Paddy will strengthen MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS in the role of Executive Director (Technical) and will work closely with Team Principal, Ross Brawn; Executive Director (Business), Toto Wolff; and the team’s senior technical management. As Team Principal, Ross Brawn will retain overall responsibility for technical and sporting matters.

Paddy Lowe commented: “I am excited to become part of a highly talented and capable technical organisation. The team has already produced probably the fastest car of the 2013 season while the technical challenges of the new regulations for 2014 will give us the opportunity to maximise the synergies available to a works manufacturer. That is a challenge I am relishing. I have worked closely with Mercedes-Benz for almost 20 years and deeply admire the company’s phenomenal commitment to Formula One. I look forward to much success together in the years ahead.”

Team Principal Ross Brawn commented: “I am delighted to welcome Paddy to the team and to begin working together. He has an excellent record of success in the sport and would be an asset to any of our rivals in the pit lane. It is no secret that every team is facing a significant balancing act between this year and next. But it is perhaps less obvious that we will also see major changes for the 2015 and 2016 seasons, as development progresses with the new generation of car design and Power Unit. To deliver in these circumstances, a successful team needs strength in depth. Paddy’s arrival will further strengthen our organisation and puts us in a strong position for the future.”

Source: Mercedes AMG

The conceptual, graphic and technical realisation gives the website, which has been developed to cater for absolutely every user device, a modern and dynamic character. The flexible content structure has an integrated multifilter which presents the “content stream” on a topic-specific basis. These innovative characteristics make the site equal to future requirements with respect to use-friendliness and interactivity.

This future-oriented format establishes an integrated print-online communication model whose online function provides its international readership with current topics covering urban mobility solutions, technology and innovation processes and developments from Daimler research every two weeks.

At a glance
The intelligently conceived website includes a responsive layout – whatever device is used to access TECHNICITY.DAIMLER.COM, the page layout is automatically adjusted to the relevant screen size and therefore ideally meets both present and future requirements.

Whether articles, news, videos or surveys – all formats are chronologically arranged at a glance in the content stream. Useful feature: In the topic clusters “Clean”, “Safe”, “Connected”, “Urban” and “Visionary”, the extensive contents can be filtered individually and by topic using the open and flexible navigation structure. Moreover, a multiple filtering function makes “personalised reading” possible.

Source: Daimler AG

The Englishman missed out by 36 thousandths on the third segment of qualifying after posting a lap time of 41.363 seconds. His Mercedes-Benz team-mate Robert Wickens (stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé / 41.440 seconds) starts from P14 in Sunday’s race.

Placed third in the season-opener at Hockenheim, Christian Vietoris (DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), finished the first qualifying session in P17 with a time of 41.709 seconds and missed moving into Q2 by 26 thousandths of a second. Roberto Merhi (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé / 41.748 seconds), Pascal Wehrlein (DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé / 41.783 seconds) and Daniel Juncadella (stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé / 41.787 seconds) will start the second race of the season from positions 20 to 22 on the grid respectively. Less than one tenth of a second separated all four drivers from progressing to the second qualifying segment. The small distances between cars in the first qualifying session are a testament to the highly competitive nature of the DTM: A mere four tenths of a second covered all 22 drivers in Q1.
Looking ahead to the race: The second race of the DTM season gets under way (live on ARD television, beginning at 1:05pm) on Sunday, 1:30pm, at the historic Brands Hatch circuit. Martin Tomczyk (BMW / 41.158 seconds) starts from pole position. The race at the shortest track to feature on the DTM calendar covers 98 laps and a total distance of 189.042km. Gary Paffett won his home fixture last year at Brands Hatch from pole position.

Comments after Qualifying
Gary Paffett (32, England, EURONICS Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
„Qualifying was a big disappointment. I took pole position last season and went on to win the race – I would’ve liked to repeat that result this year. The balance of the car did not feel too bad, it was alright. I had no major understeer nor oversteer, but unfortunately, we were not fast enough. On this short circuit, three tenths of a second make a big difference. I extracted the maximum out of the car and was on the limit on every lap. Hopefully, by tomorrow we will have found even more speed in the car, and then we can have a clean and fair race in which I aim to secure as many points as possible.“

Robert Wickens (24, Canada, STIHL Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
„It was really tight today; anything could have happened. I would obviously have liked to make it through to Q3, but unfortunately, my lap time wasn’t good enough. We need to investigate the reasons for that. We know that our race performance isn’t bad, and with the introduction of DRS and the new option tyres, it should still be possible to finish in the points tomorrow. Also there is the weather factor: if it starts to rain, that could completely reshuffle the pack and shake everything up.“

Christian Vietoris (24, Germany, DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
„My position on the grid for the second race of the season is a disappointment after achieving a podium in Hockenheim, for sure. The team did a great job and I don’t blame them – the car felt good. I missed going through into Q2 by only 26 thousandths of a second, so it was extremely close. Qualifying at Brands Hatch is always like trying to balance on a razor blade; you have to be out on track at the right time and cannot afford to make a single mistake on this short circuit. Qualifying is over and done with and cannot be rerun, so we’ll just have to make the best of things in the race. Of course, I hope to pick up at least a couple of points.“

Roberto Merhi (22, Spain, THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
„That was a crazy session. We don’t know why we were lacking the speed to get us into Q2. Obviously, I would have wished for a better grid position for this second race of the season. There is hardly any difference in lap times on this short track, which means that even the slightest error is heavily punished. But the race isn’t lost yet. At Hockenheim, Dirk Werner finished on the podium after starting from 20th on the grid. I’ll be trying to achieve something similar tomorrow.“

Pascal Wehrlein (18, Germany, DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
„That was hugely disappointing. I tried my best to push, but I couldn’t go any faster. On a track like Brands Hatch, even the tiniest detail can make a big difference, and unless everything clicks into place, you won’t get a good starting position. Even so, I’m not giving up; a lot can happen in the race and I’ll be attacking right through to the finish.“

Daniel Juncadella (22, Spain, stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
„The track at Brands Hatch has its pitfalls; you have to position the car just right on the bumps to achieve the maximum. I didn’t manage to do that today. The car didn’t feel as good in the qualifying as it did in practice. We simply failed to get the best out of the tyres, and so I didn’t improve my time. Now tomorrow, I’ll just have to charge up the field from the rear. Hopefully, we’ll see one or two surprises in the race just like we did in Hockenheim two weeks ago.“

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:
„Well, putting things in a nutshell, we had quite an unfortunate day and our performance in qualifying was definitely not good enough. On such a short track like Brands Hatch, drivers are normally very tightly bunched, and of course, one must always bear in mind the actual set up that was dialed in – and as we speak, Sunday’s weather forecast does not rule out rain – but that by no means fully excuses today’s poor performance. Now we will have to make the most of the situation and mount an all-out offensive on Sunday. Dirk Werner proved at the start of the season in Hockenheim that it is possible to go from 20th on the grid to finish on the podium. Saturday was not good enough, but that does not mean that we have completely given up hope for Sunday.“

Source: Mercedes AMG

The campaign is currently being rolled out in its core markets. The dream cars include the new E-Class coupe and cabrio models, the SLK and SL sports cars, the CL as well as the CLS and the CLS Shooting Brake. Selected classics such as the SL Pagoda or the SE Coupé round off the portfolio of the Mercedes-Benz dream cars.

“We have always made automotive dreams come true. ‘Mercedes-Benz dream cars’ is intended to underline this as a new umbrella term,” says Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales and Marketing. “Those models in particular are what make the Mercedes-Benz brand so exciting.”
Approximately 133,000 of these dream cars were sold worldwide in 2012. The aim is to increase model sales further during 2013. The E-Class cabrio and coupe are set to play an important role when they take to Europe’s roads from 1 June 2013 onwards.

Adaptable communication activities around the globe
Advertising and marketing tools featuring a standard design, and which can be used in various different ways worldwide, are to be stepped up. Markets will have access to a “dream car toolbox” containing print visuals and moving image material. There are also dealer communication modules and event guidelines to assist dealers in implementing point-of-sale events. This gives all markets the flexibility to respond to their specific target audience. In Germany, the print ads will run from mid-May 2013. A concurrent radio campaign starring the E-Class cabrio and coupe will invite listeners to “dream car weeks”. Special formats like the 2014 Mercedes-Benz calendar will also be entirely dedicated to the dream car theme. Long-term, this extensive package of activities will not only ensure that the dream cars fully live up to driver expectations, but also contribute to the Mercedes-Benz 2020 growth strategy.

Rising demand for dream cars
In Germany, the E-Class coupe and cabrio have proved to be the most popular vehicles in their segments for the third time in succession. Demand in the UK and the United States – the biggest sales market – is even greater than in the home German market. Worldwide, some 75,000 customers have opted for an E-Class cabrio since the market launch of the current model series in 2010. Meanwhile, more than 132,000 units of the coupe version have been sold since it was unveiled in 2009. The majority of both cabrio and coupe customers select a paint finish in obsidian black. Diamond white metallic is the second most popular colour. When it comes to optional extras, customers value entertainment and comfort above all: around two-thirds of customers choose the COMAND multimedia system and more than four-fifths order AIRSCARF neck-level heating for their E-Class cabrio.

In the roadster segment the Mercedes-Benz SLK was the global segment leader last year, with 31,800 new cars sold. Most SLKs in 2012 went to owners in Germany, followed by the UK and the United States. Besides the PARKTRONIC system ordered by 90 percent of customers, the most popular extra equipment include AIRSCARF neck-level heating and a navigation and entertainment system. Furthermore, over four-fifths of SLK buyers opted for leather equipment in black. The top paint colour choices for the SLK are tenorite grey, palladium silver and iridium silver.

Now in its sixth generation, the iconic Mercedes-Benz SL sports car continues to be as popular as ever. From the current model series 10,700 units were sold in 2012, three times as many as in the previous year. The SL’s history dates back 60 years to the 300 SL racing sports car of 1952. Today, one in every two SL models goes to an owner in the United States. Germany and Japan are other major sales markets. Proving that no other vehicle in its class unites sportiness and comfort like the SL, the vehicle has won a 2012 “Automotive Brand Award” for its outstanding design. The highest of accolades for vehicle body construction was also received in 2012 in the shape of the “EuroCarBody Award”.

The unique concept behind the CLS Shooting Brake last year saw Mercedes-Benz establishing an entirely new segment. In terms of design idiom and equipment, this model fulfils every customer requirement. An American cherry wood load compartment floor, for example, helps to create an exclusive yachting ambience. In February, the CLS Shooting Brake was awarded the 2013 Design Trophy in the Estate Class category for its exciting design. The jury also voted it the most beautiful car of all and therefore the overall champion. Just under 37,000 units of the CLS and CLS Shooting Brake were delivered to customers in 2012, making it number one in its competitive class. Since the CLS debuted in 2003, over 240,000 of the vehicle have been sold.

Source: Mercedes Benz

As “Germany’s most valuable package”, the star of the event had previously been flown from Stuttgart to Hamburg in an Airbus A300-600 freighter operated by DHL – just in time to celebrate the world premiere with around 750 international guests from politics, industry and the media.

On an LED video screen measuring some 200 square metres, the guests were able to witness the new S-Class being unloaded and driven across the runway to the launch pavilion equipped with multimedia facilities – flanked on each side by current Mercedes models. 15 cameras recorded the event and broadcast the images around the world via an outside broadcast truck. 96 loudspeakers and 20 kW of sound output ensured that every word was heard.

The choice of the A380 Delivery Center as the location for the world premiere was no accident. Like the A380, the new S-Class will set new standards in luxurious travel. “Rather than being about safety or aesthetics, power or efficiency, comfort or dynamism, our aspirations were ‘the best or nothing’ in every respect. No other car stands for the Mercedes-Benz brand promise more than the S-Class,” said Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of Daimler AG and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

2000 square-metre pavilion for the launch celebration
As a logistical tour de force, Mercedes-Benz had a launch venue constructed where Airbus customers from Europe and the Middle East normally take delivery of their new A380, with a multimedia presentation stage, S-Class showroom, product display, VIP lounge and extensive backstage areas for technical facilities, logistics and catering. This included a kitchen for five German Michelin-star chefs, who opened a unique “ten-star restaurant” on the evening of the premiere to celebrate the S-Class.
Constructing the temporary building took around 14 days, employing up to 100 personnel from various trades each day. A total of 160 semitrailer trucks delivered the necessary materials: more than 500 tonnes of steel, 4000 square metres of wood, 400 spotlights, 96 loudspeakers and an LED video wall measuring 28 metres in width and seven metres in height.

The additional power supply with 3000 KVA of output required 25 kilometres of newly laid cables, 40 distributors and its own generators. Sound quality, for example during the live appearance of the international star Alicia Keys, was not only ensured by the precisely positioned loudspeakers, but also by 26 out­put signal channels and a mixing console with 168 input channels. 400 spot­lights with 130 electric motors in around 1000 metres of traversing rigs shed the best possible light on the S-Class.

Source: Daimler AG / Pictures Mbpassion.de

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As with every generation before it, the customers expect the new S-Class to set standards across the board to retain its accolade as “the best automobile in the world”. Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars:”Rather than being about safety or aesthetics, power or efficiency, comfort or dynamism, our aspirations were ‘the best or nothing’ in every respect. No other car stands for the Mercedes-Benz brand promise more than the S-Class.”

Perfection to the last detail results in “The Essence of Luxury”. This pursuit of the best is particularly noticeable in the interior: whether it is the seats or the air conditioning, the controls or the design, the infotainment or the comfort and safety in the rear – new ideas, their painstaking realisation, and highest perceived quality underpin the high standards that the engineers have set for the Mercedes-Benz flagship model – and for themselves.

The same applies to safety. What started with PRE-SAFE ten years ago and continued with DISTRONIC PLUS has now resulted in a new dimension of motoring: comfort and safety are merged into one. Mercedes-Benz refers to this as “Intelligent Drive”. A whole host of new systems makes the new S-Class even more comfortable and even safer.

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The S-Class is so efficient that it almost sounds utopian: within ten years Mercedes-Benz, by realising “Efficient Technology”, has almost halved fuel consumption in the 150 kW output category to 4.4 litres per 100 kilometres, for example, while the drag coefficient of the new S-Class (cd=0.24) clearly undercuts the previous model’s figure and sets a new benchmark in this segment. The S 300 BlueTEC HYBRID is set to go even lower still with a cd figure of 0.23 thanks to additional aerodynamic optimisation measures. Furthermore, the new model is the world’s first car to dispense entirely with light bulbs in favour of LEDs, pointing the way ahead once again.

Design: a modern sense of status and sensual shapes
People all over the world can recognise a Mercedes-Benz straight away. The classic Mercedes face runs like a golden thread through the brand’s history. “The sophisticated design of the S-Class has always been an expression of luxury and automotive grandeur of its era. And our new S-Class continues this tradition. With its classic architecture and flowing silhouette, it is a modern embodiment of sensual clarity. The design draws a line from the sophisticated, progressive design idiom to the classic elegance of our 1930s cars – intelligence that speaks to the emotions. Stylish sportiness and sensual forms in synthesis with timeless clarity and effortless superiority make the S-Class a true design icon,” says design chief Gorden Wagener.

To underline the effortless superiority of the new S-Class, and its ambition to lead, the radiator grille is now larger, upright and distinctly three-dimensional in design. With its long bonnet, the flowing, domed roof line and the gently slanting rear end, the new S-Class has classic saloon proportions. The size and space have been fashioned in such a way that the S-Class appears prestigious, and the powerful roof line is also in keeping with the car’s sporty coupé-style intentions.

A character line descending discreetly from front to rear – the brand’s hallmark “Dropping Line” – elegantly structures the side wall and generates additional dynamism even when the car is at a standstill. The subtly created convex-concave effect of the entire flank gives rise to an extremely powerful and elongated car body that demonstrates both excitement and calm. The pronounced shoulder above the rear wheel adds further emphasis to the car’s athletic character.

The positively exaggerated surfaces and lines of the side wall on the new S-Class generate excitement as they flow into the rear end. As well as being elegant, the slightly slanting form has aerodynamic advantages. Horizontal lines running from the boot lid to the bumper emphasise the car’s width when viewed from the rear. The hallmark signature of the Mercedes-Benz designers can also be seen in the rear windscreen, which cuts into the C-pillars. The upper area of the glass is rounded, lending it a coupé-like character. The real highlights are the new-style tail lights which are completely encased by the car body and, thanks to this solitarily integrated styling and meticulously crafted inner workings, complete the design right down to the last detail.

LED technology: the first ever car without a single light bulb
100 years or so after the introduction of electric lighting in motor vehicles, Mercedes-Benz is now making a complete switch to LED technology – the new S-Class is the first vehicle in the world whose interior and exterior do without a single light bulb, and sees Mercedes-Benz building on its pioneering role in the lighting sector. The lighting’s multi-level functionality is another world first: out of consideration for any road users behind, the intensity of the brake lights is reduced at night or while waiting at traffic lights, for example. Almost 500 LEDs illuminate the road, the vehicle, the interior and the boot. Depending on equipment, these include:

• Headlamps: each with up to 56 LEDs
• Tail lights: each with up to 35 LEDs (plus 4 for the rear fog lamp)
• Interior (including ambient lighting): approx. 300 LEDs

Visibility is enhanced by two assistance systems that have undergone some key improvements – Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus and Night View Assist Plus. Thanks to a new stereo camera and multistage radar sensors, the S-Class has 360-degree all-round vision and detects potential dangers on the road better.

Drive system: class-leading efficiency in every output category
In its first year the new S-Class line-up features two hybrid versions, a petrol model and a diesel variant: S 400 HYBRID, S 500, S 350 BlueTEC and S 300 BlueTEC HYBRID. All models boast class-leading efficiency and up to 20 percent lower fuel consumption than the outgoing model series. All the engines already meet the requirements of the Euro-6 emissions standard. In addition to this, the S 400 HYBRID and S 350 BlueTEC meet the strict criteria of efficiency class A, while the S 300 BlueTEC HYBRID even has an A+ rating.

“The new S-Class achieves consumption and emissions figures that only a few years ago seemed utopian, even for executive cars,” says Prof. Thomas Weber, member of the Daimler Board of Management responsible for Group Research and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. “And this is just the start of our ‘Green Leadership’ initiative: soon to be followed by the S 500 Plug-In HYBRID – the first S-Class with a fuel consumption lower than four litres per 100 kilometres.” The S-Class line-up therefore includes the full range from petrol and diesel models to petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrids for the first time.

Suspension: the world’s first suspension with “eyes”
The new S-Class is the world’s first car to be able to detect bumps on the road ahead. If ROAD SURFACE SCAN detects such unevenness by means of the stereo camera, MAGIC BODY CONTROL instantaneously sets up the suspension to deal with the new situation. This innovative suspension system is available as an option for the eight-cylinder models. Standard equipment for the new S-Class includes the continuously operating Adaptive Damping System ADS PLUS and an enhanced version of the full air suspension system AIRMATIC.

Interior: visual breadth and calm solidity
With its clear architecture, the interior design of the S-Class embodies a classic, superior, cutting-edge saloon. The interior’s expressive character derives from a uniquely fluid, sensuously elegant style. Horizontal elements and lines create a setting characterised by visual breadth and calm solidity. High quality and elegance harmonise with clarity and functionality: the interior design of the S-Class combines ride comfort, spaciousness and user-friendliness to the very highest standard.
The perfectly coordinated use of materials and colours produces an exclusive interior seemingly cast from a single mould. There is generous use of wood trim, especially in the dashboard and centre console. Metallised switch surfaces with pearl-effect paint finishes in three colour shades to suit the interior colour particularly highlight the outstanding quality.

Passengers in the rear are also seated in first-class – the design and exclusivity of the seats, door panels and all controls are to the same, high standard as the front. As an additional individualisation feature, the “First Class Rear” incorporates a Business centre console combining personal comfort with practical convenience (integration of a telephone handset, additional stowage compartments, folding table, etc.).

Concept: the best for both worlds
For the first time in the history of the S-Class, the development focus was on the long-wheelbase Saloon. Unlike before, the short-wheelbase version was derived from this. This is because the S-Class is not only firmly positioned as a prestige saloon in the large overseas markets such as the USA, China or Japan. Whereas in Europe and North America owners of an S-Class are frequently behind the wheel themselves, the flagship model in the Mercedes-Benz passenger-car portfolio is very definitely a chauffeur-driven vehicle in Asia. The logical consequence is the number of new features specifically related to comfort and safety in the rear – in the S-Class, there is no doubt that passengers in the rear are also seated in first class.

The occupants of the new S-Class benefit from the moderate increase in vehicle size [1] by an improvement in all the interior dimensions: there are 12 millimetres of extra headroom for the driver, as well as 14 millimetres more shoulder room and 10 millimetres more elbow room in the front. Thanks to the 14-millimetre increase in rear kneeroom, travel becomes even more comfortable for passengers in the rear. Shoulder room in the rear has been improved by up to nine millimetres.

Control and display concept: elegant new command centre
Two high-resolution TFT colour displays in 8:3 format with a screen diagonal of 30.7 cm (12.3 inches) form the new information centre in the S-Class. The left-hand display performs the functions of the previous instrument cluster, providing the driver with all relevant information. The right-hand display allows the convenient control of infotainment and comfort functions. For the new S-Class, the constantly increasing need to integrate additional functions into the vehicle led to a further development of the entire operating logic. Here ergonomics, operating convenience and safety along with attractiveness and aesthetics were the main considerations.

The aim in designing the control and display features was to group controls and display functions together in a coherent manner in terms of both design and functionality. Apart from the new displays, the metallised switch surfaces and solid aluminium controls are visual highlights of particularly high quality. Thanks to the fine structuring on the metal surfaces, each individual control has the sound, feel and attention to detail that makes a Mercedes-Benz so special.

The new control features include a touch-sensitive telephone keypad and an extended favourites function with twelve freely selectable memory places. The principal control element is the rotary pushbutton, with the usual direct access keys in the centre console for the most important functions and a toolbar for the driving assistance systems.

Voice entry using LINGUATRONIC via the Speech Dialog System allows complete addresses to be spoken in one go, for example (one-shot input). The telephone and audio systems can also be voice-controlled. The option of having text messages (SMS) or emails read out is a new feature.

Climate control: a wealth of new features for a pleasant atmosphere
During the systematic further development of the entire climate control system, a particular focus was placed on the development goals of performance, air quality, precise regulation, noise level and efficiency. As a new feature, the AIR-BALANCE package comprises perfume atomisation, ionisation and even more efficient filtration compared with the standard model. The THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control in the rear has two additional zones to improve thermal comfort. Electric heating of the armrests is a completely new feature.

As a world first, the new S-Class Saloon has an “active perfuming system” as part of the AIR-BALANCE package. ‘Active’ means that the perfuming system is switched on and off manually, with manual adjustment of the intensity. The perfume atomisation system individualises the smell of the vehicle interior. It neither changes the interior smell permanently, nor are perfume molecules deposited on fabric surfaces or clothing. The fragrance is discreet and mild, and dissipates rapidly.

Seats: mobile office and centre of wellbeing
With numerous world firsts such as the ENERGIZING massage function based on the hot-stone principle or active seat ventilation with reversing fans, Mercedes-Benz has raised seating and climatic comfort in the S-Class to a new level. The seat developers have paid particular attention to the rear seats. There is a choice of five different rear seat variants including an Executive seat with a backrest angle adjustable by up to 43.5 degrees, allowing occupants in the rear to concentrate on work or relax in comfort.
The ENERGIZING massage function on the hot-stone principle is a world first. The seat specialists at Mercedes-Benz have developed a unique massage function with 14 separately actuated air cushions in the backrest, as well as an integrated warming function. There is a choice of six massage programmes, two of them using the warming function. The function is also available for the rear seats.

For the first time, so-called reversing fans are used in the active seat ventilation system. When the ventilation function starts, cooler surrounding air is first drawn onto the seat surface. This enables the surface temperature of a heated-up seat to be reduced much faster than with the previous active cooling systems. After four minutes the fans are automatically switched to blower mode to reduce draughts.
Two rear seat variants (static bench seat or individual seats with 37-degree adjustment) are available for the standard-wheelbase S-Class, and no less than five for the long-wheelbase version. The adjustment kinematics have been changed in the luxury and reclining seat variants. Unlike the conventional trailing backrest design, the backrest is adjusted separately so that the legroom and seat reference point remain unchanged. The cushion can be separately adjusted for angle and horizontal position.

The maximum backrest angle of the Executive seat (reclining seat) behind the front passenger seat is increased from 37 to 43.5 degrees, giving it the largest backrest inclination in the luxury segment. The reclining seat features a calf support which is freely adjustable for length and angle. In combination with the heel rest on the folding chauffeur seat at the front and an additional comfort cushion, this allows a reclined position that sets new standards in the automotive sector with respect to sleeping and resting comfort.

If the “First Class Rear” is specified (with rear centre console), the front console on the transmission tunnel is visually continued to the rear. It is equipped with innovative thermo-cup holders which use Peltier technology to cool or warm drinks over a longer period of time. Like an aircraft seat, the centre console is available with two tables which can be easily folded in or out using one hand.

Multimedia features: mobile concert hall
A completely new multimedia generation with intuitive operation and particularly tangible functions thanks to visualisation and animations celebrates its debut in the S-Class. Other innovations include the multi-user system, which allows independent access to the media sources of the entertainment system from any seat.

The innovative Frontbass system developed by Mercedes-Benz‑and used for the first time in a saloon car is a feature common to all the audio systems: the woofers are housed in the firewall, and use the almost 40-litre space in the cross-member and side member as a resonance chamber. Conventional woofers in the doors are therefore unnecessary. The mid-range speakers in the doors are relocated upwards. This improves the soundscape and allows additional stowage space in the doors.

As alternatives to the standard sound system with ten loudspeakers, two very high-quality audio systems are available which were developed together with the high-end audio specialist Burmester: the Burmester® Surround Sound system and the Burmester® High-End 3D‑Surround Sound system.

The interactive presentation of content is a prominent new feature of the navigation function. The new navitainment functions include an animated compass, the “Driveshow” for passenger information as in an aircraft, and the display of Google Maps on the head unit and in the rear. Information on the traffic situation is shown with hatched lines (rather than with vehicle silhouettes as before). With the new Live Traffic Information service, traffic data is transmitted in real time. As a result, the navigation system is better informed about the situation on the roads.

Body: maximum stability and high-quality lightweight design
A high level of crash safety, outstanding rigidity for excellent handling with extremely low levels of noise and vibration. These were the aims when developing the bodyshell for the new S-Class – a third-generation aluminium hybrid bodyshell. The lightweight index – the torsional stiffness in relation to weight and vehicle size – has been improved by 50 percent compared to the predecessor model.

Since the 220 model series was developed in the 1990s, with an optimally coordinated materials mix the hybrid lightweight construction has been further developed into an aluminium hybrid bodyshell. During this period the share of aluminium has increased to more than 50 percent. It has therefore been possible to maintain practically the same body weight for 20 years and even slightly reduce it, despite far more stringent comfort and safety requirements and additional functions. In addition to this, structural foams are used at specific points in node areas in the new model series. The entire outer skin of the S-Class, including the roof and the front section of the body, consists of aluminium. The high percentage of aluminium is possible thanks to the use of a complete range of semi-finished products (casting, extrusion, sheet metal). The safety passenger cell is made using an extremely high percentage of high-strength steel.

This lightweight design by material and geometrical optimisation coupled with highly complex joining technology allows the new S-Class to further raise the bar in the demanding luxury saloon segment – without adding weight. With a torsional stiffness of 40.5 kN/degree (predecessor: 27.5 kN/degree), the S-Class achieves a new record in its segment.

Extended PRE-SAFE protection: prevention is better than cure
Ten years ago, Mercedes-Benz unveiled a groundbreaking safety concept in the S-Class in the form of the PRE-SAFE anticipatory occupant protection system, which has been undergoing continuous refinement ever since. Now, the safety pioneer is increasing protection levels once again.

The new PRE-SAFE functions can help to prevent collisions with pedestrians and vehicles in front in city traffic, defuse dangerous situations caused by traffic behind and enhance the protection offered by the seat belts.

• The PRE-SAFE Brake can also detect pedestrians and initiate autonomous braking to avoid a collision at speeds up to 50 km/h.
• PRE-SAFE PLUS can recognise an imminent rear-end collision and warn the following traffic by activating the rear hazard warning lights at a high frequency. If the danger of a collision persists, the system can also firmly apply the stationary vehicle’s brakes and thus minimise the risk of whiplash injuries by reducing the forward jolt caused by the impact. This additionally can reduce the risk of secondary accidents. Immediately before impact, the PRE-SAFE anticipatory occupant protection measures, especially the reversible belt tensioners, are deployed.
• With PRE-SAFE Impulse, the driver and front passenger are pulled away from the direction of impact by their seat belts at an early phase of the crash before the resulting occupant deceleration sets in. This can substantially reduce the risk and severity of injuries in a frontal collision.

Setting the standard for safety in the rear: new features in the S-Class
Mercedes-Benz has extended the safety system for rear seat passengers further with the seat belt buckle extender, the beltbag and the cushionbag. The first two of these developments are included in the “PRE-SAFE® rear package”. With the illuminated seat belt buckle extender, an electric motor extends and retracts the belt buckle automatically. In this way, any belt slack in the area of the pelvis and thorax can be reduced so that passengers are secured more firmly in both the sideways and the lengthways direction.

The beltbag is an inflatable seat-belt strap that is able to reduce the risk of injury to passengers in the rear in a head-on collision by lessening the strain placed on the ribcage. The reclining seat is equipped with a cushionbag under the seat cushion upholstery as standard. When the seat is reclined, it prevents the occupant from sliding beneath the seat belt (so-called submarining) in an accident. This has enabled Mercedes-Benz to design a comfortable reclining seat which provides a higher level of accident safety than a seat with a trailing backrest.

Intelligent Drive: networked with all senses
Avoid accidents and mitigate their consequences – this is the integrated approach adopted by Mercedes-Benz Accident Research under the heading “Real Life Safety”. Mercedes-Benz is systematically pursuing this strategy in the S-Class with numerous new assistance systems and greatly enhanced functions. Comfort and safety are enhanced at the same time. Mercedes-Benz calls this “Intelligent Drive”. The new functions all rely on the same sensor system, comprising a new stereo camera together with multistage radar sensors.

“Intelligent assistance systems analyse complex situations and better recognise potential dangers out on the road with the aid of improved environment sensor systems,” explains Prof. Thomas Weber, Member of the Daimler Board of Management responsible for Group Research and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. “Figuratively speaking, the new S-Class doesn’t just have eyes at the front, it has 360-degree all-round vision.” A key factor is the networking of all systems, which safety experts call “sensor fusion”. The aim is to ensure comprehensive protection, not just for the occupants of a Mercedes-Benz, but for all other road users, too.

The support functions range from relieving the burden on the driver and therefore increasing comfort, to issuing visual, acoustic and/or tactile warning signals, to boosting the driver’s reactions. Some systems are even able to take corrective action in an emergency, such as autonomous application of the brakes to prevent an accident or lessen its severity. Here is a summary of the new assistance systems and those with notably enhanced functionality:

• DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot takes the burden off the driver when it comes to lane guidance and is also able to follow vehicles in traffic jams automatically.
• For the first time, thanks to the stereo camera the Brake Assist system BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist is able to detect crossing traffic and pedestrians too, and to boost the braking power applied by the driver accordingly.
• If the lane markings are broken lines, Active Lane Keeping Assist can detect when the adjacent lane is occupied, especially by oncoming traffic, and reduce the risk of the vehicle leaving its lane unintentionally by applying the brakes on one side.
• Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus allows the high-beam headlamps to be kept on permanently without dazzling traffic by masking out other vehicles in the beams’ cone of light.
• Night View Assist Pluswas further improved and supplemented by a thermal imaging camera. Night View Assist Plus can alert the driver to the potential danger posed by pedestrians or animals in unlit areas in front of the vehicle by automatically switching from the speedometer to a crystal-sharp night view image and highlighting the sources of danger. A spotlight function is furthermore able to flash any pedestrians detected ahead. This attracts the driver’s attention to the source of the danger at the same time as warning the person on the side of the road.
• ATTENTION ASSIST can warn of inattentiveness and drowsiness in an extended speed range and notify the driver of their current state of fatigue and the driving time since the last break, offers an adjustable sensitivity setting and, if a warning is emitted, indicates nearby service areas in the COMAND navigation system.

Source: Daimler AG

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In one of its SL models, Mercedes-Benz will be demonstrating the Drive Kit Plus, a system which in combination with a smartphone and a special app enables the seamless integration of the smartphone into the vehicle’s infotainment architecture. And with the Digital DriveStyle App developed by Mercedes-Benz, the main functions of the smartphone can be organised under the headings Social, Media and Places and called up on the vehicle display – and also accessed safely and conveniently while driving via the COMAND controller or by using the voice based intelligent personal assistant. The Drive Kit Plus is available as an accessory for virtually all current Mercedes-Benz model series.

Digital DriveStyle App makes use of Google’s Places API
In the concept version of Digital DriveStyle on display at Google I/O, Mercedes-Benz is demonstrating the capabilities of Google’s Places API with four new features.

“Faster search, everywhere you go”: Whether it’s a street address or nearby restaurant, find your destination faster with the Google Places Autocomplete API, which predicts the most likely destinations as you type.

“Preview destinations on-the-go”: Explore landmarks, parks, and storefronts from around the world with 360-degree Street View imagery and Google+ Local photos.

“Know the hottest spots in town”: Radar View uses the Google Places API Radar Search and Heatmaps to guide you to the center of the action by visualizing areas with high concentrations of night clubs, restaurants and shopping centers.

“Get live traffic conditions”: integration of Google’s traffic service, providing a color-coded overlay of real-time traffic conditions on a Google Map.

Digital DriveStyle App due to be updated in the first half of 2013
These features are still expected to be integrated into the Digital DriveStyle App in the first half of 2013. Customers who already own a Drive Kit Plus and are using the app can obtain an updated version via the App Store. This avoids customers having to visit their Mercedes-Benz dealer or workshop to be able to use the new services.

While the majority of the product as demonstrated at Google I/O will be released to the public, Mercedes-Benz is additionally previewing a proof-of-concept feature whose market introduction plans have yet to be determined: a City Guide using Places API Radar Search to visualize the concentration of various features (nightlife, shopping, etc) as a graphical overlay on a Google Map.

Source: Daimler AG

Ennerst will succeed Georg Weiberg (65), who will retire after working for Daimler for more than 40 years.

After ten years as Head of Engineering Mercedes-Benz Vans, Weiberg has also had a big impact on Daimler Trucks’ development unit during the past seven years. The development departments of Trucks NAFTA, Trucks Asia, and Trucks Europe were closely integrated under his management. They are now extremely well networked and can thus exploit synergies. Weiberg had major responsibility for the renewal of the entire Daimler Trucks model portfolio in NAFTA, Europe, and Asia, and for the introduction of the new engine platforms at Daimler Trucks. In addition, as a member of the Supervisory Board he helped to launch BharatBenz, the youngest Daimler Truck brand. As a result of the founding of the global hybrid center at the Fuso facility in Japan, Weiberg was responsible not only for conventional but also for alternative drive technologies.

The Board of Management would like to thank Weiberg for his many years of successful work at the company. “Thanks to his great technological expertise, extensive range of personal contacts throughout the world, and outstanding knowledge of different cultures, it was possible to closely integrate the global development department under his leadership. Georg Weiberg’s decisions and strategic projects have helped to bring Daimler Trucks to the top,” says Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, Daimler Board of Management member responsible for Daimler Trucks and Daimler Buses.

Sven Ennerst will be the new Head of Truck Product Engineering at Daimler Trucks. He started his career at Daimler in 1991, initially working as a planning engineer in the truck assembly plant in Wörth. Ennerst subsequently helped to internationalize the Daimler Group in different functions. In 2004 he became Director of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Kassel. Since 2006 he has headed the Strategic Future Truck Program at Daimler Trucks.

“I wish my colleague Sven Ennerst every success in his new position at Daimler Trucks,” adds Dr. Bernhard. “As Head of the Strategic Future Truck Program, he successfully rolled out the heavy-duty truck platform, which encompasses the new Actros and Antos trucks and the Arocs construction site vehicle. He was thus responsible for the market launch of an all-new generation of vehicles that has become the benchmark for customers. I’m convinced that he will enable the Daimler Trucks’ development unit to make further progress.”

Source: Daimler AG

Nico salvaged a sixth-place finish after starting from pole running an option/prime/prime/prime three-stop strategy. Lewis was forced to convert to a four-stop strategy during the race and finished outside the points in twelfth position. During his five race stints this afternoon, Lewis used option/prime/prime/option/prime tyres.

Nico Rosberg
I had a very tough race this afternoon. The start was good and I managed my first stint well to keep some of the quicker cars behind me. From there, I had to drive my own race and we began to go backwards as it made no sense to destroy my tyres by trying to stay ahead. We didn’t have the pace of the quickest cars today and there’s a growing gap to three teams ahead of us which we need to get on top of. We have a very quick car but we have to make it work for us in the race.

Lewis Hamilton
A difficult afternoon today and going backwards is never fun. We switched to a four-stop strategy during the race but I suffered with a lack of grip and balance throughout and we were never really able to get the tyres working. I know that everyone at the team is working so hard and we need to keep positive. I’m sure we will figure the problem out and we’ve got to keep pushing together to close the gap. I will be doing my best to help and encourage the guys.

Ross Brawn
We endured a very difficult afternoon and the comparison between our competitiveness in qualifying and in the race was particularly disappointing. Nico did an excellent job managing the tyres to make just three stops and his level of performance showed what our car is currently capable of on tracks like this. Lewis didn’t have a good balance at any point and that simply made a critical situation worse, which forced him to convert to a four-stop strategy midway through the race. We must find the key to why we are losing performance on Sunday afternoon and find the right solutions to improve.

Toto Wolff
Today’s race showed a similar pattern to what we have seen with our team in recent seasons: we have a quick car but it works the tyres too hard. The drivers experienced the reverse situation to what happened in Bahrain: Nico drove a very controlled race and was able to make a three-stop strategy work, while Lewis was forced to stop four times because he simply didn’t have enough grip at any point through the race and the car was sliding around. It is very clear that we have not yet found the right compromise between our performance on Saturday and Sunday and that we will need a lot of hard work to get it right.

Source: Mercedes AMG

Nico scored his second consecutive pole position and the team’s third in a row at the Circuit de Catalunya this afternoon. With Lewis in second, both Mercedes will start from the front row for the first time since the 2012 Chinese Grand Prix. Both drivers used three sets of option tyres during qualifying and saved four fresh sets of the prime compound for the race.

Nico Rosberg
It’s a great feeling to be on pole again. So far this weekend has been very positive and it’s a pleasure to see that the team is improving and fighting through the problems together. I know everyone back at the factory and at home will have been watching this afternoon and it’s a great feeling for all of us. However, we know that this is only half of the job completed and have the painful memory of what happened in Bahrain to prove that. We’ve worked very hard on our race pace but this track is tough for the tyres, particularly with graining. So it will be a big challenge tomorrow and our goal is to make the most of the opportunity we have from starting at the front and get a strong result for the team.

Lewis Hamilton
A great job by the team and I’m so happy that we got a one-two qualifying result today. It’s a real bonus for us to be so high up, and that’s all down to the hard work that the team have put into this car, I can’t thank them enough. Of course, I’d like to be one place higher but Nico did an awesome job and really nailed his lap. I’ve not been totally happy with the balance of my car all weekend, even today, so we need to look at it this evening and see what we can do for the race. Limiting the degradation is going to be my major challenge as the general pace isn’t too bad. It’s going to be tough to keep these positions tomorrow but we’ll give it our best shot.

Ross Brawn
A great job by the team and both of our drivers today: I believe we have the strongest driver pairing in Formula One this year and they demonstrated it today. However, we know that it’s tomorrow afternoon that counts and we have worked diligently this weekend to find the right solutions to improve our performance and consistency in race conditions. I don’t think we will be the strongest team in the race but we are starting from the best possible position. Now we need to get through the first stint, which will certainly be interesting on the option tyre, and then see how our race develops.

Toto Wolff
It was a nice surprise for us to see both cars at the top of the times this afternoon but we know that Sunday afternoon is a more complicated challenge for us. We have worked all weekend with the race in mind but it is clear that we are harder on the tyres than some of our rivals. Tomorrow will show us what progress we have made on improving this situation and our pace in the race.

Source: Mercedes AMG

With this spectacular achievement, the vehicle that lent its name to the large van segment has demonstrated how well the Russian growth market receives its key attributes reliability, high quality, and versatility.

“Due to the vehicle’s wide range of variants and areas of application, customers all over the world can adapt the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter to their specific needs. In a sense, you could say that the Sprinter also ‘speaks Russian’,” says Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, commenting on the global vehicle’s success in the world’s biggest country. “The title ‘Van of the Year’ gives us another boost in Europe’s fastest-growing van market, where we are currently preparing local production of the Sprinter Classic with our partner GAZ.”

The van received the distinction after more than 1.3 million people had cast ballots for their favorite vehicles on the Internet, by mail, or by text message over a period of three months. Participants were able to choose from a total of 385 models in 23 segments and three special categories. The Sprinter won the title in the Vans category. The competition was first held in 2000 and is organized by Russia’s leading automotive publications.

Source: Daimler AG

As part of a high-performance demonstration, four Mercedes-AMG vehicles will go up against Michael Schumacher in a Formula 1 Silver Arrow. The vehicles will start at different times in front of the Mercedes-Benz grandstand but will cross the finish line simultaneously. The Mercedes-AMGs will be driven by: Formula 1 star Nico Rosberg, DTM record-breaking champion Bernd Schneider, ex-Formula 1 and DTM driver Karl Wendlinger and by the official driver of the Formula 1 Safety Car Bernd Mayländer.
The first vehicle to go out on track will be an A 45 AMG driven by Bernd Mayländer, followed by: Karl Wendlinger in the E 63 AMG S, Nico Rosberg in the SLS AMG Black Series, and Bernd Schneider in an SLS AMG GT3.

Finally, Michael Schumacher will set off in a Formula 1 Silver Arrow on the 20.832km lap around the Nordschleife (excluding grand prix circuit). On this special occasion, the Formula 1 record world champion will be the first driver to cover the Nordschleife in a state-of-the-art Silver Arrow since Juan Manuel Fangio in 1954.

Michael Schumacher: “This Mercedes AMG Performance Drive will be simply great, affording spectators at the 24-hour race a really top-class spectacle. Driving around the Nordschleife in a Formula 1 car will be an unforgettable experience both for me and for the motor racing fans. The legendary Nordschleife, famous throughout the world, is the perfect place for this demo, and the Mercedes-Benz vehicles taking part are all fascinating, powerful cars, a unique parade for all the spectators and car enthusiasts gathered there as they hurtle past.”

Nico Rosberg: “The Nürburgring will play host to two super motor racing events with the 24-hour race and this year’s Formula 1 Grand Prix. Our Mercedes-AMG Performance Drive on the Nordschleife with five Mercedes-Benz cars makes a fantastic warm-up for both events. It will be interesting to see how long Michael can delay starting before catching up with us at the finish. As for me personally, I am, of course, really looking forward to the German Formula 1 race in the Eifel (5th-7th July, but this too is going to be a fantastic weekend and I hope that many of the fans present for the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring will be on hand to cheer us in our Silver Arrows.”

The vehicles and their drivers
Car: Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG (360bhp, 0-100km/h: 4.6secs), Driver: Bernd Mayländer.
Car: Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG S (585bhp, 0-100 km/h: 3.6secs), Driver: Karl Wendlinger.
Car: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 (more than 500bhp), Driver: Bernd Schneider.
Car: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series (631bhp, 0-100 km/h: 3.6secs), Driver: Nico Rosberg.
Vehicle: MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS F1 W02 (approx. 750bhp, 0-100 km/h: 2.7secs), Driver: Michael Schumacher.

Source: Mercedes AMG

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The idea behind car2go is simple: it’s the first fully-flexible and on-demand car sharing scheme – it’s a whole new way of getting around that’s easy to use, easy on the pocket, and easy on the environment. car2go is the future of Urban Mobility.

“We are proud to launch car2go in Birmingham”, said Stefan Mueller, CEO at car2go Europe GmbH. “car2go gives you the ability to go where you want, when you want – and in comfort – but without all the costs associated with owning, running and insuring a car full-time. We’re confident everyone will find car2go an easy, cost-effective and environmentally responsible way to get around Birmingham.”

Councillor Tahir Ali, cabinet member for development, jobs and skills, today launch the 12 month pilot scheme. He said: “We want to develop a range of green transport initiatives, reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions and encouraging people to think of alternative ways of getting about. I’m pleased to welcome car2go to Birmingham, particularly as they are making the city their UK headquarters, with the associated jobs that will bring. I will be monitoring this pilot closely for all the benefits it is expected to bring.”

car2go will start with a fleet of 250 smart coupés in an area of 21 square miles in Birmingham. The car2go zone covers the city area between Oxhill Rd, Pershore Rd, Vicarage Rd, Highfield Rd, City Rd, Grove Park, Stratford Rd, and Aston Park. Within this area people are allowed to park in any Pay & Display bay without time restrictions and wherever it is free to park without affecting private resident or business parking.

car2go perfectly complements the already well-established public transportation network (bus, train and Metro) in the City of Birmingham. car2go delivers the last mile of travel which helps commuters with their journey and can help to reduce congestion and pollution in the city.

Every car2go vehicle in Birmingham is based on the smart mhd – an efficient, compact two-seater which emits just 98g/km of CO2, plus the convenience of automatic transmission, start-stop technology, GPS navigation and the comfort of air conditioning. The smart fortwo coupé is easy to drive — it’s the perfect size for urban mobility – , a dream to park, and super safe thanks to its tridion safety cell. It’s surprisingly practical too: Its boot can take accommodate everything from a quick shop to a tumble dryer – perfect for those impulse buys.

Marcus Breitschwerdt, President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz UK Ltd, added: “I’m delighted that car2go has chosen Birmingham as its second UK city. Our smarts all have eco stop-start, automatic transmission, air conditioning, GPS navigation, are fuelled, insured and cleaned and are available 24/7. You don’t even have to pay for parking if you park in any pay and display without affecting residents and businesses – car2go has got that covered too. Of course, car2go is all about making mobility easy, so anyone registered as a car2go member in London or Birmingham can use the service in either city.”

As easy as using your mobile phone
People can register for a one-time registration fee of £29.90 – either online at car2go.com/Birmingham or at the car2go shop at 10 Fleet Street, Birmingham B3 1JL nearby Snowhill Station. Once registered, car2go members can locate any available car through the car2go Birmingham website, by using a free app or just by walking up to an available car, touching the card reader on the windscreen with the car2go member card, getting in and driving off.

Once registered, driving will be charged by the minute (35p) and billed directly to the customers’ account.This rate always includes fuel, insurance, road tax, parking and maintenance at no extra cost. New customers will get their first 30 minutes of driving time for free to help them understand how the car2go concept will work well in their daily life.

Customers don’t have to return their car2go to the same parking bay where it was collected. The car2go can be kept as long as the customer needs, all day, or for a quick hop across town.

Birmingham is the 19th city around the world to offer the car2go scheme, and it’s the second city in the UK (London was launched in December 2012). Globally the company has more than 375,000 customers who use over 7,300 vehicles worldwide. More than eight million car2go rental transactions have been made to date, and this number continues to rise.

Source: car2go

The brand with the star was able to grow strongly, especially in the NAFTA region, Russia and the Asian markets. In April, Mercedes-Benz also posted double-digit sales in Europe, gained market shares, and secured its market leadership in several markets at the same time. On the domestic market Mercedes-Benz maintained its position as the premium manufacturer with the highest new vehicle registrations, holding a market share of 9.6% in April and 9.4% per April. The new Mercedes-Benz compacts and SUVs posted significant new growth and the launches of the new E-Class models and the CLA were very successful.

„April was a very successful month for the Mercedes-Benz brand. We again posted new records in many growth markets and are thus continuing the positive sales trend“, said Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales and Marketing. „We are particularly pleased that we are growing in the difficult market environment in Europe and have gained market shares in many markets. Our new products are enjoying an excellent response from our customers, and we are already feeling the first sales impetus from the new E-Class and the CLA.“

Mercedes-Benz sold 56,988 vehicles in Europe in April, thus achieving growth of 11.8%. The brand posted significant gains particularly in Russia (+18.1%) and Turkey (+78.5%), as well as in the UK (+14.5%), France (+19.8%) and Belgium (+11.1%). Also in Germany the brand with the star posted growth (+6.3%) and secured its market leadership among the premium manufacturers with a market share of 9.6% in April.
In the USA, Mercedes-Benz again posted a new sales record with 23,635 vehicles sold (+5.8%) and was once more the premium manufacturer with the highest new vehicle registrations. April sales also moved very strongly in Latin America with more than twice as many vehicles sold than in the same month of the prior year.

The growth in the Asia/Pacific region was driven mainly by Japan (+47.3%) and South Korea (+42.4%). The start into the second quarter was also positive in China (incl. Hong Kong), where Mercedes-Benz posted 10.7% growth with sales of 16,241 units, thus continuing the positive trend of the preceding month.
Among the model series of the Mercedes-Benz brand, the new compacts continued to sell especially well with deliveries of 107,488 units of the A-Class, B-Class and the CLA (+52.0%) since the beginning of the year. The A-Class celebrated its market premiere at the Shanghai Auto Show in China two weeks ago and is now also available on the Chinese market. The popularity of the A-Class on its domestic market was proven in April by a poll of the Europe-wide online car market AutoScout24. About 223,000 users in eight European countries voted and elected the Mercedes-Benz A-Class the “Best Car” from 55 new releases in 2012. The third model of the new compacts, the CLA, had its launch in mid April amidst enthusiastic customer reviews. With the coupe’s positioning as a sports car, Mercedes-Benz is targeting a young, lifestyle-oriented target group to attract new customers for the brand with the star.

The new E-Class also celebrated its premiere at European dealers few weeks ago and is meeting with an excellent response from customers. Overall, 17,379 E-Class sedans and estates were sold in April (+4.3%). The CLS also posted significant gains (+6.5%) and was the market leader in its comparative class in April.
The demand for the SUVs with the star is consistently high. Since January, 103,492 units were delivered to customers, 28.5% more compared to the prior-year period. The SUVs set yet another sales record in April (26,265 units, +22.5%).

The compact two-seater smart delivered 34,372 units to customers since the beginning of the year (prior year: 36,532 units). In its seventh year of sales, it is thus nearly constant at the prior-year level. In April, the Chinese government gave the go-ahead for the smart electric drive, which made smart the first European importer to offer a fully electric vehicle in the Middle Kingdom. In Germany, the smart electric drive advanced in a record short time to become the market leader among the pure battery-electric vehicles (BEVs).

Source: Mercedes-Benz

Over 170 top-quality products are among the items making up the range, which also includes stylish products from the CLA Selection series, such as yellow nail varnish in the genuine colour of the stitching used in the CLA Edition 1.

Just as modern as the shape of the CLA “style rebel” are the advanced multimedia systems in the Genuine Accessories range. The Drive Kit Plus for the iPhone, together with the Digital DriveStyle app specially developed by Daimler, makes it possible to seamlessly integrate iPhones 4 and 4S in the CLA. Highlights here include Siri voice control, the advanced navigation solution from Garmin® with internet-based real-time traffic information, Google online POI search including Street View and 3D map view as well as the real-time location sharing system Glympse. Additional functions come in the guise of Facebook, Twitter and AUPEO! Personal Radio, as well as internet radio for national and international stations.
The Becker MAP PILOT turns the Audio 20 radio into a high-performance navigation system with 3D map display. The Becker MAP PILOT uses the system’s standard 14.7 cm colour display and can be operated conveniently via the vehicle controller and the Audio 20 keypad. The detachable navigation module can also be conveniently connected to a PC via USB for downloading the latest updates and additional services from the Becker MAP PILOT website.

Mercedes-Benz Sport Equipmentis the label under which Mercedes-Benz offers a range of elegant yet sporty individualisation products. For the CLA, the range includes illuminated door sill panels. Made of stainless steel, these high-quality door sill panels feature “Sport” lettering which lights up when getting in and out of the vehicle. Another highlight is the custom-fit rear spoiler which accentuates the spoiler lip on the rear of the Coupé without appearing obtrusive. A high-grade primer enables the spoiler to be finished in a choice of paint colours. Installation is possible without having to bore holes, and registration in the vehicle documentation is not necessary.

A sporty look is also guaranteed with the AMG products available for the CLA. In addition to light-alloy wheels and an indoor cover, products include AMG bodystyling components in the guise of a front apron, side sill panels and a rear apron.

The Genuine Accessories range comprises a wide variety of light-alloy wheels, including several high-sheen variants which offer additional appeal thanks to the interesting contrast which is created between the apparently bare metal surface and the painted areas. The high-sheen product highlights include two 5-twin-spoke wheels in black and matt black as well as a 5-triple-spoke wheel with a surface finished in tremolite metallic (format: 7.5 J x 18 in each case).

With its flowing forms the CLA is not only visually captivating – with a Cd value of 0.23 the four-door Coupé is also the most aerodynamic series production car in the world. “(Air) resistance is futile” is a motto which also applies when it comes to the add-on roof equipment from Mercedes-Benz which has been tested in the wind tunnel. The Alustyle Quickfix basic carrier, for example, provides the basis for attaching roof boxes, ski and snowboard racks and bicycle carriers. The innovative quick-grip mounting is extremely easy to use, while the lockable plastic caps are an effective theft deterrent and at the same time ensure that the quick-release levers cannot become detached.

Transport tasks can also be made considerably easier with the aid of the tilt-down trailer coupling as well as such practical accessories as the boot tub, reversible mat, luggage net and concertina load sill guard.

Mercedes-Benz is continuing its series of exceptional Edition 1 models with the CLA too. A special feature of the interior of these models is the yellow topstitching on the sports seats, dashboard and beltline. To match this, Mercedes-Benz now offers a yellow nail polish in the genuine stitching colour of the CLA Edition 1.

Source: Mercedes-benz

Vietoris started on the prime tyres from third on the grid, completing his mandatory pit stops on Laps 6 and 33. In the closing stage of the race, he overtook fellow Mercedes driver Gary Paffett (EURONICS Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) who then followed him across the finish line in fourth.

Roberto Merhi (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) began his second season in the world’s most popular touring car series by securing tenth place. For the Spaniard, this is the best result so far of his fledgling DTM career.

Mercedes-Benz juniors Pascal Wehrlein and Daniel Juncadella started their first DTM season with a strong performance, achieving eleventh and twelfth positions respectively. Wehrlein in eleventh place narrowly missed securing points in his debut race. He set two new records on his DTM debut: Today, Wehrlein officially becomes the youngest DTM driver in the history of the series, aged just 18 years and 199 days. In addition, he posted his first DTM kilometres in P1 during the race when he led the field from Lap 9 to 25, making him also the youngest driver ever to lead a race in 28 years of the DTM.

Robert Wickens (STIHL Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) retired after five laps with a technical problem. The Canadian moved up a position at the start to a place on the podium but had to park his car in the Parabolica while lying in fourth position.

Overall standings: Christian Vietoris is in third position and Gary Paffett fourth in the drivers’ standings after the first race. In the team standings, STIHL / AMG Mercedes are in third place with 28 points. In the manufacturers’ standings, Mercedes-Benz is second with 28 points.

The next race: The second round of the DTM will take place at Brands Hatch (18th-19th May), and will be a home fixture for Gary Paffett. Paffett won last year’s race at the shortest track on the DTM calendar.

Comments after the Race
Christian Vietoris (24, Germany, DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
„That race was huge fun. The introduction of DRS and option tyres has given us drivers a lot more to do out on track, which makes it all the more interesting. Going into the race, I was optimistic about putting in a good performance. Because of all the different tyre strategies, it was difficult to know what your real position was. I lost some ground early on, but thanks to our excellent pit stops and a faultless drive, I was able to claw my way back and finish on the podium for the first time in my career. I’ll be delighted if the season carries on this way.“

Gary Paffett (32, England, EURONICS Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
„That was a tough race, but a P4 finish and my first points of the season are a reasonable outcome. Christian had the better tyres and the better strategy towards the end of the race, so congratulations to him on his first DTM podium. The two different tyre compounds and the use of DRS made for an exciting race. Unfortunately, there were some moves out on track that weren’t totally acceptable. Fourth place is OK, but I know I was capable of a better result today.“

Roberto Merhi (22, Spain, THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
„Considering that I started the race from 21st position on the grid, then I can be quite satisfied with the end result. I moved up the field a number of places at the start, but there was a problem with the tyres on my pit stop, which is why I had to come in twice in a row and had to stop three times altogether. On my final pit stop, my pit crew did a great job, producing the second fastest stop of the race. Placed tenth, I’ve secured my first championship point in the DTM – I can build on that in the next few races.“

Pascal Wehrlein (18, Germany, DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
„I’ll be leaving Hockenheim with mixed feelings. On the one hand, I led the race for several laps on my very first outing, which must count as a big success; on the other hand, I was starting to think that I might get a better result. The first stint of the race went really well on the soft tyres, but when I switched to the harder compound, the car didn’t feel as good as it had before. We now need to analyse the reason for that. Even so, it was a good performance to almost finish in the points on my DTM debut.“

Daniel Juncadella (21, Spain, stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
„I’m well satisfied with my DTM debut. The main thing was to see the finish line and so to get as much experience as possible. I’m pleased to say that I managed to do that. The result could have been better, but I drove over a kerb, which didn’t do my car any good. However, mistakes of that kind are all part of the learning process and have to be expected on your first outing. I’m going to work hard on my driving and try to learn the lessons from today in time for Brands Hatch.“

Robert Wickens (24, Canada, STIHL Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
„The start went well, but my accelerator pedal suddenly got stuck as I was tackling the hairpin. Luckily, I was able to avoid a collision with Bruno Spengler. But for the problem, we would have been in the points today, for sure, maybe a podium would even have been possible. It’s a pity that it didn’t come off, but the season still has a long way to go. I see no reason why we should not be up with the front-runners again at Brands Hatch. So, I’ll draw a line under this weekend and focus on the next race.“

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: „Congratulations to BMW on a strong performance and a well-deserved victory in the season opener. We now need to analyse this first race weekend and learn the lessons for future encounters. At the midway stage, the situation was looking very promising for us, but towards the end, the performance fell away for some of our cars on the hard tyres, which came as a bit of a surprise for us. Our Mercedes Juniors deserve special praise: they were brilliant in the race and have been faultless in every aspect this weekend. Christian put in a great performance to claim his maiden DTM podium, and our rookie Pascal has now had his first experience of leading the race over several laps. Unfortunately, he and Daniel were out of luck on the hard tyres towards the end, but they can travel to Brands Hatch with their heads held high.“

Pictures: MBPassion.de / Philipp Deppe

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Vietoris posted the third-fastest lap in the final shootout: 1:36.194 minutes. His team-mate, Robert Wickens, set a time of 1:36.920 minutes to claim fourth place. Gary Paffett (EURONICS Mercedes AMG C-Coupé / 1:40.496 minutes) narrowly missed out on going through to Q4 on a drying track. The 2012 championship runner-up will be starting from sixth on the grid in tomorrow’s season opener.

The two DTM rookies Pascal Wehrlein (DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé / 1:41.337 minutes) and Daniel Juncadella (stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé / 1:43.775 minutes) start their first DTM race from positions eight and ten respectively. Wehrlein even managed to secure the fastest lap time in the second qualifying session. On Sunday, aged 18 years and 199 days, he will become the youngest competitor of all time in the history of the DTM.

Roberto Merhi (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) spun off track in the wet during the first qualifying session, sustaining damage to some of the car’s aerodynamic components. He was able to continue but, placed 20th with a time of 1:50.810 minutes, he did not progress to Q2.

Looking ahead to the race: The first race of the season at Hockenheim on Sunday (beginning at: 13:15 CET, live on ARD. New start time this season for the race: 13:30 CET) will be run over 42 laps, covering a total distance of 192.108km.

Comments after Qualifying
Christian Vietoris (24, Germany, DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
„Third on the grid is a good launch pad for this opening race of the season. We found it difficult to weigh up the relative strengths of the teams after the test sessions, and even this morning when we had all that rain, it wasn’t easy to compare the pace of the cars. Consequently, I’m all the more satisfied with third place. The guys have done a fantastic job, and under very difficult conditions, they made the right choice on the tyres and the timing. My DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé has been fast all day, which made me optimistic even before qualifying that I might get through to Q4. Even though I could possibly have taken more risks on my lap in the final session, I still met my target and I’m very happy. We can feel very satisfied to have got five Mercedes-Benz drivers into the Top Ten.“

Robert Wickens (24, Canada, STIHL Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
„The season-opener has gone very well for me so far. I hope it continues like this. Conditions made today’s qualifying very tough, and not only was speed of the essence but also getting the right timing was crucial. My team and I did everything right and I succeeded in going through to Q4 for the first time. The second row is a good starting position for the race.“

Gary Paffett (32, England, EURONICS Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
„We were running well in all conditions. It was definitely the right decision to change to slicks. Unfortunately, the track dried out more quickly than we thought it would and the others simply did better with timing. We certainly had the pace for pole position but to finish sixth is not a bad result, given the tough conditions in this qualifying.“

Pascal Wehrlein (18, Germany, DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
„We had difficult conditions in qualifying today. Our times in Q1 and Q2 proved that our car is fast. When I crossed the finish line in Q3, I was just a few seconds off being able to put in another flying lap. That was a shame, because I think that Q4 was definitely within the bounds of possibility. But all the same, P8 in my first qualifying is a respectable result.“

Daniel Juncadella (21, Spain, stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
„To progress into Q3 at my first DTM qualifying is a really nice surprise. Q1 and Q2 went well, even though both times I had cars in front of me on the final lap. Unfortunately, I had a bit of bad luck in Q3. Timing was not ideal, so I could only post one lap on slicks. Nevertheless, we as a team can be pleased with the results. Let’s see what we can do tomorrow, when it should be dry.“

Roberto Merhi (22, Spain, THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
„Sadly, that was not my best qualifying session. Track conditions were very tough – it was extremely wet and slippery. Unfortunately, I ran far too wide over the kerbs and lost control of the car. I subsequently spun off track and did some damage. As a result, I could not improve my time sufficiently to make it through into Q2, which would certainly have been a distinct possibility otherwise. Too bad! I’ll now have to attack in the race and try to achieve the best result I can from my position on the grid.“

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:
„This was a strong team performance from our drivers in the first qualifying session of the year. Five Mercedes-Benz drivers, including four of our Mercedes-Benz Junior drivers made it into the Top 10. This is the first proof that we are on the right track with our philosophy of focusing on promising young drivers. Roberto Merhi lost control of his car in difficult conditions, which is part and parcel of the learning process in the DTM. But I am certain that we will see good race results from all of our drivers in the future and maybe even podiums. Christian drove a superb qualifying under difficult conditions. Now in his third DTM season, he has the experience and speed to be up there with the front-runners. Unfortunately, Gary had some bad luck with the timing. In these changeable conditions, the smallest details can make a big difference. Starting from sixth position on the grid, however, he’s still got every chance in the race of finishing on the podium.“

Source: Mercedes DTM / Pictures: MBpassion-Philipp Deppe

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The drivers: This year, the brand with the three-pointed star has quite consciously taken the decision to field a young squad of drivers. Joining Gary Paffett, the most successful driver currently competing in the DTM and DTM runner-up in 2012, no less than five talented ‘young guns’ will line up at the start in their DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupés. With an average age of 23 years, the Mercedes-Benz team of drivers is the youngest of all the three manufacturers contesting the DTM.

Team Management: Mercedes-Benz begins the 2013 season not only with a newly established, young driver squad, but also with a fresh DTM management team; Austrian Toto Wolff has been motor racing manager at the brand since 21st January 2013. Wolfgang Schattling is responsible for management and communication of all matters concerning Mercedes-Benz and their involvement with the DTM. The sporting and technical management of the DTM teams is the responsibility of HWA AG Chairman Gerhard Ungar. In addition, Ralf Schumacher has switched roles, moving from the cockpit into team management at RSC Mücke Motorsport, where he will be giving support and advice to young drivers Daniel Juncadella and Pascal Wehrlein.
Sporting and Technical Regulations: Important changes to the DTM regulations have been introduced for the 2013 season. Firstly, race weekends have become more streamlined: Friday practice has been dropped. In future, DTM drivers will work on set-up during a 90-minute session on the Saturday morning. Also, to provide even more excitement and overtaking opportunities, a second, softer compound tyre (option tyre) and Drag Reduction System (DRS) have been introduced. Both these innovations are well-known from Formula 1.

The track: The DTM traditionally starts and finishes the season at the 4.57km Hockenheimring in Baden-Wurttemberg. The section of track from the Parabolic to the hairpin is the fastest piece of track on the DTM calendar and is taken at about 270km/h – the full-throttle percentage over one lap is 64%. Seven turns are negotiated at more than 100km/h and only four at less than 100km/h.

Comments on the DTM season-opener
Gary Paffett (32, England, EURONICS Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
“Hockenheim simply suits Mercedes-Benz and me. Our brand has been victorious 32 times here and I myself have won four races. Last year, we achieved a one-two victory in the season-opener – a perfect start. I hope we can do it again this year. My batteries are fully charged after the long winter break and I’m really looking forward to the new DTM season. Thanks to many new features, option tyres and DRS, this will certainly be an interesting and exciting year. After the many kilometres of testing this winter, I can’t wait to finally get started in Hockenheim and intend to be back on the attack once again in my EURONICS Mercedes AMG C-Coupé. My goal is clear: to fight for the championship and not be pipped at the post again in the finale at Hockenheim.”

Roberto Merhi (22, Spain, THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
“Now we can finally get started. I can’t wait for the season to begin. Preparations have gone extremely well. I learned a great deal in my first DTM season last year. I intend to extend my knowledge this season and put lessons learnt to good use and achieve some decent results. Everything is now in place: During the test sessions, I was able to familiarise myself with the technical innovations and worked on my driving style to ensure that I continue to progress during the year ahead.”

Christian Vietoris (24, Germany, DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
“After this winter’s testing, we don’t yet know how we will compare in terms of power to the other teams in the new season – we will find that out at Hockenheim. I’ve now contested four DTM races at this track and know that my engineers and me will have a tough job deciding on setting up the car, whether to go for downforce in the turns or for high straight-line top speed. The shortened practice time will make that task even trickier for drivers this year. But I’m highly motivated and optimistic as my third season gets under way.”

Robert Wickens (24, Canada, STIHL Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
“Here we go, can’t wait for my second DTM season! I’ve driven on many tracks during my career, but the fantastic atmosphere in the Motodrom and in the Mercedes grandstand is simply the best and I get quite excited when I start thinking about the season-opener. The introduction of DRS and the two different tyre compounds for the new season not only promise more excitement for the spectators in the stands and at home in front of their TVs, but more action for us drivers out on the track. My first DTM season was a training year, but this season, I now really want to go on the offensive and to consistently finish in the points and maybe achieve a podium.”

Daniel Juncadella (21, Spain, stern Mercedes AMGC-Coupé):
“My promotion to the DTM is like a dream come true for me. The DTM is a hard-fought series, and I certainly don’t expect it will be easy this year as a rookie, but I am a fighter and felt at ease in my car during the winter tests and have coped well so far with the transition from Formula 3 to the DTM. Now I am looking forward to finally experiencing the superb atmosphere in Hockenheim’s Motodrom from the cockpit of my stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé.”

Pascal Wehrlein (18, Germany, DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
“Right now, time is passing so quickly. One moment, I was having my first tests in the DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé and now I’m preparing for my DTM debut. I can hardly believe it myself sometimes, but I’m ready for this challenge. I will treat the season-opener in Hockenheim just like any other race and try to do my best, learn as much as possible and have a good race – maybe I might even finish in the points, which would, of course, be a dream result. What is vitally important, though, is that I quickly get to know the team and the car and gain experience for the rest of the season.”

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:
“Hockenheim is the perfect place, indeed, a marvellous setting to start the new DTM season. It is a challenging and demanding race track. Hockenheim is not just a home fixture for Mercedes-Benz, but also represents extremely successful territory for us. It may sound like a cliché when I say that this year’s DTM is as open and exciting as ever, but it is very true. Thanks to DRS and the new option tyres supplementing the usual tyres, the DTM will be even more exciting and unpredictable in this second year with the new generation of vehicles. Our goal for this season is very clear-cut: We aim to win races and secure the championship. Gary Paffett may be our spearhead, certainly, but with our five Mercedes-Benz juniors we have a youthful line-up hungry for success. Our young drivers have shown their talent already with wins and championships in some of the world’s best junior series – Formula 3 Euro Series, GP3 and the World Series by Renault – and have the potential to forge successful careers. Mercedes-Benz has a long tradition of bringing on young drivers and we are certain that we are on the right path and will reap the rewards in the future.”

Source: Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

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Till Oberwörder, Head of Marketing, Sales & Aftersales Daimler Buses, handed over the vehicles in the presence of the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the Mayor of Budapest István Tarlós, the General Director of the Budapest Transport Centre, Dávid Vitézy, and Messrs Mátyás Dósa and Péter Szepesi, operators of the private bus company VT Transman GmbH.

These Citaros are the first vehicles to be delivered from the major contract signed with the Budapest City Authorities last November for the acquisition of a total of 159 Mercedes-Benz Citaros. With the second-generation Citaro, the city has opted for one of the most advanced urban bus concepts available on the market today. In addition, the Citaro is the most successful urban bus of all time. The over 33,000 units sold in just 14 production years express customers’ trust most tellingly.

The complete order consists of over 80 articulated units and 79 solo vehicles of the new Citaro generation. Thanks to Mercedes-Benz BlueTec diesel technology, both the articulated and the solo units comply with the environmentally-friendly EEV exhaust gas standard. Thanks to the buses’ low-floor design, elderly and persons with restricted mobility can easily get in and out of the vehicles or use the wheelchair ramp. Camera monitoring of the passenger compartment and the vehicle surroundings provide that extra quantum of safety to prevent vandalism damage to the vehicle as well as violent assaults on driver or passengers.

As from July the entire Mercedes-Benz urban bus fleet will provide comfortable and environment-friendly public transport in the metropolis on the Danube. Daimler Buses was able to implement a relatively short time of production of the entire slot, by using two production locations – a success of the EvoBus integrated production network. The new Citaro was manufactured in both the Mannheim bus production facilities and the factory in Neu-Ulm.

Source: Daimler AG

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Alongside many other vintage models, Mercedes-Benz Classic will once again be at the starting line this year with the legendary 300 SLR and will also be publishing current videos of the event online. Mercedes-Benz and Mille Miglia are inextricably linked. Second place in 1952 for Karl Kling behind the wheel of a 300 SL racing car (W 194), for example, symbolised the successful return of the Mercedes-Benz brand to the international racing stage. Memories of the legendary victory of Rudolf Caracciola also come to mind: together with his co-driver Wilhelm Sebastian, the Mercedes-Benz driver became the first non-Italian to win the Mille Miglia in his SSKL model in April 1931.

The second major success from Mercedes-Benz at what is probably the most famous thousand-mile race involved the 300 SLR (W 196 S). In 1955, Stirling Moss and his co-driver Denis Jenkinson won the Mille Miglia with a vehicle of this model series sporting the starting number 722. Travelling at an average speed of 157.65 km/h, they completed the course in the fastest ever time of ten hours, seven minutes and 48 seconds.

Today, the Mille Miglia is promoted as a test of endurance, stretching from the northern Italian town of Brescia to Rome and back. Along the thousand-mile course (around 1600 kilometres), a number of challenges await the participants and their classic cars. The rules state that only vehicle models which were part of the original race line-up (1927 to 1957) are permitted to take part. Mercedes-Benz Classic reports on the Mille Miglia on a daily basis both on their own website (www.mercedes-benz-classic.com) and on Facebook. Every day, around six hours after the end of the stage, an up-to-date summary of the day will be published. This allows followers around the world to keep an eye on the proceedings and also experience the flair of the Mille Miglia for themselves.

There will be four famous faces representing Mercedes-Benz Classic at this year’s event: former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard will drive a 300 SLR (W 196 S) while Karl Wendlinger and Jochen Mass will team up in a 300 SL (W 198). This duo allows us to reminisce on the years of the Mercedes-Benz Junior Team from the 1990s with the budding young talents Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Michael Schumacher and Karl Wendlinger all under the wing of their mentor Jochen Mass. Bernd Mayländer, the current driver of the Official F1 Safety Car, will also start at this year’s Mille Miglia in a 300 SL (W 198). Both the cars and the drivers will bring more than just a splash of racing glamour to the event – as one expects of this long-distance race. In addition to several Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W 198) models, this superb line-up will include an SSK, the legendary six-cylinder supercharged vehicle from the pre-war era. Also taking part is the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL racing model (W 194) with the original chassis number 5. It is the same vehicle that saw Rudolf Caracciola secure fourth place at the Mille Miglia in 1952. What’s more, the 300 SLR with starting number 658, behind whose wheel David Coulthard will be starting the race, is an original participant vehicle: in 1955, the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio drove this very vehicle solo across the finish line to take second place in the overall rankings, coming in just behind the winning team of Moss and Jenkinson, thus making 1955 doubly successful for the Mercedes-Benz brand.

Mille Miglia will start this year with the technical check in Brescia on 15 May 2013. A new record number of participants has been reached with 400 vehicles given the go ahead to take part. On 16 May, the classic cars will be presented in the historic old town of Brescia, before the first vehicles roll over the starting ramp and hit the road that evening. The participants will drive past Lake Garda, continuing on through Verona, Vicenza and Padua towards Ferrara, the first stage finish. The next leg continues the morning after (17 May), taking the drivers to Ravenna, through the Republic of San Marino, before finally arriving in Rome. The long final stage (18 May) starts in Rome and continues on through Viterbo, Siena, Florence, Bologna, Maranello, Modena and Cremona, before heading back to Brescia. The winners will then be crowned here on 19 May.

Taking place at the same time as this year’s Mille Miglia, there will be an exhibition of the Daimler Art Collection from 7 March to 30 June at the Museo di Santa Giulia in Brescia, entitled “Novecento mai visto: From Albers to Warhol to (now)”. Taking centre stage at this event are more than 230 works from around 110 international artists. This exhibition will also be accompanied by a special show in Museo Mille Miglia. Here, three exquisite original vehicles from the Mercedes-Benz Classic collection will be exhibited together with corresponding Warhol motifs.

The vehicles from Mercedes-Benz Classic at Mille Miglia 2013
Mercedes-Benz SSK 27/170/225 hp (W 06), 1928
Of all the six-cylinder supercharged vehicles from the Mercedes-Benz S-series, the SSK (W 06) is the most exclusive and most impressive model. SSK stands for “Super-Sport-Kurz” (Super Sport Short) and its particularly sporty design is emphasised by the shortened wheelbase. Rudolf Caracciola got off to a flying start in the summer of 1928 in the brand-new SSK, winning the Gabelbachrennen race, as well as both the Schauinsland and Mont Ventoux races. In 1930 and 1931, the SSK helped him secure victory at the European Hill Climb Championship. Spectacular success was also achieved with the lighter, even more powerful version from 1931, known as the SSKL (“Super-Sport-Kurz-Leicht”; Super Sport Short Light). One particularly significant victory was recorded at Mille Miglia in April 1931 when Rudolf Caracciola drove the SSKL over the finishing line in first place, making him the first ever non-Italian to win the race. He even set a new record by travelling at an average speed of 101.1 km/h.

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL racing car (W 194), 1952
Mercedes-Benz returned to the world of international motorsport after the Second World War in 1952 with the 300 SL racing car (W 194). This vehicle was based on an extremely light, yet torsionally stiff space frame, covered by an elegantly curved, aerodynamic light-alloy body shell made from aluminium magnesium sheet metal. The space frame, with its increased torsional stiffness, was quite high at the sides of the vehicle in comparison to other vehicles. In turn, this meant that conventional doors were not suitable. Instead, the W 194 featured the characteristic gullwing doors attached to the roof. This design was also used for the 300 SL (W 198) series-production sports car from 1954, referred to in the English-speaking world as the “Gullwing”.

Powering the W 194 was the 170 hp (125 kW) M 194 inline six-cylinder engine with 2996 cubic centimetres of displacement. The 300 SL launched its racing career at the Mille Miglia in May 1952, after being unveiled in March of the same year. There were major successes recorded in the first and only racing season of the W 194, which included 1st. 2nd and 3rd place at the Bern Prize for Sports Cars, the spectacular 1st and 2nd place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and at the 3rd Carrera Panamericana in Mexico, as well as winning the Jubilee Grand Prix for sports cars at the Nürburgring.

Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (W 196 S), 1955
In 1955, Mercedes-Benz won the World Sportscar Championship with the 300 SLR. This vehicle is essentially a W 196 R Formula 1 racing car fitted with a two-seater sports car bodyshell albeit with a three-litre in-line eight-cylinder engine and light alloy cylinder blocks instead of the 2.5-litre Formula 1 engine and its welded steel cylinders which were required for thermal reasons.

With 310 hp (221 kW), the 300 SLR was way ahead of the competition in 1955, as proven by its 1st and 2nd place victories at the Mille Miglia, the Eifel race, the Swedish Grand Prix and Targa Florio. Stirling Moss and his co-driver Denis Jenkinson (start number 722) won the Mille Miglia in 1955 with a record average speed of 157.65 km/h, one that remains unbeaten to this day. They were helped to victory by the “prayer book”. This was a series of notes on the course used by Jenkinson to direct Moss as they travelled across Italy. Lone driver Juan Manuel Fangio (start number 658) took second place.

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W 198), 1954
In February 1954, the 300 SL “Gullwing” was unveiled to the world for the first time at the International Motor Sport Show in New York. The new high-performance sports car was based on the legendary 300 SL racing car (W 194) from the 1952 season. A light and torsionally rigid space frame supported the engine, gearbox and axles. Just like the racing version, it left no space for the classic door design, so the gullwing doors also became a distinctive feature of this series-production sports car. In any case, the “Gullwing” represented real innovative thinking. As the world’s first series-production passenger car, it was powered by a four-stroke engine with fuel injection. This not only increased efficiency, but also engine performance. With 215 hp (158 kW), thus 20 percent more than the carburettor racing version, top speeds of up to 260 km/h were possible, depending on the final transmission ratio. This made the 300 SL the fastest series-production vehicle of its time and the 1950s racing car that dreams were made of.

It also helped secure victory at Mille Miglia: in 1955, the team of John Fitch and Kurt Gessl won the Gran Turismo class for vehicles with a displacement of over 1600 cubic centimetres, achieving 5th place in the overall classification. Olivier Gendebien and Jacques Washer also secured 7th place in the same class. The 300 SL made another appearance at Mille Miglia in 1956 when the team of Prince Metternich and Count Einsiedel took 6th place in the big GT class.

Mercedes-Benz 220 a (W 180), 1954
The 220 model introduced in the spring of 1954 – also known internally within the company as the 220 a (W 180) – was the first Mercedes-Benz six-cylinder model to feature a self-supporting structure. Presented by Mercedes-Benz just six months previously in the mid-size 180 model, the modern and spacious self-supporting “Pontoon” body offered a standard of comfort as yet unknown to drivers. The single-joint swing axle, introduced to series-production with the 220 model, ensured safe handling.

At the Mille Miglia in 1956, several Mercedes-Benz 220 models started in the class for standard special touring vehicles. In this class, modifications were permitted to both the chassis and the engine. The team of Erwin Bauer and Erwin Grupp won their class at the legendary Italian endurance race with a special 220 model. Three vehicles had been specially prepared for the Mille Miglia by Karl Kling and his team. They already had the twin-carburettor system of the successor 220 S model, with an engine capable of approximately 115 hp (85 kW). For the challenging journey, there were shorter and harder springs, as well as modified shock absorbers. Furthermore, the drivers were able to change gears using the floor shift, just like in the 190 SL, instead of the previously used steering column shift.

The drivers for Mercedes-Benz Classic at Mille Miglia 2013
David Coulthard
Born: 27 March 1971
David Coulthard began his career in kart racing. From 1983 to 1985, he was the Scottish Junior Kart Champion. He climbed up through the ranks of Formula racing to join the Formula 1 Williams team in 1994. In 1995 he took third place in the Formula 1 World Championship. At the start of the season in 1996, the Scotsman switched to McLaren Mercedes, joining team-mate Mika Häkkinen of Finland. In 2001, he was the runner-up world champion behind Michael Schumacher. From 2005 to 2008, Coulthard started for Red Bull Racing. After this time, his Formula 1 racing career came to an end. Altogether, Coulthard took part in 246 Grand Prix races between 1994 and 2008, 150 of which for McLaren Mercedes. He clocked up 13 victories, 12 of which were for McLaren Mercedes. From 2010 to 2012, he drove an AMG Mercedes C-Class for the Mücke Motorsport team in the DTM German Touring Car Championship (Deutsche Tourenwagen-Meisterschaft).

Jochen Mass
Born: 30 September 1946
Jochen Mass began his diverse motorsport career in 1968 racing touring cars for Alfa-Romeo. He then drove as a works driver for Ford between 1970 and 1975, with whom in 1972 he won the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. Alongside this, he became involved in Formula 2 (1973) and raced in 105 Formula 1 Grands Prix (1973-1974 with Surtees; 1975-1977 with McLaren; 1978 with ATS; 1979-1980 with Arrows; 1982 with March). Having won the German Sports Car Championship in 1985 and competed as a works driver for Porsche until 1987, he became a works driver in the Sauber-Mercedes team. Until 1991 he drove for this team in Group C. In the new “Silver Arrow”, the Sauber-Mercedes C 9, Jochen Mass together with Manuel Reuter and Stanley Dickens achieved victory in the 24-hour race in Le Mans and became world vice-champion in 1989. Three years later Mass became part of the team management for the DTM. Sir Stirling Moss has described him as “a driver with an enormous feeling for racing cars and great technical knowledge, who is familiar with every era in racing history”. It is therefore hardly surprising that to this day, Jochen Mass is behind the wheel for Mercedes-Benz at historical events such as the ADAC Eifel race at Nürburgring. Whether the W 125 Silver Arrow or the Mercedes-Benz SSK, Jochen Mass knows and drives them all.

Bernd Mayländer
Born: 29 May 1971
Bernd Mayländer regularly made it to the top echelons of Formula 1 racing. Born in the German town of Waiblingen, he has been the official driver of the Mercedes-Benz Official F1™ Safety Car since the year 2000; a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG has been used since the 2010 season. Mayländer began racing in 1990, starting off in the Porsche Club Sport, Porsche Carrera Cup (overall winner in 1994), Porsche Supercup and in endurance races. From 1995 onwards, he started with the Persson Motorsport team, competing in the DTM German Touring Car Championship (Deutsche Tourenwagen-Meisterschaft) and the International Touring Car Championship (ITC), as well as the FIA GT Championship where he drove an AMG-Mercedes CLK-GTR from 1997 onwards. In 1997, Mayländer won the race in Spielberg in an AMG-Mercedes CLK-GTR together with Klaus Ludwig and Bernd Schneider. In 2000, he took first place in a Porsche 996 GT3 at the 24 Hours Nürburgring event. His last DTM season was in 2004 as part of team Rosberg, driving an AMG-Mercedes C-Class. Since 1996, Mercedes-Benz has provided the Official F1™ Safety Car for the Formula 1 World Championship races.

Karl Wendlinger
Born: 20 December 1968
Karl Wendlinger was fourteen when he entered the world of motorsports with kart racing. He went on to win the German Formula 3 Championship in 1989. From 1990 to 1991, the Austrian was part of the Mercedes Junior Team that also included Michael Schumacher and Heinz-Harald Frentzen. As part of this team he took part in the World Sportscar Championship. In 1991, he made the move to Formula 1. From 1994 onwards, Wendlinger drove for the Sauber-Mercedes team together with Heinz-Harald Frentzen. He took part in the DTM German Touring Car Championship, International Formula 3000 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Some of his most important victories on the circuit include the FIA GT Championship (1999), first place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the GTS class (the same year), overall victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2000 and second place at the 24 Hours Nürburgring event (2003). From 2004 to 2011, Karl Wendlinger started for various teams in the FIA GT Championship; in 2007 he was runner-up with Jetalliance Racing.

Source: Mercedes-Benz Classic

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The Sprinter has always driven innovations in its segment — a tradition that is being continued by the new model. The new Sprinter continues to set standards, boasting five new safety systems, engines that meet the future Euro VI emissions standard, and a striking appearance. Most importantly, however, the van’s excellent low fuel consumption (down to 6.3 liters per 100 km) makes it by far the most efficient vehicle in its segment.

World premiere of new safety systems
The Sprinter has always been a pioneer with regard to driver assistance systems. Five new assistance systems — including several van firsts — will help reduce the number of accidents even further in the new Sprinter.

The following systems are celebrating their world debut in the Sprinter: Crosswind Assist, which is fitted as standard, and COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST and Blind Spot Assist, which are both optional. Other new features are Highbeam Assist and Lane Keeping Assist. The developers at Mercedes-Benz are convinced that these electronic assistants will play a key role in helping to reduce accidents in the van sector.
As one of the functions of the Electronic Stability Program, Crosswind Assist will be part of the vehicle’s range of standard equipment. Customers will be able to order the other assistance systems as individual options or as components of logically assembled packages. This allows every customer to tailor the Sprinter to its specific area of application.

In addition, Mercedes-Benz has improved the Sprinter’s handling even further. The lowering of the chassis has improved the van’s drag and fuel consumption and makes it easier to load and unload cargo.

World’s first van to meet the future Euro VI emissions standard
The new Sprinter is the world’s first van to meet the future Euro VI emissions standard in all of its engine variants. Euro VI drastically reduces the emission limits for nitrogen oxides (NOx), total hydrocarbons (THC), and particulate mass. The Sprinter achieves the strict limits with the help of its BlueTEC engine and SCR technology that injects AdBlue into the exhaust gas. The technology has already proven its worth in more than 100,000 commercial vehicles from Mercedes-Benz.

The performance of the diesel engines has remained unchanged, encompassing four- and six-cylinder units with outputs ranging from 70 kW (95 hp) to 140 kW (190 hp).

The developers have used the additional exhaust treatment stage to optimize the injection and combustion processes as well as the boost pressure. The results are lower fuel consumption and less combustion noise. The engineers also adjusted the drive system and the ancillary components to enhance fuel efficiency. This applies to the transmission and the rear axle as well as an intelligent generator management system.

As an alternative to the diesel engines, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is also available with a Euro VI compliant supercharged four-cylinder gasoline engine featuring direct injection. The engine generates 115 kW (156 hp) from a total displacement of 1.8 liters. The engine is also available in a natural gas variant with the same performance.

Power is transmitted either by the ECO-Gear six-speed manual transmission or the 7G-TRONIC PLUS seven-speed automatic transmission with lock-up clutch, which is the only system of its kind to be found in a van.

Most economical van in its class
The combination of the highly efficient diesel engines, the optimized powertrain, the longer axle ratio, the ancillary components, and the BlueEFFICIENCY PLUS efficiency package has reduced fuel consumption to a minimum of 6.3 l/100 km (NEDC combined), which is a record value for the Sprinter segment. However, the new Sprinter is extremely economical not only as a result of its high fuel efficiency, but also because it comes with the ASSYST maintenance calculation system as standard in Europe. Thanks to this system, the van’s maintenance intervals, which were already long, have been extended to up to 60,000 km.

Enhanced exterior and interior
The new Sprinter’s appearance has also been substantially enhanced and made more striking. In line with Mercedes-Benz’ current design, the van’s radiator grille is now more vertical and confident. The grille’s three slats are perforated and wedge-shaped. Not only does this change create a more dynamic impression, it also increases the airflow. In addition, a frame surrounds the brand’s distinctive radiator grille, making it more prominent.

Another change involves the headlights, which are now more angular. The covers on the reflector housings are particularly striking, dividing the headlights into separate segments. The new hood is higher and the more distinctly shaped bumpers have finely worked lower edges similar to those found on SUVs. The new Sprinter is immediately recognizable from the rear, due to its double-segmented taillights.

The widely acknowledged exemplary interior has also been further enhanced. Comfort has been boosted by the new upholstery and seat coverings, the thicker steering wheel makes gripping easier, and the fresh air nozzles boast chrome applications if the customer opts for a multifunctional steering wheel. The knob of the gearshift lever has been redesigned as well.

The Sprinter is also fitted with a new-generation radio system that equips the van not only with state-of-the-art electronic entertainment features and Bluetooth telephone equipment (including a telephone keypad and phonebook), but also the Becker MAP PILOT navigation system.

Millions of kilometers of testing; orders can be placed beginning in June
The developers of the new Sprinter made sure that the van was thoroughly tested. More than eight million kilometers of endurance testing and extensive customer trials in everyday use had fully demonstrated the new Sprinter’s high quality by the time series production was launched.

Customers can order the new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter beginning in June 2013; deliveries will commence in September.

Source: Daimler AG

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Schumacher will post a demonstration lap on the Nürburgring’s legendary Nordschleife in a MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS F1 W02 to say ‘thank you’ to his fans for their years of loyal support during his F1 career. This will be the first time since Juan Manuel Fangio’s victory on 1st August 1954 that a modern Formula 1 Silver Arrow has driven on the Nordschleife at the Nürburgring.

Schumacher covered part of the Nordschleife in the last Formula 1 grand prix at the Nürburgring in July 2011, however, that was in a Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow Stromlinie W196. The W196 was the first Formula 1 Silver Arrow that took Mercedes-Benz to two world titles with Juan Manuel Fangio in the 1954 and 1955 seasons. During this period, including his success at the Nürburgring, Fangio achieved eight wins in all.

Long before the start of the Formula 1 world championship in 1950, however, there has been a close connection between Mercedes-Benz and the Nürburgring; an icon was born on 3rd June 1934 when the Silver Arrow had its first outing on the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife in the International Eifel Race. The car was silver because mechanics had worked through the night to strip away the white paint of the brand new Mercedes-Benz W25 racing car, so as not to exceed the maximum permissible weight. The next day, Manfred von Brauchitsch won the W25’s debut race, beginning the legend of the Silver Arrow.

Michael Schumacher brought his F1 career to a close last year at MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS. In April this year, Schumacher and Mercedes-Benz announced a long-term partnership that goes far beyond motor racing and Formula 1. The record-breaking champion will represent the brand as an ambassador and provide back-up for issues relating to future developments. Intelligence Drive – the safety and convenience system introduced by Mercedes-Benz – is part of his brief.

Michael Schumacher: “I have a lot of fond memories of the Nürburgring and am really looking forward to giving fans and friends from my home town of Kerpen, which is quite close to the Nürburgring, something to remember as they see me drive by. But it will be a fantastic experience for me too, driving along the Nordschleife in a state-of–the-art Formula 1 Silver Arrow, particularly in view of the fact that the Silver Arrow’s legend began here. Posting a lap in a modern Silver Arrow on the most beautiful and most testing circuit in the world, what a brilliant mix – it’s every motor racing driver’s dream!”

Source: Mercedes AMG

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The design of the new buses, assessed by a jury of representatives from all over the world, prevailed against some tough competition. All in all, 4600 entries from 54 countries, in 19 different categories, were evaluated. The jury of 37 experts explained its choice of winner as follows: “The design of this touring coach is absolutely trendsetting. It conveys a sense of innovation, safety and comfort and thus meets in full the expectations that passengers have of a modern touring coach.” Professor Dr Peter Zec, the initiator of the competition, is quite certain of one thing: “Those creations that pass critical review by the international red dot jury will never become submerged in the mass and will be sure to make their mark in the global competitive field.”And it is, not least, for this reason that Mathias Lenz is particularly proud of the trophy. The Head of Design for Daimler Buses is delighted to find that the positive reaction of customers to the innovative new model series is shared by respected design experts. “The award is an acknowledgement of our daily efforts to make the design of our buses a brand characteristic that gives visual form to the values of the Setra brand within the bus industry, arousing emotions and meeting in full the high expectations of bus operators.”

New front end and sweeping side line characterise ComfortClass 500
A typical feature of the ComfortClass 500 is the gentle rise and fall of the line that sweeps right round the completely redesigned vehicle, highlighted by a new decorative element. Particularly distinctive is the long slope of the roof at the front plus the markedly more pronounced curve of the windscreen. The design of the front end and of the redesigned exterior mirrors has been optimised in countless hours of testing in the wind tunnel. Thanks to these measures, together with the new aerodynamic rear end and further specific measures, the ComfortClass 500 achieves a drag coefficient of 0.33, a figure that would previously have been considered unattainable.

Coveted seal of quality: the red dot design award
The presentation of the award to Setra Buses will take place at a gala event in the Aalto theatre in the German city of Essen on 1 July. With its red dot design award, the Design Centre North Rhine-Westphalia has created one of the most prestigious competitions in the world. The “red dot” award has become established as one of the most highly sought-after seals of quality for outstanding design. Products honoured with the award remain on display in the “red dot design museum” of the Design Centre North Rhine-Westphalia for at least a year.

Source: Setra

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The three star-brand trucks were consistently developed to meet the tough Euro VI emissions standard, which will reduce the limits for particulate and NOx emissions by more than 90 percent in the future.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks has taken advantage of the changeover to the Euro VI standard to completely modernize its product range. Every last detail was closely examined, leading to the optimization of not only the powertrain but also the entire vehicle design. “Not only did we address this issue earlier than anyone else; we also viewed this obstacle as an opportunity,” says Stefan Buchner, Head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks. “As a result, our new trucks are cleaner, more fuel efficient, and more economical than any of their predecessors.”

The Actros, Antos, and Arocs are the specialists for their respective segments
To coincide with the changeover to the Euro VI standard, Mercedes-Benz Trucks is also presenting a new range of heavy-duty vehicles. The models are clearly tailored to their respective applications. As a result, customers will find it even easier to order precisely the vehicle that will benefit them the most. While the Actros is designed for long-distance haulage, the Antos is perfect for heavy-duty distribution transportation, and the Arocs for heavy-duty construction site use.

The three truck models make Mercedes-Benz Trucks the first manufacturer to offer a complete range of Euro VI-compliant heavy-duty vehicles. What’s more, comprehensive compliance was achieved nine months before the new emissions standard goes into effect. Although fitted with additional Euro VI-related components, the vehicles consume up to five percent less fuel than their predecessors. The trucks’ total cost of ownership is further optimized by longer maintenance intervals and very long service lives for the engine, transmission, and clutch.

Arocs to be launched on the market in mid-2013
The latest addition to the “A-Team” is the Mercedes-Benz Arocs, which will be gradually introduced to European markets, beginning in mid-2013. International journalists are currently testing the vehicle under extreme operating conditions in a 65-hectare quarry near Wuppertal, Germany.

The construction sector specialist will be launched with an unprecedented number of variants, enabling customers to choose from 15 different tractors, 18 flatbed trucks, 17 dump trucks, and 10 concrete mixers. In addition, there will be five different axle combinations, optional permanent and selectable all-wheel drive, and an all-new hydraulic all-wheel drive. The environmentally friendly BlueTec 6 engines are available in 16 different power ratings, ranging from 175 kW (238 hp) to 460 kW (625 hp).

Mercedes-Benz leads European heavy-duty truck segment with a market share of 23 percent
Customers from the construction sector already expressed great interest in the new Arocs at the truck’s world premiere in Munich in January 2013. “The Arocs is following in the wake of the successful Actros truck,” says Buchner. “Despite the debt crisis, we further expanded our lead in Europe — and in Germany, we significantly improved our position as the Number One.

In 2012, we captured a 23 percent share of Europe’s heavy-duty truck market, putting us even further ahead of our competitors. With a market share of 19.4 percent, we are also leading the way in the hotly contested tractor segment.”

This success is mainly due to the early availability of extremely competitive vehicles featuring Euro VI technology. Around half of the customers in Europe are currently ordering Actros or Antos trucks with BlueTec 6 engines. In fact, the equivalent figure in Germany is even 75 percent. The A-Team is an important component of Daimler Trucks’ global module and platform strategy because all three vehicles are built on the same platform. The new Mercedes-Benz trucks benefit from the company’s global development resources, more efficient production operations, and lower manufacturing, development, and investment costs. As a result, Daimler can generate synergies and economies of scale.

Source: Daimler AG

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With the new partnership, Tata Communications becomes the ‘Official Managed Connectivity Supplier’ to the team. Tata Communications, a leading global provider of ‘a new world of communications’, will work closely with MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS to deliver high-speed, high quality and secure trackside connectivity, enabling the team to transfer vital real-time data from the Silver Arrow cars at any Grand Prix location to its headquarters in the UK, three times faster than at present. The improved trackside connectivity will enable the team to react more quickly to developments at the track and help to increase car performance.

Part of the worldwide Tata group, Tata Communications owns and maintains a complete ring of cables around the world including the world’s first wholly-owned subsea fibre ring to circle the globe. The Tata Communications global network comprises over 500,000 km of subsea cable and over 200,000 km of terrestrial network fibre, allowing a data transfer capacity of one terabit per second, high bandwidth availability and seamless scalability. In February 2012, Tata Communications announced a multi-year technology service and marketing agreement with Formula One Management to deliver world-class connectivity to all Formula One race locations over its world-first wholly-owned subsea fibre ring. It also provides global hosting and content delivery services to the official Formula One website Formula1.com

Ross Brawn, Team Principal at MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS commented: “We are delighted to have agreed our new team partnership with Tata Communications. Formula One relies on data and the ability to transfer our data from the track back to our factories in Brackley and Brixworth quickly and securely. The Tata Communications global network will play a key role in the team’s performance and our ability to react over the race weekends. That we will now be able to achieve our data transfer requirements three times faster is fantastic. Having Tata Communications on-site at the race track to work with the team will be a big asset in our demanding and fast-paced environment, and we look forward to developing a close working relationship with them as we strive to achieve our ambitions in Formula One.”

Mehul Kapadia, Managing Director, F1 Business, Tata Communications said: “The modification and improvement of car set-up and handling is a constant during the race season, and being able to share richer data and to report issues back from trackside to the factory in real-time provides a competitive edge in car performance, both in speed and also in handling and stability. Providing three times faster connectivity for MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS via Tata Communications’ global network means that the team has access to secure and agile trackside connectivity regardless of race location – it showcases our expertise and speed to lead when it comes to global connectivity, and reinforces our ongoing commitment to technology innovation within Formula One.”

Source: Mercedes AMG

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Following approval by the Supervisory Board, additional capacities for transmission assembly are now planned to be established at the Romanian Daimler subsidiary, Star Transmission. For the production of a new generation of automatic transmissions more than 280 million euros shall be invested in Romania. Overall, the company plans investments of more than 300 million euros there.

Andreas Renschler, Member of the Daimler Board of Management for Manufacturing and Procurement Mercedes-Benz Cars and Mercedes-Benz Vans, explains: “The expansion of our production network to include an additional location for transmission assembly is designed to perfectly complement our existing capacities. Our goal here is to serve the high customer demand with even greater flexibility in the future.”

Additional capacities will be built up in view of the high capacity utilization as well as the lack of space for further expansion of transmission production in Stuttgart. “Star Transmission has been a reliable partner of our German powertrain locations for over 10 years. According to the current planning status and based on our excellent experience with Star Transmission, the preferred option for providing the additionally required assembly capacities in a flexible manner is to expand the activities there,” explains Peter Schabert, Head of Powertrain Production and Head of the Mercedes-Benz Untertürkheim plant, referring to the plans for the future production network for transmissions. “Our Stuttgart transmission plant will remain the heart of transmission production for Mercedes-Benz Cars and will act as the center of competence in this production network.”

Wolfgang Nieke, Chairman of the Works Council for the Mercedes-Benz Untertürkheim plant and Passenger Car Development: “The plant management and works council agreed two years ago, to set up the production of the new automatic transmission and an assembly module at the Stuttgart-Hedelfingen location. The Board of Management thus reaffirmed its commitment to the in-house production of our transmissions. The second assembly module in Sebes will be supplied from our production location. The increased demand for transmissions ensures the long-term capacity utilization of our transmission production at the Stuttgart-Hedelfingen location.”

In order to transfer the Swabian expertise appropriately the Romanian employees will undergo a special qualification program. They spend several months at the Untertürkheim parent plant in quality, maintenance and logistics teams in addition to the production areas.

Daimler subsidiary Star Transmission was founded in 2001. At the moment, the company and the roughly 800 employees at the Cugir location produce components for current Mercedes-Benz car engines and transmissions as well as older generations of transmissions for the spare parts business. The decision has already been made to start production of the 5-speed automatic transmission from the middle of this year at the new location in Sebes until its discontinuation. Starting in 2014, the current generation of front dual clutch transmissions will also be assembled there. This will thus provide additional assembly capacities to complement Stuttgart, where the assembly has been concentrated to date. Subject to the support of the Romanian government for the expansion of the production capacities, it is planned that a new generation of automatic transmissions for cars will also be produced in the new production network involving the locations in Stuttgart (full production including assembly) and Sebes (assembly only) starting in 2016.

The reason for these plans is the expected, continually increasing demand for transmissions in line with the Mercedes-Benz 2020 growth strategy. The Stuttgart-Hedelfingen transmission plant, which is part of the Untertürkheim parent plant from an organizational perspective, is today already at full capacity. All available space has gradually been developed in recent years so that the site – due to its special geographical location in the upper Stuttgart Neckar Valley – has reached its maximum possible expansion level and no meaningful options for further expansion of the facilities exist there.

At the same time, any type of capacity expansion at Mercedes-Benz Cars should also contribute decisively to increased profitability in light of the fierce global competition in the premium segment. This premise naturally also applies for transmissions, which are produced in-house in contrast to the approach preferred by the competition. Overall, the future production network for transmissions is designed to ensure that the required unit figures can – even in the future – be provided in a reliable and extremely flexible manner in line with customer expectations while fulfilling the set cost targets.

About the Mercedes-Benz Cars powertrain production network
The Mercedes-Benz Cars powertrain production network consists of several locations in Germany and is being complemented by international production plants in close connection with the increasing production of Mercedes-Benz vehicles in close proximity to markets and customers. The central location here is the Mercedes-Benz Untertürkheim plant, which produces engines, transmissions and axles in a total of six plant sections. In the past fiscal year, Daimler has invested over 900 million euros here alone in the expansion and conversion of the powertrain plant sections as well as in the startup of new products and production technologies and, as a result of high customer demand, has been able to create 350 new jobs. The company is investing more than 800 million euros at the location in 2013.

The Mercedes-Benz Berlin plant produces engines and powertrain components, while the Mercedes-Benz Hamburg plant is responsible for the production of axles and various additional components. Our subsidiary MDC Power in Kölleda/Thuringia is another important engine production location; it recently received the prestigious “Factory of the Year” award. When it comes to the international locations, the Romanian subsidiary Star Transmission is responsible for the production of engine and transmission components as well as replacement transmissions. Starting this year, the Beijing production location (BBAC – a joint venture between Daimler and the Chinese partner BAIC) in China will start engine production in order to supply local production of Mercedes-Benz cars and vans. Starting in 2014 in the USA, Daimler and Nissan will – as part of the strategic cooperation between Daimler and the Renault-Nissan Alliance – start the joint production of 4-cylinder gasoline engines based on Mercedes-Benz technology at the Nissan plant in Decherd/Tennessee. One of the main customers for these engines will be the future C-Class production at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa/Alabama.

Source: Daimler AG

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The Daimler Group posted first-quarter EBIT of €917 million (Q1 2012: €2,098 million). Net profit amounted to €564 million (Q1 2012: €1,425 million). Earnings per share amounted to €0.50 (Q1 2012: €1.26).

“In the first three months of this year, many markets developed worse than expected for economic reasons, especially in Western Europe. Nonetheless, we maintained our unit sales and revenue almost at the levels of the prior-year quarter and gained market share in many segments,” explained Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, with regard to business developments in the first quarter.

“The response to our new products such as the CLA and the E-Class is excellent, and at Daimler Trucks, our successful product offensive is largely completed with the new Arocs and the new Atego. On the basis of the new products, the ongoing efficiency programs and our assumptions for future market developments, we expect earnings in the second half of this year to be higher than in the first half, due in particular to the launch of the new S-Class,” continued Dr. Zetsche.

“Daimler is now in the middle of the most comprehensive growth offensive in its history. To these ends, we are investing large amounts in products, technologies and markets, which, in combination with the generally weak markets, led to a moderate start to the year 2013 in terms of earnings. But due to the stimulus from new products and the effects of the ongoing efficiency programs, we naturally intend to improve significantly in the coming quarters,” explained Bodo Uebber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG for Finance & Controlling and Financial Services.

The decline in earnings in the first three months of this year is a reflection of both a shift in the regional structure of unit sales and a changed model mix at Mercedes-Benz Cars and Mercedes-Benz Vans, as well as a decrease in unit sales by Daimler Trucks. At Daimler Buses, increased unit sales led to an improved operating profit, while the earnings posted by Daimler Financial Services remained almost constant.

The compounding of non-current provisions and effects from the reduction in discount rates led to charges of €47 million in the first quarter of this year (Q1 2012: €170 million). There was an opposing impact from slightly positive exchange-rate effects.

Group revenue at the prior-year level
In the first quarter of 2013, Daimler sold 501,600 cars and commercial vehicles worldwide, and was thus close to the prior-year level (Q1 2012: 502,100).

Daimler’s first-quarter revenue of €26.1 billion was 3% lower than in the first quarter of last year. Adjusted for changes in currency exchange rates, there was a decrease of 1.5%.

The free cash flow of the industrial business amounted to minus €1.2 billion, primarily due to ongoing high expenditure of €1.6 billion for investment in property, plant and equipment and intangible assets. The net liquidity of the industrial business amounted to €10.0 billion at March 31, 2013.

At the end of the first quarter of 2013, Daimler employed 274,555 people worldwide (end of Q1 2012: 274,127). Of that total, 166,265 were employed in Germany (Q1 2012: 168,017), 21,702 in the United States (Q1 2012: 21,520), 14,622 in Brazil (Q1 2012: 14,737) and 11,242 in Japan (Q1 2012: 11,344). The consolidated subsidiaries in China employed 1,743 persons at the end of the first quarter (Q1 2012: 2,269). The headcount changes in China result from the transition of the sales organizations for cars into a non-consolidated joint venture. In addition, employees in sales functions in South Africa, who were previously allocated to the Mercedes-Benz Cars division, are now allocated to the sales organization.

The divisions in detail
Mercedes-Benz Cars posted yet another high level of unit sales in the first quarter of 2013. Total sales by the car division increased to 341,500 units (Q1 2012: 338,300). First-quarter revenue fell by 6% to €14.1 billion. The division’s EBIT of €460 million was significantly lower than in the first quarter of last year (Q1 2012: €1,230 million). Return on sales was 3.3% (Q1 2012: 8.2%).

Earnings reflect a shift in the regional sale structure and a changed model mix. Furthermore, EBIT was reduced by expenses for the enhancement of our products’ attractiveness and capacity expansion, as well as advance expenditure for new technologies and vehicles. Exchange-rate effects were slightly positive.

Unit sales by Daimler Trucks decreased by 6% in the first quarter to 101,400 vehicles and revenue amounted to €7.0 billion (minus 5%). The division’s EBIT of €116 million was lower than in the prior-year period (Q1 2012: €376 million). Return on sales was 1.7% (Q1 2012: 5.1%).

Earnings were affected by the overall negative development of unit sales and revenue, resulting from weak demand in some core markets. Earnings were reduced also by expenses for the development of business in India and China, product adjustments especially in the NAFTA region and Europe, and higher warranty costs.

Unit sales by Mercedes-Benz Vans increased slightly in the first quarter of 2013 to 52,600 vehicles (Q1 2012: 51,200), despite the difficult market environment in Western Europe. Revenue decreased slightly to €2.0 billion (Q1 2012: € 2.1 billion). The division achieved EBIT of €81 million (Q1 2012: €167 million) and its return on sales fell accordingly to 4.1%, from 8.0% in the first quarter of last year.

In a market environment featuring restrained demand and intense competition in the European markets, Mercedes-Benz Vans’ unit sales in the first quarter of 2013 were slightly higher than in the prior-year period. Earnings decreased significantly, however, mainly due to changes in the product mix and the regional sales structure. Advance expenditure for new products, including the launch of the Sprinter Classic in Russia, additionally reduced earnings.

In the first quarter of 2013, Daimler Buses increased its worldwide unit sales by 23% to 6,000 buses and chassis as a result of rising demand for bus chassis in Latin America. The business with complete buses in Western Europe was below the prior-year level. Revenue rose by 3% to €751 million; however, the changed model mix following the repositioning of the North American business system had a dampening effect on revenue growth. The division’s EBIT amounted to minus €31 million (Q1 2012: minus €105 million) and its return on sales was minus 4.1% (Q1 2012: minus 14.4%).

Compared with the previous year, EBIT rose as a result of increased unit sales. Daimler Buses achieved significantly higher shipments of bus chassis, especially in Latin America. Business in Europe developed disparately, however: While demand for city buses recovered somewhat, Daimler Buses recorded lower unit sales of coaches. Exchange-rate effects and the initiated efficiency measures had a positive impact on earnings. Expenditure for the repositioning of the European business system decreased substantially to €4 million (Q1 2012: €36 million).

The business of Daimler Financial Services continued to develop positively in the first quarter. Worldwide, some 253,000 new leasing and financing contracts with a total value of €8.6 billion were concluded, representing growth of 4% compared with the first quarter of 2012. Total contract volume of €81.7 billion at the end of the first quarter was 2% higher than at the end of 2012. Adjusted for the effects of currency translation, contract volume increased by 1%. The division’s EBIT of €314 million was lower than in the first quarter of last year (Q1 2012: €344 million).

This earnings development was primarily due to lower interest margins and normalizing credit risk costs. As an opposing effect, the increased contract volume impacted positively on earnings.

The reconciliation of the divisions’ EBIT to Group EBIT comprises our proportionate share of the results of our equity-method investment in EADS, other gains and losses at the corporate level, and the effects on earnings of eliminating intra-Group transactions between the divisions.

Daimler’s share of the net profit of EADS in the first quarter of 2013 amounted to €34 million (Q1 2012: €133 million). The decrease in investment income was also due to the reduction of our equity interest in EADS following the sale of a block of shares in December 2012. The reconciliation also includes expenses at the corporate level of €91 million (Q1 2012: €35 million). The elimination of intercompany transactions in the first quarter of 2013 resulted in income of €34 million (Q1 2012: expense of €12 million).

Outlook
According to current estimates, worldwide demand for cars should grow in the range of 2% to 4% this year, driven primarily by the ongoing strong growth in demand in the United States and the further expanding Chinese market. However, as a result of the continuing economic weakness, a decline is again expected in the Western European market. Demand will thus continue to move around a 20-year low. The German market cannot detach itself from this development and is expected to fall significantly short of the previous year’s level. A decline is expected also for the Japanese market compared with the previous year’s level, which was unusually high as a result of government incentives for car buyers.

According to the current status, global demand for medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks is expected to grow perceptibly in 2013. However, this depends very decisively on the development of the world’s biggest market, China, which should experience a perceptible recovery in demand, although the start of the year proved to be below expectations. Demand in North America should stabilize in the coming months, but from today’s perspective, Daimler anticipates market contraction of up to 5%. In view of the continued weak economic environment, the Group expects a drop of approximately 5% for the European truck market. Market volume in Japan could be up to 5% below the prior-year level, whereby the possible effects of the Japanese government’s new economic stimulus package are still difficult to assess. A moderate recovery and market growth of as much as 10% are expected in Brazil, thanks to the improved economic outlook and favorable financing conditions. The Russian market has already returned to near-pre-crisis levels and is expected to grow again moderately in the year 2013. On the other hand, a drop in demand for trucks is expected in India due to the continued below-average economic momentum.

On the basis of the divisions’ planning, Daimler anticipates another increase in its total unit sales in the year 2013.

Mercedes-Benz Carsis consistently moving ahead with its “Mercedes-Benz 2020” offensive. Numerous model changes and new products should ensure that the division achieves yet another record for unit sales in the year 2013. The new models in the high-volume compact car segment are likely to make a major contribution to sales growth. After the successful start of the A-Class and B-Class, the four-door CLA coupe came on the market as the third model based on the new compact car architecture in mid-April 2013. The extensively revised new E-Class sedan and station wagon have also been available at Mercedes-Benz sales and service centers and dealerships since April. As of June 2013, the new E-Class coupes and convertibles will also provide added sales momentum. The electrically driven, locally emission-free super sports car SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive will come on the market in June 2013. Mercedes-Benz Cars expects significant growth in the luxury segment for the second half of 2013, due mainly to the launch of the all-new S-Class. As the most important new model of the year 2013, the new S-Class equipped with trailblazing innovations will set new standards of comfortable and safe driving under the umbrella term “Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive.” In addition, the Mercedes-Benz brand will continue to profit from the market success of the models in the SUV segment in 2013.

The smart brand sees a good chance that the unique two-seater can continue to defy its advancing lifecycle in the highly competitive micro-car segment in 2013 and can achieve unit sales in the previous year’s range once again.

Daimler Trucks expects a slight increase in unit sales in the full year. In the first half of the year, however, the continued weak state of the economy will probably lead to a rather modest or even negative development of unit sales in a number of core markets. The extensive product offensive, which is now largely complete in all relevant regions, should provide a counterbalance to the difficult economic conditions. As a result of this offensive, the division is in a very good starting position: In Europe, unit sales will gain added impetus from a full product range already in line with the stricter Euro VI standards significantly ahead of the date of introduction, with the Actros, the Antos, the new Arocs for the construction sector, and the new Atego. In the NAFTA region, Daimler Trucks will maintain its competitive position with its excellent vehicle offering in combination with strong Detroit components. A convincing sales argument in favor of the Freightliner Cascadia Evolution for example is the optimization of vehicle aerodynamics and powertrain, which yields additional fuel savings of 5% compared to its predecessor, the previous market benchmark.

The Fuso and BharatBenz brands will continue to make an important contribution to sales growth in 2013. In the future, trucks of the Fuso brand will also be produced in Chennai and exported to the Asian markets outside India and to Africa. The Fuso Canter and its hybrid versions, which have also been produced in Europe since 2012, should provide additional demand stimulus. Furthermore, additional models of the BharatBenz truck will be launched in India and the sales and service network will be further expanded. In Russia and China, the division is progressively expanding its collaboration with local partners Kamaz and Foton, and is thus creating the conditions for the further development of those growth markets.

Mercedes-Benz Vans expects to achieve growth in unit sales in full-year 2013. On the product side, this should be assisted by the new Mercedes-Benz Citan and as of mid-2013 by the new generation of the Sprinter. Moreover, the start of local production of the Sprinter Classic in Russia in the second quarter of 2013 should enable the division to continue increasing its unit sales in that growth market.

Daimler Buses anticipates a significant increase in unit sales for the year 2013, with bus chassis likely to account for a higher percentage of total unit sales. The division expects to see a distinct revival of demand in 2013 especially in Latin America. Daimler Buses assumes that its business with complete buses in Europe will follow a stable development at an ongoing low level.

Daimler Financial Services expects further growth in new business and contract volume for full-year 2013.

After the significant increase in the year 2012, Daimler assumes that Group revenue will continue to grow in 2013. In regional terms, above-average growth rates are anticipated in the emerging markets and North America.

On the basis of the planned new models, the increasing effects of the efficiency programs that have been initiated and the assumptions made for the development of important markets, Daimler expects its earnings to improve in the second half of 2013 compared with the first half. Due to the fact that there will be no further equity-method results from EADS in the course of the year, as well as lowered market expectations and the weaker than expected EBIT in the first quarter, Group EBIT from the ongoing business in full-year 2013 is expected to be below the previous year’s level.

Mercedes-Benz Cars anticipates full-year EBIT below the level of 2012. Daimler Trucks and Mercedes-Benz Vans expect to post EBIT from the ongoing business in the magnitude of the prior year, while Daimler Buses should improve on its negative earnings of 2012. In 2014 and the following years, Daimler expects an EBIT improvement for all its automotive divisions and for the Group as a whole. Daimler Financial Services anticipates a stable development of earnings.

From today’s perspective, Daimler assumes that the size of its worldwide workforce will remain largely stable compared with the end of 2012.

Source: Daimler AG

The Stuttgart-based company will soon be bringing fully electric motoring to China, its third-largest market, where the smart fortwo electric drive will be available before the year is out. This means that smart will be the first European importer to sell a fully electric vehicle on the Chinese market. The Chinese government has now given the green light for approval of the zero-local-emission runabout. In Germany, the electric smart established itself as the market leader among battery-electric vehicles within a very short space of time.

Dr Annette Winkler, Head of smart says: „smart has conquered the hearts of our Chinese customers by storm – they appreciate and love smart because it is the perfect city car. By bringing the smart electric drive to the Chinese market we will be the first European importer to introduce a fully electric vehicle in China. Again we are proving our role as the global pacemaker of urban mobility. Our numerous forward-thinking clients in China will be enthusiastic about the smart electric drive`s fabulous driving dynamics.”

Urban mobility without any local emissions
Zero-emission motoring with even more driving pleasure – that’s what the new smart electric drive promises. All thanks to its powerful drive technology: with 130 Newton metres of torque, the 55 kW electric motor leaves other cars behind when pulling away at traffic lights, passing the 60 km/h mark in less than five seconds. And with a top speed of 125 km/h, the two-seater is also well equipped for urban motorways – a lithium-ion battery with 17.6 kWh provides enough energy to cover a range of 145 kilometres.

Produced at the Hambach plant in France, with an energy accumulator developed by Deutsche ACCUmotive (a joint venture with Evonik) and an electric motor from EM-motive (a joint venture with Bosch), the electric smart is a true European.

In 2012, more than 1000 smart electric drive models were produced and delivered to customers in Europe. This year, production of the electric drive will be stepped up continuously in order to satisfy the high demand from customers all over the world.

Source: smart

With its striking wings at the rear, the vehicle retains a central design element of the original show car. Production is scheduled to begin in April 2013. The smart fortwo edition by Jeremy Scott is available as a coupé with either a local emission-free electric drive, BRABUS electric drive or a powerful BRABUS 75 kW petrol engine.

Jeremy Scott gives smart wings – the most eye-catching feature of the new smart fortwo edition by Jeremy Scott is the two vertical wings just above its rear lights. As Jeremy Scott explains: “I wanted to design something out of the ordinary, something that expressed my dreams and fantasies and that transferred my fashion ideas to automotive design. I see myself driving this car and can well imagine my friends and cool people all over the world loving the unique design of this smart.”

The tridion safety cell, door mirror caps and radiator grille are all painted in alubeam. By contrast, the bodypanels and 16”/17” Monoblock alloy wheels are finished in polar white in the BRABUS drive variants. The mirror triangle and rear lid are embellished by logos and lettering featuring the words “by Jeremy Scott”.

White is also the dominant colour in the interior, together with fine materials: the seats, door centre panels, gear knob (petrol version only) and kneepad are all tailor made with white, embossed leather complete with white stitching. The diamond stitching on the seat surfaces and backs is also found on the door centre panel. The top part of the instrument panel is covered with embossed black tailor made leather and also boasts white contrast stitching. The 3-spoke sports steering wheel is covered with white leather.

A pleasing contrast is created by the dashboard instruments, the trim to the side of the instrument panel and the gearshift trim, all of which are finished in alubeam. The classy look is underlined by black velours floor mats with white leather trim and “Jeremy Scott” in elegant lettering.

A choice of three engines
The exclusive special model is available with three different engine versions. All vehicles will be built by smart-BRABUS GmbH in a tailor made manufacturing process:

• smart fortwo edition by Jeremy Scottelectric drive: with a 55 kW electric motor
• smart fortwo edition by Jeremy Scott BRABUS electric drive: with a 60 kW electric motor
• smart fortwo edition by Jeremy Scott BRABUS: with a 75 kW petrol engine

Exuberant creations: Jeremy Scott
Wings are one of the recurring design elements used by Jeremy Scott to great effect. Be it sweatshirts, sunglasses, watches or sneakers, winged motifs crop up again and again in his collections. Jeremy Scott is regarded as the last rebel of the fashion scene. When it comes to style and design, he knows neither boundaries nor conventions. His polarising impact has established him as a pop icon and a creator of exceptional fashion designs. Many stars from the music scene have embraced his avant-garde creations – they are worn by leading names such as Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Madonna, Björk and Kanye West.
Born in Kansas, Missouri, Jeremy Scott first went to New York in 1992 to study fashion design at the Pratt Institute, one of the leading schools of art and design in the USA. After graduating in 1996, he made a beeline for Paris to launch his design career at the tender age of 21. In 1996 and 1997, he won the “Venus de la Mode Award” for the “Best New Designer” and was nominated for the “Best Young Designer” award by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) in 1999. In 2001, the award-winning wunderkind returned to the USA to take up residence in Los Angeles.

Source: smart

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Lewis completed a three-stop strategy to finish in fifth place after starting ninth. He stopped on laps 10, 22 and 38, running option/option/prime/prime. After starting from pole, Nico was forced to convert to a four-stop strategy at the end of his third stint. He stopped on laps 9, 20, 33 and 44, running option/prime/prime/option/option.

Lewis Hamilton
I’m really happy with our result today. It’s been a tough weekend for us but we got through it and finishing in fifth place was some good damage limitation. My race didn’t start well at all. I was looking after the tyres but I really struggled on the first two stints and was falling back. But as the temperatures dropped, the car picked up and then I had the grip that I needed to push and close the gap. I had so much fun fighting with Mark at the end. We really needed that point and I was so determined to get by. It was good, clean wheel-to-wheel racing. I’m very proud of what we have achieved over the first four races and to be third in the Drivers’ Championship is beyond any of our expectations. But we’ve got to keep pushing and find more performance. We’re hanging on by the skin of our teeth at the moment and, if we can make that next step, then we can close the gap.

Nico Rosberg
A tough day for me. As nice as it was to start from pole this afternoon, it was just as hard to finish in ninth place. I didn’t feel comfortable in the car today and it wasn’t much fun out there really. We switched to a four-stop strategy at the end of my third stint but it wasn’t enough. We were using the rear tyres too much and at the end, I was really struggling and wasn’t able to push hard enough. There is a lot of work ahead and we need to focus on why our race performance isn’t matching the pace that we can show in qualifying. Hopefully we can make some steps here before the European season starts.

Ross Brawn
We struggled badly in the early part of the race when the track temperatures were at their highest. This is an issue we have to address and we will continue working on solutions to improve our performance in this area. In the second half of the race, as the track temperatures cooled somewhat, our pace was not bad – particularly with Lewis. We got two cars home in the points, both drivers enjoyed some exciting wheel-to-wheel racing and the pit crew delivered some great stops. Lewis and Nico did as good a job as possible with the car we had this afternoon but it was a case of damage limitation for both of them. However we must make it a priority to cope better with elevated temperatures: the tyres are the same for everybody and we are not performing as well as our competitors in these conditions.

Toto Wolff
We knew it would be a tough day and the high track temperatures were clearly not good for us. That’s not an excuse but a priority area to improve. We need to analyse carefully why we suffered so much, particularly in the early stages, and why we were not on the pace. Both drivers were tough but fair in defending their positions and delivered some good racing, particularly Lewis in the closing stages. But from a team perspective we must see this as a disappointing result. We learned a lot this afternoon but it is clear that we still have a lot to learn.

Source: Mercedes AMG

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