Mercedes Benz

Bruno Spengler (Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Class) was the best Mercedes-Benz driver in the sixth race of the season at the Nürburgring in second place. The Canadian driver extended his lead in the DTM drivers' standings to 47 points, and leads the table by seven points.





Three AMG Mercedes C-Class drivers finished in the Top Ten: After 49 laps, Spengler’s team-mate Jamie Green (AMG Mercedes C-Class) came home in sixth place, securing three championship points. Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO AMG Mercedes C-Class) moved up five positions from 13th place on the grid to finish the race in eighth place.



Renger van der Zande (stern AMG Mercedes C-Class) missed the Top Ten by a whisker; the DTM rookie came home in eleventh place. Christian Vietoris (Junge Sterne AMG Mercedes C-Class), Susie Stoddart (TV Spielfilm AMG Mercedes C-Class) and Maro Engel (GQ AMG Mercedes C-Class) finished in P13, 14 and 15. David Coulthard (Deutsche Post AMG Mercedes C-Class) had to make an extra pit stop after a collision, and was 17th at the finish. Ralf Schumacher (Salzgitter AMG Mercedes C-Class) retired on the first lap of the race.



Coulthard posted the fastest lap, 1:25.588 minutes, his second in DTM and the 29th for Mercedes-Benz at the circuit in the Eifel. Since 2006, Mercedes-Benz drivers have secured the fastest race lap four times at the Nürburgring.



Across the race weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday), a total of 86,500 spectators visited the Nürburgring circuit to watch the DTM race.



Race summary



The start: Bruno Spengler moves up one position to third place. Gary Paffett goes up from P13 to P9. Maro Engel up three places to finish the first lap in 14th place.

Lap 1: Ralf Schumacher retires after a collision.

Lap 5: David Coulthard pits for a new front engine cover after a collision.

Lap 9: Renger van der Zande wins an exciting scrap with fellow Mercedes-Benz driver, Paffett, and moves up into P10.

Lap 12: The pit stop window is now open. Paffett is the first Mercedes-Benz driver to pit. Van der Zande also comes in for fresh tyres.

Lap 13: Jamie Green and Susie Stoddart make their first mandatory pit stop.

Lap 15: Spengler comes into the pits in third place for his first stop. Fresh tyres also for Christian Vietoris.

Lap 20: Four Mercedes-Benz drivers in the Top Ten: Spengler third, Green seventh. Paffett and van der Zande in P9 and 10.

Lap 23: Green is the first driver to make his second and final pit stop of the race.

Lap 25: Van der Zande pits for a second time for fresh tyres. Coulthard also comes into the pit lane.

Lap 27: Vietoris pits for a second time and then overtakes Rahel Frey (Audi).

Lap 28: Gary Paffett and Stoddart pit for fresh tyres. Coulthard posts the fastest race lap so far.

Lap 30: Third-placed Spengler comes into the pit lane for the second time, and subsequently maintains his position in the race.

Lap 35: Coulthard makes his final mandatory pit stop.

Lap 39: Spengler reels in Mike Rockenfeller (Audi) in the fight for second place. The Mercedes-Benz driver is just 0.3 seconds down on Rockenfeller.

Lap 47: Rockenfeller misjudges his braking in the Mercedes Arena und Spengler sails past to secure second place two laps before the finish.

Finish (Lap 49): After 49 laps and a total distance of 177.821 km, Spengler is best-placed Mercedes-Benz driver, securing a podium place in P2. Green comes home in P6, Paffett in P8.



Comments after the race:



Bruno Spengler (Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Class) – Second:

“I'm happy with my second place. I overtook Mike Rockenfeller just two laps before the finish. My C-Class was very fast today, but I couldn’t use all the speed, as I couldn’t find a way past Mike for quite a time. Many thanks to the team for a great, consistent car.”



Jamie Green (AMG Mercedes C-Class) – Sixth:

“I had intended to be challenging for victory today. I started the race from second on the grid but lost a couple of positions straightaway. Then, a less than perfect pit stop cost me additional time. It was a bit frustrating because I got stuck in heavy traffic for quite a while, which meant I wasn’t able to use the excellent pace of my C-Class to best advantage.”



Gary Paffett (AMG Mercedes C THOMAS SABO-Class) – Eighth:

“Considering I started from 13th on the grid, a P8 finish is quite an achievement. I made good five positions today – the field was so tightly bunched, that there was scope to have done even better. I really enjoyed the race. My C-Class was fast and I made good progress through the field.”



Renger van der Zande (stern AMG Mercedes C-Class) – Eleventh:

“Unfortunately, I just missed out on the Top Ten. That’s annoying, because I know I could have done better today – my car had excellent pace. The target for this race was to get into a points position, but on the first couple of laps, I got into a few scrapes with other cars and sustained damage to my C-Class. Anyway, I’ll be pushing hard again in the next race and trying to score points.”



Christian Vietoris (Junge Sterne AMG Mercedes C-Class) – 13th:

“Unfortunately, I was forced into a spin during the jockeying for position at the start and was placed last after the first round, so we had to change strategy a bit and adapt to conditions. I was nevertheless able to pass a few cars in the remaining part of the race and was very satisfied with lap times in my C-Class.”



Susie Stoddart (TV Spielfilm AMG Mercedes C-Class) – 14th:

“That wasn’t an easy race for me. I got into a lot of scraps and made many attempts at overtaking on the first few laps. Oliver Jarvis collided with my C-Class just as he was exiting the pit lane. My car was damaged and proved difficult to drive afterwards, which probably prevented me from finishing higher up the field.”



Maro Engel (GQ AMG Mercedes C-Class) – 15th:

“Of course, I'm not at all satisfied with 15th place. I hope that in future races, I can once again show the speed of my C-Class. The incident with Christian Vietoris was unfortunate – I think I just got a little too close to him.”



David Coulthard (Deutsche Post AMG Mercedes C-Class) – 17th:

“I’d like to thank my team for delivering such a powerful C-Class for me to drive today. Sadly, I had an unfortunate collision right at the start of the race and then lost a lot of time on an unscheduled pit stop. From last in the field, it was difficult to make progress and get into a points-scoring position. I hope that things go better for me next time.”



Ralf Schumacher (Salzgitter AMG Mercedes C-Class) – retired:

“It’s a pity that I had to retire early. I had a scrap with David, each of us seeing an opportunity. I braked a bit too late perhaps and made contact with him. It was a fair fight; we both wanted to maintain position. As fellow Mercedes drivers, we did everything we could, though, and gave no quarter, but it’s no big deal, in a close-run race, these things happen.”



Norbert Haug, Vice-President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:

“The race result was decided by the grid positions from qualifying when the weather conditions kept changing. Bruno Spengler got the worst of it yesterday, but the main thing is finishing second in the race has increased his championship lead by a further four points. So from that aspect, he can claim to be one of the winners on the day.”

Jamie Green (AMG Mercedes C-Class) was the fastest-qualifying Mercedes-Benz driver, and will start Sunday’s sixth race of the 2011 DTM season at the Nürburgring (start: 14:00, live on ARD from 13:45) in second place on the grid. At the end of the qualifying session, the Brit scored an individual lap time of 1:35.246 minutes.





Bruno Spengler (Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Class) achieved fourth-best time (1:37.144 minutes) and will start from the second row. In Top 4 qualifying, the championship leader was first out on a rainy track. The rain stopped as qualifying progressed, allowing faster lap times to be achieved.



Renger van der Zande (stern AMG Mercedes C-Class / 1:24.501 minutes) and David Coulthard (Deutsche Post AMG Mercedes C-Class / 1:24.525 minutes) in the Top Ten on the grid in P9 and 10. Christian Vietoris (Junge Sterne AMG Mercedes C-Class / 1:24.549 minutes) just missed progressing through to the third qualifying segment. The DTM rookie will be in P11 on the grid for the sixth race of the season on Sunday.



Qualifying 1: Rain began to fall just before the start of qualifying. Gary Paffett in 1:25.816 minutes secures best time of all the Mercedes-Benz drivers. Ralf Schumacher (Salzgitter AMG Mercedes C-Class / 1:27.47 min) and Maro Engel (GQ AMG Mercedes C-Class / 1:27.275 min) unable to improve their positions due to the difficult weather conditions and occupy P17 and P18.



Qualifying 2: Jamie Green secures best time, 1:23.973 minutes, in the second segment of qualifying. Renger van der Zande (stern AMG Mercedes C-Class / 1:24.501 minutes), David Coulthard (Deutsche Post AMG Mercedes C-Class / 1:24.525) and Christian Vietoris (Junge Sterne AMG Mercedes C-Class / 1:24.549) come home in P9, 10 and 11. There’s only about half a second gap between best time and the ninth fastest time. Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO AMG Mercedes C-Class / 1:24.644 minutes) and Susie Stoddart (TV Spielfilm AMG Mercedes C-Class / 1:25.063 minutes) will be in 13th and 14th place on the grid.



Comments on qualifying:



Jamie Green (AMG Mercedes C-Class) - second (1:35.256):

“The fourth part of qualifying was very challenging for all drivers. I’m very happy with my P2. I could’ve gone even faster in my C-Class, but unfortunately the rain didn’t fall continuously during my final lap, which made driving difficult. I wonder what the weather will be like for the race? In these poor conditions, I actually did better on slicks than on the wet weather tyres.”



Bruno Spengler (Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Class) - fourth (1:37.144):

“My fourth place on the grid is OK. I was unlucky in the final segment of qualifying, because I was first out, and then it rained. I thought the rain would come down even harder, but that didn’t happen – instead, it got drier and the track improved considerably. In practice today, we were very quick for the whole of the session, so I think I’m in with a good chance in the race itself tomorrow.”



Renger van der Zande (stern AMG Mercedes C-Class) - ninth (1:24.501):

“I'm happy with my P9 on the grid - it was almost enough to secure me an even better position. I'm pleased with my best qualifying result this season. We have a good race pace, so I'm positive about Sunday’s race.”



David Coulthard (Deutsche Post AMG Mercedes C-Class) - tenth (1:24.525):

“I’m in tenth place for the start of the race - I’m very satisfied with my result. Much will depend on the weather tomorrow; it’s always hit and miss in the Eifel. I hope I can move up the field and expect a thrilling race.”



Christian Vietoris (Junge Sterne AMG Mercedes C-Class) - eleventh (1:24.549):

“My eleventh place on the grid is okay. Still, I'm a little disappointed because I just missed progressing through to the third part of qualifying. I'm hoping for a little more luck next time, because Q3 is my goal. I hope it will rain for the race on Sunday because I expect to do better in the wet.”



Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO AMG Mercedes C-Cass) - 13th (1:24.644):

“Due to the weather conditions, we waited a long time, hoping to make the right decision. The wet tarmac didn’t make it easy to complete a good lap. In the second part of qualifying, we went out on the track as late as possible on fresh tyres, which was why we didn’t have much time for a clean lap.”



Susie Stoddart (TV Spielfilm AMG Mercedes C-Class) - 14th (1:25.063):

“I think my 14th place on the grid is a realistic result after the way things have been going this weekend. I had set myself the target of progressing through to the third qualifying segment right from the start, unfortunately it didn’t work out. I hope I can maintain my speed at the Nürburgring in the race itself.”



Ralf Schumacher (Salzgitter AMG Mercedes C-Class) - 17th (1:27.147):

“Conditions at the Nürburgring were difficult today. The track was very slippery because of the rain, and I misjudged my breaking on my best lap and so could not improve my time, unfortunately. For the race, I’m hoping it will rain - that should help me move up the field.”



Maro Engel (GQ AMG Mercedes C-Class) - 18th (1:27.275):

“We’ve been going well all weekend. In qualifying, though, we waited a long time before deciding on tyres, because of the rain - in the end we made the wrong choice, unfortunately. My C-Class went very well, many thanks to everyone in the team. Starting from last position, I’ll do my best in the race.”



Norbert Haug, Vice President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:

“Anything but a typical DTM qualifying today! In the end, weather conditions were different for each of the Top Four, and were most certainly worst of all for Bruno Spengler. The three-second gap between Mattias Ekström's pole position time and Jamie Green’s second place is most likely a record and probably totals the sum of all of the time differences in positions from last year and this year added together. With Jamie on the front row, and Bruno on the second row, we’re well-placed for tomorrow's race.”

The mb! Lounge opens its doors at Stuttgart's Schlossplatz Square on 10 August 2011 with a varied programme of events for all the family. The two-storey building is the focal point of the “Stuttgarter Sternstunden” which Mercedes-Benz is staging in Stuttgart up to 14 August to mark the 125th anniversary of the invention of the automobile. For five days, local people from Stuttgart and the surrounding region will be able to mingle with tourists at the mb! Lounge and discover a host of exciting insights into the present and future shape of the Mercedes-Benz brand in an exhibition extending over more than 1500 square metres. Specially designed areas will invite visitors to find out more, to take time out and to engage in discussions on relevant social issues. The themed "explore!", "style!" and "drive & motorsports!" sections are concerned first and foremost with sustainability, new mobility concepts and the young generation.





Various workshops will be available throughout the day, aimed specifically at children and young people aged from five to 20. These workshops form part of the Genius initiative, Daimler's young knowledge community, and will be held in cooperation with the international PANGAEA expedition led by South African adventurer Mike Horn. Topics to be covered in the workshops will include designing an airbag for an egg, generating electricity with the aid of balloons and experimentation with fuel cell technology using model cars, for example. In addition, Young Explorers – participants in the international PANGAEA expedition – will develop measures for the active protection of the environment with those taking part in the workshops. Participation in the workshops will be free of charge. From 25 July 2011, interested children, young people and parents will be able to find out more about the workshops and apply for a workshop place at www.stuttgart-sternstunden.de .



Genius – the holistic educational initiative



Genius is Daimler's young knowledge community and represents the company's holistic educational initiative for children and young people. The initiative pools a wealth of campaigns and measures to afford the young generation valuable insights into sunrise technologies and careers in the automotive industry. Teachers are additionally provided with access to topical issues concerning modern mobility concepts, special training measures and suitable teaching materials. Further information about Genius is available on the internet at www.genius-community.com .



Young Explorers – dedicated environmental ambassadors



Young Explorers are participants in the PANGAEA expedition led by South African adventurer and visionary Mike Horn. With the PANGAEA, one of the largest expedition sail boats in the world, Horn is putting environmental and social projects into action at twelve sea- and land-based locations throughout the world. He is supported in his tasks by the so-called Young Explorers – young people from all over the world who, like Mike Horn, are actively committed to preserving our world and promoting a sensitive approach to the use of finite resources. In this way, they help to preserve the ecosystem and act as environmental ambassadors for our planet. Further information about the PANAGEA expedition is available on the internet at www.mikehorn.com .



Source: Daimler AG



Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

A full-blown family day under the banner "Motorsport up close" will draw the “Stuttgarter Sternstunden” to a close in Stuttgart city center on 14 August 2011. Starting at 12.30 p.m., Mercedes-Benz will be presenting its racing pilots headed by Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg along with all the current DTM drivers at Schlossplatz Square and in the “mb! Lounge”. The 1500 square metre “mb! Lounge” forms the centerpiece of the “Stuttgarter Sternstunden”, which the automobile manufacturer is staging as a way of thanking the people of Stuttgart for their loyal support over the last 125 years. An exhibition of present-day and historical racing vehicles will provide a befitting backdrop for the line-up of drivers. There will also be a driving track, designed especially for the smart ed electric car. Admission to the event site and the “mb! Lounge” will be free from 12.30 to 6 p.m.





Motorsport total



A host of attractions, items of interest and audience participation features are in store for visitors to the event. Highlights will range from autograph sessions with racing drivers through pit stop competitions on a static DTM vehicle to prize draws. On stage there will be live music and interviews with Schumacher, Rosberg and Co. to entertain the visitors. A comprehensive programme will be available for the children and young people at the age of five to twenty years.



Thomas Weber, Nico Rosberg and Norbert Haug to discuss topical issues on Sunday



Before noon there will be a panel discussion with Thomas Weber, member of the board of management of the Daimler AG for corporate research and development Mercedes-Benz Cars, Nico Rosberg and Mercedes-Benz motorsport boss Norberg Haug on the topics of mobility concepts, alternative drives and motorsport. The discussion will begin in the “mb! Lounge” at 11 a.m., with Tanja Bülter in the chair. Tickets will be available from the Stuttgarter Zeitung newspaper as of 30 July 2011, at www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/sternstunden . Only a limited number of tickets is available.



Source: Daimler AG



Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Mercedes-Benz started successfully into the second half of the year: last month, the brand had its best July sales ever. A total of 100,391 passenger cars were delivered to customers worldwide, representing a 2.7 percent increase compared to the high volume achieved in July 2010 (July 2010: 97,727). Since the beginning of 2011, sales have risen by 8.6 percent to 710,922 units (January-July 2010: 654,418), which is also a new record.





Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars: “Demand for our products is higher than ever before. July was another record month, which successfully followed our very good sales results in the first half of the year. We expect strong sales for the second half of the year and want to continue to grow. The greater availability of our vehicles will contribute to this development. We are working additional shifts at many of our plants, such as those for the C-Class, and will keep production running all summer.” In the second half of the year, growth will especially be boosted by the models of the new C-Class generation, while the market launch of the new M-Class in the fall will speed up the pace of sales even further. Customers have been able to order the new M-Class since July 11. Dr. Schmidt: “We will start our foray into the premium compact car segment in November with the launch of the new B-Class, which we will unveil at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in a few weeks. Overall, we are in an excellent position and are set to sell more than 1.35 million Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and smarts in 2011, which would make it our all-time best year.”

Mercedes-Benz continued to grow in the U.S. last month, with sales increasing by 9.4 percent to 19,006 units (July 2010: 17,367). Since January, deliveries have risen by 7.3 percent to 129,932 vehicles (January-July 2010: 121,041).



Mercedes-Benz obtained high double-digit growth rates in many markets in the Asia-Pacific region. During the year to date, sales of Mercedes-Benz reached a dynamic growth rate of 41.7 percent in China (incl. Hong Kong), thus expanding at a much faster pace than the total market. Deliveries rose to a new record of 106,422 vehicles (January-July 2010: 75,127). As a result of the model changeover of the high-volume C-Class, sales in July amounted to 14.248 passenger vehicles (July 2010: 14,616/minus 2.5 percent). Thanks to the greater availability of vehicles and the launch of the new C-Class generation, the company expects to achieve substantial growth in China in the third quarter overall.



In July, high growth rates were posted in Taiwan (plus 46.5 percent) and South Korea (plus 20.3 percent), where the brand achieved a new record. In Japan, sales of Mercedes-Benz vehicles climbed strongly by 29.2 percent. Last month, deliveries were also at a record level in Russia, where sales increased by 37.0 percent. In India, sales for the year to date are 33.0 percent higher than for the same period of 2010. In Brazil, sales rose by 59.5 percent in July. The previous month was also a very good one with record sales in South Africa (plus 28.0 percent) and Turkey (plus 29.3 percent).



In its biggest market, Germany, Mercedes-Benz’ market share of 10.1 percent was once again the highest of any premium brand. The CLS and the S-Class were the top-ranking vehicles in the German Federal Motor Transport Authority’s (KBA) luxury car segment, while the E-Class coupe and the SLK were the leading sports cars. The C-Class sedan was the number one among its premium competitors in its respective segment. Sales in Germany amounted to 23.098 units in July, nearly reaching the high volume of July 2010 (23,556). Since January, sales amounted to 146.111 units, thus matching the level achieved in the same period last year (January-July 2010: 146,014). In Western Europe, demand for Mercedes-Benz vehicles was particularly strong during the first seven months of 2011 in Belgium (plus 10.6 percent) and Sweden (plus 19.2 percent).



In July, the new C-Class models and the SUVs in particular were strong growth drivers. Since its market launch, the new generation C-Class sedan has defended its market-leading position in its class for the fourth month in a row. Sales in the C-Class segment as a whole rose by 16.8 percent in July. More than three times as many customers bought a new SLK in July compared to July 2010, making it the number one in its segment (plus 207.3 percent). Mercedes-Benz set a new record in the SUV segment with sales climbing by 26.5 percent to 18.479 units. All model ranges substantially surpassed last year’s results, for example the GLK (plus 14.6 percent) and the M-Class (plus 22.4 percent), which continues to be in great demand even close to the launch of its successor. Meanwhile, the S-Class continues to set the pace in the luxury segment. It has been the most popular sedan in its class from January to July with sales rising by 14.3 percent. Customers are also very enthusiastic about the new CL-Class (plus 28.5 percent). In the E-Class segment, the company has boosted sales by 5.6 percent since January, with the E-Class convertible continuing to perform especially well (plus 60.1 percent). Deliveries of the new CLS have almost trippled since the beginning of the year (plus 165.6 percent).



Compared to the previous months, sales of the A-Class developed much better in July. At 10.358 units, they were up 3.1 percent compared to July 2010. This was due to the greater availability of the vehicles after the production changeover to the new A-Class and B-Class at the Rastatt plant had caused temporary delays. In Germany, deliveries of the A-Class increased by 9.3 percent compared to July 2010. Sales of the B-Class, whose successor will be celebrating its world premiere in a few weeks, have risen worldwide by 12.4 percent since January (68.691 units).



Sales of the new generation smart fortwo continued to pick up in July. A total of 8,521 units (July 2010: 8,348) were sold, representing an increase of 2.1 percent. Sales of the two-seater have increased 7.2 percent since January, to 63,322 units (January-July 2010: 59,071). China remains a success story, with over three times as many people buying a smart in July than in the same month of last year. Since January, a total of 6,371 customers have opted for a smart (January-July 2010: 1,471/plus 333.1 percent). Demand in Germany also continued to develop positively in July (plus 7.9 percent) and in the year to date (plus 17.4 percent). Last month, the smart defended its leading position in its segment for the 17th month in a row.



Overview of sales by Mercedes-Benz Cars



Source: Daimler AG



Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Preview: Sixth round of the 2011 DTM Season at Nürburgring



• Mercedes-Benz have won half of the races (i.e. 29 out of 58) staged at the Nürburgring since 1988

• Last year, Bruno Spengler, Paul Di Resta and Gary Paffett claimed a one-two-three finish for Mercedes-Benz

• As we move into the second half of the 2011 DTM season, Bruno Spengler (Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Class) leads the drivers’ standings on 39 points, three ahead of his closest challenger





Comments on the sixth race of the 2011 DTM season from:



Bruno Spengler (27, Canada, Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Class):

- won the 2006 and 2010 DTM races at the Nürburgring

- started from pole position in 2006 and set the fastest race lap at the Nürburgring in 2006, 2007 and 2010



“The Nürburgring has been one of my favourite tracks ever since I made my debut there in Formula 3. It offers an interesting combination of slow turns, where you need to get your exit just right, and fast corners. The weather is a special factor – I’ve won at this track in bright sunshine, but also in rain and mixed conditions. I’m always impressed by the fantastic atmosphere generated by the fans in the Eifel. They are totally crazy about motor racing, so I’m thrilled to be continuing the season there after taking the overall honours at the DTM show event in Munich.”



Ralf Schumacher (36, Germany, Salzgitter AMG Mercedes C-Class):

- finished sixth at the Nürburgring last year and in the points

- won the 2003 European Grand Prix at the Nürburgring

- comes from the nearby town of Kerpen, making this his ‘home race’



“Despite the often unpredictable weather in the Eifel, I have fond memories of the Nürburgring, especially my Grand Prix victory in 2003 of course. But I’ve also notched up some good results in DTM at this circuit. In the 2008 season, I scored my first DTM championship point at the Nürburgring, and every year since, I’ve been raising my performance here and collecting more points. So I would like the trend to continue this year too.”



Jamie Green (29, England, AMG Mercedes C-Class):

- took third place on the podium in the 2008 DTM race at the Nürburgring

- won the second race of the 2004 Formula 3 Euro Series at the Nürburgring



“I had a good race at the Nürburgring last year, despite starting third and finishing fifth. I’ve been on the podium once at the Nürburgring in my DTM career so far. That was back in 2008, so I would dearly love to be up there again this season. The track is known for its changeable weather conditions – you can normally expect it to rain at least once during the race weekend. The section ahead of the back straight consists of several medium-speed downhill corners, which is tremendous fun. The rest of the circuit is comparatively slow and technically demanding.”



Gary Paffett (30, England, THOMAS SABO AMG Mercedes C-Class):

- won the 2004 DTM race at the Nürburgring

- started from pole position in 2004 and 2005, also setting the fastest lap in both races



“The Nürburgring is very much to my liking – even in the rain, which never comes as a total surprise in the Eifel. I’ve already had one win here plus some other good results, and I’ve always been fast at this track, even in the wet. There are not all that many fast corners but there is a sequence of medium-fast and slow turns and some hard braking points. The Nürburgring is by no means an easy track – in fact, it’s quite demanding. I’ve got off to a rather mixed start to this season, and before my accident at the Norisring, it was shaping up to be my best result so far this year. Now I’ll be doing my best to make up for that at the Nürburgring with my first podium, or maybe even win, of 2011.”



David Coulthard (40, Scotland, Deutsche Post AMG Mercedes C-Class):

- started from pole position in both the 1995 and 2000 European Grands Prix at the Nürburgring

- finished his first DTM race at the Nürburgring last year in tenth position



“The Nürburgring is one of the highlights of the racing calendar and a true classic. I know the Grand Prix circuit very well from my many years in Formula One, but when I started driving in the DTM series last year, I had to learn various things from scratch – and not just because the track layout is different. One particular problem is the infamous weather changes: one moment the sun is shining, the next it may be raining or even snowing. The circuit offers a good mix of medium-fast and slow corners, making the setup something of a challenge.”



Norbert Haug, Vice-President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:

“The DTM race at the Nürburgring is the last before the summer break – the next one will be in four weeks’ time at Brands Hatch. This season is as fiercely competitive as ever and, during this final year of the existing technical regulations, has undoubtedly reached a new peak in terms of quality and the number of drivers who are capable of winning races. Traditionally, we get a good turnout at the Nürburgring for the DTM, and we hope that will be the case this weekend too, although rain has been forecast, which is fairly typical in the Eifel mountains. Our objective at the ‘Ring is to achieve a repeat of last year’s victory.”



Source: Daimler AG



Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

For over 60 years the Unimog has been setting standards with its economic efficiency and unique vehicle concept. Especially when doing municipal work, the safety concept of the Mercedes-Benz implement carrier sets a good example of how to avoid accidents and minimise any follow-up effects in advance.





Both during its hard everyday work as well as when being put through demanding tests, the Unimog from product range U 300/U 400/U 500 makes the most of its advantages and numerous safety features such as optimal visibility, track-keeping while driving, controlled braking on roads with uneven surfaces, very good impact protection in case of collision, as well as good ergonomics due to a multitude of other features such as vibration protection for the driver.



ADAC experts have taken a close look at the Unimog U 400 fitted with a snow plough and gritter or mower as being representative of its municipal all-year round use. The results have confirmed the implement carrier’s high safety standards.



Optimal Visibility



Due to its short dimensions of only 3.10 metres in front when working with a mounted Gmeiner snow plough GLS 270, the Unimog remains a whole 0.4 metres under the legal limits and at the same time has optimal visibility making it even safer when working in moving traffic. The extremely well-designed position of the driving seat as well as the large panorama windscreen of the cab provide the driver with the very best view of his working areas as well as of the traffic so that he can recognise potential dangers well in time. Even with the snow plough mounted in front, the driver still has an unlimited field of vision from ten metres on. And that means more safety – both for the driver as well as for all other road users.



Altogether five mirrors on both driver and co-driver sides provide good visibility towards the rear, starting with the heated, electrically adjustable large-surface rear mirror. This means that blind spots and dangerous situations such as zebra crossings are considerably reduced and defused. The rear lighting makes the Unimog clearly visible for following traffic: four rear lights, two blinkers, two reversing lights, two reflectors, one rear fog light and two braking lights. In addition, two side lights and contour and limiting lights make sure that the Unimog can be seen in every situation. At the front, headlights which can be adjusted according to distance provide light in the darkness.



Controlled handling



What is also important in a dangerous situation is that the vehicle is under control at all times. The Unimog is fitted with 4-channel ABS as a standard feature which prevents the wheels from locking and makes sure that even during an emergency braking the Unimog is still capable of being steered. The standard safety equipment – including the automatic load-dependent brake (ALB), a pneumatic dual-circuit braking system and the two-stage engine brake – ensure that the Unimog comes to a precise stop with controlled braking even if the grip traction on the road surface varies or it is carrying different kinds of loads on hilly routes.



Due to its almost perfectly balanced axle load distribution of 45 % to 55 % (back) when loaded, a load-carrying Unimog can still be driven safely at 26 km/h when doing a circular turn on a simulated black ice surface. The more well-balanced the axle load distribution is, the better the vehicle keeps to its tracks.



Well protected



Its fully spring-cushioned chassis, driving cab with 4-point mounting which has been tested according to ECE R 29/2 and air-sprung comfort driving seat situated behind the front axle, enable the operator to be relaxed and concentrated while working long periods on the job. According to the ADAC test, the low vibrations comply with job health and safety regulations and make work for the operator less tiring.



If there should by any chance be a rear-end collision in moving traffic, the impact energy is absorbed by the Unimog vehicle’s sturdy frame construction, its extremely well-positioned ballast weight and the 2.40 metre long platform to the greatest extent possible before it reaches the driving seat. The driver also has the best possible protection with his 3-point seat belt and integrated headrest which comply with truck standards.



Please note: Daimler AG, Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks, has produced a DVD with an information booklet dealing with the topic ‘The Unimog and Safety’ which is available online:



www.mercedes-benz.com/unimog-sicherheit



Source: Daimler AG



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