Sunday, February 13, 2011

About Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz (German pronunciation: [mɛʁˈtseːdəs ˈbɛnts]) is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG. Mercedes-Benz traces its origins to Karl Benz's creation of the first petrol-powered car, the Benz Patent Motorwagen, patented in January 1886[1] and Gottlieb Daimler and engineer Wilhelm Maybach's conversion of a stagecoach by the addition of a petrol engine later that year. The Mercedes automobile was first marketed in 1901 by Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft. The first Mercedes-Benz brand name vehicles were produced in 1926, following the merger of Karl Benz's and Gottlieb Daimler's companies into the Daimler-Benz company.[1] Mercedes-Benz has introduced many technological and safety innovations that later became common in other vehicles.[2] Mercedes-Benz is one of the most well-known and established automotive brands in the world, and is also the world's oldest automotive brand still in existence today


Significant models produced

Car nomenclature

Mercedes-Benz used the numerical representation of motor displacement with the letters placed thereafter to denote the type of motor, fuel delivery (in petrol motors), and body. The last number is always zero. "E" denoted the fuel injection system (Einspritzung) in the petrol motors while "D" signified for diesel motors.
Note: the letters described below are used prior to 1994 changes.
  • "C" had been used for the two-door models on W114/W115, W123, and W124 as well as S-Class (W126 and W140) chassis. When combined with SL to create the SLC, the long-wheelbase, four-seat closed coupé version of SL.
  • "K" was for the supercharged models in the 1920s and 1930s ("Kompressor") with exception of SSK, which meant "Kurz" (or short wheelbase).
  • "L" meant "Leicht" (light): the first one to appear on SSKL in 1931. Beginning with the W108 in 1965, "L" means the long wheelbase version.
  • "R" is for the "Rennen" version as in 300SLR from 1955 (and SLR from 2003).
  • "S" originally meant "Sport" as in SSK from 1928 and 300SL from 1953. However, the "S" designates the flagship four-door model, starting in the late 1950s. Eventually, "SE" and "SEL" were added to describe the fuel-injected model or long-wheelbase model. Initially for the US market, "SD" and "SDL" were the diesel version of S-Class (W116 and W126).
  • "T" was for the estate (or station wagon) using the word, "Touring", rather than German word, "Kombi". This appeared on S123 and S124.
During the 1950s, some models carried the smaller letters: b, c, d as to differentiate between the model trim level.
In the 1960s, the numerical nomenclature sometimes didn't correctly reflect the motor displacement in the S-Class but the position on the price range or specifications. Thus, 280SE 3.5 in the late 1960s. 190 (W201 model built from 1982 to 1993) is unique to have same nameplate regardless of motor displacement or price range: 190E 2.3, 190D 2.2, and so forth. This was necessary to separate itself from W123 and W124, which didn't have its own class letter until 1994.
Beginning with the 1994 model cycle, Mercedes-Benz rearranged the alphanumeric nomenclatures as to reflect the model classes better. The letters are placed before the motor displacement and can be one to three letters, depending on model classes and types. No longer is it required to denote the fuel injection system as the carburettors have been "retired" due to the increasingly strict emission control regulations.
Some of the letters represent two or three different model types: "S" for both four-door saloon W140 and two-door coupé C140. This was further differentiated with new "CL" designation introduced in 1997 for the C140. The E-Class saloon and coupé were not assigned the different letters until the 1996 introduction of CLK-Class (C208 and A208).
The body types ("C", "L", and "T") are no longer assigned.
If "K" is added to the class letters at the end, they denote the "smaller" version of the flagship models: SLK, CLK, and GLK. CLS is the unique four-door coupé version that doesn't even resemble the larger CL at all and even though it is based on E-Class chassis. CLC is the three-door hatchback version of C-Class. Beginning with the W212 E-Class, the "CLK" designation has been moved down to "C" level while "E-Class Coupé" is added as to better reflect its position in the price range between E-Class and S-Class.
"ML" rather than "M" was chosen due to the objection by BMW M-Motorsport as to avoid the confusion between the BMW "M" models and Mercedes-Benz "M". However, Infiniti has assigned "M" to its intermediate four-door saloon (M45) for the US market.
SLR and SLS are only one without numbers.
When the letters are placed after the numerical designation, they denote the type of fuel delivery system or forced induction.
  • "K" is the "Kompressor" or supercharger.
  • "T" is the "Turbo", mostly found on smaller petrol A-Class and B-Class models (A200T and B200T).
The designation on the right-hand side is usually for the specific options such as "4Matic" and "AMG". "CDI" is affixed on the right-hand side unless "4Matic" option is chosen: it moves to the left and joins the alphanumeric designation. For instance, "R320CDI 4Matic" or "E320 CDI".
  • "4Matic" is the four-wheel-drive system.
  • "BLUETEC" denotes the diesel motor with exhaust treatment using urea solution.
  • "CDI" is the "Common-Rail Direct Injection" system for the diesel motors.
  • "CGI" is the petrol equivalent of CDI on some models.
  • "HYBRID" designates the hybrid technology.
  • "KOMPRESSOR" appears on C-Class and E-Class models with 1,8-litre 4-cylinder supercharged motors.
  • "NGT" is the "Natural Gas Technology".
When Mercedes-Benz established the high performance model range following the purchase of AMG in 1994, it drops the last number as to denote the AMG version: C36 AMG, E55 AMG, S63 AMG, and so forth.
The AMG versions of supercharged 5.4-litre V8 and 5.5-litre (and later 6.0) V12 motors have "Kompressor" or "V12 Biturbo" respectively affixed to the front wings behind the front wheels. Some of C-Class models in the United States and elsewhere in the world have 1.8T (1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder motor). On some models, "BlueEFFICIENCY" label are affixed. The type of trim levels are displayed, too, on certain models: Classic, Elegance, Sport, Avantgarde, Elite, etc.
As of the past several years, Mercedes-Benz no longer assigns the numerical designation accurately on some of the motors.
Note: some of selected "inaccurate" combination of nomenclature and motor displacement are listed below.
The current 2.1-litre four-cylinder diesel motor is often assigned as 180, 200, 220, and 250 while 3.0-litre V6 diesel motor is given the 280, 300, and 320. Even though the displacement remains the same, the power and torque figures are tuned accordingly.
To exaberate the confusion further, C180 and C200 have either naturally aspirated 2.0-litre or turbocharged 1.8-litre four-cylinder motors in various tuning level.
350 used to have 3.7-litre V6, but the newer version of 350 has 3.5-litre V6. S400 Hybrid (W221) has 3.5-litre V6 motor even though S400 (W220) has been fitted with 4.0-litre diesel V8. The 4.0-litre V8 diesel is given 400, 420, and 450 designation as to reflect the technical improvements to the diesel motor. The 450 had 4.7-litre V8 (S450 and GL450). The 500 in Europe and elsewhere in the world has 5.5-litre (later a 4.7-litre direct-injected twin-turbocharged version) V8 motor. 600 (S600, SL600, and CL600) has 5.8-litre (and later turbocharged 5.5-litre from Maybach) V12 motor while 65 AMG (S65, SL65, and CL65) has 6.0-litre V12. 63 AMG (C63, E63, CLS63, S63, SL63, and CL63) has the 6.2-litre displacement but is called 63 AMG for the sake of nostalgia of famous 6.3-litre V8 motor from the 1960s. For 2011, the 6.2-litre V8 in 63 AMG is replaced by 5.5-litre direct-injected twin-turbocharged V8, which still carries 63 designation.
The European customers can opt out the nomenclatures when ordering their Mercedes-Benz vehicles as they wish.
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