Mercedes Petronas Team Did Well at the Indian GP

The performance of Mercedes Petronas duo, Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg was strong. They finished 5th and 6th respectively at the Buddh International Circuit in India. Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, grabbed the top spot. Nevertheless, the two drivers were happy about the results of the race.

“I am obviously happy about the race today. We achieved the maximum that we could hope for, and as a team we maximised our potential. Fifth and sixth places are a great result for us. On top of that, my car was very nicely sorted for the race and very stable. At the start, everything worked out according to my strategy as I deliberately didn’t want to use KERS in the first two corners and save it for the long straight where I knew that I could make up some positions. In the second stint, I managed to maintain my tyres so I could stay out longer and that was enough for fifth place. What’s really important at the moment is that we keep pushing and trying to improve, and that is what we achieved today. To the organisers of the first Indian Grand Prix, I would like to send a big compliment; I’m sure that I am not the only one to say that this was a very positive debut, “ said Michael Schumacher.

Meanwhile, Nico Rosberg said, “We can be happy with a good team result and that’s what the boys in the garage deserved. I’m also pleased to have gained one place on my grid position. However my strategy was not perfect today and I lost some time in the second pit stop which meant that I wasn’t able stay ahead of Michael. I had good pace at the end of the race and pushed very hard but it was impossible to catch him over the last laps. I’m confident that we can repeat this good result in the last two races. All in all, it has been a good Indian Grand Prix debut for us and I hope all the fans enjoyed the race. I’m looking forward to coming back next year.”

Source: Daimler AG

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Mercedes-Benz Logo Meaning

When you see the three-pointed star on a car, you will immediately recognize that it is Mercedes-Benz. The logo is a very recognizable one and we're all very familiar with it.

However, have you ever thought what the logo means? It is great to now know that the three points of the star represents the three major mode of transportation, air, sea and land. Here's the rest of the story, in video.

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Ernst Lieb Ousted as MBUSA Chief

News surfaced last week that the “charismatic” CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, Ernst Lieb, was replaced. When it was first reported, there was no reason, it was just noted that a temporary replacement in the person of Herbert Werner, MBUSA Finance Head, will sit on his post.
Image via CrunchBase
However, just a few days ago, Wall Street Journal reported that according to “people familiar with the matter”, Lieb was removed from his post due to financial misdeed. This is after questions surfaced because of the purchase of his home near the MBUSA's headquarters, as well as a personal flight to Australia he took, in which the company paid for.

Even if Mercedes gained sales and market share during his tenure, it was done because the company is being very careful and attentive to corruption practices.
Despite all this, it seems that Lieb is one-of-a-kind because MBUSA is still trying to find for the new CEO to fill in his shoes, someone who has great understanding of the country's market and the company's dealer network there, like him.

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Mercedes-Benz Cars Tagged as the “Most Beautiful”

Four Mercedes-Benz cars, the Mercedes CLS, SLS AMG Roadster, C-Class and 300 SL Gullwing won the title as the most beautiful cars in their respective category. This is after 22, 916 readers voted for the 2011 Autonis design awards, an annual award by “auto motor und sport” that is created to honor the most beautiful cars ever manufactured.

Stuttgart – The Mercedes-Benz CLS, the SLS AMG Roadster and the various models in the C-Class are the most attractive vehicles in their respective classes. Furthermore, the legendary 300 SL Gullwing of the 1950s has earned the right to be called a design icon of recent decades. Such were the results of a survey of readers undertaken by leading German motoring magazine "auto motor und sport".

22,916 readers submitted votes in this year's Autonis design awards, which are made each year by "auto motor und sport" to honour the most beautiful new cars. The survey's only criterion is to establish which car readers find the most visually appealing. The clear winners in the medium-size category, with more than two thirds of all readers' votes, were the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the coupé of the same model family. Readers showed themselves impressed by the dynamic design of the new generation C-Class. This was especially true in the case of the C-Class coupé, with its classic coupé proportions.

In the luxury segment, the magazine's very percipient readers voted the Mercedes-Benz CLS four-door coupé into first place in the beauty contest. Like its predecessor, the new version of the CLS offers a very convincing package of captivating design and refined sportiness.

When it came to the cabriolets, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster was the car that found most favour with readers. The open version of the super sports car features the same technical highlights as the coupé model with gullwing doors that caused such a stir in this same competition back in 2009. With its compact soft top, which opens and closes in just eleven seconds, the new SLS AMG Roadster combines excellent driving dynamics with breathtaking roadster fun.

Even after almost 60 years, eyes light up when one of the legendary 300 SL models appears on the scene – Gullwing or Roadster, the effect is the same. This reaction serves to underline the longevity of the car's stunning design. It also underpins "auto motor und sport" readers' decision to award the title of "Design icon of recent decades" to the 300 SL – a "lifetime achievement award", as it were.

Source: Daimler

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No to Leather Seats -Tobey Maguire

We all know who Tobey Maguire is, he is the star of Spiderman movie. Yet not all of us know that he is an animal advocate. In fact, he was hailed as PETA's sexiest vegan one time, and with that, he also adopted a “no leather” policy.

Thus, when he was given a Mercedes-Benz that he can use while filming “The Great Gatsby” in Australia, he sent it back, and reportedly, he was upset because the car has leather seats. Naturally, Bazmark Films returned it to the dealer and and asked them to replace the upholstery with vinyl.

With this step, PETA became very proud.

Photo: Rottentomatoes.com

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Mercedes-Benz Recalls Diesel Vehicles

Image by henrymaxm via Flickr

Four models with diesel versions, the 2011 E-Class, 2011 R-Class, 2012 S-Class and 2011 ML-Class are being recalled due to a possible fuel leak. The company said that the recall will affect 6,872 units.

Here's the complete information of the recall from Daimler:

Report Date : October 17, 2011 at 09:34 AM
NHTSA Campaign ID number : 11V496000

Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s):
MERCEDES BENZ / E 2011
MERCEDES BENZ / GL 2011
MERCEDES BENZ / ML 2011
MERCEDES BENZ / R 2011
MERCEDES BENZ / S CLASS 2012

Manufacturer: MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC. Mfr’s Report Date: SEP 30, 2011
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 11V496000 NHTSA Action Number: N/A
Component: FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL
Potential Number of Units Affected: 6,872

Summary:
MERCEDES-BENZ USA (MBUSA) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 VEHICLES INCLUDING E-CLASS (212 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 2010 THROUGH FEBRUARY 2011, R-CLASS (251 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 2010 THROUGH APRIL 2011, ML-CLASS (W164 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 2010 THROUGH MARCH 2011, GL-CLASS (X164 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 2010 THROUGH MARCH 2011, AND MODEL YEAR 2012 S-CLASS (221 PLATFORM) VEHICLES. THE DIESEL FUEL FILTER MAY LEAK FROM THE AREA AROUND THE HEATING COMPONENT.

Consequence:
DIESEL FUEL MAY BE DEPOSITED ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy:
MBUSA WILL CONTACT OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE DIESEL FUEL FILTER IF NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ USA AT 1-800-367-6372.

Notes:
OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

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Mercedes Petronas Race Results : Korean GP

Nico Rosberg was glad that he finished the Korean GP in 8^th place. Michael Schumacher was not that lucky.

Rosberg did a two-stop strategy is 13^th and 27^th laps while running used option/new prime tires. He completed the 28 laps on his second set of tires, which is surprisingly great as the distance is over half the race.

Rosberg commented, “I had good speed at the start of the race today but after we changed to the prime tyres, it became more difficult as the degradation was too strong. I had some nice battles against Jenson and the Ferraris, and was pushing hard to defend my position against Felipe and Fernando in the middle stint. During this, I flat-spotted my front tyres so I had to pit earlier than expected which made my last stint on the primes very long. I didn’t have enough grip by the end and so I just wasn’t able to defend the position against Jaime. A difficult race for me today but I’m still happy to score some points.”

The pit stops of Mercedes Petronas were under 21 seconds.

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2011 Korean GP Qualifying Results for Mercedes Petronas

Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher placed 7^th and 12^th respectively in the qualifying of the Korean GP at the Korea Internation Circuit.

Schumacher was doing great in Q1, he was sixth place, however because of a vibration in Q2, he was left behind. He said, “To start with the positives of today’s qualifying, I have saved two fresh sets of option tyres which is always helpful. On the other hand, it was obviously a pity what happened. Everything went normally in Q1, and from what you can expect of the tyres under normal circumstances, it was absolutely justified to go for just one run in Q2. But unfortunately I could feel that something was not right when leaving the pits as I had vibrations straight away. All that was left for us to do was hope that the gap would be big enough to remain in the top ten but that turned out not to be the case. We will now have a close look into what exactly happened and fully concentrate on trying to make up some positions in the race tomorrow.”

Meanwhile Rosberg's place will be his top 15^th in the 16 races this season. So, he commented, “I’m quite pleased with today. To find the right set-up for the qualifying and the race is always a compromise, particularly after such limited dry running, so I’m happy that we saved one set of option tyres. It will be tough to catch one of the top six drivers tomorrow but hopefully I’ll have a good start and may be able to gain a position there. It will be an interesting race from the tyre perspective with a lot of stops, and I’m confident that our boys will do a great job in the pits again.”

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New Rendering of the C63 AMG

A top down C63 AMG? Well, it could be possible, and if someone would tune the vehicle to this, then it will certainly look great.

In a forum called Pistonheads, user Tuvra showed an image he created using Photoshop. The inspiration was lifted from the very rare Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM and the rear spoiler is really from that car. But since it is a C63 it surely has a V8 6.3-liter engine that produces about 520 HP.

I wonder if a tuner will actually create this? Don't you think it will make a good kit?

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Daimler with Its Car-to-X Communication

Wireless communication at its best will be launched by Daimler through its Car-to-X Communication device.

Following three years of intensive research work, Daimler and the involved project partners are presenting the current status of the simTD project in Friedberg/Hesse today. It is also announcing the launch of the largest field trial for Car-to-X communication worldwide: from the spring of 2012, around 120 vehicles will be testing the new technology in real road traffic in the Rhine-Main region. “We are convinced that Car-to-X communication represents an important step on the way to accident-free driving,” observes simTD overall project coordinator Dr. Christian Weiß, who also heads the Cooperating Systems team in the Research and Advance Development department at Daimler AG.

The use of Car-to-X systems extends the vehicle’s field of vision – the “telematic horizon” – substantially. In addition to safety-related applications, comfort functions such as suggested routes to the nearest available car park can also be realised. By enabling traffic signal systems to be controlled according to prevailing requirements, Car-to-X communication can also help to optimise traffic flows, thereby contributing to efficient and thus sustainable mobility.
In Germany, the simTD research project (Safe Intelligent Mobility – test field Germany) is examining the everyday practicality of Car-to-X communication under the direction of Daimler AG.

As a pioneer in the field of vehicle and traffic safety, Car-to-X communication and the resultant assistance systems are a matter of high priority for Daimler. Against this background, the Group is contributing the largest individual share of funding among the industrial partners involved in the simTD research project and has provided the most vehicles for the test drives conducted to date. The importance of Car-to-X communication to Daimler is also demonstrated by its long-standing involvement in other projects relating to this area. The company is a founding member of the CAR 2 CAR Communication Consortium, for example, and plays an active role in promoting the standardisation of technology in the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).

simTD is a joint project involving German automobile manufacturers, automotive parts suppliers, communications companies, research institutes and the public sector. simTD is being sponsored and supported by the Federal Ministries of Economics and Technology, Education and Research, Transport, Building and Urban Affairs and the Federal State of Hesse.

Source: Daimler AG

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Mercedes-Benz Regarded as One of the Best Brands in 2011

When you say luxury car, you will immediately think of Mercedes-Benz. Aside from that, you should be aware that this company is known as one of the top brands in the world.

Interbrand Zintzmeyer & Lux awarded Mercedes-Benz with the Best Global Brands and the company placed 12th, the first in the luxury car segment. The brand equity has incresed to $27.455 billion, a 9% increase from last year.

Interbrand studies leading brands in the world and identifies the 100 most valuable companies or brands.

Press release from Daimler:

Mercedes-Benz continues to be regarded as the world’s most valuable premium automotive brand. In the latest ranking by respected brand consultancy Interbrand Zintzmeyer & Lux, ‘Best Global Brands 2011’, the three-pointed star brand again took twelfth place – as it did last year – and is therefore the most valuable European brand. Its brand equity has risen to US$ 27.455 billion, an increase of 9 percent compared to 2010. Mercedes-Benz’s brand equity has therefore risen continuously since 2009.

The study’s authors attribute this success to customer satisfaction with the brand, which is higher than that of all other automotive brands. What’s more, the model initiative launched two years ago is enabling Mercedes-Benz to successfully respond to the market’s demand for ground-breaking, sustainable transport solutions.
Interbrand conducts the ‘Best Global Brands’ study every year. Leading CEOs regard it as the benchmark for measuring the value of international brands. The study identifies the 100 most valuable brands in the world.

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Feel the Power of the SLS AMG

The SLS AMG video was shot in a mall in UAE and showed the beauty of the vehicle. Like a model in a catwalk, the SLS AMG will surely turn heads as you really won't be ignore the looks of this amazing car. Watch the video and feel the performance of the SLS AMG!

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Lyon France- The Next car2go Destination

Following the success of car2go in Canada, US and Germany, the carsharing service will expand in Lyon, France in 2012. No exact date of when this will happen, but it will surely be well-received by the French for its convenience.

Lyon - Following the successful launch of the car2go mobility service in the German city of Hamburg, car2go GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler AG, and Europcar, the leader in car-rental services in Europe, announced today that within a few weeks, Lyon will become the first French city to enjoy the benefits of the unique car2go mobility programme.

Starting in 2012, car2go will provide Lyon residents with a fleet of 200 low-emission, self-service smart fortwo cars which will be available for “on-demand” rentals throughout the city. Members can easily locate the closest available vehicle within a defined operating area of 44 square kilometres via the internet at www.car2go.com or with the help of a smartphone application. They can rent a vehicle spontaneously without the need to reserve it in advance. car2go allows its members to use the vehicle for as long as they like, without committing to a specific return time or location. Members pay only for the time they usethe vehicle, with rental periods as short as one minute. More than 45,000 people in Germany, USA and Canada have already become members of car2go, the world’s first one-way carsharing service.

“Innovative urban mobility solutions like car2go offer a way to help meet the challenges of urban congestion, reducing carbon emissions and improving quality of life,” said Gérard Collomb, Mayor of Lyon and President of ”‘Grand Lyon”. “Following the actions we initiated in 2005 with Velo’v, the first self-service bike sharing system, Lyon is innovating again with car2go, a new approach to car sharing which is complementary to other initiatives enabling our residents to move around town. Choosing Lyon, Europcar and Daimler strengthen the role of our city being one of the European leaders in terms of sustainable mobility.”

“This roll-out marks an important step of car2go into the European market and we are proud to name Lyon the first home of car2go in France,” said Robert Henrich, CEO of car2go GmbH. “The overwhelming success in Germany and North America shows that car2go offers what people are searching for: a very convenient and flexible mobility solution for short and spontaneous one-way trips.”

car2go complements the existing transportation infrastructure in dense urban areas and aims to reduce the burden on city-center traffic, parking and the environment by using the smart fortwo “car2go edition”. The vehicle has been specially developed for the purpose of carsharing and is manufactured at the smart plant in Hambach, France.

Unlimited mobility

The idea of car2go was born at the Business Innovation Department of Daimler AG. Today, with a total of more than 45,000 members and 1,100 vehicles worldwide, car2go has proven success in four cities: Ulm and Hamburg in Germany, the Texan capital Austin in the US and Vancouver in Canada. Since the first launch in the southern German city of Ulm in March 2009, more than 900,000 trips have been made and approximately 9 million kilometres have been covered. Experience shows that customers highly value the possibility to do one-way trips. Nine out of ten car2go rentals end at a different location than where they began, further showcasing that customers value the car2go model of point-to-point mobility.

After successfully launching car2go in Hamburg, car2go and Europcar will continue their strong partnership in Lyon.

“Together with car2go, we are providing innovative mobility solutions to serve urban communities and reach new categories of customers,” said Phillipe Guillemot, CEO of Europcar International. “For more than 80 years, Europcar has been building the expertise and strong market positions that have established it as the undisputed European leader in car rental services. Through this partnership with Daimler, we are exploring new ways to combine urban mobility services with short term car rental services, to provide comprehensive mobility solutions to urban customers.

Source: Daimler AG

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Hess Upgrades the Mercedes-Benz E350

This week, Hess Motorsports, an American tuning company made a spectacular creation. The Mercedes-Benz E350 tuning kit is expected to turn heads while on the road.

The car have a set of Eibach Pro lowering spring and a set of 20 inche NC forged rims. The tires are Michelin PS2, which are known to grip the road more.



Meanwhile, the exterior will make you love it even more. Superior lower and upper spoiler.Polished outer lip and a Llumar black tinted windows. Then the black continues on with its Gloss Black paint job that will make you think luxury and cruiser all at the same time.

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Daimler's Joint Venture with Foton Approved by Authorities

The venture, Beijing Foton Daimler Automotive Co., Ltd. Has received the approval from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce. This go signal is an important step in applying Daimler Trucks Global Excellence strategy and also this will allow them to directly participate in the growth of Chinese truck market.

• Milestone in implementing Daimler Trucks’ growth strategy achieved as Chinese authorities issue final approval for ‘Beijing Foton Daimler Automotive Co., Ltd.’
• Way is clear for both partners to establish the joint venture company
• Through joint venture Daimler Trucks will gain 50 percent stake in Foton Motor’s medium- and heavy-duty truck business

Stuttgart/Beijing – ‘Beijing Foton Daimler Automotive Co., Ltd.’ (BFDA) has received its final approval from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM). “This is an important step for the global growth strategy of Daimler, as well as the local expansion of our portfolio,” says Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. “With our 50 percent stake in Beijing Foton Daimler Automotive, we are further strengthening our position as an important player in the China market. Having now received the final green light for the joint venture, this also sends out a clear signal that we deliver on what we promise.”

The final approval for the joint venture between Daimler Trucks and Foton Motor marks another important step in the implementation of Daimler Trucks’ Global Excellence strategy and will allow it to thoroughly participate in the growth of the Chinese truck market. In 2010, the Chinese market for trucks over six tons GVW had a volume of 1.2 million units. Forecasts indicate that about 1.5 million trucks over six tons GVW will be sold annually in China from now until 2020.

“This marks a milestone for the joint venture between Daimler and the Chinese truck manufacturer, Foton Motor, and for the implementation of Daimler Trucks’ worldwide strategy,” says Andreas Renschler, a member of Daimler’s Board of Management and Head of Daimler Trucks and Buses. “The flexibility, persistence, patience, and intercultural understanding of both parties were decisive factors in forging this partnership and obtaining the final go-ahead.”

“Receiving the final approval from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce is an important step in our China strategy, which is based on a thorough understanding of and long-term commitment to this country. Thanks to the great progress made during the past few months, the way is now clear for both partners to establish the joint venture,” says Ulrich Walker, Chairman and CEO of Daimler Northeast Asia. “Through this joint venture, Daimler will gain a 50 percent stake in Foton Motor’s medium- and heavy-duty truck business. This further strengthens our position to address all segments of the market in China: passenger cars, trucks, vans and financial services.”

Daimler will contribute its technological expertise to the joint venture — especially in the area of diesel engines and exhaust gas systems — so that Chinese emissions limits, ranging up to the Euro V standard, can be fulfilled. Localized production of
Mercedes-Benz’s redeveloped OM 457 engines will be an integral part of future operations at the joint venture।

“We are very pleased to see that the joint venture between Daimler Trucks and Beiqi Foton has obtained approval, since Daimler is a longstanding associate of ours here in China। This marks another milestone in the strategic cooperation between Daimler and BAIC”, says Xu Heyi, Chairman of BAIC.

“Both partners will use Foton’s truck brand Auman as a platform to grow business in China and look at cooperation opportunities outside of China. In addition to making use of our sales and service network for the medium- and heavy-duty truck sector, Foton Motor will also contribute its market know-how in China and the rest of Asia to the joint venture,” explains Wang Jingyu, CEO and President of Foton Motor.

Foton has experienced rapid growth since entering the truck business in 1998. Last year it sold nearly 105,000 units of medium- and heavy-duty trucks (and nearly 66,500 units during the first half of 2011) and is therefore already a key player in China’s truck segment.

A second truck plant is already being ramped up, giving the Beijing Foton Daimler Automotive joint venture a total production capacity of 160,000.

Source: Daimler

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