Mercedes Benz

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Stuttgart/St. Moritz, Germany/Switzerland, Aug 25, 2008 – For decades Daimler AG is engaged in Art & Culture. Hence Daimler is delighted to support the prestigious "St. Moritz Art Masters" festival from August 29th to September 7th, 2008 with Mercedes-Benz cars, the AMG and smart car brands, and artworks from the Daimler Art Collection.


The Daimler Art Collection will present two exhibits in St. Moritz. In an exhibition space in the centre of town (close to Badrutt’s Palace Hotel), about 30 works – paintings, light works, sculptures and installations – will provide an overview of the Collection’s focus on abstract, minimalist and conceptual tendencies in art: from Bauhaus and swiss concrete artists and Neo Geo to contemporary international art. Artists featured here will include Josef Albers (D), John M Armleder (CH), Max Bill (CH), Sylvie Fleury (CH), Richard Paul Lohse (CH), Shiro Matsui (JP), Anselm Reyle (D), Gerwald Rockenschaub (A), Pietro Sanguineti (I), Simone Westerwinter (D), and Heimo Zobernig (A). At two other central venues – Badrutt’s Palace Hotel and the Paradiso Hut – paintings by Andy Warhol and an interactive video work by young Indian artist Shilpa Gupta will be exhibited.

Within the scope of the St. Moritz Art Masters, AMG will offer guests the chance to experience their products with solo or guided test drives of the brand’s various models through the Engadin Mountains. The performance brand of Mercedes-Benz will also present two works of art from its own AMG PERFORMANCE STUDIO: Guests of the St. Moritz Art Masters will be greeted by a CL 65 AMG 40th Anniversary Edition in front of Julius Bär Haus and an exclusive SL 63 AMG IWC Edition in front of Badrutt’s Palace Hotel. The limited-edition roadster – limited, in fact, to only 200 – catches every eye with its extraordinary designo magno Kashmir white finish and matte-surfaced AMG Exterior Carbon package. In keeping with the exterior appearance, the interior is fitted with Carbon matte trim and Tobago Brown nappa leather, adding extra visual and tactile highlights. The series-production AMG Performance package provides the vehicle with unparalleled handling. The automotive work of art is an all-round success – both in terms of aesthetics and driving dynamics.

The smart car brand will present its recent art book “sideways – a smart art project” in a temporary space. At the flagship store of international fashion label Jet Set, smart will install an exhibition space and lounge presenting selected art works taken from the widely acclaimed book project. Visitors will be able to enjoy modern art in a relaxed atmosphere. Together with the Kempinski Hotel, smart will offer children the chance to paint body panels that will afterwards be auctioned for charity. Further, as an outdoor public art installation, smart will present the smart fortwo, designed by artist Ben O’Brien, right in the middle of St. Moritz.

About Daimler

Daimler AG, Stuttgart, with its businesses Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks, Daimler Financial Services, Mercedes-Benz Vans and Daimler Buses, is a global leader in the production of premium passenger cars and is the largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in the world. The Daimler Financial Services division offers a broad range of financial services, including vehicle financing, leasing, insurance and fleet management. Daimler sells its products in nearly every country in the world, and has production facilities on five continents. Following their invention of the automobile in 1886, the company’s founders, Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz, continued to make automotive history. As an automotive pioneer, Daimler and its employees willingly accept their obligation to act responsibly towards society and the environment, and to shape the future of safe and sustainable mobility with groundbreaking technologies and high-quality products. The current brand portfolio includes the world’s most valuable automobile brand, Mercedes-Benz, as well as smart, AMG, Maybach, Freightliner, Sterling, Western Star, Mitsubishi Fuso, Setra, Orion and Thomas Built Buses. The company is listed in Frankfurt, New York and Stuttgart (stock exchange abbreviation DAI). In 2007, the Group sold 2.1 million vehicles and employed a workforce of over 270,000 people; revenue totalled €99.4 billion and EBIT amounted to €8.7 billion. Daimler is committed to automotive excellence, and aims to achieve sustainable growth and industry-leading profitability.

Information about The Daimler Art Collection

The Daimler Art Collection is one of the most renowned European corporate collections and concentrates on 20th century abstraction. The starting point of our Collection is provided by Classical Modernism, with main pieces from German Bauhaus, from Constructivism and Concrete Art. Subsequent components of the Collection are dedicated to car-related art, to the European Zero movement and Minimalism. Since about 2000, the Collection has started to include international media art as well – photography, video, sculptures and installations. The Collection consists of approximately 1,800 works by about 600 European and international artists.

From the outset, the Daimler Art Collection was more than just about providing visual furnishings for the Group. Indeed, by organizing exhibitions, educational and guided tours, as well as by shepherding publications, the Collection has become a vital part of the organization, committed to the arts and culture, while fostering dialogue with various departments.

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