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June 07 News |
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M-Class anniversary
It is 10 years since the M-Class was first produced at the Tuscaloosa plant in USA.
Assembly of Mercedes cars outside Germany started back in 1935, in Denmark, but production volumes were limited. The plant in Alabama was the first location outside
Germany where Mercedes cars were produced for the world market. The comfortable
M-Class, featuring a chassis with a separate box-section frame, was designed for
both road and offroad operation. Rubber mounts dampened the transfer of road bumps
and noise to the bodywork, and independent suspension all round was a special feature.
Enthusiasm for the new vehicle was so great that Mercedes initially had difficulties
in satisfying the demand.
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Cautionary tale
Thieves made off with a car after taking it for a test drive and leaving the owner
stranded by the roadside. The Mercedes C-Class was advertised for sale and a call
was received from an interested buyer. Once behind the wheel though, he stopped
the car and ordered the owner to get out before speeding away in his car. "I was
in the passenger seat with one man driving and another in the rear," he said. I
felt something pushed into my back, maybe a screwdriver or a knife and had my throat
grabbed. They told me to get out and then just left me there . The car (registration
number BW03 DFU) had only done 14,000 miles, was in perfect condition with an asking
price of £13,500. Anyone with information
should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555
111. |
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CLK black series
Mercedes pays homage to its CLK Formula One Safety Car with a Black Series edition
delivering power with an aggressive bodykit. The new performance coupé follows last
year s ultra-low-volume SLK55 AMG Black Series. Unlike that car, however, the CLK63
Black Series will not be restricted to Europe, with sales planned for a number of
key markets, including Australia, from late 2007. The centre piece in Mercedes
to extend its line-up to include a range of high-priced, limited-production models
based on existing AMG models, the CLK63 AMG Black Series modelled on the company s
F1 safety car, which leads the Formula when racing is slowed to clear the track
of cars and/or debris. |
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C-Class 4MATIC
Following on from the launch of the new C-Class, Mercedes has announced a further
technical refi nement in the new model series, namely 4MATIC permanent all-wheel
drive. This will be available for order and delivery in the six-cylinder C 280,
C 350 and C 320 CDI models from the summer of 2007. With a total of 49 4MATIC models,
Mercedes will then have the widest all-wheel-drive range among all premium brands.
The latest-generation system improves on the previous 4MATIC with greater effi ciency,
a lower weight and more compact dimensions. These advantages are refl ected in a
more favourable fuel consumption and improved traction |
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50 years of tough testingl
Tough testing of new vehicles forms part of the preparations for largescale production.
At Mercedes, such tests are carried out all over the world. In scorching heat and
extreme cold and under all conceivable environmental conditions, tomorrow s passenger
cars and commercial vehicles have to prove their mettle in everyday operation. However, tests on public
roads are not always possible, especially in the case of early prototypes.
This is why there has been a dedicated test track on the premises of the Untertürkheim
plant since 1956, and since 1967, a steep-bank curve for high-speed and endurance
tests. |
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Presidential cabriolet
A 1960 Mercedes 300d cabriolet that had belonged to President Ferdinand
Marcos of the Philippines is being auctioned by Coys in Monaco. Finished in dark
blue with beige leather interior trim, the car was delivered new in 1960 to Manila
in the Philippines. Five years later it was presented as a gift to President Marcos,
the car having been converted into a cabriolet, and it may well have subsequently
seen use on state occasions. Originally introduced in 1951, the Mercedes 300 range
was very much a fl agship designed to promote the Stuttgart manufacturer as a producer
of the fi nest luxury cars.
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