skip to main |
skip to sidebar
The first Actros Euro VI was handed over to the Transalliance transport company today as part of a major order for over 500 Mercedes-Benz trucks. Ulrich Bastert, head of sales at Mercedes-Benz Trucks, handed over the vehicle to Alexandre Michel, owner and CEO of the Transalliance Group, in Wörth today. "There is a good, long-standing partnership between our company and Transalliance. We are delighted that our customer Transalliance is introducing the first Euro VI truck into its fleet, thereby highlighting the company's future-oriented approach," said Ulrich Bastert at the handover. The French company will be taking delivery of this major order in the coming months.
The new Mercedes-Benz Actros is the first truck to be designed specifically for the Euro VI standard, which will become mandatory in 2014. Its pollutant emissions have been reduced to a barely detectable range. The new Actros model also sets benchmarks in terms of fuel consumption: in comparison to the established Actros, the new Actros designed to Euro VI standard results in a further 3-4 percent reduction in fuel consumption.
"For us, economy, safe driving dynamics and greater comfort for the driver are the most important characteristics of a truck. We are proud to have the first Mercedes-Benz Actros with Euro VI technology in our fleet," declared Alexandre Michel from Transalliance. "Our efforts to support and actively promote future-oriented technologies are also being showcased in the technology days which we are currently staging at Transalliance. This event offers customers and employees an opportunity to catch up on the state of the art in our business."
Transalliance is one of the largest logistics companies in Europe. Its fleet comprises 3200 vehicles, including 700 trucks from Mercedes-Benz. Transalliance's workforce in 2011 stands at 4500. The handover of the first new Mercedes-Benz Actros complying with the Euro VI emissions standard which is to be introduced in 2014 further strengthens the level of cooperation between the two companies and demonstrates the two partners' commitment to meeting the highest possible environmental standards.
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
In November 2010, the executive board of Daimler AG approved the serial production of the Concept Shooting Break, the showcar which previewed the new-generation CLS. Codenamed X 218, it will mark the birth of a new species in the niche vehicle class - the break coupe, which is in fact Mercedes-Benz's reinterpretation of the shooting brake shape. The first spy shots revealing partially camouflaged test prototypes of this model in action were captured near the firm's R&D centre in Stuttgart.
The carmaker will roll off the new CLS SB during spring next year, with a Geneva Motor Show premiere being highly possible. The latest addition to the prestigious CLS-Class lineup will boast a unique design, strongly inspired by its 4-door coupe sibling. The powerful, fast-back lines applied to a dynamic wagon aura will certainly attract a lot of views from passers-by. The technical package will be borrowed entirely from the current CLS: upscale customization, quality feel, clever assistance systems, state-of-the-art, internet-based infotainment means, refined dynamism and frugal BlueEFFICIENCY petrol and diesel powerplants. While there's no official word on this issue, the new CLS Shooting Brake could spawn in 2013 a '63 AMG' variant with up to 557 hp delivered by the 5.5-litre biturbo V8 engine.
Photos: Motor Authority
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
The plans of Olla Kaellenius, head of Mercedes-AMG, are now confirmed: the Affalterbach-based tuner will soon launch a sports variant for the newly-unveiled B-Class - the B 25 AMG, recently scooped for the first time.
The car is expected to arrive next year as a 2013 model and will share its underpinnings with the forthcoming A 25 AMG, which has already been spotted on streets in the form of camouflaged test prototypes. This means the new B 25 AMG will accomodate a specially-developed 4x4 chassis mated to a 4-cylinder supercharged gasoline engine capable of delivering a maximum output of up to 350 hp. To counteract the vehicle's generous dimensions that might affect dynamics, AMG will apply the car a height reduction treatment, in addition to a new set of modified suspensions and dampers and the latest AMG ride management solutions to enrich the sports behaviour of the B 25 AMG. Design-wise, the MPV tamed in Affalterbach will feature a distinctive look, materialized through the LED headlights, the rehauled radiator grille (with one louvre, we guess), the bespoke front bumper with revised air intakes, the 19" alloy wheels and double exhausts at the rear - all in true AMG style.
Source: WorldCarFans
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
The new Citaro created a sensation when it was presented to the general public just a few weeks ago. The best-selling urban bus from Mercedes-Benz has been completely revamped, and experts were quick to predict a great future for the bus. This future is already becoming reality: on 19 September, a ceremony was held to mark the delivery of the Citaro to a customer, Lücke-Reisen. Konstantinos Tsiknas, head of sales for Mercedes-Benz Buses and Coaches in Germany, handed over a symbolic key to managing directors Anne and Uwe Lücke. Lücke-Reisen, based in Nordkirchen, Germany, is the first private bus and coach firm to choose the new-generation Citaro.
Ambassador for an eye-catching form of public transport
The design of the Citaro leaves no doubt that this is a fundamental, new development. The designers at Mercedes-Benz have given the urban bus a completely new look, from the headlights to the tail lights. Its friendly ‘face’ really does appear be smiling, thanks to large headlights and a curved windscreen. The low-reaching side windows convey transparency, while the striking profiles of the wheel arches embody dynamism and finesse. The rear of the new Citaro features soft lines, giving it a friendly appearance despite the modern touches.
The new Citaro’s redesigned passenger compartment has an even more spacious feel than before. Light colours and an uncluttered ceiling design create an airy and inviting interior. InterStar Eco seats have been fitted. While the grab rail suspended from the ceiling is cobalt blue, the grab poles are painted in white aluminium. The new lighting concept features well-lit entrance and exit areas plus indirect lighting of the outer ceiling flaps as a result of installing multidimensional scattering lenses in the ceiling lights.
Fit for everyday use: safe, comfortable and economical
The new Citaro’s safety concept sets the standard. Its protection in the event of head-on collisions is unique among urban buses and is based on the ECE R 29 standard. It has increased passive safety thanks to an even more rigid yet lighter frame structure. These features mean the new Citaro already fulfils the requirements of the stricter ECE R 66/01 regulation on survival space in the event of the bus rolling over, due to come into force in 2017. The new inward folding doors are lighter, making the bus more robust. Integrated LED daytime running lights also come as standard. Another new feature is the pivot-and-slide door at the front entrance. The raised driver area ensures an even better all-round view and, by putting the driver at eye level with passengers, creates a heightened sense of safety. The driver’s cockpit has been completely redesigned for the new Citaro. Its door is now hinged at the rear, enabling it to open at the front. The instrument panel meets the requirements of the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) yet is more airy, has more knee room, features optimised ergonomics and provides far more information thanks to the colour display. Buttons on the new steering wheel offer extra convenience.
The new Citaro has inherited its predecessor’s tried-and-trusted economical and environmentally-friendly engines with BlueTec diesel technology. Lücke-Reisen’s Citaro is powered by a compact six-cylinder turbo diesel OM 906 hLA with a cubic capacity of 6.37 litres, 210 kW (286 bhp) output and 1120 Nm torque. The engine meets the Euro V emissions standard.
Lücke-Reisen
Bus and coach operator Lücke-Reisen was founded in 1966 by Otto Lücke and is now managed by the second generation of the family, Uwe and Anne Lücke. The firm’s fleet comprises around 60 Mercedes-Benz vehicles, including coaches. Lücke-Reisen’s services range from school trips and club outings to coach tours throughout Germany and Europe. The family business also runs scheduled bus services for public transport companies Regionalverkehr Münsterland (RVM) and Verkehrsgesellschaft Kreis Unna (VKU) as well as for the charity Caritasverband Kreis Coesfeld. The new Citaro will operate alongside nine Citaro buses of the first and second generation.
Source: Daimler AG
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
Following the many reports regarding the possibility of an AMG variant for the next A-Class, spy photographers have recently spotted the first test prototype of a so-called A 25 AMG running initial tests on the streets of Affalterbach.
What was once a rumor is now about to become reality in a matter of years. Specifically, the new A 25 AMG will be unveiled in 2013, almost a year after the introduction of the standard A-Class, which is derived from - visually speaking. The similarities end up there, as AMG are fully in charge of mastering this little devil on four wheels. That's why the engineers are now secretly working on a new, special 4x4 powertrain for the car, to help cope with the immense output and torque of the engine bound to be installed under the bonnet: a supercharged, 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine boasting around 320 hp-350 hp and developed together with the Swiss experts from Hyprex. Put together with the above-mentioned details a revised exterior design that carries the unmistakable AMG signature (a new, greater radiator grille, huge air intakes all over the place, special alloy wheels, quad-exhausts, a discrete spoiler and a rear diffuser, a bespoke interior etc.) and you'll have one of the very best sports packages in the compact class, hard to equal, hard to beat by any of the few competitors that exist or will be released in the coming period of time.
Related articles:
- AMG mulling a future A-Klasse AMG model
- AMG secretly developing a hot A-Klasse
- New details on the future A-Klasse AMG
Enjoy the photos!
Photos: Motor Authority, SecretNewCars
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
This day's been very rich in spy photos: after we saw the A-Class, it's time to draw our attention to a future niche model: the CLC-Class (neither BLS nor CLA). Don't be confused, as the new car won't have anything in common with the awkward hatchback, already discontinued. Internally dubbed C 117, the CLC will be part of the forthcoming compact family of Mercedes-Benz, will be launched in 2013 and it could be generally seen as the little brother of the CLS. Although it may look a bit bloated due to the extensive camouflage, the beautiful car hidden underneath the black tape is likely to have a balanced, well-proportioned shape. Inspiration for the exterior and interior designs will come from the current CLS-Class and is expected to set high benchmarks in its class in terms of build quality, elegance and efficiency. Engines and technology will be borrowed from the new A-Class and B-Class, but we feel there's more to come: a top version motorized by a petrol/diesel burner with up to 250-300 hp and probably an AMG variant also.
Find out more info about the future Mercedes-Benz CLC >> HERE
Check out more spy shots after the jump!
Source: WorldCarFans
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
This evening marks a premiere, as spy photographers were able to get the first shots of a massively-camouflaged 2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class prototype running on a private test track. Although they share the same platform, the two flagships of the upcoming compact range of the German constructor haven't begun the usual testing phase at the same time. Whereas the B-Class has already covered thousands and thousands of kilometers since 2009, engineers sent the new A-Class on streets just one year ahead of its scheduled unveiling. However, this doesn't automatically mean the car has not been developed behind closed doors, in the Merc's secret R&D labs. Seeing the Concept A-Class in April, the test model bears a lot of resemblance to the show vehicle revealed in Shanghai, at least in what the overall form is concerned. The first variant in the new lineup is a five-door hatchback, as the one in the scoop pics, but a more sports-oriented, three-door version similar to the concept is also in cards. Losing the bulky, rather unattractive MPV shape of the outgoing model means the new A-Class will gun for the BMW 1er and the Audi A3. The main artilery of the car for the fight is the spectacular MFA platform, which promises to be a trendsetter in the segment in areas such as modularity, efficiency and ride behaviour. Along with the A-Class, a new range of low-displacement Renault engines will debut, as part of the partnership signed last year. Mercedes-Benz will be in charge of supplying the high-end powerplants: the A 250 BlueEFFICIENCY and the A 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY, both capable of delivering 204 hp of peak output. The official tuner of the Stuttgart-based carmaker, AMG, is reportedly working on a super A-Class: the A 25 AMG, packing a new supercharged, 4-cylinder engine boasting 350 hp and an all-wheel-drive platform.
Hit the break and see more spy photos!
Source: WorldCarFans
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
