Mercedes 1998 Annual Report Download - page 33

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MERCEDES-BENZ AND SMART
29
smart – the ideal two-seater
city coupe. A statement of
individual mobility in inner
city areas. A car that gives
you extra freedom without
sacrificing safety and
comfort.
Passenger Car Sales 1998
Mercedes-Benz
A-Class
C-Class
of which CLK
SLK
E-Class
S-Class/SL
M-Class
G-Class
smart
Sales worldwide
Europe
of which Germany
Western Europe
(excl. Germany)
North America
United States (retail sales)
South America
Far East (excl. Japan)
Japan (new registrations)
+27
+ .
+10
+182
+17
-6
-7
+291
+8
+ .
+29
+34
+28
+42
+40
+39
+28
-49
- 3
1,000 Units 98:97 (in %)
906
136
384
62
54
259
58
64
4
17
923
640
355
275
183
170
8
14
40
MOBILO-LIFE LONG-TERM GUARANTEE INTRODUCED. In 1998, the
Mercedes-Benz brand set new standards not only in new
products, but in the service sector as well. Mercedes-Benz is
the first brand to offer a standard life-long no-rust-thru and
mobility guarantee. It applies to vehicles registered for the first
time after October 24, 1998. The Mobilo-Life long-term
guarantee is effective in 23 European countries up to the fourth
year from registration, providing the car is regularly serviced
at an authorized Mercedes service center. The long-term
guarantee is then effective for up to another 30 years.
MERCEDES-BENZ MAYBACH - A NEW DIMENSION IN AUTO-
MOBILE DESIGN. After we first revealed the design prototype of
the Mercedes-Benz Maybach to the world in Tokyo in October
1997, we decided in July 1998 to develop this top model into a
production version. The Maybach will continue the tradition
of large chauffeur-driven limousines with the innovative state-
of-the-art technology of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and
introduce a new dimension in the luxury automobile class.
SMART CITY COUPE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED IN EUROPE.
The smart city coupe has been delivered to customers in nine
European countries since early October 1998. The launch not
only put a completely new automobile onto the streets of
Europe, but at the same time it heralded the birth of a new
brand and an entirely new, single-level distribution network.
It was nominated as the most environmentally friendly car of
the year for 1998 by the German transport group Verkehrsclub
Deutschland (VCD) and achieved by far the best results in the
magazine “AutoBild’s” comparison crash test in the compact
car segment. These qualifications are convincing proof of the
trendsetting concept of the city coupe.
At the Paris Motor Show in October 1998, the smart was
introduced for the first time as a turbodiesel with common rail
direct injection (CDI). With a fuel consumption rating of only
69.2 miles per gallon, this vehicle will be available at the end of
1999. In addition, the smart range is to be expanded with an
attractive convertible version. In the year under review, 21,200
vehicles rolled off the assembly line at our plant in Hambach,
France.
SMART MOBILITY. In addition to the vehicle itself, we are also
developing a comprehensive mobility concept in cooperation
with AVIS, various municipalities and other transit operators,
to create special advantages for smart users in the urban
environment. Together with our partners, we are offering
innovations such as smartmove & More (rental cars for smart
customers with special transportation needs), smartmove
Parking (compact parking spaces for micro-compact cars) and
other attractive mobility services.
FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPION AND FIA GT CHAMPION. With
21 victories in 45 races in three series, 1998 was the most
successful motor sports year in the history of Mercedes-Benz.
One of the most important achievements was the victory in
the driver and designer world championships in Formula One:
Mika Häkkinen became world champion with eight victories in
16 races. David Coulthard finished third in the drivers' world
championship. West McLaren Mercedes won the designer title
with a total of nine first places. We also won two races in the
CART series in the United States. In the FIA GT championship,
Klaus Ludwig and Ricardo Zonta won the driver championship
in a Mercedes CLK-LM, and AMG Mercedes collected the team
title with a total of 10 victories in 10 races.