- Innovative technology, focussed on respecting the environment
- Exceptional vehicles aim to satisfy customer expectations
Pretoria. Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) has an exciting and dominant presence at the Johannesburg International Motor Show in October, as it showcases exhilarating high-performance passenger cars and state-of the-art trucks, vans and buses.
As a leader in many of the vehicle market segments, and as a local manufacturer for 63 years, Mercedes-Benz South Africa continues to give the South African motoring public an amazing array of world-class mobility options. On show are exciting and technologically advanced vehicles; as well as innovative finance, insurance and fleet options.
Following the claim of ‘inventor of the automobile’ 125 years ago, the company demonstrates its commitment to exceptional vehicle performance combined with cleaner technology that is kinder to the environment, while simultaneously offering SA’s motoring and business public a vehicle suited exactly to individual needs.
The company’s displays are integrated into large-scale, consolidated show stands for their broad-range of passenger cars and commercial vehicles. The MBSA exhibitions are testimony to the company’s commitment to the enthusiastic South African motoring public and industry. Having participated at every event, since the inception of the forerunner, Auto Africa, this year’s MBSA passenger car and commercial vehicle stands are the largest yet.
The finest cars of impeccable quality have been carefully selected to ensure that each model is offered to the public in a manner designed to demonstrate its remarkable attributes.
Mercedes-Benz Cars exhibition in Hall 6 – in brief:
- The high-performance, heart-stopping Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster is a ‘masterpiece’, putting out a massive 420 kW at 6 800 rpm, accelerating from zero to 100 km/h in a mere 3.8 seconds, and reaching a top speed of 317 km/h (electronically limited). The Johannesburg International Motor Show is the first public viewing of this exciting V8 powerhouse.
- The most successful Mercedes-Benz in the brand’s history, the C-Class, has sold over 8.5 million sedans and estates since its original introduction in 1982. In South Africa the Mercedes-Benz C-Class is the cornerstone of the local company’s export programme to the United States, where it has consistently secured the top J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study awards, taking a gold award in 2009 and 2011 and the coveted 2010 Platinum Award for the best plant in the world supplying new cars to the US. The current W204 model has sold around 1.2 million. The latest new-generation C-Class launched in South Africa in July this year is bound to add to this remarkable tally.
- The new C-Class coupé launched on 01 August puts the panache back into the two-door sedan market with all the progressive technology of the C-Class combined with the sportiness of a compact coupé.
- Following the alternative-drive concept, Mercedes-Benz displays the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL model used in the recent “World Drive Tour” which unequivocally proved everyday usability of Mercedes-Benz’s fuel-cell technology.
- The showstopper, the Concept A-Class, is the overall star of the Johannesburg International Motor Show. This is a futuristic car with very expressive design and styling to symbolise concentrated dynamism. The technical highlights include a new, turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, dual clutch transmission and a radar-based collision warning system with Adaptive Brake Assist.
- smart – one of the earliest cars with zero emission – demonstrates the brand’s total environmental commitment by featuring the smart MHD (micro-hybrid drive) in tandem with the smart ebike, which provides emission-free electric mobility on two wheels.
As is evident from the abovementioned, MBSA is the largest exhibitor as a group at the 2011 Johannesburg International Motor Show with its the vast array of cars representing from the smallest smart to executive passenger cars, to sporty high-performance AMG models.
As exciting as the show is for the enthusiast and the family, so too the show provides an ideal platform to promote a wide variety of fascinating cars.
