Exciting new apps from Mercedes-Benz: Interactive user manual and personal trainer for people on the move
by Philipp Deppe | 19.Mai 2012
Mercedes-Benz is extending its multimedia presence with the simultaneous release of three new apps, providing an even more versatile range of products for people on the move.
Two of the new apps – the B-Class Guide, a useful online supplement to the printed manual, and the SL Bodywork App personal trainer – are now available free of charge. Both come in two versions, for downloading to Android smart phones and iPhones, respectively. The third newcomer, the Advantages App, is exclusively for the use of sales staff, as a customer relations resource in the showroom or out in the field.
The B-Class Guide App offers customers an interactive overview of their new B-Class and instructions on its operation ahead of the delivery of the new vehicle. Animations and short films supplement the information in the user manual, with extra detail on how particular features work and the operation of innovations such as the COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST. The app developers were determined to provide a user-friendly product, including a QuickStart menu item for instant access to summary overviews on specific topics. And the customary alphabetical search functionality is supplemented with a visual search option using 3D images. The Troubleshooting section provides valuable tips on such matters as changing the light bulbs. The B-Class guide is now available free of charge from App Store (for iPhones) and Google Play (for Android smart phones).
The outstanding sports performance of the SL is reflected in the new SL Bodywork App, the ideal personal trainer for people on the move. Users can put together a personalised programme of strength, stamina and balance exercises anytime, anywhere, simply by entering a few personal details such as age, height, weight, training focus and training level. They can monitor their progress using the integrated training history function. To boost motivation, achievements are rewarded with personal badges, similar to those awarded by national sports federations. These can be shared with friends on social networks. Some of these badges also qualify the user for access to exclusive video content. This app is available free of charge at www.mercedes-benz.com/sl, from App Store (for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad as from iOS 4.3) and Android Market.
Source: Daimler AG
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Jenson Button to drive Mercedes DTM ‘race taxi’ at Brands Hatch
by Philipp Deppe | 18.Mai 2012
A distinguished guest is planning to drop in on the third race of the 2012 season (18th – 20th May): Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 driver Jenson Button will be checking out the DTM when it makes the first of its four foreign excursions this year.
On Sunday, Button will meet up with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team-mate and current DTM championship leader Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé). The winner of the first race of the new DTM era will then show him around the new DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé, focusing particularly on the features that distinguish it from an F1 car. Once Button has familiarised himself with the controls, he will be offering his services as a ‘race taxi’ driver, to take the current DTM championship leader around the legendary English circuit.
The winner of the opening race of the 2012 Formula 1 season in Melbourne last competed at Brands Hatch in 1999 when he was contesting the British Formula 3 Championship, finishing each of the three races in the points.
On Sunday 20th May at 11:10 in front of the Mercedes-Benz hospitality suite, there will be an autograph session for fans followed by a question and answer session chaired by Mercedes-Benz DTM driver David Coulthard (DHL Paket Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) who is the expert analyst on the BBC live coverage of Formula 1 racing.
Jenson Button: “Brands Hatch is one of the circuits where I cut my teeth in junior single-seaters and I have many fond memories of the place – in Formula Ford, the Formula Ford Festival, and in British Formula 3. It’s one of the greatest tracks in the world, and a place with an awful lot of motorsport history. MORE »
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Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL at home with the stars: Emissions-free fuel-cell car conquers Hollywood
by Philipp Deppe | 17.Mai 2012
An increasing number of Hollywood stars are opting for eco-friendly mobility from Mercedes-Benz. Actress Diane Kruger is one of more than 35 environmental enthusiasts and early adopters in California who are among the first to drive the locally emissions-free B-Class F-CELL vehicle.
This electric vehicle with fuel cells from Mercedes-Benz generates electricity on board in a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. With a range of around 400 km and short refuelling times, the B-Class F‑CELL combines locally emissions-free mobility with suitability for long journeys and impressive performance. The vehicle produces no emissions, but only pure water.
“I’m excited to be driving the F-CELL. It’s environmentally conscious, fun to drive and gets lots of attention on the streets”, says Diane Kruger. “I can travel around 400 kilometres on a full tank and it’s easy to refuel.” The B-Class F-CELL fuel tank can be filled in just three minutes. It develops 100 kW (136 hp), with fuel consumption equivalent to just 3.3 litres per 100 kilometres.
As well as the B-Class F-CELL, Mercedes-Benz has a selection of other vehicles with alternative drive systems, ranging from clean BlueTEC diesel models to hybrid vehicles such as the S 400 HYBRID, the vehicle of choice for Hollywood’s film makers and acting community. The S 400 HYBRID features a convenient start/stop function, which switches off the petrol engine if the car slows to below 15 km/h, for example when stopping at traffic lights. Furthermore, in 2012, Mercedes-Benz will launch the E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID on the European market, and the E 400 HYBRID on the American market. MORE »
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Mille Miglia 2012 gets under way
by Philipp Deppe | 17.Mai 2012
On 16 May 2012 some 25 SLR owners, all of them SLR. CLUB members, set out from Stuttgart-Untertürkheim on this year’s Mille Miglia. With their classics of the future acting as back-up vehicles, they headed off to join the main field of this classic car rally.
This marks the 8th time that SLR. CLUB members are taking part in the traditional Italian race. The exclusive field comprised five SLR Coupés, seven Roadsters, three Roadster 722 S models and ten SLR Stirling Moss models. Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, was on hand to wave off the main field of vehicles.
This year’s Mille Miglia is taking place from 17 to 20 May over a route from Brescia to Rome and back again. The participants in the race will be passing through some of the most beautiful cities in Italy, such as Verona, Florence and Bologna.
Mercedes-Benz is once again acting as a sponsor of the traditional Italian race. The Stuttgart works team is taking part with a Mercedes-Benz SS, an SSK, and a 300 SLR (W 196 S) racing car, evoking memories of Mercedes-Benz’s great victory in the famous 1000-mile race: in 1955, Stirling Moss and his co-driver Denis Jenkinson won the Mille Miglia at the wheel of a 300 SLR in the fastest time ever achieved – their record still stands to this day.
Source: Daimler AG
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The racing “fintail” from Mercedes-Benz Classic for the 2012 season
by Philipp Deppe | 17.Mai 2012
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Mercedes-Benz enjoyed much success in international endurance races and rallies. The period at the start of the 1960s was shaped above all by the 220 SE and 300 SE “fintail” saloons with six-cylinder engines.
To commemorate the motorsport successes of the period and to keep the tradition of the brand’s exceptional racing history alive while also making historic motorsport even more attractive for private drivers, Mercedes-Benz Classic reconstructed a type 220 SE “fintail” saloon (series W 111) in 2011, for use in historic motorsport events.
The car meets the regulations of the FIA International Sporting Code, Appendix K (FIA – Féderation Internationale de l’Automobile). The vehicle is used in particular for the Dunlop FHR long-distance cup held by the Fahrergemeinschaft Historischer Rennsport e. V. (FHR) – the world’s biggest historical long-distance racing series as per Appendix K.
In the 1960s, competition vehicles typically bore close resemblance to production models in terms of technology. The usual modifications included stiffer suspension elements and body components, a larger fuel tank and an engine performance tuned specifically for the intended use.
When building the 220 SE, Mercedes-Benz Classic also followed the requirement to design a powerful competition vehicle using near-standard technology. The Classic Centre specialists made the following detailed modifications to the production vehicle, amongst others: the interior now has a roll cage with quick-connect safety coupling for side-impact fasteners such as door crossbars and side impact protectors (Fix Opening and Closure Security System, FO-CS for short). MORE »
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The petrol engines in the new A-Class: Powerful, responsive and super-clean
by Philipp Deppe | 16.Mai 2012
Mercedes-Benz has systematically transferred the BlueDIRECT technology of the V6 and V8 engines in the Mercedes-Benz luxury class. The BlueDIRECT four-cylinder petrol engines for the new A-Class combine great responsiveness and exemplary power delivery with outstanding efficiency and the best emission figures in this class.
The world-first CAMTRONIC, an innovative valve lift adjustment feature, makes a major contribution to this. There is a choice of 1.6 or 2-litre variants of the new four-cylinder engine family for the A-Class, covering a power range from 90 kW (122 hp) and 200 Nm to 155 kW (211 hp) and 350 Nm.
Thanks to BlueDIRECT and highly precise piezo-injection, the new engines are already expected to meet the Euro-6 emission standard for petrol engines coming into force from 2015. Even the much more stringent diesel particulate limit in the Euro-6 standard is already bettered with no additional exhaust aftertreatment. This was a major motivation for introducing BlueDIRECT into this segment as well. This means that the completely newly developed generation of four-cylinder petrol engines is ideally prepared for the future.
Extremely versatile
The basis for all three petrol engine variants in the new A-Class is the all-aluminium M 270 engine with two chain-driven overhead camshafts and four-valve technology. This power unit is extremely versatile, and will also be gradually introduced into larger model series. In this way it also contributes to a sustained reduction in production costs. The four-cylinder can be installed transversely (M 270) or longitudinally (M 274), and combined with front, rear or 4MATIC all-wheel drive, and also with a manual, automatic torque converter or dual clutch transmission.
The BlueDIRECT family has grown: three new petrol engines
The M270 engine is available in three power classes in the new A-Class. As the A 180 BlueEFFICIENCY with a displacement of 1595 cc it develops 90 kW (122 hp) and a maximum torque of 200 newton metres over a wide engine speed range from 1250 to 4000 rpm. With the basic engine and the 6-speed manual or seven-speed dual clutch transmission (figures in brackets) the A-Class accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 9.2 seconds (9.1 seconds), and has a top speed of up to 202 km/h (202 km/h). The fuel consumption and CO2 emission figures of 5.5 l/100 km (5.4 l/100 km, both NEDC combined) resp. 128 g/km (127 g/km) are so low that they possibly set a new record.
The A 200 BlueEFFICIENCY with the same displacement of 1595 cc develops 115 kW (156 hp) and a maximum torque of 250 Nm, which is likewise available from 1250 to 4000 rpm. It sprints from zero to 100 km/h in 8.4 seconds (8.3 seconds) and has a top speed of 224 km/h (224 km/h), but is happy with an average 5.5 l/100 km of fuel (5.4 l/100 km), corresponding to CO2 emissions of 129 g/km (127 g/km).
The new, top engine variant with 1991 cc is available as the A 250 BlueEFFICIENCY or A 250 Sport. In both cases the engine develops 155 kW (211 hp) and a maximum torque of 350 Nm from 1200 to 4000 rpm. Performance is at sports car level, with acceleration from zero to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds and a top speed of 240 km/h. Nonetheless it has the best fuel consumption in this class at 6.1 l/100 km, and CO2 emissions of 143 g/km (A 250 BlueEFFICIENCY). MORE »
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Predictive Powertrain Control – Clever cruise control helps save fuel
by Philipp Deppe | 15.Mai 2012
A cruise control system that can “see ahead” is about to go live. Predictive Power Control, now available in the new Mercedes-Benz Actros, reduces fuel consumption by an additional three percent.
Because the system is familiar with the topography of the road ahead, it is able to respond in a way that will deliver the most fuel-efficient performance. This new driver assistance system really comes into its own when negotiating up- or downhill gradients. As the first GPS-based cruise control system, Predictive Powertrain Control not only intervenes to control speed and braking, but can now also regulate the transmission. The system thus extends use of the fuel-saving EcoRoll function, which is fitted as standard on the Actros, and will furthermore insert a carefully judged single or double downshift of gear at an early stage, where appropriate.
A first stage of development saw Daimler Trucks introduce a GPS speed regulator, without gearshift intervention, some three years ago as an option for its Freightliner branded trucks in the USA. When it was launched onto the market in 2009 this system, which was available in overseas markets under the name “Predictive Cruise Control” was the first cruise control system to be so “farsighted”. Combining geodetic data with the ability to pinpoint the vehicle’s position through the Global Positioning System (GPS) makes “predictive” driving in cruise control mode possible.
The new development from Mercedes-Benz builds on this basis, using its knowledge of the road ahead when driving up or downhill. In doing so, Predictive Powertrain Control turns the classic and inherent disadvantage of a non-regulated cruise control system into clearly measurable advantages: fully laden long-distance haulage trucks such as the new Actros 1845 BlueTec 6 can achieve fuel savings of around three percent in long-distance operations over moderately difficult topography compared with “non-regulated” examples fitted with a classic cruise control system. MORE »
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The diesel in the new engines: Economy right across the board
by Philipp Deppe | 14.Mai 2012
Downsizing for the entry-level engines and downspeeding for the more powerful units – that is the Mercedes-Benz strategy for the diesel engines in the new A-Class. The wide range meets every performance requirement, and demonstrates the potential residing in the diesel engine:
for the first time – with the A 180 CDI – a Mercedes-Benz will emit just 98 g of CO2 per kilometre. As a further highlight, the A 220 CDI already meets the Euro-6 emission standard only coming into effect from 2015.
The diesel engines also boast extreme efficiency and environmental friendliness, thanks to state-of-the-art injection technology and turbocharging. The A 180 CDI kicks off at 80 kW (109 hp) and offers maximum torque of up to 250 Nm (dual clutch transmission) or 260 Nm (6-speed manual transmission). In the A 200 CDI the maximum power output stands at 100 kW (136 hp), accompanied by maximum torque of 300 Nm. The A 220 CDI has a displacement of 2.2 litres and generates 125 kW (170 hp) with 350 Nm of torque, giving the performance of the A-Class a decidedly sporty touch.
From the S-Class to the A-Class: the diesel engines of the OM 651 series
Since its world premiere in 2008 the direct-injection diesel engine known as the OM 651 has been setting standards in terms of performance and torque characteristics, economy, emissions and smooth running. It is in more widespread use than any other Mercedes-Benz diesel engine and serves as a model of efficiency and power right up to the S-Class. For transverse installation the belt drive for the ancillary units, the installed position of the turbocharger and the air ducting have been modified.
Replete with Mercedes-Benz know-how: the OM 607
For the A 180 CDI with manual transmission Mercedes-Benz has had recourse to its cooperation with Renault to achieve fuel economy advantages from a compact, lightweight, low-friction engine which has been rigorously downsized. The common-rail four-cylinder with a rail pressure of 1600 bar is currently in its sixth generation, with more than 1.3 million units produced each year. This 1.5-litre engine with low-pressure EGR generates 80 kW (109 hp). With 98 g of CO2 per kilometre, it is among the most environmentally friendly diesels in the compact car segment. The turbocharger features variable turbine geometry (VTG).
This engine with the in-house designation OM 607 weighs around 30 kilograms less than an OM 651. Numerous components are specific to Mercedes-Benz, for example the OM 607 has the engine mountings of the M 270 petrol engine, as well as a special two-mass flywheel. The starter flanged onto the transmission, the alternator and the refrigerant compressor also come from the Mercedes modular system, and are driven by a belt with six grooves.
Like all Mercedes engines, the OM 607 was required to absolve the extensive engine test programme involving bench-testing and endurance runs. The application effort devoted to the OM 607 by Mercedes-Benz was very considerable. In a joint project team of Mercedes and Renault personnel the engine was especially improved with respect to NVH and driveability. Coordination work also went into the ECO start/stop function included as standard. This Mercedes-specific feature also operates at temperatures down to minus 10 degrees Celsius, for example, and can therefore make a more
frequent contribution to fuel economy. MORE »
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All set for Euro VI: start of series production for the cleanest regular-service diesel bus
by Philipp Deppe | 14.Mai 2012
A new chapter in the history of regular-service bus operations: the first series-production Citaro to meet the Euro VI emissions standard left the production line at the EvoBus plant in Mannheim today.
With the start of series production, Mercedes-Benz once more takes the lead in the field of eco-friendly buses. Based on pioneering diesel technology, they reduce CO2 emissions and ensure a clean environment for our towns and cities. “In anticipation of Euro VI, we are launching a clean urban bus which provides an affordable means of promoting widespread environmental practice among transport operators,” says Hartmut Schick, head of Daimler Buses. The company has already supplied its first touring coaches with Euro VI in the form of the Travego Edition 1.
A true feat of engineering: technology saves 1 000 litres of diesel per year
One of the inherent features of Euro VI emissions technology is that it increases fuel consumption. And yet the Mercedes-Benz Citaro manages to use even less than ever. To achieve this, the engineers have really put their innovative thinking caps on. As just one example: during braking or coasting down a slope, the alternators generate “free” electricity that is then stored on board the truck in a series of super-condensers.
A second example: the rear door entrances are now lower. When “kneeling” or lifting again at a bus stop, the bus therefore requires less energy. All in all, the Citaro with Euro VI saves around three to five percent fuel. With normal service mileage, it will therefore use around 1 000 litres less diesel and emit around 2.6 tonnes less CO2 each year.
New engines with great technical features
Working away at the back of this best-selling regular-service bus are some new engines. The six-cylinder in-line units with a displacement of either 7.7 or 10.7 litres deliver output ranging from 220 to 290 kW (299 to 394 hp). The tried and tested Mercedes-Benz SCR emission control system with AdBlue injection and closed-loop particulate filter is combined here with an exhaust gas recirculation system.
The engines are characterised by a number of special technical highlights. The smaller power unit, for example, is the first diesel engine in the world to feature an adjustable exhaust camshaft. It injects fuel at a pressure of up to 2 400 bar – which is around a thousand times the pressure in a passenger car tyre. The larger six-cylinder engine features the unique X-PULSE injection system with pressure booster. MORE »
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Maldonardo wins Spanish F1 Grand Prix – Rosberg on seventh place
by Philipp Deppe | 13.Mai 2012
Nico Rosberg finished the Spanish Grand Prix in seventh place today with Michael Schumacher retiring on lap13.
Nico followed a three-stop tyre strategy, pitting on laps 9, 22 and 40. Nico’s tyre usage was soft (9 laps), soft (13 laps), hard (18 laps), hard (26 laps). Michael retired in turn one at the start of lap 13 following a collision with Bruno Senna’s Williams. The 2012 season has now seen five winners from five races, something that last occurred in 1983.
Nico Rosberg
“That was a difficult day for us and a very strange race. We didn’t manage to find the right tyre management so I lost two positions towards the end of the race on my last stint which was 26 very long laps. The one positive thing is that I was able to defend my position against Lewis and keep seventh place, rather than eighth. Once again today we saw a surprising and well deserved win which is good for Formula One. Congratulations to Pastor and Frank at my old team Williams! Now I’m looking forward to my home race in Monaco in two weeks with some updates on the car.”
Michael Schumacher
“Obviously I am not happy with the outcome of the race as I think we could have achieved some nice points today. But then this is sometimes what you have to go through in racing. It is not easy to see from the TV replays but what happened from my viewpoint was that he went to the right to defend the inside line, and then suddenly, shortly before the braking point, went to the left. When you are so tight together in the braking zone, you have no other choice than to try to react and avoid hitting but it was too late. It is a shame, as I said, but then what I will do now is to look ahead to the next race and try to attack there.” MORE »
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F1 Spain Race Feature: Overtaking in 2012
by Philipp Deppe | 13.Mai 2012
Average of 54 normal and DRS overtakes per race in 2012 – compared to 2011 season average of 43. More normal overtaking in 2012: 68% compared to 2011 season average of 55%. More normal overtaking than DRS overtaking at every race so far in 2012.
For many years, a Grand Prix in Barcelona was synonymous with almost no overtaking – there were an average of just two overtaking moves per race between 2008 and 2010. That all changed last year: not only did ‘normal’ (i.e. non-DRS assisted) overtakes increase by a factor of ten – with a total of 22 – but DRS enabled a further 29 overtakes, for a race total of 51; in other words, 25 times more than in the previous three years.
With much discussion about the most unpredictable start to a Formula One season for nearly 30 years, with four winners from as many races, and eight different drivers from six teams on the podium so far this season, has the composition of the racing changed materially compared to 2011?
How much overtaking have we seen in the first four races of the 2012 season?
The raw total for the number of passes the first four races of 2012 is remarkably similar to that from 2011 – 327 compared to 326 in 2011. This figure includes passes made because of damage, and those on cars from the three slowest teams, but does not include position changes on lap one.
How does the data compare when you drill down into more detail?
In 2011, there were a total of 220 normal and DRS overtakes in the first four races (NB: this figure does not include passes on the slowest three teams by faster cars); in 2012, there have been 215. However, in 2011, these were split 50:50 between normal and DRS overtakes in the first four races. In 2012, this split has been 68:32 in favour of normal overtaking. This compares to a season average from 2011 of 55:45 between normal and DRS overtaking, suggesting that the amount of normal overtaking has seen a significant proportional increase relative to last year. MORE »
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2012 Spanish Grand Prix: Qualifying – Maldonardo on Pole
by Philipp Deppe | 12.Mai 2012
Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher will start the Spanish Grand Prix from ninth and seventh positions respectively following today’s qualifying hour at the Circuit de Catalunya.
Today’s qualifying was dominated by a strategic use of tyre sets with a view to tomorrow’s race. Just three teams got both their cars into the top ten shoot-out this afternoon, including MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS. Tomorrow’s grid will see four different teams starting from the top four positions. P2 to P6 on the grid were covered by less than two and a half tenths of a second.
Nico Rosberg
“That was a tricky Qualifying session this afternoon, and seventh position was about the most that we could have achieved. It was a challenge to find the right set-up for the tyres and some of the others did that better than we did today. However with a good strategy tomorrow, we can hopefully gain some places. This has been a mixed up season so far and it’s interesting to see that there are some new guys on the front row tomorrow.”
Michael Schumacher
“We wanted to save tyres this afternoon, which dictated how we managed Q3. I did not complete a timed lap, and now I still have the choice of what tyres to start on tomorrow. Equally, I thought it was better to start from ninth on the grid than eighth, and be on the clean side. It’s clear that some teams have taken a step forward after the three-week break. And I would also say that the field is now even closer together. It’s going to be a tight race tomorrow, although the forecast says it should be cooler, and it will be interesting to see if our choices today pay off at the end of the race.” MORE »
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FleetBoard won Frost & Sullivan Award
by Philipp Deppe | 12.Mai 2012
Daimler FleetBoard GmbH has won Frost & Sullivan’s “2012 Growth Leadership Award” in the category of medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicle telematics.
The coveted award was presented to FleetBoard Managing Director Markus Lipinsky at the GIL 2012: European conference for Growth, Innovation & Leadership, in London. The provider of smart telematics solutions was honoured for its innovations and for recording the industry’s highest annual growth rates during the past three years.
The International business consultancy firm, Frost & Sullivan, had evaluated and compared leading suppliers of telematics services in Europe on the basis of four different criteria. In doing so it used a proprietary, certified research method and analyzed the range of standard equipment in the truck, the increase in modular product components, the expansion in new regions, and the establishment of growing partnerships. FleetBoard was the undisputed winner in this study, which guaranteed it the “2012 Growth Leadership Award”.
One of the reasons why Frost & Sullivan chose FleetBoard for the award is because the company is pursuing a new strategy of introducing telematics as standard equipment for trucks across Europe in order to strike out in new directions in a consolidating market. Frost & Sullivan also noted that FleetBoard provides a wide product range for all commercial vehicle segments, brands, and markets. Our company also offers expanded back office integration and vehicle-related logistics management solutions that greatly help boost the efficiency of commercial fleets. In addition, Frost & Sullivan pointed out that FleetBoard had penetrated markets outside Germany in order to increase its global presence in places such as Europe, Brazil, South Africa, and the Middle East. The study came to the conclusion that FleetBoard’s extensive experience, proximity to truck development units, use of Mercedes-Benz’ European sales network, and long-term partnerships with hardware and software suppliers are creating the basis for ergonomic growth in the years ahead. MORE »
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smart continues its mobility concept further: market launch for the smart escooter in 2014
by Philipp Deppe | 11.Mai 2012
smart will launch the escooter on the market in 2014. For smart, this is the next logical step in implementing its comprehensive concept for future urban mobility.
“The decision in favor of the escooter has been made,” announced Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Cars, on the sidelines of the international dealer meeting in Davos, Switzerland. “With this step, we are adding a further important component to our smart mobility concept for urban mobility in the future,” he added. MORE »
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MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS and STARWOOD agree partnership
by Philipp Deppe | 11.Mai 2012
The MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team is delighted to confirm a new relationship with Starwood Hotels and Resorts, who become an official Team Partner with effect from the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.
Announced by Nick Fry and Michael Schumacher at the W Hotel in Barcelona this morning, the new partnership will allow Starwood to build business relationships within the sport and see the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS team stay in Starwood hotels as they travel to various Grand Prix venues on the Formula One calendar.
Starwood will also use the opportunity presented by the global audience of Formula One to promote their Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) programme and increase consumer awareness of the benefits available to frequent travellers.
Ross Brawn, Team Principal of MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS commented: “We are very pleased to have agreed a new team partnership with Starwood, and to welcome the brand to Formula One for the first time. As regular travellers will tell you, a good hotel can make a real difference to your trip, and I am delighted that our team will have the opportunity to experience some of the Starwood hotel portfolio as we travel around the world. We are very much looking forward to working with Starwood and helping to promote their Starwood Preferred Guest programme to a new audience.” MORE »
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The new Mercedes-Benz Antos – the heavy-duty short-radius distribution truck
by Philipp Deppe | 10.Mai 2012
Mercedes-Benz will soon be extending its family of trucks by a new member, the new Mercedes-Benz Antos – a model series designed specifically for heavy-duty short-radius distribution transport use.
The vehicles are currently demonstrating their capability in camouflaged guise, but the covers will come off for the Commercial Vehicle IAA in September and the start of sales. With the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz Antos, Mercedes-Benz becomes the first manufacturer to have a truck series that has been specially developed for the very varied requirements of the short-radius distribution transport industry.
The Mercedes-Benz Antos promises both transport operators and drivers the benefits of easy and well thought-out handling as well as outstanding efficiency. The general styling and the design idiom of the Mercedes-Benz Antos reveal its relationship with the Mercedes-Benz Actros, but the very different requirements for the cab give it an unmistakable character of its own.
The 2.30-metre-wide cabs, designed specifically for the short-radius distribution transport market, are available in either short ‘S’ or medium-size ‘M’ versions. Both offer a convincing combination of easy access, optimised ergonomics and intuitive controls. MORE »
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