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January 2000
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New York's transit authority instructs DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses North America to deliver 125 Orion VII hybrid urban buses. This first major order for hybrid buses follows a test phase lasting more than one year, during which ten units of the previous model, the Orion VI, were subjected to practical testing in regular service. At the start of 2001 the City of New York places another order for the supply of 200 more vehicles.
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3 - 12 February 2000
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Mercedes-Benz presents two innovative safety systems for heavy-duty trucks at the BedrijfsautoRAI international commercial vehicle show in Amsterdam: the Telligent proximity control and the Lane Assistant, available as special equipment for Mercedes-Benz Actros semitrailer tractors starting in June. A few days after the 500,000 th Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has been completed at the Dusseldorf plant, a revised generation of the successful van model also celebrates its world premiere. Important new features are new CDI diesel engines and the optional Sprintshift six-speed automated manual transmission. Another new product is a natural-gas version of the Mercedes-Benz Econic, which is equipped with the 205 kW / 279 hp M 906 LAG gas lean-burn engine and will be produced starting in June. Frequently used for municipal duties, in urban use the Econic can maximise the advantages of the low-emission, low-noise natural gas drive.
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25 February 2000
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DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors join forces to found a new company, initially bringing together the e-business activities of these three manufacturers to form the world's largest electronic marketplace. This virtual platform, christened "Covisint" on 16 May is designed to offer all suppliers and dealers a basis for significantly faster, more efficient and, above all, more economical cooperation.
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13 March 2000
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The DaimlerChrysler corporate headquarters in Stuttgart-Möhringen forms the backdrop to the world premiere of the new-generation Mercedes-Benz Unimog. The new models U 300 and U 400 (405 series) are fitted with the innovative Vario Pilot transferable steering system, electronically controlled Telligent gearshift and the new Vario Power hydraulic system.
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15 April 2000
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The Minister of the Interior for the German state of Baden-Württemberg, Dr Thomas Schäuble, is presented with 29 C-Class estates and 29 E-Class saloons for the Baden-Württemberg police force at DaimlerChrysler's Sindelfingen plant. These 58 units are the first of a total of some 3,630 Mercedes-Benz passenger cars covered by a leasing agreement signed by the Ministry of the Interior with debis Car Fleet Management GmbH. 170 Vito and Sprinter vans are also included in the order. Part of the cost concept is the green/silver livery for the new vehicles, which not only gives them a more contemporary edge than the traditional green/white combination, but also improves re-sale opportunities, since removal of the special adhesive foil leaves all-round silver paintwork rather than white as before.
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17 April 2000
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DaimlerChrysler opens the doors to the automotive industry's most cutting-edge Virtual Reality Centre within Mercedes-Benz Passenger Car Development in Sindelfingen. The company aims to use virtual reality technology to significantly reduce development time and improve quality standards throughout the development process.
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19 April 2000
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Hanover's transit company üstra Hannoversche Verkehrsbetriebe AG gets the first of 56 natural gas powered regular service buses from the Mercedes-Benz Citaro series, which will find use at Expo 2000, the world exhibition. The Citaro G with four doors, an automatic door control system and a wheelchair ramp is at the same time the first vehicle of the model series equipped with the environment-friendly natural gas drive. The vehicles operating in Hanover feature individual interior and exterior styling specially created for üstra by British designer James Irvine.
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28 May 2000
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The DTM roars back to life as the remodelled German Touring Car Masters race series, with two gripping races at the Hockenheimring circuit keeping the spectators on the edge of their seats. Bernd Schneider, who won the DTM and ITC titles for the AMG-Mercedes team back in 1995, powers his new Mercedes-Benz CLK-DTM racing touring car to win both legs of the first race of the new season.
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23 June 2000
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The partners of Airbus Industrie, the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) and BAE Systems, announce the establishment of Airbus Integrated Company (AIC) in Paris. At the same time, the "Authorisation to Offer" is the green light for the introduction of the planned Airbus megaliner, which will be designated A 380 and come on the market in 2007. EADS will hold 80 %, BAE Systems 20 % of AIC. Established in France, the company will have its headquarters in Toulouse and will employ some 38,000 people at its sites in France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom.
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10 July 2000
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The shares of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) are listed for the first time on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt, Paris and Madrid. This completes the merger of Aérospatiale Matra S.A., Construcciones Aeronáuticas S.A. (CASA) and DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (Dasa). With its IPO, EADS is the first company to be listed simultaneously on three European stock exchanges and underscores its position as a multinational European company.
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15/16 July 2000
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In the second run ofthe Truck Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, Markus Oestreich takes first place driving an Atego racing truck to gain the first win of the season for Mercedes-Benz in the category of Super Race Trucks. Since the beginning of this season the Atego is competing using a newly designed variant featuring a tubular space frame.
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17 July 2000
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In Berlin, after several rounds of difficult international negotiations, DaimlerChrysler Board of Management member Dr Manfred Gentz signs the joint declaration covering the "Remembrance, Responsibility and Future" foundation initiative proposed by German industry representatives and launched on 16 February 1999. This clears the way for the creation of a foundation which benefits from contributions of DM 5 billion each from German industry and the German government. The foundation makes humanitarian payments via partner organisations to former forced labourers and other victims of the Nazi regime, and forms the basis of a fund for the future, which assists the campaign to safeguard human rights and promote understanding between peoples. DaimlerChrysler is one of the 17 founder members of the foundation initiative, to which a further 6,500 companies sign up at a later stage.
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19 July 2000
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DaimlerChrysler and Canada's Western Star Trucks Holding, Ltd., announce that DaimlerChrysler AG through its US subsidiary Freightliner will take over the truck maker based in Kelowna, British Columbia/Canada. The transaction still requires the approval of the Canadian and US antitrust authorities and is to be completed by the autumn. Along with the premium truck brand Western Star the Canadian manufacturer's portfolio includes the Orion bus brand.
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8 September 2000
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Under the terms of an agreement between the two companies, DaimlerChrysler appoints Rolf Eckrodt as the new Chief Operating Officer at Mitsubishi Motors. DaimlerChrysler AG obtains the right, after a period of three years, to increase without limits the 34 % holding in Mitsubishi it is set to acquire in October.
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19 September 2000
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The DaimlerChrysler sales organisation in Germany (DCVD) is awarded a distinction by DEKRA Umwelt GmbH in recognition of its exemplary environment management. DCVD therefore becomes the first sales organisation of any automaker in Germany to fulfill ISO 14001, the most progressive standard worldwide.
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20 September 2000
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The 500,000th Mercedes-Benz A-Class – an A 190 – rolls off the assembly line in Rastatt almost three years after production start-up. That same day, the Wuppertal-based environmental institute Öko-Trend awards the A 160 CDI the distinction "highly recommended" for the third time in succession.
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23 - 30 September 2000
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The Mercedes-Benz Medio, a minibus with capacity for up to 40 passengers, the totally new Mercedes-Benz OC 500 generation of bus chassis, and the Actros 4153 S 8x4/4 four-axle heavy-duty tractor make their debut at the International Commercial Vehicle Show in Frankfurt am Main. In addition, Mercedes-Benz presents a stability control system comparable to ESP for touring coaches and Actros semitrailer tractors, as well as the drivable Aluminium Sprinter study of a lightweight van for short-range distribution. Also celebrating its premiere is the Unimog U 500, whose output of 205 kW / 280 hp makes it the most powerful Unimog in the more than 50-year history of this highly successful classic vehicle.
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30 September - 15 October 2000
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At the Paris Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz unveils the facelifted G-Class from the 463 series and the new C-Class Sports Coupé (203 series), another model variant with all the innovative technology familiar from the saloon. The smart brand is represented by its smart coupé showcar, based on the roadster study unveiled in Frankfurt am Main in 1999.
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1 October 2000
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The German anti-trust authorities give full approval to the plans of T-Systems International GmbH, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, for a majority holding in a joint venture with DaimlerChrysler Services. This clears the way for the establishment of T-Systems, Europe's second-largest software company with 40,000 employees and total revenues of around € 10 billion. The corporate management of debis Systemhaus, which DaimlerChrysler Services has incorporated in the joint venture, is transferred to Deutsche Telekom.
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7/8 October 2000
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Mercedes-Benz finishes runner-up in three categories at the final race of the truck racing season in Jarama, Spain. Markus Oestreich in an Atego racing truck is second in the Super Race Truck class, Heinz -Werner Lenz in a Mercedes-Benz 1838 S is second in the Race Truck class, and Mercedes-Benz is second in the constructors’ rankings.
