Short and practical – that was the succinct motto with which Mercedes designers embarked on a completely new challenge in the mid-1990s. The aim was to design an automobile whose unique bodyshell concept demanded equally original design ideas: the A-Class.

The fact that the designers came up with the right ideas is demonstrated by the success of this Mercedes compact car, whose design lines continue to reflect its essential character: youthful, progressive and dynamic.

For the new A-Class, which was presented to the public for the first time in spring 2008, the successful one-box design has been improved upon in a number of details. The aim was to emphasise the presence and superiority of this compact car with tighter, more striking body contours. This was mainly achieved by a revised front-end design with new headlamps, an even more imposing front bumper and a modified radiator grille...

Keep Reading "The New-Generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class:  Design"

Since 1997 the A-Class has self-confidently and emphatically shown itself to be a cut above other compact cars, and set standards in safety, practicality and reliability. To date around 1.7 million customers worldwide have been convinced by these and the many other qualities. More than half of these are new Mercedes customers – clear testimony to the great attractiveness of this vehicle.

In numerous respects the new-generation A-Class is now a more attractive proposition. Its design, equipment, technology, economy and environmental compatibility have been improved further, which means that the best and also most innovative A-Class ever is making its debut in spring 2008...

Keep Reading "The New-Generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class:  Equipment"

With more than 500,000 units produced within three and a half years, the A-Class is among the bestsellers in the Mercedes-Benz passenger car range. Now the latest generation of this compact car is showing itself to be more youthful, attractive and environmentally compatible than ever before. This is ensured by a completely revised design, high-grade appointments and new technical developments which further improve safety, comfort and economy. A convenient ECO start-stop function which reduces urban petrol consumption of these BlueEFFICIENCY vehicles by up to nine percent is now available for the high-volume models A 150 and A 170, for example. For the three-door A 160 CDI Mercedes-Benz has developed an additional BlueEFFICIENCY package which lowers the fuel consumption of the Coupé by more than eight percent, to 4.5 litres per 100 kilometres. Independent experts have acknowledged these great advances in the environmental field with an internationally valid environmental certificate, which the A-Class is the world’s first compact car to achieve...

Keep Reading "The New-Generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class:  Overview"

BlueEFFICIENCY is the new trademark for particularly economical and environmentally compatible Mercedes passenger cars. Three models bear the BlueEFFICIENCY emblem in the new-generation B-Class: the high-volume four-cylinder models B 150 and B 170 with the ECO start/stop function and the new B 170 NGT with its bi-fuel petrol/natural gas drive. Thanks to the automatic ECO start/stop function, the petrol models consume up to nine percent less fuel than comparable models without this feature. The NGT variant of the B-Class is happy with just 4.9 kilograms of natural gas per 100 kilometres (NEDC), and emits 17 percent less carbon dioxide than the petrol-powered B 170.

Mercedes-Benz has updated the other model variants in the B-Class in many detailed respects as well, also improving fuel consumption by up to seven percent versus the preceding models...

Keep Reading "The New-Generation Mercedes-Benz B-Class:  Technology"

Mercedes designers envisaged a versatile, compact yet spacious car when they produced the basic stylistic concept for a B-Class some years ago - a car that offered space but also combined the exciting, dynamic appearance of a sporty automobile with the prestige of a Mercedes saloon.
The result was a new concept with its own design idiom: the Sports Tourer. Although it offers the space and comfort of larger saloons or estates, the taut forms and crisp lines of the B-Class suggest forward-flowing energy and create a desire to take the wheel.

This is truer than ever for the new-generation B-Class. The designers have revised the radiator grille as the stylistic centrepiece of the front end, as well as the bonnet and front bumper. The resulting recomposition makes the B-Class appear more purposeful than before. The three (previously four) cross fins in the radiator grille are now painted in metallic grey and embellished with fine chrome strips, while the redesigned bumper emphasises the large air intake at the bottom...

Keep Reading "The New-Generation Mercedes-Benz B-Class: Design"

In presenting the B-Class in summer 2005, Mercedes-Benz produced the blueprint for a new, future-oriented market segment and a new species of car which precisely meets the wishes of today’s motorists. The Sports Tourer combines generous spaciousness and great practicality with a dynamic design and a high level of driving pleasure. In other words, a touring, family and recreational car with an incomparable added experience value in terms of design and dynamism.

To date the B-Class has won over more than 350,000 drivers, making it one of the most successful new Mercedes model launches in recent years. For the product planners, designers and engineers this meant that there was actually little reason to make changes, however they have put together a highly appealing package of model facelift measures and given the Sports Tourer a more attractive profile than before in terms of safety, environmental compatibility, economy and comfort. These are supplemented with discreet but certainly effective design modifications which make for a more youthful appearance and emphasise the agility of the B-Class. In short: a successful makeover in every respect...

Keep Reading "The New-Generation Mercedes-Benz B-Class:  Equipment"

The new-generation A-Class and B-Class are no strangers here at eMercedesBenz, with multiple looks at both models already being published.  Never content with abbreviated descriptions of their new vehicles, however, Mercedes today has published a battery of press releases detailing both at extremely impressive length.  Design, technology, equipment - all are covered for both models...

Keep Reading "The New-Generation Mercedes-Benz B-Class:  Overview"

This weekend's Mercedes reviews are in, with a grand total of three models - the SL63 AMG, the R320 CDI and the C300 4MATIC - being put through their paces for your reading pleasure.  As is the case with each and every one of our now famous Review Roundup installments, you can find a portion of the first review below as well as the complete collection of articles immediately after the jump.


Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG (via TimesOnline)
Reviewer's rating: 

"So what has Mercedes done? Well, it’s ditched the iron lung of a supercharger and fitted a normally aspirated 6.2 litre V8. This means you get about one more brake horsepower, but before you grow too excited about that I should point out that you get a lot less torque. And it’s developed right up the rev range, exactly where you don’t want it. The engine produces more carbon dioxides too...

Keep Reading "Mercedes-Benz Review Roundup:  SL63 AMG, R320 CDI And C300 4MATIC"

Under the motto "explore – learn – act," Mercedes-Benz and adventurer Mike Horn kicked off a global environmental project today known as the PANGAEA Expedition (PANGAEA is a Greek word meaning "all earth").  Lasting a total of four years, the intent of the PANGAEA Expedition is to encourage young people to make an active contribution to protecting the environment and conserving natural resources...

Keep Reading "Mercedes-Benz And Mike Horn Partner To Launch The PANGAEA Environmental Project"

For those of you eagerly anticipating the launch of the new Mercedes GLK (or those of you still deliberating whether or not the new compact SUV is worth your hard-earned riches), a fantastic new webspecial dedicated to the model has just been released which grants a unique, interactive look at the model.  In addition to offering traditional interactive content, such as the ability to customize your own GLK with various colors, rim designs and equipment packages, the web special also offers users the ability to obtain comprehensive behind-the-scenes access to the design and engineering features of the GLK...

Keep Reading "Mercedes Unveils Interactive Web Special To Promote The New GLK"

To help celebrate this year's European Soccer Championship, Mercedes-Benz CharterWay has laminated ten refrigerated truck trailers with European Soccer Championship motifs.  Available via CharterWay Rental immediately, five of the trailers feature the alpine image form the TV commercial "Alpenabenteuer" (Alpine Adventure), while the remaining five feature a collage of photos submitted by more than 5,000 soccer fans. Each of the units can be rented either alone or with a truck, and also for as little time as a single day, if you so desire...

Keep Reading "Mercedes-Benz CharterWay Adorns Ten Trailers With European Soccer Motifs"

It was 1930 when Rudolf Caracciola achieved sixth place in the overall ranking of the Mille Miglia with a Mercedes-Benz SSK, and it was a year later when he won the event in a Mercedes SSKL.  Since then, Mercedes and the Mille Miglia have been enduringly linked, whether it be the numerous victories achieved by Mercedes vehicles over the years or the company's current sponsorship support of the event...

Keep Reading "Mercedes-Benz At The 2008 Mille Miglia Storica"

Keep Reading "Celebrating 100 Years At The Mercedes-Benz Manheim Plant: Chronology"

December 1968 saw the production launch of the first O 305 standard regular service buses at Mannheim. This represented the beginning of a new era of bus design at Mercedes-Benz, since touring coaches and service buses were now built in separate model series. Other new buses included the O 307 standard regular-service interurban bus (STÜLB), which was built in Mannheim from February 1973, and the new O 303 touring coach. This expansion of the product portfolio was possible largely thanks to the increase of production capacity in 1970. By this time the Mannheim plant was producing 240 complete buses and the same number of bus chassis per month...

Keep Reading "Celebrating 100 Years At The Mercedes-Benz Manheim Plant: Constant Investment Safeguards Competitiveness"

Mannheim was the first plant of Daimler-Benz AG to be occupied by the Allies at the end of the Second World War. The plant, one quarter of which was destroyed, was taken by the Americans on March 23, 1945. The US Army commandeered a part of the southern end of the plant for their own needs, and only gave up their occupation of the area in 1955.

Production of the three-ton L 701 truck started again at the Mannheim plant in June 1945, making Mannheim the first plant belonging to Daimler-Benz AG to resume activities after the war. At the same time as building this version of the Opel Blitz under license, work began on reconstructing the plant. One measure introduced to help employees during this period was to grow vegetables on the premises to feed the workforce. But the war had taken its toll: “The core of the plant is still functioning. It may be badly damaged, but the engineering department and assembly shops are still intact,” reported Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung in 1946...

Keep Reading "Celebrating 100 Years At The Mercedes-Benz Manheim Plant: Redevelopment And A Shift Of Focus"