Mercedes-Benz at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007

Powerful, economical and clean diesel engines for the motherland of petrol hybrids

Stuttgart/Tokyo -- Oct 24, 2007 -- At the 40th Tokyo Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz is underscoring its position as the leading premium brand with a veritable pageant of compelling new models and innovative drive solutions. Among its motor show highlights in the homeland of the petrol hybrid, the inventor of the motor car and the diesel passenger car will be showcasing highly efficient, clean BLUETEC HYBRID versions of the C-Class and S-Class.

Hans Tempel, President and CEO of DaimlerChrysler Japan and Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show

This unique modular drive concept, due to be launched shortly in various models and versions, will be premiered in the new E-Class in 2010.

* E 320 CDI: first and only diesel passenger car approved for Japan

* BLUETEC and BLUETEC HYBRID: cleanest, most economical diesel engines

* F 700 with DIESOTTO: luxury saloon with compact-car fuel consumption

* B-Class F-Cell: series-production zero-emission fuel cells from 2010

* New C-Class Estate: Asian premiere in Tokyo

Mercedes-Benz is also showcasing other motor show highlights in Tokyo, such as its groundbreaking F 700 research vehicle with DIESOTTO, the petrol engine of the future, the B-Class F-Cell, which will be the first series-production Mercedes-Benz car fitted with a fuel cell from 2010, and the new C-Class Estate, which is celebrating its Asian premiere in Tokyo and is due for launch in the Japanese market at the start of 2008.

The highly versatile estate version will supplement the C-Class Saloon, which went on sale in the spring in Japanand has already attracted some 7000 buyers. “The success of the new C-Class has decisively helped Mercedes-Benz regain the top spot in September among the premium import brands in Japan”, says Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, attending the first international motor show since the group and the passenger car unit were renamed.

The presence of Mercedes-Benz will also be bolstered significantly in Japan over the long term. “On November 1, we will be renaming our company ‘Mercedes-Benz Japan’”, says Hans Tempel, President and CEO of DaimlerChrysler Japan.

The long-standing brand, whose excellent reputation in Japan goes back to the legendary cars built for Emperor Hirohito in the 1930s, is also now benefiting from its lead in state-of-the-art diesel technology. For instance, the E 320 CDI is the first and to date only diesel passenger car which undercuts the tighter long-term emissions limits in Japan. Hans Tempel: “Our Japanese customers appreciate that. In a passenger car market where diesels currently account for less than 0.1 percent of new registrations, the E 320 CDI has secured a remarkably high figure of around 20 percent of E‑Class orders.”

In Japan the experts predict a sharp increase in the market share of diesels to around 15 percent by 2015. Mercedes-Benz is pioneering this development, a development supported energetically by renowned Japanese experts, on the back of environmentally and resource-friendly innovations such as BLUETEC and BLUETEC HYBRID which give customers what they want. In the words of Dr Zetsche: “BLUETEC HYBRID is a logical continuation of our globally successful diesel strategy. This modular hybrid concept is the new benchmark for efficient, clean and effortlessly superior driving pleasure in all vehicle segments and, in turn, the powerhouse behind the premium-class car of the future.”

BLUETEC HYBRID for the cleanest, most efficient premium-class cars

The C 300 BLUETEC HYBRID, a near-production study based on the new C-Class Estate, is a shining example in Tokyo of the outstanding potential of this unique technology. The four-cylinder unit and the hybrid module combined develop 165 kW/224 hp and maximum torque of 560 Nm, on a par with the figures of a large-volume V8 petrol unit. Yet the C 300 BLUETEC HYBRID consumes only 4.6 l/100 km. Mercedes-Benz is also presenting the same drive in an S-Class luxury saloon in Tokyo. The S 300 BLUETEC HYBRID combines effortlessly superior performance with unrivalled low consumption in this segment of just 5.4 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres, the equivalent of just 142 grams of CO2 per kilometre and thus 57 grams or around 30 percent less than the current world’s best saloon in the S-Class segment. The S 300 BLUETEC HYBRID has the potential to comply with the world's most stringent emissions standards – for instance the European EU6 or the BIN5 emissions standard for 50 U.S. states.

The six-cylinder version in the S 400 BLUETEC HYBRID is even more powerful yet boasts the same exemplary economy and clean credentials: a combination of 195 kW/265 hp and a maximum torque of 630 Nm with fuel consumption of just 5.8 litres of diesel per 100 kilometre. “This S-Class is perfect testimony to the aspirations and expertise of Mercedes-Benz in building the most exciting cars for our customers in future,” says Dr Zetsche.

F 700 with DIESOTTO: the petrol engine of the future

The F 700 with its innovative DIESOTTO and hybrid drive consumes just 5.3 litres of petrol per 100 kilometres – equivalent to CO2 emissions of just 127 grams per kilometre. This figure is on a par with today's diesel-engined compact cars and marks the lowest petrol consumption figures for a luxury saloon in the history of the motor car. The outstanding innovations on the F 700 include its innovative PRE-SCAN suspension which uses laser sensors to detect the road conditions and computes in advance the optimum suspension setting for each individual wheel.

Pioneering solutions have also found their way into the interior of the F 700. The intelligently designed, multiply adjustable REVERSE Seat does away with the inflexible seating configuration of conventional luxury saloons. This innovative design provides seat and rest positions facing both forwards and backwards. Another groundbreaking innovation comes in the shape of the SERVO-HMI with its sophisticated voice recognition capability. The system engages in a direct dialogue with the person at the wheel, while the avatar shown on the display acts like a personal assistant to the driver.

Source: Daimler

BMW at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007

The German premium car maker BMW is proudly presenting the growing diversity and appeal of its exceptional model range at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007 in the capital city of Japan.

The most significant motor show in Asia is also the venue of a world debut, with the new BMW M3 Saloon being presented to the public for the first time. Following the Coupé, this is the second body version of the BMW M3 powered by a 309 kW/420 hp V8 for a truly fascinating high-performance sports car experience also in everyday traffic.

2008 BMW M3 Sedan

In addition, BMW is presenting two Asian premieres at the Tokyo Motor Show 2007: First, the new BMW 6 Series Coupé and Convertible setting new standards in dynamic performance, motoring culture and exclusivity. Second, the new BMW 1 Series Coupé for ultimate driving pleasure in the compact model series.

2008 BMW 6 Series Convertible

The Tokyo Motor Show is being held from 27 October–11 November in the capital city of Japan, the organisers and more than 250 international exhibitors expecting some 1.5 million visitors during this period. To accommodate the 40th Tokyo Motor Show, the exhibition area on the Makuhari Fairgrounds has been expended by more than 10 per cent to a total of almost 45,000 square metres or 485,000 square feet.

Sheer Driving Pleasure in all segments.

Presenting the BMW M3 Saloon, the new BMW 6 Series, and the BMW 1 Series Coupé, as well as a wide range of model, engine and equipment variants never seen before in Japan, BMW is underlining the Company’s position as the world’s leading manufacturer of premium cars. More than ever before, the current model range enables the Company to convey that

2008 BMW 1 Series Coupé

Sheer Driving Pleasure so typical of BMW throughout a wide range of car segments. And this unique quality is also and, indeed, in particular borne out by the unique competence of the BMW Group in the area of drivetrain development.

The new models presented at the Tokyo Motor Show set new standards in the area of driving dynamics and, at the same time, spell out further progress in the efficient use of fuel. The new BMW 135i Coupé, for example, makes the success of BMW EfficientDynamics, the Company’s unique development strategy, particularly clear and convincing, its 3.0-litre straight-six power unit with Twin Turbo technology and direct gasoline injection (High Precision Injection) developing a spectacular 225 kW/306 hp. As a result, this unique two-door athlete sets a new benchmark in driving dynamics, together with impressive fuel economy for a car of this kind, with average fuel consumption in the European test cycle of just 9.6 litres/100 km, equal to 29.4 mpg imp.

For years, BMW EfficientDynamics has been providing a wide range of trendsetting innovations. These include fully variable VALVETRONIC valve management presented by BMW in 2001 and now featured in more than a million cars sold the world over. This technology also referred to as throttle-free load management helps not only to increase engine output to an even higher level, but also to significantly reduce fuel consumption under practical driving conditions.

Another example of impressive innovations in the context of EfficientDynamics is the composite magnesium/aluminium crankcase for BMW’s straight-six power units introduced in 2004. Weighing just 57 per cent of a conventional grey-cast-iron engine block, this trendsetting power unit is also about

24 per cent lighter than a comparable aluminium engine.

At the Tokyo Motor Show 2007, the BMW X5 3.0si, the BMW 630i, the BMW 330i and the BMW Z4 Roadster 3.0si as well as the BMW Z4 Coupé 3.0si all feature six-cylinder power units with VALVETRONIC and a composite magnesium/aluminium crankcase.

Innovative power for enhanced dynamics, safety, and comfort.

At the Tokyo Motor Show 2007 BMW is also proving its unique innovative power through new driver assistance, safety and comfort functions.

The new BMW 6 Series, for example, stands out not only through its stylishly modified design and muscular engines, but also through a wide range of innovations in technology for further enrichment of the driving experience. Exclusive features such as Adaptive Headlights and variable light distribution, Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function for maintaining the right distance in flowing traffic and even at dead slow speeds, a Lane Departure Warning complete with a vibration signal on the steering wheel,

Head-Up Display, BMW Night Vision and the High-Beam Assistant make both the Coupé and the Convertible genuine spearheads in technology.

Many of these new developments are also featured in the new BMW 5 Series: And like the 6 Series, the new 5 Series also comes, over and above the features mentioned, with crash-activated headrests reducing the risk of cervical spine injury in a collision from behind.

Likewise offering new features and a carefully upgraded interior, the BMW 3 Series is also enhancing its leadership in its segment. And now the outstanding success of the 3 Series is no longer based “just” on the Saloon and Touring, since, following the market launch of the BMW 3 Series Coupé and the BMW 3 Series Convertible, this superior series has now also been rounded off completely in Japan.

The new BMW X5 being presented at the Tokyo Motor Show 2007 offers unique driving dynamics unparalleled in its segment. Indeed, this new version of the BMW X5 is continuing the worldwide success of this unique vehicle, offering even greater dynamics on the road, an even higher standard of exclusivity and optimised versatility within the interior.

The new BMW X5 is available with both a 261 kW/355 hp eight-cylinder and a 200 kW/272 hp six-cylinder, power being conveyed to the road in both cases via BMW’s intelligent xDrive all-wheel-drive system. This variable distribution of power gives the BMW X5 superior dynamics on the road as well as outstanding traction on rough terrain.

The second, equally successful member of BMW’s SAV family is the BMW X3 also to be admired at the Tokyo Motor Show in its top version with a 200 kW/272 hp six-cylinder power unit and six-speed automatic transmission.

Both the BMW Z4 Roadster and the BMW Z4 Coupé focus throughout on dynamic performance and unique driving pleasure. Both models come with high-performance straight-six power units outdone only by the even more dynamic 3.2-litre engine in the BMW Z4 M Roadster and the BMW Z4 M Coupé developing 252 kW/343 hp with its high-speed engine concept so typical of BMW M for a genuine feeling of motorsport on the road.

Technology of the future, already available today: BMW Hydrogen 7.

Introducing the world’s first luxury performance hydrogen saloon for everyday use also to be admired at the Tokyo Motor Show 2007, BMW clearly underlines the Company’s leading position in future-oriented drive concepts.

BMW Hydrogen 7 is driven by a dual-mode twelve-cylinder able to run on both conventional gasoline and hydrogen, and setting an unparalleled milestone en route to a new form of mobility free of pollutants and independent of fossil fuels. Maximum output of BMW Hydrogen 7 is 191 kW/260 hp, giving the car all the dynamics and driving comfort of a BMW luxury saloon and providing a maximum range of more than 500 kilometres or 310 miles simply by pressing a button to switch over from one fuel to another.

BMW Hydrogen 7 has been built in small series of 100 units, giving leaders in society and celebrities the world over the opportunity within just three months to cover a total of more than two million kilometres with this future-oriented hydrogen luxury saloon – and naturally, these are only the first users of this unique car.