Mercedes 2013 Annual Report Download - page 149

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D | The Divisions | Mercedes-Benz Cars
S-models, and they can also be equipped with the newly devel-
oped, performance-focused AMG 4MATIC all-wheel drive system.
Strengthened market presence in China. In China, we further
enhanced the efficiency of our sales activities and significantly
expanded the dealer network in 2013. The sales company
Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service Co., Ltd., a 51:49 joint
venture with our partner BAIC, started work in March 2013.
All marketing and sales activities for Mercedes-Benz cars from
both local production and imports are now under the roof
of a single organization, allowing significantly more efficient and
effective processes than with the previous two separate com-
panies. The network of more than 330 dealerships at the end
of the year will be further expanded. In 2013 alone, 75 new
dealerships were added; in 2014, we intend to include another
100 dealers in the network in 40 new cities. This means that
the brand is increasingly present also outside the large metro-
polises. In parallel, we are continuously expanding the infra-
structure for our after-sales business and are modernizing our
logistics processes. We significantly upgraded the product
range available to our Chinese customers in 2013 with seven
product premieres, including the new S-Class and A-Class.
Since September 2013, the long version of the new E-Class has
been available in China; it is produced especially for the local
market in the Beijing plant of Beijing Benz Automotive Co., Ltd.
Offering 14 centimeters more legroom in the rear, this model
meets the high demands of our Chinese customers.
Numerous awards for Mercedes-Benz cars. Mercedes-Benz
once again set new standards for automotive manufacturing
in 2013 with a courageous and confident approach that led to
numerous awards. For example, automotive experts and readers
of “Bild am Sonntag” newspaper and “Auto Bild” magazine
selected the new S-Class as the best sedan in its class in the
Europe-wide competition for the “Golden Steering Wheel”
award. Mercedes-Benz models also made a big impression with
their intelligent design trends. The S-Class captured top honors
in the “German Design Award 2014” competition, while the
A-Class and the CLA-Class were presented with the world-
renowned “red dot award” for outstanding design quality.
No other car embodies the brand promise of Mercedes-Benz – “The Best or Nothing” – like the S-Class.
1 S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID: market launch in the second half of 2014.
2 smart fortwo electric drive: electricity consumption in kWh/100km 15.1;
CO2 emissions in g/km 0.0.
3 SLS AMG: fuel consumption in l/100 km
urban 19.9 – 19.7 / extra-urban 10.2 – 9.3 / combined 13.7 – 13.2;
CO2 emissions in g/km combined 321 – 308.
4 SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive: electricity consumption in kWh/100km 26.8;
CO2 emissions in g/km 0.0.
5 A 45 AMG: fuel consumption in l/100 km
urban 9.1 – 8.8 / extra-urban 5.9 – 5.8 / combined 7.1 – 6.9;
CO2 emissions in g/km combined 165 – 161.