1998

Under the slogan "The year of the eight-cylinder”, the V8 Mercedes-Benz ML 430 and CLK 430 models are presented at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan/USA.

The first A-Class cars fitted with ESP leave the assembly line at the Rastatt plant after a three-month break in production.

EvoBus GmbH takes over the property and buildings of the former Setra S.A. in Samano, Spain, establishing its fifth European production site.

During a two-day innovation symposium taking place at Stuttgart's Mercedes Forum, the Daimler-Benz Innovation Prize for 1997 is awarded to the basic concept for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. At the same time, Daimler-Benz presents an A-Class experimental vehicle with electric drive system, which draws its power from a ZEBRA high-capacity sodium-nickel chloride battery.

At the Australian Grand Prix, the opening race of the Formula One season in Melbourne, AMG deploys a C 55 AMG Estate as the new Medical Car. The official Safety Car remains the CLK 55 AMG first used in 1997.

The newly developed Mercedes-Benz Econic waste disposal vehicle is unveiled to the press in Arbon, Switzerland. Production of the vehicle takes place at the Swiss subsidiary NAW Nutzfahrzeuge AG, which was also responsible for the entire development process.

The new model range of the revised Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (R 129 series) is presented at the Turin Motor Show. Also on display is a magma-red show car, whose sporty characteristics demonstrate the versatility of the A-Class concept. Five months before the start of sales, the smart brand also presents itself with an attractive show car.

A new customer center is opened at the Daimler-Benz plant in Bremen. The delivery and experience center was built in 15 months at a total cost of DM 36 million and offers Mercedes-Benz customers the option of collecting their car in person from the Bremen plant.

A new type of service contract, which allows private customers to cover the full costs of maintenance and repairs for their vehicle, extends the range of services available for all newly registered Mercedes-Benz passenger cars.

Daimler-Benz sets up Mercedes-Benz Latinas Inc., a new sales company for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Daimler-Benz announces the phased take-over of Affalterbach-based AMG GmbH. On 1 January 1999, AMG is to transfer an initial 51 % holding in its company to Daimler-Benz, the remainder following in instalments over the next 10 years.

The first 54 members of staff move into offices at the new headquarters of the Mercedes-Benz Deutschland sales organisation at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin. By the end of August a total of around 550 staff from Stuttgart and other locations will have moved with their families to Berlin, where some 200 new jobs will be created.

The new in-line engine plant, part of the original Daimler-Benz plant at Stuttgart-Untertürkheim, is officially opened. Production of state-of-the-art CDI direct injection diesel engines takes place at the production centre, built on the back of investment totaling DM 900 million.

The Daimler-Benz Board of Management takes the decision to develop the exclusive Mercedes-Benz Maybach and to produce the luxury saloon at the Sindelfingen plant.

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is now available with windowbag, a world first which considerably reduces the risk of head injuries in the event of a side impact.

The Mercedes-Benz Atego range is expanded to include a second line at the International Commercial Vehicle Show in Hanover. The newly developed range of models for heavy-duty short-radius distribution in the weight category from 18 to 26 tonnes comes onto the market later in the year. Mercedes-Benz also presents the van study "Altra" with integral light-alloy body enabling a 500 kg higher payload. The Mercedes-Benz Cito, an urban midibus with low-floor technology and diesel-electric drive, also celebrates its world premiere. The rural service variant Citaro Ü and the three-axle Citaro L expand the model family of the successful regular service bus, and with the Integro L another three-axle bus makes its debut. On display for the first time is also the Mercedes-Benz Tourismo in the super-high-decker touring variant. Setra presents the S 319-GT-HD as the new touring coach in the 15-metre category and introduces the new designations TopClass, ComfortClass and MultiClass for its bus and coach serie

The new 220 series S-Class celebrates its world premiere before the public at the Paris Motor Show. The top-of-the-range model of the Mercedes-Benz brand is launched featuring over 30 innovations including AIRMATIC air suspension, which incorporates ADS adaptive damping. Other innovations include the display and operating system COMAND, the KEYLESS-GO drive authorisation system and DISTRONIC autonomous intelligent cruise control. In Paris the Daimler-Benz subsidiary Micro Compact Car AG presents a diesel variant of the smart City Coupé.

The Daimler-Benz "Quartier" at Potsdamer Platz is officially opened in a ceremony attended by German President Dr Roman Herzog, over 4,000 guests and more than 1,000 journalists. The new Potsdamer Platz, the creative masterpiece of Renzo Piano and Christoph Kohlbecker, comprises 19 buildings, 10 new streets, a central piazza and water features over an area of 12,000 sq m along what was once the border between East and West Berlin. debis Immobilienmanagement GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of debis AG, had assumed responsibility for the on-site realisation of the project.

Daimler-Benz AG reaches agreement with the US company Thomas Built Buses to take over the school bus manufacturer, based in High Point, North Carolina/USA. Daimler-Benz acquires 100 % of shares in Thomas Built Buses through its subsidiary Freightliner Corp.

Daimler-Benz AG and Hako Holding GmbH & Co., Bad Oldesloe, sign a Memorandum of Understanding, according to which the assembly facilities and product and sales rights for the UX 100 will be sold to Hako with effect from 1 January 1999.