Mercedes 1999 Annual Report Download - page 39

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MERCEDES-BENZ & SMART
33
VISION SLR ROADSTER: A SPECTACULAR BLEND OF
ENGINEERING AND DESIGN. The vision of a Mercedes
super sports car has become reality. After the SLR concept
car turned heads at the beginning of 1999 in Detroit, the
DaimlerChrysler Board of Management gave the go-ahead in
July 1999 for production of the new sports car. Mercedes-
Benz presented the spectacular SLR roadster concept for the
first time at the International Auto Show (IAA) in Frankfurt/
Main, Germany. Like the SLR coupe, the roadster is a high-
performance sports car designed with 21st century customers
in mind. It also sets new standards for future automobile
development.
SMART CITY COUPE ESTABLISHES MARKET POSITION. From
its market launch until the end of January 2000, more than
100,000 smart City coupes left the assembly line for service
on Europe’s roads. Weekly sales figures for the smart rose
significantly throughout the year and the brand’s popularity
continues to grow strongly. As a result, the City coupe now
occupies the number one spot in Switzerland in the micro-
car segment. In Germany, it is number two. The smart is
currently sold in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France,
the Benelux, in Portugal and in Spain. It will be introduced in
the UK and in Japan in 2000. The successful smart cdi diesel
introduced by DaimlerChrysler in December 1999 is also the
least expensive three-liter car in the world.
WORLD PREMIERE FOR THE SMART CITY CONVERTIBLE AND
THE ROADSTER CONCEPT. The smart City convertible was a
big hit with the public after it was unveiled at the IAA in
Frankfurt last September. The most significant technical
innovation of the vehicle, which is scheduled for market
launch in March 2000, is an extraordinary top that opens in
three stages. Another glimpse at the future of smart was
provided in Frankfurt by the innovative roadster concept. In
the quest to get back to basics — in other words, driving fun —
the roadster deliberately dispenses with certain accessories.
Weighing in at just under 1,550 pounds, the sporty two-seater
promises pure driving pleasure without cutting any corners
on safety.
MIKA HÄKKINEN WORLD CHAMPION AGAIN. Mika
Häkkinen’s repeat victory in the Formula 1 driver’s
championship was the motor racing highlight of 1999 for
McLaren Mercedes. The team’s other driver, David Coulthard,
took fourth position. With a more powerful engine and a new
chassis, the prospects for a successful Formula 1 season in
2000 are excellent. This year we will also be active in DTM,
the German touring car series, with eight Mercedes-Benz
CLKs.
The Vision SLR is the Mercedes-Benz study of a gran
turismo for the 21st century. It combines style
elements of the current Formula 1 “Silver Arrow” and
of the SLR sports car of the fifties.
Mercedes-Benz
of which: 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)
of which: Italy
United Kingdom
France
North America
of which: United States (retail sailes)
South America
Far East (excl. Japan)
Japan (new registrations)
1,000
Units
99:98
(in %)
Passenger Car Sales 1999
1,000 +10
207 +52
354 -8
84 +35
53 -3
247 -5
98 +69
90 +41
4+14
80 +368
1,080 +17
750 +17
417 + 17
324 +18
82 +33
64 +11
47 +10
212 + 16
189 +11
16 +102
15 +7
50 +24