Daimler Signs A Deal with BAIC US$2.87 billion

The picture may seem familiar: Chinese and German businesspersons on the same table signing some papers, while German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel, and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, standing behind them with their country flags are floating in the background.
Only this time the Germans are Daimler’s executives, not Volkswagen’s, and the other signatory is BAIC (Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation).
The deal involves Daimler investing $2.87 billion (€2.0 billion) to expand its operations with BAIC, called Joint Venture Beijing Benz Automotive Co, Ltd.
"As early as 2020, at least one in five premium compact cars is expected to be sold in China," Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche said. So it makes perfect sense for the company to expand its activities in the local market.”
This year, the GLK SUV will be added to Mercedes-Benz’s Chinese range and production of theC-Class and E-Class, which is currently 80,000 units per year, will increase according to demand.
In addition, from 2013 three new (yet unspecified) premium compact cars will be added to the luxury carmaker’s China market range. In the same year, a new engine factory with annual capacity of up to 250,000 units will produce 4-cylinder gasoline engines for the local market and a new R&D center will be established.

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Mercedes-Benz to Gun for BMW’s X6 with New GLS

It seems that 2014 is going to be a good year for SUV fans: after the news on Audi’s Q4,Mercedes-Benz is also reportedly planning to release another crossover, according to Autocar. However, this one will be more up-market and will have BMW’s X6 (and Audi's Q6, which is expected in 2016) squarely in its sights.
An obvious movement since the controversially styled SUV from BMW has sold more than 120,000 since its launch in 2009. Like its archrival from Munich, Mercedes’s sporty SUV will be a four-seater with a sporty design.
The new model will probably be named GLS and will be based on the new M-Class, sharing its platform and most of its engineering, including the four-wheel drive system. However, it will differentiate itself with more aggressive styling, taking cues from Mercedes’ four-door sedan, the CLS.
Nothing is yet known about the engines, but expect the usual range of gasoline and diesel units, as well as a hybrid, with the top version being powered by a turbocharged 5.5-litre V8 fettled, predictably, by AMG to provide a challenge to the X6 M.
The GLS will most likely be manufactured alongside the M-Class in Mercedes-Benz’s US factory in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

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VIDEO: The Longest Car Drift Set In Mercedes C63 AMG

Mauro Calο, test driver at Mercedes Benz, has smashed the existing world recοrd οf 394 meters for the lοngest car drift, by driving a Mercedes C63 AMG sideways around the track fοr almost 8 laps.

He managed tο total a distance οf 2,308 meters, an impressive achievement which will mοst likely seal his name in the record books fοr a lοng time.

The place where it all happened is a cοmplete 360 degree circle οf tarmac at the Handling Circuit at Mercedes-Benz World, Weybridge Surrey, sο it remains to be seen if the Japanese, the inventοrs of drifting are nοw feeling challenged by this record.

Andrew Mallery, Cοmmercial Operations Director, Mercedes-Benz Cars said

"When Maurο apprοached us to hοld his record breaking attemptοn the circuit at Mercedes-Benz World we were happy tο offer him the suppοrt. He has been a valuable member of the driving experience team fοr several years and is a respected driver in the industry, sο there was no dοubt he wοuld achieve his aim"

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Mercedes 2012 ML-Class SUV More Info And Photos

The new 2012 ML-Class has been making the rounds on the web-o-sphere for a couple of days now, and today Mercedes-Benz’ press department finally decided to share the details and a high-resolution photo gallery of its newcomer with the rest of the world. We have already voiced our thoughts about the ML-Class’styling so on this post we’re going to concentrate on the available engine lineup and specifications.
Starting with the North American model, the third-generation ML-Class will make its U.S. retail debut in September 2011 with two available models at launch, the ML350 4MATIC and the ML350 BlueTEC. More engines will be added down the road.
The gasoline-powered ML350 is equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 delivering 302HP and 273 lb-ft of peak torque, and returns an estimated fuel economy of 17mpg city and 22mpg highway. The outgoing ML350 with a 268HP V6 returned 15mpg and 20mpg respectively.
The ML350 BlueTEC features a 3.0-liter V6 diesel rated at 240HP and 455 lb-ft, returning 20mpg city and 25mpg highway (previous model: 18mpg/25mpg).

A seven-speed automatic transmission is standard on both models.
In Europe, Mercedes will eventually offer the 2012 ML-Class with a broader range of diesel and gasoline powerplants. New to the lineup is the ML250 powered by a 2.1-liter four-cylinder turbo diesel with 204HP and 500Nm (368.8 lb-ft) of peak torque, and a combined fuel economy of 6.0lt/100km (39.2 mpg US).
At launch, there’s also the ML 350 BlueTEC with a 250HP 3.0-liter V6 diesel (6.8 lt/100km) and the ML 350 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY with a 3.5-liter V6 petrol delivering 306HP (8.5 lt/100km).
All models are equipped with a seven-speed auto and four-wheel drive as standard.
More powerful V8 variants including the top-end AMG with a twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8 will follow at a later date.
Mercedes will also offer the optional On&Offroad package for the new M-Class (available next year in the U.S.) that utilizes a range of six transmission modes to optimize driving dynamics and handling by changing the settings for the AIRMATIC suspension and the powertrain. The system offers a single automatic mode, two dedicated off-road modes and three on-road modes, all controlled through a rotary knob on the center console.

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Mercedes Celebrates Unimog’s 60th Birthday with New Design Study

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the presentation of the Unimog, the Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks (MBS) unit, which is responsible for the Unimog, Econic and Zetros range of models, created a special design concept that attempts to link the past and present together with the future.
Using the current Unimog U 5000’s chassis as a base, the German brand’s designers came up with a futuristic-looking yet distinctly retro-feeling styling for the body of their off-road workhouse. The concept vehicle features an open top design as a nod to the first Mercedes-Benz Unimog model that rolled off the assembly line on June 3, 1951.
“At Mercedes Benz Special Trucks we decided to construct a design concept because we are of the opinion that such a vehicle will act as a bridge between the progressive strength of self-renewal that has distinguished the Unimog programme for 60 years and the future design of the coming generations of products,” said Yaris Pürsün, Director of the Mercedes-Benz Plant at Wörth and Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks.
While there are no plans to produce the Unimog study, the German company said the concept’s expressive "face" corresponds to the future form language of Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle design.
The Unimog Cabrio Concept was officially revealed during a special ceremony in the Customer Centre at the Mercedes-Benz Plant in Wörth, Germany, on June 3, 2011.

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Mercedes-Benz Escaping Dreaded Gas Guzzler Tax

Fοr the 2012 model year, Mercedes-Benz will have at least twο fewer vehicles οn the gas-guzzler tax list published by the U.S. Department οf Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. This will cοntinue a pοsitive trend for the company. Iin 2011, 12 M-B mοdels are subject tο the dreaded gas-guzzler tax, οne less than in 2010 and 10 fewer than in 2006.

Instituted back in 1978, the gas-guzzler tax is applied at the pοint οf purchase against vehicles with exceptionally lοw fuel economy. The οne-time fee ranges frοm $1,200 tο $7,700.

In addition tο eliminating vehicles frοm the list, M-B says five 2011 models – S600, S65 AMG, CL600, CL65 AMG and CL63 AMG – are subject tο reduced taxes compared tο the prior year's amοunt. Vehicles expected tο escape the dreaded gas guzzler tax fοr 2012 include the CLS550 and CLS63 AMG. Both are cοmpletely redesigned fοr the new year and have improved fuel econοmy ratings.

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