Mercedes-Benz coupled the sales release of the new CLA Coupé with an emotively appealing film you can see here- https://youtu.be/J6tgrZEAinQ The five-minute film tells a story of youth and adulthood, of fitting in and non-conformity. In a fictitious inner dialogue a young adult looks back at the dreams and desires of their younger self. “Play by your rules.” is, appropriately, also the slogan for the new CLA Coupé. Beyond the campaign itself the Mercedes-Benz brand wants to encourage people to follow their inner voice and do the important things in life in their own individual way.

The stills are from CG Watkins. The fashion photographer, who lives in Paris, is highly influenced by skateboarding and music subculture and is characterised by his progressive style of photography. He has worked for renowned international magazines such as i-D, Dazed & Confused and brands such as Kenzo, Nike and Adidas.

“A unique car for extraordinary people – this is how we see and present the new CLA Coupé. The film speaks the language of a young, confident target group which is true to itself”, says Bettina Fetzer, Director Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. “We are concentrating more on entertainment than classical advertising here. The film is bold and emotional, without taking itself too seriously.”

CLA drivers are seen as individualists. Creativity, aesthetic expression and the sense of being in control of their own life is of the utmost importance to them.

The stills are from CG Watkins. The fashion photographer, who lives in Paris, is highly influenced by skateboarding and music subculture and is characterised by his progressive style of photography. He has worked for renowned international magazines such as i-D, Dazed & Confused and brands such as Kenzo, Nike and Adidas.

The star in lead: New Instagram filter exclusively for the CLA campaign

As the first automotive brand, Mercedes-Benz virtually offers to enter an imaginary CLA world and design it according to its own rules with the Instagram Augmented Reality (AR) Filter #PlayByYourRules created for the CLA campaign. The filter is inspired by the typical neon lights of the Japanese metropolis Tokyo, the location for the photo production of the CLA Campaigns print ads. #PlayByYourRules invites fans of the star brand and social media users to become part of the campaign and enjoy trying different filter variations. The only requirement is to follow the Mercedes-Benz Instagram account @mercedesbenz and select the AR filter in your own filter tray.

The film was directed by François Rousselet. He is currently one of the most creative minds behind music videos and advertising films. Rousselet has worked with stars including Kanye West, Madonna, Depeche Mode, Snoop Dogg, Pharrell and Jack White. He has received MTV Music Awards and World Music Awards.

The stills are from CG Watkins. The fashion photographer, who lives in Paris, is highly influenced by skateboarding and music subculture and is characterised by his progressive style of photography. He has worked for renowned international magazines such as i-D, Dazed & Confused and brands such as Kenzo, Nike and Adidas.

Credits: the idea, conception and implementation of the film were by antoni_garage, the European creative lead agency for Mercedes-Benz.

The new CLA Coupé: The new Mercedes-Benz CLA Coupé combines sporty and emotive beauty with highly intelligent technology. Alongside its unique look, this design masterpiece features the next level of the Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) with the Interior Assistant, plus many individualisation options.

They love anything out of the ordinary, so the new Mercedes-Benz CLA Coupé is the perfect car for them: not only is it a very emotively appealing vehicle; it is also highly intelligent. From MBUX Interior Assist, which recognises operational demands from gestures and equips the interior with intelligence, through augmented reality for navigation and understanding indirect voice commands to the ENERGIZING COACH that provides individual fitness recommendations, the new CLA offers an array of clever solutions which make life easier. There are also ingenious details when it comes to the aerodynamics and functions for the Intelligent Drive driving assistance package. The design underlines the coupé character with its stretched form and elements such as the bonnet with powerdomes or the rear licence plate which has been moved down. As such it does justice to its predecessor’s status as a design icon. Prices begin at 31,475.50^[1] euros for the CLA 180 with 100 kW (136 hp), 200 Nm and a six-speed manual transmission (combined fuel consumption: 5.7-5.5 l/100 km; combined CO₂ emissions: 130-125 g/km^)[2]. Deliveries will commence in May 2019.

Whether city traffic, twisting country roads, steep gravel tracks, or muddy forests: the X-Class with powerful six-cylinder engine, 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission, and 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive impresses with its outstanding dynamism, assertiveness, and stylish appearance. The new X 350 d 4MATIC flagship model (combined fuel consumption: 9.0-8.8 l/100 km, combined CO2emissions: 236-230 g/km)1 develops 190 kW (258 hp) and a peak torque of 550 Nm. The tough performance pickup completes the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds. Permanent all-wheel drive ensures high levels of driving stability and handling dynamics both on and off the road – even on wet and wintry asphalt. A choice of engine and transmission response levels, from comfortable to sporty, is at the driver’s fingertips. The X 350 d 4MATIC therefore offers the perfect blend of sportiness and practicality – for an agile life packed with variety. Since July 2018, the top-of-the-range model can be ordered with the PROGRESSIVE and POWER equipment lines in Europe. In Germany, prices for the X 350 d 4MATIC start at 53 360 euros (incl. 19 percent VAT). In addition, there are two EDITION models available: PROGRESSIVE EDITION (47 490 euros incl. 19 percent VAT) and POWER EDITION (53 490 euros incl. 19 percent VAT).

For many people, the theme of “digital transformation” conjures up a vague feeling somewhere between fascination and uncertainty. Fascination because digital technologies can drastically simplify complex activities, find amazing solutions and offer unique opportunities. Uncertainty because futuristic visions of complete automation seem to leave little room for human individuality and our ability to act.

“At Mercedes-Benz we are convinced that the digital transformation can only be designed successfully if it is deeply anchored within society. Humans and access to data must be at the heart of a digital transformation,” says Jasmin Eichler, Head of Research Future Technologies at Daimler AG. “That is why we are also working on solutions in the field of digitalisation which place the freedom, decision-making autonomy and individuality of human beings at their centre. We aim to create a balance between humans and technology. The approach we are following here is “Human first”.”

Because there are diverse issues around digital transformation, Mercedes-Benz is basing its endeavours on “open innovation”. Stakeholders from all different industries – business, research, art, industry or biology – are brought together for shared research purposes. The results are projects which consider the future of mobility from new perspectives and which produce exceptional problem-solving approaches. Mercedes-Benz presented some of these collaborative projects at the FutureInsight event in Berlin.

A future with autonomous vehicles

How do we establish trust between humans and machines? Autonomous driving is going to be an integral part of our future. When it comes to this topic, Mercedes-Benz regards empathy and trust as central factors for the success and acceptance of the transformation. The concept of “informed trust” takes on great importance here: “People need to be able to quickly and reliably gauge what an autonomous vehicle is going to do next. The vehicle must therefore provide information about its intentions in a way that people can grasp immediately and intuitively,” says Alexander Mankowsky, a futurologist at Daimler. Based on this information, the person needs to be able to decide what they are going to do and how they are going to respond to the situation. Among other innovations at FutureInsight, for this purpose Mercedes-Benz introduced concepts for a “cooperative vehicle”. Projects with external providers demonstrate further possibilities for how future autonomous vehicles could communicate and work together with their surroundings.

The cooperative vehicle – know intuitively what the car intends to do

The cooperative vehicle, based on an S-Class, features 360-degree light signalling. Turquoise light strips in the windscreen, the radiator grille, the headlamps, the exterior mirrors and the lower area of the windows indicate to pedestrians and surrounding traffic that the vehicle is operating in autonomous mode. Lamps on the roof provide information about the next actions that the vehicle is going to perform. Slow flashing means that the vehicle is braking. A stationary light shows that the vehicle is in autonomous driving mode, regardless whether it is driving or at a standstill. The lights on the roof also follow the movements of people at the side of the road and in front of the vehicle to signal that the vehicle is aware of their presence. In doing so, the cooperative vehicle recreates the natural eye contact that would have taken place between the driver and pedestrians. Rapid flashing indicates that it is about to move off.

The cooperative S-Class also informs its surroundings that it is about to enter into operation while it is still at the side of the road. The light strips around the vehicle emit an appropriate light signal. The exterior mirrors fold out and first the rear of the vehicle lifts up followed by the front. These movements resemble a living thing that is waking up and stretching. People can understand this communication intuitively.

Study shows pedestrians wish for 360-degree communication in turquoise

360-degree light signalling is particularly important when it comes to keeping pedestrians informed. This finding is the result of several light studies that Mercedes-Benz has conducted at its test facility in Sindelfingen, as well as at the recently opened site in Immendingen under the direction of Stefanie Faas from Daimler’s Innowerkstatt (innovation workshop). The research looked at how pedestrians react to different signaling autonomous vehicles in various traffic situations. It became clear that light signalling has a strong effect on the acceptance of autonomous driving vehicles, as well as on how safe pedestrians feel. In particular, people wish for light signalling in situations where there was before interaction with the driver. For example, people are used to seeking eye contact with a driver when they wished to cross the road. If light signalling is communicating that a vehicle is in the autonomous driving mode, pedestrians can feel safe even if the vehicle occupants are obviously not paying attention to what is happening in traffic. The majority of participants in the study preferred turquoise as the signalling colour. All participants favoured a 360-degree display. Mercedes-Benz is also contributing the results of the study on the theme of “autonomous driving” to SAE International, an international organisation dedicated to advancing mobility technology. There Mercedes-Benz recommends the use of turquoise, a colour which, up to this point, has not been used in the automotive sector to enable 360° signalling.

Visions of the future: the vehicle body as a means of communication

Going beyond the studies and the light signalling demonstrated based on the cooperative vehicle, Mercedes-Benz is already concerning itself with longer-range visions, which are intended to enable “informed trust” between humans and machines. Informed trust contrasts with blind trust and demands a certain knowledge of the object. Here the entire outer skin of the vehicle becomes a communication medium for 360-degree communication. The conventional body is transformed into a “digital exterior”.

Mercedes-Benz showed a first step in this direction back in 2015 with the F015 research vehicle. Among other features, this has a digital grille, which can be used as a communication medium. A year later the Vision Van, an electrically powered van with integral delivery drones for transporting parcels over the last mile, picked up on this motif. This is fitted with digital LED grilles at the front and rear, which the vehicle can use to warn traffic behind, for example, with messages such as “Vehicle stopping”. In 2018 the Vision URBANETIC, a mobility concept for on-demand, efficient and sustainable mobility, took this design further. The concept comprising an autonomous drive platform with interchangeable modules for transporting cargo and passengers can communicate with its surroundings by means of “digital shadowing” on the body. For example, the shadow of a pedestrian will be displayed when the vehicle’s 360-degree sensors perceive someone nearby. Due to this interaction, the pedestrian can feel confident that the vehicle has detected them and can act accordingly. Building on these innovations, Mercedes-Benz is now working on other solutions that provide vehicle occupants and passers-by with the same information about the vehicle’s perceptions and subsequent actions. In addition, the vehicle occupants should be able to decide what the vehicle communicates outwardly. This creates a cocooning effect inside the vehicle so that the vehicle feels like a protected space for its passengers.

Groove – interaction via reactive surfaces

The “Groove” project – a collaboration between Mercedes-Benz and the designers at Studio 7.5 in Berlin – is exploring the communicative potential of reactive surfaces. There is also a focus on collaboration between humans and autonomous vehicles. They developed a mobile, manoeuvrable membrane, which perceives its environment and responds to it in a similar way to a sea anemone. The aim of the project is to use these modes of expression to communicate an autonomous system’s processes and intentions to its surroundings. This should improve the interaction between humans and machine.

Polygon – different dimensions of informed trust based on animations

In collaboration with Japanese animation studio Polygon Pictures, Mercedes-Benz has designed animations of different scenarios in which autonomous vehicles could build informed trust with humans. The basic idea when designing animes is that a lot of emotion is expressed in a few strokes. The key issue that this project concerns itself with is therefore: How can these basic principles be used for intuitive communication between human and machine?

Answers are provided by, among other scenarios, the “AICAR” which shows an autonomous vehicle as an animated character. In addition to light signalling which informs of situations such as stopping, moving off or turning, the vehicle has various communication features that can express emotions.

Eye contact is the central focal point of a second scenario. Studies have shown that people intuitively seek eye contact with autonomous vehicles. In order to leverage this behaviour for active interaction between human and machine, Polygon Pictures has created a stylised eye design for autonomous vehicles. This makes it possible to present actions that the vehicle is about to perform and allows people to intuitively grasp what is going on.

A third scenario known as “AIMY” approaches the same topic in a somewhat more abstract way. Here the vehicle communicates with its environment via a target pointer. This target pointer consists of optical signals such as crosses or rays, which announce actions such as turning, accelerating or braking.

“See like a pony” – using the sensory system of animals as a model

The “SLAP – See like a pony” project orchestrated by Sabine Engelhardt from the Future Technologies division at Daimler AG is looking at the interaction between human and machine from a very unusual perspective. She is figuring out how ponies perceive their surroundings and drawing conclusions from that to assist with communication between people and autonomous cars. This approach first originated from Stanford professor Clifford Nass. In one of his lectures the sociologist compared autonomous cars to domestic animals: Their behaviour is predictable to a certain extent but there are, however, also actions which even humans cannot predict. Furthermore, communication between humans and animals chiefly involves body language – similar to the way in which it could take place between humans and machines. At the same time, neither animals nor machines can 100 percent predict and understand human actions. With the help of cameras, “SLAP” puts the researchers in the position to see the world from a pony’s perspective and in that way allows them to learn how they behave with humans. A familiar example is that horses show attention by the direction of their ears. This knowledge of attention helps considerably when interacting with the animals. The findings gleaned from that can be transferred to the design and technology of self-driving cars whereby their sensory attention can be made externally visible and can therefore be comprehended.

Maya Ganesh – the ethics of autonomous vehicles

Researcher and author Maya Ganesh is considering the topic of empathy in the context of the mobility of the future from the meta-perspective. She engages with the ethics of autonomous vehicles. In her lecture “Insight on Ethics; Society & AI” she discusses different aspects of ethics in the interaction between human and machine. Among other issues, she addresses the question of whether an autonomous vehicle can really be regarded as “autonomous”, i.e. whether it can really be understood as a “being” that has intelligence, consciousness, sensory perception and free will. At the same time she asks why people assume that all intelligence must be based on human intelligence, which is itself an arbitrary and changeable benchmark, and whether it is meaningful to apply human standards to the appraisal of machines. Based on these issues, she makes arguments for reclassifying the relationships between humans and machines – whether they be hybrids, cyborgs or robots – and as a consequence thereof for a re-evaluation of the ethical standards that apply to their interaction.

Since 1979 the G-Class has been the Mercedes-Benz SUV icon. Its unique DNA is stronger than time; is unimpressed by short-lived fashion trends it remains true to its roots. This also holds true for the new G-Class. In the international 360-degree campaign for the world premiere and market launch, Mercedes-Benz presents the new G-Class as a ground-breaking legend in off-road performance. Beyond this, the G also shows its on-road strengths and presents its enduring, timeless design. The motto of the campaign is accordingly “Stronger Than Time”. With this campaign, Mercedes-Benz makes it possible for customers and fans to enter the fascinating world of this iconic off-road vehicle and discover why the G-Class has been enthralling people around the globe for almost 40 years.

Making Of: Snapshot with a young viewer during the photo production. With the world’s largest installation made of synthetic resin, Mercedes-Benz will focus on the world premiere of the new G-Class on 14 January 2018 at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. Copyright Daimler AG, photo by: Hans Starck

Making Of: Snapshot with a young viewer during the photo production. With the world’s largest installation made of synthetic resin, Mercedes-Benz will focus on the world premiere of the new G-Class on 14 January 2018 at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. Copyright Daimler AG, photo by: Hans Starck

Like the online communication, the print campaign with its different image worlds shows that the G-Class is an icon for more than just one lifeworld. Thus, intense, metallic blue tones embody a modern and cool-puristic urbanity in the motifs of the “Blue Night” world of life. The impressions are enhanced by reflective lights of the evening city in a rainy night.

The campaign “Stronger Than Time” shows in a modern way the unmistakable DNA and timelessness of the G-Class. In classic print media, the G-Class will appear with impressive pictures from 15 January 2018.

Image worlds of off-road capability, design and on-road performance, and take on natural elements such as rock and lava formations, and water, which are like the G-class “stronger than time”. The tonality of the campaign reflects the character of the off-road legend: strong messages in impressive picture worlds.

The global campaign “Stronger Than Time” starts on January 15, 2018 with the eponymous web special at www.mercedes-benz.com. In the field of campaign mechanics, it relies above all on digital media and social networks.

“The iconic car is our oldest series and has developed from a pure off-road vehicle to an icon of the postmodern world of life. He is simply stronger than time and stands confidently over every fashion trend “, said Dr. Gunnar Güthenke, Head of Mercedes-Benz Product Division G-Wagon.

The global campaign “Stronger Than Time” is accompanied by impressive motifs in the classic media. Impressive pictures and films show the product highlights of the new G-Class online and offline.

Image worlds of off-road capability, design and on-road performance, and take on natural elements such as rock and lava formations, and water, which are like the G-class “stronger than time”.

In classic print media, the G-Class will appear with impressive picturesfrom 15 January 2018 . Here is an ad motif from the “Green Lava” world.

The themes off-road capability, design and on-road performance pick up natural elements, such as rock and lava formations, and water, which, like the G-Class, are “stronger than time”. Here is an ad motif from the “Green Lava” world.

With the campaign, Mercedes-Benz is taking customers and fans to the fascinating worlds of the iconic all-terrain vehicle and showing why the G-Class has thrilled people for almost 40 years. Here is an ad motif from the “Amber Rock” lifeworld.

The tonality of the campaign reflects the character of the off-road legends: strong messages in impressive visual worlds. Here is an ad motif from the “Amber Rock” world.

Mercedes-Benz makes living environments come alive with powerful images that radiate self-confidence and sovereignty. Thus, intense, metallic blue tones embody a modern and cool-puristic urbanity in the motifs of the “Blue Night” world of life. The impressions are enhanced by reflective lights of the evening city in a rainy night.

Mercedes-Benz makes living environments come alive with strong images that radiate self-confidence and sovereignty. Thus, intense, metallic blue tones embody a modern and cool-puristic urbanity in the motifs of the “Blue Night” world of life. The impressions are enhanced by reflective lights of the evening city in a rainy night.

“How do you stage the presentation of a new edition of a legend? We have found a compelling answer to that question with the campaign ‘Stronger Than Time’. It demonstrates in an up-to-date manner the unmistakable DNA and the timelessness of the G‑Class: strong, self-assured and serenely superior”, said Dr Gunnar Güthenke, Head of the Off-Road Vehicle product unit at Mercedes-Benz. “In its impressive history, this iconic vehicle has evolved from a pure off-roader to an icon of the postmodern world. It is quite simply stronger than time and is souvereign above every fashion trend.”

At the center of the digitally dominated campaign with its central hub at https://www.mercedes-benz.com/strongerthantime you will find three lifestyles: “Amber Rock”, “Green Lava” and “Blue Night”.

With 35 campaign motifs and a 2:45‑minute video with three cut-offs, Mercedes-Benz showcases the lifestyles with powerful images, radiating self-assurance and supreme mastery. Rich, metallic blue tones embody a modern, cool purist urbanity in the motifs of the “Blue Night” lifestyle. These impressions are intensified by the reflected lights of the city at dusk on a rainy night.

Mercedes-Benz accompanied the world premiere of the new G-Class on 14 January 2018 at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit with the world’s largest installation in synthetic resin. An amber-coloured block of synthetic resin weighing 44.4 tonnes encloses a G‑Class from the first year of production, 1979 – as an expressive image of the off-road legend’s timelessness. The presentation establishes an association with insects preserved in amber. The DNA of the first G‑Class is permanently preserved this way and passed on from generation to generation. Following the Detroit Motor Show, the block will also be on show in other markets to tie in with the G‑Class market launch.

Milestones and superlatives of a legend – the web special

Since November 2017 people all over the world have been able to discover the uniqueness of the G-Class on social media platforms and at https://www.mercedes-benz.com/strongerthantime. Under the hashtag #strongerthantime you can become part of the campaign yourself. Selected stories are told in the web special “Stronger Than Time”, which is embedded in the G‑Class portal. The “DNA of the G‑Class” feature provides interesting facts from around 40 years of the G‑Class. Under “The new G‑Class” you can experience the new G in all its facets. The column informs about the improved off-road and onroad performance as well as the timeless design of the all-terrain vehicle. The chapter “Strong Stories” tells the unique and varied stories of the old and new G‑C lass.

Iconic life worlds – moving images and print motifs

The 45-second trailer for the publicity campaign has been available on social media platforms since early January: https://youtu.be/QtkhrTeh1Sg. In impressive images, underscored by dramatic music, the video shows how the G‑C lass has kept its unique DNA intact over generations. This is how a timeless vehicle evolved from it to become a legend over the years. In the official campaign video, which can also be seen on social media channels at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iGFH5HbWGM, the different lifeworlds are focused on in individual image sequences.

In the classic printed media the G-Class is to be shown in impressive images as of 15 January 2018. As in the online communication, the printed media campaign with its varied imagery shows that the G‑Class is an icon for more than one life world. “Amber Rock”, “Green Lava” and “Blue Night”: the imagery relating to off-road capability, design and onroad performance incorporates natural elements such as rock and lava formations, as well as water which – like the G‑Class – are “stronger than time”. The tonality of the campaign reflects the character of the off-road legend: powerful messages in impressive visual worlds.

The idea and conception of the campaign is from Mercedes-Benz creative agency antoni. The elbkind agency was responsible for implementing the social media campaign.

The S-Class, the flagship of the Mercedes-Benz brand, has throughout its long, prestigious history always been a technological pioneer in the automotive sector. Once again, the new generation of the luxury saloon combines ground-breaking technologies with unparalleled ride comfort. The focus of the global campaign “Feel Intelligent Drive” is on the unique interaction between various comfort systems. In the driving mode, air-conditioning, fragrance, light, music and seat massage can be adapted to the current mood at the push of a button, thus increasing well-being. The video function can be activated in stand-by mode and contributes additionally to the relaxation. “ENERGIZING comfort control” is the name of the latest achievement of the S-Class. How convincing this feature is in action is shown by the film “Leon”, which will be available to view on social media from October 15. In humorous scenes, it shows how even a bad-tempered “business lion” is tamed into a gently purring kitten by the new comfort control. The ENERGIZING comfort control is available since September 2017 at the price of 238 Euro*.

“The campaign tracks the reorientation of Mercedes-Benz as a brand of “human-centered innovation” that consistently focuses on people and their needs,” says Natanael Sijanta, Head of Marketing Communications at Mercedes-Benz Cars. “No other vehicle in the luxury class is currently as intelligent as the new S-Class. With “Feel Intelligent Drive”, we show in an entertaining and humorous way how the latest, intelligent technologies perfectly match the needs of driver and front passenger.”

In the film about the new S-Class, a lion stands as a metaphor for an alpha animal from the world of business. We see the boss of a young company, who is having anything but a successful day. He suffers a series of minor mishaps that put him in an increasingly bad temper. Stressed out and in anything but a good mood, he climbs into the new S-Class at the end of a long working day. There, he experiences the effect of the ENERGIZING comfort control features. The press of a button is all it takes, the lion’s bad mood vanishes and he relaxes. He sets out on a journey through the night, at the end of which he arrives home in the best of moods. The stress of the day has vanished – thanks to the personalised wellness experience on board the S-Class.

In the film about the new S-Class, a lion serves as a metaphor for an alpha animal from the world of business.

“The campaign tracks the reorientation of Mercedes-Benz as a brand of “human-centered innovation” that consistently focuses on people and their needs,” says Natanael Sijanta, Head of Marketing Communications at Mercedes-Benz Cars.

“No other vehicle in the luxury class is currently as intelligent as the new S-Class. With “Feel Intelligent Drive”, we show in an entertaining and humorous way how the latest, intelligent technologies perfectly match the needs of driver and front passenger”, says Natanael Sijanta, Head of Marketing Communications at Mercedes-Benz Cars.

The stress of the day has vanished – thanks to the personalised wellness experience on board the S-Class.

The press of a button is all it takes, the lion’s bad mood vanishes and he relaxes.

His day is far from successful. He suffers a series of minor mishaps that put him in an increasingly bad temper.

n humorous scenes, it shows how even a bad-tempered “business lion” is tamed into a gently purring kitten by the new comfort control.

The new Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupe certainly has all the makings of a seriously lairy car – take one svelte two-door C-Class body and replace the humdrum four/six-cylinder heart with a stonking biturbo V8 that sends all its prodigious power to the rear wheels.

But don’t take our word for it – let AMG CEO Tobias Moers show you by drifting the über sports coupé around the Ascari circuit in Spain in a new video, which you can watch above. Most German businessmen are as dour as they come, but not this one – the “sportiest C-Class of all time” is driven extremely sideways by Moers, the V8 emitting some scintillating growls in the process.

As mentioned, power comes from a 4.0 litre twin-turbocharged V8 that delivers 476 PS from 5,500 to 6,250 rpm and 650 Nm from 1,750 to 4,500 rpm. Those who find those output numbers piffling can opt for the C 63 S, which boosts power up to 510 PS and torque to a heady 700 Nm. Mated to an AMG Speedshift MCT seven-speed automatic gearbox, it sprints to 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds.

To keep all that power on the road, the C 63 Coupe comes with completely revised suspension with AMG Ride Control adaptive dampers, wider tyres, broader front and rear track and a standard-fit mechanical limited-slip differential (electronic on the S), all necessitating the broader haunches that give the car its menacing look and presence.

Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Coupé (C 205) 2015

On 5 February 2017, when the American football final will be held in Houston, Texas, billions of people around the world are beckend to their TV screens, Mercedes-Benz will once again be present with a film. “Easy Driver” pays homage to a series of legends: true to the original of the cult film from 1969 no one else except its main actor and Mercedes fan Peter Fonda and the song “Born to be wild” by the band Steppenwolf were eligible. Directed by Oscar-winning duo Joel and Ethan Coen, the film unites the legendary actor with the new Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster*. Together they rediscover the sense of freedom and adventure that Fonda used to experience on his motorbike trips across the vast American plains. The Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster allows the driver to sense the closeness of the road and the sound of its 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine at its most extreme. It’s a sports car that is “Built to be wild”.

“Times have changed, and not just for Peter Fonda. ‘Easy Driver’ aims to show that that intensive feeling of freedom is absolutely compatible with our GT Roadster, without losing any of the fascination of those earlier days. The film is also a classic example of how well the cooperation between our international agencies works”, says Dr Jens Thiemer, Vice President Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars.

Tobias Moers, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH, adds: “The film is a really successful media kick-off into our 50th company anniversary. We are delighted that the new Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster is going to be playing a major role at this year’s US-American football final. Freedom and adventure are the perfect fit for a car that provides the most intensive way ever to experience true Driving Performance.”

The film shows how a group of hardcore bikers, still clinging on to the old dream of freedom on two wheels, have to learn just how much times have changed. The tough bikers are having a good time in a run-down bar on the legendary Route 66. As their anthem, “Born to be wild” plays non-stop in the background, anything goes when it comes to winning the arm-wrestling contest. A whole “wall of fame” is devoted to their hero, Peter Fonda. High spirits prevail. The good mood ends abruptly when the bikers notice that their bikes have been blocked in by a new Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster. The viewer gets a sense that trouble is looming for the car and its driver. But when he does suddenly appear, he leaves the tough guys wondering whether perhaps, after all, it’s time to re-do their tattoos. Of all people it is Peter Fonda, himself an icon of the motorbike world, who demonstrates the modern-day version of how to live the “American Dream” with a roar of his engine and smoke from his tyres. The idea and script for the film “Easy Driver” stem from Mercedes-Benz’s lead agency in Europe, antoni. Realisation of the concept was done together with Merkley+Partners, the agency responsible for Mercedes-Benz in North America. Together they were able to secure Joel and Ethan Coen (“Fargo”, “The Big Lebowski”, “No Country for Old Men”) to direct. The Oscar award-winners added numerous ideas of their own to the original script, along with their own special humour. Filming, with a cast selected by the legendary Coen brothers themselves, took place not far from Los Angeles.

Mercedes-Benz has previously been represented at the American football final, with films in 2011, 2013 and 2015. The new aspect this year is the unique global collaboration between the German agency and the U.S. agency in the realisation of the spot on behalf of Mercedes and AMG. “Easy Driver” is also one of an extremely small number of commercials ever to have been directed by the Coen brothers. The launch of the film is being flanked by trailers and further social media content produced by the agencies antoni (Germany), Merkley+Partners (USA) and the US digital agency R/GA. The film can be seen for the first time at http://mb4.me/easydriver.

In the second episode Uke invites Etienne Gardé from Rocket Beans TV to play Forza Motorsport 6 on Microsoft Xbox One. For a genuine racing experience they’re sitting inside the cars they’re playing in the game. And the winner is…

As part of the Mercedes-Benz Style Profiles series, X-Games winner and BMX pro rider Dennis Enarson enters a style battle with Team USA Taekwondo Olympic Bronze medallist Paige McPherson. In the fictional short film directed by Ace Norton, Dennis plays a failing BMX champion who is doing cereal commercials to stay afloat. But a supernatural encounter in his Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe puts him back on track and lets him reclaim his former class and glory. Or is it all just a dream?

Mercedes-Benz GLE

Mercedes-Benz announces its Autumn/Winter 2016 Fashion Campaign and Film, showing the new SL, shot by American photographer Jeff Bark. The campaign features Russian supermodel Natasha Poly and latex works by Japanese designer Atsuko Kudo.

Mercedes-Benz announces its Autumn/Winter 2016 Fashion Campaign and Film, showing the new SL, shot by American photographer Jeff Bark. The campaign features Russian supermodel Natasha Poly and latex works by Japanese designer Atsuko Kudo.

The campaign, Obsession with an Icon, puts the new SLs’ distinctive design in the spotlight, highlighting its sinuous lines and sensual curves in precise detail by wrapping the car in latex. The car is photographed alongside Natasha Poly, who wears matching body-hugging latex.

The campaign was shot in Miami, Florida by American photographer Jeff Bark, who’s feted for his high-octane use of colour and a pop-edged, hyper-realistic style. Bark was already aware of designer Atsuko Kudo’s latex work, having shot it for a number of fashion stories. “For me, my photography is only about light and colour, so in this case I wanted to light the car to emphasize its form and three-dimensional qualities, but having the latex as a second skin so you could see the lines of the car in a new way.” he explains. For Bark, the project was about pushing boundaries. “What’s so appealing about working with Mercedes-Benz is that each campaign is very different; they always try to make something you haven’t seen before,” he says. “An icon has to be an obsession for more than just the person who is in love with it; one of the things about Mercedes-Benz is that it’s universally loved.”

Alongside the SL, the star of the show in matching peacock-blue skintight latex is Natasha Poly, one of the world’s most recognizable faces. “I’m very proud and honoured to have become a member of this amazing family at Mercedes-Benz and to do this beautiful campaign, introducing this iconic car,” she says. “I feel very powerful in this dress, like a superhero. I feel very strong and sexy at the same time.”

The latex work is by Atsuko Kudo, the Japanese-born, London-based designer who’s world-renowned for her ingenious work with the fabric, and whose hand-made pieces have been worn by the likes of Beyoncé, Kate Moss and Lady Gaga. When Kudo was approached by Mercedes-Benz to take part in the fashion campaign of the new Mercedes-Benz SL she immediately saw a synergy between the car and her designs. “They are so similar- both are sexy, curvaceous and super shiny,” she says. The car was wrapped in 130 square meters of custom-made latex produced from five separate sheets that were meticulously glued and polished by hand. The result is a campaign that seamlessly combines a daring and innovative concept with an accomplished technical feat.

“Like no other model, the SL embodies the myth of Mercedes-Benz. Just think of the legendary 300 SL or the Pagoda– everlasting vehicles. Icons such as the SL are timeless and redefine themselves through innovative design over and over again and they often polarize”, said Dr Jens Thiemer, Vice President Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. “These characteristics were successfully carried out for our new fashion campaign with the SL.”

Bark chose to shoot the campaign in a working quarry, selected not only for its monumental proportions but also for the rugged contrast it offered with the SL’s sleek lines. “I wanted somewhere that would enhance the beauty of the car, though in this case that wasn’t very hard to do as the car is already so beautiful! That is why I wanted to put it in an environment that maybe wasn’t so beautiful to make it stand out.”

Both the film and Fashion Campaign were produced as part of the International Fashion Engagement for Mercedes-Benz. For the Autumn/Winter 2016 season and to coincide with the international catwalk collections, the theme is Obsession with an Icon in reference to the iconic Mercedes-Benz SL.

Concept of the Fashion Film

The film begins panning down onto the SL leaving frame; sounds of its engine revving are heard. The noise of the engine wakes Natasha. In a panic she notices that the car is not under the latex cover and flushes with anger. As she enters her surveillance centre she realizes the car is driving through the grounds. She breaks into a jealous rage and makes her way to the car park. She finds the car covered in latex and signs of relief washes over her as she realizes that the car is safe and she is close to the thing she is obsessed with the most

The only thing greater than their new vehicle is their friendship: From now on Charlie Brown and Snoopy will be travelling in a Mercedes-Benz V-Class. Mercedes-Benz Vans is taking on the co-promotion of “The Peanuts Movie”, the popular comic characters’ first 3D film to hit cinemas, and is accompanying the premiere with a 360-degree marketing campaign in Europe.

“We are delighted to accompany the new Peanuts movie with our V-Class. We believe the V-Class perfectly matches this entertaining film for young and old alike. Especially families value the high level of safety as well as the comfortable spaciousness combined with dynamic design”, says Nicolai Berger, Head of Marketing Communication and Product Information Mercedes-Benz Vans.
Co-promotional activities in 15 European markets anticipate the movie.

The core element of the 360-degree marketing campaign is the elaborately produced V-Class commercial “Join Snoopy’s biggest ride”. In this commercial, Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the other Peanuts embark on a journey in their V-Class.

Another highlight is “The Peanuts Movie Tour” organised by the film production company 20th Century Fox. The tour will take place all over Germany, starting in Rostock and Luebeck on 27 November. A V-Class with exclusive Peanuts stickers will accompany the tour.

The V-Class – Snoopy and his friends’ biggest fan.

“We want to cut short the time until the official film premiere for Peanuts fans both young and old with the TV commercial and our other numerous promotional activities”, says Nicolai Berger.

Whatever you think or thought about the Mercedes C-Class. And I bet it wasn’t very nice. You can unload because they’ve redone this car in a major way.  Here’s what a CNet test driver had to say on his most recent test drive of the Mercedes-Benz C400.

The C-Class used to print small and kind of affordable. Now it prints a lot of presence. And begs the question, did you just get a big raise? The front end is longer. The rear end is short and tidy and in the middle, it’s a whole lot of S class flourishes. The vehicle’s four inches longer over all. Half of that went to rear seat leg room by the way. LED headlamps up front, those are standard. A trend we’re starting to see on mid market cars as of 2014. The big panel roof up top that’s not standard but I’d spend the money. It’s big and very nice. A C400 with all wheel drive is pushing 50 delivered. We’re gonna add 2,700 for multimedia. That gives you navigation, camera, bigger screen. You want all that. HUD is nearly $1,000. We’ll check that out in a moment. The airmatic adaptive suspension brings a lot of agility to this car, for $1,200.

2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Nearly 3,000 for adaptive cruise. It’ll stop and go. Lane centering. Sensing for forward cross traffic alerts. That’s interesting. And active blind spot check. And a great, big, panoramic roof is 1500. all, in, we’re about 58 five.

Now in here is where you really do a double-take. This is a C class? This is kind of an S class, beautiful cabin. I love this kind of waterfall console design they’re using now, and the ergo for the way your hand hits it, really comfortable and nice. All these C’s are going to have a floating LCD up here. This is the larger one with nav. A smaller one is based. They all unfortunately have this big, thick, horsey bezel around it. If it weren’t for that, it would really appear to float in mid-air. What a shame. It’s controlled by the knob down here, we’ve seen before. But this is standard nav. A touchpad that also has a click function. You can use it for all kinds of pinch and zoom. Moving back and forth just about any natural gesture you want. Also there are at least three and sometimes five ways to do almost anything in this car. Like look at a radio station, find a station, select media, enter a destination. They got too many layers going on but you will find something you like. Please say the house number. Voice command is optional, by the way. Generally though, very good and very fast. HD Radio’s handled unusually well, surfacing all the stations at once and not making you dig. And notice the Burmester Audio, previously a mega-dollar option, is actually standard on the C400. I was surprised by that.

These are all automatic transmission cars. You have this little dainty shifter over here, in current Mercedes style. And down here you’ve got your agility control, which give you a lotta drive modes, from eco to comfort to sport to sport plus to an individual setting where you call the parameters. Very much reminiscent of Audi drive select. And, of course, you’ve got the now almost ubiquitous paddles on the wheel. The forward collision tech won’t stop the car, but partial brake. The blind spot and lane keeping tech are very much interweaved, giving you either a vibration warning, or moving the car back into the lane or out of the way of other cars, it can also sense cars that are overtaking you and predict if they’re going to be a problem. Now inside our Alabama born and bred C400 is a German engine. A three liter V six with a turbo on each side and the numbers are really good. 329 horsepower, 354 pound feet of torque. I like that kind of ratio. All the C’s have 7-speed automatics. Our 4Matic means all wheel drive. Zero to 60 in Sport Plus Mode is well under five seconds. MPG is okay, considering the performance. 21 city, 29 highway. You bet it kills them they couldn’t crack 30.

First off Let me tell you a little story about an engine, one that I’m in love with. This little V-6 is great. It’s silky, it’s liquid. The power is right there, tight when you want it. This is a great motor. The transmission is a class below it. Not a bad gear box but it’s not up to the engine in some of the fast shift modes. I find this car very tossable and handle-able, even though it’s not an AMG. It’s not in that BMW tenseness, though. It’s always a comfortable car. The head-up display is good, but not quite perfect. It gives you speed and either compass or nav. I would like to also see a drive mode. Sport, comfort, whatever. And a gear position indicator in there. That’d be really handy. The quality of the rendering is really good. But the execution is a little blurry. And the windshield seems kinda wobbly. As you move your head around, the thing changes shape. And gets distorted. That’s not good. In sum, this is the most I’ve enjoyed driving a non-AMG Mercedes in years.  It’s light, bright and precise.

One of approximately forty-five 1962 Mercedes-Benz 300 d, Robert and Janet Eng’s “Mercedes Adenauer” is certainly one of the best restored of the original fleet. With an appreciation for the care required to refurbish a family heirloom, JG Francis from Mercedes Motoring helped to bring the “Adenauer” out of its post in the Eng family’s garage, and back out onto the streets where it belongs. Today, the couple has little respite from the throngs of classic car fanatics eager to buy the immaculately restored vehicle.

Ever since the day Robert Eng took the “Adenauer” Mercedes home as a present for his wife Janet, this car has been an important part of the family. The Engs have lived in Los Angeles since the 1930s, they know the city inside out and have always relied on their “Adenauer” as a loyal companion for their excursions through the Californian countryside.

The Engs always dreamed of reawakening the car to new life, dusting it off, washing it and making it shine in its erstwhile splendour. As Calvin Eng reminisces: “It required a bit more effort than anyone was prepared to invest”. The car had not been driven since the 1970s, although it was still loved – more as a relic of bygone joys than as an adventure that was waiting to begin. Protected against the elements though, it did remain intact during the decades leading up to its restoration.

In 1957, when the Mercedes-Benz 300 was introduced bearing the internal designation 300 d, it was a leader in its class and today, over half a century later, it is still a symbol of luxury. Built for a long useful life and an example for the durability of classic cars, the so-called “Adenauer Mercedes” was considered one of the most prestigious and elegant models of its time.
The Mercedes-Benz 300 “Adenauer-Mercedes“.
In its last production year, 1962, only forty-six 300 d cars were built, and the Engs’ saloon is now possibly one of the best-restored models.

.G. Francis, proprietor of Mercedes Motoring, helped to get the family heirloom from its location in the Engs’ garage back onto the road. He worked with care and dedication on the restoration of the Mercedes-Benz 300 d, even after the repair of the interior showed itself to be far more demanding that he had imagined at first. As so much work went into the car, Robert and Janet Eng are now overwhelmed by numerous enthusiastic classic car fans who want to buy the impeccably restored vehicle. One particularly noteworthy fact: the “Adenauer Mercedes” today runs with the same parts it had in 1962 – and thanks to the painstaking, careful restoration, runs at least as well as it did back then.

October 21 is Back to the Future day and in honor of this important holiday, Mercedes-Benz released a few video spots. While we may still need roads, Mercedes is seeing to it that our car will do the driving for us. Hover boards are on their way and the Cubs might just pull it off as predicted in the movie.

Back to the Future

The Mercedes-AMG mission is simple: fulfill the dreams of performance enthusiasts in every dimension. Do you feel the Mercedes-AMG spirit?

[Fuel consumption combined: 17.0-7.3 l/100km | CO2 emission: 397-162 g/km]

AutoExpress took a trip to Goodwood, the UK’s fastest flowing track, to test out some seriously hot Mercedes-AMG models and see if we could review them all in only four minutes.

First up was the Mercedes C 63 S Estate. A C-Class is a great choice for a family with a dog, but how does it do as a performance car? Well, with 504bhp and 650Nm of torque it can reach 62mph in a pretty impressive 4.1 seconds.

The C-Class might look like a hefty estate but AMG has managed to transform it into a complete hooligan with all that power going to the rear wheels. You’d better get your kids to hold on tight if you’ve got one of these as a daily runabout. What else did you expect though really, when the C 63 has pinched the 4.0-litre V8 twin turbo engine from the AMG GT S?

Mercedes C 63 S Estate

The GT S has power and torque figures to match the C 63 but 0-62mph takes just 3.8 seconds and it has a whopping top speed of 193 miles an hour. You could look at this car all day, it’s an absolute stunner. Press the big start button and the engine fires into life. This thing changes gear in a heartbeat and absoloutely flies round the track.

Next was the CLS 63 AMG S Shooting Brake with 577bhp and 900Nm of Torque. Its top speed of 143mph and 0-62mph time of 4.1 seconds are pretty tasty too.

CLS 63 AMG S Shooting Brake

It’s spacious, comfortable and well built. You get the high-class executive feel you expect from a Mercedes-Benz, with the options such as black ash trimmed leather seats and ambient lighting. And if you thought the C 63 was big, the CLS is a step up the scale again.

Well, they do say bigger is better, and this is certainly bigger. Even though the CLS 63 is one of the heaviest cars here, its still got some incredible pace! And it just throws itself into the corners too.

S63 AMG Coupe

The S63 AMG Coupe has the same power and same torque as the CLS 63 AMG S shooting brake, and the 0-62mph times and top speeds aren’t that different either. And that’s because they both use that monstrous V8 5.5-litre engine.

The big difference is the weight though. Mercedes might have made this lighter than the previous performance S-Class model, but masses of top spec kit on board means it’s still heavier than the other cars we tested.

AMG GT S

It costs an eyewatering £125,000, but for that you get an interior of complete luxury. Don’t think Mercedes has turned down performance in any way though.

So there you go, that’s four hot Mercs, with a combined 2,158bhp which would cost almost £360,000. But when it comes to weight, handling and power they set a hard target for rivals to live up to.

Mercedes-Benz is using an exceptional campaign to show the benefits of its Plug-In Hybrid technology. Both the C 350 e and the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Team’s current F1 car embody the headline ‘Success has two sides. More electricity. Less fuel. ‘Both the racing car and the series model are the product of ground-breaking, new technologies. The campaign shows how Mercedes-Benz brings innovative hybrid technology from the race track to the street so everyone can experience it.

Mercedes-Benz

The international campaign consists of six print motifs and a TV commercial. In the print motifs, the C 350 e presents itself far away from the city on forgotten streets which run through a prohibited area. The streets are rough and dusty – the perfect testing ground for hybrid technology. Here, the benefits of the C 350 e come to the fore: efficient, dynamic and comfortable. Extreme perspectives bring the benefits to the fore in the motifs. The print campaign will run until September 30th, 2015.

The C 350 e, the second Plug-In Hybrid model that Mercedes-Benz is introducing after the S-Class, convinces with its exceptional dynamism and efficiency. The vehicle allows up to 31 kilometres of electric and thus locally emission-free driving. Its four-cylinder petrol engine, in conjunction with a powerful electric motor, gives it a total system output of 205 kW (279 hp) with a system torque of 600 Nm. The new C 350 e thus delivers the performance of a sports car while offering a certified consumption of just 2.1 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres in both its saloon and estate variants.

Powerful with Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton

The TV commercial shows a dynamic drive from the driver’s perspective through tight corners and long straights. A second vehicle keeps appearing. The viewer sees an exciting neck-and-neck race. At the end of the drive, we see both cars stopped in front of a parking garage. A voice-over says ‘The two best driver’s in the world…’. One of the drivers sticks his arm out and up in an attempt to pull the ticket. We recognize Lewis Hamilton. He’s sitting in his F1 car in front of the barrier. Nico Rosberg is beside him at the second barrier in the C 350 e. He clearly has the advantage and confidently takes out the ticket, puts on his winner’s smile and disappears into the dark parking garage. But Hamilton doesn’t give up. He quickly closes his visor, accelerates and drives underneath the barrier. The voice-over adds ‘…and one winner: hybrid technology by Mercedes-Benz.’

One of the most amazing road machines of all time, Mercedes-built the Mercedes-Benz 600 Kompressor without regard to cost.  It was the best of everything.

On this episode of Head 2 Head, Jonny Lieberman travels out to the wilds of the Anza Borrego desert with the goal of figuring out which small, sporty, pricey, German SUV is best: the Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG or the Porsche Macan Turbo. But it’s not the off-road trails that Jonny’s interested in – the AMG may very well be allergic to dirt – but rather the serpentine road that climbs up, and then up some more. These two may look like SUVs, but they’re much closer to sports cars. Packing 400-horsepower, will the Porsche’s 45-horsepower advantage beat out the smaller, lighter, and still plenty powerful, GLA45? Or will the jacked-up red hatchback from Affalterbach put a beat-down on a genuine Porsche Turbo?

There’s only one way to find out!

2015 GLA45 AMG

Auto Theft Fail: See what happens when a thief tries repeatedly to steal a new Mercedes-Benz with the aide of a brick.