Andreas Kleinkauf, senior manager, Product Management E-Class, CLS, Mercedes-Benz Cars
I see my work as being the company's the ambassador for our customers. We know our customers' needs and wishes worldwide.
And this is how we can create the perfect car for them: if customers are keen on adding some new design, no decision on any project will be made without keeping that in mind.
For me, the day-to-day, continuous contact with all our global markets and customers is one of the most thrilling and exciting parts of the job.
Also, in addition to the work, I love to travel with my family to different countries, and get in touch with other cultures, and enjoy regional landscapes, traditional food and especially the people.
I'm absolutely sure that this unique sports sedan fits perfectly in China. The new CLS is a perfect combination of driving dynamics and pioneering technology, and exudes luxury and style.
Hubert Lee, head of Mercedes-Benz' Advanced Design studio in California
This first generation CLS created a new segment and became a design icon, so, the design of the second generation was the biggest challenge of my career so far.
In 2006, we decided that the second generation CLS would represent a new era of Mercedes-Benz design.
We also wanted it to be more powerful and more dynamic; we were literally re-creating a legend.
The front is athletic and innocative, and the back is powerful and elegant. And the elevated exterior mirrors on stands accentuate the profile and improve the all-round view in the vicinity of the A-pillars.
The dropping lines are my favorite design in CLS.
When drawing the lines of the CLS, my main inspiration was an elegant cat, ready to take-off. It has a very powerful and dynamic form, also conveys the self-confident appearance just like the CLS.
As is the case with humans, every car has a different character. You know that old saying, "Clothes make the man"? Well, so does a car. A beautiful body cannot live without a beautiful soul.
When I begin a new project, I think about how the people are dressed, who's going to buy this car, how they're living, and what's the lifestyle behind them. Then I try to create a perfectly matching outfit for the car, as well as for the driver.
The CLS lives up to ite role as a design icon in the innovative way in which the materials are used, including the fascinating interplay between the satin and high-sheen finishes of the metallic surfaces.
The CLS really finds the bridge between heritage and future.
Roland Kemmler, senior manager for development of gasoline engines, Mercedes-Benz Cars
In addition to my work, I love playing the guitar. Of course, all six strings must be perfectly tuned to get the best sound and performance. It's the same with a six cylinder engine!
For me, the engine is the "heart" of a car, so the CLS can be seen as a very healthy, intelligent sportsman.
Our new V6 engine with BlueDIRECT technology offers more power, torque, and efficiency. To achieve this, we've put our hearts and souls into developing the perfect engine.
Perhaps the best example of this is the extremely efficient direct injection technology. The fuel injector opens in less than the blink of an eye. This is the absolute peak of engineering.
Uwe Kostanzer, head of lighting systems development, Mercedes-Benz Cars
The new CLS is the first car in the world in which all the lighting systems available, with the current xenon system, are provided by LEDs.
I love the details of our LED headlamps. They are the perfect combination of functionality, safety, and emotion.
The LED High Performance headlamps provide all five lighting functions of the intelligent light system, and the LED used in the headlamps gives considerable advantages in safety and durability.
The energy efficiency of LEDs is already on a par with that of xenon lamps, and we, my team of 40 lighting-experts, expect very soon to achieve potential savings of 100 Watts over conventional systems.
And we stayed true to our principles: we only introduce innovations when there is a benefit for the customer.
Joachim Lindau, head of CLS Testing, Mercedes-Benz Cars
Creating the CLS was something special - a modern masterpiece, tested and improved over the years by more than 50 specialists.
Mercedes-Benz test drivers have used over 1,400 prototype and pre-production models over 34 million miles, an equivalent to driving around the equator 850 times.
We tested every component, all of the car's technical highlights, and improved them a little bit each time. In the end, after more than two years of intensive work, we reached all our goals. And the new CLS is set to offer car enthusiasts even greater driving enjoyment.
For me, every detail of a product must work as good as it possibly can - but there's always something to improve. Keeping Karl Benz in mind, I would say, "The love of improvements never ends".
In the future, we want to do more tests in China, for this important market.
Michael Rapp, head of steering systems development, Mercedes-Benz Cars
I love driving cars. At the steering wheel, I can directly experience the agility, sportiness, and handling ability of a car.
So, I can say with authority that we've never, ever had a better steering than that of the new CLS.
The new electro-mechanical steering system marks a radical shift in the relationship between driver, car, and road.
Furthermore, the steering makes an important contribution to the overall efficiency of the CLS, which is reflected in the fuel consumption - up to 0.3 liters per kilometer or 7 kg carbon dioxide emissions per kilometer.
The new steering system has also made it possible to introduce the automatic parking function, "Active Parking Assist".
To make a long story short, the new CLS is an elegant sedan with handling like that of a sports car.
Source: chinadaily.com
No comments:
Post a Comment