Posts with tag: Mercedes Benz

Groundbreaking for Mercedes-Benz/Infiniti Tennessee Plant

daimlernissan tennessee plant 597x397 Groundbreaking for Mercedes Benz/Infiniti Tennessee Plant

We’ve known about the partnership between Daimler and Renault – Nissan for some time now, but it is only today that we get very concrete reminders of the cooperation that involves engine- and technology-sharing between the automakers—the two have just concluded the groundbreaking for a new engine-manufacturing plant in Decherd, Tennessee.

While there have been no details as to exactly which engines will be produced in the Tennessee plant, it has been disclosed that these would likely be four-cylinder engines that would be accessible to both automakers, perhaps something similar to the 1.8-liter turbo used in the current C250. Of course, three-cylinders for use in Mercedes-Benz vehicles and 6-cylinders for use in Infiniti vehicles aren’t out of the question. According to Nissan, the plant’s capacity is around 250,000 engines annually.

It should take around two years for the automakers to finish building this engine plant in Tennessee and get it to full operational status. There is tremendous potential in this partnership, and many—including us—are expecting that we have yet to see the biggest thing to come out of the Nissan/Daimler deal. Stick around and we’ll surely bring you more news on this when it happens.

Mercedes-Benz Named Among Top Automakers in Terms of Dealership Experience

Mercedes Benz Logo 597x431 Mercedes Benz Named Among Top Automakers in Terms of Dealership Experience

In the 2012 Dealership Experience Strategy Report, Mercedes-Benz was named among the top automotive companies where dealership experience is concerned. This aspect of the business is considered by Foresight Research, the firm that conducted the study, as an important one because of the changes caused by the recent recession.

According to the study, older buyers have been increasingly taking up the share of sales for new vehicles. For these older demographic, more modern forms of marketing communications don’t come into play too often, making the dealership experience an important facet of the sale. The study further concluded that buyers in general tended to go for dealerships that had good inventories, offered financing, and provided quick quote responses, among other things.

“With older buyers we historically have seen higher levels of brand and dealership loyalty,” said Foresight Research CEO Steve Bruyn. “That is not the case today. Manufacturers and dealers must refocus their marketing to seasoned buyers.”

Foresight Research was founded in 1998 and conducts studies on various purchase decision influences in different industries.

MB USA Awards Chicago’s Next as Best New Restaurant

jamesbeardfoundation winners 551x470 MB USA Awards Chicagos Next as Best New Restaurant

Mercedes-Benz USA was once again a partner of the James Beard Foundation in presenting the Best New Restaurant award, which went to Chicago’s Next restaurant in the recently concluded James Beard Foundation Awards held in the Avery Fisher Hall of the Lincoln Center in New York City.

Since 2010, Mercedes-Benz USA had already been supporting the James Beard Foundation in a bid to help the organization foster the preservation of culinary heritage and usher in culinary innovation. The James Beard Foundation Awards is known colloquially as “The Oscars of Food” and honors various food professionals in America, from chefs and cookbook authors to restaurant designers and restaurants.

“The Mercedes-Benz brand is synonymous with automotive excellence,” said Mercedes-Benz USA VP for Marketing Bernhard Glaser. “Our owners also enjoy fine dining experiences from the best chefs and restaurants across the U.S, and our relationship with James Beard underscores this connection.”

Next provides diners with a unique experience and an innovative approach to the restaurant menu. For one, it makes use of a concept involving a first-come-first-served ticketing system. The tickets are released randomly each day, and it has been reported that tickets have fetched for over $3,000 on the secondary market. Another innovation is the shifting menu theme that guarantees diners will get an all-new, all-different experience every 13 months. For all that—and the good food—Next definitely deserves the award.

2012 DTM: Paffett Takes Second in Lausitzring

dtm gary paffett 2012 DTM: Paffett Takes Second in Lausitzring

DTM action resumed at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz, and Gary Paffett still managed to get a podium finish in his Mercedes-Benz. The winner of the first race of the season at Hockenheimring was able to finish second, sandwiched by two BMW drivers in the race results as Bruno Spengler took the win and Augusto Farfus took third.

“I was just a bit too far behind at the pit-stop,” said Paffett of his THOMAS SABO Mercedes-Benz AMG C-Coupe being fast enough to take another win. “Having said that, my car was really quick and had a brilliant set-up, a tribute to the team. I was also so close to Bruno Spengler’s car that I was losing a bit of down force.”

Paffett still sits atop the drivers’ championship standings with 43 points. With teammate Jamie Green finishing fourth, building on his second-place finish last time, he is at second overall with 30 points. The strong finishes from the two put HWA Team at the top of the team championship standings with 55 points total, while Mercedes AMG is at second with 37 points and Audi’s Abt Sportsline third with 33 points. Spengler’s 25 points account for all of fourth-placer BMW Team Schnitzer’s points.

Introducing the Mercedes-Benz GLA

MB GLA artistimpression 597x331 Introducing the Mercedes Benz GLA

Mercedes-Benz is developing a new crossover based on the A-Class platform, and word around cyberspace is that this new model will be named the GLA. Sources have pegged the GLA to be of the same size as the B-Class and should feature Mercedes-Benz’s MFA front-wheel drive platform.

There are barely any details out right now, but many experts and sources are envisioning a range of four-cylinder petrols and turbodiesels that are of the same range found in today’s A-Class and B-Class models. This new compact crossover unit should provide Mercedes with an answer to such competitor models as the Audi Q3 and the BMW X1, and even the Range Rover Evoque.

Along with this new GLA unit, MFA will also be found in the underpinnings of such future models as the upcoming A-Class and the four-door CSC. The GLA is expected to be slotted right under the GLK Class. This luxury compact crossover is expected to be very stylish both inside and out, but until official photos surface on the Web, we all have to make do with artist renderings [this one by Christian Schulte via CAR Magazine].

Page 5 of 49« First...34567...102030...Last »