Stuttgart’s Gottlieb Daimler Stadium is one of few in Germany that is currently not bearing the name of a corporation. This will change on July 30th, when a friendly with Arsenal London will inaugurate the new Mercedes Benz Arena. The deal will guarantee Mercedes a 30 year leas on the stadium name for about 20 million Euros.

The stadium was renovated recently in preperation for the 2006 World Cup, but there are currently plans to demolish it and build a brand new 60,000-seater in 2009 – this time without an athletics track. The new, yet to be approved by local authorities, stadium would cost 93 million Euros and be completed in 2011.

What do four-valve technology, supercharging, common rail technology and CGI direct gasoline injection have in common? Answer: They all celebrated their Mercedes-Benz premieres in four-cylinder engines. Throughout the history of the brand from Stuttgart, this seemingly unspectacular engine type has always been at the cutting edge of outstanding innovation. Even the DIESOTTO technology, which was premiered in the F 700 research car at the 2007 International Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA), was first introduced by Mercedes-Benz in a four-cylinder engine.

Along with many other factors, the number of cylinders an engine has is indicative both of driving culture and prestige. The greater the number of cylinders, the better the ride quality – it is a rule of thumb followed by almost all markets worldwide. Mercedes-Benz Cars enjoys a reputation for supplying passenger cars equipped with a diversified range of superb internal combustion engines. The smart has three cylinders, the S-Class twelve, and between the two extremes there exists an entire spectrum of other configurations. While the four-cylinder versions may seem rather unspectacular at first sight, these are the very engines to which great importance is attached time and again.