-Benz 
                                  Credit Corporation and Daimler-Benz Vehicle 
                                  Receivables Corporation dated as of October
                                  1, 1997.
                             
               Exhibit 10.2       Servicing Guaranty Agreement between 
                                  Daimler-Benz North America Corporation  
                                  and Citibank, N.A. dated as of October
                                  1, 1997.
                             
               Exhibit 20-A       Report for the month ended October 31,  
                                  1997 provided to Citibank, N.A., as 
                                  Trustee under Daimler-Benz Auto Grantor
                                  Trust 1997-A.
                             
               Exhibit 20-B       Report for the month ended November 30, 1997
                                  provided to Citibank, N.A., as Trustee under 
                                  Daimler-Benz Auto Grantor Trust 1997-A.
                             
               Exhibit 20-C       Report for month ended December 31, 1997
                                  provided to Citibank, N.A., as Trustee  
                                  under Daimler-Benz Auto Grantor Trust 1997-A.
                                  
                             
               Exhibit 20-D       Independent Auditors' Report dated January 23,
                                  1998.
                             
               Exhibit 20-E       Annual Officer's Certificate for Daimler-Benz
                                  Vehicle Receivables Corporation.
             

(b)            Reports on Form 8-K.
             
               On January 2, 1998, the Trust filed a report on Form 8-K for
               the month ended October 31, 1997.
             
               On January 20, 1998, the Trust filed a report on Form 8-K
               for the month ended November 30, 1997.
             
               On February 3, 1998, the Trust filed a report on Form 8-K
               for the month ended December 31, 1997.
             

                               Page 6 of 10 Pages
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                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

                                   DAIMLER-BENZ AUTO GRANTOR TRUST 1997-A
                             
                             
          March 10, 1998           By:   MERCEDES-BENZ CREDIT CORPORATION
                                         ------------------------------------
                                         (Servicer)
                             
                                   By:   /s/ David A. Klanica
                                         ------------------------------------
                                   Name:    David A. Klanica
                                   Title:   Director of Accounting Services,  
                                            Authorized Officer           
                             

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION TO BE FURNISHED WITH REPORTS FILED PURSUANT TO SECTION
15(d) OF THE ACT BY REGISTRANTS WHICH HAVE NOT REGISTERED SECURITIES PURSUANT TO
SECTION 12 OF THE ACT.

No annual report, proxy statement, form of proxy or other proxy soliciting
material has been sent to Certificateholders during the period covered by this
report and the registrant does not intend to furnish such materials to
Certificateholders subsequent to the filing of this report.


                               Page 7 of 10 Pages
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                                INDEX OF EXHIBITS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit Number                      Description                                     Page
--------------     ----------------------------------------------------             -----
<S>                <C>
                  
     3.1           Pooling and Servicing Agreement among Daimler-Benz
                   Vehicle Receivables Corporation, Mercedes-Benz
                   Credit Corporation and Citibank, N.A. dated as of
                   October 1, 1997.1
                  
     10.1          Purchase Agreement between Mercedes-Benz Credit
                   Corporation and Daimler-Benz Vehicle Receivables
                   Corporation dated as of October 1, 1997.1
                  
     10.2          Servicing Guaranty Agreement between Daimler-Benz
                   North America Corporation and Citibank, N.A. dated
                   as of October 1, 1997.1
                  
     20-A          Report for the month ended October 31, 1997 provided
                   to Citibank, N.A., as Trustee under Daimler-Benz 
                   Auto Grantor Trust 1997-A (incorporated by reference 
                   to the Current Report on Form 8-K dated  January 2,
                   1998).
                  
     20-B          Report for the month ended November 30, 1997
                   provided to Citibank, N.A., as Trustee under
                   Daimler-Benz Auto Grantor Trust 1997-A
                   (incorporated by reference to the Current Report
                   on Form 8-K dated January 20, 1997).
                  
     20-C          Report for the month ended December 31, 1997
                   provided to Citibank, N.A., as Trustee under
                   Daimler-Benz Auto Grantor Trust 1997-A
                   (incorporated by reference to the Current Report
                   on Form 8-K dated February 3, 1998).
                  
     20-D          Independent Auditors' Report dated January 23,                      9
                   1998.
                  
     20-E          Annual Officer's Certificate for Daimler-Benz                      10
                   Vehicle Receivables Corporation.
</TABLE>          

------------------ 

1    Incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to the Trust's Registration
     Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-35525) as filed with the
     Securities and Exchange Commission on October 7, 1997.


                               Page 8 of 10 Pages