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13 - 21 January 2001
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Mercedes-Benz uses the North American Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan/USA, as the platform for three world premieres. In addition to the new estate model in the C-Class (203 series), the C 32 AMG and SLK 32 AMG are presented, the decidedly sporty top models in their respective model series, powered by the 260 kW / 354 hp supercharged M 112 ML engine.
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1 - 11 March 2001
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A refined version of the A-Class with improved equipment and more powerful diesel engines is presented at the Geneva Motor Show. In addition, the 168-series A-Class is expanded by the incorporation of a version with 1 7-cm-longer wheelbase. A further world premiere is celebrated by an estate version of the sporty Mercedes-Benz C 32 AMG.
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7 March 2001
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DaimlerChrysler announces its decision to realign the Gaggenau plant and develop it into the Group's centre of competence for manual and automated manual transmissions. Within the framework of this concept, the competitiveness of the Unimog unit is to be improved through the relocation of Unimog production to the truck plant in Wörth, scheduled for mid-2002.
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20 March 2001
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Representatives of the local public transport operations in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Hamburg, London, Luxembourg, Porto, Stockholm, Stuttgart and Reykjavik each sign contracts in Amsterdam for the purchase of three Mercedes-Benz Citaro urban buses with fuel cell drive. Delivery of the fuel cell buses from the world's first small-scale production series is scheduled for the period from late 2002 to 2003.
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22 - 24 March 2001
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The Sprinter celebrates its US premiere at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky/USA. The successful Mercedes-Benz van presents itself in the USA with a slightly modified design as a vehicle of the Freightliner brand. An order of over 1,900 units of this vehicle has already been received from the world’s leading express service Federal Express.
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11 April 2001
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DaimlerChrysler and Volvo agree on the takeover of a 3.3 % holding in Mitsubishi Motor Corporation previously owned by Volvo. With this purchase, including the acquisition of all rights arising from the previous cooperation between Mitsubishi and Volvo, DaimlerChrysler AG raises its stake in Mitsubishi to 37.3 %.
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21 June 2001
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DaimlerChrysler and Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) agree on the foundation of a joint-venture company for the production of commercial vehicle diesel engines. Production of Mercedes-Benz diesel units from the OM 900 engine family is planned. This project is the first concrete step towards cooperation with Hyundai in the commercial vehicle sector.
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29 June 2001
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The ground-breaking ceremony for the new administrative building of the DaimlerChrysler Bank is held at Pragsattel in Stuttgart. The building is to be completed by February 2002 and will offer 30,000 sq m of office space. The bank’s German business will be managed from here. The expansion of international activities and the management of the worldwide leasing and financing companies remain the responsibility of DaimlerChrysler Services headquarters in Berlin.
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31 July 2001
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In the Deichtor Halls in Hamburg, the Mercedes-Benz SL 500 – the first model from the new R 230 roadster series – celebrates its world premiere. The new sports car displays a host of innovations. It is the first SL to feature an advanced developed variant of the vario roof introduced in the Mercedes-Benz SLK and the active suspension system Active Body Control (ABC).
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9 September 2001
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In the eighth DTM race on the A1 Ring in Spielberg, Austria, Bernd Schneider, driving a Mercedes-Benz CLK-DTM, takes his third race victory of the season to defend his title. Two races before the end of the season he is crowned DTM champion for the year 2001. Uwe Alzen, also for Mercedes-Benz, finishes runner-up at the end of the season.
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13 - 23 September 2001
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At the Frankfurt International Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz presents the SL 55 AMG. This particularly sporty version of the new SL (R 230 series) is the first model to feature the new powerful 5.5-litre V8 supercharged M 113 ML engine, which develops an output of 350 kW / 476 hp. Also making their debut are the S 63 AMG and CL 63 AMG with a 326 kW / 444 hp 6.3-litre V12 engine from the M 137 series. Premieres are also celebrated by the G 270 CDI, the new entry-level model from the G-Class, the refined M-Class (163 series) and the Vaneo, the innovative compact van based on the A-Class. In addition to new special models and the showcar smart tridion4, the smart brand presents an alternative drive called smart hyper ("hybrid performance"), which features a combination of diesel engine and electric motor. The appearance at the IAA motor show is staged under the title "The Story of Passion" and marks the end of events celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Mercedes-Benz brand.
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19 - 24 October 2001
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The new Setra TopClass 400 touring coach series receives the award "Coach of the Year 2002" at the Busworld show in Kortrijk, Belgium. The compact Setra S 411 HD touring coach and the Mercedes-Benz Conecto raised-floor bus family (further developed O 345 with a host of refinements) have their world premiere. The rural service variant Conecto H supersedes the O 407 in Germany. The Conecto C urban bus was developed mainly for the Turkish and Belgian markets, and the school bus version Conecto E for use in France and Belgium.
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19 October 2001
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At an official ceremony held at the company Binz GmbH & Co. KG in Lorch, Württemberg, Mercedes-Benz and Binz celebrate production of the 50,000th chassis for ambulance, funeral vehicle and special-purpose bodies since 1949. Binz has been manufacturing the lengthened Mercedes-Benz chassis with partial bodies since 1996.
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7 November 2001
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Within the framework of a works agreement, the corporate management and Central Works Council of DaimlerChrysler AG decide to introduce long-term overtime accounts for the workforce of some 150,000 in the automotive business in Germany as of 1 January 2002. With the possibility of collecting up to 150 hours per year on a long-term overtime account, DaimlerChrysler creates another attractive instrument for individual working time schedules.
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23 November 2001
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DaimlerChrysler AG and the major European cities Madrid, London, Porto, Luxembourg, Hamburg, Barcelona, Stuttgart, Stockholm and Amsterdam launch the European Union-sponsored project CUTE (Clean Urban Transport for Europe), which provides for the testing of fuel cell buses in daily regular service. The project begins with the building of the necessary hydrogen infrastructure.
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10 December 2001
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The corporate management and Central Works Council of DaimlerChrysler AG conclude two new works agreements on part-time work and family leave. The new instruments for a transition to more flexible working hours provide the workforce with additional possibilities of realising individual life concepts.
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20 December 2001
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DaimlerChrysler AG and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation announce their decision to build a joint engine plant in Kölleda in Thuringia to produce petrol engines for small cars from the Mitsubishi and smart brands from the spring of 2004. The new plant is to be built and operated by MDC Power GmbH, the German-Japanese joint venture established in October 2001. Investment in the new plant comes to a total of € 244 million.
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December 2001
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The Mercedes-Benz Actros semitrailer tractors are the first production trucks worldwide that can be equipped as an optional extra with the Telligent stability control. The innovative system is comparable with the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) which is standard equipment on all Mercedes-Benz passenger cars since August 1999.
