Market watch recently reported that Daimler AG will be spreading its green invasion globally by focusing on hybrid technology ‘reducing the emissions and fuel consumption of commercial vehicles.’
“Hybrid technology plays a key role in these vehicles, as it can reduce diesel consumption by up to 30%,” Daimler said in a statement.
Hybrids generate its power from an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. According to the report, Daimler is the world’s biggest producer of commercial vehicles by sales. It is also said that Daimler’s initiative will include all of its networked research and development activities particularly its alternative drives and fuels for all of the brands at Daimler Trucks and Daimler Buses.
In a press conference in Stuttgart, head of Daimler Trucks Andreas Renschler announced that due to the growing demand in Brazil, Russia, India and China, the global market for commercial vehicles is expected to rise by 50% over the next ten years. Renschler also said that he is confident that the overall truck market in 2008 will be good.
According to Daimler, by 2008, its customers will get a chance to will test the Mercedes-Benz Atego BlueTec Hybrid and Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid. Meanwhile, 10 Canter Eco Hybrids will be test by European customers from 2008 onwards.
“Daimler plans to employ alternative drive systems in additional vehicle models and regions, focusing primarily on hybrids. In North America, Freightliner will manufacture 1,500 M2 hybrid trucks over the next three years and also produce a hybrid version of a Thomas Built school bus,” the company said in the statement.

The first Mercedes-Benz Atego BlueTec Hybrids will land in Europe, particularly, Germany, France and the Czech Republic in 2008.

Daimler is currently looking at other means of fuel to preserve fossil sources of energy. The company sees fuels from renewable resources are vegetable oil-derived hydrated fuels and BTL, or biomass to liquid, fuels as possible solutions.

Despite the benefits from hybrid vehicles, costing a third more than diesel vehicles can pose as a problem. “Although the overall cost of ownership of hybrid vehicles is improved by their fuel savings, incentives will be needed for at least a few years following the market launch,” Daimler said.

News from: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/daimler-launches-initiative-greener-trucks/story.aspx?guid=%7B352B7489-34C5-418E-B7FC-500B9C163FF0%7D

The New Zealand Herald recently reported that Mercedes-Benz is reviving the open-top “Landaulet” along with a concept version of the Maybach 62 S sedan.

Designed as a chauffeured vehicle, the Landaulet features a sliding roof that can be completely opened at the rear and a fully closed driving compartment. It will also have a partition; with the upper portion can be opaque through the help of a liquid crystal membrane embedded in the glass. Meanwhile, the basic construction and profile of the production Maybach 62 S will remain the same.

According to the report, the black soft-top of the Landaulet will be on the frame formed by the roof bows when it is closed. Once it is time to open the top, an electro-hydraulics is used to let it rests on the parcel shelf in the rear. It will only take 16 seconds to open and close the top.

On the driver’s compartment, the interior trim is based on black piano lacquer and upholstery in black leather. Meanwhile, the passenger compartment is covered in white leather with white velour as its carpeting and a roof lined with white fabric.
Taken from the Maybach 62 S is the centerpiece in the rear console, which is made for for entertainment and communications. It will house a DVD player, six CD-changer, a cooler compartment with its own electric compressor, and an intelligent system that holds glasses, goblets and champagne bottles safely in position.

A V12 engine will power up the Maybach Landaulet. This engine was developed by Maybach engineers together with Mercedes-AMG.

Equipped with twin turbochargers and water intercooling, the V12 is capable of 450kW from 6.0 litres with a maximum torque of 1000Nm.
Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/9/story.cfm?c_id=9&objectid=10475509

Mercedes-Benz is not just attracting car enthusiasts, as well as police officials. Just recently, AME info reported that the 10 Mercedes-Benz E280 were acquired by the Abu Dhabi GHQ Armed Forces Military Police through Emirates Motor Company, which is the general distributor of Daimler AG in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.
“Our close relationship with the GHQ Armed Forces units and EMC’s dedication to provide the best service encouraged the governmental department to trust us in supplying them with their high maintenance vehicle requirements,” said Mr. Monzer Al Rifai, General Manager for EMC.
According to the report, the cars “were repainted as police cars and properly equipped as requested by the governmental department.”

Source: http://www.ameinfo.com/137575.html

Worldcarfans.com also reported about the new Mercedes E-Class model. The report also said that the E-Class will no longer feature the Sensotronic Brake Control (brake-by-wire) system and will instead put conventional braking methods into the car. Also, wet-weather disc wiping and wheel-selective cornering brake control is likely to be seen in this vehicle as well as Ceramic-based disc brakes.

It is said that the AMG model will have a 544 horsepower, 6.3 liter eight-cylinder engine. Meanwhile, a hybrid version of the model will also be included but when it will be available has not been said.

Various stability and safety features is said to be included in the new E-Class model like lane-departure warnings, eye-movement monitors, traffic-sign identification, and road-condition sensors.

In its exterior aspects, the E-class is said to have some restyling and may somehow have significant similarities with the S-Class such as a larger wheel-arch.

The report also said that the E-Class is believed to debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show.

Source: http://www.worldcarfans.com/9071107.008/spied-every-mercedes-benz-e-class-model

Spies are everywhere, well in the automotive world they are. Worldcarfans.com has just released a spy photo of the 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLK spotted in Stuttgart, Germany. The new CLK will be replacing the current model and said to be scheduled to be out in 2009. It was reported that the 2009 CLK coupe can be expected by early 2009 and a rag-top convertible will follow in summer.

The new CLK will be competing with the BMW 3-Series coupe, the Audi A5 coupe, and the 2009 Audi A5 convertible.

The report also suggests that the 2009 CLK be offered in three different engine choice, namely, a V6 with 272 horsepower, a 388 horsepower V8, and a 503 horsepower CLK 63 AMG.
News from: http://www.worldcarfans.com/9071107.010/spied-2009-mercedes-clk

Just recently, mobilemag.com reported that the Italian automaker, Fiat will be working with Daimler for the next-generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class and B-Class compact cars. According to the report this is just one of their projects aside from an agreement that Fiat would be producing truck engines for Daimler, a deal worth $3.49 billion.

The said plan is still being worked on according to Sergio Marchionne, chief executive at Fiat. He also said that it is possible that they extend the partnership with Daimler, saying, “We’re not just talking with Daimler about engines,” said Marchionne. “We’re talking about everything.”

The results are yet to be seen for both companies have not release any details regarding their plans.

Source: http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/354/C13798/

It was a fun-filled weekend for the first anniversary of Mercedes-Benz World. Aside from the jam packed Surrey-based Mercedes-Benz World previously reported, various activities like prize draws wherein 20 visitors got a chance to ride the SLR McLaren or with the Silver Arrows Display Team as they drive through the handling circuits.

But that’s just the start of it, until the event was graced by the presence of one of the world’s greatest motor racing legends, Sir Stirling Moss. According to Carpages, he was there to get the keys of a brand new Smart Fortwo, which is a gift for his wife, Lady Susie Moss.

In a special ceremony, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz UK, Wilfried Steffen, presented the keys to Sir Stirling. After that, Sir Stirling eagerly greeted his fans.

Peter O’Halloran, managing director of Mercedes-Benz World said, “It was an honor to have Sir Stirling with us to celebrate our first anniversary. For many visitors awaiting his appearance, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to come face to face with their racing hero and for those unaware of his arrival it was an extra special birthday treat.”

Attendants of the event were able to get passenger rides on the handling circuits in the AMG, and 4MATIC off-road vehicles throughout the weekend celebration. They also received their own miniature birthday cake.

O’Halloran later added, “The weekend was a great success and with next year’s events calendar already taking shape, we hope that visitors will continue to get involved with all of the excitement Mercedes-Benz World has to offer in 2008.”

News from: http://www.carpages.co.uk/mercedes_benz/mercedes-benz-06-11-07.asp

Edmunds.com recently took a closer look at the German ingenuity of Mercedes-Benz’s DiesOtto. Imagine the fuel efficiency of a diesel engine minus the rattle and without compromising its power. DiesOtto was first introduced at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show and featured in the Mercedes-Benz F 700. The F 700 was intended to be a research vehicle to demonstrate technologies that might be incorporated into future S-Class sedans.

It was termed as DiesOtto to honor Rudolf Diesel, who invented the compression-ignition internal combustion engine, and Nikolaus Otto, who popularized the four-cycle internal combustion engine.

DiesOtto achieves the diesel-like fuel efficiency and great performance through the new combustion strategy called Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI). Edmunds.com said that HCCI “combines the technique of spark ignition when the engine is cold or accelerating with the principle of diesel-style auto-ignition under partial loads.”

Until the temperature and pressure rise high enough to ignite the mixture, a lean air-fuel mixture is compressed in the cylinder. HCCI technology then creates a flameless release of energy throughout the entire combustion chamber that completes the combustion process and promotes low temperatures. Fuel efficiency and low-temperature combustion is achieved by the HCCI engine with the help of the lean operation.

In the F700, the Mercedes-Benz DiesOtto engine works with a small gasoline engine, two-stage turbocharging, direct fuel injection, variable valve timing and HCCI.

According to Mercedes Benz, instead of manipulating the cylinder head, variable compression is achieved by physically influencing the crankshaft. DiesOtto’s project leader Günter Karl says, “We can adapt the compression ratio very well to the operating points, so we have good efficiency.” He continues, “Under part load we go as high as possible — higher than spark ignition but lower than diesel. At wide-open throttle we can go lower, so we have no knocking.”

With all the promising effects the DiesOtto has, many are wondering when it will be available in the market. Mercedes-Benz said it will be awhile before it is released since there are many things that need to be done. Günter Karl says, “We have a pressure transducer in each cylinder for closed-loop combustion control. This is absolutely necessary to get good transient behavior between HCCI mode and spark-ignition mode.” He also added that the complexity of the system may need “real physics in the ECU.”

Source: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Features/articleId=123274