Andrea Eberhardt
Head of Global Communications Mercedes-Benz Vans
andrea.eberhardt@daimler.com
Mercedes-Benz Cars at the Consumer Electronics Show 2019: Starting the New Year with the World Premiere of a Design Icon
The brand with the three-pointed star is kicking off the new year at CES 2019 with the world premiere of the new Mercedes-Benz CLA Coupé featuring the further evolution of the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) infotainment system. Further highlights are the US premieres of the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz EQC (power consumption combined: 22.2 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 0 g/km, preliminary figures) and the pioneering Vision URBANETIC mobility concept. You can watch the Mercedes-Benz press conference via video-on-demand on Mercedes me media: https://media.mercedes-benz.com/ces2019.
The Mercedes-Benz CLA Coupé celebrates its world premiere. The successor to the premium coupé first unveiled in 2013 boasts an innovative interior with the next evolution of the MBUX, which now recognises control commands through movements. Also new is the ENERGIZING COACH familiar from the B-Class. This service, based on an intelligent algorithm, suggests one of the programmes from the ENERGIZING package according to the situation and individual needs. Its extensively facelifted exterior ensures the new CLA Coupé remains the design icon of the compact segment. Its distinctive forward-angled front end with its long, taut hood and power domes is particularly striking, while the wider track emphasises the sporty and dynamic look.
"We're taking it to the next level by bringing the intelligent interior assistant to the compact class, too. Movement recognition makes it easier and more intuitive to operate," says Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. "The CLA offers a huge amount of automotive intelligence, and not just with this new feature."
"With the first CLA, a four-door compact coupe, we opened up a completely new segment. And its success proves us right: 750,000 units of the CLA and CLA Shooting Brake alone have already been sold," says Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing & Sales. "The next iteration of the CLA is an intelligent evolutionary development that is even more emotional and sportier than its predecessor. Paired with the new operating system, it once again sets benchmarks for the entire class."
Two electrified US premieres
On show for the first time on American soil is the Mercedes-Benz EQC. The first purely battery-electric vehicle from the EQ product and technology brand represents an ideal combination of comfort, quality and everyday usability. Both inside and out, the crossover SUV embodies the design language of progressive luxury. The EQC is likewise equipped with the groundbreaking MBUX – Mercedes-Benz User Experience – multimedia system, enhanced with a wide range of EQ-specific content. It also boasts a completely re-engineered powertrain system with a compact electric driveline (eATS) front and rear, giving the EQC the handling characteristics of an all-wheel-drive vehicle and providing it with an electric range of more than 450 km in the NEDC (preliminary figures)i.
"The EQC is the Mercedes-Benz among electric vehicles. Soon, we will have many more – we aim for over ten purely electric passenger cars by 2022," stresses Ola Källenius. "This will cover the entire portfolio: from smart to large SUVs.
The future definitely is electric."
Also celebrating its US premiere is the Vision URBANETIC – a revolutionary mobility concept that goes way beyond previous notions of autonomous vehicles. Vision URBANETIC removes the division between people moving and goods transportation. The concept lowers traffic volume, takes the pressure off city infrastructures and contributes to a new quality of urban life. The revolutionary vehicle is based on an autonomous, electrically powered driving platform that can carry different, interchangeable bodies for either people moving or goods transportation. As a ride-sharing vehicle, Vision URBANETIC can carry up to twelve passengers, while the cargo module can transport up to ten EPAL pallets.
"The empathy of the Vision URBANETIC was particularly important to us: The vehicle is attentive and interacts with people through various lighting elements," says Ola Källenius. "With this kind of vehicle, we're shooting for the moon. And that's a crucial part of innovation."
High customer loyalty – sales figures continue to rise for eighth year in a row
For the third time in a row, Mercedes-Benz is the best-selling premium brand in the automotive industry. "With more than 2.4 million vehicles delivered by Mercedes-Benz Cars in 2018, we once again surpassed our own sales record - for the eighth time in succession. In addition, despite a challenging year, we maintained our position at the top of the premium segment. The enthusiasm for our vehicles as well as the loyalty of our customers motivates us to give our best well into the new year," said Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing and Sales.
The Mercedes-Benz press conference is available as video-on-demand on https://media.mercedes-benz.com/ces2019, alongside two further multi-angle live streams from our show stand, which will be uploaded during the course of the day. At 2.00 pm local time (CET-9), Sajjad Khan, Member of the Divisional Board of Mercedes-Benz Cars, CASE and Vice President of Digital Vehicle & Mobility, will provide an insight into the latest CASE developments. At 3.30 pm local time
(CET-9), Wilfried Porth, Member of the Board of Management, Human Resources and Director of Labour Relations, Mercedes-Benz Vans, will talk about the future of mobility based on the example of the Vision URBANETIC. The media available on Mercedes me media also offers a wide range of additional information as well as extensive imagery and video footage from CES 2019.
i Figures on fuel consumption, power consumption and CO2 emissions are preliminary. They were calculated by Technical Services for the certification process in accordance with the WLTP and correlated with NEDC figures. EC type approval and a conformity certificate with official figures are not yet available. The official figures may differ from those stated here.