Mercedes 2012 Annual Report Download - page 141

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4 | The Divisions | Mercedes-Benz Cars
Pioneering technology and a new design: The extensively modernized new E-Class will be delivered to our customers as of April 2013.
Intelligent drive. This concept stands for a new dimension
of driving at Mercedes-Benz. In the future, intelligent assistance
systems will analyze complex situations and utilize improved
sensor technology in order to identify potential danger on the
road even better than is possible today. With many new systems,
the new S-Class will make driving even more comfortable
and even safer. Some of these innovations will already be imple-
mented in the new E-Class. E see pages 48 ff and 166 f
Numerous awards for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars.
In 2012, a series of international design prizes such as the
coveted “red dot award: product design” demonstrate that we
were once again able to impress our customers with the
forward-looking design and cultivated sportiness that typifies
the Mercedes-Benz brand.
In the ADAC AutomarxX study, Mercedes-Benz occupies the
top position as Germany’s strongest automobile brand and the
A-Class has been voted “Germany’s favorite car” in the ADAC
prize Yellow Angel 2013. The brand’s A-, C-, and E-Class models
all received top marks in their respective segments in the J.D.
Power market research institute’s Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction
Study for Germany. In addition, Mercedes-Benz was proclaimed
to be the best automotive brand in Germany in the same study.
The Ökotrend environmental institute named the S 250 CDI
BlueEFFICIENCY and the ML 250 BlueTEC 4MATIC the most
environmentally friendly vehicles in their respective classes,
while readers of Auto Bild magazine voted the A-Class Germany’s
most beautiful car in the Auto Bild Design Award competition.
Mercedes-Benz also won the Quality Trophy 2012, which is
presented by Auto Zeitung magazine and the Association for
Technical Inspection (GTÜ) to the company providing the
best quality and dependability. This coveted top-class award
is based on three criteria: the results of some eight million
general technical inspections conducted by GTÜ, findings from
the quality and service report published by Auto Zeitung,
and magazine readers’ responses that reflect their own personal
experience.
Our service also received top marks in the year under review.
The Mercedes-Benz company-owned and authorized sales
and service outlets that were examined in the workshop tests
carried out by auto motor und sport magazine were all
designated as providing very good service quality. In addition,
Mercedes-Benz workshops once again achieved the grade
“very good” in tests conducted by Germany’s ADAC automo-
bile association.
Focusing on younger customer groups. In 2012, we added
new chapters to the success story of the Mercedes-Benz
brand. For example, we enhanced the fascination and appeal
of the Mercedes star with a comprehensive product and
communication offensive whose activities centered on the
brand motto “The Best or Nothing.” New models such as
the unique CLS Shooting Brake and in particular the progres-
sively designed new A-Class enabled us to open up the
Mercedes-Benz brand to new target groups. We also adopted
new approaches to communication and marketing. In addition
to existing Mercedes-Benz customers, who continue to enjoy
the traditional brand attributes of premium quality, safety
and longevity in the new A-Class, the new model specifically
addresses young and contemporary-minded target groups
who are particularly interested in sporty design and the ability
to integrate digital media into their automobiles.
E see pages 32 ff and 38 ff
We therefore designed our various campaigns to be expressive
and modern in order to attract more customers from those
target groups. Among other things, our communication activities
here focus on innovative digital media and social networks
such as Facebook and Twitter.