MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg unveiled the new DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé for the 2012 DTM season at the IAA in Frankfurt, alongside Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management at Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Division, and Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport.


The new car is based on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé, which was launched worldwide in the summer of 2011, and is the first DTM car from Mercedes-Benz to be built around a new, improved safety concept, developed in collaboration with the ITR e.V, the DMSB (Germany’s motor racing governing body) and the DTM manufacturers. The new car incorporates a state-of-the-art carbon fibre monocoque with a roll cage made ​​of high-strength steel. Moreover, each vehicle is equipped with six energy-absorbing crash structures, giving the driver additional protection to the front, rear and sides.

The DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé will succeed the AMG Mercedes C-Class, which is the most successful vehicle in the 27-year history of the DTM, having scored 84 victories in 156 races and five driver’s titles.

Development, design and manufacture of the new car began in June 2010 at HWA headquarters in Affalterbach, near Stuttgart, Germany. HWA is responsible for production of the cars, including engines.

Michael Schumacher: “The new 2012 Mercedes-Benz DTM car looks fantastic, but what I find even more impressive than the car’s visual appearance is the new safety concept with its innovative safety cell and more advanced carbon-fibre crash structures. This safety standard is exemplary and constitutes, in my opinion, the benchmark for touring car racing. I’m looking forward to seeing the new C-Class Coupé in action and hopefully winning lots of races. I’ve got my fingers crossed for everyone in the Mercedes-Benz DTM team.”

Nico Rosberg: “I was pleased to take part in unveiling the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé for the 2012 DTM season at its Frankfurt Motor Show world premiere. It looks really cool and I particularly like the chrome finish. The car is certainly an important step forward for the DTM, which is a great series – I began my career racing on the same weekends as the DTM, and it will attract even more fans in 2012 when the third manufacturer arrives. Whenever possible, I still follow the races on TV, and always enjoy going to local DTM events. I will of course keep my fingers crossed next year for my Mercedes-Benz DTM colleagues and hope they can bring the title home to Stuttgart with the new C-Class Coupé.”

Gary Paffett: “The first test of a new car is always an exciting moment. After getting a feel for the handling and performance of the DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé around the Lausitzring, I can say I’m very pleased with it. Of course, we still have a lot of development work ahead of us before the 2012 season opener at Hockenheim. The driving experience is quite different to that of previous DTM cars. The new Hankook tyres for 2012 are wider and have taller sidewalls, providing more mechanical grip. Also, the gear lever has disappeared for 2012 – we will change gear using paddles on the steering wheel instead – and that’s something I’m already used to from Formula One.”

Norbert Haug, Vice-President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “This new-generation vehicle, based on our Mercedes-Benz C- Coupé, signals the introduction of an even more spectacular racing car from the start of 2012. I am certain that the spectators will get their money's worth from the three-way fight between Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the DTM next year.”

Mercedes-Benz Service & Parts will unveil its new “My Service” brand appearance at the 2011 IAA International Motor Show (September 15-25) in Frankfurt. The new approach will enable customers to experience at first hand the After-Sales brand values of individuality and appreciation. “We work continually to improve our program, and want to offer our customers the kind of service that meets their individual needs,” says Frank Reintjes, Head of Global Service & Parts Mercedes-Benz and smart. “Our new brand appearance underscores this claim.”


The new program’s name itself highlights the connection between individual requirements and the appropriate Mercedes-Benz-service offering. “Service quality and customer satisfaction are a top priority at Mercedes-Benz,” says Reintjes. “That’s why we want to set the tone as a trailblazer when it comes to service performance as well. The products and services we’ll be presenting at this year’s IAA will further improve the quality of the services we offer our customers.”

Mercedes-Benz Service & Parts’ IAA presentation will take the form of an exhibition platform that will feature the portfolio of products and processes associated with its service and parts business. An innovative stand design will use multimedia display cabinets to highlight the main business segments: Mercedes-Benz genuine parts, Mercedes-Benz Repair™ (favorably priced repairs and care for minor damage to vehicle bodies and paint), the brand’s service packages, and mobility concepts. Interactive touchpoints will provide detailed information on all aspects of “My Service” and make this information available for visitors to download. The Service stand will be located on Level 1 in the “Festhalle”.

Top marks for service quality and customer satisfaction

Numerous awards confirm the high service quality at Mercedes-Benz. For example, Mercedes-Benz finished first in service satisfaction ahead of all other premium manufacturers in Germany in the latest J.D. Power Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study (VOSSSM). The brand achieved the same result in 2009 and 2010 with its outstanding service portfolio. The VOSSSM survey also placed Mercedes-Benz among the top three premium automakers in nine of the 12 countries examined. In addition, Mercedes-Benz finished first in the “Automobilwoche Award Autohandel” (AAA) dealership satisfaction survey for best sales-partner service quality, marking the fifth consecutive year the brand has taken top honors in this category. Mercedes-Benz service centers also received top marks in the Germany-wide test conducted by the “ADAC automobile association” and the “Stiftung Warentest” consumer organization. This result marked the continuation of a string of successes since 2006 that has seen the brand with the star receiving a grade of “excellent” in all ADAC tests and finishing first each time.

Mercedes-Benz Service & Parts

Outstanding service quality and customer satisfaction are also reflected in Mercedes-Benz Service & Parts’ business development. Last year was an outstanding one for the service and parts business, and the developments to date this year have also been extremely positive. High rates of growth were recorded in the first half of the year especially in Latin America, China, and Turkey, and business also continues to develop positively in Germany and the U.S.
In conjunction with dealers, company-owned retail outlets, and national subsidiaries, the Mercedes-Benz Service & Parts unit is responsible for the entire global service and parts business for Mercedes-Benz Cars, Vans, and Trucks. The service business includes a service network of more than 5,000 facilities worldwide, as well as a central service center in Maastricht for handling customer inquiries. The parts business encompasses parts marketing and the development of innovative parts products and parts logistics systems.

Source: Daimler AG

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