1978

  • 1 April 1978
  • Series production of the 123-series estate begins at the Bremen plant. The historic plant, which saw the construction of Borgward cars until 1961, becomes the second passenger car plant of Daimler-Benz AG.
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  • 29/30 April 1978
  • In Nardò, Italy, the Mercedes-Benz C 111-III breaks nine speed world records and eleven international records for its class during a twelve-hour run, averaging speeds of approx. 320 km/h. The engine used in the record-breaking car is once again the five-cylinder OM 617 LA turbodiesel with intercooler, its output boosted to 169 kW / 230 hp.
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  • 17 August - 24 September 1978
  • After a gruelling 38 days and 30,000 kilometres, Mercedes-Benz teams occupy the first five places in South America's "Vuelta à la America del Sud" rally. Andrew Cowan / Colin Malkin take the win in a 450 SLC, followed by Sobieslaw Zasada / Andrzej Zembrzuski in a 450 SLC in second place, the 280 E of Anthony Fowkes / Klaus Kaiser in third, Timo Mäkinen / Jean Todt in a 450 SLC in fourth, and Herbert-Ernst Kleint / Günther Klapproth at the wheel of a 280 E in fifth position.
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  • 22 - 25 August 1978
  • In Untertürkheim, Daimler-Benz AG presents the second-generation anti-lock braking system (ABS) to the press. The pioneering new system, co-developed with Bosch, is introduced in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (116 series) saloons in December.
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  • August 1978
  • The first production units of the Unimog U 1300 L (435 series) roll off the assembly line in Gaggenau. Following a two-year testing phase the German armed forces had placed a major order for delivery of the two-tonne cross-country truck in December 1977. At the handover of the first vehicles, the 124 kW / 168 hp U 1700 L is also demonstrated. It adds a new flagship model to the heavy-duty 435 series starting in 1979.
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  • 22 - 25 October 1978
  • At the "transport 78” international transport technology trade fair, Daimler-Benz presents the OE 305 electric hybrid bus and a track-guided bus for the O-Bahn system as alternative solutions for local public transport.
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