The Mercedes-Benz fleet arrived in Beijing yesterday, the destination of its cross-continent journey, marking the end of the Long Distance Drive Paris-Beijing 2006.

Starting from Paris on October 21, the fleet, consisting of almost 400 participants from 35 nations, passed nine countries and covered around 13,600 kilometres in a 25-day transcontinental haul.

Approximately 360 drivers took to the wheel before the diesel marathon reached its final destination.

It was "the longest and most intensive road show ever staged by Mercedes," according to Dieter Zetsche, chairman of DaimlerChrysler AG and CEO of the Mercedes Car Group.

Since the birth of the automobile, this is the first time luxury cars have driven such a long-distance tour, marking a milestone in auto history.

The event shows Mercedes-Benz's leading-edge technology and reflects the automaker's unique role in the car industry during its more than 100-year history.

"The long-distance tour highlighted the car's excellence and showed that Mercedes-Benz ranks among the best in the premium segment in comfort, safety and reliability," Zetsche said.

The endurance drive "did much more than demonstrate technical ability," he added. "It also contributed to better understanding among people."

Hundreds of participants from various countries took the journey together, made friends, learned about different cultures, and had some unforgettable personal experiences, he said.

"It is always a joy to rediscover what can be achieved by working together toward a common goal," Zetsche said.

Inspiring journey

Divided into five phases, the long-distance journey from Europe to Asia passed across six time zones and through France, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia and Kazakhstan before ending in China.

The first leg, stretching over approximately 3,400 kilometres, provided a good view of a great variety of landscapes - ranging from the metropolitan regions of Paris, Berlin, and Warsaw, to the untouched countryside of the Masurian and Baltic regions.

The second leg of the long-distance haul began from the east of Moscow, where participants drove through Chuvashia, Tatarstan and Udmurtia for another stretch of around 2,700 kilometres and passed a number of swamps and forests.

The third stage was a 2,500 kilometres run across the Kazakhian steppe, where drivers faced the challenge of breathtaking glaciers. This was the highest part of the journey, reaching up to 5,000 metres above sea level.

From the fourth stage, which was approximately 3,100 kilometres, the route took the drivers into China's Wild West. Twenty-two days after its start in Paris, the Mercedes-Benz team hit another legendary route: the Silk Road.

On this historical trade route, the fleet reached the western offshoots of the Great Wall, and finally, at the terminus of their fourth stage in Lanzhou, met the Yellow River.

The motorcade drove about 1,900 kilometres in the last four days before it arrived at the destination: Yongding Gate in Beijing.

Along the way, the fleet experienced the rich and diversified history and culture of various countries. For instance, there were eight UNESCO World Heritage sites in the first leg alone.

Sei Murakami, a participant from Japan, said with excitement: "I am so lucky to have seen so many historical places along the way."

The journey provided drivers an opportunity to see famous sights as well as promote understanding between people from different countries.

For many participants, the relaxed atmosphere in Eastern Europe was a surprise.

"In my head I still had magazine photos of grey buildings and sad-looking people. And instead I saw happy faces all around me," said Javier Reynagas, a 40-year-old reporter from a Mexican daily newspaper.

Technological strength

During the long-distance haul, both drivers and auto engineers met challenges such as severe weather, rough road conditions and continuous driving.

The outstanding performance of the Mercedes-Benz vehicles provided assurance to the brave drivers.

"This sense of security is an important part of what we seek to offer our Mercedes customers," Dr. Zetsche said.

The chairman's confidence in his vehicles lies in his research team's strong capacity and continuing efforts in technology innovation. "Progressive technology is essential if we are to sustain our mobility," he said.

In the newly released Mercedes-Benz line-up, fuel economy, environmental considerations, engine performance and driving pleasure are perfectly combined each other, a fact proven by the cross-continent drive.

In the 36-vehicle motorcade, three mass-produced BLUETEC vehicles showcased Mercedes Benz's major breakthroughs in the field of environmental protection.

With the latest diesel technologies, BLUETEC performed strongly in reducing emissions, and was ranked among the cleanest diesels in the world.

Dr Zetsche said, "We wanted to demonstrate - in a very persuasive way - the economy of modern clean diesel engines. After all, the responsible use of natural resources and respect for the environment are a worldwide concern, now more than ever before."

Even against a background of growing calls for energy saving and environmental protection, a powerful luxury car with economical fuel consumption is still competitive in auto market, insiders said.

During the driving event, the best teams posted fuel economy of about 36 miles per gallon under challenging conditions, in some cases with a crew of up to three and heavy baggage on board, according to Zetsche.

The vehicles used in the marathon drive were all equipped with state-of-the-art diesel engines, which can reduce fuel consumption by 20 to 40 per cent, Zetsche said, adding that the more frugal the consumption was, the lower the carbon dioxide emissions were. "Our diesels are setting new environmental standards," he said.

Consumers in Western Europe markets have long enjoyed the advantages of modern diesel engines. Diesel market share has reached 50 per cent on average and exceeds more than 80 per cent in some countries.

Zetsche said DaimlerChrysler is working very hard to carry their success into other parts of the world.

However, modern diesels require clean and low-sulphur fuel. Zetsche said: "Wherever clean diesel fuel meets the requirements of modern diesel engines, we can bring our cutting-edge technology to the market on short notice." At present, a new generation E-Class, known as "a heart of the Mercedes-Benz brand," is being made locally in Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler Co Ltd, a new plant jointly invested by Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co Ltd and DaimlerChrysler AG.

(China Daily 11/18/2006 page3)

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