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If you own an iPhone, Mercedes-Benz has added a new cradle that allows drivers to fully integrate the gadget into the vehicle’s architecture. With this new cradle, drivers can switch between using the telephone and audio functions with the push of a button…on the steering wheel! There is also a screen that sits above the car’s vents that shows the phone’s status and the track title and artist whenever a song is playing. And since it’s in the center console, the cradle is also easy to reach whether you’re the driver or the passenger.

In addition to its convenience, drivers can also expect crystal-clear reception because the iPhone automatically connects to the vehicle aerial when placed in the cradle. The cradle also charges the iPhone while it sits in there.

In Germany alone, more than 100,000 people have purchased an iPhone since it was launched last November. In the United States, there are probably a couple million people who could benefit from this new device. The new cradle is also the first of its kind. You don’t need any tools to install it. It simply plugs in and unplugs.

Does this sound like something you could use? If so, visit your local Mercedes-Benz dealer for more information. If they don’t have one in stock, a sales representative can tell you where to get one.

The speculation is over and the rumors are true. Mercedes-Benz is planning to launch an all-new electric model in 2010.

With everybody looking for solutions to high gas prices, Dieter Zetsche, the CEO of Mercedes-Benz, confirmed the luxury automaker would also be a major contender in the upcoming electric car market. “We plan an electric Smart for 2010 and for the same year a Mercedes (electric) model as well,” is what he said in an interview with a local German magazine.

Currently, MB has about 100 electric Smart cars driving around the streets of London. But those are more or less to see how the public reacts to them and to see how they hold up in real world conditions.

Unfortunately, nobody has confirmed any prices yet. There are still some factors that need to be addressed before the automaker even discusses price. Will Mercedes-Benz sell the cars with the batteries installed or will the company lease the battery to drivers? The amount of competition in the electric car market will also play a role in the price of the cars. Other companies are planning to launch their electric car models in 2010 as well. I’m sure the ones that Mercedes-Benz creates will be much more luxurious and stylish though.

If you can’t wait until 2010 to get an electric Mercedes, visit your local MB dealer today and get a car that’s more fuel-efficient than many other cars in the industry today. When the electric car revolution rolls around, you’ll be ready to invest in one of those highly-anticipated vehicles, too!

In a world where automakers are trying to think of ways to make their vehicles more fuel-efficient and eco-friendly, Mercedes-Benz is actually trying to do something about it. Instead of just talking about making better cars, the engineers actually have plans and are implementing those plans right now.

Mercedes-Benz is going to increase the fuel efficiency of its entire lineup by about 12 percent in the next few years. The company has even given the operation a name: BlueEfficiency. Mercedes-Benz uses this term to refer to the upgrades in aerodynamics, new lightweight design, direct injection and other features that are going to make vehicles better for the environment. Other eco-friendly features include a more efficient energy management system, forced induction and smaller displacement engines.

Mercedes-Benz is also working on ideas that include hybrid drivetrains, battery-powered vehicles and other engine designs that combine the best of diesel with the best of petrol-powered engines for a combustion engine that will blow your mind!

The main idea behind these improvements is environmental sustainability. Whenever engineers are working on a new technology, they always have those two words in mind.

These developments are probably closer than you think, too. When you visit your local Mercedes-Benz dealer next year, you’ll see the S400 BlueHybrid luxury sedan that has some of these ideas implanted into it. The future of the auto industry is here and its name is Mercedes-Benz.

Unless you’re an automotive engineer, chances are that you’ve never heard of the wedge-pin door lock. But it’s one of the most important safety features installed on any car in the last 50 years. If you’ve ever been in an accident, there’s a good chance that this little thing has saved your life.

The wedge-pin door lock was first created by Daimler-Benz 50 years ago. A year after it was patented, Mercedes-Benz began installing it on production vehicles.

The wedge-pin door lock was a small device that prevented the car doors from flying open or jamming shut when an accident occurred. That helped keep passengers from falling out and risking further injury while also preventing them from being trapped in the car in case it catches on fire.

The first car to get this much needed safety feature was the Mercedes-Benz 220. This and other features make this model a “milestone in the history of car safety” and it served as an example to future models.

Now it’s 50 years later and the German automaker continues to make history in the way of safety features and innovations. If you visit a local Mercedes-Benz dealer, you’ll undoubtedly see some of the best and safest cars on the road today. Don’t you owe it to yourself and your family to go with a company that has proven its safety record for several decades?

If you’ve ever thought about buying the Mercedes-Benz of your dreams but haven’t gotten around to it, here’s your chance. The automaker recently announced its annual “Summer of Love Event.” That means you can find some great deals at your local Mercedes-Benz dealer. Here are a few deals and incentives you can expect to find.

Financing Specials on New 2008 Models
If you’re a qualified buyer, you can get a special rate of 1.9 percent for 72 months for the full line of R-Class vehicles as well as the CLK350, the CLK550 and the lineup of E-Class vehicles (except for the E550). Who can turn that down?

In addition to that, you can also get 3.9 percent for 66 months on the entire line of M-Class and GL-Class vehicles as well as the CLK63 AMG.

Get Great Deals on Used Cars, Too
Do you prefer the price of a certified pre-owned car instead of a brand new Benz? You’re in luck. Mercedes dealers all over the country have specials for those cars, too. Since the inventory varies from dealer to dealer, you’ll need to visit a Mercedes-Benz showroom to see what they have in store for you.

Don’t wait! Like all good things, the Summer of Love Event must, too, come to an end. And that end is July 31. Visit your local dealer today. With prices like these, you have no excuse not to buy a Mercedes-Benz this summer.

In Seville, Spain, truckers were set to protest high gas prices by shutting down the city. But in the midst of those rumors, Mercedes-Benz released five of its new green technology trends late last week. If you’re curious, here they are.

1. More Efficient Packaging
Mercedes-Benz is applying what the company calls the BlueEfficiency package. This means lighter vehicles with smaller engine sizes and reduced rolling resistance for better gas mileage.

2. Smarter Hybrids
BlueHybrids are coming the United States next year, but they’re in other parts of the world right now. These new hybrids use an electric motor to help the gasoline engine. The new smarter hybrids by Mercedes-Benz also have a stop/restart feature that shuts your car down in traffic to save gas and electricity.

3. Non-Hybrid Stop & Go Technology
To make non-hybrids more efficient, Mercedes-Benz has created models in which the engine turns off when stopped in traffic. A larger, more powerful starter starts the vehicle up quickly so you’re not sitting there holding people up behind you. Researchers predict this could save drivers as much as an extra nine percent on their gas mileage.

4. Fuel-Sipping Diesel Hybrids
These vehicles, known as Bluetec hybrids, offer more than 220 horsepower. You wouldn’t expect to get about 40 miles per gallon, would you?

5. Diesotto Engine
This is a sparkles technology for some of Mercedes-Benz’s new engines. It’s better for the engine and the environment as well.

Do these features and technologies sound intriguing? Visit your local Mercedes-Benz dealer today and see which ones are available in your market today and which ones are coming soon!

Mercedes-Benz South Africa has been contributing to the fight on AIDS and HIV with a program called Siyakhana in the Eastern Cape region of the country. As a result of the automaker’s contributions, the Global Business Coalition on HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GBC) commended MB’s efforts for implementing programs and “using business principles to fight these deadly diseases.”

Mercedes-Benz has provided 17 firms a distinct program that has helped to improve testing rates of HIV positive employees. Through the program, these employees have been able to maintain their strength and keep their respective companies “economically active.” As a result, both the employee and the employer receive positive benefits.

The GBC, which is a coalition of more than 200 companies dedicated to the global fight against AIDS, announced that Mercedes-Benz would be receiving this award last week. The celebration included a gala event in New York during the same time period when the United Nations was scheduled to hold a meeting about the AIDS epidemic. And since South Africa’s own government has a cavalier attitude toward the problem, organizations like the GBC and contributions from companies like Mercedes-Benz are greatly needed.

If all the major companies contributed a portion of each of their sales to the fight against HIV, we might have a cure for it by now. Why not visit your local Mercedes-Benz dealer today and support the cause? It feels good to know that you’ve done something that can benefit somebody else.

How many cars have you had that could go for a million miles? I’m guessing there aren’t too many car owners who can say that. But Paul Harman can.

Harman owns a 1981 Mercedes-Benz 240D. He probably won’t be giving it up any time soon, either. He’s logged 1,020,000 miles on it when this article was written. He’s probably added to that since then.
To put that number in perspective, that’s like going to the moon and back twice with more than 25,000 miles left over. One million miles is like driving around the circumference of the Earth 41 times. It’s also like sitting behind the wheel and driving non-stop for 708 days at 60 mph.

Paul Harman has nothing but good things to say about his Mercedes-Benz, too. “It’s like part of my identity now,” he said. “When I visit my friends, they ask me, ‘Now how many miles do you have on the Mercedes?’”

Michael Kunz, the general manager of a privately owned Mercedes-Benz dealer in Irvine, California said it’s rare to put one million miles on a car, but it’s not unheard of. He said he only knows of it happening less than a dozen times. He’s also familiar with Harman’s momentous accomplishment.

Harman crossed the million mile mark at the Octoberfest celebration in Sandy Springs last year. They gave him a certificate, a special badge for his grille and an official letter from the president and CEO of MB USA. Harman said the secret to getting this far is to keep up with the oil changes and the normally scheduled maintenance procedures, too.

New York City has been switching its current cabs to more eco-friendly options in the last couple years. Now, London is following suit. Pretty soon, you probably won’t see the familiar black cabs that have become synonymous with London’s busiest roads. Instead, you’ll be seeing the new Mercedes-Benz Vito Traveliner taking people to and fro wherever they need to go.

This week, EcoCity Vehicles announced its exclusive contract with Mercedes-Benz to manufacture a line of taxis for the busy UK city. These new service vehicles have lower emissions than the current taxis, too.

If you’re interested in seeing these new taxis, they are going to debut them on June 26 at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Soon after that, they are going on sale.

According to EcoCity’s chief executive, Peter Da Costa, “Cab drivers and passengers in London will now have a choice of vehicle, and we as a company will continue to look after the driver’s needs.”

Apparently, they’re also looking at the environment’s needs and the needs of the community as a whole with lower emissions and eco-friendly features.

Do you enjoy helping the environment and making a difference? If so, your local Mercedes-Benz dealer has many models available for you. Test drive one and start helping the environment today!

At a time when some automakers are struggling to reach customers and sell cars, Mercedes-Benz continues to enjoy success.

Mercedes-Benz has had four consecutive months of “record-breaking success.” And from the way it looks, the German automaker isn’t slowing down any time soon. Despite rising gas prices and other economic factors, MB of Canada had another record-breaking month in May. In fact, May 2008 was the automaker’s best month ever!

Compared to May 2007, last month was spectacular. Sales of the new lineup of C-Class models increased by 350 percent and overall car sales for MB went up by nearly 50 percent.

Last month was also the first time in the history of Mercedes-Benz in Canada that the company sold more than 2,000 vehicles in a single month. Even the larger models that people are shying away from due to high gas prices sold well. The R-Class, M-Class and GL-Class SUVs sold about 450 units in May 2008, up about 14 percent from the same month last year.

Pre-owned vehicles were big sellers for the company, too. More than 700 certified pre-owned Mercedes-Benz units went to proud owners last month. That’s up about 22 percent from last year.

As you can see, it was a good month all around for MB in Canada. But wherever you are, you can see what all the fuss is about by visiting your local Mercedes-Benz dealer, too. Check one out today!