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OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
- Stuttgart carmaker Daimler takes part in the tour "SWR3 – Drei Tage unter Strom" ("SWR3 - Three days powered by electricity") with a large fleet of electric cars
- Winners of the SWR3 draw experience driving pleasure and the high everyday practicality of electric cars from Mercedes-Benz and smart for themselves
Stuttgart, Germany, Mar 31, 2011 – From 31 March to 2 April the 60 winners of a draw held by radio station SWR3 will have an opportunity to drive various electric cars during a three day tour of the broadcasting region and to form their own impression of the performance, everyday practicality and driving feel of the locally emission-free vehicles.
Daimler is supporting the unique road show "SWR3 – Drei Tage unter Strom" with a total of 25 electric vehicles from Mercedes-Benz and smart. The tour will cover almost 500 kilometres right across the SWR3 broadcasting region from Koblenz to Ulm and will give SWR3 listeners an insight into the electric future of the automobile.
Participants include the smart fortwo electric drive - the electrified pioneer of urban mobility, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-CELL, the Vito E-CELL van and the B-Class F-CELL. With this vehicle fleet the inventor of the automobile is providing the majority of the participating electric vehicles and is once again demonstrating how practical and reliable its electric vehicles with both battery and fuel cell technology are today.
"The tour is an excellent practical opportunity to demonstrate the possibilities that e-mobility will offer all citizens in future. This is why we are supporting the SWR3 tour and providing 25 electric vehicles", says Dr. Thomas Weber, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG with responsibility for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. And he continues "The tour is a great idea. It's really customer-oriented and promises sheer driving pleasure. And because the 60 drivers will convey their impressions live on SWR3 radio to the many listeners, the road show is authentic and shows that with Daimler it is possible to experience the future of driving on the streets nowadays."
Three days powered by electricity
To mark the 125th anniversary of the automobile, for the first time a road show with electric vehicles will take place in the SWR3 broadcasting region. The radio station recently held a draw for seats in the locally emission-free vehicles. A total of more than 30 electric vehicles will take part in the tour. In addition to the 25 vehicles from Mercedes-Benz and smart, cars made by Tesla, Mitsubishi, Renault, Peugeot and Citroën will also take part in "SWR3 – Drei Tage unter Strom". The tour will start in Koblenz and pass through Bingen, Bruchsal, Worms, Ludwigsburg and Schwäbisch Gmünd before reaching Ulm. At the stops of the respective stages interested visitors will have an opportunity to find out about the technologies and ways of charging and refuelling the various vehicles.
Wide-ranging fleet of electric vehicles
The vehicles taking part in the tour demonstrate just how varied the Daimler model range of electric cars already is today. The participating smart fortwo electric drive is the ideal battery-electric driven car for the city. With a range of 135 kilometres the electric smart is great fun to drive in urban areas. The Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL is powered by hydrogen and has a locally emission-free range of around 400 kilometres. It is also ideal for longer journeys and can be fully refuelled in less than three minutes. The A-Class E-CELL offers lots of space, versatility and a very high level of comfort – without producing any emissions. With a range of more than 200 kilometres it is suitable for zero local emission driving in urban areas and in the countryside. A battery-electric van is also taking part in the tour in the form of the Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL. This environmentally friendly and quiet van is particularly advantageous for deliveries and transportation in inner city areas. All four models have reached full production maturity and are already available to selected customers.
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
We've previously brought into your attention the likelihood of an extensive partnership between Daimler AG and the British luxury brand Aston Martin. More details have come to light lately and indicate that talks amid the two companies have reached an advanced phase. The plans are to officially announce the deal this year, most probably towards the autumn, when Maybach will launch a brand new concept car at Frankfurt. This vehicle will showcase the new direction adopted by the uber-premium manufacturer and will be the first demonstration of the Daimler-Aston Martin alliance. The future series production Maybach model is tipped to underpin the technical platform and technologies of the seventh generation S-Klasse, to be unveiled in late 2012, but otherwise, it will be completely mastered by Aston Martin, whose expertise in the luxury field is a proven certitude. As part of the cooperation, Daimler will supply the British firm with their newest "V" engines and powertrains for the forthcoming Aston models: a four-dour coupe aimed at Bentley and Rolls-Royce and a SUV version based on the Lagonda concept of 2009. By sharing parts and knowledge, both entities intend to cut production costs by up to 50 percent. Moreover, the assembly of the new Maybach will be relocated to Aston Martin's facility in Gaydon, United Kingdom.
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
- Significant increase in sales, revenues, and earnings
- Five strategic approaches for sustained success
- Hartmut Schick, Head of Daimler Buses: “We plan to surpass the unit sales mark of 40,000 buses in 2011.”
Stuttgart, Germany, Mar 31, 2011 – Growth in the bus industry kept pace with global economic recovery last year, as the increase in worldwide bus sales exceeded expectations. The bus market grew by 17 percent last year compared to 2009. This resulted in a total volume of approximately 305,000 units. The growth forecast issued last year for 2010 was around four percent. Daimler Buses was able to more than profit from this development, as its growth significantly outpaced that of the market as a whole last year.
Daimler Buses sold 39,118 chassis and complete buses in 2010. This figure corresponds to a 20-percent increase from the 32,482 units sold in 2009, and is also nearly as high as the record figure posted in 2008.
These sales generated revenues of €4.6 billion for the unit in 2010 (+8 percent). EBIT last year rose 17 percent to €215 million (2009: €183 million).
Speaking in Stuttgart today, Hartmut Schick, Head of Daimler Buses, had the following to say about business development in 2010: “Daimler Buses was once again the top performer in the global bus business. We were able to grow more rapidly than the market as a whole and this growth exceeded our own forecasts.”
Five strategic approaches for sustained success
“Daimler Buses is already the world’s most profitable bus manufacturer,” said Schick. “Our goal now is to achieve a return on sales of six percent on average across the entire business cycle, and thus consolidate our benchmark position. We will do this by fully exploiting existing growth potential in our traditional markets and by further expanding business in new ones. We will also extend our technological leadership. At the same time, we are continually working together with our approximately 17,000 employees to further improve our efficiency. As an attractive employer, we can rely on a highly qualified and effective team that will makes us more able than other companies to overcome future challenges.”
Daimler Buses will introduce two important new products in Europe this year: the new generation of the Mercedes-Benz Citaro urban bus and the small Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 77 city bus. The two models will make a major contribution to expanding the unit’s leading position even further. In the U.S. last year, Daimler Buses presented the new Setra TopClass S 417 and the Orion VII transit bus with EPA10 exhaust-gas treatment technology.
The Competence Center for Mercedes-Benz bus chassis in Brazil puts the unit in an outstanding position to participate in the dynamic market growth expected there. Moreover, the World Cup soccer championship in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016 will provide additional sales momentum.
In 2020, one out of every five buses with a GVW of over eight tons will be sold in India (currently the world’s second-largest bus market after China). Daimler Buses therefore plans to exploit all possible sales and service network synergies with Daimler Trucks in order to benefit from this growth as well. Besides the travel coaches it has already introduced to the Indian market, Daimler Buses is developing additional customized products for India.
Schick pointed out that markets like Indonesia also offer potential for profitable growth. “Strong growth was recorded in Indonesia over the last few years through the modernization of city bus fleets and infrastructure,” he said. “In fact, market volume in that country will nearly double over the next eight years. Sales growth of 73 percent in 2010 now gives us a market share of 40 percent in the country, and we’re very confident that we’ll be able to highly benefit from growth in Indonesia in the coming years as well.”
Growth through new products
Expansion of business in new markets offers growth opportunities that can be exploited with the help of new business models. Traffic volumes in large cities will continue to rise significantly — and this will also lead to an increase in demand for viable public transportation systems. A promising growth sector here is Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), a system in which buses run in extremely short intervals in separate traffic lanes. Daimler Buses is already active in this area in cities like Nantes, Istanbul, Bogota, and Johannesburg.
“Over the next few years, the potential for BRT systems is particularly high in Brazil,” Schick said. “We believe the World Cup and the Olympics will generate bus sales potential of 5,000 units.”
Daimler Buses is pursuing its vision of sustainable mobility with innovative products such as hybrid and fuel cell buses. Daimler Buses in North America has supplied the world’s biggest fleet of hybrid buses (more than 3,200), for instance. In Europe, Mercedes-Benz Citaro BlueTec Hybrid urban buses are already in operation in Stuttgart, Hamburg, Krefeld, Mühlheim, Rotterdam, and Milan. As part of the EU’s CHIC (Clean Hydrogen in European Cities) project, 26 Mercedes-Benz fuel cell-hybrid buses will begin to operate in five cities this year in order to demonstrate the suitability of fuel cell technology for everyday use.
Operational Excellence — the fourth pillar of Daimler Buses’ business strategy — focuses on consistent and continual efficiency enhancement. It’s therefore only logical that the unit is investing in its production locations. The body-in-white manufacturing facility in Mannheim was expanded, for example, as was the paint shop in Neu-Ulm. In 2010, Bus production capacity in Turkey was increased to 4,000 units per year in order to be able to respond more effectively to market demands. The division will also invest in the expansion of its production capacities in Latin America this year.
Daimler Buses’ production network ensures cost efficiency and flexibility. The division’s four European facilities form a flexible production network, thereby guaranteeing optimal capacity utilization and the ability to react effectively in the normally weak months at the beginning of the year and the more active ones in the second half.
With its innovative, high-quality new products, Daimler Buses expects to remain ahead of its competitors as the world’s leading supplier of buses over 8 tons GVW. The division also expects to build on last year’s high sales figures in 2011 and 2012. However, the room for growth is rather limited due to the anticipated development of the core markets in Western Europe and Latin America.
Schick summarized the expectations for 2011 as follows: “We expect global bus market volume to total approximately 310,000 units this year. As a result, we have set ourselves the firm goal of surpassing the important 40,000 unit sales mark for Daimler Buses in 2011.”
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
F-CELL World Drive starts its third route section
Stuttgart, Germany, Mar 30, 2011
59 days after setting off from Stuttgart, the F-CELL World Drive has reached the third continent of its round-the-world tour. On 29 March the locally emission-free cars left Sydney for their journey to Melbourne. The next destination after Melbourne is Adelaide, after which the cars will start a 6-day journey to Perth that takes them through sparsely populated regions.
On 29 March, after Europe and the USA/Canada, the third section of the F-CELL World Drive with the B-Class F-CELL cars commenced. This is the second time that Mercedes-Benz is bringing fuel cell powered cars to Australia, as this locally emission-free technology was already used in Perth as part of the HyFLEET:CUTE STEP project. Three Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses with fuel cell drive were in operation in the city's urban public transport system between 2004 and 2007, where they demonstrated their reliability and performance potential by covering a total of over 261,000 kilometres in Down Under. "One major advantage of fuel cell technology is that it can be used in a wide variety of vehicles, from passenger cars to buses. Moreover, it is not only suitable for short distances that are for example covered in public transport, but also for longer distances," says Prof. Herbert Kohler, Head of E-Drive & Future Mobility in the Research and Pre-Development department, and Chief Environmental Officer of Daimler AG. "Fuel cell vehicles therefore have a great potential for CO2 reduction over a wide range of mobility needs."
After a 13-day journey across the south of Australia, including detours to the famous Great Ocean Road, the stage of the F-CELL World Drive which is most distant from the final destination, will end in Perth on 10 April. From there, the green-painted B-Class F-CELL cars will embark on their last flight to Shanghai in China. After spending several days at the internationally important exhibition "Auto Shanghai", their route will then take them more than 14,000 kilometres through the Eurasian continent until they arrive at their starting and finishing point in Stuttgart.
Mobile hydrogen fuelling station
One of the objectives of the F-CELL World Drive is to draw attention to the need for the development of a global hydrogen infrastructure that will make the widespread introduction of locally emission-free fuel cell vehicles possible. To date there are only very few public hydrogen fuelling stations in the world, and this presents a major challenge involving great logistical effort during this unique round-the-world tour. Public fuelling stations have so far only been available at the starting point in Stuttgart and in Los Angeles. Therefore refuelling procedures for the F-CELL World Drive required very precise planning. Two refuelling teams accompanying the tour ensure that the mobile fuelling station is available for the B-Class F-CELL cars at around midday and in the evenings. The hydrogen required is directly transported to the fuelling station by Linde AG. It is fed into the mobile fuelling unit, where it is compressed to the nominal 700 bar pressure under which it is filled into the B-Class F-CELL.
Flight arrangements subject to strict regulations
The cars must be transported from continent to continent by air for their round-the-world tour. In view of national Customs and other regulations, this too requires a great deal of careful organisation.
A jumbo jet is available to carry the tour across the seas. But there is only enough space for all the cars and other equipment if everything is loaded according to a precise plan. Fine visual judgement was therefore required when the vehicles were manoeuvred into the aircraft in Lisbon and Seattle, and of course a number of special safety regulations also needed to be satisfied.
The entire tour is therefore accompanied by a crew of specialists who are well-prepared for these situations, and are able to ensure that all goes smoothly. All in all, around 20 technicians with wide-ranging expertise accompany the tour during its individual stages.
Preparations for the world tour
The preparations for this unique undertaking already began months in advance. All the route sections in Europe, the USA, Australia, China, Kazakhstan and Russia were surveyed beforehand, as only in this way could local conditions and refuelling locations be taken into account during the planning.
Indeed refuelling was the greatest challenge of all. All fuelling stops were precisely scheduled in advance to take the 380-kilometre operating range of the cars into account. Refuelling during the tour usually took place at Mercedes-Benz dealerships or Linde locations, as well as in suitable carparks and service stations.
Emission-free tour of North America with the B-Class F-CELL
Before flying to Australia the cars each covered around 10,000 kilometres on North American soil, with 18 driving days, three days of local events and numerous excursions for film and photo shoots. During this tour the participants were able to reduce the average fuel consumption of the B-Class F-CELL from the 1.18 kg of hydrogen per 100 kilometres achieved in Europe to just 1.15 kg. The fuel consumption record for the USA was 0.88 kg per 100 kilometres, corresponding to a diesel equivalent of less than 3 litres per 100 kilometres. Mercedes-Benz also used the tour to visit partner companies in North America. On 10 March the F-CELL World Drive paid a visit to the electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors, and also made a stop at the Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation (AFCC) in Vancouver (Canada), which is developing the fuel cell stack for the B-Class F-CELL in cooperation with the Daimler research and development department in Germany. Mercedes-Benz also took this opportunity to announce future intentions in the field of electromobility: from 2013 the company will produce fuel cell stacks in its own plant in Vancouver (Canada).
Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive
During the F-CELL World Drive, three Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL vehicles are passing through 14 countries and 4 continents – to drive around the globe once. Organised by Mercedes-Benz, the circumnavigation of the world started on 30 January 2011 in Stuttgart and is scheduled to last 125 days, until the vehicles return to Stuttgart again at the beginning of June, after covering a distance of some 30,000 kilometres. The aim of the tour is to demonstrate the technical maturity and suitability for everyday use of electric vehicles with fuel cells, and at the same time highlight the need for a comprehensive hydrogen infrastructure. The Stuttgart-based automotive manufacturer is being supported on the tour by Linde AG, which is responsible for supplying the hydrogen.
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
Affalterbach, Germany, Mar 30, 2011 – The SLS AMG GT3 will shortly be embarking on its first racing season, when Saturday, 2 April 2011 sees the start of the new VLN season (Nürburgring Endurance Championships). Six customer teams will be competing on the North Loop with the racing version of the gull-wing model. The SLS AMG GT3 is perfectly prepared for use on the racetrack, as its safety concept transfers the exemplary safety level of Mercedes-Benz on‑road models to the racetrack. Extensive, sophisticated crash tests and trials have confirmed these high standards.
Compliance with the stringent safety standards of Mercedes-Benz was a central consideration for the SLS AMG GT3. The development focus was on the greatest possible protection for the driver in the event of an accident. Accordingly its construction creates outstandingly favourable conditions in this respect – both in terms of the structural safety of the aluminium spaceframe, direct protection of the driver against impact loads and fire protection.
One prominent feature in the interior of the SLS AMG GT3 is the bucket seat, which is positioned within a safety cell of high-strength CFRP (carbon-fibre reinforced plastic) as in the DTM cars from Mercedes-Benz. Thanks to its special shape the safety cell, which is bolted to the rollover cage and the aluminium spaceframe, provides considerably higher protection for the driver's shoulders, hips and legs. It is also compatible with the HANS system (Head and Neck Support). The HANS system helps to prevent serious head, neck and spinal injuries, and is mandatory in many race series. The bucket seat is individually foam-contoured for each driver, features a six-point seat belt with reinforced anchorages and provides occupant protection to the highest level.
Additional protection is ensured by the rollover cage of high-strength steel, which is bolted to the aluminium spaceframe and gives this further rigidity. The 120-litre CFRP safety fuel tank is located directly over the rear axle for optimal crash protection, and features an elastic inner fuel bladder.
Crash verification tests at the Mercedes-Benz Technology Center
The exemplary safety standard of the SLS AMG GT3 was verified with the help of numerous crash tests at the Mercedes-Benz Technology Center in Sindelfingen – where the passive safety features of all series-production AMG and Mercedes-Benz models are also developed and tested. Such extensive and sophisticated crash tests were previously unprecedented in the GT3 segment.
The safety specialists carried out three crash tests and a static test with the racing version of the gull-wing model: a front, side and rear impact plus a roof deformation test. All the test configurations were specifically chosen to reflect typical racetrack accident situations as closely as possible.
The frontal impact simulated a collision with a wall, such as might occur in the pit lane or – as may typically happen on urban circuits – with the side barrier marking the course. The vehicle impacted the rigid test barrier at an angle of 30 degrees. During this oblique impact only the left side member of the aluminium spaceframe collided, which placed greater stresses on the bodyshell structure. The impact speed was 50 km/h.
In the side impact test the SLS AMG GT3 was rammed by an identical car of the same model at an angle of 90 degrees, and exactly at door height. The impact speed was 50 km/h.
In the rear collision test the gull-wing was likewise struck by a rigid barrier at 50 km/h, with 100% overlap.
The static roof deformation test simulated the loads that may occur during a rollover. In this cased a ram impacted the so-called A-pillar node with a precisely defined force. The rollover cage beneath the roof skin is of high-strength steel, and after the test it practically returned to its original shape.
The results underline the exemplary safety standard of the SLS AMG GT3: during every crash and impact test the driver's survival space was maintained, which confirms the rigidity of the vehicle structure. Moreover, the measured loads acting on the GT3 driver were all below the biomechanical limits considered to be critical.
Automatic release of the roof hinges
Like every series-production SLS AMG, the GT3 version is equipped with four pyrotechnical elements on the hinges of the gull-wing doors. These allow a rapid exit for the driver, or fast access by emergency personnel, should the vehicle be lying on its roof after an accident. They are activated by the driver, using a switch on the centre console. Should he be incapable of doing this himself, the emergency personnel are able to pull on a ring easily located on the lower edge of the windscreen and marked "Emergency Exit". The four pyrotechnical elements are then triggered, and release two roof hinges retaining each of the two gull-wing doors. When the interior door catch or external door handle is operated, the driver is able to exit or receive emergency care.
In addition the SLS AMG GT3 has polycarbonate side windows which can be easily removed by the driver or emergency personnel after an accident. The crash-protected location of the battery next to the centre tunnel, as well as the interior and exterior switches cutting off the power circuit, further demonstrate the efforts made for the greatest possible protection of the SLS AMG GT3's driver.
Fire-extinguishing tests in the engine compartment and interior
The driver of the SLS AMG GT3 is also well protected in the event of a fire, with flame-retardant material and an effective fire extinguisher system preventing or putting out fires in the engine compartment and interior. Using a switch on the centre console and a ring attached to the windscreen, the system can be activated by the driver or by emergency personnel. To ensure the greatest possible effectiveness of the fire extinguisher system, sophisticated and realistic tests were carried out by the research department for fire protection equipment at the Institute of Technology in Karlsruhe.
All the tests conducted by the Mercedes Benz safety specialists are more stringent by far than those prescribed for racing cars by the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile). As a result, the SLS AMG GT3 achieves an exemplary level of safety that is at present probably unmatched by any other GT3 car.
Eight SLS AMG GT3s competing in the first VLN race on 2 April 2011
The eight SLS AMG GT3s taking part in the first race of the VLN season have been entered exclusively by private teams. At the 58th ADAC Westphalia race on Saturday, 2 April 2011, Black Falcon will take part with three cars while Mamerow Racing, Heico Motorsport, Horn Motorsport, ROWE RACING and Race & Events GmbH will be at the starting line with one gull-wing each. Training begins at 8:30 a.m., and the race starts at 12:00 noon. During the development and test programme the SLS AMG GT3 already demonstrated its potential: with one victory and one third place in the VLN races held in autumn 2010, the Black Falcon and Mamerow Racing teams were immediately able to establish themselves among the top GT3 contenders.
The ten races of the new season will be held exclusively on the North Loop of the Nürburgring and the short link to the Grand Prix circuit. The VLN Nürburgring Endurance Championship has been held since 1977, and is seen as Europe's most successful broad-based motorsport series. It has created a loyal following for itself with a wide variety of competitors, easily accessible paddocks and low entry prices. The colourful lineup, with different vehicle models ranging from near-series compact cars to recent classics and right up to thoroughbred super-sports cars, guarantees fast-changing and exciting races. Depending on the event, more than 190 racing cars can be at the starting line. The races take between four and six hours.
All the VLN races at a glance:
- 2 April 2011: 58th ADAC Westphalia race
- 30 April 2011: 36th DMV 4-hour race
- 14 May 2011: 42nd Adenauer ADAC Circuit Trophy
- 28 May 2011: 53rd ADAC ACAS H&R Cup
- 11 June 2011: 51st ADAC Reinoldus endurance race
- 30 July 2011: 34th RCM DMV Grenzland race
- 27 August 2011: ADAC Ruhr Trophy six-hour race
- 24 September 2011: 43rd ADAC Barbarossa Prize
- 15 October 2011: 35th DMV 250-mile race
- 29 October 2011: 36th DMV Münsterland Trophy
- 10 December 2011: VLN annual prizegiving
More information about the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 may be found at: www.mercedes-amg.com/slsgt3
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
Stuttgart, Germany, Mar 29, 2011 – Just as spring is in the air, cult car brand smart presents trendy fashion for the warmer time of the year. The new smart Collection 2011/2012 is intended for people who love unconventional style and are fully in tune with the zeitgeist.
An attractive look and high-quality materials are the defining features of the innovative and functional new smart Collection. Modern cuts and elaborate details along with special prints lend the textiles a special flair. The logo of the smart lifestyle brand has been artistically incorporated into many of the accessories as an expression of a pulsating city lifestyle.
The new smart Collection features various themes covering the most diverse urban lifestyle scenarios. Themes such as electric drive, smart BRABUS and beach volleyball are also covered by a small selection of products. This reflects the philosophy of the successful smart fortwo – the trendsetter for urban mobility: joie de vivre in tune with well considered ecology.
Highlights of the new smart Collection are hoodies for men and women, new polos, windbreakers, a bowling bag and a special beach volleyball rucksack which has been designed together with the Deuter company. The smart Collection also offers textiles and accessories in a young design to provide a definitive individual touch. These include caps and shirts, off-beat sleeves for notebook and iPhone, writing implements, ice cube makers in smart design and keyrings with a smart badge. The Collection even takes care of toddlers' needs, offering baby bodysuits and bibs in smart style.
Moderate pricing also forms part of the smart philosophy. Textiles from the new Collection are available at between € 29.90 and € 79.90, while accessories range in price between € 4.90 and € 99.90.
The entire smart Collection is presented in the corresponding catalogue which is available from all smart dealers. Further information on the smart Collection can be found at: www.smart.com/collection .
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
