What is it about a Mercedes-Benz

that makes it a Mercedes-Benz?

Obsession.

It's something that's buried deep

inside the DNA of our company.
Something that drives everyone
that works here.

You see, for us, a Mercedes-Benz

isn't just a car. It's a collection
of perfect minute details.
And we're obsessed about every
one of them. Right down to
the final and most important
detail of all:

YOU
The reason we built the car
in the first place.

his daughter, Mercedes, as much for
Mercedes wasn't a car
Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler
were two men with the same
obsession.
They wanted to build a carriage
that could move without a horse.
But back in the nineteenth century
that was no small ambition.
In fact it earned them scorn from
the public and from the German
Emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Nevertheless, their obsession with
progress finally led, in 1886,
to the first automobile. It was
a revelation to the whole world.
And for no-one more so than
Emil Jellinek.
Mercedes Jellinek
In 1900 this racing enthusiast
ordered 36 cars, but on one
condition: that Daimler make them
faster. The result was the 35PS,
a car that eventually became the
world's first modern automobile.
As for Jellinek, he was so obsessed
with the car that he named it after
its performance as for its beauty.
From these early pioneers came a
philosophy of uncompromising
quality. A philosophy that has
been shared by all who followed.
Engineers like Wilhelm Maybach,
or Bela Barenyi, the safety pioneer.
Designers such as Bruno Sacco.
Racing drivers from Fangio to
Mika Hakkinen. And many others.
They've all helped to make
Mercedes-Benz what it is today.
A name that inspires obsession.
 The Mercedes-Benz star is
more than just a badge.
It's a promise of quality and
technological excellence.
One that Gottlieb Daimler
first made back in 1889 when
he famously said: "The best

The makings of a star

or nothing".

That's why every car we make is

subjected to exhaustive testing,
right up until the moment it leaves
the factory, to ensure its reliability.
Only then does it have the right
to bear the three-pointed star.

It's not easy for an automobile

to earn this coveted symbol,
it’s true. But then, we have a
promise to keep.
Famous for its quality. Its craftsmanship.
And its passengers
Introducing the Type 300s. A car
so cherished by Konrad Adenauer,
the first German Chancellor, that
it eventually became known as the
Adenauer Mercedes.
Just like the present-day S-Class,
this car was a perfect synthesis
of quality and craftsmanship.
And was widely regarded as being
the most technologically advanced
car of its time.
Nothing’s changed. At least,
not in our approach to building
automobiles. With each new
model we continue to push the
boundaries of reliability and
performance. Not to mention those
of design. In fact, in every aspect
of a car's development, we are
constantly looking to the future.
Little wonder we have so many
automotive milestones in our past.
 His is the only future that's not safe
In our vision for the future, there’s
not much use for crash tests.
Or crash test dummies for that
matter. What we want to
do is help drivers avoid those
accidents altogether.

We call it our vision of accident-free

driving. A future where safety
systems are so advanced that they
can predict accidents and prevent
them before they happen.

Recently, technologies such as

Brake Assist and DISTRONIC have
been helping us to carry forward
our vision for the future. Not to
mention our many breakthroughs
of the past, like ESP® and airbags,
both of which are now standard in
most makes of car.

As we continue to personalise our

systems, our cars won’t just become
safer. They’ll become one of the
safest places on the road.
Test Dummy: Bob
At Mercedes-Benz we have
a philosophy about safety.
We call it the 5Ps.
The first P stands for PRO-SAFE™,
the name we give all our safety
technologies when they are
working together as one. It's the
bedrock of our safety systems.
cell and a variety of adaptive
airbags. After an accident, Making you feel safe on the inside
POST-SAFE takes steps to optimise
the help given to passengers.
These 5Ps are already making the
roads safer. And bringing us ever
closer to achieving our vision.
A vision of accident-free driving.

Among these systems,

PERFORM-SAFE actively helps
drivers avoid accidents. It uses
special technologies like
DISTRONIC, which automatically
maintains a safe distance between
the driver and the car in front.
PRE-SAFE®, on the other hand,
can detect imminent danger
and minimise the risk to
passengers. Should an accident
occur, PASSIVE-SAFE protects
occupants with a special safety
 We're not blind to the dangers
55 percent of all fatalities occur
of driving at night
after sunset. And it's not hard to
see why.

To help drivers see more in the

hours of darkness, we've developed
a system called NightView Assist.
A technology that uses infra-red
sensors to scan the road ahead
for potential obstacles, showing
the driver an image on his
display panel.

Telematics is another technology

that aids drivers. It will enable
cars to pass on details about traffic
situations. This in turn will help
keep the roads less crowded.
And make them safer as a result.

We will always be at the forefront

when it comes to safety technology.
 To make our paint as hard as nails,
we added stone
Our nano-particle clearcoat isn't
your average paint. But you'd need
an electron microscope to see why.

It's made up of tiny ceramic

particles less than a millionth of
a millimetre in size. Particles so
small and tightly packed together
that they make the paint more
resistant to scratches, water and
the elements.

For us this means that our cars are

more durable - one of the
hallmarks of our brand. For you
it means even more years of
enjoyment in your Mercedes-Benz.
And because it doesn't corrode, it's
good news for the environment too.

Our interest in nano-particle

technology is typical of
our obsession with even the
smallest details. You may not
be able to see them, but you'll
agree that their advantages
are hard to miss.
Nano-particle Technology
At our weather tunnel in Vienna,
our cars are pelted with snow
and ice crystals at speeds of up to
160km/h. Then, we subject them
to searing 40 degree temperatures.
A lot for a car to go through in
one day, we admit.

At our test track in Laredo, Texas,

we’re no less forgiving. It was here
that we drove three of our cars
with CDI engines for 100,000 miles
non-stop. The furthest a diesel
engine had ever been driven
without a break. So far, in fact,
that it broke a previously held
world-record.

Not a single detail ever escapes

our attention. Not even when it
comes to the interiors. The feel
of the leather, the action of a
console button. We test and re-test
everything hundreds of times.

Why? Because we want our cars

From an arctic blizzard to a fiery desert.
to be prepared for anything life
throws at them.
In the same day
The fish that gave birth to a car

Ever since we invented the first

automobile, we've been investing
in new and ever more innovative
ways to keep the world moving.

Take the bionic car for instance.

A design based on the aerodynamic
shape of the boxfish. Or the F600
Hygenius, a new generation hybrid
engine which produces no harmful
emissions.

And while we are on the subject

of the environment, we also use
high-tensile Abaca fibres in our
interiors; a sustainable resource
that helps make our car parts
even stronger.

We've even been known to put

olive stones in our fuel tanks to
help reduce CO2 emissions.

It's ideas like this that will keep

people mobile in the years to
come. Our ideas are sometimes
unconventional, but always inspired.
 Our cars help you get away from it all.
And so do our car seats
If you are looking to retreat from
everyday stresses, you don't need
to go further than the seat of your
Mercedes-Benz.

In the door panel we've created

a user-friendly button that’s shaped
like a seat. With it you can easily
adjust different parts of the real car
seat, increasing support where
you need it. Like everything inside
a Mercedes-Benz it's designed
to make driving a more relaxing
occupation.

How do we know this? We ask the

drivers themselves. They test
everything, including the look and
feel of the seat leather. We even ask
them to smell it to ensure it induces
a feeling of the utmost tranquility.
We go to great lengths to create the
right environment so it becomes
your own personal comfort zone.

All things considered, the

only thing that won't feel
comfortable inside a
Mercedes-Benz is stress itself.
The Seat-adjustment Controls
Every detail that goes into a
Mercedes-Benz is as important
as the finished product.
Our seats are hand-stitched using
the complex Indianapolis stitching
technique. (Something that takes
our specialists years to master.)
Our wood panelling is made up
of one hundred individual layers.
And should you choose to
personalise the interior, we can
include granite, which we cut
to precisely 0.6mm.
Once all the finishing touches have It takes years to stitch one of our seats
been made to a Mercedes-Benz,
everything speaks of space and
comfort. Especially the passengers.
After all, in some cars each
passenger can have their own
climate control - so it can be 20
degrees at the front and a cool
10 degrees at the back.
In our cars, beauty is in the eye
of the beholder, even if the beholder
happens to have a magnifying glass.
It takes time to design a car that's
beautiful. It takes inspiration to
make that beauty functional.
The Mercedes-Benz SL, with its
legendary wingtail design, is a good
example of this. As is the CLS of
today - the first coupe to have four
doors instead of two, something
that gives it all the comfort of a
saloon and all the style of a coupe.
A car that radiates beauty inside
and out.
Design has always been an
important part of our heritage.
And continues to be so today. We
take our cues from our wealth of
automotive knowledge, but also
from the worlds of fashion and
technology, from nature and the
world at large. Our design centres
themselves are based in places as
diverse as Italy, Japan and the USA.
Where does the car end and the art begin?
It’s here that our cars are imbued
with the timeless quality that is
synonymous with Mercedes-Benz .
With every new car we build we
are shaping the future of car
design. In fact we've turned it into
something of an art.
 We are driven by the same thing
It's true that at Mercedes-Benz we
are obsessed with detail. But we're
not the only ones.

We have many kindred spirits in

the worlds of art, music, fashion
and sport. As a result of this
shared inspiration, you'll find our
worlds come together quite often.

It could be a legendary sporting

event like the ATP Tour, a concert
or even an exhibition. Wherever it
is, we always find ourselves in
good company.
The MercedesCup trophy
We’ve been a driving force in
motorsport for over a hundred
years. This commitment, which
continues today in Formula One
and the DTM, is a testament to
our racing spirit.

It’s a sport where only the best is

good enough. A sport that is a
A formula for success
mixture of magical atmosphere and
scientific preparation. Where glory
comes to those who are fearless,
but also meticulously precise.

Naturally it takes a degree of

obsession to compete in these
events. Not to mention a love
of competition. All this makes
it a highly exhilarating world.
One that you, as a Mercedes-Benz
owner, can now be a part of.

Once you lift the lid on our world,

you may find the obsession more
than a little contagious.
The world of Mercedes-Benz is
constantly on the move. But once
every quarter, it comes to rest on
As in every best-seller,
the pages of Mercedesmagazine.
the stories are about obsession
Here you'll get an exclusive look at
the latest developments in automobile
technology. And the future of mobility.

You’ll find articles about new

products, fascinating places and
influential people. And a collection
of things that continue to inspire us.
Things that we want to share with
our customers.

It's so full of stories about obsession

that we think you'll find it quite a
riveting read.
 A whole world. Created especially for you
As a Mercedes-Benz driver,
we offer you tailor-made options
for financing and insurance.
And for added peace of mind,
there's Mercedes-Benz aftersales
service. Something that can take
care of you and your car 24 hours
a day. There’s also MobiloLife*
that comes as standard with every
Mercedes-Benz. As does our
comprehensive two-year guarantee.

* MobiloLife terms and conditions apply

Mercedes-Benz Services
As a Mercedes-Benz owner, your new car
isn't the only privilege you are entitled to
There are many benefits that come
with driving a Mercedes-Benz.
For one thing, we offer a distinctive
range of individualised accessories,
and our very own Mercedes-Benz
Collection, both of which display
the same classic design and
craftsmanship that you’ll find
inside our cars.

Speaking of shopping, you’re

also eligible for a MercedesCard,
a unique credit card that gives
you access to a host of exclusive
activities and services.

For more information about any

of these subjects, please refer
to the relevant literature that
accompanies this book.

As you'll discover, we've found

more than one way to be of
service to you.
There's no end to our obsession
Every piece of your Mercedes-Benz,
every safety feature, every
innovation, every last drop of
paint is a result of the collective
obsession of thousands of people.
Engineers. Designers. Technicians.
Drivers. And now that you own a
piece of that obsession, there's
no telling where it will take you.

Welcome to our world.

Mercedes-Benz is a trademark of DaimlerChrysler.

Publisher: DaimlerChrysler AG, Stuttgart.
http://www.mercedes-benz.com

All rights reserved. Reproduction of text and images, in whole or in part,

only with written permission of the publisher.
Changes may have been made to the design and equipment of the product
since this brochure went to press (XX/XXXX). The illustrations may
show accessories and items of optional equipment which are not part of
standard specification.
© by DaimlerChrysler AG, 2006

Printed in Germany, 2006

www.mercedes-benz.com DaimlerChrysler AG, CRM/RM, Stuttgart, XX/XXXX