Customer Satisfaction of Mercedes at T&T Motors

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of fall I would like to thank the Management at T&T Motors Ltd for giving me the
opportunity to do my two-month project training in their esteemed organization. I am
highly obliged to Mr. ADITYA NAYAR (DEPUTY MANAGER) for granting me to
undertake my training at New Delhi branch.
I express my thanks to all Sales Managers under whose able guidance and direction, I
was able to give shape to my training. Their constant review and excellent suggestions
throughout the project are highly commendable.
My heartfelt thanks go to all the executives who helped me gain knowledge about the
actual working and the processes involved in various departments.
I would also like to thank Mr. VIVEK AHUJA for his guidance during the project and
helping me out in the preparation of my report.
PREFACE
Project work is something that every Management student should carry out
seriously at any organization irrespective of their topic they choose to do. This is a part of
complete management study and carrying out such a project work is required by the
examination and evaluation Department of Amity University necessary for the partial
fulfillment of B.B.A. course.
Carrying and completing such a project work is not an easy task. One must be
careful before gathering the data required otherwise the very essence of the project will
get lost in the midway and the real and correct idea will remain unexposed before the
reader.
I took my project in Marketing on Customer Satisfaction of Mercedes from T&T
Motors, New Delhi. I had tried to compile the clear picture regarding the level of brand
awareness, measure to increase and retain the brand awareness, and the advertising and
the promotional tools effective for enhancing the awareness level of the potential
customers.
The project has played a significant role in my life in gaining knowledge in marketing
field.
ABSTRACT
This project intends to give the complete profile of the automobile company Mercedes
Benz and customer satisfaction of the customers towards the brand. It consists of the
research carried out in the geographic area of New Delhi. The name Mercedes Benz
needs no introduction for the car enthusiastic people. Ever since its foundation this name
has been associated with the world class brand of cars, trucks and buses. The two
founding fathers, one is Mr. Karl Benz who first founded this company in 1871 and the
two others Mr. Gottlieb Daimler and Mr. Wilhelm May Bach, who founded the division
of Mercedes Benz called as Daimler AG in 1890.The headquarters of the Mercedes Benz
is located at Baden- Wurttemberg and Stuttgart in Germany. Currently this company
produces a wide range of advanced luxury cars, trucks and buses in its manufacturing
facilities, based all over the world besides Germany
INTRODUCTION
Customer Satisfaction is the buzzword used by the business people for the success of
organization in the present days. Due to the increases of heavy competition in every
product –line it become difficult for the companies to retain the customers for longer
time. So retain the customer for longer time the marketer has to do only one things i.e.
customer satisfaction .If customer is fully satisfied by the product it not only rub the
organization successfully but also fetch many benefits for the company . They are less
process sensitive and they remain customer for a longer period. They buy addition
products overtimes as the company introduce related produce related products or
improved, so customer satisfactions is gaining a lot of importance in the present day.
Every company is conducting survey on customer satisfaction level on their products .To
make the products up to the satisfaction level of customers.
This project is also done to know the customers satisfaction level towards Mercedes-
Benz. The impact of automobile industry on the rest of the economy has been so
pervasive and momentous that is characterized as second industrial. It played a vital role
in helping the nation to produce higher value good and services and in the enhancing
their skills and impose tremendous demand for automobile. The decrease in the interest
rate and easy available of cars loans from 2 to 3 years, lot of car manufacturers company
facing cut throat competition in the fields of technology and price, So to gain the market
share it is important for the institutes to satisfy its customers and to retain the reputation
and its image.
Customer Satisfaction Strategies Followed By Mercedes
The different strategies followed by Mercedes consists of Customer relationship
management, strategy to providing better facility to the owner, and strategy to provide
better after sales service to customer.
Customer Relationship Management
CRM as a tool was used to create positive word-of-mouth, to monitor customer
experiences and generate referrals. A series of CRM activities were implemented with
regular direct communication, events and customer satisfaction surveys, Events, Festive
offers, Rewards Program, etc.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The study has been under taken to analyze the customer satisfaction towards Mercedes-
Benz in New Delhi with a special reference to the T&T motors, the other objectives are:
 To gather information about customer satisfaction toward Mercedes-Benz in the
geographic region of New Delhi.
 To know the customer perception about features, maintenance cost and looks of
cars of Mercedes-Benz.
 To know the customer satisfaction about the safety and comfort provided by the
cars of Mercedes-Benz.
 To provide suggestions, in improving the customer satisfaction and the company

sales and profitability.
 To know the customer satisfaction towards the after sales services offers by
Mercedes-Benz.
INTRODUCTION TO THE INDUSTRY
The history of the automobile begins as early as 1769, with the creation of steam-
powered automobiles capable of human transport. In 1806, the first cars powered by
internal combustion engines running on fuel gas appeared, which led to the introduction
in 1885 of the ubiquitous modern gasoline- or petrol-fueled internal combustion engine.
Cars powered by electricity briefly appeared at the turn of the 20th century but largely
disappeared from commonality until the turn of the 21st century, when interest in low-
and zero-emissions transportation was reignited. As such, the early history of the
automobile can be divided into a number of eras based on the prevalent method of
automotive propulsion during that time. Later periods were defined by trends in exterior
styling and size and utility preferences.
Eras of invention
Pioneer inventors
German engineer Karl Benz, the inventor of numerous car-related technologies, is

generally regarded as the inventor of the modern automobile. The four-stroke petrol
(gasoline) internal combustion engine that constitutes the most prevalent form of modern
automotive propulsion is a creation of German inventor Nikolaus Otto. The similar four-
stroke diesel engine was also invented by a German, Rudolf Diesel. The hydrogen fuel
cell, one of the technologies hailed as a replacement for gasoline as an energy source for
cars, was discovered in principle by yet another German, Christian Friedrich Schönbein,
in 1838. The battery electric car owes its beginnings to Hungarian Ányos Jedlik, one of
the inventors of the electric motor, and Gaston Planté, who invented the lead-acid battery
in 1859.
Early automobiles
Steam automobiles
Cugnot's steam wagon, the second (1771) version

Ferdinand Verbiest, a member of a Jesuit mission in China, built the first steam-powered
vehicle around 1672, designed as a toy for the Chinese Emperor, it being of small scale
and unable to carry a driver or passenger but, quite possibly, the first working steam-
powered vehicle ('auto-mobile').
A replica of Richard Trevithick's 1801 road locomotive 'Puffing Devil'
Steam-powered self-propelled vehicles are thought to have been devised in the late-18th
century. Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot demonstrated his fardier à vapeur, an experimental
steam-driven artillery tractor, in 1770 and 1771. Cugnot's design proved to be impractical
and his invention was not developed in his native France, the centre of innovation
passing to Great Britain. By 1784, William Murdoch had built a working model of a
steam carriage in Redruth, and in 1801 Richard Trevithick was running a full-sized
vehicle on the road in Camborne. Such vehicles were in vogue for a time, and over the
next decades such innovations as hand brakes, multi-speed transmissions, and better
steering developed. Some were commercially successful in providing mass transit, until a
backlash against these large speedy vehicles resulted in passing a law, the Locomotive
Act, in 1865 requiring self-propelled vehicles on public roads in the United Kingdom be
preceded by a man on foot waving a red flag and blowing a horn. This effectively killed
road auto development in the UK for most of the rest of the 19th century. as inventors
and engineers shifted their efforts to improvements in railway locomotives. The law was
not repealed until 1896, although the need for the red flag was removed in 1878.
In Russia in the 1780s, Ivan Kulibin started working on a human-pedalled carriage with a
steam engine. He finished working on it in 1791. Some of its features included a
flywheel, brake, gearbox, and bearing, which are also the features of a modern
automobile. His design had three roadwheels. Unfortunately, as with many of his
inventions, the government failed to see the potential market and it was not developed
further.
The first automobile patent in the United States was granted to Oliver Evans in 1789. In
1805, Evans demonstrated his first successful self-propelled vehicle, which not only was
the first automobile in the USA, but was also the first amphibious vehicle, as his steam-
powered vehicle was able to travel on roadwheels on land, and via a paddle wheel in the
water.
Among other efforts, in 1815, a professor at Prague Polytechnich, Josef Bozek, built an
oil-fired steam car and Walter Hancock, builder and operator of London steam buses, in
1838 built a four-seat steam phaeton.
Electric automobiles
In 1828, Ányos Jedlik, a Hungarian who invented an early type of electric motor, created
a tiny model car powered by his new motor. In 1834, Vermont blacksmith Thomas
Davenport, the inventor of the first American DC electrical motor, installed his motor in
a small model car, which he operated on a short circular electrified track. In 1835,
Professor Sibrandus Stratingh of Groningen, the Netherlands and his assistant
Christopher Becker created a small-scale electrical car, powered by non-rechargeable
primary cells. In 1838, Scotsman Robert Davidson built an electric locomotive that
attained a speed of 4 miles per hour (6 km/h). In England, a patent was granted in 1840
for the use of rail tracks as conductors of electric current, and similar American patents
were issued to Lilley and Colten in 1847. Between 1832 and 1839 (the exact year is
uncertain), Robert Anderson of Scotland invented the first crude electric carriage,
powered by non-rechargeable primary cells.
Internal combustion engines
1885-built Benz Patent Motorwagen, the first car to go into production with an internal
combustion engine
1870, Vienna, Austria: world's first gasoline-run vehicle, the 'first Marcus car'
The second Marcus car of 1888 (Technical Museum Vienna)
Early attempts at making and using internal combustion engines were hampered by the
lack of suitable fuels, particularly liquids, and the earliest engines used gas mixtures.
Early experimenters using gases included, in 1806, Swiss engineer François Isaac de
Rivaz who built an internal combustion engine powered by a hydrogen and oxygen
mixture, and in 1826, Englishman Samuel Brown who tested his hydrogen-fuelled
internal combustion engine by using it to propel a vehicle up Shooter's Hill in south-east
London. Belgian-born Etienne Lenoir's Hippomobile with a hydrogen-gas-fuelled one-
cylinder internal combustion engine made a test drive from Paris to Joinville-le-Pont in
1860, covering some nine kilometres in about three hours. A later version was propelled
by coal gas. A Delamare-Deboutteville vehicle was patented and trialled in 1884.
About 1870, in Vienna, Austria (then the Austro-Hungarian Empire), inventor Siegfried
Marcus put a liquid-fuelled internal combustion engine on a simple handcart which made
him the first man to propel a vehicle by means of gasoline. Today, this car is known as
"the first Marcus car". In 1883, Marcus secured a German patent for a low-voltage
ignition system of the magneto type; this was his only automotive patent. This design
was used for all further engines, and the four-seat "second Marcus car" of 1888/89. This
ignition, in conjunction with the "rotating-brush carburetor", made the second car's
design very innovative.
It is generally acknowledged that the first really practical automobiles with
petrol/gasoline-powered internal combustion engines were completed almost
simultaneously by several German inventors working independently: Karl Benz built his
first automobile in 1885 in Mannheim. Benz was granted a patent for his automobile on
29 January 1886, and began the first production of automobiles in 1888, after Bertha
Benz, his wife, had proved - with the first long-distance trip in August 1888, from
Mannheim to Pforzheim and back - that the horseless coach was absolutely suitable for
daily use. Since 2008 a Bertha Benz Memorial Route commemorates this event.
Soon after, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Stuttgart in 1889 designed a
vehicle from scratch to be an automobile, rather than a horse-drawn carriage fitted with
an engine. They also are usually credited with invention of the first motorcycle in 1886,
but Italy's Enrico Bernardi of the University of Padua, in 1882, patented a 0.024
horsepower (17.9 W) 122 cc (7.4 cu in) one-cylinder petrol motor, fitting it into his son's
tricycle, making it at least a candidate for the first automobile, and first motorcycle;
Bernardi enlarged the tricycle in 1892 to carry two adults.
One of the first four-wheeled petrol-driven automobiles in Britain was built in

Birmingham in 1895 by Frederick William Lanchester, who also patented the disc brake;
and the first electric starter was installed on an Arnold, an adaptation of the Benz Velo,
built between 1895 and 1898.
In all the turmoil, many early pioneers are nearly forgotten. In 1891, John William
Lambert built a three-wheeler in Ohio City, Ohio, which was destroyed in a fire the same
year, while Henry Nadig constructed a four-wheeler in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It is
likely they were not the only ones.
Veteran era
The French 1898 Renault Voiturette
The first production of automobiles was by Karl Benz in 1888 in Germany and, under
licence from Benz, in France by Emile Roger. There were numerous others, including
tricycle builders Rudolf Egg, Edward Butler, and Léon Bollée. Bollée, using a 650 cc
(40 cu in) engine of his own design, enabled his driver, Jamin, to average 45 kilometres
per hour (28.0 mph) in the 1897 Paris-Tourville rally. By 1900, mass production of
automobiles had begun in France and the United States. The first company formed
exclusively to build automobiles was Panhard et Levassor in France, which also
introduced the first four-cylinder engine. Formed in 1889, Panhard was quickly followed
by Peugeot two years later. By the start of the 20th century, the automobile industry was
beginning to take off in western Europe, especially in France, where 30,204 were
produced in 1903, representing 48.8% of world automobile production that year.
The first automobile in Japan, a French Panhard-Levassor, in 1898
1903 World's Work Article
In the United States, brothers Charles and Frank Duryea founded the Duryea Motor
Wagon Company in 1893, becoming the first American automobile manufacturing
company. However, it was Ransom E. Olds and his Olds Motor Vehicle Company (later
known as Oldsmobile) who would dominate this era of automobile production. Its large
scale production line was running in 1902. Within a year, Cadillac (formed from the
Henry Ford Company), Winton, and Ford were producing cars in the thousands.
Within a few years, a dizzying assortment of technologies were being produced by

hundreds of producers all over the western world. Steam, electricity and petrol/gasoline-
powered automobiles competed for decades, with petrol/gasoline internal combustion
engines achieving dominance in the 1910s. Dual- and even quad-engine cars were
designed, and engine displacement ranged to more than a dozen litres. Many modern
advances, including gas/electric hybrids, multi-valve engines, overhead camshafts, and
four-wheel drive, were attempted, and discarded at this time. In 1898, Louis Renault had
a De Dion-Bouton modified, with fixed drive shaft and ring and pinion gear, making
"perhaps the first hot rod in history" and bringing Renault and his brothers into the car
industry. Innovation was rapid and rampant, with no clear standards for basic vehicle
architectures, body styles, construction materials, or controls. Many veteran cars use a
tiller, rather than a wheel for steering, for example, and most operated at a single speed.
Chain drive was dominant over the drive shaft, and closed bodies were extremely rare.
Drum brakes were introduced by Renault in 1902. The next year, Dutch designer Jacobus
Spijker built the first four-wheel drive racing car; it never competed and it would be 1965
and the Jensen FF before four wheel drive was used on a production car.
Innovation was not limited to the vehicles themselves, either. Increasing numbers of cars
propelled the growth of the petroleum industry, as well as the development of technology
to produce gasoline (replacing kerosene and coal oil) and of improvements in heat-
tolerant mineral oil lubricants (replacing vegetable and animal oils).
There were social effects, also. Music would be made about cars, such as "In My Merry
Oldsmobile" (a tradition that continues) while, in 1896, William Jennings Bryan would
be the first presidential candidate to campaign in a car (a donated Mueller), in Decatur,
Illinois. Three years later, Jacob German would start a tradition for New York City
cabdrivers when he sped down Lexington Avenue, at the "reckless" speed of 12 mph
(19 km/h). Also in 1899, Akron, Ohio, adopted the first self-propelled paddy wagon.
In My Merry Oldsmobile songbook featuring an

Oldsmobile Curved Dash automobile (produced 1901-1907) and period driving clothing
By 1900, it was possible to talk about a national automotive industry in many countries,
including Belgium (home to Vincke, which copied Benz; Germain, a pseudo-Panhard;
and Linon and Nagant, both based on the Gobron-Brillié), Switzerland (led by Fritz
Henriod, Rudolf Egg, Saurer, Johann Weber, and Lorenz Popp), Vagnfabrik AB in
Sweden, Hammel (by A. F. Hammel and H. U. Johansen at Copenhagen, in Denmark,
beginning around 1886), Irgens (starting in Bergen, Norway, in 1883, but without
success), Italy (where FIAT started in 1899), and as far afield as Australia (where
Pioneer set up shop in 1898, with an already archaic paraffin-fuelled centre-pivot-steered
wagon). Meanwhile, the export trade had begun to be global, with Koch exporting cars
and trucks from Paris to Tunisia, Egypt, Iran, and the Dutch East Indies.
On 5 November 1895, George B. Selden was granted a United States patent for a two-
stroke automobile engine (U.S. Patent 549,160). This patent did more to hinder than
encourage development of autos in the USA. Selden licensed his patent to most major
American auto makers, collecting a fee on every car they produced. The Studebaker
brothers, having become the world's leading manufacturers of horse-drawn vehicles,
made a transition to electric automobiles in 1902, and gasoline engines in 1904, but also
continued to build horse-drawn vehicles until 1919. In 1908, the first South American
automobile was built in Peru, the Grieve.
Throughout the veteran car era, however, automobiles were seen as more of a novelty
than a genuinely useful device. Breakdowns were frequent, fuel was difficult to obtain,
roads suitable for travelling were scarce, and rapid innovation meant that a year-old car
was nearly worthless. Major breakthroughs in proving the usefulness of the automobile
came with the historic long-distance drive of Bertha Benz in 1888, when she travelled
more than 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Mannheim to Pforzheim, to make people aware of
the potential of the vehicles her husband, Karl Benz, manufactured, and after Horatio
Nelson Jackson's successful trans-continental drive across the United States in 1903.
Brass or Edwardian era
T-model Ford car parked outside Geelong Library at its launch in Australia in 1915
Named for the widespread use of brass in the United States, the Brass (or Edwardian) Era
lasted from roughly 1905 through to the beginning of World War I in 1914. 1905 was a
signal year in the development of the automobile, marking the point when the majority of
sales shifted from the hobbyist and enthusiast to the average user.
Within the 15 years that make up this era, the various experimental designs and alternate
power systems would be marginalised. Although the modern touring car had been
invented earlier, it was not until Panhard et Levassor's Système Panhard was widely
licensed and adopted that recognisable and standardised automobiles were created. This
system specified front-engined, rear-wheel drive internal combustion engined cars with a
sliding gear transmission. Traditional coach-style vehicles were rapidly abandoned, and
buckboard runabouts lost favour with the introduction of tonneaus and other less-
expensive touring bodies.
Throughout this era, development of automotive technology was rapid, due in part to
hundreds of small manufacturers competing to gain the world's attention. Key
developments included the electric ignition system (by dynamotor on the Arnold in 1898,
though Robert Bosch, 1903, tends to get the credit), independent suspension (actually
conceived by Bollée in 1873), and four-wheel brakes (by the Arrol-Johnston Company of
Scotland in 1909). Leaf springs were widely used for suspension, though many other
systems were still in use, with angle steel taking over from armored wood as the frame
material of choice. Transmissions and throttle controls were widely adopted, allowing a
variety of cruising speeds, though vehicles generally still had discrete speed settings,
rather than the infinitely variable system familiar in cars of later eras. Safety glass also
made its debut, patented by John Wood in England in 1905. (It would not become
standard equipment until 1926, on a Rickenbacker.)
Between 1907 and 1912 in the United States, the high-wheel motor buggy (resembling
the horse buggy of before 1900) was in its heyday, with over seventy-five makers
including Holsman (Chicago), IHC (Chicago), and Sears (which sold via catalog); the
high-wheeler would be killed by the Model T. In 1912, Hupp (in the U.S., supplied by
Hale & Irwin) and BSA (in the UK) pioneered the use of all-steel bodies, joined in 1914
by Dodge (who produced Model T bodies). While it would be another two decades
before all-steel bodies would be standard, the change would mean improved supplies of
superior-quality wood for furniture makers.
Some examples of cars of the period included
• 1908–1927 Ford Model T — the most widely produced and available car of the
era. It used a planetary transmission, and had a pedal-based control system.
• 1910 Mercer Raceabout — regarded as one of the first sports cars, the Raceabout
expressed the exuberance of the driving public, as did the similarly-conceived
American Underslung and Hispano-Suiza Alphonso.
• 1910–1920 Bugatti Type 13 — a notable racing and touring model with advanced
engineering and design. Similar models were the Types 15, 17, 22, and 23.
Vintage era
1926 Austin 7 Box saloon
Lineup of Ford Model As
The vintage era lasted from the end of World War I (1919), through the Wall Street
Crash at the end of 1929. During this period, the front-engined car came to dominate,
with closed bodies and standardised controls becoming the norm. In 1919, 90% of cars
sold were open; by 1929, 90% were closed. Development of the internal combustion
engine continued at a rapid pace, with multi-valve and overhead camshaft engines
produced at the high end, and V8, V12, and even V16 engines conceived for the ultra-
rich. Also in 1919, hydraulic brakes were invented by Malcolm Loughead (co-founder of
Lockheed); they were adopted by Duesenberg for their 1921 Model A. Three years later,
Hermann Rieseler of Vulcan Motor invented the first automatic transmission, which had
two-speed planetary gearbox, torque converter, and lockup clutch; it never entered
production.(Its like would only become an available option in 1940.) Just at the end of
the vintage era, tempered glass (now standard equipment in side windows) was invented
in France.
Exemplary vintage vehicles:
• 1922–1939 Austin 7 — the Austin Seven was one of the most widely copied
vehicles ever, serving as a template for cars around the world, from BMW to
Nissan.
• 1924–1929 Bugatti Type 35 — the Type 35 was one of the most successful racing
cars of all time, with over 1,000 victories in five years.
• 1922–1931 Lancia Lambda — very advanced car for the time, first car to feature
a load-bearing monocoque-type body and independent front suspension.
• 1925–1928 Hanomag 2 / 10 PS — early example of envelope styling, without
separate fenders (wings) and running boards.
• 1927–1931 Ford Model A (1927-1931) — after keeping the brass era Model T in
production for too long, Ford broke from the past by restarting its model series
with the 1927 Model A. More than 4 million were produced, making it the best-
selling model of the era.
• 1930 Cadillac V-16 — developed at the height of the vintage era, the V16-
powered Cadillac would join Bugatti's Royale as the most legendary ultra-luxury
cars of the era.
Pre-WWII era
Citroën Traction Avant
The pre-war part of the classic era began with the Great Depression in 1930, and ended
with the recovery after World War II, commonly placed at 1948. It was in this period that
integrated fenders and fully-closed bodies began to dominate sales, with the new
saloon/sedan body style even incorporating a trunk or boot at the rear for storage. The old
open-top runabouts, phaetons, and touring cars were phased out by the end of the classic
era as wings, running boards, and headlights were gradually integrated with the body of
the car.
By the 1930s, most of the mechanical technology used in today's automobiles had been
invented, although some things were later "re-invented", and credited to someone else.
For example, front-wheel drive was re-introduced by André Citroën with the launch of
the Traction Avant in 1934, though it had appeared several years earlier in road cars
made by Alvis and Cord, and in racing cars by Miller (and may have appeared as early as
1897). In the same vein, independent suspension was originally conceived by Amédée
Bollée in 1873, but not put in production until appearing on the low-volume Mercedes-
Benz 380 in 1933, which prodded American makers to use it more widely. In 1930, the
number of auto manufacturers declined sharply as the industry consolidated and matured,
thanks in part to the effects of the Great Depression.
Exemplary pre-war automobiles:
• 1932–1939 Alvis Speed 20 and Speed 25 — the first cars with all-synchromesh
gearbox.
• 1932–1948 Ford V-8 — introduction of the powerful flathead V8 in mainstream
vehicles, setting new performance and efficiency standards.
• 1934–1940 Bugatti Type 57 — a singular refined automobile for the wealthy.
• 1934–1956 Citroën Traction Avant — the first mass-produced front-wheel drive
car, built with monocoque chassis.
• 1936–1955 MG T series — sports cars with youth appeal at an affordable price.
• 1938–2003 Volkswagen Beetle — a design for efficiency and low price, which
progressed over 60 years with minimal basic change.
• 1936–1939 Rolls-Royce Phantom III — V12 engined pinnacle of pre-war
engineering, with technological advances not seen in most other manufacturers
until the 1960s. Superior performance and quality.
Post-war era
1953 Morris Minor Series II
Jaguar E-type coupe

1985 Mini
Automobile design finally emerged from the shadow of World War II in 1949, the year
that in the United States saw the introduction of high-compression V8 engines and
modern bodies from General Motors' Oldsmobile and Cadillac brands. The
unibody/strut-suspended 1951 Ford Consul joined the 1948 Morris Minor and 1949
Rover P4 in waking up the automobile market in the United Kingdom. In Italy, Enzo
Ferrari was beginning his 250 series, just as Lancia introduced the revolutionary V6-
powered Aurelia.
Throughout the 1950s, engine power and vehicle speeds rose, designs became more
integrated and artful, and cars spread across the world. Alec Issigonis' Mini and Fiat's
500 diminutive cars swept Europe, while the similar kei car class put Japan on wheels for
the first time. The legendary Volkswagen Beetle survived Hitler's Germany to shake up
the small-car market in the Americas. Ultra luxury, exemplified in America by the
Cadillac Eldorado Brougham, reappeared after a long absence, and grand tourers (GT),
like the Ferrari Americas, swept across Europe.
The market changed somewhat in the 1960s, as Detroit began to worry about foreign
competition, the European makers adopted ever-higher technology, and Japan appeared
as a serious car-producing nation. General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford tried radical small
cars, like the GM A-bodies, but had little success. Captive imports and badge engineering
swept through the US and UK as amalgamated groups like the British Motor Corporation
consolidated the market. BMC's revolutionary space-saving Mini, which first appeared in
1959, captured large sales worldwide. Minis were marketed under the Austin and Morris
names, until Mini became a marque in its own right in 1969. The trend for corporate
consolidation reached Italy as niche makers like Maserati, Ferrari, and Lancia were
acquired by larger companies. By the end of the decade, the number of automobile
marques had been greatly reduced.
In America, performance became a prime focus of marketing, exemplified by pony cars

and muscle cars. In 1964 the popular Ford Mustang appeared. In 1967, Chevrolet
released the Camaro to compete with the Mustang. But everything changed in the 1970s
as the 1973 oil crisis, automobile emissions control rules, Japanese and European
imports, and stagnant innovation wreaked havoc on the American industry. Though
somewhat ironically, full-size sedans staged a major comeback in the years between the
energy crisis, with makes such as Cadillac and Lincoln staging their best sales years ever
in the late 70s. Small performance cars from BMW, Toyota, and Nissan took the place of
big-engined cars from America and Italy.
On the technology front, the biggest developments of the era were the widespread use of
independent suspensions, wider application of fuel injection, and an increasing focus on
safety in the design of automobiles. The hottest technologies of the 1960s were NSU's
"Wankel engine", the gas turbine, and the turbocharger. Of these, only the last, pioneered
by General Motors but popularised by BMW and Saab, was to see widespread use.
Mazda had much success with its "Rotary" engine which, however, acquired a reputation
as a polluting gas-guzzler. Other Wankel licensees, including Mercedes-Benz and
General Motors, never put their designs into production after the 1973 oil crisis. (Mazda's
hydrogen-fuelled successor was later to demonstrate potential as an "ultimate eco-car".)
Rover and Chrysler both produced experimental gas turbine cars to no effect.
A so-called yank tank in Havana, Cuba
Cuba is famous for retaining its pre-1959 cars, known as yank tanks or maquinas, which
have been kept since the Cuban revolution when the influx of new cars slowed because
of a US trade embargo.
Exemplary post-war cars:
• 1948–1971 Morris Minor — a popular, and typical post-war car exported around
the world.
• 1959–2000 Mini — this quintessential small car lasted for four decades, and is
one of the most famous cars of all time.
• 1961–1975 Jaguar E-type — the E-type saved Jaguar on the track and in the
showroom, and was a standard for design and innovation in the 1960s.
• 1964–present Ford Mustang — the pony car that became one of the best-selling
and most-collected cars of the era.
• 1969 Datsun 240Z — one of the first Japanese sports cars to be a smash hit with
the North American public, it paved the way for future decades of Japanese
strength in the automotive industry. It was affordable, well built, and had great
success both on the track and in the showroom.
Modern era
The wedge profile of the 1967 NSU Ro 80 was often copied in subsequent decades
The modern era is normally defined as the 25 years preceding the current year. However,
there are some technical and design aspects that differentiate modern cars from antiques.
Without considering the future of the car, the modern era has been one of increasing
standardisation, platform sharing, and computer-aided design.
Some particularly notable advances in modern times are the widespread of front-wheel
drive and all-wheel drive, the adoption of the diesel engine, and the ubiquity of fuel
injection. While all of these advances were first attempted in earlier eras, they so
dominate the market today that it is easy to overlook their significance. Nearly all
modern passenger cars are front-wheel drive monocoque/unibody designs, with
transversely-mounted engines, but this design was considered radical as late as the 1960s.
Body styles have changed as well in the modern era. Three types, the hatchback,
minivan, and sport utility vehicle, dominate today's market,[citation needed] yet are relatively
recent concepts. All originally emphasised practicality, but have mutated into today's
high-powered luxury crossover SUV and sports wagon. The rise of pickup trucks in the
United States, and SUVs worldwide has changed the face of motoring, with these
"trucks" coming to command more than half of the world automobile market.
The modern era has also seen rapidly rising fuel efficiency and engine output. Once the
automobile emissions concerns of the 1970s were conquered with computerised engine
management systems, power began to rise rapidly. In the 1980s, a powerful sports car
might have produced 200 horsepower (150 kW) – just 20 years later, average passenger
cars have engines that powerful, and some performance models offer three times as much
power.
Exemplary modern cars:
• 1966–present Toyota Corolla — a simple small Japanese saloon/sedan that has

come to be the best-selling car of all time.
• 1967 NSU Ro 80 — the basic wedge profile of this design was much emulated in
subsequent decades.[26]
• 1970–present Range Rover — the first take on the combination of luxury and
four-wheel drive utility, the original 'SUV'. Such was the popularity of the
original Range Rover Classic that a new model was not brought out until 1994.[27]
• 1973–present Mercedes-Benz S-Class — electronic Anti-lock Braking System,
supplemental restraint airbags, seat belt pretensioners, and electronic traction
control systems all made their debut on the S-Class. These features would later
become standard throughout the car industry.
• 1975–present BMW 3 Series — the 3 Series has been on Car and Driver
magazine's annual Ten Best list 17 times, making it the longest running entry in
the list.
• 1977–present Honda Accord saloon/sedan — this Japanese sedan became the
most popular car in the United States in the 1990s, pushing the Ford Taurus aside,
and setting the stage for today's upscale Asian sedans.
• 1981–1989 Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant — the "K-cars" that saved
Chrysler as a major manufacturer. These models were some of the first successful
American front-wheel drive, fuel-efficient compact cars.
• 1983–present Chrysler minivans — the two-box minivan design nearly pushed
the station wagon out of the market, and presaged today's crossover SUVs.
• 1986–present Ford Taurus — this mid-sized front-wheel drive sedan with modern
computer-assisted design dominated the American market in the late 1980s, and
created a design revolution in North America.
INTRODUCTION TO THE COMPANY
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of luxury automobiles, buses, coaches, and
trucks. It is currently a division of the parent company, Daimler AG (formerly
DaimlerChrysler AG), after previously being owned by Daimler-Benz. Mercedes-Benz
has its origins in Karl Benz's creation of the first petrol-powered car, the Benz Patent
Motorwagen, patented in January 1886, and by Gottlieb Daimler and engineer Wilhelm
Maybach's conversion of a stagecoach by the addition of a petrol engine later that year.
The Mercedes automobile was first marketed in 1901 by Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft.
The first Mercedes-Benz brand name vehicles were produced in 1926, following the
merger of Karl Benz's and Gottlieb Daimler's companies into the Daimler-Benz
company. Mercedes-Benz has introduced many technological and safety innovations that
have become common in other vehicles several years later. Mercedes-Benz is one of the
most well-known and established automotive brands in the world, and is also the world's
oldest automotive brand still in existence today.
History
Business alliances
Studebaker-Packard
In 1958, Mercedes-Benz entered into a distribution agreement with the Studebaker-

Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana (USA), makers of Studebaker and Packard
brand automobiles. Under the deal, Studebaker would allow Mercedes-Benz access to its
dealer network in the U.S., handle shipments of vehicles to the dealers, and in return,
receive compensation for each car sold. Studebaker also was permitted to use the German
automaker's name in its advertisements, which stressed Studebaker's quality over
quantity.
When Studebaker entered into informal discussions with Franco-American automaker

Facel Vega about offering Facel Vega Excellence model in the United States, Mercedes-
Benz objected to the proposal. Studebaker, which needed Mercedes-Benz distribution
payments to help stem heavy losses, dropped further action on the plan.
Mercedes-Benz maintained an office within the Studebaker works in South Bend from
1958 to 1963, when Studebaker's U.S. operations ceased. Many U.S Studebaker dealers
converted to Mercedes-Benz dealerships at that time. When Studebaker closed its
Canadian operation and left the automobile business in 1966, remaining Studebaker
dealers had the option to convert their dealerships to Mercedes-Benz dealership
agreements.
Subsidiaries
Mercedes-Benz AMG became a majority owned division of Mercedes-Benz in 1998. The

company was integrated into DaimlerChrysler in 1999, and became Mercedes-Benz
AMG beginning on 1 January 1999.
Quality rankings
Since its inception, Mercedes-Benz had maintained a reputation for its quality and
durability. Objective measures looking at passenger vehicles - such as J.D. Power
surveys, demonstrated a downturn in reputation in this criteria in the late 1990s and early
2000s. By mid-2005, Mercedes temporarily returned to the industry average for initial
quality, a measure of problems after the first 90 days of ownership, according to J.D.
Power. In J.D. Power's Initial Quality Study for the first quarter of 2007, Mercedes
showed dramatic improvement by climbing from 25th to 5th place, surpassing quality
leader Toyota, and earning several awards for its models. For 2008, Mercedes-Benz's
initial quality rating improved by yet another mark, now in fourth place. On top of this
accolade, it also received the Platinum Plant Quality Award for its Mercedes’
Sindelfingen, Germany assembly plant. As of 2009, Consumer Reports of the United
States has changed their reliability ratings for several Mercedes-Benz vehicles to
"average", and are recommending the E-Class and the S-Class.
Corporate average fuel economy
In the United States, Mercedes-Benz was assessed a record US$30.66 million for their
decision to not meet the federal corporate average fuel economy standard in 2009.
Certain Mercedes-Benz cars including the S550, and all AMG models sold in the United
States also face an additional gas guzzler tax.
In 2008, Mercedes had the worst CO2 average of all major European manufacturers,
ranking 14th out of 14 manufacturers. Mercedes was also the worst manufacturer in 2007
and 2006 in terms of average CO2 levels, with 181 g and 188 g of CO2 emitted per km,
respectively.
Production
Besides its native Germany, Mercedes-Benz vehicles are also manufactured or assembled
in:
• Argentina (buses, trucks and the Sprinter van. The first Mercedes-Benz factory
outside of Germany)
• Austria (G-Class)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Brazil (buses, trucks, C-class passenger cars (export only), established in 1956)
• Canada
• Egypt: Egyptian German Automotive Company
• Ghana (buses, trucks, taxis)
• Hungary (construction of a new plant in the country announced on 18 June 2008,
for the next generation A- and B-Class)
• India
• Indonesia
• Iran
• Malaysia
• Mexico
• Nigeria (buses, trucks, utility motors and the van Sprinter)
• Spain (Irun)
• South Africa
• South Korea (Mercedes-Benz Musso and MB100 models manufactured by
SsangYong Motor Company)
• Thailand (assembly of C, E and S class vehicles by the Thonburi Group)
• Turkey
• United Kingdom (The SLR sports car is built at the McLaren Technology Centre
in Woking).Brackley, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom Mercedes Grand Prix
Factory
• USA The Mercedes-Benz M-Class Sport Utility, the R-Class Sport Tourer, and
the full-sized GL-Class Luxury Sport Utility Vehicle are all built at the Mercedes-
Benz production facility near Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
• Vietnam
Models
Current model range
Mercedes-Benz has a full range of passenger, light commercial and heavy commercial
equipment. Production is on a global basis. The Smart marque of city cars has also been
part of the Mercedes-Benz Group since 1994.
Passenger cars
Pope Benedict XVI in a Mercedes-Benz Popemobile in São Paulo, Brazil
The following passenger vehicles were in production in 2009:
• A-Class - subcompact
• B-Class - people carrier
• C-Class - sedan (saloon), sports coupé (CLC), and estate
• CL-Class - coupé
• CLS-Class - 4 door coupe
• E-Class - sedan (saloon), coupé, convertible, and estate
• G-Class - 4WD cross-country vehicle
• GL-Class - SUV
• GLK-Class - SUV
• M-Class - SUV
• R-Class - crossover minivan
• S-Class - sedan (saloon)
• SL-Class - roadster
• SLK-Class - roadster
• SLR - hardtop supercar
Trucks
Mercedes-Benz is one of the world's largest manufacturers of trucks.

Buses and vans
Mercedes-Benz Vario
Mercedes-Benz also produces buses, mainly for Europe and Asia. Mercedes-Benz
produces a range of vans. The first factory to be built outside Germany after WWII was
in Argentina. It originally built trucks, many of which were modified independently to
buses, popularly named Colectivo. Today, it builds buses, trucks and the Sprinter van.
Significant models produced
• 1928: SSK racing car

• 1930: 770 "Grosser Mercedes" state and ceremonial car
• 1934: 500 K
• 1936: 260 D World's first diesel production car
• 1936: 170
• 1938: W195 Speed Record-breaker
• 1951: Mercedes-Benz 300, knownly as "Adenauer Mercedes"
• 1953: "Ponton" models
• 1954: 300SL "Gullwing"
• 1959: "Fintail" models
• 1960: 220SE Cabriolet
• 1963: 600 "Grand Mercedes"
• 1963: 230SL "Pagoda"
• 1965: Mercedes-Benz S-Class
• 1966: 300SEL 6.3
• 1968: W114 "new generation" compact cars
• 1969: C111 experimental vehicle
• 1972: Mercedes-Benz W107 350SL
• 1974: 450SEL 6.9
• 1974: 240D
• 1976: 300D
• 1979: 500SEL and G-Class
• 1983: 190E 2.3-16
• 1986: First 'E-Class'
• 1991: 600SEL
• 1993: First 'C-Class'
• 1995: First 'Joint Mercedes-Benz & AMG' (C43 AMG)
• 1995: Mercedes-Benz SL73 AMG, 7.3 V12 (biggest engine ever put in a
Mercedes-Benz)
• 1996: Mercedes-Benz Renntech E7.4RS
• 1996: Mercedes-Benz CLK
• 1997: Mercedes-Benz SLK
• 1997: Mercedes-Benz M-Class
• 2004: Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
• 2004: Mercedes-Benz CLS
• 2007: E320, GL320 Bluetec, ML320 Bluetec, R320 Bluetec
• 2010: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
McLaren cars
A silver SLR McLaren on display at the 2006 European Motor Show in Brussels
Mercedes-Benz has also produced a limited-production sports car with McLaren Cars, an
extension of the collaboration by which Mercedes engines are used by the Team
McLaren-Mercedes Formula One racing team, which is part owned by Mercedes. The
2003 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren has a carbon fibre body with a 5.4 litre V8
supercharged engine. This is the same cylinder block as featured in SL55 AMG and the
CLS55 AMG, though modified to give 460 kilowatts (625 PS; 617 bhp) and 780 newton
metres (575 ft·lbf) of torque. The SLR has a maximum speed of 337 kilometres per hour
(209.4 mph) and costs approximately US$500,000. Due to European pedestrian-
protection regulations, McLaren decided to cease production of the SLR in 2009.
Car nomenclature
In 1994 (starting with the 1994 models), the traditional nomenclature of Mercedes-Benz
vehicles changed. Since the early days of the company, the name would be in the form of
(for example) 500E where the engine displacement made up the first three numbers and
the last letter(s) represented the type of engine and/or chassis; for example: E for fuel
injection (German: Einspritzung), D for Diesel, L for long-wheelbase, etcetera.
In 1994, this was altered so that the prefix reflected the model or Class, German: Klasse,
in Mercedes-Benz terminology, and a number for the engine displacement. The suffix
was retained in some cases, for example L for long wheelbase, and CDI for Diesel (CDI
= Common-rail Direct Injection). Thus, the 500E in the example above became the E500
("E-Klasse", 5 litres displacement). It should also be noted that while in the past the
model number generally accurately reflected the actual engine displacement, this is
currently not always the case — for example the E200 CDI and E220 CDI actually both
have a 2.2 litre displacement, and the C240 actually has a 2.6 litre engine.
Electric vehicles
At the 2007 Frankfurt motor show, Mercedes-Benz showed seven hybrid models,
including the F700 concept car - which combined hybrid drive with the innovative
DiesOtto engine. On the other hand, Mercedes-Benz says it will have a demonstration
fleet of practical, if small, electric vehicles on the road in two to three years, from 2008.
Mercedes-Benz S 400 BlueHYBRID[ will be launched in 2009, and will be the first
production automotive hybrid in the world to use a lithium-ion battery. In 2009, the S400
hybrid saloon is scheduled to go on sale.
Mercedes-Benz BlueZERO cars were introduced in the 2009 North American

International Auto Show. Mercedes has showed in 2009 the Vision S500 PHEV petrol
concept vehicle with a 19 miles (31 km) all-electric range and CO2 emissions of
74 grams/km in the New European Driving Cycle.[38]
Mercedes-Benz and Smart are preparing for the widespread uptake of electric vehicles
(EVs) in the UK by beginning the installation of recharging points across their dealer
networks. So far 20 Elektrobay recharging units, produced in the UK by Brighton-based
Elektromotive, have been installed at seven locations as part of a pilot project, and
further expansion of the initiative is planned later 2010.
Bicycles
Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH introduced 3 new bicycles in 2005, named Automatic

Bike from upwards of USD$2699, Fitness Bike from upwards of USD$3999, Mountain
Bike from upwards of USD$5399 (As were the Retail Prices recorded from immediate
release date). The bikes are sold in Australia, Germany, and Russia.
List of bicycles:
• Mercedes-Benz Automatic Bike

• Mercedes-Benz Carbon Bike
• Mercedes-Benz Fitness Bike
• Mercedes-Benz Hybrid Bike
• Mercedes-Benz Mountain Bike
• Mercedes-Benz Street Bike
Motorsport
The two companies which were
merged to form the Mercedes-Benz
brand in 1926 had both already
enjoyed success in the new sport of
A DMG Mercedes Simplex 1906 in the Deutsches
motor racing throughout their
Museum
separate histories - both had entries
in the very first automobile race
Paris to Rouen 1894. This has
continued, and throughout its long
history, the company has been
involved in a range of motorsport
activities, including sports car
racing and rallying. On several
occasions Mercedes-Benz has
withdrawn completely from
motorsport for a significant period,
notably in the late 1930s, and after 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300Sc Cabriolet
the 1955 Le Mans disaster, where a
Mercedes-Benz 300SLR collided
with another car and killed more
than 80 spectators. Although there
was some activity in the intervening
years, it was not until 1987 that
Mercedes-Benz returned to front
line competition, returning to Le
Mans, Deutsche Tourenwagen
Meisterschaft (DTM), and Formula
One with Sauber.
The 1990s saw Mercedes-Benz 1959 Mercedes-Benz W120 Model 180

purchase British engine builder
Ilmor (now Mercedes-Benz High
Performance Engines), and campaign IndyCars under the USAC/CART rules, eventually
winning the 1994 Indianapolis 500 and 1994 CART IndyCar World Series
Championship with Al Unser, Jr. at the wheel. The 1990s also saw the return of
Mercedes-Benz to GT racing, and the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR, both of which took the
company to new heights by dominating the FIA's GT1 class.
Mercedes-Benz is currently active in three forms of motorsport, Formula Three, DTM

and Formula One.
Formula 1
Mercedes-Benz took part in the world championship in 1954 and 1955, but despite being
successful with two championship titles for Juan-Manuel Fangio, the company left the
sport after just two seasons.
Mercedes-Benz returned as an engine supplier in the 1990s and part-owned Team

McLaren for some years, to which it has supplied engines engineered by Ilmor[43] since
1995. This partnership brought success, including drivers championships for Mika
Häkkinen in 1998 and 1999, and for Lewis Hamilton in 2008, as well as a constructors
championship in 1998. The collaboration with McLaren has been extended into the
production of roadgoing cars such as the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.
In 2007 McLaren and Mercedes was fined a record $100 Million for stealing confidential
Ferrari technical data.
In 2009, Ross Brawn's newly conceived Formula One team, Brawn GP used Mercedes
engines to help win the constructor's championship, and Jenson Button to become
champion in the F1 drivers' championship. At the end of the season, Mercedes-Benz sold
back its 40% stake in McLaren to the McLaren Group and bought 70% of the Brawn GP
team jointly with an Abu Dubai based investment consortium. Brawn GP was renamed
Mercedes GP for the 2010 season and is, from this season on, a works team for
Mercedes-Benz.
Tuners
Several companies have become car tuners (or modifiers) of Mercedes Benz, in order to
increase performance and/or luxury to a given model.
In house
AMG is Mercedes-Benz's in-house performance-tuning division, specialising in high-

performance versions of most Mercedes-Benz cars. AMG engines are all hand-built,and
each completed engine receives a tag with the signature of the engineer who built it.
AMG has been wholly owned by Mercedes-Benz since 1999.[46] On the 2009 IAA in
Frankfurt, Germany, Mercedes officially introduced the SLS AMG, a revival of the
300SL Gullwing, and the first car to be developed by AMG.
Aftermarket tuners
There are numerous independent tuners:

• Brabus
• Carlsson
• Kicherer
• Kleemann
• Lorinser
• Renntech
• MKB
• Fluid MotorUnion
Noted employees
• Béla Barényi - car safety pioneer and original designer of the Volkswagen Beetle
concept
• Nicholas Dreystadt - Cadillac manager
• Juan Manuel Fangio - considered by many to be the best F1 driver in history [48]
• Wilhelm Maybach - automotive pioneer
• Stirling Moss - F1 driver
• Ferdinand Piëch - Volkswagen and Porsche manager
• Ferdinand Porsche - founder of Porsche
• Rudolf Uhlenhaut - designer of the Mercedes-Benz 300SL
• Bruno Sacco - automotive designer
• Mika Hakkinen - F1 driver, World Champion 1998-1999
• Lewis Hamilton - F1 driver, World Champion 2008
• Jenson Button - F1 driver World Champion 2009
• Michael Schumacher - F1 driver world champion (with other teams) 1994, 1995,
2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
• Adolf Eichmann - Nazi Criminal (worked in Argentine division after WWII)
Innovations
Numerous technological innovations have been introduced on Mercedes-Benz
automobiles throughout the many years of their production, including:
• The internal combustion engined automobile was developed independently by

Benz and Daimler & Maybach in 1886
• Daimler invented the honeycomb radiator of the type still used on all water-
cooled vehicles today
• Daimler invented the float carburetor which was used until replaced by fuel
injection
• The "drop chassis" - the car originally designated the "Mercedes" by Daimler was
also the first car with a modern configuration, having the carriage lowered and set
between the front and rear wheels, with a front engine and powered rear wheels.
All earlier cars were "horseless carriages", which had high centres of gravity and
various engine/drive-train configurations
• The first passenger road car to have brakes on all four wheels (1924)
• The "safety cage" or "safety cell" construction with front and rear crumple zones
was first developed by Mercedes-Benz in 1951. This is considered by many as the
most important innovation in automobile construction from a safety standpoint.
• In 1959, Mercedes-Benz patented a device that prevents drive wheels from
spinning by intervening at the engine, transmission, or brakes. In 1987, Mercedes-
Benz applied its patent by introducing a traction control system that worked under
both braking and acceleration
• Traction control and airbags in the European market, were Mercedes-Benz
innovations. These technologies were introduced in 1986, and 1980 respectively
• Mercedes-Benz was the first to introduce pre-tensioners to seat belts on the 1981
S-Class. In the event of a crash, a pre-tensioner will tighten the belt
instantaneously, removing any 'slack' in the belt, which prevents the occupant
from jerking forward in a crash.
• In September 2003, Mercedes-Benz introduced the world's first seven-speed
automatic transmission called '7G-Tronic'
• Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), brake assist, and many other types of
safety equipment were all developed, tested, and implemented into passenger cars
—first—by Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes-Benz has not made a large fuss about its
innovations, and has even licensed them for use by competitors — in the name of
improving automobile and passenger safety. As a result, crumple zones and anti-
lock brakes (ABS) are now standard on all modern vehicles.
Mercedes M156 engine
• The most powerful naturally aspirated eight cylinder engine in the world is the
Mercedes-AMG, 6208 cc M156 V8 engine. The V8 engine is badged '63 AMG',
and replaced the '55 AMG' M113 engine in most models. The M156 engine
produces up to 391 kW (532 PS; 524 bhp), and although some models using this
engine do have this output (such as the S63 and CL63 AMGs), specific output
varies slightly across other models in the range.
• The (W211) E320 CDI which has a variable geometry turbocharger (VTG)
3.0 litre V6 common rail diesel engine (producing 224-horsepower), set three
world endurance records. It covered 100,000 miles (160,000 km) in a record time,
with an average speed of 224.823 kilometers per hour (139.70 mph). Three
identical cars did the endurance run (one set above record) and the other two cars
set world records for time taken to cover 100,000 kilometers (62,137 mi) and
50,000 miles (80,000 km) respectively. After all three cars had completed the run,
their combined distance was 300,000 miles (480,000 km) (all records were FIA
approved).
• Mercedes-Benz pioneered a system called Pre-Safe to detect an imminent crash -
and prepares the car's safety systems to respond optimally. It also calculates the
optimal braking force required to avoid an accident in emergency situations, and
makes it immediately available for when the driver depresses the brake pedal.
Occupants are also prepared by tightening the seat belt, closing the sunroof and
windows, and moving the seats into the optimal position.
Half a century of vehicle safety innovation helped win Mercedes-Benz the Safety Award
at the 2007 What Car? Awards
Robot cars
In the 1980s, Mercedes built the world's first robot car, together with the team of
Professor Ernst Dickmanns at Bundeswehr Universität München. Partially encouraged by
Dickmanns' success, in 1987 the European Union's EUREKA programme initiated the
Prometheus Project on autonomous vehicles, funded to the tune of nearly 800 million
Euros. A culmination point was achieved in 1995, when Dickmanns' re-engineered
autonomous S-Class Mercedes took a long trip from Munich in Bavaria to Copenhagen
in Denmark, and back. On highways, the robot achieved speeds exceeding
175 kilometres per hour (109 mph) (permissible in some areas of the German Autobahn).
The car's abilities has heavily influenced robot car research and funding decisions
worldwide.
MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA MILESTONES
Year Milestones
November 1994 Mercedes-Benz India is set up as a joint venture between Daimler-Benz and Telco for production and sales of
Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles.
March 1995 Mercedes-Benz E -Class (W 124) launched in India being one of the most successful models worldwide.
September 1996 Mercedes-Benz India commences setting up its dealer network in India.
March 1997 First Mercedes-Benz Authorised Dealership is inaugurated.
August 1997 First Mercedes-Benz Authorised Service Station is inaugurated.
January 1998 Mercedes-Benz E -Class (W 210) with twin eyes launched with E 200 and E 230 Petrol versions and E 250 Diesel
version.
June 1999 Mercedes-Benz India Ltd. is awarded Top Exporter Award from Pune by Joint Director of Foreign Trade, Pune and
the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the year1997-98.
July 1999 Mercedes-Benz India is awarded Regional Highest Exporters' Trophy in Motor Vehicle Category by Engineering
Export Promotion Council for the year 1997-98.
January 2000 Mercedes-Benz E -Class (W 210) Top-of-the-line E 240 Petrol version and the new E 220 CDI Diesel version
launched in India.
May 2000 Mercedes-Benz India bags the Quality Award for the Year 1999 for 'Best Mercedes-Benz Production Plant' outside
Germany for the 2nd consecutive year.
September 2000 Mercedes-Benz S -Class - S320 L automatic, the 'Mercedes-Benz among the Mercedes-Benzes' launched.
February 2001 Mercedes-Benz India successfully implements the 'Mercedes-Benz Production System'.
April 2001 Mercedes-Benz C -Class - C 180 Petrol version and C 200 CDI Diesel version, 'Technological trailblazers' in its
segment launched in India.
June 2001 Mercedes-Benz India bags the Quality Award for 'Best Mercedes-Benz Production Plant' Outside Germany for the
3rd consecutive year.
August 2001 Mercedes-Benz India announces its CBU Programme to serve discerning customers in niche segment.
September 2001 Mercedes-Benz India becomes a 100% subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler AG.
November 2001 The name of the company is rechristened DaimlerChrysler India Private Limited.
January 2002 The new Mercedes C-200 CDI awarded the prestigious Automotive Technology of the Year by India's leading auto
magazine, Overdrive magazine and Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.
February 2002 The new Mercedes C-200 CDI awarded the coveted Most Technologically Advanced Car of the Year' by India's
leading auto magazine, AutoCar and business TV channel, CNBC TV.
March 2002 DaimlerChrysler India launches a wide choice of imported Mercedes cars e.g. M-Class, CLK-Class, SLK-Class and
C-Class Sports Coupe for discerning customers in the niche segment.
April 2002 DaimlerChrysler India announces first of its kind comprehensive one year 'DaimlerChrysler India Mechatronics
Programme'.
May 2002 DaimlerChrysler India celebrates the successful 1st anniversary of over 1000 proud owners of the Mercedes C-
Class.
September 2002 DaimlerChrysler India factory is awarded top 5-stars rating for Safety, Health and Environment.
October 2002 The new Mercedes-Benz E -Class - E 240 Petrol version which 'points the way to the automotive future' launched
in India.
January 2003 The new Mercedes E-240 wins the coveted 'Autotech Product of the Year' from Overdrive magazine & SIAM.
February 2003 The new Mercedes E-240 wins the coveted Best Driver's Car of the Year and Most Technologically Advanced Car
of the Year awards by AutoCar Magazine & CNBC TV.
March 2003 The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class, E-220 Diesel version introduced successfully in the Indian market.
March 2003 The new E-Class - E 220 The new S-Class, S-350 L petrol version introduced successfully in the Indian market.
April 2003 The 10000th Mercedes-Benz vehicle rolls off the DaimlerChrysler India production plant.
June 2003 DaimlerChrysler India strengthens and expands its dealer network of 15 Mercedes-Benz Showrooms; 18
Mercedes-Benz Service Workshops and 7 additional Mercedes-Benz Service Centres across India.
July 2003 The new C-Class, C-200 Kompressor with the new four cylinder super-charged petrol engine for superb
performance successfully introduced.
August 2003 DaimlerChrysler India launches the Bio-diesel project in India in collaboration with Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR), India and Hohenheim University, Germany.
January 2004 DaimlerChrysler India showcases its 'Technological and Innovational Leadership Worldwide' at the 7th Auto Expo,
New Delhi.
January 2004 DaimlerChrysler India launches the Maybach-'A New Standard in the High-end Luxury Class' at the 7th Auto Expo,
New Delhi.
January 2004 The new Mercedes-Benz C-220 CDI -Technological Trailblazer in its market segment launched at the 7th Auto
Expo, New Delhi.
January 2004 The new Mercedes SL-Class wins the coveted 'Most Technologically Advanced Car of the Year' award and the
'Best Designed Car of the Year' awards from AutoCar Magazine and CNBC TV.
February 2004 The new Mercedes E-Class, E-200 Kompressor that 'Points the way to the Automotive Future' introduced in India.
March 2004 Mercedes-Benz India bags the Quality Award for the fourth time for 'Best Mercedes-Benz Production Plant' outside
Germany and within the Group.
May 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class is successfully tested with bio-diesel fuel across India as part of the project with CSIR and
Hohenheim University.
May 2004 The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class, E 270 CDI diesel variant launched in India.
July 2004 The new-look Mercedes-Benz C-Class, 'Technological Trailblazer in its segment' introduced in India.
August 2004 DaimlerChrysler India strengthens and expands its dealer network of 15 Mercedes-Benz Showrooms; 18
Mercedes-Benz Service Workshops and 10 additional Mercedes-Benz Service Centers.
October 2004 DaimlerChrysler India receives the prestigious award for outstanding contribution towards the promotion of Indo-
German Economic Relations from the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce.
November 2004 DaimlerChrysler India celebrates 10th anniversary in India.
Technology Workshop featuring the F500 mind presented for DC India employees and the media.
March 2005 DaimlerChrysler announces Star Extend a new retail finance initiative developed in conjunction with ICICI bank.
April 2005 DaimlerChrysler India becomes first automobile manufacturer in India to have completed ISO 9001 : 2000
certification. It also becomes the first market within the DaimlerChrysler group in Asia to receive this certification.
August 2005 DaimlerChrysler India announces successful completion of Phase-1 of Jatropha Biodiesel Project. This included
all-India trials as also Himalayan expedition on Biodiesel cars across Khardung La, the highest motorable road in
the world.
October 2005 Jatropha Biodiesel project and DC India project team is nominated for DaimlerChrysler Environmental Leadership
Awards for extraordinary contribution to sustainable development and mobility.
October 2005 DaimlerChrysler completes phase-1 of its road safety program for children: Mercedes-Benz Mobile Kids. The
project has already reached 1000 children from 3 Pune schools and is expected to reach many more children from
Pune and across other cities.
November 2005 Jatropha Biodiesel project bags the prestigious Environmental Leadership Awards from DaimlerChrysler AG for
Extraordinary efforts for the environment / extraordinary environmental responsibility.
January 2006 DaimlerChrysler introduced new engines in the E-Class: the E 280 and the E 280CDI.
February 2006 DaimlerChrysler introduced the new S-Class and the new M-Class. The S-Class debut was parallel to the US
market introduction and highlights the commitment to offer most recent products to Indian customers in the least
possible time.
August 2007 DaimlerChrysler India and ICICI bank launch 'Star Choice', a retail finance scheme for Mercedes-Benz cars.
November 2007 DaimlerChrysler India successfully completes Mercedes-Benz: The India Trail- a pan-India drive with complete
portfolio of Mercedes-diesels.
December 2007 DaimlerChrysler India hosted the world finals of Mondialogo Engineering Awards- an initiative that promotes
intercultural dialogue and understanding.
LIST OF MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA CARS:
MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA. - C 200 Kompressor Automatic
Brakes
Front Ventilated Discs
Rear Self Adjusting Drums
Dimension & weight

Front Track 1541 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 66 ltr
Gross Vehicle Weight 1990 kg
Ground Clearance -
Kerb Weight 1505 kg
Overall Height 1447 mm
Overall Length 4596 mm
Overall Width 1770 mm
Rear Track 1544 mm
Wheelbase -
Engine
Bore X Stroke 82.0 X 85.0 mm
Compression Ratio 8.5:1
Displacement 1796 cc
No. cylinders / arrangement / Valves 4 Cylinders 4 Valves
Type 4 Cylinders Inline
Performance
Max. Power 131 kw (178 hp) @ 5600 rpm
Max. Torque 240 nm @ 4500 rpm
Steering
Min. Turning Radius 10.84 m
Type Rack & Pinion power steering, steering damper
Suspension
Three-link axle, McPherson struts, anti-dive
Front device, coil springs, gas-filled dampers, stabiliser
with adaptive damping system
Multi-link independent suspension, anti-squat and
Rear anti-lift device, coil springs, gas-filled dampers,
stabiliser
Transmission
Transmission Type 6-speed manual
Tyres & Wheels

Tyres 205 / 55 R 16
Wheel Size 7J X 16H2 ET31
MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA. - C 200 Kompressor Manual
Brakes
Dimension & weight

Front Track 1541 mm
Ground Clearance -
Kerb Weight 1490 kg
Rear Track 1544 mm
Wheelbase -
Engine
Performance
Steering
Min. Turning Radius .
Suspension
Front device, coil springs, gas-filled dampers, stabilser
stabiliser
Transmission
Transmission Type 6-speed manual
Tyres & Wheels

Tyres 205 / 55 R 16
MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA. - C 220 CDI Automatic
Brakes
Dimension & weight

Front Track 1541 mm
Ground Clearance -
Kerb Weight 1575 kg
Rear Track 1544 mm
Wheelbase -
Engine
Performance
Steering
Suspension
stabiliser
Transmission
Transmission Type Automatic
Tyres & Wheels

Tyres 205 / 55 R 16
MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA. - C 220 CDI Manual
Brakes
Dimension & weight

Front Track 1541 mm
Ground Clearance -
Kerb Weight 1570 kg
Rear Track 1544 mm
Wheelbase -
Engine
Performance
Steering
Suspension
stabiliser
Transmission
Transmission Type Automatic
Tyres & Wheels

Tyres 205 / 55 R 16
MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA. - CLS 350
Brakes
Sensotronic Brake Control (electro-hydraulic brake),
Type 4 brake discs ventilated, front discs perforated, ABS
with Brake Assist (BAS)
Dimension & weight

Boot space 505 (Litre)
Front Track 1593 (mm)
Fuel Tank capacity 80 / 10 (Litre)
Gross Vehicle Weight 2195 (kg)
Ground Clearance 118 (mm)
Kerb weight 1730 (kg)
Overall Height 1403 (mm)
Overall Length 4910 (mm)
Overall Width 1873 (mm)
Rear track 1603 (mm)
Wheelbase 2854 (mm)
Engine
Bore x stroke 92.9 x 86.0 (mm)
Compression ratio 10.7:1
Displacement 3498 (cc)
No. cylinders / arrangement / Valves 6 cylinder, In-line, 4 valve per cylinder (24 valve)
Performance
Max. Power 200 kW / 272 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Max. Torque 350 Nm @ 2400 - 5000 rpm
Steering
Type Speed Sensitive Power Steering
Suspension
4-link suspension, Integral support frame, anti-dive
Front control. Semi-active air-suspension with ADS II,
automatic level control and stabilizer
MB-Multi-Link independent rear suspension, anti-
Rear squat / anti-lift, Semi- active air-suspension with
ADS II, automatic level control and stabilizer
Transmission
Fuel Preparation Electronically controlled petrol injection (HFM)
Transmission type 7 - speed automatic transmission
Tyres & Wheels

Tyres 245 / 45 R 17 wide-base tyres
Wheels 8.5 J x 17" light-alloy wheels
Brakes
Sensotronic Brake Control (electrohydraulic brake),
Dimension & weight

Wheelbase 2820 (mm)
Engine
Bore x stroke 97 (mm) x 84.0 (mm)
Performance
Max. Torque 460 Nm @ 2700 - 4250 rpm
Steering
Suspension
4-link suspension, Integral support anti-dive control.
Front Semi-active air-suspension with ADS II, automatic
level control and stabilizer
Rear squat / anti-lift, Semi-active air-suspension with
Transmission
Tyres & Wheels

Tyres 245 / 40 R18 alloy
Wheels 8.5 J x 18"
Brakes
Sensotronic Brake Control (electrohydraulic brake),
Dimension & weight

Wheelbase 2820 (mm)
Engine
Bore x stroke 97 (mm) x 84.0 (mm)
Performance
Max. Torque 460 Nm @ 2700 - 4250 rpm
Steering
Suspension
4-link suspension, Integral support anti-dive control.
Front Semi-active air-suspension with ADS II, automatic
level control and stabilizer
Rear squat / anti-lift, Semi-active air-suspension with
Transmission
Tyres & Wheels

Tyres 245 / 40 R18 alloy
Wheels 8.5 J x 18"
MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA. - ML 350
Brakes
13.0" solid internally ventilated, 4 channel Antilock
Front / Rear
braking system, Brake Assist senses
Type Dual circuit power assisted 4 wheel disc
Dimension & weight

Wheelbase 2915 (mm)
Engine
Bore x stroke 86.11 (mm) x 92.96 (mm)
Type 3.5 L, DOHC, V-6
Performance
Max. Power 268 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Max. Torque 258 lb-ft @ 2400-5000 rpm
Steering
Min. Turning Radius 11.6 (m)
Rack and pinion with integrated hydraulic damper,
Type
Power assisted
Suspension
Independent double wishbone with high-strength
Front forged aluminum alloy upper arms and cast iron
lower arms, Antidive geometry, Stabilizer bar
Independent 4 arm multilink, High strength forged
Rear aluminum alloy upper arms, Geometry for antisquat
and alignment control, Stabilizer bar
Transmission
Integrated sequential multipoint fuel injection and
Fuel Preparation
phased ignition
7 - speed automatic transmission, Direct Select
Transmission type
Shifter
Tyres & Wheels

Tyres 235 / 65 R17 104H
Wheels 7.5 J x 17"
MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA. - ML 500

Brakes
13.8" / 13.0" solid internally ventilated, 4 channel
Front / Rear
Antilock braking system, Brake Assist senses
Type Dual circuit power assisted 4 wheel disc
Dimension & weight

Wheelbase 2915 (mm)
Engine
Bore x stroke 84.07 (mm) x 96.77 (mm)
Type 5.0 L, SOHC, V-8
Performance
Max. Power 302 bhp @ 5600 rpm
Max. Torque 339 lb-ft @ 2700-4250 rpm
Steering
Rack and pinion with integrated hydraulic damper,
Type
Power assisted
Suspension
Independent double wishbone with, Front coil
Front springs over gas-pressurized monotube shock
absorbers Stabilizer bar
Independent 4 arm multilink, Separate rear coil
Rear springs and gas-pressurized monotube shock
absorbers, Stabilizer bar
High-strength forged aluminum alloy upper arms and
System
cast iron lower arms, Antidive geometry
Transmission
Integrated sequential multipoint fuel injection and

Fuel Preparation
phased twin-spark ignition
7 - speed automatic transmission, Direct Select
Transmission type
Shifter
Tyres & Wheels

Tyres 255 / 55 R18 105H
Wheels 8.0 J x 18", 5-spoke design
MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA. - S 320 CDI
Brakes
Dimension & weight

Front Track -
Ground Clearance -
Kerb Weight -
Rear Track -
Wheelbase 3165 mm
Engine
Bore X Stroke 83.0 X 92.0
No. cylinders / arrangement / Valves 6 cylinders 8 Valves
Type -
Performance
Max. Power 210 hp @ 4000 rpm
Steering
Type multi-function steering wheel
Suspension
AIRMATIC (air suspension with Adaptive Damping
Front
System and all-round level control)
Rear
Transmission
Transmission Type -
Tyres & Wheels

Tyres 235/55 R 17
Wheel Size -
MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA. - S 350

Brakes
Dimension & weight

Front Track -
Ground Clearance -
Kerb Weight -
Rear Track -
Wheelbase 3165 mm
Engine
Bore X Stroke 92.9 X 86
No. cylinders / arrangement / Valves 6 cylinders 4 Valves
Type 6 Cylinders V-Configuration
Performance
Max. Power 272 hp @ 6300 rpm
Steering
Type Speed-sensitive power steering
Suspension
Front
Rear
Transmission
Transmission Type -
Tyres & Wheels

Tyres 235/55 R 17
Wheel Size 8.0J x 17
MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA. - SLK 200k
Brakes
Dual-circuit system, 4 brake discs, front discs
Type
ventilated, ABS with Brake Assist (BAS)
Dimension & weight

Wheelbase 2430 (mm)
Engine
Bore x stroke 82.0 x 85.0 (mm)
No. cylinders / arrangement / Valves 4 cylinder, In-line, 4 valve per cylinder
Performance
Max. Torque 240 Nm @ 3000 rpm
Steering
Type Rack & Pinion power steering
Suspension
McPherson three-link axle with anti-dive control.
Front Dual Wishbone Front suspension, Coil Springs, gas
pressure shock absorbers, Stabilizers
Rear squat / anti-lift. Coil springs, gas pressure shock
absorbers & stabilizer.
Transmission
Fuel Preparation 3.5 Ltr.,Electronically controlled petrol injection
Tyres & Wheels

Tyres 205 / 55 R 16 V
Wheels 7 J X 16 H2
MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA. - SLK 350
Brakes
Dual-circuit system, 4 brake discs, front discs
Type
ventilated, ABS with Brake Assist (BAS)
Dimension & weight

Wheelbase 2430 (mm)
Engine
Bore x stroke 92.9 x 86 (mm)
Compression ratio 10.7 : 1
No. cylinders / arrangement / Valves 6 cylinder, In-line, 4 valve per cylinder (24V)
Performance
Max. Torque 350 Nm @ 2400 - 5000 rpm
Steering
Type Rack & Pinion power steering
Suspension
Mc Pherson three-link axle with anti-dive control.
Front Dual Wishbone Front suspension, anti-dive, Coil
Springs, gas pressure shock absorbers, stabilizers
Rear squat/anti-lift. Coil springs, gas pressure shock
absorbers and stabilizer.
Transmission
Fuel Preparation Electronically controlled petrol injection
Tyres & Wheels

Tyres 225 / 45 R17 W (Front), 245 / 40 R17 W (Rear)
Wheels 7.5 J x 17 H2 (Front), 8.5 J x 17 H2 (Rear)
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Methodology
A research process consists of stages or steps that guide the project from its conception
through the final analysis, recommendations and ultimate actions. The research process
provides a systematic, planned approach to the research project and ensures that all
aspects of the research project are consistent with each other.
Research studies evolve through a series of steps, each representing the answer to a key
question.
INTRODUCTION
This chapter aims to understand the research methodology establishing a framework of
evaluation and revaluation of primary and secondary research. The techniques and
concepts used during primary research in order to arrive at findings; which are also dealt
with and lead to a logical deduction towards the analysis and results.
RESEARCH DESIGN
I propose to first conduct a intensive secondary research to understand the full impact
and implication of the industry, to review and critique the industry norms and reports, on
which certain issues shall be selected, which I feel remain unanswered or liable to
change, this shall be further taken up in the next stage of exploratory research. This stage
shall help me to restrict and select only the important question and issue, which inhabit
growth and segmentation in the industry.
The various tasks that I have undertaken in the research design process are :
 Defining the information need
 Design the exploratory, descriptive and causal research.
RESEARCH PROCESS
The research process has four distinct yet interrelated steps for research analysis
It has a logical and hierarchical ordering:
 Determination of information research problem.
 D
 evelopment of appropriate research design.
 Execution of research design.
 Communication of results.
Each step is viewed as a separate process that includes a combination of task , step and
specific procedure. The steps undertake are logical, objective, systematic, reliable, valid,
impersonal and ongoing.
EXPLORATORY RESEARCH
The method I used for exploratory research was
 Primary Data
 Secondary data
PRIMARY DATA
New data gathered to help solve the problem at hand. As compared to secondary data
which is previously gathered data. An example is information gathered by a
questionnaire. Qualitative or quantitative data that are newly collected in the course of
research, Consists of original information that comes from people and includes
information gathered from surveys, focus groups, independent observations and test
results. Data gathered by the researcher in the act of conducting research. This is
contrasted to secondary data, which entails the use of data gathered by someone other
than the researcher information that is obtained directly from first-hand sources by means
of surveys, observation or experimentation.
Primary data is basically collected by getting questionnaire filled by the
respondents.
SECONDARY DATA
Information that already exists somewhere, having been collected for another purpose.
Sources include census reports, trade publications, and subscription services. There are
two types of secondary data: internal and external secondary data. Information compiled
inside or outside the organization for some purpose other than the current investigation
Researching information, which has already been published? Market information
compiled for purposes other than the current research effort; it can be internal data, such
as existing sales-tracking information, or it can be research conducted by someone else,
such as a market research company or the U.S. government.
Secondary source of data used consists of books and websites
My proposal is to first conduct a intensive secondary research to understand the full
impact and implication of the industry, to review and critique the industry norms and
reports, on which certain issues shall be selected, which I feel remain unanswered or
liable to change, this shall be further taken up in the next stage of exploratory research.
DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH
STEPS in the descriptive research:
Statement of the problem
 Identification of information needed to solve the problem
 Selection or development of instruments for gathering the information

 Identification of target population and determination of sampling Plan.
 Design of procedure for information collection
 Collection of information
 Analysis of information
 Generalizations and/or predictions
DATA COLLECTION
Data collection took place with the help of filling of questionnaires. The questionnaire
method has come to the more widely used and economical means of data collection. The
common factor in all varieties of the questionnaire method is this reliance on verbal
responses to questions, written or oral. I found it essential to make sure the questionnaire
was easy to read and understand to all spectrums of people in the sample. It was also
important as researcher to respect the samples time and energy hence the questionnaire
was designed in such a way, that its administration would not exceed 4-5 mins. These
questionnaires were personally administered.
The first hand information was collected by making the people fill the questionnaires.
The primary data collected by directly interacting with the people. The respondents were
contacted at shopping malls, markets, places that were near to showrooms of the
consumer durable products etc. The data was collected by interacting with 200
respondents who filled the questionnaires and gave me the required necessary
information. The respondents consisted of housewives, students, businessmen,
professionals etc. the required information was collected by directly interacting with
these respondents.
DETERMINATION THE SAMPLE PLAN AND SAMPLE SIZE

TARGET POPULATION
It is a description of the characteristics of that group of people from whom a course is
intended. It attempts to describe them as they are rather than as the describer would like
them to be. Also called the audience the audience to be served by our project includes
key demographic information (i.e.; age, sex etc.).The specific population intended as
beneficiaries of a program. This will be either all or a subset of potential users, such as
adolescents, women, rural residents, or the residents of a particular geographic area.
Topic areas: Governance, Accountability and Evaluation, Operations Management and
Leadership. A population to be reached through some action or intervention; may refer to
groups with specific demographic or geographic characteristics. The group of people you
are trying to reach with a particular strategy or activity. The target population is the
population I want to make conclude an ideal situation; the sampling frames to matches
the target population. A specific resource set that is the object or target of investigation.
The audience defined in age, background, ability, and preferences, among other things,
for which a given course of instruction is intended.
I have selected the sample trough Simple random Sampling
SAMPLE SIZE:
This involves figuring out how many samples one need.
The numbers of samples you need are affected by the following factors:
• Project goals
• How you plan to analyze your data
• How variable your data are or are likely to be
• How precisely you want to measure change or trend

• The number of years over which you want to detect a trend
• How many times a year you will sample each point
• How much money and manpower you have
SAMPLE SIZE
I have targeted 100 people in the age group above 20 years for the purpose of the
research. The target population influences the sample size. The target population
represents the Delhi regions. . The people were from different professional backgrounds.
The details of our sample are explained in chapter named primary research where the
divisions are explained in demographics section.
ERRORS IN THE STUDY
Interviewer error
There is interviewer bias in the questionnaire method. Open-ended questions can be
biased by the interviewer’s views or probing, as interviewers are guiding the respondent
while the questionnaire is being filled out. The attitudes the interviewer revels to the
respondent during the interview can greatly affect their level of interest and willingness
to answer openly. As interviewers, probing and clarifications maximize respondent
understanding and yield complete answers, these advantages are offset by the problems
of prestige seeking, social desirability and courtesy biases.
Questionnaire error
The questionnaire designing has to careful so that only required data is concisely reveled
and there is no redundant data generated. The questions have to be worded carefully so
that the questions are not loaded and does not lead to a bias in the respondents mind
Respondent error
The respondents selected to be interviewed were not always available and willing to co
operate also in most cases the respondents were found to not have the knowledge,
opinion, attitudes or facts required additionally uninformed response errors and response
styles also led to survey error.
Sampling error
We have taken the sample size of 150, which cannot determine the buying behavior of
the total population. The sample has been drawn from only National Capital Region.
Research Design
Research design is a conceptual structure within which research was conducted. A
research design is the detailed blueprint used to guide a research study towards its
objective. It is a series of advanced decision taken together comprising a master plan or a
model for conducting the research in consonance with the research objectives. Research
design is needed because it facilitates the smooth sailing of the various research
operations, thereby making research as efficient as possible yielding maximum
information with the minimum effort, time and money.
Scope and the Limitation of the study
 The scope of study is limited to the respondents are selected from in and around
New Delhi
 The project is carried out for the period of 8 weeks only.
 Measurement of customer satisfaction is complex subjects, which uses non-

objectives method, which is not reliable.
 The sample unit was also 100 respondents.
 However, Mercedes-Benz showrooms are located in other places i.e. locally and
even in the neighboring states. Only opinion of respondents of New Delhi was
consider for finding out the opinions of respondents.
DATA ANALYSIS &INTERPRETATION
DATA FIGURE 1.0:
Custom er's current ca rs
120
100
100
80
60
100
35
40 30
25
20 35 10
30 25
10
0
C Class E Class M Class S Class Total
No. of Respondents 35 30 10 25 100
INTERPRETATION:
Percentage(%) 35 30 10 25 100
DATA FIGURE 2.0:

Best Features
120
100
100
80
60
100
40 24 26 28
22
20
22 24 26 28
0
Mercedes
Style/design Comfort Service Total
brand
INTERPRETATION:
Percentage(%) 22 24 26 28 100
DATA FIGURE 3.0:
Colours Prefered
120
100
100
80
60
100
35
40 30
20
15
20 35 30
20 15
0
Black White Silver Red Total
INTERPRETATION:
Percentage(%) 35 20 30 15 100
DATA FIGURE 4.0:
S o urce o f Info rm a tio n
120
100
100
80
60
100
40
21 21 19 17 22
20
21 21 19 17 22
0
From A dv ertis eme Sale’s A uto
Car ex perts Total
f riends , nts pers ons magaz ines
No. of Res pondents 21 21 19 17 22 100

INTERPRETATION:
Perc entage(% ) 21 21 19 17 22 100
DATA FIGURE 5.0:
Service Centre Preference
120
100
100
75
80
60
100
40 75 25
20
25
0
At authorized service At a local w orkshop near
Total
centre my home
No. of Respondents 75 25 100
INTERPRETATION:
Percentage(%) 75 25 100
DATA FIGURE 6.0

Financial Source
120
100
100
80 70
60
100
40 30
70
20
30
0
In house f inance Out house f inance Total
No. of Respondents 30 70 100
INTERPRETATION:
Percentage(%) 30 70 100
DATA FIGURE 7.0:
Source of Media
120
100
100
80
60
100
35
40 30
20
15
20 35 30
15 20
0
Televisions Magazines New s papers F.M/Radio Total
INTERPRETATION:
Percentage(%) 35 15 30 20 100
DATA FIGURE 8.0:

Best Offers
120
100
100
80
60
35 100
40 30
20 15
20 30 35
20 15
0
Special Extending the Finance
Free insurance Total
discount on service period availability w ith
INTERPRETATION:
Percentage(%) 20 30 15 35 100
DATA FIGURE 9.0
Customer's Expectation
120
100
100
80
60
100
40 25 25 25 25
20
25 25 25 25
0
Inf ormation Inf ormation A ssistance Understanding
Total
about new about service regarding customer
INTERPRETATION:
Percentage(%) 25 25 25 25 100
DATA FIGURE 10.0:

Attributes Prefered
120
100
100
80
60
100
40 25
18 20 22
15
20
18 20 22 15 25
0
Discounts & All of the
Price Quality Comf ort Total
Services above
No. of Respondents 18 20 22 15 25 100
INTERPRETATION:
Percentage(%) 18 20 22 15 25 100
DATA FIGURE 11.0:
Customer's previous cars
120
100
100
80
60
100
40 28 25
22
12 13
20
22 28 25 12 13
0
BMW Mercedes Toyota V olksw agen A udi Total
INTERPRETATION:
Percentage(%) 22 28 25 12 13 100
DATA FIGURE 12.0:

Fuel Efficiency
120
100
100
80
60
100
40 28 25 22
20 12 8
29 27 24 12 8
0
Highly Highly
Satisf ied Neutral Dissatisf ied Total
satisf ied dissatisf ied
INTERPRETATION:
Percentage(%) 28 25 22 12 8 100
DATA FIGURE 13.0
Safe ty and Comfort
120
100
100
80
60
100
40 30 25
20 15
20 10
30 25 20 15 10
0
Highly Highly
INTERPRETATION:
Percentage(%) 30 25 20 15 10 100
DATA FIGURE 14.0:

Design
120
100
100
80
60
100
40 30 25
20 15
20 10
30 25 20 15 10
0
Highly Highly
INTERPRETATION:
Percentage(%) 30 25 20 15 10 100
DATA FIGURE 15.0:
Space Availa ble
120
100
100
80
60
100
40 26 25 22
16
20 11
26 25 22 16 11
0
Highly Highly
INTERPRETATION:
Percentage(%) 26 25 22 16 11 100
DATA FIGURE 16.0:

Ma intainence Cost
120
100
100
80
60
100
40 28 25 22
20 12 8
29 27 24 12 8
0
Highly Highly
INTERPRETATION:
Percentage(%) 28 25 22 12 8 100
DATA FIGURE 17.0:
Post sale and Additional services
120
100
100
80
60
100
40 28 25 22
20 12 8
29 27 24 12 8
0
Highly Highly
INTERPRETATION:
Percentage(%) 28 25 22 12 8 100
DATA FIGURE 18.0:

Features
120
100
100
80
60
100
40 28 25 22
20 12 8
29 27 24 12 8
0
Highly Highly
INTERPRETATION:
Percentage(%) 28 25 22 12 8 100
RECOMMENDATIONS & SUGGESTIONS
Mercedes-Benz has to implement good customer relationship management strategy that
enhances customer satisfaction level.
The company can for the undertake R&D to improve the existing feature which field help
increase in the customer satisfaction.
The company should promote about the entire feature offered by it.
As majority of the customer give opinion that they are satisfied is the factor, services and
design of the product, the company should not only maintain the existing standard but
also enhance them.
Suggestions given by customers:
• Please try to increase the number of Service centers.

• Keep Service Stations at main locations of the city, where many customers feel it
easy to go to service centers.
• There is no proper response from the service men at service station. Please
recruit efficient service men in the service centers.
• The service men in the service centers are unable to understand the problems told
by us, and they are not resolving the cars problems.
• Provide information on service and mileage regularly.
• Please provide information about new cars along with their price lists at least
once in 6 months.
• Advertisements through televisions can influence many categories of people. So
try to concentrate on this segment. We don’t see or find much of the Mercedes
advertisements on T.V
• Try to provide financial facility at 0% interest.
• Customer should be educated about the maintenance of the vehicle. i.e.
maintenance tips should be provided.
• Mileage of the cars is not up to the expectations.
CONCLUSION
Accomplishing this project on customer satisfaction was an excellent and knowledge

gaining experience for me. Despite small sample size for questionnaire this project
helped me to know the view of customer and common people towards the customer
satisfaction of Mercedes-benz.
Brands are now a central feature of consumer marketing, they are important in building
long-term relationships with the consumer, irrespective of the type of market. Their
importance is now also being recognized in other markets including service and
industrial. Investing in a brand builds consumer confidence and loyalty and allows for
brand stretching. It requires a consistent and long-term strategy. Only a few brands have
emerged as truly global.
In conclusion I would say that the brand Mercedes-benz is quite known to

peoples. Mercedes-benz has built its customer satisfaction among a relatively large
number of people in an around New Delhi. The customers are aware largely of the
product with the help of Television and the product still has a way to increase its
advertising channels to reach the relatively large number of people. Most of the
customers are satisfied with the features and services of Mercedes-benz but there is
always a scope of improvement in every field.
ANNEXURES&
QUESTIONNAIRE:
Name:
Contact no.
Address: E-Mail address:
1. Which of the following Mercedes car you own?

a) C class
b) E class
c) M class
d) S class
2. What do you like most about your Mercedes car?

a) Style/design
b) Comfort
c) Mercedes brand
d) Service
3. How did you come to know about this car before purchasing?
a) From friends, relatives (buzz)
b) Advertisements
c) Car experts
d) Sale’s persons visit
e) Auto magazines
4. Which colour do you prefer the most for your car?

a) Black
b) White
c) Silver
d) Red
5. Where do you get your car serviced regularly?

a) At authorized service centre
b) At a local workshop near my home
6. Which type of finance do you prefer?

a) In house finance
b) Out house finance
7. To which media do you get expose regularly?

a) Televisions
b) Magazines
c) News papers
d) F.M/Radio
8. What kinds of offers do you like or expect from the dealer?

a) Free insurance
b) Special discount on sale of cars
c) Extending the service period
d) Finance availability with 0% interest
9. What more do you expect from your dealer?

a) Information about new cars
b) Information about service and mileage
c) Assistance regarding loans and insurance
d) Understanding customer needs
10. What brand(s) did you own before buying this car?
a) Volkswagen
b) Toyota
c) BMW
d) Audi
e) Mercedes
11. What are the attributes of the brand that you prefer as a customer?
a) Price
b) Quality
c) Comfort
d) Discounts & Services
e) All the above
12. Are you satisfied with the fuel consumption of your Mercedes?
a) Highly satisfied
b) Satisfied
c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied
e) Highly dissatisfied
13. Are you satisfied with the Safety and Comfort of your Mercedes?
a) Highly satisfied
b) Satisfied
c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied
14. Are you satisfied with the Design of your Mercedes?

a) Highly satisfied
b) Satisfied
c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied
15. Are you satisfied with space available in your Mercedes?
a) Highly satisfied
b) Satisfied
c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied
16. Are you satisfied with the maintenance cost of your Mercedes?
a) Highly satisfied
b) Satisfied
c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied
17. What is your satisfaction level with the post-sale & additional services offered by
Mercedes?
a) Highly satisfied
b) Satisfied
c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied
18. What is your satisfaction level with the features offered by Mercedes?
a) Highly satisfied
b) Satisfied
c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied
Please leave your suggestions:
Thanks for taking the time to fill out this questionnaire and for providing valuable
information which will be used for my project work, market research studies and
reports. We do not share or sell your name, address or any other data with any
outside company for any purpose.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
WEBSITES:-
 www.mercedes-benz.co.in
 www.mercedes-benz.com
 www.scribd.com
 www.wikipedia.com
 www.google.com
 www.automobileindia.com
 www.indiacar.com
MAGAZINES:-
 Brochures & Manuals.

 Top Gear
 Overdrive
 Business Today
BOOKS:-
 Marketing Research - G.C Beri

 Marketing Management- Philip Kotler
 Marketing Management- V.S Ramaswamy & S.
Namakumari

Customer Satisfaction of Mercedes at T&T Motors

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

 To provide suggestions, in improving the customer satisfaction and the company

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