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Daimler Business / Supervisory Board and Board of Management of Daimler AG agree on future members

« Last post by fasteddy on March 22, 2019, 11:33:19 AM »

Stuttgart (Germany) – The Supervisory Board and the Board of Management of Daimler AG have agreed on the future composition of the boards of Mercedes-Benz AG and Daimler Truck AG. Both Daimler boards plan to appoint Ola Källenius as future Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz AG. In this function, he will be responsible for the worldwide activities of the Cars & Vans divisions. In addition, as resolved by the Supervisory Board on 26 September 2018, he is to become Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG as the parent company in dual function.

Furthermore, the Supervisory Board and the Board of Management of Daimler AG also plan to appoint Martin Daum as future Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck AG. He will also in future be a member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for the Daimler Trucks & Buses divisions. Daimler Truck AG shall in future be responsible for the global trucks and buses business.

In July 2018, the Board of Management and the Supervisory Board of Daimler AG decided to transform the current Cars and Vans as well as Trucks and Buses divisions into legally independent entities. Under the umbrella and guidance of Daimler AG, two new operating stock corporations will be created in the course of this project: Mercedes-Benz AG for the Cars and Vans divisions and Daimler Truck AG for the Trucks and Buses divisions. The final decision on the new corporate structure will be taken by the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting of Daimler AG on 22 May 2019. Daimler Financial Services AG, which is already legally independent, will operate as Daimler Mobility AG from July 2019.

Both Mercedes-Benz AG and Daimler Truck AG will be co-determined German stock corporations headquartered in Stuttgart. After the hive-down takes effect, the Supervisory Board of each company will – � � as required by law – consist of 20 members, ten of whom will be shareholder representatives and ten employee representatives.

If the shareholders approve the new structure at the Annual General Meeting of Daimler AG on 22 May 2019, it is intended that the Supervisory Board of Mercedes-Benz AG and the Supervisory Board of Daimler Truck AG will decide on the composition of the Boards of Management in September 2019. The Supervisory Boards of both companies are to be increased to 20 members each before the hive-down takes effect. To this end, proposed candidates have been coordinated with the employee representative side. The ten nominated shareholder representatives for each company will be elected at the Annual General Meetings of Mercedes-Benz AG and Daimler Truck AG in September 2019.

At the same Annual General Meetings, Daimler AG as the sole shareholder is to elect ten employee representatives each to the Supervisory Boards of Mercedes-Benz AG and Daimler Truck AG on the basis of proposals by the employee side. In this way, the continuous work of the Supervisory Board including the involvement of the employees is ensured.

Against this background, the Board of Management and the Supervisory Board of Daimler AG have agreed to elect the following shareholder representatives to the Supervisory Board of Mercedes-Benz AG:

Manfred Bischoff, who is to assume the office of Chairman of the Supervisory Board subject to a corresponding resolution of the Supervisory Board,
Valeria Gargiulo
Petraea Heynike
Joe Kaeser
Robert Köthner
Bernd Pischetsrieder
Wilfried Porth
Gesa Reimelt
Marie Wieck
Harald Wilhelm

For the Supervisory Board of Daimler Truck AG, the following shareholder representatives have been designated:

Ola Källenius, who is to assume the office of Chairman of the Supervisory Board subject to a corresponding resolution of the Supervisory Board,

Bader M. Al Saad
Sari Baldauf
Clemens Börsig
Jürgen Hambrecht
Sabine Kohleisen
Annette Matzat
Wilfried Porth
Hubertus Troska
Harald Wilhelm

For election to the Supervisory Board of Mercedes-Benz AG, the employee representative side has proposed to Daimler AG:

Ergun Lümali, Chairman of the Works Council at the Sindelfingen plant
Michael Häberle, Chairman of the Works Council at the Untertürkheim plant
Michael Peters, Chairman of the Works Council at the Bremen plant
Helmut Stengel, Chairman of the Works Council at the Düsseldorf plant
Michael Rahmel, Chairman of the Works Council at the Berlin plant
Jörg Thiemer, Chairman of the Works Council at the Hamburg plant
Michael Brecht, Chairman of the Works Council at the Gaggenau plant
Nadine Boguslawski, First Authorized Representative of IG Metall Stuttgart
Sibylle Wankel, Legal Counsel, IG Metall Board of Directors Frankfurt/Main
Frank Weber, Chairman of Senior Managers’ Committee and Senior Managers’ Committee Sindelfingen

For election to the Supervisory Board of Daimler Truck AG, the employee representative side has proposed to Daimler AG:

Michael Brecht, Chairman of the Works Council at the Gaggenau plant
Thomas Zwick, Chairman of the Works Council at the Wörth plant
Joachim Horner, Chairman of the Works Council at the Mannheim plant
Jörg Lorz, Chairman of the Works Council at the Kassel plant
Florence Göckeritz, Works Council at headquarters
Frank Trampedach, Chairman of the Works Council at Own Retail Kassel
Ergun Lümali, Chairman of the Works Council at the Sindelfingen plant
Claudia Peter, Executive Director IG Metall Gaggenau
Roman Zitzelsberger, IG Metall Regional Director Baden-Württemberg
Markus Maier, Member of Senior Managers’ Committee and Senior Managers’ Committee at headquarters

With regard to the future composition of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz AG, the Supervisory Board and Board of Management of Daimler AG have agreed – subject to the decision of the Supervisory Board of Mercedes-Benz AG planned for September 2019 – to seek the appointment of the following members of the Board of Management:

Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz AG
Jörg Burzer, Production & Supply Chain Management
Renata Jungo Brüngger, Integrity and Legal Affairs
Sajjad Khan, CASE/EVA
Sabine Kohleisen, Human Resources
Frank Lindenberg, Finance and Controlling
Markus Schäfer, Research and Development
Britta Seeger, Marketing and Sales
Wilko Stark, Procurement and Supplier Quality

With regard to the future composition of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck AG, the Supervisory Board and the Board of Management of Daimler AG have agreed - subject to the decision of the Supervisory Board of Daimler Truck AG planned for September 2019 - to seek the appointment of the following members of the Board of Management:

Martin Daum, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck AG
Stefan Buchner, Region Europe/Latin America and the brand Mercedes-Benz
Sven Ennerst, Product Engineering and Procurement
Jochen Götz, Finance and Controlling
Jürgen Hartwig, Human Resources
Roger Nielsen, Region NAFTA and the brands Freightliner, Western Star und Thomas Built Buses
Hartmut Schick, Region Asia and brands FUSO and BharatBenz

E-Class / Mercedes-Benz E 500: Double anniversary for young classic legend dating back 25

« Last post by fasteddy on March 20, 2019, 08:58:57 AM »

The Mercedes-Benz E 500 high-performance saloon celebrates two special moments that took place 25 years ago: in March 1994, a special model limited to 500 units is presented at the Geneva Motor Show. In October 1994, the Stuttgart-based brand hands over the ten thousandth E 500 built since its premiere in 1990 to a customer. And not just any customer ─ former Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 racing driver Hans Herrmann! Today, ALL TIME STARS, the Mercedes-Benz Classic dealer, always includes cars of the legendary model type in its portfolio. The V8 saloon with sports car performance has long been a particularly coveted Mercedes-Benz young classic.

Stuttgart. This vehicle fits its first owner like a tailor-made suit: on 10 October 1994 ─ 25 years ago ─ Mercedes-Benz hands over the ten thousandth E 500 high-performance saloon to Hans Herrmann. The former Mercedes-Benz works racing driver in 1954 and 1955 is presented with the E-Class with subdued exterior styling and eye-watering performance at the Zuffenhausen assembly plant. It is here, at Porsche, that the super sports car in the upper mid-range segment undergoes final assembly from 1990 to 1995. An exact total of 10,479 units of the E 500 are built, whereby the vehicle is designated the 500 E up to 1993. Hans Herrmann thus receives one of the later-model vehicles in 1994.

The E 500 also causes a stir at the Geneva Motor Show from 10 to 20 March 1994, where Mercedes-Benz showcases the E 500 Limited special model, which as the name suggests, is limited to 500 units. The special finish is available in either sapphire black or brilliant silver. Highlights include alloy wheels styled in the design of the 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II wheel set and a customised interior colour scheme (grey, green or red leather, black bird’s-eye maple or burr walnut trim).

This exquisite package makes an already fascinating automobile even more desirable. And that’s exactly what the brochure says: “It’ � s just a good feeling to know that there are only 499 other aficionados who can call this car their own.” In addition to the performance and luxury equipment on board, the E 500 Limited also meets the highest of safety standards, with airbags for the driver and front passenger, an anti-slip control system (ASR) and an anti-lock braking system (ABS). “After all, although it is extremely sporty, it is a Mercedes through and through. Albeit quite an extraordinary one,” the brochure claims 25 years ago.

High-performance vehicle in a tailor-made suit

The success story of the E 500 begins at the Paris Motor Show from 4 to 14 October 1990. It is here that Mercedes-Benz presents its new top model of the 124 model series in the upper mid-range segment ─ which has been a success since 1984 ─ sporting a 5.0-litre V8 engine and marketed as the 500 E. On the outside, the 240 kW (326 hp) car (as of October 1992, 235 kW / 320 hp) can only be distinguished from its sister models at second glance. The slightly more pronounced wing arches, a body that sits 23 millimetres lower and the modified front apron with recessed fog lights designate it as a top model. One could even say that the 500 E is a high-performance vehicle in a tailor-made suit.

Where the saloon car really sets itself apart from the other models in the series is, of course, its performance. Fitted with the four-speed automatic transmission as a standard feature, the 500 E accelerates to 100 km/h in just 5.9 seconds and hits a (limited) top speed of 250 km/h. The M 119 four-valve V8 engine with a displacement of 4,973 cubic centimetres differs from the 500 SL version in part by the electronically controlled Bosch LH-Jetronic injection system with hot-wire air mass measurement, which was used in this car for the very first time. The engine block has also been modified compared to the sports car to have the same deck height as the 4.2-litre V8 engine.

Automotive magazine “Road & Track” writes in its 5/1992 issue: „The 500 E is a magnificent high-performance sedan that’ � s heavy on the visceral. It looks right (low slung, intimidating, but not showy, like the AMG Hammer or Mercedes’ own 600 SEL”. It sounds great (nothing beats the thunder of a big V8). It goes sinfully fast for a family 4-door (155 mph, electronically limited). It has everything you’d expect in a Mercedes. And a few things you wouldn’t. Mostly, gobs of horsepower and an attitude that says ... well, you know the word.”)

E-Class premiere and young classic legend

The Mercedes-Benz 500 E is made by Porsche in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen on behalf of Mercedes-Benz. The sports car manufacturer has already accompanied the project during its development. And in series production, where capacity is available at that time, Porsche takes over assembly of the vehicles. To this end, the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen builds and paints the body-in-white and ships it with components from the Sindelfingen and Untertürkheim plants for final assembly in Zuffenhausen. The comparatively small unit quantity of the 500 E also fits in very well with Porsche’s production processes.

In 1993, the 500 E is the last model of the 124 model series to receive a facelift. It is also the premiere of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class ─ the brand with the star’s future entry in the upper mid-range segment. The E-Class name likewise brings with it a change in model designation, whereby the 500 E becomes the new E 500. At the same time, the facelift entails a revisited design, which includes an integrated radiator, colourless turn signal cover lenses at the front, two-tone covers for the rear lamps and modified lines at the rear.

When production of the E-Class 124 model series ends in 1995, the E 500 is phased out as well. Since then, the Mercedes-AMG top models in particular have continued the tradition of these sports saloon cars that embody the highest standards of performance and driving experience in the Mercedes-Benz product range. As early as 1995, however, many customers regret not having purchased their own high-performance saloon.

Today, the 500 E and E 500 are amongst the most coveted young classics of the brand with the star and really put on a show at classic automotive events. In September 2018, for example, at the eleventh Hamburg-Berlin Classic Rally, an E 500 Limited from the company’s own Mercedes-Benz Classic vehicle collection is ready to roll.

ALL TIME STARS, the Mercedes-Benz Classic dealer, helps enthusiasts realize their dream of owning their own high-performance saloon car from the 124 model series. This is why the ALL TIME STARS portfolio regularly includes 500 E and E 500 models. If you are looking for one of the rare E 500 Limited units from 1994, you really do have to be lucky. Today, this special sports car made in limited quantities is an extraordinary find amongst Mercedes-Benz young classics.

All other Daimler AG discussion / Triple victory for Mercedes Benz and Setra at the international "busplaner" sust

« Last post by fasteddy on March 19, 2019, 03:53:40 PM »

Stuttgart – Sustainability is an important topic for Mercedes‑Benz and Setra: The buses from both leading brands comply with the strictest emission standards and in practice their emissions are often considerably lower than the maximum permitted levels. Not only the environment and society profit from low and in turn resource-conserving fuel consumption, but also the bus companies themselves. The independent jury for the international "busplaner" sustainability award acknowledged these efforts: The Mercedes‑Benz eCitaro and Citaro hybrid as well as the Setra TopClass S 531 DT double-decker bus had all been entered into the competition. All three won in their respective category – three nominations for the buses led to three victories.

The recipe for success: aerodynamics, electric drive, optimised combustion engine

"This success affirms our commitment to the development of environmentally friendly buses," explains Axel Stokinger, Head of the German sales organisation at Daimler Buses. He accepted the awards at the award ceremony on 18 March in Berlin. Mr Stokinger continues: "The perfected aerodynamics of the Setra double-decker bus minimises fuel consumption. The Citaro is a clear demonstration of our two-pillar strategy: We have worked intensely to develop the fully-electric and in turn emissions-free eCitaro whilst at the same time optimising the combustion engine on the Citaro hybrid."

Three prime examples for conservation of the environment and efficiency from Mercedes-Benz and Setra

The fully electric Mercedes-Benz eCitaro brings electromobility for city buses to a whole new level. Using innovative components, available for the first time ever in the eCitaro, it achieves otherwise unheard of levels of energy efficiency thanks to its innovative thermal management and connectivity. With the introduction of the eCitaro, Daimler Buses has launched an innovation campaign for electromobility.

The Citaro hybrid is a prime example for the increase in efficiency of the combustion engine. The hybrid variant reduces the already favourable fuel consumption of the diesel engine and thus its CO2 emissions by up to 8.5 percent. The Citaro hybrid is not listed as an independent member of the best-selling Citaro city bus family; instead the hybrid drive is special equipment. It is available for a large part of the model range, even for the Citaro NGT with its natural gas drive – and as a result the Citaro hybrid earns an exceptional position worldwide. The absence of complex technology in the hybrid module is intentional. As a result, not only fuel consumption and emissions are reduced – it is the hybrid drive that pays off. Equipped with the active braking assistance system Preventive Brake Assist and Sideguard Assist, the Citaro and the eCitaro offer assistance systems that are unique over the whole world and which effectively protect more vulnerable road users in particular.

The Setra TopClass S 531 DT double-decker sets many benchmarks in its category. Besides its fascinating looks, it impresses especially as a prime example of aerodynamics and fuel efficiency and offers the greatest levels of variability, comfort and safety. The impressive touring coach covers all types of operation required of touring and regular-service routes and, with the best values for aerodynamics, is on its way to achieving new consumption records in its segment. Its comprehensive safety equipment fitted as standard is also remarkable. Together with the Setra TopClass S 531 DT the assistance systems Active Brake Assist 4 and Sideguard Assist celebrated their world premiere in a bus.

All other Daimler AG discussion / Daimler Trucks Asia opens new FUSO Product and Design Center in Japan

« Last post by fasteddy on March 18, 2019, 02:29:34 PM »

Kawasaki / Stuttgart – Daimler Trucks further improves its Japan-based subsidiary Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corporation (MFTBC) and has officially opened the new Product Center building and Design Center at the Kawasaki Plant (K1) today. The new building encompasses the corporate headquarters, R&D and design functions of the company, and is part of a large-scale modernization at MFTBC. Daimler Trucks has invested approx. € 74 Million (94 Oku JPY) since 2017 into this building, known as Campus Plus. The new building offers a modern working environment on 10,000 sqm and is also home of the new, state-of-the-art Design Center.

“The FUSO brand is an essential and successful member of Daimler Trucks. In 2018, it contributed about one-third of total sales and plays a vital role when it comes to future topics such as electric driving. The new Product Center and Design Center in the Kawasaki Plant manifests that we are continuously investing in the future of FUSO and Japan” says Martin Daum, board member of Daimler AG responsible for Trucks & Buses, on the occasion of the opening in Kawasaki.

Investment in owned retail

On the occasion of this event, Daimler Trucks Asia announced that – additionally – up to € 40 Mio (50 Oku JPY) will be invested in 2019 in the FUSO own retail network. This investment kicks off a seven year initiative called Project Mirai (Japanese for ‘Future’). The company has set the goal to improve its owned retail and service network within the domestic market in order to tackle future topics of the commercial vehicle sector. Within this year, seven outlets across Japan, from Hokkaido to Tokyo to Kyushu, are set to be refurbished in order to assist electric and connected commercial vehicles more efficiently from a service perspective.

Hartmut Schick, Head of Daimler Trucks Asia: “The Mirai Project underlines our commitment to being number one in customer service in the Japanese commercial vehicles industry. With upgraded facilities, we will be able to offer faster, better service to our customers across Japan.”

The FUSO CODE

Within the new product center is the new FUSO Design Center, one of the most advanced Design Centers within the Daimler AG. About 50 experts in design, digital design and engineering work on the major task to define a common design strategy to all future FUSO vehicles – called the FUSO CODE. The team currently is active on the next Canter and eCanter generation. Another objective is to work on the specific challenges of an e-truck. As an e-truck is part of a bigger ecosystem the FUSO designers constantly think about all touch points and create one experience for the customer, e.g. with charging stations.

Formula One / 2019 Australian Grand Prix - Sunday

« Last post by fasteddy on March 17, 2019, 04:31:13 PM »

Valtteri Bottas

This feels so good – I don’t think I’ve ever had a race like this! We could not have asked for a better start to the season – getting maximum points for the team is a perfect result and we couldn’t be happier. It’s also an important result for me personally, I’m really pleased with how the race went. These things don’t just happen – both the team and I have worked hard for this and it seems like the hard work paid off today. The key was the start; I think Lewis may have had a bit of wheel spin, so I was able to take the lead. My race pace was really strong, I could pull away and build a gap. In the end, I managed to get the fastest lap as well, which of course means an extra point this season, so I went for it. It can be a little risky with worn tyres, but I had it all under control. I’m very, very pleased with today, but it’s only the first race and we have another 20 races to go.

Lewis Hamilton

It was an incredible weekend for the team, we’re leaving Melbourne with maximum points. Valtteri did an exceptional job today – congratulations to him. I had a pretty straightforward race today; I lost position at the start and my race was pretty much done and dusted after the first corner. Afterwards it was really about bringing the car home and bagging the points. I had to pit early to cover the pit stop from Ferrari, so I had a long second stint and drove super carefully to make sure I had tyres left at the end of the race. I’ll bag the eighteen points I got today, keep working and come back recharged for the next one. It was a really great weekend for the team and I’m really happy for everyone. We showed a great performance today and we need to continue to build on this – we have a long season ahead of us.

Toto Wolff

That was a great day and an awesome drive for Valtteri – a perfect rebound after how last season finished. Over the winter, he recharged the batteries, reset, found his joy of driving again with the rally in Finland – then today it all came together for him. I can see again the young boy I first met over ten years ago and who dominated the junior series in 2008; it was a strong comeback and a really well earned win today. For Lewis, it was a harder afternoon – the start was not as good as Valtteri, then we had to pit him earlier than ideal to cover the risk of being undercut by Vettel. That gave him a long stint on the tyres and none of us knew if they would make it to the end, so it was hard to judge the right pace and he wasn’t happy with the car balance; my feeling is that it can be tricky to find the sweet spot with these new cars and tyres, and probably we didn’t manage that today with Lewis. Overall, though, a fantastic day for the team and a perfect result in the opening race – including the point for fastest lap. I know we have a very big supporter who is in Vienna now and not here with us in Melbourne – to you, Niki, we send all our best wishes and we hope you’re happy with this one. But this feeling will only last as long as we stay at the circuit; when the plane takes off for home, our eyes will turn to Bahrain. We know that Ferrari have the speed to fight back, so we won’t be jumping to any conclusions after just one race. We have a long season ahead full of twists and turns and challenges; we’re looking forward to the fight.

James Allison

Days in motor racing do not come much sweeter than this. A 1-2 finish is a precious thing and to top it off with the cherry of the fastest lap point for the first time, makes it feel even nicer. I guess the main reason it feels so good is that it was unexpected. We came to Australia expecting a very tough fight against a car that had set the benchmark throughout winter testing. But we found ourselves in the happy position of being very competitive from the first time we turned a wheel - and almost spent our weekend waiting to wake up from that state of slight disbelief. However, we should have trusted what our numbers told us, because Sunday turned out almost exactly how an impressive Friday had promised, and it’s a fantastic feeling for all of us to achieve this result at the first race. That doesn’t mean we will do the same at the next race but it is a good start: it was fantastic to see Valtteri drive so flawlessly to answer some of his critics and remind everybody that he is a class act; Lewis on the other hand was punished for a poor start and had to contend with damage to the floor of his car, but nonetheless was able to drive a strong race to seal off the 1-2 finish for the team, which will see us heading to the next race with very happy spirits indeed.

Formula One / 2019 Australian Grand Prix - Saturday

« Last post by fasteddy on March 17, 2019, 04:29:50 PM »

Lewis Hamilton

I feel so fortunate to be in the position I’m in today. We had no idea that we’d have this gap to the others – we thought we were behind, we thought it was going to be a push, so we gave it absolutely everything and more to arrive here with the best possible package and delivery. Valtteri and I have been pushing the car to its absolute limits. We haven’t massively changed the car; it’s almost the same set-up we had in Barcelona, so this gap was really surprising to see. This is the first time we’ve unleashed the full potential of the car and I’m so happy to have a car that I can fight with. This is a really great start to the new season and it puts us in a good position for the fight tomorrow.

Valtteri Bottas

I really enjoyed driving today, I was in a good flow and usually when you enjoy driving it shows on the time sheets as well. My first lap in Q3 was pretty good and I wanted to improve in my second lap, but I was stuck in traffic on my out lap, so my tyres were just a bit too cold at the start of the lap. Lewis did put in a fantastic lap, but I think without the traffic it would have been a close fight for pole today. We didn’t expect to be this strong – we’re happy, but frankly quite surprised to see that gap. We came here, not knowing where we’d be and actually thought we’d be a bit behind Ferrari. But we shouldn’t underestimate them; they looked very strong in winter testing and have a quick car, even if they struggled today. At the same time our team has done a really good job between Barcelona and here, constantly improving the car. Today was good fun, we both got some nice laps in, so let’s hope we will have a good Sunday as well. It’s a decent run into Turn 1, so hopefully I can get a good start, build a gap to the cars behind and have a good fight with Lewis.

Toto Wolff

I’m overwhelmed to see both our cars on the front row. The team has done a great job in the past weeks: after a difficult time in testing, especially in the first week in Spain, we have turned over every stone to find answers, to try and understand the car better. And it came together when it mattered for us today. But one result is not a reason to get carried away: not only is this circuit a bit of an outlier when it comes to performance, but we have strong rivals in Ferrari and Red Bull, and we know from hard experience in the past two years that the racing is done on Sunday and that’s the day that counts. For today, though, we can be happy with what we delivered – the team for a slick job in the garage, Lewis for his 84th pole and Valtteri for showing all his speed and taking a very close P2 on the grid. Now we turn our attention to the race.

James Allison

Although the stopwatch yesterday told us that we were quick, we also knew from our running in Barcelona during the winter the threat from Ferrari was very real – and we believe it still is – so it is with a mixture of relief, surprise and delight that both our cars claimed front row positions today, confirming yesterday’s performance and setting us fair for a decent Sunday. However, we know our opponents are strong because we have seen it, so we will make sure we keep our guard up and concentrate on the small things that can catch us out – because we know that if we blink, our rivals will take it. Nonetheless, I am delighted for the whole team, for Lewis for his well-earned pole position and also for Valtteri, who really made Lewis fight for it today.

All other Daimler AG discussion / Daimler hands over FUSO eCanter to Penske Truck Leasing in the US

« Last post by fasteddy on March 15, 2019, 09:50:55 AM »

Reading (Pa.)/Tokyo/Stuttgart – After Penske Truck Leasing received its first fully electrified Freightliner eM2 truck from Daimler Trucks North America in the US end of last year, the company now gets its first FUSO eCanter. Penske plans to operate the light duty trucks from FUSO for urban delivery in California. As an experienced truck manufacturer and through the backing of its parent Daimler Trucks, FUSO can demonstrate its ability of supporting the operation of eCanter trucks through its established parts, service and warranty network of FUSO dealerships.

Hartmut Schick, Head of Daimler Trucks Asia: “With its FUSO brand Daimler was able to gain knowledge and experience with e-trucks globally in various markets. We are very proud, that now with Penske a huge commercial customer in the US will also operate the FUSO eCanter for urban delivery – next to its Freightliner brothers. Penske will benefit from the global know how and experience network within Daimler Trucks.”

“We’re pleased to begin introducing the eCanter into our fleet,” said Brian Hard, president and CEO of Penske Truck Leasing. “We continue to invest in the latest viable innovative vehicle technologies to benefit our customers. With a guaranteed range of 100 km and a fast-charging option, the eCanter is a viable option for fleets seeking to reduce tailpipe emissions and noise pollution in urban delivery settings.”

The all-electric FUSO eCanter light-duty truck with an output of 129 kW and a payload up to 3.5 tons already is in costumer operations in Japan and the US and also in major European markets like Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Portugal. Currently more than 100 vehicles are in customer hands around the globe. With a guaranteed range of 100 km the 7.49 t truck covers the requirements of the costumers for inner-city distribution. Thus, the vehicles can be charged over night with alternating current chargers or direct current chargers depending on availability. Therefore, the charging time can be reduced to approximately 105 minutes by using a fast charger.

About Penske Truck Leasing

Celebrating its 50th year in business, Penske Truck Leasing Co., L.P., headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania, is a partnership of Penske Corporation, Penske Automotive Group and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. A leading global transportation services provider, Penske operates more than 300,000 vehicles and serves customers from more than 1,000 locations in North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Product lines include full-service truck leasing, contract maintenance, commercial and consumer truck rentals, used truck sales, transportation and warehousing management and supply chain management solutions.

Formula One / Marriott International Extends Marketing Partnership with Mercedes-AMG Petronas

« Last post by fasteddy on March 15, 2019, 09:36:44 AM »

Melbourne, March 14, 2019: For the upcoming F1 season, beginning March 17, Marriott International is revving up and expanding its marketing partnership with Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport. The big winners will be the members of Marriott’s newly renamed travel program Marriott Bonvoy, which replaced Marriott Rewards, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG).

“Our marketing partnership with Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport team will give Marriott Bonvoy members, many of whom are fans of the team, the opportunity to pursue their passion for the sport,” said Karin Timpone, Global Marketing Officer, Marriott International.

Among some of the money-can’t-buy experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments – the travel program’s experiential platform – that members will be able to bid on with their Marriott Bonvoy points are:

Spending the night on the exclusive Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport luxury yacht during the Monaco Grand Prix and enjoying full hospitality during race weekend.

Being chauffeured by Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas to the circuit on race day.

Being driven around the track at top speed in a high-performance Mercedes-AMG car by a professional driver during race weekend.

Learning the ropes from the experts themselves in the Pit Stop Challenge.

These Marriott Bonvoy Moments will be in addition to other member experiences, including behind the scenes access with the team over Grands Prix weekends for the ultimate fan selfie, where drivers, media and celebrities hang out, visits to the team garage, and prime viewing venues and other experiences at races throughout the season.

“We are delighted to expand our marketing partnership with Marriott International”, said Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport. “We can already look back on a very successful seven years together, but now we’re taking our marketing partnership to a whole new level. The extension proves that Formula One keeps growing as a marketing platform for leading global brands who want to further strengthen their brand awareness and value. In addition to access to a huge, global audience, F1 offers the possibility to deliver unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences to partners and their customers thanks to the equally exciting and exclusive nature of the sport. We are pleased to be delivering those experiences to Marriott Bonvoy members.”

The new agreement not only extends the marketing partnership of seven years, but also significantly expands it. For example, going beyond typical meet and greets to creating opportunities for members to spend time with the drivers in relaxed and luxurious environments.

Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, Marriott Bonvoy will become the racing team’s “Official Hotel Loyalty Program,” while The Ritz-Carlton, one of Marriott’s luxury brands, will become the team’s first ever “Official Hotel Partner.” Logos for Marriott Bonvoy and The Ritz-Carlton will appear on the racing suits of the drivers Hamilton and Bottas, whilst Marriott Bonvoy will be the team’s first partner brand on the car’s halo. The Ritz-Carlton will bring its legendary service to the team’s premium at-track VIP hospitality space, the Silver Arrows Lounge, which will be called The Ritz-Carlton Silver Arrows Lounge in select markets. And amongst wider marketing initiatives, Marriott Bonvoy and The Ritz-Carlton brand will bring the partnership to life for guests through social media, in-room TV and Marriott Bonvoy Traveler – the company’s popular digital magazine.

About Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy is the new travel program replacing Marriott Rewards, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG). Comprised of a portfolio of 30 hotel brands, members can earn and redeem points for hotel stays and accelerate the points they earn with co-branded credit cards from Chase and American Express. The program offers 120,000 destination tours and adventures on Marriott Bonvoy Moments. When members book direct on Marriott.com they receive perks including free and enhanced Wi-Fi and exclusive member-only rates, and on the Marriott app they enjoy mobile check-in and checkout, Mobile Requests and, wherever available, Mobile Key. To enrol for free or for more information about Marriott Bonvoy, visit MarriottBonvoy.com. To download the Marriott app, go here. Travelers can also connect with Marriott Bonvoy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About The Ritz-Carlton

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., currently operates more than 100 hotels and over 45 residential properties in 30 countries and territories. For more information or reservations, visit the company web site at www.ritzcarlton.com, for the latest company updates, visit news.ritzcarlton.com and to join the live conversation, use #RCMemories and follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR). The Ritz-Carlton is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy, the new name of Marriott’s travel program replacing Marriott Rewards®, The Ritz- Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest® (SPG). The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including earning points toward free hotel stays and nights toward Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit MarriottBonvoy.marriott.com.

Formula One / Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport Announces Partnership Renewal with OMP Racing

« Last post by fasteddy on March 15, 2019, 09:35:27 AM »

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport is pleased to announce a renewal of their Team Supplier agreement with OMP Racing ahead of the 2019 Formula One season.

OMP, a world leading Italian company in the design and production of motorsport safety equipment, will again provide their latest generation safety harnesses for the team’s Formula One cars, driven by Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.

Recognisable by their unique black and white design, the next generation safety harnesses are the result of years of design and development expertise at OMP. The harnesses feature ultra-light fibre and ultra-light materials such as titanium and ergal. The high-quality fibre increases performance, making them extremely light (45% less weight compared to carbon fibre) and more resistant (50% improvement on resistance/weight ratio). In addition, there is a special-patented design, which make the harnesses more comfortable for the driver.

“We are pleased to continue our partnership with OMP Racing,” said James Allison, Technical Director of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport. “For the past two seasons, we have benefitted from OMP’s expertise and the continuous development of their safety harnesses. The safety of our drivers remains our highest priority and we are confident in OMP’s products and technologies to provide this in our cars for 2019 and beyond.”

“The partnership between OMP Racing and Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport has been successful so far, and we are thrilled to continue it,” said Paolo Delprato, CEO of OMP Racing. “Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport and OMP Racing share the philosophy of constant research and development, in order to work on a world-top level.”& amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; lt; /p>

About OMP Racing

Based near Genoa in Italy, OMP began its exciting adventure in 1973, manufacturing roll-bars and safety devices for rally cars. In a few years, the company achieved an increasing leadership worldwide extending its range of products to race wear and covering every need in racecar driving.

OMP products became a presence in every motorsport competition, from major world championships to the grass roots of racecar driving, as well as karting. Technology, performance, safety, comfort and lightness are key goals for OMP.

Constant research and product development has led the company to be one of the few in the world that is able to offer a complete range of safety equipment for racing cars and drivers, including the new generation safety harnesses now used by Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport.

Formula One / 2019 Australian Grand Prix - Friday

« Last post by fasteddy on March 15, 2019, 08:31:25 AM »

Lewis Hamilton

It’s really nice to get back out on track. The weather is fantastic, we’ve already got quite a big crowd. I have a positive buzz from driving the car today – this is what I love doing. The car feels like it’s in a similar place to where it was in Barcelona, which is positive coming to a different track. We got through our programme really well, there were no issues on track. There’s plenty of stuff that we can improve on, but this was not a bad start. What we have to do now is really study and analyse everything, as we always do on a Friday night. But the fact is we’v e got two cars that continue to go around, none of us made a mistake and we kept the cars in one piece – that counts for a lot.

Valtteri Bottas

It’s nice to be back in a race car, doing the thing we love to do – I had fun today. The car felt better than it did in testing. We didn’t bring a lot of new parts to the car, but we were able to optimise the package that we have. It was a solid day for the first day back in the office, but the times are not important on a Friday. We haven’t seen the full performance from any of the other teams. We have an idea of how much we can improve for qualifying, but we have no idea how much performance the other teams can still bring. It will be interesting to see what the first competitive session holds tomorrow.

James Allison

It was a pretty productive day today, we achieved a decent balance with both drivers on both tyres. We also ran some new bits and they seem to work okay. It’s way too early in the weekend to have any sort of real idea of where we stand on pace, but what we do know is that the car seems to be handling reasonably well and it seems to have good tyre degradation on both compounds that we ran which is a good sign for tomorrow, but we will only get a clear picture of where we stand later in the weekend.