Mercedes-Benz: Driving innovation, driving the future
It has been a terrific year at Mercedes-Benz Canada so far. In 2017, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Mercedes-AMG, honouring our history of Driving Performance with an expanded product portfolio of more than 50 vehicles and introducing this dynamic line to a broader audience of performance-minded customers than ever before.
At the recent International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, we also launched the Project One hypercar — a 1,000-plus horsepower, street legal, Formula One-derived passenger car that is MercedesAMG’s most ambitious in-house project yet.
Whether high-performance racing technology or day-to-day shared and/or autonomous mobility, our legacy has been built on innovation and our future will be as well.
This is especially true today; the automotive industry is on the cusp of major changes and, in order to maintain our position as the No. 1 luxury manufacturer here in Canada as well as globally, we need to continue to drive innovation and play a key role in shaping the future of mobility.
Our focus has always been on producing the best cars in the world, and nothing illustrates this better than our flagship S-Class family.
Recently, the first 2018 S-Class drove itself off of the assembly line — one more indication that the autonomous future is fast becoming a reality.
As we work toward that future, our advanced technologies are keeping drivers safe today. The 2018 S-Class features industryleading, semi-autonomous safety features such as Active Steering Assist, Active Emergency Stop Assist, and Evasive Steering Assist — and, because it’s the S -Class, we took it a step further.
Beyond keeping drivers safe, the S-Class includes a feature designed to actually enhance its occupants’ well-being while driving. A world-first for series production, Energizing Comfort co-ordinates various comfort systems in the vehicle to enhance the driver’s physical comfort and performance on the road.
Electric mobility is also a key priority for Mercedes-Benz. In 2016, we introduced the Concept EQ, the first vehicle to be developed under our EQ brand.
Mercedes-Benz EQ is shaped by a concept we call Electric Intelligence, which means that every aspect of our e-Mobility strategy is carefully considered with sustainability in mind.
This is not just about the vehicles on the road, but the ways in which materials are sourced and manufactured.
We are laying the groundwork for a sustainable, electric future — one that is not too far away. By 2022, Mercedes-Benz Cars will have launched more than 10 allelectric vehicles.
At the IAA, we also introduced the Mercedes-Benz Concept EQA in order to demonstrate how our EQ strategy can be introduced to the compact class. The Concept EQA sends a message that we are deeply committed to introducing electric mobility throughout our portfolio.
Our expanded portfolio of compact cars — the B-Class, CLA and GLA — has already helped us welcome a new generation of drivers to Mercedes-Benz.
These models have most recently found an enthusiastic new following through a bold new ad campaign — “Grow Up” — that invites the next generation of drivers to explore a different side of Mercedes-Benz. This campaign represents a new direction, one that invites drivers to look at themselves and their surroundings in new ways. It’s a very fitting message for the luxury automotive industry in this highly dynamic period of change.
Mercedes-Benz will continue to focus on providing the mobility solutions that our customers seek today, while laying the groundwork for tomorrow’s industry-leading innovations.
Across our extensive lineup, Mercedes-Benz will drive innovation as it always has, by incorporating the latest technologies into the beautifully-designed, high-performing vehicles that set our company apart.
This year, we have provided a taste of what is to come. I think it’s fair to say we have a lot to look forward to.