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AMG presents the new Private Lounge in Affalterbach: in an area of 525 square metres, owners of AMG high-performance cars and potential customers will find the ideal ambience for conversation and communication. As a tool designed to foster customer relations, the newly constructed building is a meeting-place for the growing, worldwide AMG Community. Both the architecture and atmosphere are characterised by style, individuality and exclusivity.
Ola Källenius, Chairman of Mercedes-AMG GmbH: "The new AMG Private Lounge in Affalterbach is an exclusively and unusually designed meeting-point in which to spend time. We see it as a second living-room for our customers. We want the AMG Private Lounge in Affalterbach to provide the perfect setting for the most exciting day of the year – for example when our customers take possession of their new AMG-Mercedes here in Affalterbach."
Mario Spitzner, head of Branding & Marketing at Mercedes-AMG GmbH: "The virtual AMG Private Lounge was already launched for our American customers in 2006. When the AMG Private Lounge Community was established for the German-speaking markets at the end of 2009, this was the starting-point for the internationalisation of the official AMG Brand Community. Owners of an AMG-Mercedes are extremely welcome to share their passion for the brand with other AMG enthusiasts. Inside knowledge, direct contact with Mercedes-AMG, exclusive events and various ways of exchanging views on an online forum create an emotionally appealing environment dedicated to the AMG brand. At present more than 15,000 members worldwide are accredited for the AMG Private Lounge Community. With the opening of the AMG Private Lounge in Affalterbach, it now also takes on physical form for our customers. As a place for communication in a unique atmosphere, and at the same time a further advance in the interests of first-class customer care at our headquarters in Affalterbach."
The new multi-storey building is directly reachable from the AMG showroom via an outside staircase, and impresses with its clear architectural lines. In the entrance the visitor is treated to a photographic display of the legendary 300 SEL 6.8 AMG racing touring car on the famous "Eau Rouge" in Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium). This work of art consists of individual mosaics arranged in sequence on different levels. Each mosaic consists of individual motifs provided by the members of the AMG Private Lounge Community.
Black and white – homely atmosphere with clear-cut lines
The clear, minimalistic architecture characterises the atmosphere of the AMG Private Lounge in Affalterbach. Individually produced furnishings in a conical design form a tapering arrangement towards the terrace area. The colour scheme is black and white, with colour contrasts provided by accessories and unique mementos in the display cabinets. The innovative, variable ceiling lighting creates a suitable, homely atmosphere suited to the time of day, season and weather-induced lighting conditions.
The AMG Private Lounge in Affalterbach is divided into different areas. The "brand wall" is devoted entirely to motorsports, as is immediately recognisable by the oversized motif of the SLS AMG GT3, which was hand-made by AMG designers. Opposite the "brand wall" is the "lifestyle wall", where visitors are able to relax or converse. A selection of media such as an iPad and Playstation are provided for individual entertainment. A library with a selection of reference material and coffee-table books is an invitation to quiet enjoyment. The homely atmosphere at the "lifestyle wall" is enhanced by exclusive leather furniture whose design is reminiscent of AMG sports seats with its leather upholstery and contrasting topstitching.
The so-called "Silent Space" located at the centre of the AMG Private Lounge is provided for conversation in a private but informal atmosphere. Next to this is the coffee bar, whose rear face features an impressive, fabric-lined photo motif of the SLS AMG on the Paul Ricard race circuit in Le Castellet (southern France) with its distinctive, coloured run-off areas. The large window area affords a view of the 73 square-metre terrace, where visitors are able to relax and converse in the open air on exclusive lounge furniture.
Regional dishes with a culinary touch
Behind the coffee bar is the dining area, which is partitioned off and enables up to 18 guests to be catered for. The culinary focus is on light dishes with a regional touch. The atmosphere in the dining area is characterised by a large photographic motif, once again of the SLS AMG on the Paul Ricard race circuit, but this time taken against a backdrop of warm evening sunlight. A semi-transparent sunshade in front of the large glassed area allows a view of a freely-arranged garden in the Japanese Zen style.
The various topic areas of the AMG Private Lounge in Affalterbach are reflected in different flooring designs: parquet, ceramic tiles, different carpeting and wood on the terrace provide a distinctive ambience. All the furnishings to be found in the AMG Private Lounge in Affalterbach are custom-made for their purpose. With this philosophy AMG reinforces the message of exclusive individuality – a central claim of the performance brand within Mercedes-Benz.
Customer events and press conferences
The AMG Private Lounge in Affalterbach is primarily designed to give AMG customers a premium experience of a multifunctional nature. The very latest video and audio technology is available for presentations, multimedia shows and press conferences. An impressive sound experience is ensured by components from Bang & Olufsen. The exclusive AMG cooperation partners are also represented with one-off displays, with Ducati and IWC presenting selected editions and exhibits in the "lifestyle wall".
New sample room in the AMG Performance Studio
While occupying a separate space, the new sample room in the AMG Performance Studio follows the theme of the AMG Private Lounge. This is where individual automotive masterpieces are created in a direct dialogue with the customer. The practically limitless variety available from the AMG Performance Studio is both visible and tangible in the form of various leather types and colours, paint samples, carbon-fibre, wood or solid metal trim elements, designo items and complete technical components.
The bar installed in the sample room follows the same style as the coffee bar in the AMG Private Lounge in Affalterbach: one striking styling element is the conically tapered bar surface.
* Official photos and details courtesy of Mercedes-AMG GmbH *
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
- Mercedes-Benz takes first place in the Safety category and overall
- Significant improvement in the CO2-ranking: Star brand moves up 11 places
- Mercedes-Benz the most successful brand since the introduction of AutomarxX, capturing first place a total of 13 times
Stuttgart, Germany, May 26, 2011 – Mercedes-Benz has once again defended the top position in the ADAC AutomarxX study, making it Germany’s strongest automotive brand. Mercedes-Benz is the most successful brand since AutomarxX was introduced in 2001, capturing first place a total of 13 times and beating its competitors in more than half of all the rankings. The ADAC AutomarxX study assesses the automotive brands sold in Germany in six categories: Brand Image, Market Strength, Customer Satisfaction, Product Strength/Vehicle Quality, Environment, and Safety. The results reflect the current capabilities of all automakers that are of relevance in Germany. A winner is ascertained for each category and out of this the overall winner is determined.
“We’re very pleased that we once again are ranked first in the ADAC AutomarxX study,” says Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Cars. “The result confirms our ambition to deliver our customers the very best. Our first place finish demonstrates that Mercedes-Benz continues to be the strongest brand. This also includes Mercedes-Benz being a pioneer in the development of active and passive safety systems. We also want to set benchmarks when it comes to continuous improvement of our vehicles’ efficiency. The significant improvement in the CO2-ranking shows we are successful in this as well.”
Taking the number four slot, Mercedes-Benz moved up 11 places in the CO2-ranking, far ahead of its competitors in the premium segment. The improvement was mainly due to the introduction of new, highly efficient engine variants in high-volume models such as the new-generation C-Class. The new engines, the enhanced 7G TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission, and the ECO start-stop function reduce fuel consumption by up to 31 percent compared to the figure for the predecessor model.
The main factors in the Safety category are availability of active and passive safety systems and the fact that the systems are fitted as standard. The new-generation C-Class, for example, impresses not only as a result of its greater efficiency, but also because of its many new assistance systems. Thanks to features ranging from the ATTENTION ASSIST fatigue detection system to DISTRONIC PLUS proximity control, the C-Class reaches a new level of safety.
The evaluation for the Brand Image category incorporates the results of the ADAC Motorwelt image survey of 4,000 German respondents as well as an assessment of vehicle residual values. In the image survey, the participants were primarily interested in maximum quality and the highest-possible safety standards. Not only did Mercedes-Benz take first place in both of these areas; the people surveyed also ranked the brand at the top with regard to automotive research and development.
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
The new Mercedes-Benz SLK is celebrating a brilliant victory in the great AUTO BILD magazine design competition. After the E-Class in 2009 and the SLS AMG in 2010, Mercedes-Benz has now won the AUTO BILD Design Award for the third time in a row. The new Roadster from Mercedes-Benz was voted as the overall winner of the automotive beauty contest by around 90,000 readers of the popular specialist magazine. As a result, the SLK can now proudly carry the title of "Germany's most beautiful car".
The new roadster uncompromisingly takes driving pleasure and open-air enjoyment to a new level. It blends light-footed sportiness with stylish comfort, a striking sports-car design with total suitability for everyday use, top performance with exemplary ecology. What’s more, the SLK is proud to present the world premiere of the panoramic vario-roof with MAGIC SKY CONTROL, which switches to light or dark at the touch of a button. Exemplary efficiency and sporty flair come courtesy of powerful new 4- and 6-cylinder engines featuring the standard-specification ECO start/stop function. With their superb levels of performance they are up to 25 percent more economical than their predecessors. And a unique set of safety equipment bestows role-model status on the SLK in this segment. With its wealth of technical innovations the SLK is once again the benchmark in its class.
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
• No ground too soft, no hill too steep: Jens Seiner’s Unimog U 400 gets through everywhere
• Ingenious operations in Thuringian Forest Authority District Paulinzella
• Transporting timber – only one of a number of special operations
Stuttgart/Ilmenau, Germany, May 17, 2011 – With his Mercedes-Benz U 400 Unimog, Jens Seiner is adept at finding clever and simple solutions. Just like Columbus when discovering America, the owner of Autotechnik Seiner manages to devise simple solutions to problems for which there is no apparent solution. In order to be able to collect timber efficiently from the forest and deliver it to timber specialists a long way away despite rising diesel prices, Seiner uses a combination of two different methods of transport: His Unimog is fitted with a timber crane superstructure to collect tree trunks from the forest, and then a Unimog truck-trailer unit delivers the goods to the customer.
So that he can avoid wasting time reloading, Seiner does not put the tree trunks on stanchion truck-trailer combinations but in roll-off containers. "This solution allows me to kill two birds with one stone,"says the man from Ilmenau. "In this way no difficulties arise when securing a load with two metre trunks lying crosswise to the direction of the road;also it is virtually impossible to overload the vehicle and there are a lot fewer empty runs as there is always scrap metal, rubble or other debris to be carried on the return journey."In addition he saves fuel. The Unimog U 400 with its 4.2 l four-cylinder 130 kW (177 HP) diesel engine uses a lot less fuel for loading and transporting than a powerful timber truck for long distance trips. The man from Thuringia is more than satisfied with its diesel consumption of about eleven litres per operating hour.
The Unimog with its very ingenious hydraulic system is vital for Autotechnik Seiner. There is hardly any other vehicle which can be used for so many jobs as this comparatively small power pack. Where a normal truck does not even arrive, this sturdy, manoeuvrable four-wheel drive still manages to get through. This is really appreciated by skilled tool-maker and car mechanic Seiner when travelling over snowy or muddy forest roads.
"It doesn't matter what the weather is like, I can collect timber from any corner of the Thuringia Forest with my tough mate from Mercedes-Benz. But I don't let the container roll off the fixed centre trailer using the hooking device until my 30-tonne truck-trailer combination has once more got firm ground under its wheels. The roll-off loader with its trailer is there ready and waiting to take on two full containers at the same time which makes the transport by road to wood pulp or chipboard plants, or sawmill very cost-effective,"explained Seiner. He goes all year round with his U 400 to collect wood from the forest district run by the Thuringian Forest Authority Paulinzella which covers a total area of almost 50,000 acres of woodland and provides a harvest of about 78,500 cubic yards of wood a year.
A multitude of attachable implements for various kinds of work
When Seiners doesn't happen to be using his "Universal-Motor-Gerät" (shortened to: Unimog) for moving wood, he uses his four-wheel drive vehicle for winter services to clear snow from roads, forest trails or the nearby ICE railway track construction site. In addition he uses it to clean roads, mow verges and green areas, build trails, help on construction sites or tow cars. For all these different types of jobs, the enthusiastic Unimog fan has a whole range of implements which can be attached or mounted to his vehicle such as a snow plough, gritter, water tank, cutters or crane. Some of his atttachments are produced at his headquarters in Geilsdorf which is close to Ilmenau. The equipment transforms the Unimog U 400 in no time at all into a suitable workhorse which is simply born to achieve.
60 Years Jubilee for the Mercedes-Benz Unimog
Sixty years ago, to be exact on June 3rd, 1951, the first Mercedes-Benz Unimog rolled off the assembly line in Gaggenau. A unique vehicle concept with outstanding off-road mobility due to its four-wheel drive and fast driving features for road use had come into being. Daimler AG is celebrating this jubilee in 2011 with a multitude of events. These include a huge rally of historical and current Unimog models at the Mercedes-Benz Wörth Plant on Saturday, June 4th. Detailed information about the event as well as how to register for it can be found online: www.mercedes-benz.com/unimog-60jahre . On Sonntag, June 5th there will be jubilee celebrations at the Unimog Museum in Gaggenau (www.unimog-museum.com).
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
