Daimler AG’s commercial vehicle brands have achieved an outstanding showing in this year’s Image Awards from VerkehrsRundschau, the renowned specialist magazine for the transport and logistics sector. Daimler brands took first place in five of the six category rankings in which they were assessed. In four categories, the company even scooped a double victory to assure it of “Unchallenged Winner” status. Image Awards went to Daimler in the Trucks, Vans, Commercial Vehicle Rental and Telematics categories. A particularly gratifying outcome for the Stuttgart-based commercial vehicle specialists was its choice as the most popular commercial vehicle brand among “Young Logistics Professionals”. In a special poll of 4000 junior members of the logistics profession, the future decision-makers who are currently aged up to 32 identified the vans sporting the Mercedes star as their favorites.
Image Award 2011: 107 brands in the running
The image ranking, which VerkehrsRundschau has been conducting since 2002, centres on a representative opinion poll to survey the image and awareness levels of the leading companies offering commercial vehicles and products and services for commercial vehicle fleets. To this end, the TNS Emnid market research institute interviewed a total of 400 executive staff in Germany at transportation companies and at industrial and commercial enterprises operating their own fleets. All 107 of the brands selected for this study are among the market leaders in Germany in terms of market share and public perception.
Since last year, the image study has offered two rankings per category: the rating by the operators of small fleets (up to 10 commercial vehicles) and the image assessment by operators of medium-sized and large fleets (11 commercial vehicles and over). A brand which wins the Image Award in both rankings is considered to be the unchallenged winner of the category concerned.
Mercedes-Benz vans win both rankings
As in 2010, the Mercedes-Benz vans scooped the title of “Unchallenged Winner” once again in the Vans category. Mercedes-Benz was also the winner in this category throughout the previous years. This year, the operators of small fleets awarded 812 out of a possible total of 1000 image points to the Mercedes vans. The vote of approval from the operators of medium-sized and large fleets was even more resounding, with 823 image points going to the Sprinter, Vito and Vario product range.
Award for Mercedes-Benz trucks
The commercial vehicles from Mercedes-Benz also lead the field in the “top-flight” Trucks category. The trucks in the permissible gross vehicle weight category of 3.5 t and over claimed the Image Award with 796 points from operators of fleets of up to ten commercial vehicles, who account for around 80 percent of German transport companies.
Two Image Awards for Mercedes-Benz Charterway
The Image Award also went to Stuttgart for both segments of the Rental/Leasing category. Following on from last year’s success, Mercedes-Benz Charterway remains the number one among transport companies, forwarding agents and internal works transport operators, making it once again the “Unchallenged Winner” among the providers of rental and financing services in connection with the acquisition of commercial vehicles.
The three product lines Charterway Service, Charterway Service Leasing and Charterway Rental even improved their image rating among the operators of small, medium-sized and larger fleets alike in comparison to the previous year. In the ranking by operators of up to ten commercial vehicles Mercedes-Benz Charterway received 768 image points (previous year: 746), while operators of fleets of eleven commercial vehicles or more awarded 752 image points (previous year: 722).
Daimler FleetBoard: Unchallenged Winner among telematics systems
As in the previous year, the telematics solutions from Daimler FleetBoard to enhance the economic efficiency of commercial vehicle fleets took first place in the Telematics category once again in 2011. The operators of small fleets awarded 713 image points and the operators of fleets of eleven commercial vehicles and over awarded 762 image points, assuring the Daimler subsidiary of the Image Award in both rankings.
This result affirms Daimler FleetBoard’s strategy aimed at further expanding its current product offering. As the most recent example of this expansion course, FleetBoard is now also available ex-factory as an original equipment item for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. This means that a highly efficient telematics system from Daimler FleetBoard is now also available to operators of van fleets as a means of reducing operating costs through optimised job and route management and as a facility to lower maintenance and repair costs.
Mercedes-Benz emerges as most popular brand
Mercedes-Benz also emerged from the Image Awards as the most popular commercial vehicle brand. This finding was based on a representative opinion poll conducted on this year’s special topic of “Brand perception among young logistics professionals”. Mercedes-Benz had already claimed first place in the special category last year, when the focus was on the environment.
Over 4000 future specialists and junior executives from the fields of transport, haulage and logistics were interviewed for the Image Award 2011 in the special category of “Young Logistics Professionals”. On the subject of commercial vehicles and fleets, the young logistics professionals of up to 32 years of age chose Mercedes as their favourite truck brand from among 107 contenders. The truck brand from Stuttgart received 897 out of a possible total of 1000 image points. The all-round success of the Daimler brands on all fronts was sealed by the top ranking in the second segment of this special category. The future decision-makers in the area of commercial vehicles and fleet accessories awarded 871 image points to the van brand bearing the Mercedes star.
The Mercedes-Benz G-Class has taken a double victory in the “2011 Off-Road Vehicle of the Year” reader survey conducted by “Off Road”. Not only did the off-road legend secure first place in the “Luxury off-road vehicle” category, it also emerged in first place in the “Classic” category. In the “Special vehicles” category, the multi-talented and much adored Unimog succeeded in making its way to the top of the winner’s podium. This reader vote of confidence serves to highlight the exceptional position enjoyed by premium brand Mercedes-Benz in the all-wheel vehicle sector.
The longest-serving Mercedes-Benz model series has enjoyed superstar status for some time now: this year marks the eighth time that the G-Class, which has been in production for almost 32 years, has emerged victorious in the important reader survey conducted by specialist publication “Off Road”. As a result it has once again proved worthy of the title “off-road vehicle of the year”.
The “G” family currently has three body variants: short-wheelbase Station Wagon, long-wheelbase Station Wagon and Convertible, which can be combined with either a particularly environmentally-friendly V6 diesel engine featuring BlueTEC technology and with an output of 155 kW (210 hp) and 540 Nm of torque, or a powerful 5.5-litre V8 petrol engine developing 285 kW (388 hp) with a torque of 530 Nm. The flagship G 55 AMG model – available only as a four-door, long-wheelbase Station Wagon – is powered by a V8 supercharged engine developing 373 kW (507 hp) with an impressive peak torque of 700 Nm.
The evergreen Mercedes-Benz off-roader continues to offer a superior synthesis of high-performance drive and dynamic handling control systems. The standard specification includes the electronically controlled traction system 4ETS, the Electronic Stability Program ESP® and three differential locks selectable at the push of a button, alongside the permanent all-wheel drive with off-road ratio and the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission.
The G-Class Professional, which was crowned victor in the “Classic” category, is characterised by versatility, ruggedness and reliability. It has been the choice of professionals for extreme applications – such as the police and fire services for example – for almost three decades. This limited-equipment utility variant of the classic G-Class model is also often chosen by private individuals for extreme off-road applications.
When it came to special vehicles – all-terrain vehicles which are used to transport loads and goods in remote areas or which form the basis for special bodies – the Unimog was once again able to secure its place on the winner’s podium. It was praised for its design, which combines outstanding all-terrain capability with extreme ruggedness.
The first awards received by the off-road classic date back almost as far as the date of creation of the G-Class itself. In 1983 for example, the Australian specialist magazine “Bushdriver” voted it the best 4×4 off-road vehicle of the year. Since that time the off-road icon has picked up numerous additional awards. Readers of the specialist publication “auto motor und sport” alone have voted the G-Class as the world’s best off-road vehicle on no less than 14 occasions. As such the G-Class is one of the most popular and highly decorated models in the off-road vehicle sector.
The jury for the Mobile Excellence Awards evaluated the submitted innovations using five main criteria: strategic initiative, impact of technology used, creativity, ease of use and reach and execution and market success. ” This year’s entries were extremely impressive,” said Executive Director of the Mobile Excellence Awards and CEO of the ITV Alliance, Allison Dollar. “They demonstrate a range of innovation and depth of creativity that prove just how fast and how far mobile has come”.
smart is the first car brand to develop its own drive app for the iPhone. Together with the smart kit and cradle for the iPhone the popular phone becomes a multimedia trip computer that is optimised for the smart fortwo in terms of function and design. The smart drive app for the iPhone has all the important features needed whilst driving: phone calls via hands-free system, your own extensive music collection, internet radio and a clever navigation system with a special smart touch. There are also smart extras – for example the Car Finder that will guide you back to wherever you parked your car.
The new smart drive app for the iPhone is simple to operate and features extra large buttons among other things. The new app makes urban mobility even easier and more fun – the declared objective of the smart philosophy.
Two new elements developed by smart make the two-seater car and the iPhone a perfect team:
smart driving with the smart drive kit for the iPhone has been possible since August 2010. The smart cradle for the iPhone will be available from smart dealers at a price of €240 (German list price with VAT plus fitting costs). The smart drive app for the iPhone can be downloaded from the App Store at a one-off price of €9.99 for the basic version (price in the European countries where it will be available). The navigation upgrade with up-to-date maps costs €49.99 per year.
Mercedes-Benz enjoys a higher level of customer satisfaction than any other automobile brand. This is confirmed by a large-scale survey conducted by the world-renowned J.D. Power and Associates Index on the satisfaction of car buyers. Mercedes-Benz took first place among all car brands in this study. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the CLK also headed their respective categories. This means that Mercedes-Benz drivers are the most satisfied motorists in Germany.
J.D. Power examines the satisfaction of car owners at regular intervals on the assumption that customers know best. This is the second year the study has been carried out online, and included 16,330 drivers in Germany to ascertain their experience with their cars for the J.D. Power 2010 Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction StudySM. To qualify for the survey, respondents had to have been driving their current model for around two years, covering approx 34,000 kilometres. The cumulative driving experience thus totalled over 500 million kilometres. Assessment criteria were quality, reliability, attractiveness, service and maintenance costs, in order to obtain a reliable overview of the individual cars’ strengths and weaknesses.
The J.D. Power Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study (VOSSSM), which is a recognised source of reference for people planning to buy a car, covered more than 100 models, divided into nine categories. Mercedes-Benz took first place among all brands. The C-Class and the CLK topped their respective segments.
Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales and Marketing: “We want to please our customers with our products, but naturallyalso with our customer care and service.It is pleasing to see that we have shown improvement in all areas and in different markets. It is no coincidence that inspiring customer care and quality which can be experienced in all areas are key elements of the Mercedes-Benz brand positioning – and this result confirms our work”.
The latest forecasts from independent market researchers on the topic of resale value round off the positive picture for premium automobile brand Mercedes-Benz, with four models indicating the lowest losses of value in their respective segments. The E-, C-, S- and R-Class thus emerge as the top-value investments in 2010. Mercedes-Benz vehicles are revealed as the most reliable options offering the best value retention overall – an important economic advantage.
The AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine took away two top honors as part of the coveted “International Engine of the Year Awards 2010”: the high-revving naturally aspirated engine developing up to 386 kW/525 hp comfortably took top spot in the “Best Performance Engine” and “Above 4 litres” categories. This is the second year running that the eight-cylinder engine from AMG has beaten off the competition.
Bearing the internal designation M 156, the AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine with its displacement of 6208 cubic centimetres produces between 336 kW (457 hp) and 386 kW (525 hp), develops up to 630 Nm of torque and features in various AMG models, including the C 63 AMG, the E 63 AMG and the SL 63 AMG. The basis for the agile power delivery is the consistent technology transfer from motorsport, which has been an inseparable part of the company philosophy at Mercedes-AMG for over four decades. The verdict of juror Jason Cammisa from Automobile Magazine (USA): “The absolute epitome of a German hot rod V8 engine!” Carl Cunanan, editor of C! Magazine (USA): For its fantastic engine sound alone it deserved first place!”
The great potential of the award-winning AMG V8 is also reflected in its character-packed, powerful evolution: the engine – dubbed the M 159 – for the SLS AMG super sports car is based on the M 156; in the gullwing the AMG high-revving naturally aspirated engine develops 420 kW (571 hp) and delivers maximum torque of 650 Nm. Another outstanding vehicle is the C 63 AMG with Performance Package Plus and maximum output of 358 kW (487 hp). The overhauled features inside the engine are responsible for the increase in output: the forged pistons adopted from the SLS AMG together with new connecting rods and a lightweight crankshaft make the engine three kilograms lighter. The reduced inertia enhances the agility of the eight-cylinder unit, which offers even more exhilarating responsiveness.
Mercedes-AMG beats off established rivals
The “International Engine of the Year Awards” rank among the most prestigious honours in the automotive sector and have been organised by specialist UK publisher, UKIP Media & Events, since 1999. An independent jury of 65 renowned motor journalists from 32 countries chooses the best engines of the year. Following on from the success in 2009, the AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine also managed to beat off prestigious rivals from Germany, Italy, the UK, USA and Japan this year, enabling Mercedes-AMG to demonstrate once again its consummate expertise in developing and producing exhilarating high-performance engines.
Friedrich Eichler, Head of Engine & Powertrain Development at Mercedes-AMG:
“Our renewed success this year in the two categories is testimony to the out-and-out positive test results for the AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine in all the media. The top spots also reflect the great enthusiasm of our customers.”
With no less than 17.2 percent of the votes cast, the SLS AMG left all the other super sports cars trailing in its wake. The win – over 13 competitors from Germany, Italy, Japan, Great Britain, the USA, Sweden and France – underlines just how popular the SLS AMG is amongst the readers.
The very best series-production and performance-tuned vehicles compete against each other on an annual basis in the sport auto readers’ poll; taking part this year were 260 vehicles in 25 categories. A total of 10,000 readers cast their vote. Not only did the super sports car from Mercedes-Benz win over the judges’ hearts – it was also victorious when put to the test. The AMG 6.3-litre V8 front-mid engine with dry sump lubrication and 420 kW (571 hp) plus a torque of 650 newton metres, a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with a transaxle configuration – not to mention its athletic double-wishbone sports suspension – add up to a unique high-tech blend, ensuring driving dynamics of the highest calibre.
These were very much in evidence at the “super test”, too, which is very highly regarded amongst the sport auto readers and industry experts alike: a lap time of 7.40 minutes on the legendary Nordschleife of the Nürburgring is an impressive performance indeed. “Respect! The Mercedes sports brand AMG has put a magnificent machine on the road” was the reaction following sport auto’s “super test”.
Since its world premiere at the 2009 International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt/Main, the SLS AMG has already been showered with lots of major awards:
Mercedes-Benz is among the top car manufacturers in terms of the customer satisfaction offered to motorists, the results of a new survey show.
According to the JD Power and Associates/What Car? 2010 UK Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study, Mercedes-Benz scored 817 points on a 1,000-point scale.
This left it in fourth place out of the manufacturers included in the research and well ahead of the industry average of 789 points.
Meanwhile, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class took top spot in the MPV category, with the C-Class, E-Class and SLK-Class all securing positions in the top 20 in terms of the individual models in which drivers were most satisfied.
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class and CLK-Class were other model ranges to feature prominently in the full results, alongside the smart fortwo.
Martin Volk, senior research manager at JD Power and Associates, said: “Rising to the top of the manufacturer’s ranking in ownership satisfaction requires a concerted customer focused approach throughout the vehicle life cycle, from the product concept stages to servicing customers during the ownership period.”
According to Mercedes-Benz, the B-Class combines impressive versatility with eye catching looks.
The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG picked up a number of top-class awards: after being awarded the AUTO BILD Design Award 2010 for Germany by AUTO BILD readers, the super sports car from Affalterbach then even went on to notch up a double victory in the European-wide vote. Around 200,000 readers of the international editions of the popular specialist publication not only voted it into first place in the coupés and cabriolets category, but at the same time also ranked the new gull-wing model as the overall winner of this car beauty contest. As a result the SLS AMG is now the proud bearer of the title “Europe’s most attractive car”.
While the personal taste of the readers was the sole determining factor for the AUTO BILD Design Award, in the case of the world’s largest technology, sport and lifestyle contest it was the votes of no fewer than 144 independent, renowned specialist journalists and industry experts from 32 different countries which counted. Making their choice from among a selection of outstanding and particularly innovative vehicles, the majority again voted in favour of the SLS AMG and honoured it with the coveted Plus X Award.
With its exciting design and gull-wing doors, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG harks back to that sporting legend of the 1950’s – the 300 SL. The super sports car also dazzles with its exquisite technology which includes such highlights as an aluminium spaceframe body shell, AMG 6.3-litre V8 front mid engine with dry
sump lubrication as well as a 420 kW (571 hp) and 650 Nm of torque, seven-speed double-clutch transmission in a transaxle arrangement and a responsive sports suspension with aluminium double-wishbone axles. This unique high-tech combination helps to guarantee the highest level of driving dynamics.
Numerous coveted awards for the AMG super sports car:
Google and Sony share the top spot in a study of the world’s most reputable companies conducted by Reputation Institute. Disney, BMW, and Daimler round out the top five in a consumer survey that measured the reputations of 600 of the world’s most prominent companies. The study provides a first ever assessment of the global reputation landscape—the companies that are most liked, trusted, and respected by the general public across 24 countries. Data collection was powered by Survey Sampling International.
The study was conducted in two parts. In January 2010, Reputation Institute measured the reputations of the world’s 600 largest companies in their home countries. The highest rated companies in each of 32 countries were then selected as candidates for a second study that also rated the world’s most visible and valuable corporate brands provided they had above average home country reputations. The outcome of the second study was a final roster of 28 global companies that are well regarded at home but that have also successfully exported their reputations around the world.
The World’s Most Reputable Companies
Rank Company (Home Country) Global Reputation Pulse
1 Google (US) 78.62
2 Sony (Japan) 78.47
3 The Walt Disney Company (US) 77.97
4 BMW (Germany) 77.77
5 Daimler/Mercedes-Benz (Germany) 76.83
6 Apple (US) 76.29
7 Nokia (Finland) 76.00
8 IKEA (Sweden) 75.60
9 Volkswagen (Germany) 75.55
10 Intel (US) 75.39
11 Microsoft (US) 74.47
12 Johnson & Johnson (US) 74.12
13 Panasonic (Japan) 73.67
14 Singapore Airlines (Singapore) 73.54
15 Philips Electronics (The Netherlands) 73.31
16 L’Oreal (France) 73.17
17 IBM (US) 73.03
18 Hewlett-Packard (US) 72.67
19 Barilla (Italy) 72.45
20 Nestlé (Switzerland) 72.37
21 Ferrero (Italy) 72.36
22 Samsung Electronics (Korea) 71.62
23 FedEx (US) 70.84
24 Honda Motor (Japan) 70.82
25 The Coca-Cola Company (US) 70.40
26 Carlsberg (Denmark) 70.31
27 Procter & Gamble (US) 70.21
28 UPS (US) 70.07
“Technology has a powerful grip on the global rankings,” says Dr. Charles Fombrun, Chairman of Reputation Institute. “Companies like Google, Sony, Apple, Nokia, Intel, and Microsoft have earned our trust and respect because they are all-pervasive solution-providers that affect our daily lives. Disney’s global mind-share as an entertainment provider is remarkable, as is the admiration with which consumers hold auto-makers BMW and Daimler/Mercedes-Benz. They are power-houses of reputation-building around the world.”
Geographical Highlights
Reputation Institute examined how these companies were perceived across five regions: Asia, Central Europe, Central & South America, North America, and Northern Europe.
Top rated Sony and Google were consistently strong around the world, with Sony scoring among the top five in all regions and Google in four of the five regions. Google did not make it into Asia’s top five.
The rankings within regions are:
• Asia: 1) The Walt Disney Company, 2) Daimler/Mercedes Benz, 3) BMW, 4) Sony, and 5) Singapore Airlines.
• Central Europe: 1) Sony, 2) BMW, 3) Google, 4) Volkswagen, and 5) Daimler/Mercedes-Benz.
• Central & South America: 1) Nestlé, 2) Sony, 3) Google, 4) BMW, and 5) Johnson & Johnson.
• North America: 1) Johnson & Johnson, 2) Google, 3) Nestlé, 4) The Walt Disney Company, and 5) Sony.
• Northern Europe: 1) Google, 2) IKEA, 3) Sony, 4) The Walt Disney Company, and 5) Singapore Airlines.
Reputation, Can You Take it With You?
Most companies can expect to be more liked, trusted, admired and respected in their home countries than around the world. Of the 54 companies measured in the study, only five had a better reputation globally than they enjoy in their home markets: Apple, Ford, Google, Nestlé, and Sony.
According to Kasper Nielsen, Managing Partner of Reputation Institute, “companies often ask us whether we think they can export their home-grown reputations to other countries. Based on this study, the answer is a qualified yes. Some have done it, but most have not fared as well abroad as they could. It clearly suggests that the same communication strategies used in one country will not always succeed in another. In our reputation analyses, we find that what matters most to consumers can vary widely from one country or region to another. But universally it pays off to build reputation. If you improve reputation by 5 points you improve recommendations by 6%. So companies must identify what people are expecting from them so they can identify areas to focus on in order to earn the support of consumers.”
About the Global Reputation Pulse Study
The multinational companies whose reputations were measured across countries include:
Apple (AAPL), AT&T (T), Barilla, BP (BP), BMW (BYMTF, BAMXF, BMW), Carlsberg (CABHF, CABJF), Carrefour (CRERF), Daimler/Mercedes-Benz (DAI), Dell (DELL), FedEx (FDX), Ferrero, Fiat (FIATY), Ford Motor (F), General Electric (GE), Google (GOOG), Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), Hitachi (HIT, HTHIF), Honda Motor (HMC, HNDAF), HSBC Holdings (HBC, HBCYF), Hyundai (HYMLF), IBM (IBM), IKEA, Inditex / Zara (0HAB), ING Group (ING, INGVF), Intel (INTC), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Kraft Foods (KFT), Lenovo (LNVGF, LNVGY), LG (LGLD), L’Oreal (LOL), Marks & Spencer Group (MAKSF, MAKSY), McDonald’s (MDNDF), Microsoft (MSFT), Nestlé (NSRGY, NSRGF), Nissan Motor (NSANF, NSANY), Nokia (NOK), Panasonic (PC, PCRFF), Pepsico (PEP), Petrobras (PZE, PEFGF),Peugeot (PEUGF), Philips Electronics (PHG), Procter & Gamble (PG), Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A, RDS), Samsung Electronics (SSNLF), Singapore Airlines (S55:SGX), Sony (SNE), The Coca-Cola Company (KO), The Walt Disney Company (DIS), Toyota Motor (TM, TOYOF), Unilever (ULVR), UPS (UPS), Vodafone (VOD), and Volkswagen (VLKAF).
In May 2010, consumers were invited to rate these 54 finalists in each of 24 countries: Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, The Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Each respondent rated a maximum of five randomly assigned companies with which they were familiar, using Reputation Institute’s standardized measure of corporate reputation—the Reputation Pulse. A Reputation Pulse score is a measure of corporate reputation calculated by averaging the degree of trust, esteem, admiration, and good feeling people have for a company.
Reputation Pulse scores range from a low of 0 to a high of 100, and scores that differ by more than +/-0.5 are significantly different at the 95% confidence level. Scores are normalized to enable cross-country compilations and comparisons.
Over 181,000 reputation ratings were obtained in this study, and each company received an average of 3,360 ratings across the 24 countries. A total of 28 companies earned global scores above 70 and therefore membership on Reputation Institute’s list of the world’s most reputable companies. They are among a very select set of global companies that have succeeded in building strong positive relationships with a wide range of consumers around the world.
For more detail about the Global Reputation Pulse 2010 study, interested readers can download a top line report by going to www.ReputationInstitute.com.
Around 100,000 readers of AUTO BILD magazine have voted the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Germany’s most attractive car. The super-sports car received the most votes of any newly launched model. Second place in the overall rating was taken by the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet. The Mercedes-Benz F 800 Style emerged as the winner in the “Studies & Concept Cars” category.
For the fifth time, Germany’s largest automobile publication AUTO BILD asked its readers to vote for the most attractive cars. There was a choice of 103 new products in five categories. Overall first place in this top-class automotive beauty pageant was taken by the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. The readers voted the E-Class Cabriolet from Mercedes-Benz into second place. In addition, the AUTO BILD readers considered the Mercedes-Benz F 800 Style to be the visual highlight among the studies and concept cars. Mercedes-Benz Chief Designer Prof. Gorden Wagener: “Our vehicles are self-assured examples of refined sportiness. The SLS AMG, the E-Class Cabriolet and the F 800 Style exhibit the unmistakable style of Mercedes-Benz design, and set design trends for the future.”
Mercedes-Benz also led the field in last year’s vote: in the AUTO BILDDesign Award 2009, the readers gave first place to the E-Class Saloon as Germany’s most attractive car, while the E-Class Coupé was the winner in its category.
car2go today was honored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with its prestigious 2010 EPA Clean Air Excellence Award in the category of Transportation Efficiency Innovations. EPA delegate Thomas Diggs visited car2go in its headquarters in Austin, Texas and conveyed the EPA’s congratulations. car2go will receive the environmental honor officially at the EPA’s Tenth Annual Clean Air Excellence Awards in Washington, D.C. where the EPA annually recognizes outstanding efforts in the progress of achieving cleaner air.
“Innovation and commitment are the keys to environmental progress, and our Clean Air Excellence Award winners are tremendous examples,” said Gina McCarthy, EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation. “As we look to the future, these winners will help lead the way toward cleaner air and a healthier environment.”
“We at car2go are honored to be recognized by the EPA with this great award,” said Nicholas Cole, President and CEO of car2go N.A., LLC. “car2go provides a transportation solution that is not only affordable and reliable, but makes significant progress toward addressing the challenges of urban growth and mobility by providing an environmentally friendly alternative to private vehicle ownership. It complements public transportation by closing the gaps commonly associated with public transit commuting. We look forward to continuing to work toward improving the quality of life in Austin and other rapidly growing cities with our solution to urban mobility.”
The Clean Air Excellence Awards program was established in 2000 at the recommendation of the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee (CAAAC), a senior-level policy committee that advises the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on implementation of the Clean Air Act. The awards program recognizes outstanding individuals and organizations that have undertaken the risks of innovation, served as pioneers in their fields, and improved the environment in the process.
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Sprinter have once more scooped the awards for Best Luxury Car and Best Large Van respectively at the 2010 Fleet World Honors.
Both vehicles retained their awards from 2009, whilst Sprinter now enjoys a three-year reign.
The Best Luxury Car award for the S-Class was presented to Adrian Freeman, regional corporate sales manager for Mercedes-Benz UK at a special ceremony at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall on Tuesday 18 May.
Steve Moody, editor of Fleet World, commented: ‘The luxury sector is about to become even more competitive, but all new entrants have one model to beat, a model that continues to define the very best in corporate motoring and luxury: the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. New more efficient engines have made the line-up even more formidable than ever before.’
Colin Niklas, national corporate sales manager for Mercedes-Benz UK, said: ‘We are delighted that the 2010 Fleet World Honours judging panel has once again awarded the S-Class with the accolade of Best Luxury Car. The S-Class is well recognised as being at the fore front of new technology as well as offering the ultimate in luxurious surroundings, extreme comfort and of course great efficiency.’
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter also delighted the judges, winning the Best Large Van award.
Van Fleet World editor, John Kendall, said: ‘The Sprinter has taken this award for the past few years and now with Euro-5 engines out in the past year, it does much to consolidate the van’s position. The models have much to offer on all counts. The latest Sprinter has a new 2.2-litre common rail diesel with lower emissions and better fuel consumption, while car-like driving characteristics belie the size of the larger models. Not surprisingly, they have become firm fleet favourites.’
Steve Bridge, Mercedes-Benz Vans sales and marketing director, added: ‘The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has held the accolade of Best Large Van since 2008, and we’re thrilled it has retained its title again in 2010. The vehicle has repeatedly set standards by offering the van fleet market low whole life costs, excellent fuel economy and a firm commitment to safety.’
The Best Large Van award was presented to Julia Elkins, senior press officer – commercial vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles from Daimler AG have once again triumphed in the 14th ETM publishing house readers’ poll to find the “Best commercial vehicles of 2010” and the “Best brands”, scoring no fewer than seven first places. This year the winners were selected from 171 candidates by 7,700 participants in the poll, readers of the trade publications lastauto omnibus, trans aktuell and Fernfahrer. The official awards ceremony, held on 18 May at the Residenzschloss in Ludwigsburg, revealed Mercedes-Benz to be the major winner of the event.
“With six wins for best commercial vehicles and one win in the best brand category, the trucks, buses, vans and services offered by Mercedes-Benz have once again demonstrated the leading role they play,” said Andreas Renschler, Member of the Daimler AG Board of Management with responsibility for Daimler Trucks and Daimler Buses. “We are delighted with these awards and would like to thank ETM readers for their active participation in the vote.”
As in previous years, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter came first in the segment “Vans and trucks up to 3.5 t” – giving the Sprinter the title in this category for the fourteenth year in succession and making it the outright winner of every readers’ poll to have been carried out by the Stuttgart-based publisher of trade journals. Equipped with the OM651 diesel engine, the Sprinter meets Euro 5 emissions requirements as standard, and even offers EEV compliance as an option.
The Mercedes-Benz Atego once again took victory in the category “Trucks up to 7.5 t”. The Atego’s strengths include cost effectiveness from low fuel consumption and a sound resale value, high quality including the cockpit, plus outstanding reliability. The spectrum of vehicles available ranges from 6.5 t to 15 t, with increased load capacity up to 16 t gross vehicle weight.
Mercedes-Benz’s flagship truck model, the Actros, achieved a double victory in the 2010 poll. The 2009 Truck of the Year beat off the competition in the category “Long-distance transport”. The Actros was also voted best tipper.
First prize in the “Midicoaches” category this year went to the Mercedes-Benz Tourino. The Mercedes-Benz Tourino midi-touring coach offers seating for 38 passengers, meeting the growing demand for easily manoeuvrable touring coaches used for carrying smaller travel groups. No other midicoach boasts the Tourino’s winning combination of a rear engine and front axle with independent suspension, plus a full range of safety equipment that includes the Electronic Stability Program ESP.
Mercedes-Benz also won with the Citaro in the city bus segment again. The Mercedes-Benz Citaro is one of the all-time bestsellers in the history of regular service buses. Now in its second generation, over 27,000 examples have left the production line since production start-up in 1998. Regular service in all Europe’s major cities and far beyond have helped bring the Citaro international celebrity.
Readers once again voted Mercedes-Benz Charterway the winner in the category “Rental/leasing”. This was the fourth win in succession for the commercial vehicle service provider.
The “Best commercial vehicles of 2009” readers’ poll was organised by the Stuttgart-based publishers of the trade magazines Fernfahrer, lastauto omnibus and trans aktuell in conjunction with engineers from Dekra AG.
The James Beard Foundation and Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) embarked on a multi-year partnership announcing Marea in New York City as the Best New Restaurant in the U.S. at the prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards 2010. Described as the “Oscars” of the food world, the James Beard Foundation Awards bestows the highest honors on chefs and restaurants in America. Owned and operated by chef Michael White and restaurateur Chris Cannon, Marea displays excellence in food, beverage, and service and is expected to have a significant impact on the industry for years to come.
Sharing the same commitment to heritage and excellence makes Mercedes-Benz and the James Beard Foundation a natural fit. As the inventor of the automobile, Mercedes-Benz is synonymous with automotive excellence with a long legacy of advancements in vehicle technology from safety to design.
Under its partnership with the James Beard Foundation, MBUSA is developing a program of activity designed to bring greater value to its customers and celebrate excellence in cooking. Scheduled activities include the offer of a Friend membership to all Mercedes-Benz owners and a $75 James Beard House dining certificate, as well as special promotional offers, such as a 15 percent discount at the James Beard House in New York City during the month of May.
“We’re very pleased to support the James Beard Foundation in recognizing the top chefs and restaurants in the country,” said Stephen Cannon, vice president of marketing for Mercedes-Benz USA. “For well over a century, the Mercedes-Benz brand has brought forward the best of the best in pursuit of delivering to our customers the epitome of the ownership experience. That commitment is mirrored in the dedication and effort these top chefs and restaurants strive for with their own customers.”
“For more than a century, Mercedes-Benz has represented the finest quality and taste around the world,” said Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation. “We are proud to partner with a company that truly appreciates extraordinary American cuisine and emerging talent in the restaurant industry.”
In addition to the announcement of The Best New Restaurant, Mercedes-Benz USA will also support the James Beard Foundation Celebrity Chef Tour, a yearlong series showcasing America’s most innovative culinary talent throughout 22 cities across the US and on the James Beard Foundation’s Chef and Champagne event, an annual tasting that honors a culinary icon and features more than 30 celebrated chefs.
ABOUT THE JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION
Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation is dedicated to celebrating, preserving, and nurturing America’s culinary heritage and diversity in order to elevate the appreciation of our culinary excellence. A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food, James Beard, who died in 1985, was a champion of American cuisine. He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. Today, the Beard Foundation continues in the same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships to culinary schools, and publications, and by maintaining the historic James Beard House in New York City’s Greenwich Village as a “performance space” for visiting chefs.
When it came to choosing “Unser Auto 2010”, the readers of more than 120 regional weekly newspapers in the newly formed German states (which made up East Germany prior to reunification) voted the E-Class the most popular German car. In so doing, they confirmed the result of the polls held by Germany’s leading motoring magazines to canvass opinion at national level.
For the 11th time, the readers of weekly newspapers in Germany’s eastern states were called on to cast their votes for “Unser Auto”, one of the categories being “the most popular German-built car”. The top new models launched in the course of the past year were up for election – from compact small cars to medium-size models and sports cars all the way up to luxurious premium saloons. Among the German participants, it was the E-Class Saloon that took first place. This choice confirmed the result of the polls which leading German motoring magazines, such as auto, motor & sport, ADACmotorwelt, Auto Bild and Auto Zeitung as well as the online service autoscout24, held to canvass opinion at national level and in which the EClass was also voted the winner in a number of categories.
The cup for the victorious EClass was presented to Florian Seidler, Head of Sales Management Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars, by Martin Buhl-Wagner, Managing Director of the Leipzig Trade Fair, on the occasion of the Automobil Messe International (AMI) show. This trophy joins the impressive line-up of major national and international awards which the EClass has already received. A selection of these titles is shown here:
| EClass Awards to April 2010 (selection) | |
| Award | Organiser |
| Our Car | Regional weekly newspapers in the newly formed German states |
| Yellow Angel | ADACmotorwelt |
| Auto Bild Design Award 2009 | Auto Bild |
| Best Car of the Year | auto motor und sport |
| Auto Trophy 2009 | Auto Zeitung |
| Internet Auto Award (Germany) | www.autoscout24.de |
| Sports Car of the Year | Auto Bild Sportscars |
| Top-Auto 2010 | Motor information service |
| EuroCarBody Award 2009 | Automotive Circle International |
| Austria’s “Car of the Year” award | Austrian car, motoring and cycling association |
| Diners Club Magazine Award | Diners Club |
| GOOD DESIGN® Award | Chicago Athenaeum |
| Autocar Road Test Award | Autocar (India) |
| Continental Irish luxury/sports car of the year |
Irish Motoring Writers Association |
| Best Car of the Year | Otohaber (Turkey) |
On the occasion of its annual “Daimler Key Supplier Meeting” on March 18 in Stuttgart, Daimler AG recognized its best suppliers for their contributions with the “Daimler Supplier Award 2009”. During this year’s meeting, 13 companies received awards in various categories, complemented by a special award for innovation.
With the “Daimler Supplier Award”, the company recognizes outstanding performance, which is determined based on a globally effective rating system. The principles of this rating system are defined in Daimler’s supplier cooperation model, the “Daimler Supplier Network”, and comprise the four value drivers quality, cost, logistics, and technology/innovation. Following the guiding idea of “Commitment to Excellence”, the cooperation model, which was first introduced a year ago, emphasizes the idea of a performance-based partnership. Further key elements of Daimler’s cooperation with its suppliers are the values of fairness, reliability, and trust.
Addressing the meeting, Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, underlined the significance of the company’s suppliers. He also emphasised that – after the joint efforts during 2009 – there is good reason for confidence.
“We’ll go for the best or nothing. We’ll demand that of ourselves and of you.“ Dr. Zetsche stated in reference to Daimler’s view on the further development of the cooperation with its partners.
Daimler had again invited its most important suppliers to participate in the conference. The company welcomed about 600 external and internal guests.
On behalf of Daimler’s Board of Management, whose members were all attending the conference, Dr. Zetsche thanked the company’s suppliers for their contributions to jointly master what arguably was the most challenging year the global automotive industry had to face in more than half a century.
Winners of the “Daimler Supplier Award 2009” are:
Daimler Trucks and Buses
Exterior: Polyplex AG, Switzerland
Interior: TAKATA PETRI AG, Japan
Mechatronics: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Japan
Chassis: Kirchhoff Witte GmbH, Germany
Powertrain: ElringKlinger AG, Germany
Mercedes-Benz Cars and Vans
Exterior: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. KG, Germany
Interior: C. Rob. Hammerstein GmbH & Co. KG, Germany
Electrics/Electronics: Kromberg & Schubert GmbH & Co. KG, Germany
Chassis: Willi Elbe Gelenkwellen GmbH & Co. KG, Germany
Powertrain: ThyssenKrupp Gerlach, Germany
International Procurement Services
Construction and Facility Management: Rudolf Fritz GmbH & Co. KG, Germany
IT, General Goods & Services: Computacenter AG & Co. OHG, Germany
Manufacturing Equipment & Services: Fuchs Petrolub AG, Germany
Special Award Innovation
Robert Bosch GmbH, Germany
For the fifth consecutive time the readers of Germany’s leading car magazine ‘auto motor und sport’ have voted for BRABUS as the best and most popular tuning brand.
Almost 100,000 readers participated in the poll that saw an undisputed victory for BRABUS: 49.2 percent of the participants voted for BRABUS as the tuning company that has the products they deemed most appealing, giving the company from Bottrop the title of ‘BEST BRAND 2010’ in the category “Tuning Companies.”
“This fifth emphatic vote for us in a row once more validates the BRABUS philosophy of developing and building fascinating and exclusive high-performance automobiles and tuning components,” says BRABUS CEO Prof. h.c. Bodo Buschmann. “At the same time, being voted the best tuning brand also represents a binding obligation for my team and me to continue to work diligently to meet and exceed the high expectations our fans and customers place on us.”
The E-Class has always taken its place in the ranks of the world’s most popular automobiles. An impressive collection of major national and international awards underlines its exceptional status. Just recently, this public favourite and trendsetter was the recipient of the GOOD DESIGN® Award in the Business category – the oldest award for outstanding product design.
Since its market launch in March 2009, numerous noted national and international institutions and publications have presented highly prestigious awards to the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class. They include e.g. ADAC Motorwelt with the “Yellow Angel” or Auto Bild with the German Design Award. In addition the E-Class family consisting of the Saloon, Estate, Coupé and Cabriolet has won numerous other major awards. For example, during the annual readers’ vote organised by the magazine auto motor und sport, the premium business saloon took first place as “Best Car of the Year” in the upper medium-size category.
The E-Class also notched up many international successes: the Irish Motoring Writers Association voted the E-Class the Continental Irish luxury/sports Car of the Year, the Turkish publication “Otohaber” declared the E-Class to be the Best Car of the Year and in India it won the Road Test Award by the magazine Autocar. The most recent award was from the Chicago Athenaeum – Museum of Architecture – the GOOD DESIGN® Award, which has been presented for almost sixty years and is therefore the world’s oldest design award.
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class particularly impressed motoring juries and readers with its dynamic design, innovative technology, exemplary comfort and excellent economy, as well as an unrivalled combination of driver assistance systems.
The following is a brief selection of the awards received:
| E-Class awards 2009 to January 2010 (selection) | |
| Award | Organiser |
| Yellow Angel | ADAC Motorwelt |
| Auto Bild Design Award 2009 | Auto Bild |
| Best Car of the Year | auto motor und sport |
| Auto Trophy 2009 | Auto Zeitung |
| Internet Auto Award (Germany) | www.autoscout24.de |
| Sportscar of the Year | Auto Bild Sportscars |
| Top-Auto 2010 | Motor information service |
| EuroCarBody Award 2009 | Automotive Circle International |
| Großer Österreichischer Automobilpreis – Austria’s “Car of the Year” award | Austrian car, motoring and cycling association |
| Diners Club Magazine Award | Diners Club |
| GOOD DESIGN® Award | Chicago Athenaeum |
| Autocar Road Test Award | Autocar (India) |
| Continental Irish luxury/sports car of the year | Irish Motoring Writers Association |
| Best Car of the Year | Otohaber (Turkey) |
The renowned Chicago Athenaeum – Museum of Architecture and Design has given three Mercedes-Benz models a singular honour by presenting the E-Class, the E-Class Coupé and the SLR Stirling Moss with the GOOD DESIGN® Award – the oldest award for outstanding product design.
The Chicago Athenaeum – Museum of Architecture has been presenting its international GOOD DESIGN® Award for the world’s most innovative and well-designed products each year since 1950. This year the institution decided to present three Mercedes-Benz models with the GOOD DESIGN® Award – the E-Class, the E-Class Coupé and the SLR Stirling Moss.
In the previous two years, the jury for the GOOD DESIGN® Award also recognised the high design quality of Mercedes-Benz automobiles by presenting the award to the GLK and the C-Class.
The former curator of the Museum of Modern Art, Edgar Kaufmann Jr., founded the Chicago Athenaeum – Museum of Architecture sixty years ago, together with the major modern design pioneers Charles and Ray Eames, Russel Wright, George Nelson and Eero Saarinen.
Mercedes-Benz was among the most successful brands in the readers’ vote for the “Off-roader of the Year 2010” held by the motoring magazine “Off Road”. Within the portfolio the legendary G-Class was even able to notch up a double success: it won first place in the “Luxury off-roader” category, while the special EDITION.PUR model, which entered production in 2009 to mark the 30th anniversary of the G-Class, took second place in the “Classic” category. The M-Class achieved the same ranking in the “Luxury SUV” category. In the “Special-purpose vehicle” category, the multi-talented Unimog once again took its place on the winner’s rostrum.
These awards make the G-Class one of the most popular and highly acclaimed models in the world of off-road vehicles, as a look at the major awards received in recent years reveals. For the seventh time, the readers of “Off Road” have awarded the title of “Off-roader of the Year” to the G-Class, following its successes in 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. In its 2007 and 2009 readers’ votes, the off-road magazine “4Wheel Fun” declared the “G” to be the “Superstar”. Following its successes in 2003 and 2007, the readers of “Motor Klassik” once again voted the Mercedes-Benz G-Class the “Classic of the Future” last year. And no less than 14 times, readers of the motoring magazine “auto motor und sport” have voted the G-Class the world’s best off-road vehicle. In the special-purpose vehicle segment – off-road vehicles used to carry loads and cargo into remote areas, or used as a basis for special-purpose bodies – the Unimog clearly leads the field, with particular praise for its outstanding off-road capabilities combined with extreme robustness.
A full range: the current G-Class
The current 463-series “G” family has three body variants. The short wheelbase Station Wagon, the long wheelbase Station Wagon or the Cabriolet can be combined either with the economical V6 CDI engine developing 165 kW (224 hp) and 540 newton metres, or a powerful 5.5-litre V8 petrol engine with 285 kW (388 hp) and 530 newton metres. The top-of-the-range G 55 AMG, which is available only as a four-door Station Wagon, is powered by a supercharged V8 engine generating 373 kW (507 hp) and an impressive maximum torque of 700 newton metres. The G-Class continues to offer an outstanding synthesis of powerful drive and dynamic handling systems. In addition to permanent all-wheel drive with an off-road reduction range and the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission, standard equipment includes the electronically controlled traction system 4ETS, the Electronic Stability Program ESP® and three differential locks that can be engaged at the touch of a button.
The special EDITION.PUR model, which has received an award in the “Classic” category, entered production in 2009 to mark the 30th birthday of the G-Class and is based on the G 280 CDI from the G 461 series. This long wheelbase Station Wagon is homage to the first-generation G-Model, and like its ancestor it is specially optimised for operation in the very toughest off-road conditions.
The trendsetter: Mercedes-Benz M-Class
As a trendsetter among today’s SUVs, the M-Class owes its exceptional status to its characteristically dynamic and elegant design, as well as to a combination of excellent on-road/off-road performance, the ride and operating comfort of a saloon car and a high level of perceived value. Moreover, the M-Class has safety features that are unrivalled anywhere in the SUV segment. These outstanding attributes were duly rewarded by the readers of the motoring magazine “Off Road”.