Within the framework of their partnership in China, Mercedes-Benz Trucks and the Chinese construction machinery manufacturer Zoomlion Heavy Industry are intensifying their cooperation. Last Saturday they signed a letter of intent (LoI) for the delivery of 2,500 Mercedes-Benz trucks. The letter of intent concerns heavy-duty Mercedes-Benz Actros 3341 and 4141 truck models.
The Chinese corporation will receive the vehicles later this year. The 2,500 Mercedes-Benz Actros vehicles will be manufactured at the truck plant in Wörth, where they will also be adapted to Zoomlion’s special applications for concrete pumps.
In 2011 Daimler sold almost 5,800 Mercedes-Benz trucks in China, making it the market leader among the European competitors in China’s import segment. As a result, China is now the world’s six-largest market for the sale of Mercedes-Benz trucks.
Premium trucks adapted to special applications are particularly needed for China’s rapidly growing construction sector. China is currently planning to invest around 7 trillion RMB (more than €800 billion) in building and expanding urban infrastructures between 2011 and 2015.
In a statement, Hubertus Troska, Head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks and the person responsible for Mercedes-Benz Trucks worldwide, underscored the importance of the new contract: “We are very delighted that our Chinese business partner chose Mercedes-Benz trucks for its challenging applications in the construction industry. This letter of intent deepens our partnership with Zoomlion. It confirms the good image of our Mercedes-Benz trucks and the great capabilities of our young Mercedes-Benz Trucks sales organization in China, which helps us strengthen our market presence.”
Zoomlion Heavy Industry, which was founded in 1992, is one of China’s leading manufacturers of construction machinery. Zoomlion specializes in the development and production of advanced technologies and equipment for machine construction, as well as for energy, environmental, and transportation systems. In addition, it sells its products in more than 70 countries worldwide. In recent years, Zoomlion established a particularly strong presence in the market for concrete construction machinery. Zoomlion has a permanent workforce of about 30,000 employees. The company’s headquarters are located in Changsha in the province of Hunan.
Daimler Trucks is pursuing two strategic goals for the Chinese market. In addition to promoting the sale of high-quality Mercedes-Benz trucks in the premium segment, the company will also participate in China’s promising volume market in the future. Slightly more than a week ago, Daimler announced the launch of BFDA (Beijing Foton Daimler Automotive Co., Ltd), its joint venture with the Chinese truck manufacturer Foton. The joint venture gives Daimler a 50 percent stake in Foton’s business with medium and heavy-duty Auman brand trucks. Once the ramp-up phase is completed, BFDA will have a production capacity of 160,000 units.
China’s market volume for medium and heavy-duty trucks has doubled to more than one million units over the past five years. Last year the Chinese market accounted for around 40 percent of the total worldwide sales of medium and heavy-duty trucks.
Credits: Daimler AG
Copyright © 2012, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
Daimler AG has entered into a strategic cooperation with the Museo Mille Miglia in Brescia, Italy. The aim is to highlight and strengthen the commonalities between the Mercedes-Benz Museum and the Museo Mille Miglia. Planned activities include a mutual exchange of exhibits.
The first event will be an exhibition featuring five racing cars from the Mercedes-Benz Classic collection, which go on display on 15 February 2012 at the Museo della Mille Miglia - a museum whose history is closely linked with what is probably the most famous road race in Europe.
“Mercedes-Benz is part of the high level of continued fascination with the Mille Miglia road race,” says Michael Bock, Head of Mercedes-Benz Classic and Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz Museum GmbH. “This collaboration with the renowned museum in Brescia ties in with a tradition of joint projects.” And Cavaliere Attilio Camozzi from the Museo Mille Miglia adds: “Brescia and Stuttgart, the Museo della Mille Miglia and the Mercedes-Benz Museum – both are linked by art and a shared passion for motorsport. This is the basis for a partnership with a great future: sport as the ideal ambassador for economic progress and enrichment of the social life in both cities. Together we are strong.”
Mercedes-Benz is the only foreign automotive brand to have twice won Italy’s legendary 1,000-mile race on the original route. Rudolf Caracciola and Wilhelm Sebastian secured victory in the SSKL model in 1931, and Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson won the race in 1955 – with a fastest time that remains unbeaten to this day.
The cooperation pays homage to racing history – but it goes even further. Planned activities include exhibiting works of art from the Daimler AG collection at the Museo di Santa Giulia in Brescia, which is unique throughout Italy and Europe in terms of its location and exhibition concept.
The Mercedes-Benz Museum
- A place of innovation with 160 vehicles and more than 1,500 exhibits in total
- Committed to the history of the brand - then and in the future
The Mercedes-Benz Museum is the only museum in the world that seamlessly documents the 125-year history of the automotive industry from day one. Covering an area of 16,500 square metres on nine levels, it features 160 vehicles and a total of more than 1,500 exhibits. The museum regards itself as a place of innovation and shows that history, too, is always looking ahead to the future.
The exhibition not only presents the exhilarating history of the Mercedes-Benz brand; it also offers an insightful glimpse into the future. This is also reflected in the architecture of the Mercedes-Benz Museum created by van Berkel and Bos of the UN Studio in Amsterdam. The building’s interior is modelled on the double-helix DNA spiral containing the human genetic code. This is entirely in keeping with the Mercedes-Benz brand’s concept of originality based on reinventing the automobile, again and again.
The museum takes visitors on a fascinating journey through automotive history, which starts when they take the lift up to the top floor of the museum. From here, two tours lead in opposite directions from the dawn of automotive history in 1886 back to the starting point, sweeping in long curves through the extensive collection - and intersecting at various points along the way.
The first tour runs through seven Legend (Mythos) rooms – each one dedicated to a specific era – that document the history of the brand in chronological order. The second tour features the entire range of Mercedes-Benz vehicles set out in five themed Collection rooms, presenting the brand portfolio and the collection in all their diversity through the decades. Visitors can switch between the two tours at any time. Both tours finish at the ‘Silver Arrows – Races and Records’ banked corner. The exhibition also includes the ‘Fascination of Technology’ section, which offers visitors an insight into everyday life at Mercedes-Benz and also takes a look at the future of the motor car.
Mercedes-Benz Classic
- Making the Mercedes-Benz legend accessible to everyone
- Museum, Classic Center, Archive and Club Management
- Activities with an international focus
For more than 125 years, the Mercedes star has been shaping the future of the automobile with unique innovations and timeless elegance. Mercedes-Benz Classic gives everyone access to the Mercedes-Benz legend and its traditions – through the Mercedes-Benz Museum, and in a number of other areas and locations.
Mercedes-Benz Classic Centers
The Mercedes-Benz Classic Centers in Fellbach and Irvine (USA) are the first port of call for service and expertise in relation to classic cars bearing the three-pointed star. Classic Center experts restore, check and service classic cars based on the experience and knowledge gained from 125 years of automotive engineering. They have access to 50,000 original parts and custom products can also be manufactured on request.
For prospective buyers of classic cars, the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center has something very special: the showroom presents a selection of exclusive Mercedes-Benz vehicles, each of which has been thoroughly checked over in the workshop before being offered for sale. These include vehicles such as the legendary Mercedes-Benz 300 SL ‘gullwing’ and rare compressor vehicles from the pre-war era.
Mercedes-Benz Clubs
Clubs that are officially recognised by Mercedes-Benz provide an important interface between the classic car scene and the manufacturer. Members of the worldwide community of official Mercedes-Benz clubs enjoy a host of benefits including support at events, rallies and trade fairs, as well as exclusive offers from Daimler AG.
The activities of the official Mercedes-Benz clubs are regarded as ‘highly valuable’ by Mercedes-Benz Classic. They aim to ensure that vehicles are perfectly maintained and our traditions are upheld.
Archive and Collection
Often referred to as the company’s memory, the Archive and Collection department preserves documents and vehicles from the history of the company and its products dating back more than 125 years. Providing a level of expertise on all car-related matters that is unique within the automotive industry, it is particularly useful for establishing the authenticity of vehicles. Above all, the archives are used by Daimler AG itself, which draws upon this wealth of information to uphold the traditions of the brand. Selected archives are also made available to the public – primarily to journalists, scientists, historians and writers.
A place where fascinating automotive history is still very much alive
If you look at the notable achievements of the last few centuries, there’s one key invention that stands out as having significantly changed the world: the motor car. This is a story which has captured our imagination for more than 125 years. The Stuttgart region has a number of attractions associated with the history of the motor car – the house where Gottlieb Daimler was born, Gottlieb Daimler’s memorial site, Carl Benz House, the Dr. Carl Benz Car Museum, the Maybach Museum and the Unimog Museum are all well worth a visit.
The Museo Mille Miglia
- Dedicated to the legendary road race through Italy
- Divided into nine time periods
- An atmosphere that brings motorsport history to life
The Museo Mille Miglia vividly documents the history of the Mille Miglia, Brescia’s legendary motor race. It opened its doors on 10 November 2004. The idea of the museum was conceived and implemented by the Associazione Museo della Mille Miglia Città di Brescia (Museo Mille Miglia Association of the city of Brescia), formed expressly for this purpose by a few Mille Miglia enthusiasts together with the Automobile Club of Brescia.
The museum dedicated to the legendary race for historic cars is situated inside the Monastery of Sant’Eufemia della Fonte, a magnificent building complex just outside Brescia on Lake Garda. Its wonderful location and historical significance add to the prestige of the Museo Mille Miglia.
The Museo Mille Miglia gives visitors a greater appreciation of this extraordinary sporting event, while illustrating a slice of Italian history, culture and social customs between 1927 and 1957 in the regions along the race route.
The museum is divided into nine time periods: seven sections are devoted to the Mille Miglia races between 1927 and 1957; one to the Mille Miglia races between 1958 and 1961; and one to the contemporary Mille Miglia. The exhibition also includes vintage cars associated with the legendary race. The tour is marked throughout by a red line running along the walkway and through all sections of the exhibition.
At the end, the route continues into an area reserved exclusively for institutions and companies, where particular settings or situations that have contributed to the adventure of the historical or current Mille Miglia can be recreated.
Finally, before leaving the museum, visitors can explore some of the rarest and most important collections dedicated to the historic Mille Miglia race, housed in the monastery’s former stables.
Museo di Santa Giulia
- A modern exhibition space covering 14,000 square metres
- History, art and spiritual life of Brescia from prehistory through to the present day
- A close relationship between building and exhibits
The Santa Giulia city museum in Brescia is housed in the historical complex of a former monastery dating back to the days of the Lombard rule and it is unique throughout Italy and Europe in terms of its design and location. With its modern exhibition space covering approximately 14,000 square metres, it takes visitors on a journey through the history, art and spiritual life of Brescia from prehistory through to the present day.
The Benedictine convent San Salvatore-Santa Giulia was founded in 753 under the last Lombard king Desiderius and his wife Ansa, and it played a very important role in the spiritual, political and economic life, even after the Lombards had been conquered by Charlemagne. According to tradition and as described in Alessandro Manzoni’s great tragedy Adelchi, Santa Giulia provided the setting for the dramatic story of Ermengarda, daughter of Desiderius and rejected bride of the Frankish emperor.
The monastery complex documents a period spanning several centuries with exhibits that include many extraordinary finds from various historical epochs that have shaped the city. In Roman times, the site on which the monastery was later built was a sprawling district with impressive residences known as Domus. The city museum also includes the Lombard Basilica of San Salvatore with its crypt, the Romanesque chapel of Santa Maria del Solario, the nuns’ choir, the sixteenth-century Renaissance church of Santa Giulia and the monastery cloisters.
The most distinctive feature of this museum is the close relationship between its monumental architectural elements and the objects and works of art on display. It has a total of around 11,000 exhibits, including Celtic finds such as helmets and decorative discs, Roman portraits and bronze figures, relics from the Lombard period, burial artefacts, frescos, art collections and handmade objects dating from the Middle Ages through to the 18th century. One of the main highlights is the large bronze statue of a winged Victory, the city’s symbol, which was found in the Capitolium.
Credits: Daimler AG
Copyright © 2012, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
Mercedes-AMG and Ducati stage joint appearance at the Bologna Motor Show (3 - 11 December 2011): the new SLK 55 AMG and the new Ducati Streetfighter 848 – both finished in "Streetfighter yellow" – are to go on show to the public at the north Italian motor show in a move set to underscore the importance of the cooperation entered into by Mercedes-AMG and Ducati one year ago.
Inspired by the Ducati Streetfighter 848, the "streetfighter yellow" colour of the SLK 55 AMG ensures an exciting appearance from all angles: the exceptional paint finish is guaranteed to provide a high level of appeal. If there is sufficient demand, the special colour variant could also be made available as an individual optional extra from the AMG Performance Studio. The overall look is also perfectly complemented by the interior of the SLK 55 AMG: the contrasting yellow stitching creates a striking effect against the black nappa leather appointments, and is to be found on the door centre panels, beltlines, armrests, leather-covered roll-over bars, dashboard, the shift lever gaiter and also the AMG Performance steering wheel. Yellow illuminated AMG door sill panels featuring LED technology round off the striking effect of the interior.
The portfolio of the AMG Performance Studio ranges from special paintwork and leather appointments, through to technical solutions and extensive body modifications. The stylish vehicle upgrades are undertaken to a high level of hand-crafted perfection in accordance with individual customer requirements, while at the same time also meeting the highest safety and quality standards typical of Mercedes-Benz.
SLK 55 AMG: the most powerful SLK of all time
The Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG and the Ducati Streetfighter 848 complement each other not only visually but also technically. Both models are the perfect embodiment of distinctive driving dynamics, expressive design and intense driving pleasure.
The SLK 55 AMG is the most powerful SLK of all time. Its newly developed AMG 5.5-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine with cylinder shut-off system combines ultimate performance with the lowest possible consumption levels. With a maximum output of 310 kW (422 hp) and maximum toque of 540 Nm, the SLK 55 AMG outperforms all of its direct competitors. Its fuel consumption of 8.4 litres per 100 kilometres (NEDC combined) and CO2 emissions of 195 grams per kilometre are some 30 percent lower than those of its predecessor. The SLK 55 AMG accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds, and reaches a top speed of 250 km/h (electronically limited). High levels of driving dynamics are ensured thanks to the AMG sports suspension with Direct-Steer system, Torque Vectoring Brakes and 3-stage ESP®, as well as the AMG high-performance braking system.
Forming part of the third-generation of the SLK, the new top-of-the range AMG model already demonstrates its individuality even at first glance: distinctive AMG light-alloy wheels, specific AMG bodystyling with AMG spoiler lip and two chrome-plated twin tailpipes at the rear complement the classic roadster proportions, while adding a markedly athletic touch. The expressive design of the SLK 55 AMG is both eye-catching and unmistakable.
Ducati Streetfighter 848: superior competitor – ultimate fighter
The new Ducati Streetfighter 848 provides unbridled biking pleasure in its purest form, while combining innovative technology with an outstanding appearance: a revised 848 Testastretta 11° engine with 97 kW (132 hp) and an exciting 93.5 Nm of torque as well as a modified frame geometry help to guarantee safe, agile handling. This is supported by the smooth, easy-to-manage power delivery of the engine, revised ergonomics and a specially tuned traction control (DTC) system. The features of the new Streetfighter are rounded off in visual terms by the unique Ducati styling. The Streetfighter 848 is guaranteed to cause a sensation, whether on the road or on the race track.
It was no surprise therefore when, true to its name, the Ducati Streetfighter scored an immediate knock-out on entering the ring for the first time at the EICMA show in 2008 in Milan. The impression which it left among the international press and public on its first appearance meant it was not only able to win the show's "Most Beautiful Bike" award, but it also raised the bar for powerful naked bikes even higher by becoming the new benchmark on the market.
In addition to the colour variant in traditional red with red frame, the new Streetfighter 848 is also available in yellow with frame in Racing Black. The Dark Stealth colour variant, meanwhile, with frame in Racing Black underscores the fierce attitude of the Streetfighter. With the exciting new Streetfighter 848, Ducati has succeeded in combining state-of-the-art technology and skeletal styling in a contemporary design.
The cooperation agreement between AMG and Ducati was signed in November 2010
Visible signs of the cooperation agreement between Mercedes-AMG and Ducati, which was signed at the Los Angeles Motor Show in November 2010, include various marketing activities as well as joint appearances at shows and customer events. In the AMG core markets of the US, China, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Australia, Great Britain and Switzerland, the announcement of the cooperation was very soon followed by the establishment of close links at market level.
The first result of the intensive exchange of ideas between the designers and engineers from Affalterbach and Bologna was the joint presentation of the CLS 63 AMG and the Ducati Diavel AMG Special Edition at the 64th International Motor Show in Frankfurt am Main.
AMG has been the "Official Car Partner" of the Ducati MotoGP team since the start of the 2011 MotoGP season. The AMG logo appears not only on the motorcycles and racing overalls of Ducati works drivers Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi, but also on the official teamwear and in the Ducati Lounge. Furthermore, as an additional outcome of the cooperation agreement, the Ducati fleet of vehicles is being gradually switched over to Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The base price (incl. 19% VAT):
- SLK 55 AMG: 72,590 euros
* Official photos and details courtesy of Mercedes-AMG GmbH *
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
