Asia, the Americas Open horizons. In the dynamic automotive market, Daimler is raising its flag all over the world. Perfectly positioned, we are systematically expanding our strong presence in the established markets of the Americas, Japan and Europe. We are also exploiting the outstanding prospects offered by the emerging markets of Brazil, Russia, India and China. New production capacities, cooperative projects and local brands are powering our growth in the BRIC countries. We are going places worldwide. 60 61
Successfully penetrating the growth markets. Daimler vehicles and local brands are already part of the urban landscape of major Asian cities. There are good prospects for long-term growth in the vehicle markets of the emerging economies. Daimler aims to take advantage of this potential on its way to the top. The BRIC countries Brazil, Russia, India and China still play the most important role in the markets with the highest growth rates. But the markets of other ambitious young nations are also gaining importance. Singapore relys on the Mercedes-Benz Citaro. In the future, the Mercedes-Benz star will shine more frequently on the streets of Singapore. Daimler Buses has once again received a major order from one of Asia s most important cities. By the end of 2015, a total of 450 Mercedes-Benz Citaro city buses from the EvoBus plant in Mannheim will be delivered to the local public transportation authority of Singapore. Since fall 2012, the first 300 Citaro buses have been making Singapore s bus fleet, the biggest in Asia, fit for the future. All of the buses feature ultramodern BlueTec technology and low-floor design for easy entry. Thanks to its regional presence and its country-specific know-how in all vehicle segments, Daimler is ideally equipped to serve the upward trend in the new markets. For example, Mercedes-Benz SUVs are becoming increasingly popular in Asia. As a result, since 2012, the M-Class has been produced not only at its main plant in Tuscaloosa but also in India, Thailand and Indonesia for local markets. Starting in mid-2013, the final assembly of the GL-Class will be carried out in India and Indonesia. Since December 2011, the GLK compact SUV has been rolling off the assembly line not only in Bremen but also in Beijing. In my opinion, the brand name says it all! Bharat stands for my country, India, and Benz denotes the state-of-the-art technologies from Daimler. Omprakash Singh, Head of Corporate Human Resources, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. The BharatBenz truck model offensive in India. There is a strong demand in India for high-quality and economical trucks. In response, the successful market launch of the heavy-duty BharatBenz truck in fall 2012 was quickly followed by the start of production of medium-duty trucks in Chennai. Daimler s subsidiary in India, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), has thus expanded its range of vehicles by adding a number of models. By 2014, DICV will have launched a total of 17 Bharat- Benz truck models on the market. These models will be based on Daimler Trucks platforms and specially designed to meet the requirements of customers in India. w www5.mercedes-benz.com/en/vehicles/buses/ w daimler-indiacv.com w daimler.com/company/daimler-worldwide Asia 62
In Singapore, the local transport authority relies on the Mercedes-Benz Citaro the most successful city bus of all time. Passengers in Singapore appreciate the special comfort of these buses, which are the first-ever low-floor buses to operate in Southeast Asia. Daimler is putting high-quality, reliable and fuel-efficient BharatBenz trucks on the road in India. These advantages are convincing more and more fleet operators to expand their fleets with new, economical BharatBenz trucks. 63
With the new Freightliner Cascadia Evolution, Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) is leading the way in the US market when it comes to economical and environmentally friendly trucks. In a 2,400-mile test drive, the new heavy-duty truck s fuel consumption was up to 7% lower than that of the current model. Systematically expanding its presence in the core markets. In its traditional markets as well, Daimler is engaging in new projects in order to satisfy customers growing desire for automotive freedom. On the road and in rough terrain: The new GL-Class from Mercedes-Benz is a leader in all SUV disciplines, thanks to its exemplary safety features, excellent handling properties and outstanding driving comfort. 64
The Americas Premium vehicles are objects of desire all over the world. Daimler is meeting this demand in its traditionally important auto market of North America as well as in the up-and-coming countries of Latin America. Thanks to the Group s model offensive, its broad range of vehicles with efficient combustion engines and alternative drive systems, and its expanded production capacity, the Daimler vehicle brands will continue to promote the American way of life in the future. As a global player, Daimler can react to the wishes of customers all over the world and thanks to its local production facilities, it is also becoming more important as a local player. The expansion of its plant in Tuscaloosa will enable Daimler to bring its vehicle lineup even closer to its customers in North America in the future. Starting in 2015, a total of five models will be rolling off the assembly line at Mercedes-Benz US International (MBUSI). This is the main plant for the production of the Mercedes-Benz SUV models of the M, GL and R-Class. Starting in 2014, the C-Class sedan for the North American market will also be produced here. An additional fifth model will follow in 2015. Through these operations, Daimler is further expanding its US production base and creating approximately 1,400 new jobs. Fleet renewal in Brazil with Mercedes-Benz buses. Brazil s major cities are equipping themselves with new bus fleets in order to cope with the tremendous increase in traffic that is expected for the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016. For an initial major order, Daimler, the leader in the Brazilian bus market, is supplying more than 520 city buses in all. The company also expects to receive additional orders. A total of 135 Mercedes-Benz buses with environmentally friendly Blue Tec 5 technology will be on the road in Fortaleza. About 390 Mercedes-Benz bus chassis will be delivered to the local public transport authority in Ribeirão Preto. The buses will be part of a modern urban infrastructure that will include additional bus lines operating in dedicated lanes. Local production of the Mercedes-Benz Actros in Juiz de Fora. To respond quickly and flexibly to the growing demand for commercial vehicles in Brazil, Daimler has been producing the Mercedes-Benz Actros also at its Juiz de Fora plant since 2012. This successful heavy-duty truck is also produced in plants in Wörth, Germany, and Aksaray, Turkey. w freightlinertrucks.com/trucks/models/evolution w daimler.com/company/daimler-worldwide Whether it s used as a travel van or a fleet vehicle, the Sprinter is continuing to speed ahead in the United States. This successful van is sold as a Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner vehicle. Its state-of-the-art motorization and low fuel consumption make it extremely popular with customers. 65