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Star Quality: Exciting new Mercedes-Benz models dazzle the Middle East from Beirut

New C-Class Coupé and SLK Roadster Middle East launch
Beirut, Lebanon: In a city famed for its glamorous nightlife filled with millionaires, models, socialites and celebrities, it was the Mercedes-Benz sparkling three pointed star that stole the show in Beirut last night, as the luxury automotive company launched its all new C-Class Coupé, and third generation of its most successful sports car ever - the SLK Roadster - in spectacular style.

Held at SkyBar, one of the Middle East's most fashionable nightspots, the stunning Middle East launch of the innovative and sporty new Mercedes-Benz models drew gasps from the rooftop guest list of 800 VIPs, which included Mercedes-Benz' General Distributors, customers, and media from across the region.

The C-Class Coupé enters a new market segment for Mercedes-Benz, offering a sporty compact coupé with classic proportions and a forward-looking, expressive style, and technology that includes a new generation of telematics with internet access. From the side, the new coupé beguiled revellers with its flat silhouette, powerful shoulders and narrow C-pillar in a classic three-box design.

Also wowing the crowd were the C-Class Coupé's trim parts available in a porcelain piano-lacquer look - a first in automotive engineering - complementing the car's exclusive interior feel.

The C-Class Coupé will be available in the Middle East as C 250 BlueEFFICIENCY, and C 350 BlueEFFICIENCY engine versions. A 457hp 6.3-litre C 63 AMG Coupé V8 engine version is also offered, with the option to be boosted to 487 hp with the AMG Performance package. An additional C 180 engine version will be available in the Levant.

The launch of the new SLK Roadster marks the third generation of one of the most exciting and successful sports cars ever built, designed to take driving pleasure and open-air enjoyment to a new level. It blends light-footed sportiness with stylish comfort, a striking sports-car design with total suitability for everyday use, and top performance with exemplary ecology.

Fittingly launched beneath the twinkling night-sky, the SLK proudly introduced the Middle East to its world-first panoramic vario-roof with MAGIC SKY CONTROL, which switches to light or dark at the touch of a button. Three new direct injection engine powered SLK models will be available in the region. Four-cylinder engines include the 184 hp SLK 200 BlueEFFICIENCY and 204 hp SLK 250 BlueEFFICIENCY, and the 306 hp V6 engine in the SLK 350.

Speaking at the event, a delighted Frank Bernthaler, Director, Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Cars, Middle East & Levant enthused: "2011 is a momentous year for Mercedes-Benz. 125 years since the invention of the automobile by our founding fathers Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler, we are still creating cutting edge luxury vehicles with ground-breaking designs. But this year is different. With these new models, this is the year that Mercedes-Benz stops being the car your Dad drove, and becomes the car that you drive."

Addressing the glittering audience from giant LED screens as the evening crescendoed towards the unveiling of the C-Class Coupé and SLK Roadster, Mike Belk, President and CEO, Daimler Middle East & Levant, said: "Mercedes-Benz cars, and especially our coupés, have become like the stars of the Middle East's social scene. They're confident, beautiful, desirable, fashionable, ambitious, young and successful, whilst always remembering our core values of safety, quality, reliability, comfort and efficiency. There's definitely no missing the glint of the three pointed star either."

Unveiled using ground-breaking 3-D mapping technology, fireworks, and dance performances to a soundtrack provided by leading DJs and musicians, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé and SLK Roadster innovative designs dazzled a city that has seen it all.

The C-Class Coupé: the perfect shape

What more dynamic way to celebrate the invention of the automobile? The expressive C-Class Coupé sees Mercedes-Benz, now in its 125th year of corporate history, entering a new compact coupé market segment. Typical coupé features include the short front overhang, long bonnet, steeply raked windscreen and long, stretched-out roof. The greenhouse extends far beyond the rear axle over the low-raked rear window to a sportily short tail end. At the front, the new coupé shares the same styling as the latest C-Class and yet still has its own twist. The radiator grille has the double-louvre style typical of a coupé. Two chrome louvres extend left and right either side of the central star, tapering off at the outer edges and creating a sporty, arrow-shaped horizontal sweep at the front end.

A highlight in the interior is the coupé seats with integral head restraints and single seats in the rear, thereby demonstrating the car's sporty credentials to the driver. The dashboard reveals a strong, sporty and high-quality design including three tube rings with a galvanised finish. A large section of trim is a high-quality part of the dashboard instrument panel. This extends from the centre air vents across the front passenger side to the outer air vent, emphasising the interior's generous proportions. For the first time in automotive engineering, the trim parts are available in a porcelain piano-lacquer look, so complementing the car's exclusive interior feel. The piano-lacquer look is available in conjunction with the style package or the Edition 1.

There is a choice of four petrol engines to power the C-Class Coupé. The BlueEFFICIENCY designation indicates that they are particularly efficient in their use of fuel. All automatic versions feature the further-enhanced 7G-TRONIC PLUS seven-speed automatic transmission.

The range of engines for the C-Class Coupé at a glance:

Model*	Cyl.	cc	kW/hp at rpm	Nm from rpm	0-100 km/h (s)	Top speed km/h	l/100 km NEDC comb.	CO2 g/km
C 180 BE ***	4/in-line	1796	115/156 5000	250 1600	8.9	223	6.5-7.0	150-162
C 250 BE	4/in-line	1796	150/204 5500	310 2300	7.2	240	6.5-7.0	152-163
C 350 BE	V6	3498	225/306 6500	370 3500	6.0	250	6.8-7.0	159-164
C 63 AMG Coupé	V8	6208	336/457 6800 rpm AND 358/487 6800 *	600 5000	4.4 4.3 *	250 **	12.0 l	280

BE = BlueEFFICIENCY, * with the AMG Performance package; ** electronically limited; *** available in Levant only

Chassis: agile handling and pure fun at the wheel

The AGILITY CONTROL suspension, which is standard equipment and has a sporty configuration, complements the dynamic engines to perfection. This is based on an amplitude-dependent damping system: when driving normally with low shock absorber impulses, the damping forces are automatically reduced for a noticeable improvement in road roar and tyre vibration - but without any compromise in handling safety.

When shock absorber impulses are greater, for example when cornering at speed or performing evasive manoeuvres, the maximum damping forces are set and the car is effectively stabilised. The AGILITY CONTROL suspension is complemented by a rack-and-pinion steering system. Speed-sensitive steering with variable centring and a constant steering ratio is available as an option.

In addition to the AGILITY CONTROL suspension as standard, there is an optional extra on the coupé in the form of a 15 mm lower sports suspension with harder, shorter springs, tauter shock absorbers and stronger torsion bars. Speed-sensitive sports steering is also included.

C-Class Coupé: Driver assistance systems provide warnings and intervene

With nine airbags as standard, belt tensioners and belt-force limiters for all seats, the C-Class Coupé has extensive safety features. The airbags, which can deploy in milliseconds in the event of an accident, include front airbags for the driver and front passenger, a kneebag on the driver's side, sidebags and pelvisbags in the front, as well as windowbags for the driver and the front and rear passengers.

With a number of driving assistance systems that include ACTIVE BLINDSPOT ASSIST, ACTIVE LANEKEEPING ASSIST, ATTENTION ASSIST, the coupé provides a comprehensive level of driver support and protection, with DISTRONIC PLUS setting it apart in its segment. The assistance systems are based on the latest radar, camera and sensor technology, and cover frequent accident causes such as driving too closely, fatigue and darkness.

The new C 63 AMG coupé - emotion and high performance at its most attractive

Mercedes-Benz presents the new C 63 AMG Coupé, a stand-alone, high-performance car that appeals to all the senses: unmistakable design is teamed up with a high-performance drive system and dynamic handling. The new Coupé rounds off the successful C-Class AMG model range, which includes the classic Saloon as well as the practical Estate models.

The C 63 AMG Coupé also enhances the AMG family of Coupés: in addition to the CLS 63 AMG and the CL 63 AMG, Mercedes-AMG GmbH is now able to offer another dream car featuring a high-performance eight-cylinder engine. The Middle East market launch commences in August 2011. Looking particularly attractive is the "Edition 1" of the C 63 AMG Coupé, available from launch and featuring exclusive equipment.

The AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine in the C 63 AMG Coupé has a maximum output of 336 kW (457 hp) and peak torque of 600 Nm, delivering powerful traction and first-class performance figures: the Coupé accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and the top speed is 250 km/h (electronically limited). With this kind of specification, the new two-door vehicle is set to take the lead in its segment.

The new Mercedes-Benz SLK Roadster

Passion, style and innovative technology - the new SLK sets standards

Exemplary efficiency and sporty flair come courtesy of powerful new 4- and 6-cylinder engines. With their superb levels of performance, they are up to 25 percent more economical than their predecessors. With a unique set of safety equipment and a wealth of technical innovations, the SLK is once again the benchmark in its class.

"The new SLK embodies the role of the trend-setter like no other car," says Frank Bernthaler, Director, Sales & Marketing, Daimler Middle East &

Levant. "I am convinced that with its passionate design, its high-quality

interior and its modesty at the filling station it will continue to provide an enormous amount of fun on the road, consolidating its status as a cult

roadster."

Innovations are part of the successful history of the Mercedes-Benz SLK:

· In 1996 the first generation caused a sensation with the vario-roof, which transformed the wide-open roadster into a coupé with a fixed roof at the touch of a button in just a few seconds;

· The second generation placed the warm AIRSCARF around the neck and shoulders of the occupants as needed, ensuring pleasurable open-top motoring even in cooler temperatures;

· Now the third generation is presenting one of its unique highlights - the world premiere of the panoramic vario-roof with MAGIC SKY CONTROL. It can be quickly switched to light or dark at the touch
of a button

But the new Mercedes-Benz SLK offers more than merely individual highlights. It assumes a leading position in every discipline and offers fun at the wheel
in every respect, with no half-hearted compromises. It impresses with characteristics which are generally deemed to be irreconcilable: it succeeds in uniting excellent comfort and high-quality equipment and appointments with a decidedly sporty flair, for instance. At the same time the new roadster is the most economical and thus the most environmentally friendly in its class, also setting new safety standards. And all-weather driving enjoyment - open and closed, in leisure-time and everyday use - is firmly anchored in the SLK's genes.

SLK: A distinctive design creates a sporty presence

The designers have tailor-made an outfit for the new SLK which emphasises its classic roadster proportions and puts them in the spotlight to thrilling effect. Behind the long bonnet is a compact passenger compartment positioned far back, and a short tail end. The SLK will tempt potential customers with the key attributes that characterise all the classic roadsters from Mercedes-Benz and that have also made many of them automotive icons.

The first feature to catch the eye is an upright radiator grille that stands proud and confident. It facilitates the long and well-proportioned bonnet and with its rearward light-catching contours it already hints at the roadster's dynamic qualities. The wide radiator grille bears the Mercedes-Benz star in a prominent central position and displays a powerfully contoured fin, chromed at the front. The clearly defined headlamps complete the look for the new SLK's face, which resembles that of the legendary 190 SL from the 1950s, which is regarded by many as being the original "SLK". But it was certainly not just the past that the designers were focusing on; with the new SLK's front end they also intentionally created a close visual link with the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG "gull-wing model" and the new CLS.

The amazing and measurable proof of the meticulously detailed work that has been carried out is that in spite of the more striking, steeper front and the larger frontal area, the Cd value has been cut to just 0.30 - a brilliant achievement (the preceding model's Cd value was 0.32).

The closed, elegant shape of the side view with the classic roadster proportions quickens the pulse and is a visual promise of the sportiness and driving pleasure in store. Fine details show the care that has been taken by the Mercedes-Benz designers. For example, a fillet conceals the boot joint, so that it does not disturb the side aspect as with similar roof designs. The ventilation grilles in the front wings with a chromed fin are reminiscent of the famous Mercedes-Benz roadsters of the 1950s. In the new SLK they form the perfect starting point for a feature line which flows to the muscular rear wing, using light and shadow to add style and elegance to the sides. Meanwhile the upper edge of the wide headlamps - which boast all-LED technology for the first time - also appears to flow into the feature line.

SLK: Interior with style and a feel-good atmosphere

With the most compact dimensions in its class, the new SLK has an interior whose generous size is exemplary. To achieve this, the designers have developed interior appointments which offer the driver and passenger a real feel-good ambience. The interior is characterised by sporty refinement, well-thought-out ergonomics and high-quality, authentic materials which have been processed with painstaking attention to detail and skilled craftsmanship. Even in the base version the centre console and other trim parts gleam in brushed aluminium. Wood can be selected as an option in high-gloss dark brown walnut or high-gloss black ash. Four round, galvanised air outlets integrated in the dashboard emphasise that this model well and truly belongs to the Mercedes-Benz sports car family, their shape being derived from those in the SLS.

The SLK's generous dial instruments are flanked by a display for the information generated by the online computer. The colour display for the communications and entertainment functions is housed in the centre of the dashboard, and can be easily read by both the driver and passenger. On the top of the dashboard, also in the centre, sits a fine analogue clock - an unusual detail which subtly underlines the roadster's stylish character.

Other high-quality items of equipment include a multifunction sports steering wheel with a flattened lower section and a thick leather rim, plus optional sun-reflecting leather which noticeably reduces the degree to which the surfaces it covers heat up, impressive ambient lighting which for the first time has a red colour tone, and the innovative neck-level heating system AIRSCARF familiar from the preceding model.

SLK: Unique feature: MAGIC SKY CONTROL

For the first time Mercedes-Benz is offering a choice of three variants of the lightweight-construction vario-roof for the new SLK. In just a few seconds this feature transforms the roadster into a coupé with a "fixed" roof at the touch of a button - and vice versa:

· The base version is a roof painted in the vehicle colour.

· Alternatively there is the option of a panoramic vario-roof with tinted glass.

· The third variant is a world premiere - the panoramic vario-roof with MAGIC SKY CONTROL. This glass roof switches to light or dark as you wish at the press of a button. When light it is virtually transparent, offering an open-air experience even in cold weather. In its dark state the roof provides welcome shade and prevents the interior from heating up when the sun's rays are very intense. In other words: a feel-good atmosphere at the touch of a button.

SLK: Innovative draught-stop system AIRGUIDE

A comfortable alternative to the conventional draught-stop is a new, pivoting draught-stop for the new SLK which has been invented by Mercedes-Benz aerodynamics engineers. It consists of pivoting, transparent perspex sections which are attached to the reverse of the roll-over bars. The driver or passenger can pivot them to the centre of the vehicle in a flash, thus taming turbulent air flow. When the pivoting draught-stops are not required, they disappear almost invisibly behind the roll-over bars. There is no awkward disassembly and removal as with other draught-stops.

SLK: Spirit and efficiency

There will initially be three models of the SLK available at its market launch, all of them powered by new engines with direct injection. The four-cylinder engines in the SLK 200 BlueEFFICIENCY and SLK 250 BlueEFFICIENCY develop 135 kW (184 hp) and 150 kW (204 hp) respectively from a displacement of 1796 cubic centimetres. The SLK 200 BlueEFFICIENCY has the lowest CO2 emissions in its segment. With the enhanced, optional seven-speed automatic transmission 7G-TRONIC PLUS it consumes just 6.1 litres of premium petrol (NEDC, combined) over 100 kilometres, corresponding to 142 g of CO2 per kilometre. This sporty model sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.0 seconds, and achieves a top speed of 237 km/h (240 km/h with manual transmission).

The SLK 250 BlueEFFICIENCY is initially equipped with the 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission and consumes only 6.2litres (NEDC, combined) per 100 kilometres (144 g of CO2 per kilometre). From standstill it reaches100 km/h in 6.6 seconds, and it has a top speed of 243 km/h.

The V6 engine in the SLK 350 BlueEFFICIENCY generates 225 kW (306 hp) from its 3498 cubic-centimetre displacement, using this power to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds (top speed 250 km/h). Its consumption is 7.1 litres (NEDC, combined) per 100 kilometres (167 g of CO2 per kilometre). The V6 engine has been completely newly developed. Its most important hallmarks are 3^rd-generation direct injection, piezo injectors and multi-spark ignition.

SLK: Suspension for the closest connection to the road

There are also three suspension versions to choose from:

· A conventional steel suspension comes as standard

· A sports suspension with harder springs and dampers ensures a systematically sporty driving experience

· As an alternative a Dynamic Handling package is available. This includes an electronically controlled, fully automatic damping system. This means that the vehicle has excellent suspension comfort even on poor road surfaces, but still offers high driving dynamics

Also included in the Dynamic Handling package are a Direct-Steer system and the Torque Vectoring Brakes developed by Mercedes-Benz. The Direct-Steer system offers more handling and agility than the standard steering, whilst also reducing the amount of physical effort required when parking. In critical conditions the Torque Vectoring Brakes produce a defined rotational movement of the vehicle about the vertical axis in fractions of seconds through selective brake actuation at the rear wheel on the inside of the bend. This results in the SLK stabilising without any compromises where dynamism is concerned, and it steers into the bend precisely and under full control.

SLK: Ingenious material mix and high levels of safety

The new SLK's bodyshell structure has been further refined, with the bonnet and wings now made of aluminium. The new Mercedes-Benz SLK also sets new benchmarks in terms of safety. The third generation of the powerful trend-setter will make use of a whole host of the latest assistance systems to support the driver, including the drowsiness detection system ATTENTION ASSIST, developed by Mercedes-Benz and fitted as standard; the optional anticipatory occupant protection system PRE-SAFE^®, which is unique in the world; and the PRE-SAFE^® Brake, which can apply the brakes autonomously in the event of an impending rear-end collision. This means that with the SLK too, Mercedes-Benz is consistently and significantly exceeding the requirements imposed by safety standards.

Further assistance systems are available on request:

· DISTRONIC PLUS: this proximity control system automatically maintains a set distance from the vehicle ahead, braking the roadster to a standstill if necessary and accelerating the SLK again.

· The Intelligent Light System provides five lighting functions (cornering light function, country mode, motorway mode, active light function and enhanced fog lamps), which are activated depending on the driving conditions

-Ends-

For more information, please contact:
Nick Langmead
Press Contact
bbdo.langmead@daimler.com

Mob: +971 50 8847964
Bassam Saifi
Press Contact
bbdo.saifi@daimler.com

Mob: +971 50 2838085
Further information from Mercedes-Benz is available online at: www.media.daimler.com

© Press Release 2011