Mercedes 2001 Annual Report Download - page 32

Download and view the complete annual report

Please find page 32 of the 2001 Mercedes annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.

Page out of 130

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
  • 32
  • 33
  • 34
  • 35
  • 36
  • 37
  • 38
  • 39
  • 40
  • 41
  • 42
  • 43
  • 44
  • 45
  • 46
  • 47
  • 48
  • 49
  • 50
  • 51
  • 52
  • 53
  • 54
  • 55
  • 56
  • 57
  • 58
  • 59
  • 60
  • 61
  • 62
  • 63
  • 64
  • 65
  • 66
  • 67
  • 68
  • 69
  • 70
  • 71
  • 72
  • 73
  • 74
  • 75
  • 76
  • 77
  • 78
  • 79
  • 80
  • 81
  • 82
  • 83
  • 84
  • 85
  • 86
  • 87
  • 88
  • 89
  • 90
  • 91
  • 92
  • 93
  • 94
  • 95
  • 96
  • 97
  • 98
  • 99
  • 100
  • 101
  • 102
  • 103
  • 104
  • 105
  • 106
  • 107
  • 108
  • 109
  • 110
  • 111
  • 112
  • 113
  • 114
  • 115
  • 116
  • 117
  • 118
  • 119
  • 120
  • 121
  • 122
  • 123
  • 124
  • 125
  • 126
  • 127
  • 128
  • 129
  • 130

28 Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars & smart
The second cycle of the product offensive will also
involve penetrating market segments that are new to
Mercedes-Benz as a means of ensuring further the
profitable growth of our premium vehicles. The “Vision
GST” concept car presented at the Detroit Auto Show
in January 2002 illustrates the opportunities generated
by this approach.
Pioneering innovation in the new SL-Class. In the fall of
2001, Mercedes-Benz embarked on a new chapter in
the tradition of the SL roadster by introducing a stylisti-
cally fascinating new sports car with state-of-the-art
engineering.
The most important technical milestone in the SL
is its Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) electronic-
hydraulic braking system. Mercedes-Benz was the first
in the world to offer this system. SBC represents the
first element of future by-wire systems that use elec-
tronic signals to carry out drivers’ commands, instead
of conventional mechanical parts or hydraulics.
It works together with the proven electronic stabil-
ity program (ESP) and the Active Body Control (ABC)
chassis system that reduces body movements to a
minimum in bends or during braking. (see pp. 20-25).
This unique combination of modern electronic chassis
systems gives the new SL dynamic handling like no
other vehicle as well as offering the highest level of
safety.
In addition, the newly developed Vario roof makes
driving the SL a truly fascinating experience that com-
bines the driving pleasure of an open roadster with the
excellent comfort of a Mercedes-Benz coupe.
Greater efficiency with the Mercedes-Benz Production
System. Assembly of the SL at DaimlerChrysler’s plant
in Bremen, Germany, is setting new standards, thanks
to the new Mercedes-Benz Production System (MPS).
With this system the necessary quality gates in produc-
tion were achieved much earlier than was previously
the case due to a higher level of standardization and
more extensive integration of production processes into
the vehicle development stage. The improved processes
enabled us to reach optimal capacity after only four
months. We will therefore probably be able to produce
30,000 SLs in 2002.
Mercedes-Benz portal launched. Since September 2001,
customers and others interested in the Mercedes-Benz
brand have been able to obtain extensive mobility
services via the new Mercedes-Benz portal at
www.mercedes-benz.t-online.de or from a special
call center (tel. in Germany: 0190/78 88 80). Services
include detailed route planning with up-to-the-minute
traffic and weather reports, professional office applica-
tions, customizable appointment calendars, an exten-
sive range of information and various transaction and
reservation features. The Mercedes-Benz portal is oper-
ated by StarMobility GmbH, a joint venture between
DaimlerChrysler (51%) and T-Online (49%).
100 years of Mercedes-Benz. In December 1900,
Emil Jellinek commissioned Wilhelm Maybach, chief
engineer of the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG), to
build 36 vehicles for resale. Jellinek used the pseudonym
Mercedes (his daughter’s name) for his cars when they
were driving in races. The numerous racing successes
recorded by the “Mercedes cars” led the Daimler
Motoren Gesellschaft to begin marketing all of its
vehicles under the Mercedes name in 1901. According
to Interbrand’s ranking, Mercedes-Benz is today the
world’s most valuable premium automobile brand and
twelfth among all kinds of brands worldwide.
Successful in motor sports. Mercedes-Benz was among
the top brands in motor sports in the year under
review. The McLaren-Mercedes team finished second in
the Constructors’ Championship of the Formula 1
racing series, which is seen by an average 300 million
television viewers and spectators per race. David
Coulthard finished second in the Drivers’ Champion-
ship, while Mika Häkkinen, in whose placed Kimi
Raikkönen will be racing next season, finished fifth.
Mercedes-Benz also won eight of ten races in the
German Touring Car series, capturing both the drivers’
and the team championships.
A continuing passion:
The new E-Class.