Mercedes-Benz Vehicles, Concept Cars, and the Mercedes Lifestyle

Mercedes-Benz has been heavily focusing on branding and marketing to younger, hipper drivers. New commercials, new product placement in the summer blockbuster film “Sex and the City,” and even a new director of brand public relations are all focused on this new initiative. Although concept cars are never released “as is,” it seems that the F700, which debuted at last year’s Frankfurt Auto Show, carries a youthful appeal that is sure to draw in Mercedes’ new target market. Channel 4’s Tim Bowdler recently had the opportunity to test drive the futuristic new vehicle.

The F700 clearly seems designed to meet the needs of young professionals. The exterior is stunning, with flowing curves and futuristic aerodynamics seemingly thumbing their noses at automotive conventions.

Inside, the car again throws aside everything we thought we knew. The rear seats are separated, and the rear passenger seat can be turned 180 degrees to face backward. This allows a busy professional to use the rear seat as an office, complete with 20 inch LCD monitor and plenty of room to spread out papers and work on a computer. Additionally, rear seat passengers can converse without craning their necks.

The instrument panel points upward, with mirrors set at 45 degree angles reflecting the information back to the driver. This allows the dash be set further forward, closer to the road. In turn, this minimizes the effort required to switch attention from the road to the instrumentation.

On the road, the car uses a mild hybrid system to deliver an average 44 mpg, truly amazing fuel mileage for a car of this class. The ride is a dream, thanks to the new PreScan System. PreScan uses lasers to scan the road ahead. The information is then transmitted to the Active Body Control system, which provides dampers to virtually eliminate bumps due to road conditions. The ride is smooth and silky.

Of course, the F700 will likely never be released in its current form. However, like all concept cars, its technologies may eventually find their way into new Mercedes releases. The car exudes a youthful feel, and younger drivers may be the most likely to embrace such new technology as reverse-facing seats and skyward-pointing instrumentation.

You can discuss the F700 here, or at Popular Mechanics or the Super Auto Blog. If you have not already done so, we invite you to sign up for our newsletter as well, in order to stay informed on the latest Mercedes news.

Mercedes-Benz has recently renewed its focus on public perception. A concerted effort to appeal to young, affluent professionals has been demonstrated in everything from product placement in the summer blockbuster film “Sex and the City” to a new series of commercials featuring popular young stars. Now Mercedes has hired a hip new executive to make sure its efforts are on track.

Adam Paige has over 10 years experience in branding and marketing. He most recently worked for Cohn & Wolfe, a respected public relations firm in Manhattan. His contributions over the past decade have included the United States launches of Plymouth Gin and Tanqueray Rangpur, as well as such international products as the Caribbean launch of telecommunications provider Digicel. He has also worked on branding and public relations for such heavyweight clients as Michelin and Panasonic.

Paige will be given a great deal of responsibility at Mercedes right off the bat. His duties will include responsibility for all brand public relations across Mercedes’ diverse classic and lifestyle initiatives. He will report to Mercedes’ director of corporate communications, Geoff Day.

With Mercedes’ current focus on drawing in youthful drivers with a perception of quality and coolness, Paige’s efforts could truly make or break the company’s initiatives. Right now, it looks like Paige is just the man for the job.

Mercedes-Benz fans everywhere are eagerly following this new development. You can discuss the topic right here, or join in the conversations at blogs such as Motor News Network and Automotive Industry Market. We look forward to hearing your comments, and to seeing the new ideas that Paige will bring to the branding of the legendary Mercedes-Benz.

Mercedes-Benz Vietnam recently received approval from local authorities to sell imported vehicles in the country. Apparently the market was ripe for the expansion, as excited hotel owners flocked to place orders for the vehicles.

The first imported hotel fleet was recently handed over to the luxurious New World Saigon Hotel in a formalized ceremony that marks the reverence with which Mercedes is treated in that location.

The hotel already owns nine Mercedes sedans that were built locally at Mercedes-Benz Vietnam. However, the hotel director, Udo Loersch, was excited about expanding the fleet with foreign-built vehicles. According to an article in the Saigon Times Daily, Mr. Loersch compared the experience of sitting in the back seat of a Mercedes E-Class to that of sitting in a five star hotel room.

The E-Class is known for providing the ultimate in luxury, including individual climate control for each passenger and the standard-setting safety system known as PreSafe. Mr. Loersch feels that the vehicles offer the luxury that his guests expect.

While the E-Class has been manufactured at Mercedes Vietnam, the R-Class has not. The newly imported R-Class vehicles offer seating for six passengers, as opposed to the E-Class’s five. Mr. Loersch expects that the availability of the new R-Class vehicles will add yet another service for the hotel’s exclusive guests.

Mercedes is expected to invest heavily into the Vietnam market. Over time, not only four, six and seven-passenger vehicles, but also two-door sports cars and SUVs will be introduced to Vietnam. While hotels and resorts will form an important customer base, Mercedes also expects that private individuals will be interested in investing in these classic and luxurious cars.

To find out for yourself what the buzz is all about, why not stop by our local dealership and test drive a Mercedes-Benz vehicle for yourself? You may just find yourself making an investment of your own.