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Success is not something you get for free. You have to work hard to be successful. When I first came into contact with Mercedes-Benz PR in 2012, I was just experiencing a valley of tears. The Chinese business is weak, the brand is still before the big design swing, stale, conservative and boring - this is the image of the brand. And my-auto-blog was just one autoblog among many. A lot has happened since then. mein-auto-blog became the most successful German automotive blog and Mercedes-Benz, well, in Stuttgart you can now celebrate yourself as the most successful premium brand ever. These two facts are not related - it's just a coincidence;). But, sometimes you can celebrate yourself. And at the New Year's reception in Detroit, a good tradition to celebrate this before NAIAS, the time had come.
Mercedes-Benz depends on Audi and BMW
Over 2 million vehicles were sold in 2016 alone. That is a good 11 percent more than in the previous year. In order to secure the place as a “star” in the sky, double-digit increases were necessary. And that was not only achieved in China, Mercedes-Benz is now leading the parade of premium vehicles in Europe too.
Whatever the mood for a brisk dance, Dr. Z was as relaxed as ever at the New Year's reception and immediately dueled with the band, the Daimler boss made it clear: resting is not an option. Getting to the top is hard - staying there - will be even harder. However, Mercedes-Benz wants to keep the pace of recent years. Even more models, even more technology, even more services and completely new areas of business. In times when people are talking about the impending “disruption” of the global automotive industry, Mercedes wants to rush to the forefront of changes with a “CASE”. One is almost waiting for a “Yes we can” from the mouth of Dieter Zetsche.
CASE - Connected, Autonomous, Shared & Service and Electric Drive
The priorities are clear. The goal: survive the disruptive times as a winner. The autonomous car is coming. Electromobility is coming. Sharing a car and new services will also enrich the classic “own car” concept and at some point it will be forgotten. And no, we're not talking about next year. Changes are - even though everyone is afraid of the Apple smartphone case of the last 10 years - rather a slow process. But Mercedes-Benz is preparing. Do one without leaving the other. That is the reason why people in Stuttgart talk about the upcoming electric fleet from their own house, without forgetting the latest generation of engines. If you want to be at the top, you have to have a lot of talent.
One of Dieter Zetsche's talents was probably to change the once-branded Mercedes-Benz brand. More emotional design, looking at your own products from the customer's eyes. Not losing the core of the brand, but opening up to change as an automobile manufacturer. Well. The Stuttgart can do that. For mein-auto-blog I have been in contact with the car manufacturer since 2012 and even though I rarely agree with the Stuttgart company and often have to criticize - if you look at the big and the whole thing, then the Swabians do a lot right and the result ? You can see it in the 2016 financial year.
What comes after Zetsche 2019?
For ten years, “Dr. Z ”already at the top of Daimler. And he has laid all the groundwork that a top manager can tackle. He is carefully building his successor, with a lot of freedom he lets the AMG brand race to new horizons and he opens the inventor of the automobile to the spirit of “Silicon Valley” - that's why I have to smile when I read German gazettes again and again : “THE German automotive industry is sleeping through the change and is missing out on the boat”. No. And the best example is the Stuttgart-based company with the constant will to change.
Networking, autonomous driving, sharing and electric drives - each of these four trends has the potential to turn our industry upside down. But the real revolution lies in the intelligent linking of the four trends.
Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars
2017 - Get the Party started
New Mercedes-AMG GT C, new E-Class Coupe, Mercedes-Benz GLA and the CASE of the future.
Agreed. A “Mopf” GLA nobody can bring it as title news. The facelift of the successful compact SUV is also manageable. The additional engines that are now being offered are more interesting. And the new colors for me. But hey - the bait still has to taste good to the fish and not to the angler, and seen like that, Mercedes seems to have the best bait. The success of the “GLA” is impressive - I would never have personally assessed it that way. Like the entire compact class family. More than 2 million vehicles have been sold since 2012 and by the way, the A-Class range and the derivatives based on it (GLA, CLA and Co.) have reduced the average age of A-Class buyers by 13 years.
And also the special model of the Mercedes-AMG GT, the edition for the 50-Jahre party, which will be celebrated at AMG this year, rather a novelty with manageable news value.
Completely new, that Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe, Understandably completely convinced:
"Its intelligence, excellent driving dynamics and sensual, clear design are just three reasons why our customers will love the new E-Class Coupé."
Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG - Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development.
The new E-Coupé was unveiled BEFORE the fair, so the news value here too - rather manageable. So the biggest news from DETROIT?
Mercedes-Benz depends on Audi and BMW in the premium segment!
And with so many successes, you can celebrate yourself - as long as you work full of energy on the changes of the future the next day. We at mein-auto-blog are looking forward to it.