Daimler Strengthen Its Partnership with China with a Joint Venture

Daimler signed a joint venture with Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation, the company will be named Beijing Benz Automotive Co, Ltd. (BBAC).

“With this framework agreement, we are laying the essential strategic foundations for our long-term and significant participation in the growth of the key market China. The projects agreed upon are further central elements of our China strategy for the sustainable development of our business. As early as 2020, at least one in five premium compact cars is expected to be sold in China. In the light of this enormous growth potential, we are resolutely switching to attack mode with the local production of our new compacts,” said Dieter Zetsche, the company's Chairman of the Board of Management.

The partnership will put €2 billion to be invested in the new company. Aside from that, the agreement also includes local production of the GLK SUV and three future models of Mercedes compact cars. A new plant where 4-cylinder gasoline engines will also be put up in about 2 years, this will supply the engine needs of the Mercedes-Benz cars that will be produced in China. This plant is anticipated to produce about 250,000 units.

Source: Benz Insider.

Tweet

Video from Mercedes-Benz.tv : The Blind Mechanic

Mercedes-Benz film crew went to Chicago to witness and interview Bart Hickey. He is someone who is very passionate about his career as a car mechanic, despite his blindness. He said he got interested in fixing cars because his father was a mechanic. At 11, his father passed away and that's when he started tinkering with his mother's car and so his career began at that early age.

Watch the video below and see how one man found a way to earn a decent living despite of hardships.

Tweet

Mercedes Still Undecided about Maybach’s Future

Image via WikipediaA few weeks ago we’ve reported that Mercedes-Benz will officially say what will happen to Maybach on July 1st, however, they have updated that it will be delayed until the last week of July. There were two options then, to axe the brand or to sign a partnership with Aston Martin, the British carmaker.


For the latest news though, Automotive News said that a third option is now being considered. That is to keep the brand and make it a Mercedes-Benz sub-brand which will represent the top luxury car models like the GL-, CL- and SL- class, much like how AMG represents the company’s power and performance lines.


We’re still waiting for an official statement from Daimler and Aston Martin, as both companies still refuse to speak about their plans for Maybach.

Tweet

Video of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz ACTROS 2012

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz ACTROS features the BlueEFFICIENCY technology which is known to produce low emission and save fuel. Outputs ranges from 310 kw to 375 kw and has exhaust gas recirculation, X-Pulse injection system and filter. All these features combined creates the Actros’ character, power and comfort commonly found on sedan squeezed into a truck.

Mercedes is known to develop trucks that can withstand all types of environment from desert heat to really freezing winters, watch the video below to see it firsthand.

Tweet

Video : Guiness World Record for Mauro Calo

Mauro Calo, broke the Guinness World Record for the longest drift as he took the Mercedes- Benz C63 AMG and rode it sideways at the Mercedes-Benz World in Brooklands. Calo completed 8 laps or a total distance of 2,308 meters, 394 meters more that the previous record set by Vaughn Gittin Jr.

Watch the video and get your adrenaline rush.

Tweet

Car2go Service in Vancouver

The service, a rent-a-car type with a twist, was launched on June 18 in Vancouver.

As a member of the car2go service, one can rent a smart car anytime they need it or they can reserve one using the Internet (www.car2govancouver.com) or in person by visiting 45 Water Street in Gastown. Free membership registration is still ongoing until July 3. Meanwhile, car availability may also be checked using the Internet or smartphone application.

When one rents a car, they do not have to worry about time limits or worry about returning the car to the same point, they just have to simply leave the vehicles at permitted parking spaces within an area specified by the program or at any marked car2go parking areas. Rental rates are usually by the minute but you can also request to rent hourly or daily, the latter options will give the members discount prices. The rates already include fuel, mileage, parking, insurance, GPS navigation and maintenance.

Source: Benzinsider.com

Tweet

New Spyshots of 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG

Mercedes-Benz AMG’s engineers revealed some bits of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG as they tested it at Nurburgring recently. The luxury car showed a larger air intake and a changed spoiler shape. The bumper looked like SLS and CLS hybrid although the whole look is defintely SL.

Under the hood, BenzInsider reported, that it will get a 5.5- liter twin-turbo V8 AMG engine. This engine will bring the car’s performance to as high as 571HP. Meanwhile, the exterior of the car showed larger wheels that gives a clue that there are huge brake rotors and upgraded calipers hidden. Four trapezoidal exhausts is located at the back where the CLS-like exhaust is also prominent.

The SL63 AMG is said to show in one of the Motor Shows of Mercedes-Benz from now to 2012 Geneva Motor Show.






Photos from : AutoEvolution

Tweet

Bruno Spengler Placed Third at DTM

Image via WikipediaThe Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Class Driver, Bruno Spengler, took the third podium at the Lausitzring Circuit for the 4th race of DTM season. The Canadian driver opened the season at the top spot in Hockeheim and placed second in the Zandvoort circuit.

The other AMG Mercedes-Benz Drivers were also in the the top ten spot. Gary Paffett of THOMAS SABO took the fourth spot while Jamie Green of AMG, Christian Vietoris of Junge Sterne and Maro Engel of GQ finished in the sixth, ninth and tenth spot respectively.

Spengler seemed happy about his result as he commented, “You can’t really be disappointed if you get onto the podium in such a hotly contested racing series as DTM – especially when it’s such a close race as we’ve had here at the Lausitzring. Martin Tomczyk put in a magnificent performance today to take a well deserved victory. At the same time, though, we’ve banked six valuable championship points. We’re intending to hit back in the next race at the Norisring, and I’m already looking forward to that.”

Tweet

1955 300 SLR Showcased at the Portland Art Museum Exhibit

Two of Mercedes-Benz’ car models are being showcased at the Portland Art Museum. The event is showing 16 of the rarest cars produced from the 30s to 60s.

Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR 1955 model, only had three cars built. It is chosen to represent the world’s finest cars as in the year it was launched, it was recognized as the most beautiful and popular race car after winning the 1955 Millie Miglia. The high-speed car was maneuvered by Stirling Moss and took it to the finish line on the top spot.

The car had 3L, eight cylinder engine and an aerodynamic body made from light magnesium alloy. Other than that, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, the developer of the vehicle, designed it to have a “desmodromic valve actuation and fuel injection” which, at that time was such a hit. The racing car has a top speed of 300km/h and had power of 310HP.

Another Mercedes-Benz car featured in the event is the 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster.

Tweet

Video: Roger Federer Drove The SLS AMG Roadster

"This is one of the favorite car of all time. I love it."

This was how Roger Federer described the SLS AMG Roadster after he drove it through the roads of Dubai. In the video below, he drove the vehicle which has 563HP and 650Nm torque and he seem happy with the performance of the car.

Check out the video below to see and hear the SLS AMG Roadster.

Tweet

Schumacher Unsatisfied with Canadian GP Results

The Canadian GP was very wet and crash filled. Mercedes Petronas’ Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher were leaders of the race before the heavy rains poured in the circuit sending them off to the pit for wet tires.

The race was red flagged after much rain poured. When it was time to restart, Schumacher ran at 2nd position, that is before Webber and Button passed him. Just 0.3 seconds from the podium, Schumacher was not very happy with his performance. He said, “I am leaving this race with one eye laughing and one eye crying, as I am not sure if I should be excited or sad about it. Having been in second place towards the end, I would obviously have loved to finish there and be on the podium again. But even if it did not work out in the very end, we can be happy about the result and the big fight we put in. A good strategy after the red flag made it possible, and I am very happy for our team. I would also like to send a big compliment out to the spectators who stayed with us in those difficult circumstances for so long and even cheered us up. That was impressive, and I am glad that I could play my part in entertaining them.”

In the end, Michael Schumacher placed 4th with his fastest lap at 1:19.138. Nico Rosberg with lost wing on lap 70 ended at 11th place with his fastest lap at 1:20.071.

Source: EMercedesBenz.com

Tweet

Maybach's Fate to be Decided by Mercedes-Benz

Image via WikipediaMercedes -Benz announced that they will officially say whether the luxury vehicle, Maybach, will continue production or not on July 1st. Daimler, Mercedes’ parent company is reportedly looking to either shut it down or revive it by sealing a partnership with British automaker Aston Martin.

In a press statement Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler, said that "there is a higher likelihood to come to a positive decision" as Aston Martin expressed its interest in sharing costs and sharing their production plant in Gaydon, England in exchange of access to AMG and Mercedes-Benz’ parts and engines.

The German carmaker revived the Maybach label in 2002 after investing about $1 billion with hopes of selling around 1,500 cars a year. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen as they sold only a staggering 157 units last year.

Tweet

BlueTEC Diesel and BlueDirect Engines for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class

As promised from previous article about 2012 Mercedes M-Class, here is an in depth look at the engines being offered for the model.

ML 250 BlueTEC 4MATIC’s 3L V6 is changed to 34-cylinder EU6-standard unit that is also in the S-Class while the ML 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC’s 3L V6 has been updated to consume less fuel with the help of AdBlue® technology.

The petrol engines, ML 350 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY, features the new technology of the next generation of V engines from Mercedes. The technology features spray guided direct petrol engine with injectors called piezo-electric which when combined with multi-spark ignition will promote fuel efficiency.

To compare the new engines of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class to its predecessors, check the charts below. Just click on the charts to zoom.

Tweet

smart Times for the First Time in Italy

The world’s largest gathering of smart car enthusiasts will gather in Italy this time, after it has been doing so in Austria for the last ten years. For the first time, Italian smart fans can enjoy the event without traveling too much.

On August 4-7, the seaside resort of Riccione will be full of people from the smart community. smart car owners gets to showcase their individually designed vehicles in the said event where 4,000 people from 22 different countries are expected to attend. The biggest gathering for people with passion for smart cars can connect with each other, as well as those from the tuning and designing industries.

smart said that they will be doing the smart times in different countries from now on which proves that the brand’s popularity is becoming immensely popular.

The company revealed the schedule for the said event. They also said that the guests can look forward to days of entertainment and fun with concentration on the smart fortwo.

On August 1-3 - smart times vacation. Three vacation days for smart enthusiasts to gather and have fellowship with each other before the start of the actual event. It includes a cruise through Emilia Romagna and an outing to Po delta.

August 4- smart meets Museo Ferrari. A visit to the home of the “famous red sports car.”

August 5 - Beach volleyball and smart times contest.

August 6- smart times parade. It will start at 10am which will be followed by a Q&A session and in the evening they will be announcing where the smart times 2012 will be.

August 7- smart flea market. Scour for used parts and fan articles.

smart also launched a virtual event in Facebook, an avenue for smart fans to ask questions and help each other about their favorite vehicle before and after the smart times event.

Source: BenzInsider.com.

Tweet

2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class Now Unveiled

With all the spyshots all over the web over the last few months, we pretty much have an idea on how the 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class will look like. But now, it’s time to end the anticipation as the SUV is officially unveiled and will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this year.

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class is completely redesigned and not just revamped from the 2006-2010 M Class models. It offers a bold front grille, wraparound tail lights, sculpted sides, 17-21 inches Alloy wheels and an interior update. Other than those, the vehicle will offer three different engines: ML 250 Bluetec has 2.1 liter 4-cylinder diesel with 500Nm of torque, ML 350 Blue Efficiency has 3.0 liter V6 diesel engine with 619 Nm of torque and ML 350 Blue Efficiency has 3.5 liter V6 engine with 370Nm of torque.

Specifications to follow as soon as more information about the 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class is released. For now, take a look at the photos below.







Photos from : EMercedesBenz.com.

Tweet

80 Years of Ultimate Protection By Mercedes-Benz Guard Models

For more than 80 years, Mercedes-Benz has been providing special protection cars in the world. It was Daimler-Benz who is the first car manufacturer to bring protected vehicles in 1928. Since then, the company has been making vehicles that has been tailored with protective elements made from aramid fiber and special steel for those who need maximum protection from gunfires and other violent acts.

The flagship model of the Mercedes-Benz Guard is the S 600 Pullman Guard, a limousine with luxurious interior and huge space. Along with the other armored vehicle models, the limousine’s protection is not visible on the outside and not just installed in an already manufactured vehicle, it is integrated in the body shell at the start of the production. This process makes the vehicles to adapt well to the heavier weight brought by the protective materials.

Some of the models for the Mercedes Benz Guard are the Mercedes-Benz S Guard, Mercedes-Benz E-Guard and the Mercedes-Benz G 500 Guard, all of which are engineered to provide high-protection at the VR4 level. These cars resist large-caliber revolver ammunition and protect passengers against increasing street crimes and drug-related violence. The VR6/VR7 protection levels provides higher protection for those threatened by terrorist attacks as the armor is designed to resist military weapons and hand grenades and other explosives.

The guard models not only protect the occupants from criminal acts by materials resistant of gun fire and explosives, the cars also offer absolute comfort and luxury by having all the components of the normal cars integrated in the vehicle.

Photo Source: Emercedesbenz.com

Tweet

Mercedes-Benz USA Reported Sales Increase of 5.9% Last Month

Mercedes-Benz USA is on a high as they reported sales of 20,306 vehicles, 5.9% increase from May 2010 figures.

The top car is the E-Class 9th generation with 5,751, a 5% increase over May 2010. C-Class is on the second with 4,936 and the third spot was taken by the GLK-Class with a 22.1% increase from last year. And although the R-Class crossover is not on the top three most number of sold vehicles, it garnered a 237% raise over May 2010 numbers.

The sales of Mercedes- Benz diesel lines increased at 108.5% for the month and 115.8% for the year. Sprinter vans increased by 126.1% for the month and 102.1% for the year. The high-end, SLS AMG had good 21 sales which means the YTD sales are up to 330.

All these numbers tally to give Mercedes-Benz USA a whooping 8.5% of increase year-to-date.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz Malaysia

Tweet

Hydrogen Refueling Stations will be Set-up by Mercedes and Linde Group

For quite some time since late last year, there has been talks about The Linde Group who is providing the fuel for the B-Class F-Cell cars for the World Drive. After the tour’s conclusion last week, the company finally confirmed the reports and they even went further the partnership saying they will put up the hydrogen fuel stations in Germany. They will start with 20 stations, targeting Berlin, Hamburg and Stuttgart. Mercedes-Benz said there will be two more cities but they will announce it later.

Mercedes- Benz and Linde said in a press statement that, “Germany clearly leads the way in Europe. To begin with, just five to ten filling stations are sufficient for conveniently servicing the requirements of a large city. Joining up these urban centres – for example Berlin with Hamburg, Stuttgart with Munich – by means of corridors along the arterial roads between them is a major step forward towards the establishment of a nationwide public H2 infrastructure.”

Clearly, Mercedes-Benz/Daimler is highly committed in the success of commercialization of F-Cell powered cars.

Tweet

Unimog U400 by LEGO

The world’s third largest toy manufacturer, LEGO, in partnership with Mercedes-Benz, is releasing the DIY Unimog U400 on August 2011.

The model will have 2048 elements, which is said to be the largest LEGO Technic model in the company’s history. It also looks like the original down to the minute details as Mercedes-Benz helped in creating this toy. Both LEGO and Mercedes-Benz will be selling it for about €190.

The Unimog is a machine-cum-vehicle that pushes snow away during winter and also helps in constructing new roads. The crane with an arm that rotates at almost 360 degrees and a strong grip and front winch can move any heavy load out of the way. The service control system of the crane is very accurate while the gear ensures perfect ground clearance which assures users of off-road mobility as well. It is convertible to a snow plough during winter thus being one of the best and most useful crane ever invented.

Source: EMercedesBenz

Tweet

Mercedes-Benz C63’s New Ad touches our Human Side

Mercedes-Benz released a new ad to promote the 2012 Mercedes-Benz-AMG C63 Coupe and this time, they are ditching the “all-power” theme found in most automobile ads and just focus on the human side. Yup, it is really an emotional roller coaster to watch this commercial.

The video is showing a couple in bed, the woman eating strawberries and trying to think of the perfect trip for them. Driving near the mountains? The man likes the idea. Dashing along the seaside? The man says okay. But then again, the woman likes another thing and he says – NO.

Watch and see how you’ll get all emotional watching it with the C63 AMG Coupe showing it’s power in between the woman’s ideas.

Tweet

F-Cell World Drive Almost Finished

Today will be the end of 2011 Mercedes-Benz F-Cell World Drive. The tour is scheduled to reach its finish line in Stuttgart today at 3pm.

We have reported about some problems that one of the three green cars has a problem in Kazakhstan in the middle of May but they still managed to advance to the other legs of the tour.

Below is the path that the F-Cell World Drive our last update:

Leg 24 : Moscow to St. Petersburg - started on May 20. But a day before they took off, local media tested the F-Cell cars.

Leg 25: St.Petersburg to Helsinki - shortest leg of the tour with only 450 kilometers. Then from Helsinki they traveled to Stockholm via ferry.

Leg 26: Stockholm to Oslo - tour took 550 kilometers. The people in Oslo are said to be interested in the F-Cell technology thus they plan on releasing this in Norway after Germany and USA market.

Leg 27: Oslo to Hamburg - media also had the chance to test and experience the technology.

For those who does not know what F-Cell World Drive is, it is a tour that promotes the B-Class F-Cell powered electric cars, which are environment-friendly vehicles. These cars are envisioned to reign the roads, which will eliminate carbon dioxide emissions.

Source: EMercedesBenz

Tweet

VÄTH Tunes Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

German tuner, VÄTH releases new tune called V63S for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. The car is now a machine that pumps up too much power and will surely send you “flying”.

VÄTH installed three-part forged rims, 11, 5J x 20 at the rear and 9, 5J x 20 at the front with tires dimension of 265/30ZR20 at the front and 315/25ZR20 at the rear giving the wheel pairs different weight. The spiders are in titanium but you can choose to have it painted with the color of your choice. Customers can request to have a leather door trimming while the steering wheel is provided with a leather sport material in which you can also opt to have applications of carbon or wood. The floor mats are made of highly durable material that has silver VÄTH blings.

Regarding the performance, VÄTH achieves 680 Nm of torque at 5800rpm and 615 horse power. Top speed is at 330 km/h so a 100 km/h is completed in just more than 3 seconds.A high-performance exhaust system, exclusively made by the company has a special extra pneumatic valve which lets you adjust the sound of the 6.3L cylinder to quiet or sporty ‘growl.’

The cost? € 32,670.

Photo Source: EMercedesBenz

Tweet