Mercedes

Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a famous brand of luxury cars. These are German made cars and are known as status symbol of high class consumers. All customers have their own values and beliefs while purchasing a car. There are several factors responsible for the purchase decision. Car industry is growing very fast worldwide. There is a rapid change in trends and consumers preferences for comfortable, reliable, highly efficient and economical cars. Mercedes-Benz company has to take care of consumers choice to maintain its position in the market and also for further growth in the car industry. The company is adapting new technologies and techniques to make its cars more famous among the customers. It is also introducing low priced luxury in the market. The company should take steps to know 1-Business alliances *Studebaker-Packard In 1958 Mercedes-Benz entered into a distribution agreement with the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana (USA), makers of Studebaker and Packard brand automobiles.[3] Under the deal, Studebaker would allow Mercedes-Benz access to its dealer network in the U.S., handle shipments of vehicles to the dealers, and in return, receive compensation for each car sold. Studebaker also was permitted to use the German automaker's name in its advertisements, which stressed Studebaker's quality over quantity.[citation needed] When Studebaker entered into informal discussions with Franco-American automaker Facel Vega about offering Facel Vega Excellencemodel in the United States, Mercedes-Benz objected to the proposal. Studebaker, which needed Mercedes-Benz distribution payments to help stem heavy losses, dropped further action on the plan.[citation needed] Mercedes-Benz maintained an office within the Studebaker works in South Bend from 1958 to 1963, when Studebaker's U.S. operations ceased. Many U.S Studebaker dealers converted to Mercedes-Benz dealerships at that time. When Studebaker closed its Canadian operation and left the automobile business in 1966, remaining Studebaker dealers had the option to convert their dealerships to Mercedes-Benz dealership agreements.[citation needed] *Subsidiaries Mercedes-Benz AMG became a majority owned division of Mercedes-Benz in 1998.[4] The company was integrated into DaimlerChrysler in 1999,[5] and became Mercedes-Benz AMG beginning on 1 January 1999.[6] *Quality rankings Since its inception, Mercedes-Benz had maintained a reputation for its quality and durability. Objective measures looking at passenger vehicles—such as J. D. Power surveys, demonstrated a downturn in reputation in this criteria in the late 1990s and early 2000s. By mid-2005, Mercedes temporarily returned to the industry average for initial quality, a measure of problems after the first 90 days of ownership, according to J.D. Power.[7] In J.D. Power's Initial Quality Study for the first quarter of 2007, Mercedes showed dramatic improvement by climbing from 25th to 5th place, surpassing quality leader Toyota, and earning several awards for its models.[8] For 2008, Mercedes-Benz's initial quality rating improved by yet another mark, now in fourth place.[9] On top of this accolade, it also received the Platinum Plant Quality Award for its Mercedes’ Sindelfingen, Germany assembly plant.[9] As of 2009, Consumer Reports of the United States has changed their reliability ratings for several Mercedes-Benz vehicles to "average", and are recommending the E-Class and the S-Class.[10] 2-Innovations Numerous technological innovations have been introduced on Mercedes-Benz automobiles throughout the many years of their production, including:  The internal combustion engined automobile was developed independently by Benz and Daimler & Maybach in 1886  Daimler invented the honeycomb radiator of the type still used on all water-cooled vehicles today  Daimler invented the float carburetor which was used until replaced by fuel injection  The "drop chassis"—the car originally designated the "Mercedes" by Daimler was also the first car with a modern configuration, having the carriage lowered and set between the front and rear wheels, with a front engine and powered rear wheels. All earlier cars were "horseless carriages", which had high centres of gravity and various engine/drive-train configurations  The first passenger road car to have brakes on all four wheels (1924)[59]  The "safety cage" or "safety cell" construction with front and rear crumple zones was first developed by Mercedes-Benz in 1951. This is considered by many as the most important innovation in automobile construction from a safety standpoint[2][verification needed]  In 1959, Mercedes-Benz patented a device that prevents drive wheels from spinning by intervening at the engine, transmission, or brakes. In 1987, Mercedes-Benz applied its patent by introducing a traction control system that worked under both braking and acceleration  Traction control and airbags in the European market, were Mercedes-Benz innovations.[citation needed] These technologies were introduced in 1986, and 1980 respectively  Mercedes-Benz was the first to introduce pre-tensioners to seat belts on the 1981 S-Class. In the event of a crash, a pre-tensioner will tighten the belt instantaneously, removing any 'slack' in the belt, which prevents the occupant from jerking forward in a crash  In September 2003, Mercedes-Benz introduced the world's first seven-speed automatic transmission called '7G-Tronic'  Mercedes-Benz pioneered a system called Pre-Safe to detect an imminent crash—and prepares the car's safety systems to respond optimally. It also calculates the optimal braking force required to avoid an accident in emergency situations, and makes it immediately available for when the driver depresses the brake pedal. Occupants are also prepared by tightening the seat belt, closing the sunroof and windows, and moving the seats into the optimal position.