Mercedes-Benz in the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich

STUTTGART / MUNICH – June 25, 2008: The Mercedes-Benz brand is the world's oldest and most renowned automobile brand. In the more than 120-year history of the brand, the design of the vehicles always has played an outstanding role, and over the decades numerous icons of automotive design have been created.

In the “Milestones Automotive Design” exhibition the Pinakothek der Moderne (modern art museum) in Munich is presenting seven vehicles of the Mercedes-Benz brand, beginning with the “Blitzen Benz” of 1909 and extending down to the Mercedes-Benz CLS of 2004. In conjunction with the cars, the exhibition also focuses on the design work. This is illustrated with drafts, sketches, renderings, tapes and models. Neue Sammlung Design presents a walk-in installation in which the cars are featured as the outcome of design processes.

The exhibition runs from the 25th of June to the 14th of September 2008. Open daily except Mondays, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

These exhibits are on display:

The “Blitzen Benz” breaks the world record at 228.1 km/h in 1911 to stay on top until 1919. At exposition runs in the United States it is regarded as the “eighth world wonder”.

The “Autobahn Courier” from 1938 is the ultimate in modernism on wheels and stands as a symbol for overcoming distances at high speed and great comfort.

The W 196 “Streamliner” returns Mercedes-Benz to Formula 1 racing in 1954, which the brand then dominated for two years.

The 300 SL “Gullwing” from 1955 is based on the successful 1952 racing coupe and captures the fresh attitude toward life after the war. It becomes the embodiment of a dream car in due course.

The C 111 design study from 1977 is the basis for a record breaker which one year later wins nine absolute world records with a five-cylinder turbo diesel under the hood.

The tropical boxfish is the model for the “Bionic Car”, a 2005 research vehicle which addresses current conceptions of a streamlined, safe, ecological, and comfortable automobile.

A milled model of the CLS shows the unique shape of the four door coupe which Mercedes-Benz brings to market in 2004 to establish a new category of cars.