Classic: Hans Herrmann celebrates 85th birthday

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Legendary racing driver Hans Herrmann celebrates his 85th birthday on 23 February 2013. Born in Stuttgart, Herrmann gained international recognition during his time as a works driver for Mercedes-Benz in the years 1954 and 1955. The cars he drove for the brand back then were the post-war “Silver Arrows”, the W 196 R Grand Prix racing car and the 300 SLR (W 196 S) racing sports car.

These days Hans Herrmann is regularly to be found behind the wheel of historical Mercedes-Benz competition vehicles, as a guest at any one of a variety of classic events, where he is able to convey to visitors the fascination of an important period in motor racing. “Our congratulations to our brand ambassador Hans Herrmann, who has been a good friend of Mercedes-Benz for almost 60 years now,” commented Michael Bock, Head of Mercedes-Benz Classic, expressing his thanks to Herrmann for his contribution to keeping the brand’s heritage alive.

The legendary Alfred Neubauer, Head of the Mercedes-Benz racing department in the 1930s and again in the 1950s, discovered Herrmann as an up-and-coming talent and brought him into the works team, alongside Juan Manuel Fangio and Karl Kling, for Mercedes-Benz’s re-entry to Grand Prix racing after the Second World War. For the 1955 season, the team was then joined by Stirling Moss.

In the very first race of the new Silver Arrows at the French Grand Prix of 1954 in Reims, Herrmann drove the fastest lap time, 2:32.9 minutes – corresponding to an average speed of 195.463 km/h. Over the course of the season he took two Grand Prix podium places, in the 1954 Swiss Grand Prix and the 1954 Avus race, in each case coming 3rd. In 1955, Herrmann was seriously injured in an accident during practice in Monaco and was no longer able to start during that season.

Even after his Grand Prix racing career with Mercedes-Benz had come to an end, “Lucky Hans”, as his friends know him, retained close links with the brand. In 1961, for example, he entered the “Gran Premio Argentina” road race in a Mercedes-Benz 220 SE (W 111), finishing in 2nd place behind Walter Schock, also in a 220 SE, to deliver a double victory.

Versatile motor racing talent

After training originally as a pastry chef, Hans Herrmann began his career in motor racing in the Hessen Winter Rally of 1952 in a private Porsche 356. That same year he took a class win in the “Deutschlandfahrt” (Tour of Germany). In both 1953 and 1954, Herrmann then took class victory for Porsche in the legendary 1000-mile “Mille Miglia” race in Italy.

Through his participation in Formula 1 as well as Formula 2 Grand Prix races, sports car races and rallies, Stuttgart-born Herrmann proved himself to be an exceptionally versatile motor racing driver. Apart from the cars he drove for Mercedes-Benz, he competed above all in Porsche racing and sports cars. He also took the wheel at various times for B.R.M., Cooper, Maserati and Veritas.

Hermann achieved his greatest successes in sports car endurance racing. Among his wins were overall victories in the Targa Florio (1960), the 24 Hours of Daytona (1968), and the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1970). In honour of the grand total of eight Targa Florio races in which he had driven, Hans Herrmann was presented with a special award by the Sicilian town of Collesano in October 2012. “Noblesse oblige”: the one-time works driver arrived at the award ceremony in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR.

After capping his success in motor racing with the Le Mans victory of 1970, Herrmann withdrew from active motor racing that same year, at the height of his career. From then on he would devote himself above all to his automotive accessories business. But our “birthday boy” has retained close links with the world of motor sport to this day – above all as a brand ambassador for Mercedes-Benz Classic.

Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2013, mercedesgla. All rights reserved.

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Tenth anniversary of the Mercedes Benz Classic magazine

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The Mercedes‑Benz Classic magazine turns ten years old. Following its launch in December 2002, the magazine successfully established itself as a journalistic defining medium in the classic car segment and since then has been setting standards for all enthusiasts of Mercedes‑Benz historic vehicles.

To mark its anniversary, the Mercedes‑Benz Classic magazine has been revised comprehensively by the Stuttgart-based agency design hoch drei. This includes a fresh and modern layout as well as a clearer structure for content: in future, the magazine will be organised into the rubrics automobile, people, current events and lifestyle. The first new-look edition will appear exactly ten years after the premiere of the Mercedes‑Benz Classic magazine and will be on sale from 14 November 2012.

The magazine’s history is also part of this current edition and is reflected in the choice of its front cover. Ten years after the premiere issue, a Mercedes‑Benz 300 SL racing car (W 194) is once again pictured on the front of the magazine. Then a studio portrait of the sports car with its gull-wing doors open decorated the cover – today the front of the W 194 is in focus, whilst the former Solitude racetrack in Stuttgart whisks by in the background. The photo is from a report about Hans Herrmann at the wheel of the W 194: the former Mercedes‑Benz works racing driver and current ambassador for Mercedes-Benz Classic was at the track for the 60th anniversary of the racing car.

Further subjects in the new issue are amongst other things a travel report through snow-bewitched Lapland in the E 300 Turbodiesel 4MATIC and an interview with Holger Jung, co-founder of the Hamburg-based advertising agency Jung von Matt, about advertising for the Mercedes‑Benz SL sports car in the 1950s and 1960s. In addition, there are also the best results from a photography competition for readers and a report about the reconstruction of a 1950s closed racing transporter.

Every further issue of the newly designed magazine will continue to captivate with a blend of topics and perspectives, thus representing the varied history of Mercedes‑Benz. About 100 pages are filled with vintage cars and young classics as well as the people who drive, restore and enthuse about these historic vehicles. The stories are devoted not only to classic passenger cars, but also to motor racing and historic commercial vehicles.

Close contact to brand enthusiasts

The magazine, which when it premiered in 2002 was the only classic magazine published by an automobile manufacturer, invites the reader to read but also to feast on the images. As a rule, the articles are accompanied by lavishly produced photo series complemented by unique historic photos from the Mercedes‑Benz Classic archives. Service topics from purchasing advice to workshop tips, as well as travel reports for the drivers of historic vehicles round off the content and provide the reader with practical added value.

Issue for issue, the Mercedes‑Benz Classic magazine thus bridges the gap issue for issue between the multifaceted history and the inspiring present age of the brand. In addition to the articles in the printed issue of the magazine, the online version at www.mercedes-benz-classic.com/magazin offers an even broader multimedia diversity. Here there are fascinating videos, additional photo series and a classified ads portal for classic vehicles and accessories.

The Mercedes‑Benz Classic magazine is published three times per year in German (5.50 Euros) and in English (6.50 Euros). Total circulation is 115,000 and the magazine is available in more than 80 countries. It is possible to subscribe to the magazine and it is sold by quality newsagents.

Did you know?
Two prominent exhibitions will be held in the autumn:

- “Mille Miglia – passion and rivalry” at the Mercedes‑Benz Museum in Stuttgart, from 10 October 2012 until 6 January 2013.
- “Silver Arrows 1934-1939” in the Louwman Museum, The Hague, the Netherlands, from 11 October 2012 to 6 January 2013.

Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2012, mercedesgla. All rights reserved.

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Mercedes-Benz Manhattan Flagship Store Celebrates First Anniversary

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The inventor of the automobile is celebrating a one-year anniversary – the opening of its flagship store in Manhattan, which for the past twelve months has served New York City customers with an exclusive experience from its 330,000 square foot dealership on 11th Avenue. The June 21st anniversary, declared official Mercedes-Benz Day last year by Mayor Bloomberg, coincides with the New York launch of a Mercedes-Benz USA initiative to give back to the City by placing 120 coaches in after-school sports programs through its support of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA.

The Mercedes-Benz brand is no stranger to New York City and, while it opened its doors to the new dealership just last year on Manhattan’s West Side auto corridor, it was almost six decades earlier that Mercedes-Benz introduced the 1954 300SL at the New York International Motor Sports Show. The dealership is now showcasing the recently launched all-new 2013 SL550, the sixth generation of the iconic roadster introduced in New York fifty-eight years ago. To commemorate the milestone, the dealership has created its Diamond Anniversary sales event, which kicked-off on June 17th and will run until June 30th.

Mercedes-Benz Manhattan was built with features to ensure a unique customer experience including an infrastructure with five levels--two of them dedicated to new and certified pre-owned sales, amenities ranging from a gift shop to lounge areas, two separate vehicle entrances for both east and west traffic located on 53rd and 54th streets, a double-helix two-way drive within the facility leading to the service department, which includes a valet and over 70 service bays.

“Our mission at Mercedes-Benz Manhattan is to provide an environment that not only meets customer’s needs – because that’s a given -- but which conveys to people how much we value their business and their time. With a year under our belt, we wanted to mark our anniversary by doing something special for the environment in which we live and do business,” said Blair Creed, General Manager of Mercedes-Benz Manhattan.

Over the past year, the dealership has supported a number of local organizations including hosting a Toys for Tots event attended by hundreds of New York City children who received gifts. On Memorial Day Weekend, Mercedes-Benz Manhattan raised $25,000 for the Tri-State Chapter of Operation Homefront.

The June 21st anniversary coincides with Mercedes-Benz USA and local New York Tri-State dealers’ kick-off of their program to support New York kids through the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA. Mercedes-Benz USA and its dealers have committed $1.3 million to the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA to fund a national initiative to train and place 250 coaches in sports-based youth development projects in underserved neighborhoods in five U.S. cities through Coach Across America, Laureus’ delivery partner. Of the 250 coaches who will be deployed nationwide through the program, 120 will be in New York alone.

The first two NYC programs that are receiving support from the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation are Beat the Streets, an amateur wresting program in downtown Manhattan, and Play Rugby in Brooklyn and the Bronx. In addition to their monetary contribution, Mercedes-Benz USA employees and dealers will volunteer their time to play sports with the kids in each program.

Mercedes-Benz Manhattan is open Monday through Friday 7a.m. to 7p.m. and Saturdays 9a.m. to 5p.m. You can visit Mercedes-Benz Manhattan online at mb-manhattan.com.

Credits: Mercedes-Benz USA

Copyright © 2012, mercedesgla. All rights reserved.

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