Daimler employees hit the desert - Ready to Roll in the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles

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Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, recently personally saw off the Mercedes-Benz Vans rallye team and wish its members well. “The coming days will most certainly be filled with special challenges and unforgettable experiences,” said Mornhinweg. “You will surely take unique impressions home with you. For now, however, I wish you much success in the rallye - take care and have fun.” Four rallye teams from Mercedes-Benz Vans started in Paris this past weekend to participate in the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles.

Representing Mercedes-Benz Vans: Daimler women employees, TV moderator Lina Van de Mars, and craftswomen

Five Daimler women employees will either be driving or navigating from the passenger seat during the rallye. The women already demonstrated their offroad talents last year, or were chosen from over 100 candidates in a special qualification process.

Driving in the rallye for the first time is German TV moderator Lina Van de Mars, who is not only a big motor sports enthusiast but also a highly skilled driver. The Mercedes-Benz Vans rallye team also includes two winners of a contest sponsored by a professional skilled trades magazine.

The four individual teams will drive two Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4x4 and two Vito 4x4 models over a distance of 2,500 kilometers through the Moroccan desert to the city of Essaouira.

The winner will be the smartest team, not the fastest one

The Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles is a women-only race. This year’s event features 150 teams from 20 countries. All of the participants face a very special challenge: They need to complete the rallye’s six stages without any help from GPS systems or cell phones. They are only allowed to use electronic trip meters, compasses, and maps. In other words, the drivers not only need to be in good physical condition and display outstanding driving skills, they also have to be intelligent and agile. The winner will be the smartest team, not the fastest one, because the whole point of the race is to clock up the least number of kilometers when traveling from one checkpoint to the next.

It’s a huge challenge for the drivers and the navigators, who have to maneuver over sand dunes, around boulders, up and down extremely steep slopes, and through dried-up river beds.

Vans. Born to run.: Two Sprinter 4x4 and two Vito 4x4 models for the rallye

The eight women representing Mercedes-Benz Vans are driving two Sprinter 4x4 and two Vito 4x4 models. The new brand claim, “Vans. Born to run.,” highlights the fact that Mercedes-Benz vans stand for high quality, reliability, and robustness. The rallye vehicles correspond to current production versions in terms of their drive systems, brakes, and electronics.

The only items of equipment added to the 4x4 models for the race were rollover cages, Terratrip electronic trip meters, bucket seats, underride protection, and special desert tires. The Sprinter 4x4 for Lina Van de Mars was also given a shorter wheelbase to improve its offroad performance. The vans are participating in the rallye’s Crossover and 4x4 categories.

Donations instead of prize money

The 23rd Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles is a charity race. Instead of granting prize money, the event’s organizers will donate all of the proceeds of the rallye to doctors who provide medical care to nomads and residents of remote southern Moroccan villages. Last year alone, such donations enabled 4,000 patients to receive free medical treatment. “The charitable idea behind the rallye is perfect, because the people who are helped by the race really need this support,” says Lina Van de Mars.

Daimler employees have been successfully participating in the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles since 2010. In 2011, they won in their category with a Vito 4x4. The Mercedes-Benz Vans rallye team is expected to arrive at the finish line in Essaouira, Morocco, on March 30.

Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2013, mercedesgla. All rights reserved.

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Record Run Buses 2012 started today: unique efficiency test for Euro VI-certified Mercedes-Benz Citaro and Setra ComfortClass 500

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The green flag has dropped for the Record Run Buses 2012: At 2 p.m. in Wiesbaden today, Martin Zeilinger, head of product engineering testing drive technology and product quality Daimler Buses, sent off five Mercedes-Benz and Setra buses on an unprecedented efficiency test. The new Mercedes-Benz Citaro urban regular-service bus and the new Setra ComfortClass 500 high-deck touring coach are to prove that buses meeting Euro VI emission standards can consume less fuel than their predecessor models. Between 22 and 26 October 2012 three Citaros and two Setra ComfortClass coaches will cover a distance of some 20,000 kilometres in comparative drives under impartial supervision.

Five buses in five-day major efficiency test

Start and finish line for the three Mercedes-Benz Citaros and the two Setras of the ComfortClass 500 is Wiesbaden, the capital of the German state of Hesse. With the exception of two refuelling stops each day, the five buses will operate around the clock for five days straight.

Three Citaros to run in urban regular service in Wiesbaden

For the urban bus comparison the new Euro VI-certified Mercedes-Benz Citaro will compete as a standard bus with OM 936 h engine and 220 kW (299 hp) against its predecessor. The Euro V Citaro starts in two versions: powered by the OM 906 hLA engine and 210 kW (286 hp) of power and the OM 457 hLA engine (220 kW/299 hp). In each case power is transferred by the fully automatic ZF Ecolife torque converter transmission. Also identical is the final drive ratio of i=5.771.

All Citaros will operate in line service on the demanding route 17 in Wiesbaden. It traverses the city centre of Hesse’s capital including the pedestrian zone and outlying areas. However, the test vehicles are loaded with ballast in place of passengers.

To ensure realistic operating conditions, each of the buses will follow behind an urban bus of the Wiesbaden transport authorities in regular service. To prevent the three test buses from influencing one another they will stop several minutes apart. Route 17 is 18.6 km long with a 400-m change in elevation. The buses will complete about 20 round trips each day. The buses will stop at each bus stop where the buses will be lowered using the kneeling function and the passenger doors will be opened.

Two Setras will complete 1800 km on motorways each day

In the touring coach comparison the Euro VI-certified Setra ComfortClass S 515 HD will compete against its Setra ComfortClass S 415 GT-HD predecessor. The two-axle high-deck touring coaches each measure a little over 12 metres in length. The ComfortClass S 515 HD is powered by the OM 470 engine with 315 kW (428 hp). Its OM 457 LA predecessor in the ComfortClass S 415 GT-HD has the identical power output. The touring coaches are equipped with the Mercedes GO 250-8 PowerShift (ComfortClass 500) respectively the Mercedes GO 240-8 PowerShift transmission. Their gear ratios are identical as is the final drive ratio of i=3.583 of both high-deck coaches.

The touring coaches also use Wiesbaden as the starting point, in this case for a trip to Leipzig. From there they will make a 897-km daytime loop on the A 38, A 71, A 70, A 9, A 72, A 4 and A 14 motorways from Leipzig via Erfurt, Schweinfurt, Bayreuth, Dresden to Bautzen and back. At night the two Setras will drive a 929-km route that leads from Leipzig via Potsdam to Hamburg and back on the A 9, A 10 and A 24 motorways.

In this way the touring coaches will cover a distance of almost 1800 km a day. Some 90 per cent of the distance will be driven on motorways, the remaining ten per cent on main and country roads. The legal speed limit of 100 km/h or 80 km/h will be observed whenever possible.

Identical conditions, technology and refuelling stops monitored

In addition to the transmissions and the final drive ratios, the loads as well as the tyre brand and tread depth are also identical within each respective model series. The three Mercedes-Benz Citaros are loaded at 50 per cent of capacity with exactly 3.5 tonnes of ballast. The touring coaches of the Setra ComfortClass are designed for a gross vehicle weight of 18 tonnes.
All buses will have been broken in at the start of the Record Run Buses 2012 with around 10,000 km on the odometer. The buses will be driven by skilled test drivers as well by trainers from Omniplus Ecotraining. A crew of two drivers mans each of the buses. The buses will be operated in three shifts around the clock. In addition, the drivers for the Record Run Buses 2012 on route 17 in Wiesbaden have received briefings from driving instructors of the transport authority.

The test vehicles and their operations will be monitored by Dekra, an independent specialist automotive organisation. All components relevant to fuel consumption as well as the fuel tanks will be sealed; all refuelling stops will be monitored. All refuelling stops will be at the same filling stations in Wiesbaden or Leipzig and even at the same pumps. Even the position of the vehicles at each pump is defined. Furthermore, the tyre pressure is checked at each refuelling stop.

The buses are also equipped with instruments for measuring fuel consumption. Any movement of the five buses in the Record Run Buses 2012 can be monitored with the help of the FleetBoard telematics system.

Arrival at the finish line in Wiesbaden after 20,000 km on 26 October 2012

All five buses will cross the finish line of the Record Run Buses 2012 in Wiesbaden around midday on 26 October 2012. By that time the touring coaches will each have covered a distance of some 9000 km, the urban regular-service buses each just shy of 1500 km. All recorded data will be analysed over the weekend that follows and the eagerly awaited results will be announced at a press conference on 29 October 2012.

Citaro and ComfortClass 500: maximum efficiency

The engineers from Daimler Buses employed all available means to achieve maximum efficiency of the Mercedes-Benz Citaro and the Setra ComfortClass 500. A multitude of measures counteract the inevitable added weight of the additional or larger components that the move from Euro V to Euro VI entails. For this reason the new ComfortClass 500 actually weighs less than the predecessor model.

The centrepieces of the drive system are the new BlueEfficiency Power engines. Both the in-line six-cylinder Mercedes-Benz OM 936 h engine in the Citaro as a standard bus and the OM 470 engine in the Setra ComfortClass 500 are characterised by robustness, longevity and maximum cost-efficiency with regard to fuel, motor oil and AdBlue consumption, as well as by long maintenance intervals. A typical trait of the engines is a high torque at very low engine speeds and an excellent throttle response. Both qualities are part of the prerequisites for successfully taking the place of the predecessor engines that to some extent had significantly more displacement – the keyword in this context is downsizing.

In addition to the drive system the development engineers carefully examined the ancillary components with an eye on fuel economy and longevity, for the Mercedes-Benz Citaro as well as for the Setra ComfortClass 500. Alternators, battery management, radiator fan and air compressor – these and other components play a major role in fuel consumption and in both model series were optimised down to the last detail.

Citaro Euro VI: ancillary components optimised in particular

Two distinctive features on the Euro VI-certified Citaro deserve special mention, both of which are major factors in an urban regular-service bus. A lowered entrance height reduces the amount of air needed for kneeling and consequently the amount of energy required. The second point concerns the energy management: free electricity generated in overrun mode is stored in dual-layer capacitors (supercaps) and is available the next time for acceleration. This relieves the burden on the alternators and consequently reduces fuel consumption.

Setra ComfortClass 500: outstanding aerodynamics

Outstanding aerodynamic properties are essential for the Setra ComfortClass 500 touring coach. From the rounded front with Aquablade clipless wipers and optimised exterior mirrors to smooth flanks and the tapered rear with its separation edge, the aerodynamic efficiency of the ComfortClass 500 sets new touring coach benchmarks. The result is an outstanding drag coefficient of just 0.33. The drag is also reduced by a trick that is unmatched in the industry: at speeds of 95 km/h and above the bus is lowered by 20 mm.

Prediction: reduction in fuel consumption between four and six per cent

The development engineers of Daimler Buses expect these measures to add up to a reduction in fuel consumption of the Mercedes-Benz Citaro by four to five per cent as the result of the move from Euro V to Euro VI emission standards. For the switch from the Setra ComfortClass 400 to the new ComfortClass 500 the engineers expect a fuel economy advantage for the new model of five to six per cent. In both cases the improved fuel economy goes hand in hand with a significant reduction in AdBlue consumption. These predictions must now be substantiated under real-life conditions during the Record Run Buses 2012.

Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2012, mercedesgla. All rights reserved.

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New Generation of the GL-Class: Mercedes-Benz Plant Tuscaloosa Celebrates Start of Production

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Mercedes-Benz today celebrated another milestone as production of the new-generation GL-Class was officially started at the Mercedes-Benz Tuscaloosa plant (MBUSI – Mercedes-Benz U.S. International). Markus Schaefer, President and CEO of MBUSI, welcomed more than 3,500 team members and numerous guests, among them state and local officials, along with Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, Daimler AG Board of Management member responsible for manufacturing and procurement Mercedes-Benz Cars and Mercedes-Benz Vans.

Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard: “Quality is our first priority. The team in Tuscaloosa is doing a great job in executing a flawless launch of the GL - just like last year with the M-Class. That puts us into a very good position for the important launches here in Tuscaloosa in the future.“

MBUSI President and CEO Markus Schaefer added: “The new GL is yet another shining star from the Mercedes-Benz Tuscaloosa plant and our latest contribution to the Mercedes-Benz growth strategy. While we are taking the time to celebrate this milestone today, we have a lot on our plate and must continue to forge ahead with full steam.” Referring to the production launch of the next-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class in 2014, Schaefer said: “We will now more and more shift our focus on the preparations for the C-Class, which will challenge us as an entirely new product for our plant. At the same time, I am convinced we are very much on track to maintain and further improve our level of production excellence.”

About the new Mercedes-Benz GL-Class

The new Mercedes-Benz GL-Class demonstrates leadership qualities in all the decisive SUV disciplines. Innovations such as the standard-specification Crosswind Assist, the STEER CONTROL steering assistance system, the load recognition and the COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST (CPA) increase the active safety. With excellent driving dynamics and high levels of ride comfort – both on the road and on difficult terrain – the GL-Class offers the first-class comfort of a luxury sedan and an excellent amount of space for up to seven passengers. More than 200,000 vehicles of its predecessor were sold since the first GL hit the market in 2006.

About MBUSI
The Tuscaloosa plant was founded in 1995 and started production in 1997. The Mercedes-Benz M-Class was the first product and has been built ever since the start of production in 1997, later joined by the SUVs of the GL- and R-Class. In 2011, the plant produced more than 148,000 vehicles and employed more than 2,800 team members at the end of the year. As of 2014, the Tuscaloosa plant will be one of the four global production locations of the successor generation of the current Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and will build these vehicles for the North American market. In 2015, an entirely new Mercedes-Benz model will roll off the production line as the Tuscaloosa plant’s fifth product.

Credits: Daimler AG

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Start of Production and Sales of the new smart fortwo electric drive

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Daimler AG started production of the new smart fortwo electric drive at the smart Hambach plant. Like the models with combustion engines, the electric vehicle is now rolling off the production line in the standardised production process. Furthermore, Daimler invests more than €200 million to upgrade the site and secure its future.

"The new smart electric drive and the expansion of the Hambach plant are two important milestones for the future of smart", said Dr. Annette Winkler, Head of smart. "With the new smart electric drive we are further expanding our leading position in urban mobility and making fully electric driving accessible to everyone. For this – and for the successor generation to the current smart – we are making significant investments in the Hambach site. And I am convinced that this is money extremely well invested."

Dr. Joachim Betker, Head of the smart plant in Hambach, emphasised the ground-breaking integration of the electric version in the production process: "For the first time we have realised the consistent and perfectly integrated production of models with electric drive and those with combustion engines. In production, we are now optimally utilising the smart vehicle concept’s immanent potential for different drive systems."

Goodbye, filling stations – the new smart fortwo electric drive

12 June 2012 – this date marks the start of sales* for the first real alternative to the usual refuelling stops. With the launch of the new smart fortwo electric drive, in future smart customers can enjoy even more fun at the wheel of an attractively priced vehicle that has the familiar compact dimensions - as a coupé or a cabriolet. The most important feature distinguishing it from its siblings with conventional engines is the fact that it has no exhaust, which means that it does not produce any emissions on the road.

With its 55kW electric motor the smart fortwo electric drive accelerates from 0 - 60 km/h in 4.8 seconds, and with a maximum speed of 125 km/h driving pleasure is also guaranteed on urban motorways. The 17.6 kWh battery enables the urban two-seater to travel approximately 145 kilometres in city traffic without producing any local emissions. As those components each come from joint ventures with the German companies Bosch (EM-motive) and Evonik (Deutsche ACCUmotive) and as the vehicle is built in the plant in Hambach (France), the new smart fortwo electric drive is the first true European electric car.

The new sale&care model makes opting into electric mobility particularly attractive: it offers customers an opportunity to buy, finance or lease the vehicle at an attractive price and to rent the battery for a monthly fee. Purchase, financing or leasing of the vehicle including the battery is also possible.

Prices in Germany (including 19% VAT):

sale&care: Coupé / Cabrio
smart fortwo electric drive - 18.910,00 € / 22.000,00 €
Battery - rent 65,00 €/month

Vehicle including battery: Coupé / Cabrio
smart fortwo electric drive - 23.680,00 € / 26.770,00 €

Delivery in Germany starts in late summer, all other markets - a total of more than 30 - will follow successively.

*may vary in individual markets

Significant investments in expansion and modifications

The company is making significant investments in the plant to secure its future. The total investments for the expansion and modification of the plant plus preparatory measures for the successor series to the current smart exceed €200 million. The largest individual project with a total investment of more than €50 million is the new paint shop where an environmentally-friendly liquid painting process that meets the current Daimler Group standard for passenger car plants will replace the present powder painting process. The new paint shop will thus greatly expand the variety of paint colours that can be realised, which means that in future smart customers will also be able to choose the colour of the tridion safety cell of their smart from all available paint finishes.

A success story: the smart plant in Hambach

The smart plant in Hambach was inaugurated in 1997 and has produced the smart fortwo since 1998 – in its second generation since 2007. In 2011 more than 103,000 vehicles rolled off the production line. Approximately 1,500 people work at the site, consisting of about 800 employees at the plant itself and a further 700 at the seven local system partners. The one millionth smart fortwo was built in September 2008, coinciding with the tenth birthday of the brand. To date more than 1.3 million vehicles have left the plant.

The plant in Lorraine has always stood for an innovative production concept. The assembly line has the shape of a "plus" symbol to enable it to optimally meet assembly and logistics requirements, ensuring highly efficient production processes. This principle enables system partners and suppliers to deliver modules right to the assembly line. Transport and logistics are therefore reduced to a minimum – an advantage not least also in ecological terms. In addition, the construction principle of the vehicle and a modern energy concept ensure that the smart brand's ecological product responsibility is translated into the production: For example, smartville has its own thermal power station that produces heat for the plant and covers approximately 25 per cent of its demand for electricity. In the site’s sewage treatment plant, the wastewater is immediately treated at its origin, using a membrane filter system. The quality of the treated wastewater is superior to the quality of the natural waters it is discharged into.

Credits: Daimler AG

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