OCTOBER 2012 | NEWSPAPER FOR EMPLOYEES OF DAIMLER AG

DaimlerINSIDEInterviewC. Hohmann-Dennhardt: Integrity is a positive force Page 2

fairplay CampaignProtecting data — ensuring trustPage 2

EmployeesOlympic BMX rider and honorary award winner Page 7

INSIDE extraAll you need to know aboutthe Mercedes-Benz Citan

IAA COMMERCIAL VEHICLES 2012

Trucks, Buses, and Vans for the WorldSome 300 media representatives from around the world at-tended the Daimler Brand Evening event at the start of the IAAin Hanover. Among other things, they learned from AndreasRenschler, member of the Daimler Board of Management withresponsibility for Daimler Trucks and Daimler Buses, that theGroup’s commercial vehicle organization “is not just a Euro-pean manufacturer that operates internationally but rather atrue global player.”

Daimler Trucks not only showcased Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner, and Fusobrand trucks, but also jointly exhibited commercial vehicles from all BRIC(Brazil, Russia, India, China) markets in Europe for the first time ever. Thecameras flashed and traditional music from the four countries played asthe customized vehicles from each nation were presented. For Russia, thecompany displayed a semitrailer tractor from its Russian partner Kamaz.India was represented by a BharatBenz truck, China by an Auman-brandvehicle, and Brazil by the tried and tested Actros manufactured at theJuiz de Fora plant.Daimler’s exhibition area at the IAA totaled approximately 16,000 squaremeters. The Group presented its entire range of commercial vehicle prod-ucts — 70 trucks, vans, and buses produced by Mercedes-Benz, Setra, andFuso. All of Daimler’s commercial vehicle units captured awards at the IAAas well. The big winner was the Mercedes-Benz Citaro Euro VI, the world’sfirst city bus to comply with the Euro VI emission standard. In fact, the Citarowas named “Bus of the Year 2013.” The Mercedes-Benz Antos was the run-ner-up for “Truck of the Year 2013,” and the Mercedes-Benz Citan finishedthird in the van category of the same award.

Trucks from BharatBenz, Auman, and Kamaz.

MERCEDES-BENZ CLS SHOOTING BRAKE

Sporty Elegance and an Innovative Interior ConceptThe new CLS celebrated its world premiere in June atthe Festival of Speed in Goodwood, England. Selectedjournalists were then able to check out the model upclose in mid-September.

Journalists tested the Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake on theroads around Florence, Italy, in September. The vehicle has a surpris-ing shape, but it’s clearly a coupe — one that looks like it’s ready toleap forward from a crouching position. However, when you take a

closer look, you see that the Shooting Brake, with its five doors, is bigon functionality. With a cargo volume ranging from 590 to 1,550 liters,the Shooting Brake’s luggage compartment offers plenty of room, de-spite the model’s sporty roof design. What’s more, the vehicle comeswith an automatic door opening feature for the luggage compartmentas standard equipment. The CLS Shooting Brake isn’t just a practicalcar, however; it also sets standards for interior design and quality bycombining unadorned elegance with innovative details and handcra�edperfection. The cargo area is lined with high-quality carpet, for exam-ple, while the optional aluminum rails make for an exclusive appear-ance. Extravagance is also expressed in the cargo area by a designowood floor that underscores the carefully cra�ed character of the in-terior, and whose design was inspired by that of a luxury yacht. The tactile experience follows the visual one — on a test drive from the

banks of the Arno River to the Chianti hills. The standard rear-axle airsuspension ensures optimal traction at all times, while the electro-mechanical direct steering system provides for a precise and com-fortable handling experience. The model also offers plenty of powerin its five engine versions (two diesels and three gasoline engines).All of the engines come with a seven-speed automatic transmissionand an ECO start/stop feature. Two Shooting Brake versions are alsoequipped with all-wheel drive systems: the CLS 350 CDI 4MATICBlueEFFICIENCY and the CLS 500 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY(combined fuel consumption of 9.9-5.3 liters/100 km; combinedCO2 emissions of 231-139 g/km; Efficiency Class A-E). Interestedcustomers will also soon be able to take the new jewel from Mer-cedes-Benz for a test drive. The surprising new model from the brandwith the star is set to hit dealerships at the beginning of October.

→ READ MORE ABOUT THE DAIMLER HIGHLIGHTS AT THEIAA COMMERCIAL VEHICLES SHOW ON PAGES 4 AND 5.

EDITORIAL

Dear colleagues,

The motto of this year’s IAA Commercial Vehi-cles show, which ended just a few days ago inHanover, couldn’t have been better for a com-pany like ours: “The engine of the future.” Asyou know, we began laying the groundwork forour own future back in 2005 with our Global Ex-cellence Program. Our approach here was toconsistently pursue a platform and modularstrategy, quickly develop new product genera-tions and drive system technologies, and moveforward with our entry into global growth mar-kets. Today, we’re reaping the benefits of allthese measures. After all, no other manufac-turer can offer a product portfolio as attractiveas our range of commercial vehicles. Daimler trucks, buses, and vans are the leadersin efficiency, safety, and environmental com-patibility. We demonstrated this leadershiponce again in Hanover in the truck segmentwith the Mercedes-Benz Antos, our new spe-cialist for heavy-duty deliveries; the new Actrosequipped with a Euro VI engine that reducesnot only CO2 emissions but also fuel consump-tion; and the new generation of the Fuso CanterEco Hybrid, which pays for itself in just threeto four years. Our Euro VI-compliant Citaromade a big splash in the bus segment at theIAA. That’s not surprising, given the fact thatautomotive journalists recently named it “Busof the Year 2013.” We’ve also now defined anew standard for touring coaches with our newSetra Comfort Class 500, and the 4.3 liters offuel consumption per 100 kilometers achievedby our Citan van offers clear proof that this newmodel is a true titan for the city. These and other highlights at the IAA Commer-cial Vehicles Show impressively demonstratehow we are shaping our own future as well asthe future of our sector. We’re doing this withcustomized products that ideally meet thetransportation requirements of our customers,and with convincing technology that succeedson the market. All of this pays off for both ourcustomers and ourselves. And you, our employ-ees, are our engine, the heart of our organiza-tion. Your passion and energy continue to driveus and make our trucks, buses, and vans whatthey are: the best solutions for our customers!

Sincerely,Andreas Renschler

2 | Daimler INSIDE | October 2012

INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTINE HOHMANN-DENNHARDT

Integrity Moves UsA variety of integrity-related activities were developed and carried outover the last few months. The “Integrity in Dialogue” forum, which hasemployees throughout the Group discussing the importance of in-tegrity at work, has been operating since last November. A Group-wideagreement on revising the BPO process was reached in June by man-agement and employee representatives. The fairplay campaign isfocusing on data protection as it enters its fi�h round, and Daimlerregulations were significantly streamlined as part of a guideline opti-mization project. Christine Hohmann-Dennhardt, member of the Daim-ler Board of Management with responsibility for Integrity and LegalAffairs, talks about these measures and what we can expect to seein the future.

Ms. Hohmann-Dennhardt, a lot is happening as far as integrity is concerned. But how exactly are all the various initiatives related?

They all have the goal of more firmly anchoring the concept of integrity inour corporate culture and making it a permanent component of that culture.Most of our employees don’t even have to think about playing by the rules;they simply do it. Nevertheless, there is a general uncertainty as to whatintegrity actually means in the normal working day, especially in situationswhere the difference between right and wrong is not clear. By addressingintegrity in the various initiatives, we will further strengthen our employees’“internal compass,” so to speak, and provide them with a frame of refer-ence for their normal working day. Our company should not only be asso-ciated with fantastic automobiles but also with a good reputation overall.These days, integrity has a greater impact on a company’s reputation thanever before. Aside from all of this, we believe our employees should be ableto identify with the values of their company.

The BPO process has been restructured. Which aspects did you consider to be particularly important during this process?

The most important objective of the restructuring was to increase employ-ees’ trust in the BPO. A major issue for me was to ensure the process wouldbe transparent and, above all, fair to all those involved. The process wasratified through an agreement reached between the Group and the WorksCouncil. We’ve also published a brochure that tells employees all they needto know about the BPO process. One important change involves betterprotection for whistleblowers and those accused of violations. We havetaken measures to ensure accusations are investigated more carefully be-cause we don’t want the BPO to be misused as a type of denunciationinstrument. That’s why the BPO will not carry out investigations withoutfirm evidence of misconduct.

What can we expect to see in terms of the “Integrity in Dialogue” initiative?

The integrity dialogue is well under way throughout the Group; the next bigstep will be to continue the dialogue with our people in production. On Oc-tober 17, we will begin our “Integrity Truck” tour of all Daimler plants inGermany. We want to talk with colleagues where they work, inform themof the importance of integrity, and motivate them with the truck’s interac-tive programs. The tour’s motto is “Integrity Gets Us Moving with Respect,Openness, and Fairness.” I’m hoping that many employees will come outand see us when the truck shows up.

What are you going to do with all the results and opinions you collated through the integrity dialogue?

We’re currently drawing up the new Daimler “Integrity Guidelines.” To helpus with this task, we have been collecting and evaluating several thousandfeedback responses in relation to various dialogue events. The dialogue hasclearly demonstrated one thing: Employees believe that values, responsi-bility, trust, and understandable rules and regulations hold the key tointegrity at their company, which is why these attributes are included inthe new guidelines. The process doesn’t end with the new guidelines, however. After all, thepositive response on the part of the entire workforce has encouraged usto make the dialogue permanent. It’s also truly needed, not least becauseit promotes integrity and fairness in daily activities and improves coopera-tion. The Integrity Blog at the Employee Portal is a key platform for the ex-change of ideas and experiences among employees.

Christine Hohmann-Dennhardt: “Our company should be associated not only with fantastic automobiles but also with a good reputation overall.”

INTEGRITY IN DIALOGUE

“Integrity Truck” on TourThe “Integrity Truck” will hit the road in October under the motto “Integrity Gets Us Moving with Respect, Openness,and Fairness.” The truck will tour 18 production locations in Germany from October 18 to December 12.

How is integrity related to your job? How can you help createa corporate culture of fairness? Questions like these will

be the focus of the truck tour, which is part of Daimler’s“Integrity in Dialogue” initiative. The tour is designed toget employees at all German plants involved in the dia-logue that began at the end of last year. On board the truck will be the “Fairplay live” table soc-cer game, a video on integrity at Daimler featuring co-median Django Asül, a discussion corner, a feedbackstation, and interesting and fun experiments that bringintegrity to life. All visitors to the truck will also receive

a small gi�, and an exclusive model of the “IntegrityTruck” will be raffled off to one of the winners of a puzzle

solving contest at each location as well.Employees can learn more about the “Integrity Truck” in a special

newsletter that will be distributed at all tour stops.

INFO | Learn more about “Integrity in Dialogue” and check the dates for the truck tour atthe Daimler Employee Portal: Home > Portlet Integrity - > Integrity in Dialogue

fairplay CAMPAIGN

Protecting Data — Ensuring TrustSince September 25 the fairplay campaign has turned its attention to the protection of personal data.Since that time, flyers and posters have been distributed that provide information on data protection toemployees throughout the Group.

The age of smartphones, social networks, and customerloyalty programs has led to huge amounts of personaldata being stored, linked, and passed on — in otherwords, there’s now a lot of personal data circulatingaround the Web. But can a person determine whichinformation about themselves is passed on? Does eachindividual have a right to know who possesses personalinformation about them and what the nature of that datais? The answer is yes — these are rights that help toprotect a person’s private sphere. A company that vio-lates such rights can lose the valuable trust not onlyof its employees but also job applicants, customers, andbusiness partners. So what needs to be kept in mind when dealing withpersonal data? “Being aware of the obligation to protectpersonal data and dealing with such data in the propermanner is the best way to prevent violations,” saysDaimler’s Chief Data Protection Officer, Joachim Rieß.The fairplay campaign describes situations wherecareful attention must be paid to data protection. Addi-

tional information and orientation are provided by FAQs,interviews, and background reports at the fairplay siteon the intranet.

INFO | Selected FAQs, an interview with the German government’s Federal Commissioner for Data Protection, and additional informa-tion on the new “Data Protection” campaign can all be found at the Employee Portal (portal code: @fairplay).

Cartoon from the fairplay “Data Protection” campaign.

RESTRUCTURING OF DAIMLER’S BPO VIOLATIONS REPORTING SYSTEM

Limited to Serious Violations of Laws and RegulationsThe BPO process has been restructured. Whistleblowers and those accused ofviolations will now be better protected, and the BPO’s responsibility has beenlimited to serious violations of laws and regulations, including corruption andantitrust issues and major embezzlement.

Minor violations, like employees taking office materials home, should now be reportedto managers or the HR department. In general, these types of incidents can be inves-tigated and cleared up more easily at the local level. If the BPO receives a report ona minor violation, it will also pass this information on to the responsible manager orHR department. Ultimately, fairness also means not turning every small mistake intoa major issue. Accusations made against one’s own manager or a higher level executive are an ex-ception here. In such cases, the BPO will be responsible for the investigation. The BPOwill also pay particularly close attention to cases in which whistleblowers suffer neg-ative consequences because of the reports they submit.Daimler’s BPO violation reporting system was introduced in 2006. A fair whistleblow-er system is a key instrument of corporate governance, as it helps ensure that viola-tions are discovered before major damage is done, and that they can be properlyinvestigated and the associated problems eliminated. Such a system also protectsboth the company and its employees.

INFO| You can find more detailed information on the BPO reporting system by going directly tothe BPO page at the Employee Portal (http://portal.e.corpintra.net/go/bpo) or by entering theportal code @bpo in the Portal search field (top right).

An informative brochurewas just one of the ways tolet employees know aboutthe changes made to theBPO violation reportingsystem.

LOCATIONS/DATES

10/18 Wörth10/22 Germersheim10/24/26 Mannheim10/29 Düsseldorf10/31/11/2 Bremen11/5 Hamburg11/7 Marienfelde11/9 Stuttgart (MB Bank)

11/13 Neu-Ulm11/15/16/19 Sindelfingen11/21 Böblingen/Hulb11/23/26 Untertürkheim11/28 Mettingen11/30 Hedelfingen12/3/5 Rastatt12/7 Gaggenau12/10 Kassel12/12 Ludwigsfelde

Daimler INSIDE | October 2012 | 3

ELAB — ELECTRIC MOBILITY AND EMPLOYMENT

Changes = Chances

More than 2,000 all-electric vehicleswere newly registered in Germany lastyear. Although this figure is relativelylow, all of the experts agree that it willchange dramatically in the future.

Specifically, the experts are considering the time period until 2030and making forecasts regarding the drive system variants that willbe successful on the market and the extent to which they will appealto customers. These forecasts are part of the Electric Mobility andEmployment (ELAB) study that was recently completed. The secondpurpose of the study, which has received less attention to date, wasto determine what effect this development would have on employ-ment and qualification measures in powertrain production, irre-spective of the company. The two-year ELAB study was initiated by Daimler’s corporate man-agement and the General Works Council, in cooperation withIG Metall Baden-Württemberg and the Hans Böckler Foundation.The results that were recently presented are also of interest to otherautomakers and suppliers. A key insight for Daimler and its powertrain production is that com-bustion engines will still account for a large share of the market in2030, irrespective of the scenario. According to the experts, thesuccess of alternative drive concepts involving all-electric motors orfuel cells will vary considerably. One finding that surprised even thepeople involved in the study is that under the ideal conditions em-ployment in the sector will probably increase, because all of thedrive concepts will be available on the market at the same time. Wilfried Porth, the Daimler Board of Management member respon-sible for Human Resources, pointed out that these new technolo-

WHAT DOES THE TERM “IDEAL CONDITIONS” MEAN IN THIS CONTEXT?

The study primarily aimed to obtain a general overview. For this reason, itdid not examine certain effects, such as the distribution and displace-ment of added value among the various companies and facilities.

The study examined the period until 2030. Six different drive conceptswere identified as being crucial for the future and were subjected tocloser investigation:

→ The mild hybrid, in which the combustion engine is supplemented byan electric motor

→ The full or plug-in hybrid, which features a much more powerful electricmotor that can also be recharged at a power socket

→ The range-extended electric vehicle, which is propelled exclusively byan electric motor but is partially recharged by an onboard combustionengine

→ The battery-electric vehicle, which is powered exclusively by batteries→ The fuel cell vehicle, in which the electric motor is powered by a fuel

cell system that converts chemical energy into electricity→ Conventional-drive vehicles with combustion engines (diesel or gaso-

line)

WHAT EXACTLY IS DAIMLER DOING IN ORDER TO PREPARE ITS EMPLOYEES FOR “GREEN TECHNOLOGIES”?

• The company is integrating “green technology modules” about electricdrive systems and lightweight engineering into the training programsfor existing professions.

• The Daimler Academic Program has been launched as part of person-nel development. In this program, the company helps employees takecollege courses while they still go to work, for example. The programfocuses on new technologies such as alternative drive systems andgreen mobility engineering.

• Over the past two years the company has held further educationcourses in “green technologies” for around 44,000 managers and em-ployees. The focus of these programs was on alternative drive con-cepts and lightweight engineering.

• In the next two years, Daimler plans to provide further training toaround 20,000 employees annually.

INFO | www.elab.iao.fraunhofer.de

The project participants presented the results of the ELAB study at apress conference.

MAKING HR SYSTEMS USER-FRIENDLY AND MOBILE

Easier Online Access to HRAs part of the strategic initiative “USERfriendly HR,” the human resources unit is making various HR sys-tems more user-friendly (see the report in a previous issue). The tasks include creating a clearly struc-tured window, improving the online help, and boosting the system’s capabilities. In addition, the programinvestigates the possibility of making HR services mobile.

One of the main prioritiesis to streamline the appli-cation forms, which arebeing revamped for exter-nal job applicants first.Each of the fields that pre-viously had to be filled inwas closely examined anddeleted if there was any

doubt as to its appropriateness. As a result, the com-prehensive application form for permanent jobs, traineepositions, vacation work, and other employment will bereplaced by a variety of different target group-specificapplication forms. The aim is to give potential employ-ees a better “first impression” of the company.To help draw job-seekers’ attention to the company andits job vacancies, the department also introduced a freeDaimler Jobs app for iPhones and iPads in July 2012.The app provides interested job-seekers with easy,intuitive, innovative, and mobile access to externallyadvertised job openings. However, the company was not only thinking of newemployees when it launched these measures. It alsotook a close look at services that could be made avail-

able for a wide range of mobile terminals in responseto the shi� from stationary computers via laptopsto smartphones.With respect to employee satisfaction, corporate image,and efficiency, one of the most important and hotly dis-cussed topics is the system’s capabilities. In this regard,the project activities aim to turn subjective impressionsinto objective numbers from which the required meas-ures can be derived. In order to substantially increasethe speed of the HR systems (particularly of ePeople,ERAeCon, and LEAD IT), new hardware is scheduled tobe introduced in the fourth quarter of 2012. It is esti-mated that the change will boost the systems’ perform-ance by 25 to 40 percent.In order to ensure that these measures will be imple-mented in a sustained manner, an HR ApplicationStyleGuide is being drawn up in parallel. In the futurethese guidelines will serve as the basis for the develop-ment of new HR systems and the enhancement ofexisting ones. It will also ensure that all of these sys-tems have a uniform appearance. The StyleGuide willof course also apply to mobile applications in orderto ensure that all of the interfaces and operatingfunctions are standardized.

INFO | Further information about the HR System Usability and Mobile HR Services projects can be found at theEmployee Portal on the overview page under the “Daimler & Ich” tag in the “Im Fokus” module by clicking on the“Strategische Initiative USERfriendly HR” link.

CAREER TRAINING PROGRAM

Even More AppealHuman Resources has enhanced the CAReermanagement associate program to makeDaimler an even more appealing employerfor top graduates.

“As Daimler continues to develop and as therecruitment markets change, the requirementsthat college graduates need to meet are chang-ing as well. We have to enhance our CAReermanagement associate program in response tothis situation,” explains Karl Deppen, Head ofExecutive Management Development. “Althoughwe will continue to build on the previous pro-gram, we will align it even more strongly withour company’s growth strategies and futurerequirements, as well as with the expectationsour target groups have concerning a top entry-level program.” In the future, the CAReer program will play aneven more important role in the global recruit-ment of young international trainees.This is also reflected in the enhanced structureof the program. In the future the participantswill begin their time at CAReer with a joint intro-ductory module so that they can get an initialoverview of the company as a whole and moreeasily form networks within the group. In an-other change, foreign project assignments willbe made mandatory for all participants. More-over, the program will be better dovetailed withthe initial stages of the participants’ careers andmore attention will be paid to trainee develop-ment and support.In addition to the various program-related im-provements, the program’s quality and appealalso depend on the supervisors’ and depart-ments’ commitment and the availability of theright entry-level positions for the trainees. Thisis where it will be decided whether CAReer willcontinue to be a leading entry-level program inthe contest for the best minds. “To ensure thatCAReer remains successful and enables us tointroduce new modules and requirements, it’sessential that the teamwork between HR andthe specialist departments is highly professionaland that our passion for the company and itsproducts is felt in all stages of the program,”says Deppen.

gies pose a challenge for in-house further training measures as wellas for basic training programs. Even though Daimler has been suc-cessfully addressing these problems for some time, in the futurechallenges will arise that the company will not be able to overcomeon its own. Thomas Weber, the Board of Management memberresponsible for Research and Development, therefore called onpoliticians to create stable and fair conditions so that the marketparticipants in Germany can join forces to help shape the next eraof private transportation.

NEW CO2 LEGISLATION IN THE U.S. New legislation governing the reduction ofgreenhouse gas emissions and the improvement of the fuel economy of light-dutyvehicles (passenger cars and SUVs) was passed in the U.S. on August 28, 2012. The United States government describes the new regulations as “historic” because of itsbelief that they will strengthen national security by reducing the country’s dependence onoil. The associated fuel economy and emission standards will also make a significant con-tribution to climate protection and generate financial benefits for consumers through thefuel savings achieved.The stipulations of the new law require that the new vehicle fleet in the U.S. should emitonly about 100 g CO2/km on average in the year 2025. This target value corresponds toan average fuel consumption of around 4.4 l/100 km. By comparison, the average fuelconsumption in the U.S. in 2011 was 8.6 liters per 100 km, according to press reports.Beginning with the 2017 model year, the new regulations will require an average annualreduction in CO2 emissions of five percent for passenger cars and 3.5 percent for SUVsand pickups. Vehicles in the latter category will thus carry a disproportionately low shareof the burden until 2020. Because of their models that are in demand in the United States, German premium manu-facturers such as Daimler are more strongly affected by the new regulations than U.S. au-tomakers. For this reason, Volkswagen and Daimler did not sign the dra� version of thelaw that has now been passed.However, legislation governing CO2 emissions is also becoming stricter in Europe andChina. The European Union, for example, has set an average CO2 value of 130 g CO2/kmfor 2015 and is currently discussing a target of 95 g CO2/km for 2020. The Chinese au-thorities are meanwhile planning to stipulate an average value of 160 g CO2/km for 2015and a long-term target of 116 g CO2/km for 2020.

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS AND LEGISLATION

4 | Daimler INSIDE | October 2012

An Economical EuropeanProduction of the new Fuso Canter Eco Hybrid will begin inTramagal, Portugal, in the third quarter of 2012. It will thus bethe first production truck in its class to be made in Europe.

The new Fuso Canter Eco Hybrid is based on the experience gainedfrom more than 1,200 predecessor vehicles that are mainly used inJapan. Numerous refinements to the model’s electric drive system,as well as the use of the Duonic dual clutch transmission unique inthis truck class, make operating the Canter Eco Hybrid even moreeconomical and environmentally friendly. For example, the newmodel’s fuel consumption is about 23 percent lower than that of acomparable conventional Canter. With a relatively moderate addi-tional cost for its hybrid drive technology, the Canter Eco Hybrid canpay for itself in just a few years, assuming normal annual mileageand operating conditions. The truck also spares the environmentseveral tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year and boasts lowernoise levels. The new Canter Eco Hybrid’s operating strategy isbased on pure electric and therefore quiet initial acceleration. Thediesel engine engages at a speed of around ten kilometers per hourbut is also used to power electrical equipment when the truckcoasts at speeds lower than that. Depending on the need for power,the electric motor will also support the diesel engine in situationswhere acceleration is needed at high speeds.

HEAVY-DUTY DISTRIBUTION TRANSPORTATION

The New Antos — in a Class of Its OwnWhether it’s food, heating oil, construction materials, or mu-nicipal applications — the Antos, with its 18-26 ton GVW, haswhat it takes for regional delivery jobs.

The new Antos makes Mercedes-Benz the first manufacturer tooffer a truck specifically designed for heavy-duty distribution trans-

portation. The truck ideally meets the sector’s need for a neatlyarranged, easy to operate, economical, low-emission vehicle. Sharpdifferences in terrain from region to region and varying payloadsrequire a broad spectrum of engine options here, while the manystops made by the vehicles mean that ease of entry and exit isa must. Heavy-duty, distribution transportation trucks travel on

all types of roads — from city streets tomajor highways.An extensive range of BlueEfficiency Powerdiesel engines is available for the new Mer-cedes-Benz Antos — three modern andextremely responsive straight six-cylinder,Euro VI-compliant units with 7.7, 10.7, and12.8 liters displacement, respectively. Out-put ranges from 175 kW (238 hp) for lightapplications as a solo (tractor without trail-er) vehicle to 375 kW (510 hp) for heavy-du-ty tractor-trailer combinations that have todeal with rough terrain. All Antos versionscome with the fully automatic, quick-shi�ingMercedes PowerShi�-3 transmission witheither eight or 12 speeds.In typical Mercedes-Benz fashion, the newAntos is also equipped with all the varioussafety and assistance systems that truckersare familiar with from the Actros. As faras standard features are concerned, theseare the electronically controlled EBS brakesystem with all-round disc brakes, a highlyeffective engine brake, the ABS antilockingsystem, ASR anti-slip regulation, and Stabil-ity Control Assist.

Volumer and Loader: The Antos now gives Mercedes-Benz a customized truck for the tough demands of heavy-duty distribution transportation.

AERODYNAMICS TRUCK & TRAILER

Fuel Savings and Environmental ProtectionIn order to reduce fuel consumption in trucks andtractor-trailers, Daimler has studied the aerody-namic features of current vehicle concepts and de-veloped two innovative solutions as part of itsAerodynamics Truck & Trailer initiative.

The new Mercedes-Benz Aerodynamics Trailer reducesthe amount of diesel consumed by a long-haulage semiby around 2,000 liters per year, which translates intoannual cost savings of nearly 3,000 euros and an an-nual CO2 emission reduction of more than five tons.The second solution — the solo Mercedes-Benz Aerody-namics Truck — is an impressive vehicle designed forlong-distance haulage and distribution transportationthat saves 300-600 liters of diesel annually and thuslowers CO2 emissions by up to 1.5 tons.The tractor used, a new Mercedes-Benz Actros with aStreamSpace cab, remains unchanged. The new Actros

The Aerodynamics Trailer demonstrates that only perfect interaction between the tractor and trailer can ensure the highestlevel of truck efficiency.

ACTIVE BRAKE ASSIST 3

Emergency Brakingfor ObstaclesThe new Actros will not only be even more econom-ical; it will also be even safer.

Already considered the world’s safest truck, the new Ac-tros has been made even safer with the new generationof the unique Active Brake Assist 3 system. Also knownas the Emergency Braking Assistant, the system cannow autonomously trigger emergency braking in frontof stationary obstacles. This means the Actros cannotonly mitigate the effects of a rear-end collision, as wasalready the case, but also — depending on the truck’sspeed — prevent such accidents: Yet another milestonein the development of truck safety.

Active Brake Assist 3 initiates emergency braking tokeep the Actros from hitting stationary obstacles inheavy traffic.

has already been aerodynamically optimized. The onlyextra equipment needed therefore was an air deflectoron the roof, side deflectors, and side trim panelsbetween the axles. The Mercedes-Benz AerodynamicsTrailer is ready for all applications with no restrictions.It’s based on a conventional freezer box body with arefrigerator unit and meets all normal requirements foreveryday haulage operations.The savings potential offered by solo vehicles is alsoconsiderable. There are already a large number of aero-dynamically relevant applications in distribution trans-portation. That’s why the new Mercedes-Benz Antoswas used as the basis vehicle and then refined to offerthe best aerodynamic values possible. The Aerodynam-ics Truck improves aerodynamic properties by around12 percent as compared to conventional solo vehicleswith box bodies, which translates into fuel savings ofaround three percent on highways.

NEW FUSO CANTER ECO HYBRID

Daimler INSIDE | October 2012 | 5

INTERVIEW WITH VOLKER MORNHINWEG HEAD OF MERCEDES-BENZ VANS

“The Right Product for Every Segment”The Mercedes-Benz Citan was unveiled to the public at the IAA Com-mercial Vehicles show in September. Like no other van, the new modelcombines minimal CO2 emissions with outstanding driving pleasure— not to mention high output and low maintenance costs. What’smore, no other city van with a combustion engine consumes less fuel.Mercedes-Benz Vans also presented other great highlights in Hanover.Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, talks about thepresentation at the world’s biggest commercial vehicle show:

Mr. Mornhinweg, how did things go at IAA Commercial Vehi-cles 2012?

The 24 vans we presented made us one of the highlights at the Daimlerstand in Hanover. Our biggest star was the newest member of our family:the Citan. This model makes us a full-line van supplier, which means we’renow able to offer our customers the right product for every segment. Wehave the Sprinter for the large van segment, the Vito mid-sized van, andthe Citan for the small van segment. Just a few years ago, we were referringto small vans as a niche market, but they’ve now developed into the largestvan segment in Europe — and that offers us a great opportunity.

What other highlights did you display in Hanover?We presented eight different variants of the Sprinter alone. The upgradeswe made to the van, which is already best-in-class, ensured it was onceagain a focus of attention at the IAA. The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is theworld’s first van that comes with an optional seven-speed torque converterautomatic transmission, for example. We also displayed seven different Vitovariants — everything from a panel van with workshop equipment to theVito Shuttle for use as a taxi, and a mixed-use version with all-wheel drive.The presentation was rounded out by our two special Viano models: theViano Ambiente Edition and the Marco Polo Edition.

What about zero-emission vans?We had plenty of highlights for alternative drive systems as well. We pre-sented the Vito E-CELL panel van and the Vito E-CELL crewbus, and alsocelebrated the world premiere of a Sprinter E-CELL vehicle study inHanover. One of the reasons we unveiled the Sprinter study was to see howcustomers would react to it. The aim was as to help us to decide whetheror not to series produce the model. The positive reactions of our customersto the Vito E-CELL, which we now market in more than 15 countries, madebuilding the Sprinter E-CELL a logical step for enabling us to offer zero-emission driving in the higher weight class as well. All in all, our presentation in Hanover sent a powerful message to the mar-ket and our customers, and we can be very satisfied with the results.

WORLD PREMIERE OF THE NEW SETRA TRAVEL COACH

The Travel Coach of the FutureSetra presented a new travel coach generation at the IAA Commercial Vehicles show. The ComfortClass500 raises the bar high in terms of economy, comfort, safety, and value — and it also already meetstomorrow’s emission requirements today.

The thing that really stands out when youlook at the ComfortClass 500 from anoblique view is the sweeping aluminum stripand its new decorative element on the B-pil-lar. The design lines on this totally new trav-el coach rise and fall slightly as they maketheir way around the entire vehicle. The con-tours were tested and refined at the Group’sown wind tunnel in Stuttgart-Untertürkheimfor the first time ever in the developmenthistory of vehicles from Neu-Ulm. The 20 percent reduction in air dragachieved with the ComfortClass 500 playeda major role in reducing the fuel consump-tion of the travel coach by as much as fivepercent. With the new “aero tail” and its spoiler lip, in ad-dition to several other features, the ComfortClass 500exhibits a drag coefficient of 0.33 — that’s the best everachieved by the industry. The improved Active Brake Assist (ABA 2) systemequipped with a new radar sensor can now independent-ly brake the vehicle in front of stationary obstacles aswell. The ART cruise control system maintains a set dis-tance from the vehicle in front. If there is no vehicleahead, the system will automatically switch off atspeeds below 15 km/h. This is not the case, however,with ComfortClass 500 models whose ART systems arealso equipped with the extended features of the AHA

SPRINTER E-CELL PROTOTYPE

No Exhaust Gas, Low Noise, High PayloadMercedes-Benz has further expanded its lead in the seg-ment for electric vans with the world premiere of theSprinter E-CELL prototype in Hanover.

The Sprinter E-CELL’s top speed is limited to80 km/h in order to maximize the vehicle’s range.This makes the model perfect for congested urbancenters, rural areas, and short highway trips. Nev-ertheless, the vehicle is truly at home on inner-citystreets, and its range was designed with such anapplication in mind. With NEDC energy consump-tion of 27 kW/h, the Sprinter E-CELL can travelaround 135 kilometers on one charge.Because its batteries are mounted in stable con-tainers between the axles underneath the frame,there are no limitations on cargo space in closedSprinter models, nor are there any restrictions tothe superstructures that can be added. With a

The Sprinter E-CELL increases the possibilities for local zero-emissiontransport many times over, as the model can also be used as a chassis forsuperstructures.

MERCEDES-BENZ CITARO

World’s First Series-Produced Euro VI-Compliant City BusThe new Mercedes-Benz Citaro is the first regularservice bus whose drive system meets the Euro VIemission standard.

The newly developed engine series for the Mercedes-Benz Citaro consists of the six-cylinder inline OM 936with a displacement of 7.7 liters and the OM 470, whichhas a displacement of 10.7 liters. Bothengines meet the Euro VI emission standardand both are highly durable. They also con-sume low amounts of fuel, AdBlue, andengine oil. What’s more, the maintenanceintervals associated with their particulatefilters are long. Despite its Euro VI compliance and exten-sive exhaust gas treatment system, the newCitaro’s fuel consumption is actually lowerthan that of its Euro V predecessor, whichwas acclaimed for its fuel efficiency. Theaverage fuel savings identified in practicaltests amounted to up to five percent.The bus also saves fuel with the help of anenergy recovery unit that stores electricitygenerated without consuming extra fuel

while coasting. It later uses this energy during accelera-tion to supply energy to auxiliary systems such as fansand lights. The new Mercedes-Benz Citaro is also thefirst regular service bus to feature the electronic stabili-ty program (ESP), an innovation that led judges at theIAA in Hanover to name the Mercedes-Benz Euro VICitaro “Bus of the Year 2013.”

Stuart Jones (le�), a member of the Bus of the Year jury, presents theaward for the Citaro to Head of Daimler Buses Hartmut Schick.

stopping assistant, as the latter system remains activeeven at lower speeds and can return the coach to cruisecontrol mode at any time, even in stop-and-go traffic. Attention Assist (ATAS) is a completely new feature inthe travel coach segment. This system continuouslymonitors the condition of the driver on the basis of cri-teria such as steering movements and braking, use ofturn signals, vehicle speed, and the time of day. The ComfortClass 500 is powered by an upright six-cylinder inline engine from the new OM 470 series. TheEuro VI-compliant unit has 10.7 liters displacement anddelivers 315 kW (425 hp) of output. The engine has apeak torque of 2,100 Nm.

GVW of 3.5 tons, the Sprinter E-CELL can handle a payload of upto 1,200 kilograms depending on the configuration, and there arealso no restrictions in terms of ground clearance or gradient.

Head of Vans Volker Mornhinweg with the new Citan. This new product makes Mercedes-Benz a full-line supplier in the van segment.

IAA COMMERCIALVEHICLES2012

EMPLOYEE PORTAL SPECIAL | Videos, photos, and other infor-mation on the IAA can be found in an Employee Portal Special: portal code(upper right-hand side): @iaa2012

The new ComfortClass 500 from Setra.

6 | Daimler INSIDE | October 2012

Under a Glass RoofThe electric-drive smart forstars is celebrating itsworld premiere in Paris from September 29 to Oc-tober 14, 2012. This SUC (Sports Utility Coupe) canaccommodate a driver and one passenger under itsglass roof and also boasts plenty of cargo space.

The smart forstars is a concept vehicle whose silhouetteoffers a preview of the future smart design idiom. Thiscan clearly be seen in the model’s glass roof, for exam-ple, which extends seamlessly into a transparent cargoarea hood in the rear. This hood opens upward; the tail-gate opens downward — and when it does the floor andthe gate automatically slide out 28 centimeters. Thismakes it easier to load up the cargo area, which has a to-tal length of 90 centimeters. The model’s rhomboidheadlights and taillights also make a big visual impres-sion; their outer rings light up the turn indicator lightsand daytime running lights with the help of numerousLEDs. The taillights can actually be opened, whereby theright one holds the socket for charging the vehicle’shigh-voltage battery, and the le� one offers room toplace a drink. As if that weren’t enough, the hood alsohas an integrated projector that can be operated via aBluetooth® connection from an iPhone®. That means thedriver can pull the smart forstars up to any white walland watch a movie. The driver’s smartphone also re-places the rearview mirror, as the phone is mounted ona bracket at the top of the windshield, where it displaysimages that an integrated video camera makes of thearea behind the vehicle.Comfort is also guaranteed by the concept car’s twoperforated bucket seats, which are covered with a so�fabric overlay that makes you feel like you’re sitting on ahammock. An extremely practical feature is the fact thatthe seat cover on the passenger side can be removed,

which allows long objects to be pushed through to thefront of the vehicle. The forstars is powered by the sameelectric drive used in the smart fortwo BRABUS, whosepermanent magnetic motor has an output of 60 kW. Thedrive system’s 135 Nm of torque quickly accelerates theconcept car to its top speed of over 130 km/h. Poweris supplied by a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of17.6 kilowatt-hours.

A projector is integrated into the hood of the smart forstarsconcept car.

Top Performance and StyleThe biennial Moscow International Automobile Salon is a must forRussian automobile enthusiasts. The event took place this year fromAugust 27-30, and Mercedes-Benz was on hand to present the worldpremiere of the new GL 63 AMG luxury SUV.

Top-of-the-line comfort otherwise to be found only in the S-Class, and theoutput performance typical of an AMG sports sedan — that’s what the all-new Mercedes-Benz GL 63 AMG can offer a customer segment in Russiawhose purchasing power continues to grow. That’s why Mercedes-AMGManaging Director Ola Källenius believes the Russian market is so impor-tant. “AMG expanded its business by around 30 percent over the first sixmonths of 2012, posting the best half-year result in its history,” saysKällenius. “The Russian market was a key driver for this sustained growth.” The new model’s 5.5-liter V8-biturbo AMG engine guarantees typical AMGperformance and a superior driving experience. One look at the rest of thetechnical data is all it takes to see just how outstanding the model is. TheGL 63 AMG delivers peak output of 410 kW (557 hp) and maximum torqueof 760 Nm. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and has anelectronically limited top speed of 250 km/h. NEDC fuel consumptionamounts to 12.3 liters per 100 km (288 g CO2/km; Efficiency Class F).The new Mercedes-Benz GL 63 AMG will be launched on the market inNovember 2012 and will cost €130,305 in Germany (including 19 percentsales tax).

Ola Källenius presented the new GL 63 AMG in Moscow.

MERCEDES-BENZ SERVICE

Top Marks — for the Sixth TimeMercedes-Benz reconfirmed that it offers top quality service by receiv-ing a grade of “very good” in the latest ADAC Service Center Test.

The brand with the star’s success in this latest test was once again the resultof error-free performance and top quality service. Other independent testsconfirmed this assessment, as Mercedes-Benz has come out on top in everyservice center test since 2008 — whether conducted by AUTO BILD, auto motorund sport, or AUTOZEITUNG. “This series of successful service center testsreflects our long-term commitment and the passionate dedication of ouremployees,” says Georg Abel, who’s responsible for Service on the Manage-ment Board of Mercedes-Benz’ German sales organization (MBVD). “We willcontinue to do everything we can to ensure our customers continue to viewus as the best in the business in the future as well.” The ADAC test examined 75 service centers operated by five automotivebrands, as well as two independent service center chains. The test wasconducted by having ADAC technicians intentionally set up five defects in eachvehicle that the service centers had to detect during a major inspection.The tests also evaluated customer service on the basis of performance inappointment scheduling, vehicle drop-off, order placement, vehicle pick-up,and billing.

THE MERCEDES-BENZ SERVICE CENTERS TESTED:

• Outlet Berlin, Salzufer• Outlet Munich, Ingolstädter Straße• Outlet Leipzig, Torgauer Straße• Outlet Frankfurt, Heerstraße• Outlet Hamburg, Heidenkampsweg

Error-free service centers.

AWARD

Germany’s MostAttractive CarMercedes-Benz wins the Auto Bild Design Award for thefourth time: The star of 2012 is the A-Class.

Around 100,000 readers of Auto Bild magazine chose their favorite carsfrom among 136 current models in five categories. When the voting wasover, the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class had been selected as the mostattractive car in Germany. The new compact model also captured first prizein its segment, of course. The exterior of the new A-Class has a very dis-tinctive and sporty character which is complemented perfectly by an inno-vative interior with an exceptionally high-quality feel.Readers’ personal tastes traditionally decide who the winners of the AUTOBILD Design Award will be.This year, the readers also decided they really liked the M-Class, which theychose as the most attractive model in the SUV, Vans, and All-Wheel Drivecategory. They therefore paid tribute to the trend-setter’s typically strikingdesign, which makes the model stand out from the rest — not to mentionits variable interior with a high wellness factor and luxurious atmosphere. With their selection of the A-Class, Auto Bild readers have now named aMercedes-Benz model the most attractive car in Germany for the fourthconsecutive time, having bestowed this coveted honor upon the E-Class,SLS AMG coupe, and the SLK in the previous three years.

Mercedes-Benz A 200 on the road: Voted the most attractive car in Germany by AUTO BILD readers.

NEW A-CLASS CAMPAIGN

Full Throttle: “Wow” and “Yeah”Mercedes-Benz launched an extensive marketing campaignacross all communication channels to accompany thelaunch of the new A-Class on September 15, 2012.

Pure passion with “Wow” and “Yeah” is how the marketing cam-paign for the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class is targeting potentialcustomers. The campaign features a series of print ads, five tel-evision commercials, and an innovative online platform, all ofwhich highlight the vehicle’s extraordinarily progressive andsporty design, as well as several special features. Such featuresinclude full integration of Apple iPhones® into the car’s displayand operating system, helpful multimedia apps, and the standardCOLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST safety system. The print ads and TV commercials present the details of thecompact Mercedes-Benz in a unique and unusual way. They alsohighlight the A 250 Sport model with its diamond-shaped grille,invite customers to attend market launch and test-drive events,and present the various financing programs available for the new

A-Class. The campaign will run until the end of October, althoughit will continue online up until the end of December. The cam-paign is being managed by the Jung von Matt/Alster agency; thecommercials were produced by Tempomedia and directed byCyril Guyot, and the stills were taken by Uwe Düttmann.

ONLINE SPECIAL AT THE EMPLOYEE PORTAL InternalCommunications is reporting on Daimler’s presentations atthe 2012 Paris Motor Show with an extensive online specialat the Employee Portal. The multimedia special features all thehighlights from Mercedes-Benz and smart, provides informa-tion on the “Electric Drive Offensive,” offers a preview of thefuture design idiom at smart, and reveals the initial design de-tails for the new S-Class. Photo galleries and videos round outthe online special.You can go to the online special by entering the portal code@paris2012 in the search field in the upper right-hand cornerof the Employee Portal.

THE NEW GL 63 AMG

SMART FORSTARS

DAIMLER AT THE PARIS MOTOR SHOW

Daimler INSIDE | October 2012 | 7

Not for the Faint-heartedMaik Baier is an industrial mechanic trainee at Daimler. Hewas the first German to take part in the BMX competitionat the Olympic Games in London — the youngest, and pos-sibly the most dangerous, Olympic discipline.

The BMX competition at the London Olympics was not for thefaint-hearted. Falls and broken bones are just as much a part ofthese races as daring maneuvers on the race course. This yeartwo Germans competed in the Olympic BMX competition. It wasthe first time that German athletes had participated in this dis-cipline. One of them was 23-year-old Maik Baier, an industrialmechanic trainee at the Daimler plant in Untertürkheim. He hasbeen a BMX rider for 16 years. Last year he was given leave fromthe company to prepare for the upcoming Olympic Games. “I’mvery grateful for that support. In order for us to improve our rid-ing technique, it’s important for us to be able to train abroad.That’s where the really challenging courses are,” explains Baier.The tough competition in London was an indication of just howyoung BMX riding is Germany as a competitive sport. Baier, whohas been the German champion several times, was eliminatedin the quarter finals. “A�er the race I was pretty disappointed.But the main goal this time around was to just qualify for theOlympics at all. I’m proud of that all by itself!” What’s certain is

that Maik Baier will continue to train hard for the next OlympicGames and hope that his bones stay intact. “Up to this point I’veonly broken my collarbone, a fibula, and an ankle,” he recalls.Maybe you’ll be seeing Maik Baier in another four years at theOlympic Games in Rio — at least, you might if you have strongenough nerves.

PEOPLE AT DAIMLER: UTE LIEBETRAU

OUTSTANDING COMMITMENT Ute Liebetrau from the dealership in Cologne was presented with the volunteer service awardfor 2012 by the city of Cologne — in part because of her involvement in a “We move it!” project. Ute Liebetrau has a long list ofvolunteer activities in which she has participated. In addition to her involvement in her parish, she also heads a group for peopleover 50. But activities for the benefit of children and young people are particularly closeto her heart. “I too come from a neighborhood with many socially disadvantaged families.That’s why I got involved in volunteer work to help children and young people,” says the55-year-old. Among other things, she uses her vacation time to chaperone activities forchildren’s groups and accompany them on outings. “More than anything else, the shiningeyes of the children are what give me the energy for my volunteer work,” she explainswith a smile. Ute Liebetrau was also an active participant in the “We move it!” employeecampaign. And she was the sponsor of a mobile flower and vegetable garden for childrenfrom the Höhenberg/Vingst district of Cologne. For her commitment to a variety of vol-unteer activities, which she does in addition to her full-time job at Daimler, Ute Liebetrauwas honored with the “KölnEngagiert” award of the city of Cologne. It is presented everyyear to the Cologne citizen who has been most active in voluntary civic services.

Ute Liebetrau (center) with CologneMayor Jürgen Roters and volunteerwork sponsor Annette Frier.

Winners Test the New Citan At the beginning of September, the word in Berlin was“Ready for action” with the new Citan for the three winnersof the employee portal’s MacGuyver contest. During the Eu-roTraining program in Berlin the winners had the opportu-nity to experience the new city van in theory and in practice.

A chance to participate in thetraining program for Europeanvan sales personnel was won byGarman Ly, project controller atthe plant in Marienfelde; ManfredSchiebenes, whole vehicle qualityassurance operator for Trucks atthe plant in Wörth; and Hannes

Meissner, controller for the Trucks Powertrain unit. The three winners hadtaken part in a contest conducted by Internal Communications and VanSales. They were chosen by lottery from around 2,000 contest entrants. From May to August, 14,000 automobile sales personnel received trainingfor the new A-Class at the event site in Berlin. Now it’s the turn of morethan 6,000 van salespeople to learn about the new Citan from the end ofAugust to the middle of October. In order to experience the advantages ofthe Citan in direct comparison with the competition, Garman Ly, ManfredSchiebenes, and Hannes Meissner drove similar vehicles made by other au-tomakers as well as the Citan. “The chance to try out the competition underreal-life conditions was great. The Citan drives like a true Mercedes, andthe difference between it and the Renault Kangoo is striking,” said HannesMeisner. Garman Ly, a mother of two, was particularly impressed by thecrew bus version and said, “If it were available through employee salesI would lease a Citan right away.” Just how well the new Citan and its storage capacity concept have beenthought out was also impressively demonstrated at the “theory” stations.For example, washing machines and standard European pallets, both madeout of Styrofoam, were used in order to test how much could actually bestowed in the Citan.In addition to insights with regard to the limitations of the competition andthe theory behind the Citan, there was also intensive analysis of futureCitan customers. What will a typical Citan customer look like? And whatmakes him or her different from the traditional van customer? Which sec-tors will be particularly interested in the Citan?At the end of the event, the Citan was put through its paces one more timeon a 40-kilometer course through Berlin. Various versions of panel vans,crew buses, and mixed-use vans were tested in busy city traffic as well ason federal roads and freeways. Whether they drove a compact, long orextra-long version, and whether it was loaded or empty, the overall judg-ment of the participants was universally positive — the versatility and han-dling of the Citan made a strong impression. “It was a thoroughly successful event,” says Manfred Schiebenes concern-ing his impressions of the sales personnel training. “Up until now, I haven’thad any involvement with the vans professionally. I learned quite a bit andhad a lot of fun.” “It was interesting to be able to share the experience of how our salespeo-ple get to know our new products,” explains Hannes Meissner. “It was coolto spend a couple of days rubbing shoulders with our colleagues in sales.”

Citan testers Hannes Meissner, Garman Ly, and Manfred Schiebenes.

IDEA MANAGEMENT

A Handsome Bonus at MBVD An MBVD employee has saved the company a sig-nificant amount of money with her suggestion foran improvement.

The improvement idea suggest-ed by Grit Borokowski (fromMBVD/KP) has yielded a realbenefit. Her idea for improvingcustomer service measures re-garding vehicle selection in or-der to avoid duplications has

saved the company €151,000 and reduced the work-load of the colleagues in the field sales organization bya considerable amount. In appreciation and recognition of her contribution, GritBorkowski received a bonus of €22,600. This positiveexample demonstrates that both the employee andthe company benefit when employees make an effortto find room for improvement. In the past year more

than 1,000 suggestions for improvements were submit-ted to MBVD Ideas Management, which resulted in sav-ings of almost €60,000.

INFO | Further information and the link to submit suggestions for improvements are available at the Daimler Employee Portal underDaimler & ich/Arbeitsumfeld & Soziales/Ideenmanagement

Bonus award ceremony (from le�): Helge Schwidetzky andSibille Rau-Parlow of Ideas Management, Francois Urieta, GritBorkowski (submitter), and Tilo Bigalke of MBVD/KP.

A-CLASS ROADSHOW

“Hands on” Is AllowedWith a “Wow!” from around 35,000 employees, Daimler’s newA-Class has arrived! Even before the official market launch onSeptember 15, employees had an opportunity to experiencethe “heartbeat of a new generation.”

From June to September, the in-house A-Class roadshow wason tour, visiting 13 Daimler locations all across Germany. In addi-tion, under the 300 m² exhibition tent the In-house Communicationsand In-house Brand Management teams alternately displayed theConcept Style Coupe, the design study for the CLA, and the new SL.Employees took advantage of the exclusive pre-launch event to havetechnical discussions with the experts who were on hand. What in-terested employees the most was how the new star vehicle works,what comforts it has to offer, and what the conditions for employeesales look like. Some colleagues had the opportunity to take thenew A-Class for a one-hour road test. In a total of 800 test drives,about 3,000 employees were won over by the sporty handling andexemplary fuel efficiency of the new compact class car.

Anita Brummelhop and Christoph Schütte fromHamburg both agree: “We really like the newA-Class because of its sporty design. Getting totest the new A-Class today before the marketlaunch was a lot of fun!”

PEOPLE AT DAIMLER: MAIK BAIER

Olympics participant and several times German BMX cham-pion: Maik Baier. Photo: BMX Air Team

EUROTRAINING CITAN

MASTHEAD Publisher: Daimler AG, COM/M For the publisher: Stefan Ulbig, Head of Internal Communications & News Management Editor: Holger Mohn Editorial employees: Corinna Kramm, Marian Baumgärtner Editorial address: Daimler AG, COM/M, HPC: E402 —Werk 096, 70546 Stuttgart, Germany. Tel. +49 (0) 711/17-49 383; fax +49 (0)7 11/17-54 783; e-mail: redaktion.inside@daimler.com Layout: Atelier Schwerzmann Printing: Körner Druck, Sindelfingen | The next issue will appear in December 2012

8| Daimler INSIDE | October 2012

IDEENPARK

Technology WorldThis year’s Ideenpark in Essen (Germany) onceagain featured fascinating technology for all thefamily. Daimler presented a total of 30 exhibits atthe 13-day show — aimed primarily at upcomingengineers and inventors.

The world of science and technology has some en-thralling discoveries to offer, and this year’s Ideenparkin Essen, the fourth to be held, attracted a record figureof 320,000 visitors. It provided families and young peo-ple with a hands-on opportunity to get to grips with thequestions of the future. The technology and training fair was organized byThyssenKrupp with the support of the State of NorthRhine-Westphalia and over 200 partners from science,research, education, and business. Around 150 Daimleremployees were in attendance to present the compa-ny’s 30 exhibits at the event. Visitors young and old to the Daimler stand were able todesign and model their very own dream car, using pencil

and paper, fabric, sand, or clay. Inspiration was avail-able from the current F 125! research car and the latestUnimog concept, both of which were on show. Otherfun offers included a virtual test drive in a real B-Classat the Simulator Assistance Systems stand, the chanceto try out mobile mixed-reality systems in vehicle devel-opment, and the construction of a small fuel cell car. And anyone interested in designing the city of the fu-ture and devising new mobility concepts was more thanwelcome to try their hand at Daimler’s GreenSight Citysimulation game.

The simulated world of GreenSight City helps people picturethe future of urban life.

WALL CALENDAR

Eleven Wall Calendars

INFO | For details on the various calendars or to order from Star Distribution GmbH, go to: www.star-kalendermarkt.de. Please note: businessorders will be processed via the eShop.

The new wall calendars for 2013 have arrived! All in all, there are 11 differ-ent calendars to choose from, depicting subjects ranging from cars andtrucks to motorsports.There are calendars featuring the new A-Class, the legendary superchargedMercedes-Benz 500 K, and artistic shots of the S-Class. Another calendarshowcases the Unimog’s capabilities, while two more are devoted to thehigh-octane thrills of Formula 1 and DTM. The AMG calendar presents a 3Dview of the models’ driving performance, while the truck edition takes tothe road with The BossHoss band. Other calendars highlight “smart” ideasfor urban mobility, the new Setra ComfortClass 500, and Service & Parts.

CITY-BUILDING SIMULATION GAME

The New A-Class in SimCityTM SocialThe city-building simulation game SimCityTM Social was launched onFacebook this summer and includes the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

With the help of SimCityTM Social,Facebook users can now plantheir very own urban environ-ment. In addition to laying out res-idential and industrial areas,players are also responsible forensuring the wellbeing of thecity’s inhabitants. There is alsoscope for interacting with otherplayers and the option of either

developing mutually beneficial ties with other cities or entering into rivalrywith them.Mercedes-Benz is offering players a selection of additional game featuresuntil the end of October. Players can now add a Mercedes-Benz dealershipto their city and showrooms for the new A-Class; they can erect billboardsfeaturing the current ad campaign for the new A-Class; and they can evenhave the new A-Class driving along their streets.SimCityTM Social can be played free of charge on Facebook: www.facebook.com/simcitysocial.

EMPLOYEE SALES

Attractive Introductory TermsEmployee Sales has some top introductory deals for the C-Class sedan andstation wagon, aimed specifically at drivers of other brands and older Mercedes-Benz models. On offer are free valuation of the current vehicle — provided it ismore than three years old — an option to use it as a trade-in, and excellent leas-ing terms for one of the afore-mentioned C-Class models. For orders placed bythe end of November and vehicles collected before the end of the year, leasingrates start at €398 a month, including 5,000 free kilometers — in other words,a total of 18,000 kilometers a year — and the option of another new C-Class onthe same special terms in 2013. All in all, the deal means savings of up to €65a month, for a period of 24 months. In addition, more than one vehicle maybe leased at these attractive conditions so that other family members canalso benefit. Further information about the special offer is available from Em-ployee Sales offices.

C-CLASS SEDAN AND STATION WAGON Fuel consumption (combined): 12.2–4.4 l/100 km; CO2 emissions (combined): 285–117 g/km, efficiency class G-A

The figures do not refer to a specific individual vehicle and are not part of any product offering, but instead presented solely for purposes of comparison between various vehicle types.

Accessories for A-Class FansTo mark the launch of the new A-Class, Mercedes-Benz Acces-sories GmbH has introduced a selection of new products de-signed to reflect the tastes and desires of young andyoung-at-heart buyers of the sporty compact. The range in-cludes a nail polish set in the three original A-Class colors,a trendy trilby hat in black felt, a lady’s clutch bag in the vehiclecolor of monolith gray, and an assortment of key rings. Furtherhighlights are a smartphone case, a shoulder bag, and a black-

and-white checkered polo shirt, all designed to match theupholstery of the “Urban” edition of the new A-Class. Therange is rounded off by a sporty wristwatch with an aluminumbezel in South Sea blue and a set of matching spritz glasseswith which to elegantly toast the purchase of a new Mercedes-Benz A-Class. Daimler AG employees will receive a discount of 20 percenton all products in the online shop.

INFO | More information is available online at shop.mercedes-benz.de

Produced in cooperation with model car specialist Norev, Schuco, and Herpa, the miniature replicas are based on the origi-nal CAD data, painted in the original colors, and assembled by hand.

DIGITALLIFE@DAIMLER

“Digital Life Will Change the World of Work”Daimler’s new Digital Life portal made its debut in the intranet on September 17. To date, several thou-sand employees have visited the portal, and this figure is rising daily.

The increasingly digital na-ture of our lives is in-escapable, affecting the

jobs we do, the products we buy, and the services weuse. For more and more people, whether in the work-place or at home, life without the Internet, e-mail, andsocial networks such as Facebook and Twitter is un-thinkable. Digital networks link people right around theworld, and a similar trend can be seen in companies,where more and more information and communicationsprocesses are now digitally managed.Daimler, too, is part of this trend and already staged aninaugural open space event on the topic ofDigitalLife@Daimler some 12 months ago. Back then,over 100 Daimler employees gathered to exchangeideas on the subject of Digital Life, many of which have

since come to fruition in a range of new projects. Theseare now being presented in the new Digital Life portal.The purpose of the portal is to better network projectsthat are already running and also to stimulate new ideasin this field.Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche outlined the company’s ex-pectations for Digital Life in the following terms: “DigitalLife is a key strategic topic for us. It’s on a level with thedevelopment of alternative drive systems and the con-quest of new growth markets. Digital Life will change theworld of work — in the long term, probably more radicallythan we can ever imagine. It affects not only the way inwhich we communicate with one another: faster, moreopenly, and more directly. There are also a lot of over-laps between mobility and connectivity. It’s our job tocombine the best of both these worlds.”

INFO | The Digital Life portal is located in the “Blogs & Social Media” section of the Employee Portal.

NAIL POLISH IN ORIGINAL BODY COLORS

Internal Communications will hold a prize draw for 10 items from the current A-Class Selection.Anyone wishing to participate must answer the following question:The “Urban” line of the new A-Class features trim elements in a…

→ carbon pattern → matrix pattern → checkered pattern

Send your answer by e-mail or postcard marked “A-Class” and with your HR number (important if you win) to:Daimler AG, Redaktion INSIDE, COM/M, HPC E402, Werk 096, 70546 Stuttgart, Germany; e-mail: daimler.inside@daimler.com.The deadline for submissions is November 2, 2012. The judges’ decision is final.