Mercedes-Benz

The tortuous streets of Monte Carlo provide the next challenge for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes on the 2013 Formula One calendar. The Principality’s 3.3km circuit is the shortest and slowest of the season, but it’s also one of the most demanding for man and machine. McLaren has won the Monaco Grand Prix 15 times - more than any other constructor. The track layout has remained largely unchanged since its inaugural World Championship race in 1950. The inclusion of Armco barriers in 1969 made it considerably safer for competitors and spectators, but the challenge of the race is still as tough as ever. The smallest error can result in a driver’s race ending in the barrier and more than 4,000 gear-changes during the 78-lap race make technical excellence a pre-requisite. Pirelli will bring their soft and super-soft rubber to the race. Both compounds have been used already this season (the super-soft in Australia, the soft in China), but this is the first time they have been raced together as the prime and option tyres. The low-grip nature of Monaco’s asphalt, combined with the circuit’s average speed of just 160km/h, means tyre wear shouldn’t be as big a factor as it was in the Spanish Grand Prix last time out. Jenson Button won the race from pole position in 2009, and both he and Checo are aiming to finish in the points this year. Fast facts: Monte Carlo Circuit - Race distance: 78 laps (260.520km/161.887 miles) - Start time: 14:00 (local)/12:00 (GMT) - Circuit length: 3.340km/2.075 miles - 2012 winner: Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8) 78 laps in 1hr46m06.557s 147.312km/h) - 2012 pole: Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8) 1m14.381s 161.654km/h) - Lap record: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari F2004) 1m14.439s (161.528km/h) McLaren at the Monaco Grand Prix - Wins: 15 (1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008) - Poles: 11 (1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2007) - Fastest laps: 10 (1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007) Car 5: Jenson Button - Age: 33 (January 19 1980) - GPs: 233 - Wins: 15 - Poles: 8 - FLs: 8 “Monaco is unlike any other racetrack in Formula One. A qualifying lap around there is an exhilarating experience for a driver: you turn into corners on the limit and you kiss every barrier at the exit. To get pole position, as I did in 2009, is hugely satisfying and you need to be inch-perfect for 78 laps in order to win the race. It’s a great challenge. “The average speed around Monaco is the slowest of the year, but it feels very quick. The track’s quite narrow in places and there are some fast sections. The run up the hill from Ste Devote to Casino Square involves some quick changes of direction, as does the Swimming Pool, and the Tunnel is fast, loud and dark. “Everyone at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has been working flat-out since the Spanish Grand Prix. We’re not yet where we want to be in terms of competitiveness, but I’m confident that we can make another small step forward in Monaco. We’ll continue to chip away at the performance of the MP4-28 until it’s capable of challenging at the front; there’s no other agenda for a winning team like McLaren. The aim for Monaco is to get both cars home in the points, as we did in Barcelona.” Car 6: Sergio Perez - Age: 23 (January 26 1990) - GPs: 42 - Wins: 0 - Poles: 0 - FLs: 2 “Monaco is a great challenge for the drivers. It’s the only circuit on the calendar where you have to build up your speed during practice, rather than going flat-out on lap one. You push a little bit harder with every lap, getting a bit closer to the barriers each time. “But it’s not just the track that makes Monaco special; it’s the atmosphere as well. The grandstands are closer to the track here than anywhere else on the calendar and that gives us a very close connection to the spectators. The huge grandstand between Tabac and the Swimming Pool can get pretty noisy when it

Formula One´s most famous race, the Monaco Grand Prix, takes place around the streets of the principality on Sunday 26 May for the 71st time. • Just three of the past 30 Monaco Grands Prix have been won by a car starting outside the top three • The race has a very high 80% risk of Safety Car intervention with a total of 14 Safety Car periods in the past ten years • Last year´s race featured just 25 pit stops for tyres, the second lowest figure of the entire season (after Austin, 24 stops) • Only three DRS overtakes took place at the last three races combined, and 21 competitive non-DRS passes Nico Rosberg “Monaco is always a fantastic weekend and it´s great to race in the city where I live. Knowing that all my family and friends are watching makes it very special and I love being able to drive from home into the paddock on a scooter! The surroundings definitely make Monaco the coolest track on the calendar and the atmosphere over the weekend is great. I have good memories from the race last year after finishing in second place and I hope we can get another good result this time around. At the moment we have a good car for qualifying which helps in Monaco as it´s the most important qualifying session of the year as track position is so important. So that might be helpful for us but there are so many unknowns, especially with the tyres, so we will just have to wait and see.” Lewis Hamilton “Whilst there hasn´t been a lot of time since Barcelona, we´ve been working hard to put the disappointment of the last race behind us and focus on the opportunities ahead. Monaco is one of my favourite races of the year and I love driving the streets there. As a driver, you know that you have to perform on every single lap and it´s a challenge that I really enjoy. It´s a real experience to see the barriers flashing past at high speed and I love the fact that the fans can get so close to the track making for a great atmosphere. Perhaps more than at many other tracks, qualifying and getting the best possible track position is crucial in Monaco, but we have to keep our focus on Sunday as well and keep working to improve our race pace. Everyone is working really hard and I know we can get there. We just need to keep motivated and work it out together.” Ross Brawn “Monaco is a not usually a race to which teams bring many updates because the track conditions change so much across the weekend. The priority is always to get the drivers comfortable with the unique challenge the circuit presents and to give them a set-up they feel confident pushing to the limit. Both Nico and Lewis have historically been incredibly competitive in Monaco and this weekend will certainly allow their talent to shine. The engineering team will be focused on getting the most from our car on the slow, bumpy layout and there will of course be particular emphasis on achieving tyre consistency and durability. Meanwhile, our work continues back at Brackley and Brixworth to fully understand the reasons for our below-par race performance in Barcelona, in order to develop the right solutions for the upcoming circuits where high tyre usage could once again be a limitation for us.” Toto Wolff “Monaco is the most famous race in our sport and a special moment of every Formula One season. The narrow streets will give our drivers the perfect opportunity to display their talents and, historically, the team´s cars have performed strongly there in terms of pure speed. However, it is clear to everybody in the team that, while we have a strong car right now, we are not able to use that performance properly on Sunday afternoon. Although overtaking in Monaco is difficult, we cannot afford to be complacent in terms of tyre management and we will need to do significantly better than we managed in Barcelona in order to score a strong result. We have only scored points with one of our cars at the past three races and this is something we must improve quickly

The DTM travels to England for the second race of the year, just a fortnight after the Hockenheim season-opener. Mercedes-Benz DTM driver Gary Paffett (EURONICS Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) will be contesting his home fixture at Brands Hatch that he won last year. The circuit: The historic British Brands Hatch circuit will host the DTM next weekend for the eighth time. Racing will take place on the Indy Circuit, which at 1.929km is currently the shortest track on the DTM calendar and features four right-hand and two left-hand turns. At the fastest point on the start/finish straight, DTM cars reach a top speed of over 225km/h. The Brands Hatch DTM race is run over 98 laps, the highest lap total of any race this season. Celebrity guests at Mercedes-Benz: The two British Formula 1 drivers Paul Di Resta (Sahara Force India Mercedes, winner of DTM races at Brands Hatch in 2009 and 2010 and DTM champion with Mercedes-Benz in 2010), and Jenson Button (Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, Formula 1 World Champion 2009 – powered by Mercedes-Benz) will guest in turn with the Mercedes AMG DTM team on the Saturday (Di Resta) and Sunday (Button) at Brands Hatch. Paul and Jenson will take passengers around the track in the DTM racing taxi and sign autographs for fans. Comments about the DTM race at Brands Hatch Christian Vietoris (24, Germany, DTM Mercedes AMG C?Coupé): - was on podium for first time in the DTM at Hockenheim season-opener - achieved a podium in the 2009 Formula 3 Euro Series at Brands Hatch “Brands Hatch is a great track that I really like. The first turn is, to my mind, one of the Indy Circuit’s special challenges. A lap at Brands Hatch is extremely short, so the slightest mistake is punished immediately. This is especially true in qualifying, and last season, only 0.081 seconds separated the top five drivers in Q3. Me and Martin Tomczyk in fourth and fifth place posted the same time – 41.101 seconds. I achieved my lap time first and consequently progressed further in the quali to secure second place, my best position on the grid in the DTM. After a good start to the season with my maiden DTM podium at Hockenheim, I’m feeling twice as confident in the run-up to Brands Hatch.” Gary Paffett (32, England, EURONICS Mercedes AMG C?Coupé): - won his home race at Brands Hatch last year - 2013 marks his tenth season in the DTM “My home win last year at Brands Hatch was one of the most wonderful victories in my DTM career. Winning the race in front of the home fans and many of my friends was a fantastic feeling. My Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team-mate Jenson Button presented me with the trophy last year – so maybe it’s a good omen that my lucky charm Jenson is our guest again at Brands Hatch this weekend. The track itself is a lot of fun and yet at the same time can be a real challenge for drivers. Paddock Hill Bend is one of the best turns that you could ever hope to encounter in a racing car – it’s just incredible. The characteristics of the track are very different as compared to the season-opener at Hockenheim, and I wonder how the new option tyres will shape up under these circumstances and how they will affect the course of the race. I was on the front row of the grid each time in the last two races at Brands Hatch, so hopefully, I can build on that success again this year and fight for victory once more.” Roberto Merhi (22, Spain, THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C?Coupé): - finished in the points for first time at Hockenheim season-opener - had second fastest pit stop of the race in Hockenheim “The season-opener at Hockenheim had its ups and downs as far as I’m concerned: I made a mess of qualifying but followed that with my first points-scoring result in the DTM. I would like to pick up a top position both in qualifying and in the race at Brands Hatch, but it won’t be easy, because at Brands Hatch the gaps between drivers will be even smaller than is normally the case in the DTM. During practice, I wil

Trier’s public utility company has put three new Citaro Euro VI buses into service. The urban buses equipped with Euro VI exhaust treatment technology significantly improve urban environmental quality thanks to emissions that are 80 percent lower than those of their predecessors. At the same time, the fuel expenses of the transport operator are lower because the new buses use more than 8 percent less diesel fuel. This was substantiated in the "Record Run Buses" economy run conducted in autumn 2012 under the impartial supervision of Dekra. Daimler Buses has delivered some 350 buses equipped with Euro VI exhaust treatment technology to date. By the end of 2013 more than 1700 Daimler Buses of the Mercedes-Benz and Setra brands equipped with environmentally friendly Euro VI exhaust treatment technology are expected to be on the road. Milestone in bus development, economic efficiency was top development priority To comply with the Euro VI emission standards, the buses are equipped with complex exhaust treatment technology. They combine the customary Mercedes-Benz SCR technology of AdBlue injection and oxidation catalyst with exhaust gas recirculation and a closed particulate filter. The completely new engine generation and the complex exhaust treatment technology have reduced emissions to the very margin of detectability and thus represent another step in the advancement of diesel technology. Credits: Daimler AG Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

A week prior to the start of the legendary 24 Hours Nürburgring, the race gullwing cars of the different AMG Customer Teams continue to be on the course of success. The second race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters took place in Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium. In the first race on Saturday, 11st May, 2013, Maximilian Götz and Maximilian Buhk (both GER) of Polarweiss Racing crossed the finish line second. Their team colleagues Andreas Simonsen (SWE) and Sergey Afanasiev (RUS) ended the race fourth. In the second race on Sunday, 12th May, 2013, both SLS AMG GT3 of Polarweiss Racing won the same positions as already on Saturday – once again, a pleasing second position. The driver duo Götz/Buhk started from the second position and took over the lead already in the first turn, claiming the first position for a long time. A few minutes prior to the end of the race on a drying track, the SLS AMG GT3 was pushed away from its competitors to the second place. In the championship, Götz/Bukh managed to win the sixth position, while their team colleagues Simonsen/Afanasiev won the fourth position. In the team ranking, Polarweiss Racing won the first position. Podium position in International GT Open in Portimão/Portugal The second round of the International GT Open was held in Portimão/Portugal. Jan Seyffarth (GER) and Miguel Toril (ESP) from Seyffarth Motorsport ended the race on Saturday, 11st May, 2013 on the sixth overall position and on position three in the GTS category. In the second race on Sunday, 12th May, 2013, Seyffarth/Toril won the 14th overall position after a tyre failure and position nine in the GTS category. Lead in the Polish GT Championship Piotr Krawczyk and his SLS AMG GT3 continue to be the leaders of the Polish GT Championship. In the FIA CEZ race on the Austrian Red Bull Ring, the driver of the AMG Customer Team Premium Motorsport Poland came home second on Saturday. A remarkable success for the leading contender in the Polish GT Championship, who had his first race on the track near Spielberg – in addition, on a wet track. In the race on Sunday, Piotr Krawczyk crossed the finish line fourth. Seven SLS AMG GT3 in 24 Hours Nürburgring One of the highlights of the season for the AMG Customer Sports Programme takes place on Whit weekend. Seven SLS AMG GT3 will be entered into the 41st ADAC Zurich 24 Hours Nürburgring: Black Falcon enters three cars while ROWE RACING even enters four. All of the race gullwing cars start in the SP 9 class. Due to their good results in the first VLN (Veranstaltergemeinschaft Langstreckenpokal Nürburgring) races, start numbers 22 and 23 from ROWE RACING are already admitted for the top-40 qualifying. As already in 2012, Bernd Schneider and Thomas Jäger will support the customer teams as part of the AMG Support Program and will also actively take part in the race. Lance David Arnold will have his first race as AMG driver this year. An overview of AMG Customer Teams in the 24-hour race: - Start number 9, Black Falcon: Bernd Schneider (GER), Jeroen Bleekemolen (NED), Sean Edwards (GBR), Nicki Thiim (DEN) - Start number 10, Black Falcon: Andrii Lebed (UKR), Andreas Simonsen (SWE), Dennis Rostek (GER), Hari Proczyk (AUT) - Start number 63, Black Falcon: Vimal Mehta (IND), Kaled al Qubaisi (UAE), Daniel Keilwitz, Christian Bracke (both GER) - Start number 21, ROWE RACING: Marko Hartung, Kenneth Heyer, Roland Rehfeld, Christan Hohenadel (all GER) - Start number 22, ROWE RACING: Klaus Graf, Thomas Jäger, Jan Seyffarth, Nico Bastian (all GER) - Start number 23, ROWE RACING: Lance David Arnold, Alexander Roloff, Jan Seyffarth, Thomas Jäger (all GER) - Start number 125, ROWE RACING: Michael Zehe, Reinhold Renger, Marko Hartung (all GER), Mark Bullit (USA) Ola Källenius, chairman of the board, Mercedes-AMG GmbH: “All employees of Mercedes-AMG are very proud of the fact that the AMG Customer Teams Black Falcon and ROWE RACING enter seven SLS AMG GT3 altoget

“Mercedes-Benz dream cars” is a combined concept for the Stuttgart-based manufacturer’s sales and marketing activities around its coupé, cabrio and roadster model series. The campaign is currently being rolled out in its core markets. The dream cars include the new E-Class coupe and cabrio models, the SLK and SL sports cars, the CL as well as the CLS and the CLS Shooting Brake. Selected classics such as the SL Pagoda or the SE Coupé round off the portfolio of the Mercedes-Benz dream cars. “We have always made automotive dreams come true. ‘Mercedes-Benz dream cars’ is intended to underline this as a new umbrella term,” says Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales and Marketing. “Those models in particular are what make the Mercedes-Benz brand so exciting.” Approximately 133,000 of these dream cars were sold worldwide in 2012. The aim is to increase model sales further during 2013. The E-Class cabrio and coupe are set to play an important role when they take to Europe's roads from 1 June 2013 onwards. Adaptable communication activities around the globe Advertising and marketing tools featuring a standard design, and which can be used in various different ways worldwide, are to be stepped up. Markets will have access to a “dream car toolbox” containing print visuals and moving image material. There are also dealer communication modules and event guidelines to assist dealers in implementing point-of-sale events. This gives all markets the flexibility to respond to their specific target audience. In Germany, the print ads will run from mid-May 2013. A concurrent radio campaign starring the E-Class cabrio and coupe will invite listeners to “dream car weeks”. Special formats like the 2014 Mercedes-Benz calendar will also be entirely dedicated to the dream car theme. Long-term, this extensive package of activities will not only ensure that the dream cars fully live up to driver expectations, but also contribute to the Mercedes-Benz 2020 growth strategy. Rising demand for dream cars In Germany, the E-Class coupe and cabrio have proved to be the most popular vehicles in their segments for the third time in succession. Demand in the UK and the United States – the biggest sales market – is even greater than in the home German market. Worldwide, some 75,000 customers have opted for an E-Class cabrio since the market launch of the current model series in 2010. Meanwhile, more than 132,000 units of the coupe version have been sold since it was unveiled in 2009. The majority of both cabrio and coupe customers select a paint finish in obsidian black. Diamond white metallic is the second most popular colour. When it comes to optional extras, customers value entertainment and comfort above all: around two-thirds of customers choose the COMAND multimedia system and more than four-fifths order AIRSCARF neck-level heating for their E-Class Cabrio. In the roadster segment the Mercedes-Benz SLK was the global segment leader last year, with 31,800 new cars sold. Most SLKs in 2012 went to owners in Germany, followed by the UK and the United States. Besides the PARKTRONIC system ordered by 90 percent of customers, the most popular extra equipment include AIRSCARF neck-level heating and a navigation and entertainment system. Furthermore, over four-fifths of SLK buyers opted for leather equipment in black. The top paint colour choices for the SLK are tenorite grey, palladium silver and iridium silver. Now in its sixth generation, the iconic Mercedes-Benz SL sports car continues to be as popular as ever. From the current model series 10,700 units were sold in 2012, three times as many as in the previous year. The SL’s history dates back 60 years to the 300 SL racing sports car of 1952. Today, one in every two SL models goes to an owner in the United States. Germany and Japan are other major sales markets. Proving that no other vehicle in its class unites sportiness and comfort like the SL, the vehicl

Google I/O is an annual developer conference featuring highly technical, in-depth sessions, and showcasing the latest from Google’s product teams and partners. This year's conference, which has taken place annually since 2008, will showcase Mercedes-Benz and its latest integration of Google services in the car. In one of its SL models, Mercedes-Benz will be demonstrating the Drive Kit Plus, a system which in combination with a smartphone and a special app enables the seamless integration of the smartphone into the vehicle's infotainment architecture. And with the Digital DriveStyle App developed by Mercedes-Benz, the main functions of the smartphone can be organised under the headings Social, Media and Places and called up on the vehicle display – and also accessed safely and conveniently while driving via the COMAND controller or by using the voice based intelligent personal assistant. The Drive Kit Plus is available as an accessory for virtually all current Mercedes-Benz model series. Digital DriveStyle App makes use of Google's Places API In the concept version of Digital DriveStyle on display at Google I/O, Mercedes-Benz is demonstrating the capabilities of Google's Places API with four new features. "Faster search, everywhere you go": Whether it’s a street address or nearby restaurant, find your destination faster with the Google Places Autocomplete API, which predicts the most likely destinations as you type. "Preview destinations on-the-go": Explore landmarks, parks, and storefronts from around the world with 360-degree Street View imagery and Google+ Local photos. "Know the hottest spots in town": Radar View uses the Google Places API Radar Search and Heatmaps to guide you to the center of the action by visualizing areas with high concentrations of night clubs, restaurants and shopping centers. "Get live traffic conditions": integration of Google’s traffic service, providing a color-coded overlay of real-time traffic conditions on a Google Map. Digital DriveStyle App due to be updated in the first half of 2013 These features are still expected to be integrated into the Digital DriveStyle App in the first half of 2013. Customers who already own a Drive Kit Plus and are using the app can obtain an updated version via the App Store. This avoids customers having to visit their Mercedes-Benz dealer or workshop to be able to use the new services. While the majority of the product as demonstrated at Google I/O will be released to the public, Mercedes-Benz is additionally previewing a proof-of-concept feature whose market introduction plans have yet to be determined: a City Guide using Places API Radar Search to visualize the concentration of various features (nightlife, shopping, etc) as a graphical overlay on a Google Map. Mercedes-Benz at the centre of innovation Back as early as the beginning of the 1990s, Mercedes-Benz recognised the importance of having a presence in the innovation centre of Silicon Valley – and as a result in 1995 became the world's first automotive manufacturer to open a research site in Palo Alto. Today, Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, Inc. (MBRDNA) has around 140 employees, the largest workforce of all of the automotive manufacturers located in Silicon Valley. The Digital DriveStyle App has been fully developed in-house by Mercedes-Benz, with all of the functionality and design having been worked on by MBRDNA. The integration of Google content is a result of the close cooperation between the developers from Mountain View. This has been made possible thanks to a partnership between Google and Mercedes-Benz, announced at CES 2012. The Drive Kit Plus, which enables the smartphone to be connected to the vehicle, was developed by Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH. Additional information on the Digital DriveStyle App and the Drive Kit Plus is available online at: http://drive-kit-plus.com. Glossary - Smartphone integration: the Drive Kit

The Genuine Accessories range from Mercedes-Benz for the new E-Class Saloon and Estate comprises over 140 high-quality and practical products. The main focus is on advanced multimedia systems and elegant, sporty products from Mercedes-Benz Sport Equipment. Mobility today is about more than just getting from A to B. With the multimedia products from the Genuine Accessories range, the driver of the new E-Class is mobile on the World Wide Web, too: The Mercedes-Benz InCar Hotspot brings the internet to the E-Class. This is a special wireless router which uses a data-compatible SIM card and the vehicle's roof aerial to establish a wireless internet connection even when the car is on the move. A WiFi-enabled device of some sort (laptop, tablet computer, mobile phone, MP3 player) is all that is required. The Drive Kit Plus for the iPhone®, in conjunction with the "Digital DriveStyle" app developed in-house by Daimler, allows seamless integration of iPhone® models 4 and 4S into the E-Class [1] . Highlights include Siri voice control, the advanced navigation solution from Garmin® with internet-based real-time traffic information, Google® online POI search including Street View™ and 3D map view as well as the real-time location sharing system Glympse®. Additional functions include Facebook®, Twitter® and AUPEO!™ Personal Radio, as well as internet radio covering national and international stations. The Mercedes-Benz telephone module with Bluetooth® (SAP) also incorporates a host of multimedia functions. Featuring an integrated UMTS module connected directly to the vehicle's exterior aerial, it provides COMAND Online with a fast, stable and secure internet connection. The iPad® rear integration Plus docking station offers an ergonomic and safe means of installing Apple® tablet PC models in the rear of the vehicle, whereby all their customary functions are maintained. First-class entertainment in the second row is also made possible by the Rear Seat Entertainment System, which comprises two 17.8 cm displays with integrated DVD player, USB and SD card slot, infrared headphones and infrared remote control. Genuine individualisation with Mercedes-Benz Sport Equipment Mercedes-Benz Sport Equipment is the label under which Mercedes-Benz offers a range of elegant yet sporty individualisation products. The following highlights have now been added to the range for the new E-Class: The front-apron spoiler lip emphasises the vehicle's width and lends the front end an apparently lower centre of gravity. The spoiler lip is made of dimensionally stable polyurethane. The primed add-on part, which does not have to be registered in the vehicle documents, can be painted by your authorised Mercedes-Benz dealer in the colour of your choice and duly fitted. The 5-twin-spoke wheel lends the new E-Class an elegantly sporty look, thanks to its matt black and high-sheen finish. The new wheel from Mercedes-Benz Sport Equipment is available in size 8.5 J x 19 ET 48 for the front axle and 9.5 J x 19 ET 48 for the rear axle. An unusual night-time appearance is provided by the illuminated Mercedes star [2], available for vehicles with a centrally positioned star. Fibre-optic cables and LED lights illuminate the central star on the radiator grille when the car is locked and unlocked by remote control and when doors or the luggage compartment are opened. Everything with you, wherever you go: Carrier systems and roof boxes The large luggage compartments of the E-Class Saloon and Estate have traditionally made these vehicles a popular choice for families. Their transport capacities can be further increased with Genuine Accessories: A collapsible rear-mounted cycle rack for the trailer coupling is available, for example, enabling the transportation of two or three bicycles. As a practical feature, an ingenious pull-out mechanism allows continued use of the luggage compartment. Those who prefer to transport items on the vehicle

After eight years of lifecycle, the current W/V 221 S-Class model series hands over the laurel to the new W/V 222 generation which has undergone intense testing and development for over four years. After a spectacular show, the new S-Class was presented in front of the audience gathered at Hamburg - Finkenwerder in the delivery center for the Airbus A380 jumbos. The sovereign luxury and magnificent stance of the new Mercedes-Benz model were intensely admired by all guests, not to mention the outstanding technical package which easily converts the new S-Class into world's most advanced automobile which paves the way to a future automotive era full of intelligent cars. If you would like to find out more about the new S-Class (which, you certainly do), check out the following links and prepare to be impressed. Enjoy! :) 1. Spectacular world premiere of the new S-Class at Airbus in Hamburg: Grand unveiling of the new flagship model from Mercedes-Benz 2. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class - The aspiration: the best automobile in the world 3. The Mercedes-Benz management team on the S-Class: The best or nothing, in every respect 4. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Exterior design - Modern sense of status, sensual shapes and stylish sportiness 5. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Interior design - Visual breadth and calm solidity 6. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Aerodynamics - Sleek, silent type 7. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class: The model range - The assignment: perfection 8. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Lights - The first ever car without a single light bulb 9. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Control and display concept - Elegant new control centre 10. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Seats - Mobile office and centre of wellbeing 11. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Climate control - A wealth of new features for a pleasant atmosphere 12. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class: The driving assistance systems - Helpers in the background 13. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Extended PRE-SAFE® protection - Prevention is better than cure 14. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Extended protection in the rear - Top safety level in the rear 15. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Bodyshell and passive safety - Maximum stability and high-quality lightweight design 16. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Drive system - Class-leading efficiency in every output category 17. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Suspension - The world's first suspension system with "eyes" 18. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Multimedia features - Communication centre and concert hall 19. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Heritage - S-Class technology milestones 20. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Glossary - Terms and innovations from A to Z 21. "The Taste of Luxury": Mercedes-Benz opens "Ten Star Restaurant" for one night only 22. Meeting of two flagships: The Airbus A380 as the backdrop for the world premiere of the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

The weekend of May 26 will see the 71st running of the Monaco Grand Prix. In terms of glamor and prestige in the motoring world, Monaco has few equals, with its population of exotic cars and exotic people, apart from being the venue of important circuit and rallying events in the motorsports calendar.The Mercedes F1 team admittedly wants to get the sub-par performance of the Barcelona race behind them, and Ross Brawn has said that no significant updates are to be expected with the car. Rather, the focus will be on setting up the car so that the drivers will be comfortable on the relatively slow, bumpy course. Cognizant of the fact that track conditions change rapidly at Monaco, Brawn admits that particular focus will be on making sure that the tires last the race while shooting for consistency.Both Hamilton and Rosberg know that qualifying will be critical, like always, for Monaco. Historically, in the past 30 Grands Prix, only three cars which qualified outside the top three have won the race. Needless to say, the pressure is on.