Mercedes Honored With Red Dot Design Award

Posted by www.eMercedesBenz.com on June 29th, 2006 
In awards news, Mercedes was recently bestowed with yet another  
accolade, courtesy of the North Rhineland-Westphalia Design Center.   
The "red dot design award - best of the best," an internationally  
recognized design prize, was given to Mercedes based on their design  
for the R-Class, a vehicle offering each of its up to six occupants a  
"first-class level of comfort."

The "red dot design award," one of the most prestigious of its kind,  
was awarded to a total of 485 products in twelve different  
categories, out of a total of 2068 entries.  Only 36 products  
received the coveted "red dot design award - best of the best," one  
of which was, as you now know, the R-Class.

To learn more about the award as well as the Mercedes R-Class, visit  
www.eMercedesBenz.com to see a number of photos demonstrating the R- 
Class' design elements, or keep reading for the full press release.  
Enjoy.



New Mercedes-Benz R-Class scoops prodigious design award


Stuttgart, Jun 29, 2006
The North Rhineland-Westphalia Design Center has announced that the  
Mercedes-Benz R-Class is to receive its most coveted award, the “red  
dot design award – best of the best”. In awarding this  
internationally recognised design prize, the jury is honouring the  
sophisticated design of the R-Class vehicle concept, which offers  
first-class comfort to up to six occupants. The R-Class represents an  
exciting blend of functionality, dynamism and elegance. It now  
assumes a confident position in the model range alongside the four- 
door CLS-Class Coupé, which Mercedes-Benz presented as a new vehicle  
concept two years ago and which has since enjoyed worldwide acclaim.

Producing new, innovative vehicle concepts with eye-catching design  
is a long-standing tradition at Mercedes-Benz. Both the four-door CLS- 
Class – the first model to combine the athletic excitement of a coupé  
with the practical qualities of a saloon – and the R-Class, which  
combines top-grade comfort with a new, distinctive SUV design, are  
design trendsetters which are shaping the face of vehicle design in  
the future. “In producing the R-Class, we are the first manufacturer  
to create a visual association between the concepts of space,  
dynamism, emotion and speed,” explains Professor h.c. Peter Pfeiffer,  
Head of Design at the Mercedes-Benz Technology Center. “This is a  
unique achievement.”

In spite of the spacious interior design of the R-Class, Mercedes  
designers succeeded in aligning distinctive athletic qualities with  
sleek elegance. The new Mercedes model is proof that exciting,  
emotional design is not a size issue.

The “red dot design award” is one of the most prestigious awards of  
its kind worldwide. There were a record 2068 entries from 41  
countries for the “red dot design award 2006”. A total of 485  
products in twelve categories were awarded the “red dot”. Only 36  
products received the coveted “best of the best” award, including the  
Mercedes-Benz R-Class.

Powerful interplay between lines and surfaces as a typical design  
feature

Design is a Mercedes-Benz trademark. The lines used in Mercedes-Benz  
vehicles not only stimulate enthusiasm for the products themselves,  
they also reflect the philosophy and profile of the Stuttgart brand.  
The design expresses brand values in visual form – and at the same  
time also characterises them. “Every model should offer a new  
perspective,” adds Design head Peter Pfeiffer. This credo applies to  
both the new R-Class and the four-door CLS-Class Coupé, which  
Mercedes-Benz launched as a new vehicle concept in 2004.

Despite the obvious differences between the R-Class and CLS-Class,  
the two models share the same spirit. They represent the pinnacle of  
vehicle design – design that subconsciously arouses a passion for  
driving. The design idiom for both models offers an individual  
interpretation of the established family characteristics of  
contemporary Mercedes design. This includes above all the effective  
interplay between tautly drawn lines and tranquil surfaces. The  
distinctive roofline of the R-Class, which spans the body and defines  
the line of the D-pillar, intentionally creates associations with the  
lines of a Coupé and makes for an elegant, extended silhouette. The  
character line also comes into play here. It structures the flanks of  
the CLS-Class and R-Class and delineates light and shade between  
convex and concave door surfaces. The character line extends to the  
rear end of the vehicle and merges there with the rear light cluster,  
which continues the flow of the character line.

Another feature shared by CLS-Class and R-Class is the louvred  
radiator grille with the centrally positioned Mercedes star. It  
emphasises the width of the body and symbolises power and confidence.  
The front sections of both Mercedes models are testimony to the  
designers’ passion for detail. The headlamps, for example, are  
evocative of exclusive optical instruments and perfectly harmonise  
functionality and aesthetic exclusivity.

Adding a new dimension to comfort and driving pleasure

The R-Class, the touring SUV from Mercedes-Benz, not only offers  
superb design but also caters to the needs of modern-minded people  
keen on recreation, who are looking for a car that offers tremendous  
versatility coupled with high levels of comfort. The 42-seater offers  
a high level of adaptability (load capacity up to 2385 litres in the  
long-wheelbase version), exemplary standards of safety and  
prestigious flair. The R-Class offers a whole new motoring experience  
coupled with dynamic driving pleasure. All thanks to a host of  
powerful engines with outputs ranging from 165 kW (224 hp) to 225 kW  
(306 hp).

The standard specification includes the 4MATIC permanent all-wheel- 
drive system, 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission with  
DIRECT SELECT and air suspension at the rear. Passive safety features  
include adaptive front airbags, front sidebags, windowbags and the  
optional anticipatory occupant protection system PRE-SAFE®, which  
detects a potential accident situation and prepares the driver and  
passengers for an impending collision in a fraction of a second.

The extra-dynamic interpretation of the new R-Class helps Mercedes- 
Benz emphasise the versatility of the new vehicle concept that  
scooped the “red dot design award – best of the best”. The R 63 AMG,  
with its distinctive AMG looks, is fitted with a new AMG 6.3-litre V8  
engine delivering a maximum output of 375 kW (510 hp) and the sort of  
acceleration you would expect from a sports car. Exhilarating driving  
pleasure, exclusive comfort and outstanding design come together in  
their purest form.

For more Mercedes-Benz news and information, visit  
www.eMercedesBenz.com.