Mercedes Benz

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

• World premieres for trucks, buses and vans
• Hybrid drives and optimised conventional drives cut fuel consumption significantly
• Active Brake Assist in touring coaches
• Numerous new comfort features for supporting the drivers of trucks, buses and vans

Stuttgart, Germany, Aug 18, 2008 - Specific answers to the questions of today, prospects for the world of tomorrow: the commercial-vehicle brands of Daimler AG will be presented more attractively than ever before on four stands at the 2008 International Commercial Vehicle Show. Over 80 vehicles, including numerous world premieres, embody leadership in innovation in terms of safety, environmental compatibility and economic efficiency both in trucks and also in vans, buses, special-purpose vehicles and components. A total of seven hybrid-drive trucks, vans and buses will demonstrate Daimler's "Shaping Future Transportation" initiative, with which the company is promoting the development of alternative drives for commercial vehicles.


World premiere for the Mercedes-Benz Actros Construction Vehicle

The focus will be on the flagship of the fleet: Mercedes-Benz Actros construction vehicles will be celebrating their world premiere at the International Commercial Vehicle Show. These vehicles are perfectly suited to applications in the construction sector. Although, visually, the Actros construction vehicle is based on the new Actros, it adds its own, application-specific touches, one of the particularly striking features being a stainless-steel protective plate for radiator and engine. Scarcely less prominent are the well-protected exterior mirrors.

The Actros construction vehicle is optionally available with the new twelve-speed Mercedes PowerShift automatic transmission, which here goes under the name of PowerShift Offroad on account of different adjustments and functions as well as strengthened components. Alongside numerous other details, the new Actros construction vehicle features a new, factory-installable Meiller dump body and is also available ex works in a road-finisher version.

Especially spectacular is the new generation of the Mercedes-Benz Actros SLT heavy-duty tractor unit, which has been designed for a maximum gross vehicle weight of 250 tonnes. The uprated 15.9-litre V8 engine delivers 480 kW (653 hp) and a maximum torque of 3,000 Nm, power transmission being by means of a fluid coupling.

Premiere at the International Commercial Vehicle Show for the Actros on-road version

The Mercedes-Benz Actros, which was newly presented in the spring and is the first truck to be equipped as standard with an automatic transmission, will be celebrating its premiere at the International Commercial Vehicle Show. The highly economical Mercedes PowerShift 2 transmission impresses with its equally fast and smooth gearshifts. The driver is supported by a wide range of comprehensively revised and refined shift modes. Still unique among the safety assistant systems on the Actros is the Active Brake Assist.

The factors behind the once again improved economic efficiency of the new Actros include a battery status indicator, feedback-controlled coolant pump and air compressor as well as the E-APU (Electronic Air Processing Unit) with additional pressure supply during braking. There are packages of attractive safety, comfort and function options. The driver benefits from numerous new comfort features, including a bed with level control, shaving mirror, towel holder and table.

World premiere for the Mercedes-Benz Axor BlueTec Hybrid

The second focus for Mercedes-Benz trucks at the 2008 International Commercial Vehicle Show will be on alternative drives. Celebrating its world premiere will be the Axor BlueTec Hybrid, the first truck for medium long-distance transport to be equipped with a hybrid drive, here in the form of a parallel hybrid, which is intended to achieve fuel savings of around six percent. The prototype of the Axor BlueTec Hybrid will begin customer trials next year.

Already undergoing customer trials is the Mercedes-Benz Atego BlueTec Hybrid with 11.99 tonnes gross vehicle weight – proof that Mercedes-Benz not only announces new-type drives, but also puts them into practice. Conventional drives also continue to have the potential for optimisation, this being demonstrated by, among others, the Atego with its engine start/stop system.

Vito BlueEFFICIENCY: new technologies for conventional drives

Mercedes-Benz vans are proceeding along the same route. The Vito BlueEfficiency showcar presents new technologies for conventional drives. A wide-spread six-speed transmission, streamlining package and additional measures enable vans to achieve fuel savings of 1.2-1.6 litres/100 km. The new technologies are not dreams of the future – they will soon appear either as standard equipment or as optional extras.

With reference to the example of a cutaway model, Mercedes-Benz will for the first time be presenting a hybrid drive for the Vito. The fuel saving potential with a mild hybrid is around 2 litres/100 km. The path to custom-made drives for vans will be facilitated in future by preconfigured BlueEFFICIENCY packages, which will provide application-specific decision-making help with regard to vans used for short-, mixed- and long-distance transportation.

Sprinter NGT now also available in mono-fuel EEV version

Purchasers of vans are now in a position to drive down their costs. The Mercedes-Benz natural-gas-powered Sprinter NGT – now also available in a mono-fuel EEV version – lowers costs, just like the ECO start/stop function. The new Sprinter 4x4 with manually selectable four-wheel drive represents a different approach to economic efficiency. Its 4ETS electronic traction system is capable of simulating the effect of up to three differential locks, with an optional step-down gearset providing an additional increase in traction. The unique Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with low-frame chassis is now also available in a version with 4.2 tonnes gross vehicle weight and air suspension.

The Mercedes-Benz Vito and Viano, too, are advancing into new weight classes. Vito and Viano are now available in versions up to 3.2 tonnes and 3.05 tonnes gross vehicle weight, respectively. This has gone hand in hand with a significant increase in payload. A perceptible improvement in comfort is provided by newly designed seats in both Vito and Viano.

The exemplary array of safety equipment on the Vito/Viano and Sprinter has now once again been extended to include so-called adaptive brake lights: in the case of an emergency stop, the brake lights flash instead of being constantly illuminated, thereby raising the awareness of following road users.

Premiere for the Mercedes-Benz Zetros off-road truck

Mercedes-Benz Zetros is the name given to a new family of off-road trucks with all-wheel drive. These conventional cab-behind-engine trucks are suitable for a wide range of different applications and are available in two- and three-axle versions with single tyres. The centrepiece of the new vehicle concept is a modified all-wheel-drive chassis from the Actros, combined with a new cab module. The power is delivered by a six-cylinder in-line OM 926 LA with 240 kW (326 hp) and a dis¬place¬ment of 7.2 litres, and is transmitted by means of a hydraulically shifted eight-speed transmission.

World premiere: Mercedes-Benz Econic Hybrid, Econic CNG Hybrid

The Mercedes-Benz Econic will be celebrating no fewer than two premieres at the 2008 International Commercial Vehicle Show. One of the innovations is the already close-to-production Econic BlueTec Hybrid, featuring a parallel hybrid based on the 210-kW (286-hp) OM 906 LA diesel engine. Mercedes-Benz is presenting a concept study in the form of the worldwide unique Econic NGT Hybrid, which combines an EEV-rated natural-gas-powered engine with an electric motor. The predicted reduction in fuel costs by up to 60 percent in comparison with a diesel drive is sensational.

Mercedes-Benz TrailerAxleSystems: new trailer steering axle

The new DCA Steermaster steering axle rounds off the family of DCA trailer axles (Durable Compact Axles). As is customary with Mercedes-Benz, this is the lightest axle of its type in the class with 9 tonnes permissible axle load. The DCA Steermaster increases the manoeuvrability, reduces the tyre wear and lowers the fuel consumption of a 40-tonne tractor/semitrailer combination by around three percent.

World premiere: Mercedes-Benz Travego with Active Brake Assist

The new generation of the Mercedes-Benz Travego will be celebrating its world premiere. The premium high-decker touring coach is now available with the Active Brake Assist system, whereby, if there is an acute danger of a rear-end collision with the vehicle in front, having issued a series of graduated warnings, in a final stage the system automatically initiates a full application of the brakes. Moreover, the Travego features the patented Front Collision Guard passive safety system with movable driver workspace.

In addition, the new generation of the Travego presents itself with some cautious exterior modifications, a completely redesigned cockpit and a trailing axle with independent wheel suspension for the three-axle versions. The six-cylinder in-line OM 457 LA engine is available in an additional power-output level with 335 kW (456 hp). Yet a further innovation is the optional eight-speed Mercedes GO 240-8 PowerShift automatic transmission. Starting in the spring of 2009, the same transmission will also be available in the Mercedes-Benz Tourismo high-decker touring coach.

Technical and visual improvements to regular service buses

The Integro inter-city bus is now optionally available from Mercedes-Benz with engines that meet the voluntary EEV emissions standard. The Citaro G articulated bus, just like its derivative CapaCity large-capacity bus, can now be ordered with an attractive Metro Design Kit, which includes, among other things, a front section with arrow-shaped front-end cover, side cover panels for the roof carriers, concealed wheels on the rear axles and visually deeper side windows. Especially innovative from the technical viewpoint is the Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid, the articulated bus with serial hybrid drive and wheel-hub motors. This vehicle will begin customer trials at the beginning of 2009.
As far as minibuses are concerned, the focus is on the popular Sprinter City 65 low-floor bus, which now boasts a 10 percent larger low-floor area. There is now only one step leading into the high-floor rear section of the bus. A further innovation is the ticket counter with space for driver's bag and fire extinguisher.

World premiere: Setra S 419 GT-HD, TopClass 400 with Active Brake Assist

The innovations as regards the Setra premium bus brand are centred on the new top-of-the-line model of the ComfortClass 400, the 15-metre-long Setra S 419 GT-HD. This impressive high-decker touring coach seats 60 passengers. The attractive¬ness of the ComfortClass 400 is enhanced by a new optional comfort package, which includes tinted side windows, steering wheel, gearshift lever and dashboard in wood or wood/leather combination as well as an iPod connection port and LED end-outline marker lamps.

Likewise celebrating its premiere at the International Commercial Vehicle Show will be the extensively upgraded new generation of the Setra TopClass 400. The patented Front Collision Guard passive safety system, including movable driver workspace module, is now supplemented by an additional innovation in the form of the Active Brake Assist system, whereby, if there is an acute danger of a rear-end collision with the vehicle in front, having issued a series of graduated warnings, in a final stage the system automatically initiates a full application of the brakes. Yet another premiere at the 2008 International Commercial Vehicle Show will feature the facelifted Setra S 431 DT doubledecker bus. With new cockpit, new steering wheel, active curve illumination and light/rain sensor, the Setra S 431 DT includes some significant components from the new TopClass 400.

Mitsubishi Fuso: Canter Eco-D, the Canter of the future

Celebrating its European premiere will be the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter Eco-D concept study, the exciting variant of a lightweight dump truck of the future with a wealth of innovative ideas: the doors, for example, are rear-hinged to afford easier access; the generously dimensioned glass roof of the cab becomes progressively tinted depending on its exposure to light; the lattice structure of the A-pillar optimises the driver's visibility; and the futuristically shaped dump body follows on visually seamlessly from the cab.

The Canter Eco-D is powered by a parallel hybrid of the type that has already proved itself in real-world use, having been undergoing customer trials in Great Britain since the beginning of the year. At the 2008 International Commercial Vehicle Show, Mitsubishi Fuso will also be presenting the Canter Eco Hybrid as a ground-breaking, environmentally compatible and economically efficient drive of today.



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