Mercedes Benz was said to embrace rich media, and they are doing it by beginning to enhance their Web Sites. This is in line with their goal of making their sites more “customer-friendly” and the sales process to be clearer and more efficient. Mercedes Benz is up for site rennovation—their entire line up of sites that range from Internet branding sites to local dealership offereings—they will be relaunching their sites with a new format. This is a welcome change especially since they have not touched or improved on their internet marketing since 18 years now.

“Over the last few years, the Internet has evolved into one of the most important sales channels for the automotive industry,” Dr. Klaus Maier, executive vice president of Mercedes Benz Cars said in an interview. “The new sites were therefore developed in close cooperation with our colleagues from the sales units in a manner that focuses more on sales processes, which also makes them more customer-friendly.”

The company’s power to showcase an emotionally rich customer experience through 360 degree views, a 3D configurator, movies and advertising campaigns will definitely help them boost not only sales but their reputation in marketing. This initiative is attainable due to the availability of fast broadband connections. This rich media will act as a virtual showroom experience for interested patrons. Mercedes Benz definitely gunned it as a manufacturer this time, reaching out to the people and making them feel very important.

A study showing that photos and videos appeal more to internet users than heavy texts confirms that Mercedes Benz has indeed made the right move. The reconstructed sites however are not yet available in the US, but is now active in Germany.

Source: Bizreport.com

Only young at the age of 10 years, Mercedes Benz Alabama has already reached a milestone as its 1-millionth unit is expected to roll off the production line today in Vance.

The remarkable vehicle is the ML350, a sport utility that only took weeks to build. It was right on schedule as its body has been painted last Wednesday, and to the assembly line last Monday. Proud parents is what the plant employees have become that day, as the ML350 is soon to leave the plant. This is according to Mercedes Benz Alabama spokeswoman Felyicia Jerald in an interview conducted by The Birmingham News. The 1-millionth vehicle is said to be donated to a charity instead of putting it to the market. What better way to be thankful for reaching the millionth mark, than to give back to the people? Mercedes Benz really know how its done.

Earlier in February of 2007, Mercedes Benz celebrated a decade of creating quality cars for the people. They commemorated as the first customer vehicle M-Class rolled off the production line—and now they are celebrating the 1-millionth car. Time certainly flew for the company, but with sweet and meaningful memories of carmaking too.

The arrival of the first M-Class car gave a poignant turn for luxury car-like sport utilities in the automotive industry. As a matter of fact, the original M-Class was one of the first cars to be designed from the ground up, compared to the usual way which is based on an existing truck platform already, according to The Birmingham News. From this innovation, the R-Class crossover and the GL-Class full-size sport utility joined the line up of Mercedes Benz in its $1 billion something assembly plant, located at Tuscaloosa. We only have good words for Mercedes Alabama such as keep up the good work, as we will definitely be around to see them reach their second millionth.

Source: The Birmingham News

It has been confirmed: there will be no Mercedes-Fiat tie-up to expect in the near future. The German-established maker of luxury cars has ended their talks with the Italian Fiat. The two carmakers were supposed to establish a union to create a new fleet of small cars. But according to a report by Edmunds and Inside Line, Mercedes Benz saw that the cost advantages for their tie-up with Fiat were too slim. This decision came after Mercedes Benz studied what the Mercedes A and B-Class models would look like when fused with the future models of Fiat Punto and Bravo.

“The Italians produce small cars at a greater cost than we do,” a senior Mercedes Benz manager commented in the said article. Just as well, it has been surmised that Mercedes Benz and Fiat differ greatly in their carmaking techniques and philosophies in quality. This could also be a major reason as to why the partnership never saw its beginning.

According to Edmund’s, the move was a part of the cost-cutting CORE program that was instigated by Chairman Dieter Zetsche. For some time now, the German carmaker is openly looking for a partner to share the costs of developing a successor to its entry-level A-Class line. The company has had its hopes for Fiat’s expertise in the small-car segment to bring a major boost in efficiency, but as the news states today, they failed to do so.

Hence, the automotive industry is quite on the egde of its seat as there is a possibility for Mercedes Benz to talk with its long-time nemesis BMW, for a possible cooperation. This hypothesis is all the more hyped up since both BMW and Mercedes have been looking for partners to help reduce the cost in making small cars. Will this tie-up be happening anytime soon? We shall see.

Source:  Edmunds.com

As carmakers continue to develop cars, emission is one problem that they have been trying to solve along with their progression. But, with varied types of cars and varied type of emission standards, it is not surprising that carmakers would soon want solid, harmonized emissions standards. Mercedes Benz is one of them. The world-class German automaker is now calling upon the authorities to make global emissions standards harmonized, as well as test cycles and fuel quality.

According to a report done by roadtransport.com, Mercedes Benz head of the truck division Andreas Renschler explained the painful tasks that their trucks go through in order to be sold. Since Mercedes Benz creates trucks and then sells them in a global automotive market, this means that they would have to comply with different sets of emissions standards. “The current system doesn’t make engine development easy,” Renschler was quoted saying in the report. ”We need uniform standards to allow us to use economies of scale.”

At the same time, Renschler is also calling out to European governments for a European-wide tax breaks for firms that were prepared to invest in Hybrid trucks, just like in Japan. “It would be a medium-term signal to our customers, and society as a whole would benefit,” Renschler said.

But these sentiments do not go for the truck division alone. They are also shared by Mercedes Benz UK commercial vehicles MD Ian Jones. For him, governments need to “give us a clear steer on where to invest”. He said this, meaning he wants to clarify the situation in terms of what the fuel of the future will be. “Everybody is nervous about spending zillions on a fuel that could be wiped out with the scratch of a pen,” he said in the same interview. “Why aren’t governments prepared to help reduce CO2?”

Source: roadtransport.com 

One of the most-coveted production models of Mercedes Benz is here. Fans are excitedly waiting for the 2009 CLC Sport Coupe, and when World car fans got a spy shot leaked all through the internet, people now know that is only a matter of time until the German carmaker unleashes its new tiger.

The C-Class 2-door is now given a badge as the “CLC Sport Coupe”, and is now ready to battle it out with BMW’s 1-Series in the arena of luxury sports cars. According to the report, Mercedes Benz made only minimal changes to the Sport Coupe. The car is still the new C-Class at heart. It echoes the same features that the new C-Class has, especially the front fascia. The interiors were said to be the same as well, because this way the Sport Coupe will be more affordable in the market. Some notable changes under the hood are to be expected though. For instance, the Sport Coupe will be using a powerful V6 powerplant. The specs are not up yet but this car will surely fare well once it is ready to come out in the market.

While many critics found the Sport Coupe to be a bit of a disappointment, many also fear that BMW might make a more interesting counter-attack. With the lack of fresh and new sellable innovations that the CLC Sport Coupe is expected to have, BMW might just make their fleet of 1-Series more interesting. Nevertheless, a Mercedes is still a Mercedes. Its power and excellence can never be outdone. Needless to say, let the people see for themselves first before judgment day comes.

With an excellent turn-out for the 2007 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Berlin, the company is now ready to do more for 2008. The Mercedes Benz fashion week has already been considered as one of the top international fashion events. This will greatly help for January’s event since they no longer need to establish the fashion event, but just make it full of surprises courtesy of famous designers and the fresh young ones.

The fashion event has made a huge impact on the German carmaker’s image as a title sponsor for the most fashionable events. This is reason enough for Mercedes Benz to continue on and make their fashion week a yearly gathering of trend-setters and fans.

“Elegance and styling have always played a key role in the success of the Mercedes Benz brand,” Vice President for Brand Communications, Dr. Olaf Göttgens said in a statement released by Daimler. “The Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Berlin establishes even stronger ties between our brand and the world of fashion. We are proud once again in 2008 to present in Berlin a fashion event of international standing.”

Starting on January 27 to the 31st next year, the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Berlin will be showcasing works from top international and German designers like Marcel Ostertag, Strenesse and Unrath & Strano. These acclaimed designers will be using the fashion event as their platform to show their collections as fashion enthusiasts are expected to gather in Berlin Postbanhof. Renowned designers from PUMA will be flaunting their new stuff as well in a trunk show which will be held in side locations.

The 2007 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Berlin heightened the carmaker’s stance as a title endorser. If one must remember, they are also the sponsors for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week New York, one of the four awaited-for fashion events in the world. Bringing this fashion flair in Berlin will surely not be so difficult, as their spectators will surely remain loyal.

Car manufacturers are always coming up with the newest and most technologically advanced vehicle, often competing on what the future of cars will be. In the Los Angeles Design Challenge, held for the fourth time in the 2007 L.A. Auto Show, Mercedes Benz presented another impressive automotive vision. According to reports, this vehicle can “take on the form of a fast highway cruiser, quickly metamorphose into a compact city car, or become a roomy one-seater or economical two-seater.”

It is the SilverFlow’s magnetic control elements which makes this happen. SilverFlow is a futuristic study by Mercedes-Benz that requires only seconds to configure the car.

The Mercedes-Benz SilverFlow is one of the participants of the Los Angeles
Design Challenge to create the “Robocar 2057″, which says to combine vehicle technology and artificial intelligence. A total of eight car design studios were present. It took the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Center of North America in Irvine, California, headed by Gorden Wagener to envision 50 years into the future before getting the idea for the silver and gold Vision SilverFlow car.

Reminiscent of racing cars of the 1930s, the SilverFlow is composed of billions of microscopically tiny metallic particles, formed into variable but stable configurations by magnetic fields. This will make it easier for the driver to adapt the vehicle in various forms. Its “one-seater highway configuration is aerodynamic, while the city version is short and spacious.”

With just a press of a button, the car can easily change forms. Parking is no longer a worry for motorists, for the intelligent control system will disassemble the vehicle’s structure as the ferro-magnetic particles are turned into a small, space-saving configuration. Motorists also don’t have to worry about dents and paint damages thanks to the flexible metallic particles.

Although the Mercedes-Benz SilverFlow remains in the drawing board, it proves that the future is the way to go for car manufacturers. Peter Pfeiffer, Senior Vice President Mercedes-Benz Design: “The Los Angeles Design Challenge is certainly a creative challenge with this futuristic concept. The SilverFlow reflects our successful motor sports history, while boldly suggesting innovative solutions for the individual mobility of coming generations.”

Source: http://www.duemotori.com/news/auto_news/20362_Los_Angeles_Design_Challenge_The_Mercedes-Benz_SilverFlow_can_take_on_a_wide_variety_of_forms.php

Mercedes-Benz has created an integrated marketing campaign for the launch of the new C-Class station wagon in the market on December 1, 2007. According to Due Motori, the campaign will include various communication activities across all media channels. It is also structured to help in the sales launch of the new Mercedes-Benz station wagon.

The report also said that the new station wagon will be shown on a stage, as the “star” of a modern opera in all forms of media. In order to highlight the great presence and agility of the new model, an opera theme was chosen.

“In a manner similar to the approach used with the launch of the new C-Class sedan, Mercedes-Benz is seeking to motivate existing and potential customers to experience the station wagon’s outstanding features for themselves,” says Dr. Olaf Göttgens, Vice President Brand Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars. “Along with proven traditional communication instruments, we will once again also be focusing strongly on various forms of hands-on experience with the vehicle and online communication. Measures here include exclusive driving events, a Mobile Marketing Special, and communication via innovative platforms such as Mercedes-Benz TV and FLOADED.”

The print campaign started in November 14, 2007, featuring three different ads and will be shown in high-circulation magazines and later on, in daily newspapers. The ad will show the C-Class station wagon at the center of the stage, flanked by a curtain and background scenery. An example of the message featured in an ad design is, “Act 2: A grandiose driving experience in every curve.”

The theme for the 30 or 45 seconds TV commercial will be “The Battle Against the Wind.” In the commercial, the C-Class station wagon will be depicted as battling the wind and later on becomes victorious. A storm will then rage into it, sending bolts of lightning. The C-Class will then swerve to avoid the lightning and impressively shows its agility.

For more information, visit: http://www.duemotori.com/news/auto_news/20273_Mercedes-Benz_Launches_Marketing_Campaign_for_New_C-Class_Station_Wagon.php

Channel News Asia recently reported that the design team of Mercedes-Benz has come to Singapore to showcase its past, present and future designs.

Dubbed as “Design With A Heritage,” the presentation will give attendants a look on the work that makes Mercedes-Benz what it is today.

The presentation will also displays the evolution of the vehicle and will take a sneak peek on future concepts and design as the open house keep the philosophy of “A Mercedes-Benz always looks like a Mercedes-Benz.”

Some lucky Nanyang Academy Fine Arts (NAFA) design students were able to participate in the Mercedes-Benz branding competition.

The open house will be on November 17 and 18 held at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Gallery 1 and 2. Meanwhile, the seminars are open to the public as well as viewing design materials. They are also welcome to participate in think-tank concepts application, computer-aided design tools and clay modeling demonstration.

News from: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/311701/1/.html

World car fans recently reported and showed a picture of the new Mercedes-Benz CLS. The four door CLS coupe got its very first restyling after four years. The CLS was first introduced in 2004 and the new model is set to come out in the spring of 2008. World car fans was lucky to spot the new Mercedes-Benz CLS on the streets of Stuttgart.

It was reported that the new CLS had some distinguishable exterior modifications such as new front and rear bumpers as well as a “two-chrome bar” front grille, along with new tail lights.

CLS is one of Mercedes-Benz’s successful vehicles; for it has sold roughly 60,000 units annually.

News from: http://www.worldcarfans.com/9071112.011/spied-cls-facelift-undisguised