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Mercedes-Benz India does a live webcast on mb. Connect!

Recently, Mercedes Benz India added another first to its name. We are the first automobile company in the country to talk directly to our customers and those who admire the brand, through a live webcast. We took this initiative to give you an insider's perspective of what it takes to make these dream machines a reality. We shared some lesser known facts of our cars and discussed the complexities of the cutting-edge technology that brings the fascination alive. 

The mb. Connect! event was conducted through a live stream. The questions were fielded by Mr. Debashis Mitra – Head of Marketing & Sales, Mercedes-Benz India. We sorted through over 500 questions submitted to us and got some interesting insights from Mr. Mitra as he shared his immense knowledge of the brand. 

We will bring you more such interactive sessions where you can connect with important people behind the scenes who share your passion for Mercedes-Benz India. 

To engage with Mercedes-Benz India, just log on to www.mbconnect.in.

Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series is the new DTM Safety Car

A further highlight of the 2012 DTM season in addition to the spectacular new Mercedes-AMG C-Coupé will be the DTM Safety Car: right from the off, C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series will be providing the necessary safety for the world's most popular touring car series. With a maximum output of 380 kW (517 hp), this two-seater is the most powerful C-Class of all time. The German Touring Car Masters (DTM) gets underway at the Hockenheimring on 29 April 2012.

The Safety Car is deployed under the direction of the German Motorsport Association (DMSB), which is responsible for implementing safety measures, ensuring compliance with safety standards and discharging the attendant official sporting functions in accordance with the DTM rules. The C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series Safety Car driven by racing driver Jürgen Kastenholz (44) is intended to ensure maximum safety for racing drivers, spectators and track marshals in case of dangerous situations, such as extreme weather conditions, accidents or other incidents. In response to a radio message from the race organizers, the Safety Car enters the track and leads the DTM field around the circuit until normal racing can be resumed.

The most powerful C-Class of all time stands for spectacular design, technology transfer from the field of motorsport and driving dynamics of the very highest caliber. As such, the C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series only required modification to a few points of detail for deployment as the DTM Safety Car. The most striking feature distinguishing it from the series production version is the aerodynamically optimized light bar on the roof. Energy-efficient, fast-response LEDs in green and orange keep the DTM racing drivers informed of the current situation.

DTM Safety Car provided by Mercedes-AMG since 2000

Mercedes-AMG has been providing the Safety Car ever since the beginning of the "new" DTM in 2000, alternating with Audi from race to race – and since 2012 with BMW also. In the Formula 1 World Championship, an SLS AMG is deployed as an Official F1 Safety-Car and a C 63 AMG Estate serves as an Official F1 Medical Car.

Victory in DTM Debut Race

Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) wins season opener at Hockenheim in first race of new DTM era

• First win in first race for DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé
  
• 100th one-two victory in the DTM for Mercedes-Benz
• 166th victory in 343 DTM races for Mercedes-Benz
• Mercedes-Benz scoops 65 of the 101 points available with five C-Coupé drivers in the Top 8
• Sixth Hockenheim victory (opening and closing races of season) in succession for Mercedes-Benz

Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) won the 2012 DTM season opener at Hockenheim from sixth place on the grid with a 4.7- second lead on Jamie Green (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé). It was Paffett’s 18th Victory in the DTM and his fourth at Hockenheim. It was the British driver’s 26th podium in the 82nd DTM race of his career and his seventh in a DTM race at Hockenheim. With 18 wins and a winning rate of 22%, Paffett has achieved the greatest number of victories among those drivers currently contesting the DTM. Paffett and Green secured the 100th one-two victory for Mercedes-Benz in the DTM since 1988.

It was the sixth consecutive Mercedes victory at their home race in Hockenheim (opener and finale), and their third win in a row at a DTM season opener (Paffett 2010 and 2012, and Bruno Spengler, 2011). Overall since 1988, Mercedes-Benz has won 32 of 65 DTM races at the Hockenheimring. During the same period, Mercedes-Benz drivers were victorious 166 times in 343 DTM races.

Paffett’s victory was the first success in the new DTM era in the three-way battle between the three premium brands Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz and the first victory for the new DTM Mercedes AMG C Coupé, the successor to the AMG Mercedes C-Class, which is the most successful vehicle in the history of the DTM with 85 victories in 159 races.

Christian Vietoris (Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Coupé) advanced from 15th on the grid to finish fourth. Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) and David Coulthard (DHL Paket Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) were also amongst the points, finishing seventh and eighth respectively. Susie Wolff (TV Spielfilm Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) and Robert Wickens (stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) ended the day in twelfth and 14th positions. DTM rookie Roberto Merhi (Junge Sterne Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) was forced to retire from the race.

Jamie Green set the fastest lap with a time of 1:34.901 minutes – the sixth time he has done so at Hockenheim. It is also the 36th time in 65 DTM races at this venue that a Mercedes-Benz driver has posted the fastest lap time. Nine of the last ten fastest laps here were set by a Mercedes-Benz driver.

A total of 142,000 fans attended the DTM opener at Hockenheim this weekend (Fri, Sat, Sun). Some 71,000 spectators were at the track for Sunday’s first race of the new DTM era.