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Writing in Auto Week, British automotive journalist Tony Lewin reports that Thomas Weber, head of R&D at DaimlerChrysler, has announced that Mercedes-Benz Car Group will launch stop-start technology across its entire line-up, beginning with the A and B Class ranges in September.

Sources quoted indicate that Valeo will supply its StARS belt-driven stop-start system for the A and B class models, as already adopted for the new smart fortwo city car and some of Citroà«n’s C2 and C3 hatchbacks.

Mr Weber reportedly said Mercedes would use a different solution for its larger, rear-drive models. A Mercedes official who did not wish to be named said that for these models, the company will use a so-called ‘ISG’ flywheel starter/alternator system from an unnamed supplier, which can reduce engine vibration and provide fill-in torque to smooth gearshifts.

Mercedes-Benz announced earlier this week the ‘mid-term’ launch of a new proprietary ‘DiesOtto’ spark-cum-auto combustion process for future, hybrid-assisted petrol engines.

As part of the Olympic Solidarity program, DaimlerChrysler handed over a Mercedes Benz Sprinter to the National Olympic Committee of Vietnam. The vehicle was jointly presented by Wilfried Porth, Director of the Van Business Unit at DaimlerChrysler and Ser Miang Ng, member of the IOC, to the Vietnam Olympic Committee, represented by its president, Nguyen Danh Thai. It is the one-hundredth minibus that DaimlerChrysler has provided to a National Olympic Committee. With the most recent donation, the NOC of Vietnam is the only National Olympic Committee which has received a second vehicle. Just like the first van which was handed over exactly 10 years ago, the new vehicle will also be used to carry young Vietnamese athletes to training sessions and competitions.

DaimlerChrysler today published key figures for its Mercedes Car Group and Truck Group divisions and for its Van, Bus, Other segment for the second quarter of 2007 on a preliminary basis. Results for the DaimlerChrysler Group, the Financial Services division and the discontinued activities of the Chrysler Group and Chrysler Financial (NAFTA) will be published together with the complete interim report for the second quarter of 2007 on August 29, 2007, as announced at the beginning of July 2007.
Details of the divisions in the second quarter of 2007

The Mercedes Car Group sold 320,200 vehicles in the second quarter (Q2 2006: 325,500), while its revenues of €12.6 billion reached the prior-year level.

The Mercedes Car Group posted second-quarter EBIT of €1,204 million, and thus significantly increased its earnings compared with the prior-year quarter (Q2 2006: €690 million). The increase was a result of the positive development of the sales mix and the quality and efficiency improvements achieved within the context of the CORE program. However, earnings were negatively impacted by exchange-rate effects in the second quarter of 2007.