Mazda Motor Corporation
Matsuda Kabushiki-gaisha
マツダ株式会社

Type	Public (TYO: 7261)
Industry	Automotive
Founded	1920
Headquarters	Fuchu, Aki, Hiroshima, Japan
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Jujiro Matsuda (Founder) Takashi Yamanouchi (Chairman & CEO)
Revenue	¥2.326 Billion FY 2010
Operating income	¥23.90 billion FY 2010
Net income	¥-60.04 billion FY 2010
Owner(s)	Ford 3.5%
Employees	39,364 (as of March 31, 2008, consolidated)
Website	Mazda Global Web Site

Mazda Motor Corporation (マツダ株式会社 Matsuda Kabushiki-gaisha^?) (TYO: 7261) is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.
In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales, the majority of which (nearly 1 million) were produced in the company's Japanese plants, with the remainder coming from a variety of other plants worldwide.

Name

The company website states that name "derives from Ahura Mazda, a god of the earliest civilizations in West Asia...the god of wisdom, intelligence and harmony..." Ahura Mazda is the Persian – Zoroastrian God. The company website also notes that the name "also derives from the name of our founder, Jujiro Matsuda."

Leadership

• Jujiro Matsuda (1921–1951)
• Tsuneji Matsuda (1951–1970)
• Kouhei Matsuda (1970–1977)
• Yoshiki Yamasaki (1977–1984)
• Kenichi Yamamoto (1984–1987)
• Masanori Furuta (1987–1991)
• Yoshihiro Wada (1991–1996)
• Henry Wallace (1996–1997, appointed by Ford Motor Company, first non-Japanese CEO of a Japanese automaker)
• James E. Miller (1997–1999)
• Mark Fields (1999–2002)
• Lewis Booth (2002–2003)
• Hisakazu Imaki (2003–2008)
• Takashi Yamanouchi (2008–)

History

Mazda began as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd, founded in Japan in 1920. Toyo Cork Kogyo renamed itself to Toyo Kogyo Co., Ltd. in 1927. Toyo Kogyo moved from manufacturing machine tools to vehicles, with the introduction of the Mazda-Go in 1931. Toyo Kogyo produced weapons for the Japanese military throughout the Second World War, most notably the series 30 through 35 Type 99 rifle. The company formally adopted the Mazda name in 1984, though every automobile sold from the beginning bore that name. The Mazda R360 was introduced in 1960, followed by the Mazda engines in 1962.

Mazda Cosmo Sport

Beginning in the 1960s, Mazda put a major engineering effort into development of the Wankel rotary engine as a way of differentiating themselves from other Japanese auto companies. Beginning with the limited-production Cosmo Sport of 1967 and continuing to the present day with the RX-8, Mazda has become the sole manufacturer of Wankel-type engines mainly by way of attrition (NSU and Citroën both gave up on the design during the 1970s, and prototype Corvette efforts by General Motors never made it to production.)
This effort to bring attention to themselves apparently helped, as Mazda rapidly began to export its vehicles. Both piston-powered and rotary-powered models made their way around the world. The rotary models quickly became popular for their combination of good power and light weight when compared to piston-engined competitors that required heavier V6 or V8 engines to produce the same power. The R100 and the famed RX series (RX-2, RX-3, and RX-4) led the company's export efforts.
During 1968, Mazda started formal operations in Canada (MazdaCanada) although Mazdas were seen in Canada as early as 1959. In 1970, Mazda formally entered the American market (Mazda North American Operations) and was very successful there, going so far as to create the Mazda Rotary Pickup (based on the conventional piston-powered B-Series model) solely for North American buyers. To this day, Mazda remains the only automaker to have produced a Wankel-powered pickup truck. Additionally, they are also the only marque to have ever offered a rotary-powered bus (the Mazda Parkway, offered only in Japan) or station wagon (within the RX-3 & RX-4 line for US markets).
Mazda's rotary success continued until the onset of the 1973 oil crisis. As American buyers (as well as those in other nations) quickly turned to vehicles with better fuel efficiency, the relatively thirsty rotary-powered models began to fall out of favor. An already heavily indebted Toyo Kogyo was on the verge of bankruptcy and was only saved through the intervention of Sumitomo Bank. Wisely, the company had not totally turned its back on piston engines, as they continued to produce a variety of four-cylinder models throughout the 1970s. The smaller Familia line in particular became very important to Mazda's worldwide sales after 1973, as did the somewhat larger Capella series.

Mazda RX-7 (first generation)

Not wishing to abandon the rotary engine entirely, Mazda refocused their efforts and made it a choice for the sporting motorist rather than a mainstream powerplant. Starting with the lightweight RX-7 in 1978 and continuing with the modern RX-8, Mazda has continued its dedication to this unique powerplant. This switch in focus also resulted in the development of another lightweight sports car, the piston-powered Mazda Roadster (perhaps better known by its worldwide names as the MX-5 or Miata), inspired by the concept 'jinba ittai'. Introduced in 1989 to worldwide acclaim, the Roadster has been widely credited with reviving the concept of the small sports car after its decline in the late 1970s.

Partnership with Ford Motor Company

Mazda's financial turmoil and decline during the 1960s resulted in a new corporate investor, Ford Motor Company. Starting in 1979 with a 7-percent financial stake, Ford began a partnership with Mazda resulting in various joint projects. During the 1980s, Ford gained another 20-percent financial stake. These included large and small efforts in all areas of the automotive landscape. This was most notable in the realm of pickup trucks (like the Mazda B-Series, which spawned a Ford Courier variant in North America in 1972) and smaller cars. For instance, Mazda's Familia platform was used for Ford models like the Laser and Escort, while the Capella architecture found its way into Ford's Telstar sedan and Probe sports models. In 2002 Ford gained an extra 5-percent financial stake.
The Probe was built in a new Mazda assembly plant in Flat Rock, Michigan along with the mainstream 626 sedan (the North American version of the Capella) and a companion Mazda MX-6 sports coupe. (The plant is now a Ford-Mazda joint venture known as AutoAlliance International.) Ford has also lent Mazda some of their capacity when needed: the Mazda 121 sold in Europe and South Africa was, for a time, a variant of the Ford Fiesta built in plants in Europe and South Africa. Mazda has also made an effort in the past to sell some of Ford's cars in Japan, mainly through their Autorama dealer group. The Ford Probe was made popular by Steven Bowers in the television show "The Wrong One".
Mazda also helped Ford develop the 1991 Explorer, which Mazda sold as the 2-door only Mazda Navajo from 1991 through 1994. Ironically, Mazda's version was unsuccessful, while the Ford (available from the start as a 4-door or 2-door model) instantly became the best selling sport-utility vehicle in the United States and kept that title for over a decade. Mazda has used Ford's Ranger pickup as the basis for its North American–market B-Series trucks, starting in 1994 and continuing through 2010, when Mazda discontinued their B-Series trucks.

Mazda Millenia

Following their long-held fascination with alternative engine technology, Mazda introduced the first Miller cycle engine for automotive use in the Millenia luxury sedan of 1995. Though the Millenia (and its Miller-type V6 engine) were discontinued in 2002, the company has recently introduced a much smaller Miller-cycle four-cylinder engine for use in their Demio starting in 2008. As with their leadership in Wankel technology, Mazda remains (so far) the only automaker to have used a Miller-cycle engine in the automotive realm.

Mazda 3

Further financial difficulties at Mazda during the 1990s (partly caused by losses related to the 1997 Asian financial crisis) caused Ford to increase its stake to a 33.4-percent controlling interest in May 1996. In June 1996, Henry Wallace was appointed President, and he set about restructuring Mazda and setting it on a new strategic direction. He laid out a new direction for the brand including the design of the present Mazda marque; he laid out a new product plan to achieve synergies with Ford, and he launched Mazda's digital innovation program to speed up the development of new products. At the same time, he started taking control of overseas distributors, rationalized dealerships and manufacturing facilities, and driving much needed efficiencies and cost reductions in Mazda's operations. Much of his early work put Mazda back into profitability and laid the foundations for future success. Wallace was succeeded by James Miller in November 1997, followed in December 1999 by Ford executive Mark Fields, who has been credited with expanding Mazda's new product lineup and leading the turnaround during the early 2000s. Ford's increased influence during the 1990s allowed Mazda to claim another distinction in history, having maintained the first foreign-born head of a Japanese car company (starting under Henry Wallace (Scottish)).
Amidst the world financial crisis in the fall of 2008, reports emerged that Ford was contemplating a sale of its stake in Mazda as a way of streamlining its asset base. BusinessWeek explained the alliance between Ford and Mazda has been a very successful one, with Mazda saving perhaps $90 million a year in development costs and Ford "several times" that, and that a sale of its stake in Mazda would be a desperate measure.On November 18, 2008, Ford announced that it would be selling a 20% stake in Mazda, bringing its stake to 13.4%, and surrendering control of the company. The following day, Mazda announced that, as part of the deal, it was buying back 6.8% of its shares from Ford. It was also reported that Hisakazu Imaki would be stepping down as chief executive, to be replaced by Takashi Yamanouchi. On November 18, 2010, Ford reduced their stake further to just 3%, citing the reduction of ownership would allow greater flexibility to pursue growth in emerging markets. Ford and Mazda remain strategic partners through joint ventures and exchanges of technological information.

Marques

Mazda Motors square symbol based on Sumitomo family crest, and is an affiliated company of the Sumitomo Group

Autozam logo

Amati logo

Mazda previously used a number of different marques in the Japanese (and occasionally Australian) market, including Autozam, Eunos, and Efini, which have since been phased out. This diversification stressed the product development groups at Mazda past their limits. Instead of having a half-dozen variations on any given platform, they were asked to work on dozens of different models and consumers were confused as well by the explosion of similar new models. One of the oddest sub-marques was M2, used on three rare variants of the Eunos Roadster (the M2-1001, M2-1002 and M2-1028) and one of the Autozam AZ-1 (M2-1015). M2 even had its own avant-garde company headquarters, but was shut down after a very short period of operation.
Today, the former marques exist in Japan as sales channels (specialized dealerships) but no longer have specialized branded vehicles. The Carol is sold at the Autozam store (which specializes in small cars), but it is sold with the Mazda marque, not as the Autozam Carol as it once was.
In early 1992 Mazda planned to release a luxury marque, Amati, to challenge Acura, Infiniti, and Lexus in North America, which was to begin selling in late 1993. The initial Amati range would have included the Amati 500 (which became the Eunos 800 in Japan and Australia, Mazda Millenia in the U.S., and Mazda Xedos 9 in Europe), a luxury sports coupe based on the Mazda Cosmo and the Amati 1000 (a rear-wheel drive V12 successor to the Mazda 929). The Amati marque was eventually scrapped before any cars hit the market.
In Europe, the Xedos name was also associated with the Mazda Xedos 6, the two models were in production from 1992 until 1997. The Xedos line was marketed under the Mazda marque, and used the Mazda badge from the corresponding years.

Emblems

Years	Symbol	Description
1936		The first registered corporate logo, which appeared on three-wheel trucks in 1936.
1936		The first stylized branding. The three mountains (representing Hiroshima) also form the Latin alphabet letter M, which is duplicated three times for "Mazda Motor Manufacturer". The long side extensions represent wings for agility and speed.
1959–1975		Symbol and corporate mark as seen on most Mazda cars from the Mazda R360 until 1975
1975–1991		Between 1975 and 1991, Mazda did not have an official symbol, only a stylized version of their name; the previous blue "m" symbol was still used in some dealerships up until the 1980s, but later on a plain blue square next to the Mazda name was often used on dealer signs and documentation
1991–1992		In 1991, Mazda adopted a corporate symbol which was to represent a sun and a flame standing for heartfelt passion. This is commonly referred to in Mazda enthusiast circles as the "cylon" logo[citation needed].
1992–1997		Shortly after the release of the new symbol, the design was smoothed out to reduce its similarity to Renault's. This is sometimes referred to as the "eternal flame" logo.
1997–present		A redesigned symbol was introduced in 1997. It's a stylized "M" meant to show Mazda stretching its wings for the future.

Alternative propulsion and Bio-Car

Mazda has conducted research in hydrogen-powered vehicles for several decades. Mazda has developed a hybrid version of its Premacy compact minivan using a version of its signature rotary engine that can run on hydrogen or gasoline. Despite plans to release it in 2008, as of 2010 the vehicle is in limited trials.
In 2010 Toyota and Mazda announced a supply agreement for the hybrid technology used in Toyota's Prius model.

Bio-Car

Mazda is finding a host of other uses from plastic to milk in its vehicles as it aims to be more environmentally friendly. Mazda plans to introduce its innovations – bioplastic internal consoles and bio-fabric seats – in its Mazda5 model at EcoInnovasia 2008, at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok. Up to 30% of the interior parts in the Mazda5 made of bio-material components.

Auto racing

In the racing world, Mazda has had substantial success with both their signature Wankel-engine cars (in two-rotor, three-rotor, and four-rotor forms) as well as their piston-engine models. Mazda vehicles and engines compete in a wide variety of disciplines and series around the world. More Mazdas are raced every week than any other car brand (a large part of this statement speaks to the success of the Miata and its widespread embrace by grassroots motorsports).

International competition

Mazda's competition debut was on October 20, 1968 when two Mazda Cosmo Sport 110S coupes entered the 84 hour Marathon de la Route ultra-endurance race at the Nürburgring, one finishing in fourth place and the other breaking an axle after 81 hours. The next year, Mazda raced Mazda Familia R100 M10A coupes. After winning the Singapore Grand Prix in April 1969 and coming in fifth and sixth in the Spa 24 Hours (beaten only by Porsche 911s), on October 19, 1969, Mazda again entered the 84 hour Nürburgring race with four Familias. Only one of these finished, taking fifth place.
The first racing victory by a Wankel-engined car in the United States was in 1973, when Pat Bedard won an IMSA RS race at Lime Rock Park in a Mazda RX-2.
In 1976, Ray Walle, owner of Z&W Mazda, drove a Cosmo (Mazda RX-5) from the dealership in Princeton, New Jersey, to Daytona, won the Touring Class Under 2.5 Liters at the 24 Hours of Daytona, and drove the car back to New Jersey. The Cosmo placed 18th overall in a field of 72. The only modifications were racing brake pads, exhaust, and safety equipment.
After substantial successes by the Mazda RX-2 and Mazda RX-3, the Mazda RX-7 has won more IMSA races in its class than any other model of automobile, with its hundredth victory on September 2, 1990. Following that, the RX-7 won its class in the IMSA 24 Hours of Daytona race ten years in a row, starting in 1982. The RX-7 won the IMSA Grand Touring Under Two Liter (GTU) championship each year from 1980 through 1987, inclusive.

The Mazda 787B, winner of the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans race

In 1991, a four-rotor Mazda 787B (2622 cc actual, rated by FIA formula at 4708 cc) won the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race outright. The 787B's triumph remains unparalleled, as it remains the only non-piston-engined car ever to win at Le Mans, and Mazda is still the only team from outside Western Europe or the United States to have won at Le Mans – ironically after Nissan had closed down its World Sportscar Championship programme and Toyota had opted to take a sabbatical for most of 1991 in order to develop its 3.5-litre TS010. This led to a ban on rotary engines in the Le Mans race starting in 1992, which has since been rescinded. After the 1991 race, the winning engine was publicly dismantled for internal examination, which demonstrated that despite 24 hours of extremely hard use it had accumulated very little wear.
The Le Mans win in 1991 followed a decade of class wins from other Mazda prototypes, including the 757 and 767. The Sigma MC74 powered by a Mazda 12A engine was the first engine and team from outside Western Europe or the United States to finish the entire 24 hours of the Le Mans race, in 1974. Mazda is also the most reliable finisher at Le Mans (with the exception of Honda, who have entered only three cars in only one year), with 67% of entries finishing. Mazda will return to prototype racing in 2005 with the introduction of the Courage C65 LMP2 car at the American Le Mans Series race at Road Atlanta. This prototype racer uses the Renesis Wankel from the RX-8.
Mazdas have also enjoyed substantial success in World Land Speed competition, SCCA competition, drag racing, pro rally competition (the Familia appeared in the WRC several times during the late '80s and early '90s), the One Lap of America race (winning SUV & truck in a MazdaSpeed5), and other venues. Wankel engines have been banned for some time from international Formula One racing,^{[citation needed]} as well as from United States midget racing, after Gene Angelillo won the North East Midget Racing Association championship in 1985 with a car powered by a 13B engine, and again in 1986 in a car powered by a 12A engine.

Spec series

The Cooper Tires Atlantic Championship powered by Mazda is a North American open wheel racing series. It is the top level of the MAZDASPEED ladder, a driver development program which rewards season winners of one level with automatic rides at the next level. Since 2006, the Atlantic Championship has been run exclusively with Swift 016.a chassis powered by Mazda-Cosworth MZR 2300 cc (2.3L) DOHC inline-4 engines producing 300 bhp (224 kW). The cars are capable of speeds in excess of 175 mph (282 km/h).
Formula Mazda Racing features open wheel race cars with Mazda engines, adaptable to both oval tracks and road courses, on several levels of competition. Since 1991, the professionally organized Star Mazda Series has been the most popular format for sponsors, spectators, and upward bound drivers. It is the second-highest level on the aforementioned MAZDASPEED driver development ladder. Engines for the Star Mazda series are all built by one engine builder, certified to produce the prescribed power, and sealed to discourage tampering. They are in a relatively mild state of racing tune, so that they are extremely reliable and can go years between motor rebuilds.
Spec Miata has become one of the most popular and most affordable road racing classes in North America. The Spec Miata (SM) class is intended to provide the opportunity to compete in low cost, production-based cars with limited modifications, suitable for racing competition. The rules are intentionally designed to be more open than the Showroom Stock class but more restricted than the Improved Touring class.

Sponsorships

Mazda's headquarters in Fuchu, Hiroshima

Mazda is a major sponsor to several professional sports teams, including:

• Hometown teams:
  • Hiroshima Toyo Carp (Nippon Professional Baseball): The "Toyo" part of the team's name is in honor of Mazda's part-ownership of the team since 1968 (when Mazda was still known as Toyo Kogyo). The Matsuda family, descended from the founder of Mazda, holds the majority share in team ownership.
  • Sanfrecce Hiroshima (J. League): Originally known as Toyo Kogyo Soccer Club and founded in 1938, it was owned directly by Mazda until 1992 when Mazda reduced its share to professionalize the club for the new J. League.
• Teams abroad:
  • North Melbourne Football Club (Australian Football League)
  • ACF Fiorentina (Italian football league – Serie A)

The company also sponsors various marathon and relay race events in Japan, such as the Hiroshima International Peace Marathon and the Hiroshima Prefectural Ekiden Race, along with numerous other sporting and charity endeavors in Hiroshima and Hofu.^[21] Mazda was also the league sponsor for the now-defunct Australian Rugby Championship.
Mazda also maintains sponsorship of the Laguna Seca racing course in California, going so far as to use it for their own automotive testing purposes as well as the numerous racing events (including several Mazda-specific series) that it hosts.
Mazda also sponsors the Western New York Flash, a professional women's soccer team that plays in the WPA and has some of the best players in the world, including world player of the year.^[23]

Marketing

Mazda's past advertising slogans included: "The more you look, the more you like" (1970s to early 1980s); "Experience Mazda" (mid-1980s); "An intense commitment to your total satisfaction, that's The Mazda Way" (late 1980s); "It Just Feels Right" (along with advertising describing Mazda's use of Kansei engineering (1990–1995); "Passion for the road" (1996); "Get in. Be moved." (1997–1999)
Since 2000, Mazda has used the phrase "Zoom-Zoom" to describe what it calls the "emotion of motion" that it claims is inherent in its cars. Extremely successful and long-lasting (when compared to other automotive marketing taglines), the Zoom-Zoom campaign has now spread around the world from its initial use in North America.
The Zoom-Zoom campaign has been accompanied by the "Zoom Zoom Zoom" song in many television and radio advertisements. The original version, performed by Jibril Serapis Bey (used in commercials in Europe, Japan and South Africa), was recorded long before it became the official song for Mazda as part of a soundtrack to the movie Only The Strong (released in 1993). The Serapis Bey version is a cover of a traditional Capoeira song, called "Capoeira Mata Um". In 2010, their current slogan is "Zoom Zoom Forever". The longer slogan (Used in TV ads) is "Zoom Zoom, Today, Tomorrow, Forever".
Early ads in the Zoom-Zoom campaign also featured a young boy (Micah Kanters) whispering the "Zoom-Zoom" tagline.
Since 2011, Mazda has still used the Zoom-Zoom tagline in another campaign called "What Do You Drive?". The punchline for this is "At Mazda, we believe because if it's not worth driving, it's not worth building. We build Mazdas. What do you drive?".

Mercedes-Benz Vision SLA

Mercedes-Benz Vision SLA

Manufacturer	DaimlerChrysler
Class	Sports Car/Concept Car
Body style	2-door convertible
Layout	FF
Engine	1.9 L
Length	3.77 m (148.4 in)
Related	Mercedes-Benz A-Class

The Mercedes-Benz Vision SLA was a concept car the was shown at the Detroit International Auto Show in January 2000. The two-seater convertible concept car was based on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, and was only 3.77 m (148.4 in) long.
The body was constructed with aluminum and plastic to keep the weight down, and its distinctive pointed front design became a feature of the 2004 Mercedes-Benz SLK. The SLA's engine was a 4-cylinder 1.9 L from the A-Class, producing 92 kW (125 PS; 123 bhp).

Future models

During 2008 it was suggested that a SLA-Class may reach production as a convertible version of the new A-Class, but no formal announcements were made.

 

Mercedes-Benz W221

 The Mercedes-Benz W221 is a chassis code of S-Class, the successor of Mercedes-Benz W220.

Mercedes-Benz W221

Manufacturer	Mercedes-Benz
Production	2005–present
Assembly	Sindelfingen, Germany Toluca, Mexico 6th of October City, Egypt (EGA)[1] Pekan, Malaysia (DRB-HICOM)
Predecessor	Mercedes-Benz W220
Class	Full-size luxury car
Body style	4-door sedan
Platform	Front engine, rear-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Engine	2.1L diesel 204 PS (150 kW) L4 3.0L diesel 235 PS (173 kW) V6 3.5L 272 PS (200 kW) V6 4.0L diesel 320 PS (240 kW) V8 4.6L 340 PS (250 kW) V8 4.7L 435 PS (320 kW) V8 5.5L 381 PS (280 kW) V8 5.5L 517 PS (380 kW) V12 biturbo 6.2L AMG 525 PS (386 kW) V8 6.0L AMG 612 PS (450 kW) V12 biturbo
Transmission	7-speed G-Tronic automatic 5-speed G-Tronic automatic
Wheelbase	3,035 mm (119.5 in) LWB: 3,165 mm (124.6 in)
Length	2006-08 SWB: 5,076 mm (199.8 in) 2009- SWB: 5,079 mm (200.0 in) 2006-08 LWB: 5,206 mm (205.0 in) 2009- LWB: 5,209 mm (205.1 in)
Width	2006-08: 1,871 mm (73.7 in) 2009- 1,872 mm (73.7 in) BlueHybrid: 83.3 in (2,116 mm)
Height	1,473 mm (58.0 in)
Curb weight	from 1,955 kg (4,310 lb) [S320 CDI] to 2,270 kg (5,000 lb) [S65 AMG]

The Mercedes-Benz W221 is a chassis code of S-Class, the successor of Mercedes-Benz W220.
The vehicle was unveiled in 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Styling

The W221 S-Class' exterior styling is distinctly different to the W220. The rear styling is similar to the Mercedes-Benz Maybach - the larger saloon from Daimler AG's flagship brand, which was presented to public in 1997. Development began in 1999, with the final design being approved circa 2001-2002 and patented in late 2003, and development commencing in 2005. A final design prototype W221 was presented in December 2002 to Autospies journalists, 2.5 years prior to the official production model unveiling in June 2005.
Inside, the W221's interior is also significantly different from the preceding model. The interior features an instrument cluster shroud that also contains the navigation screen, with silver effect air vents below, and a square, analog clock within the vents. Below the vents are metal tab switches with a black field behind them, to control the HVAC system. On the center console, a metal control wheel for the COMAND system sits above a piece of wood, surrounded by metal buttons. Throughout the interior, many buttons are metal, with black fields above them denoting the switches' function.
The W221 is slightly larger in all dimensions than the W220, with a longer wheelbase and more interior room.
The S-Class is only available in the long-wheelbase form in the USA.

Models

2009 facelift

The revised 2010 S-Class was announced on Apr 08, 2009 at Stuttgart. The minor model update includes minor cosmetic changes and several new features:Development to further refine the W221 started in 2006 after sales began for the MY2007, with any design changes being approved in late 2007.

• Adaptive Highbeam Assist - detects vehicles with their lights on which are travelling towards or ahead of the car in which the system is fitted and controls the headlamps to ensure the largest possible range without dazzling other drivers.
• Blind Spot Assist - warning indicator on side mirror activates if vehicle detected in blind spot.
• Lane Keeping Assist - detects road markings and senses if the driver is inadvertently straying out of the lane. If so, the driver is warned by short vibrations of the steering wheel. This system can also distinguish between intentional (for example, overtaking or merging) and unintentional lane departures, reducing the number of false alarms.
• Speed Limit Assist - identifies speed limit signs in passing and shows the relevant speed limit in the central display. It is standard for S 600.
• Attention Assist - continuously monitors more than 70 different parameters to detect driver fatigue and tiredness. Once the system detects behaviour that typically indicates the onset of drowsiness, a warning signal is sounded and "ATTENTION ASSIST. Break!" appears in the instrument cluster. It is not standard on the S 400 HYBRID.
• Active Body Control (ABC) crosswind compensation - uses the sensors of the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) to vary the wheel load distribution via the ABC spring struts, depending on the direction and intensity of the crosswind, in order to reduce the adverse effects of crosswinds. This is standard on the S 600.
• Torque Vectoring Brake - brakes the inside rear wheel during cornering to enhance handling and safety by reducing understeer.

The updated models went on sale in June 2009. Early models include S 350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY, S 450 CDI, S 350, S 400 HYBRID, S 450, S 500, S 600.

S 320 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY (2008–2009)

It is a replacement of S 320 CDI with improved fuel efficiency. Changes include on-demand electric hydraulic power steering pump, standstill decoupling for the 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission, 17-inch light-alloy wheels with reduced rolling resistance tyres.
Germany model has MSRP of €70,864.50 (incl. VAT) for short-wheelbase version, €78,718.50 (incl. VAT) for long-wheelbase version.

S 400 Hybrid (2009-)

2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHybrid (US)

The S400 BlueHybrid is a mild hybrid and the first hybrid car to adopt a lithium ion battery. The battery pack was supplied by Continental AGand the cells were provided by Johnson Controls-Saft.The S400 BlueHybrid was unveiled in the 2009 Chicago Auto Show. US models went on sale in August 2009, but were delivered to dealers in 2009-10.Japan models went on sale in October 2009.
The 3.5 liter V6 engine in the vehicle, combined with the hybrid system, develops 295 horsepower (220 kW) and 284 pound-feet (385 N·m) of torque. It gets 19 miles per US gallon (12 L/100 km; 23 mpg_-imp) in the city and 26 miles per US gallon (9.0 L/100 km; 31 mpg_-imp) on the highway.

ESF 2009 (2009)

It is a safety research vehicle based on S 400 Hybrid, but with braking bag, Interactive Vehicle Communication.
The vehicle was unveiled in the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV) Conference in Stuttgart.^[

S 420 CDI (2006-)

The vehicle were delivered beginning in December 2006, with MSRP of short-wheelbase model at €84,448 (net price € 72,800) and the long-wheelbase model at € 92,104 (net price € 79,400).

S 600 Guard (2006-)

It is an armoured vehicle with European B6/B7 resistance level. It resists military-standard small-arms projectiles and provides protection against fragments from hand grenades and other explosive charges. Additional safety features include run-flat tyres, 90L self-sealing fuel tank and a fire-extinguishing system.Other features include Michelin PAX 245-700 R470 AC tires, optional emergency fresh-air system, pneumatic emergency control system for the power windows (operates independently of the on-board electronics), emergency boot opening facility, optional Panic Alarm System, rear camera, heated front windscreen and heated front windows, adjustable doorhold system for all four doors, rear doors that are pulled shut automatically over the last few millimetres, rear electric roller blinds.The vehicle has top speed of 210 km/h (130 mph), with GVW of 4,200 kg (9,300 lb).

S 600 Guard Pullman (2008-)

It was based on the Mercedes Benz S 600 L Guard, but in limousine form with an extra-long wheelbase. It includes a rear entrance with increased headroom, 4 seats behind driver partition. Other features included reinforcement of the links between the suspension components and the bodyshell, specifically targeted modification of the suspension components themselves, an additional brace (strut tower brace) between the front suspension struts, two additional steel springs at the rear to complement the air suspension, larger twin-calliper front brake discs.
The vehicles were delivered beginning in late 2008. The production launch marked the 80th anniversary of the Mercedes-Benz special-protection unit.

S-600P

Mexican built Mercedes-Benz S-600P police cruiser variant in Mexico City. (Identifying marks of the police unit edited out for security purposes).

The Mercedes Benz Mexico factory in Toluca, Mexico also produces a police spec model of the S-600, the S-600P. The S-600P is similar to the standard S-600 but is equipped with the dual turbocharged V-12 engine of the S65 AMG and includes police lights, siren, run flat tires, a gun mount, a Lanix computer station integrated with the host police network, optional prisoner cage and restraint seats, and level B6/B7 armoring. The S-600P is only built in Mexico and only comes in long-wheelbase version. The Mexican government uses S-600Ps mainly for transporting important figures, but several police departments in wealthier cities in the country use them as patrol vehicles, as does the Mexican Federal Police in limited numbers. A small number of S-600P were purchased by the police department of Guangzhou, China for protection of key government figures.

S 63 AMG & S 65 AMG

S 63 AMG includes Mercedes-Benz M156 V8 engine rated 525 PS (386 kW; 518 hp) and 630 N·m (465 ft·lbf).
The Interior of the S63 AMG comes in supple German Leather, coming in the standard leather, or diamond texture, with black and chrome trim on the dash and center console (front and back row). The S63 comes with a variety of luxury features, including but not limited to; dual-zone automatic climate control, rear-seat DVD entertainment, built-in navigation, and heated and cooled front and rear seats, to name a few in the long list of standard features.
The S63 AMG sports an aluminum and steel body with 19" light-alloy multispoke wheels in the front and back, shod with 255/40 tires in front, and 275/40 tires in the rear, and covered with a high-sheen finish. The S63 will feature LED turn signals in front, and in the back, 52 LEDS form a "C" on both tail lights. In front, the S63 will feature a more pronounced, arrow-shaped radiator grille, and "6.3 AMG" on the front wing, and newly redesigned exterior mirrors. In the rear, the S63 will have new AMG sport exhaust with two sets of double chromed tips. The S63 will also feature squared-off front headlamps with LED lights in addition to the traditional lights.
In 2009, the engines had reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 3%. Styling changes include arrow-shaped radiator grille, AMG-specific daytime running lights, two transverse air outlets on each side, "6.3 AMG" lettering on the front wings, redesigned exterior mirrors, 52-LED tail lights. Active Body Control provides crosswind stabilisation as standard equipment. Torque Vectoring Brake is added. Interior include PASSION leather upholstery, AMG-specific analogue clock featuring an IWC design.
S 65 AMG includes Mercedes-Benz M275 V12 engine rated 612 PS (450 kW; 604 hp) and 1,000 N·m (738 ft·lbf), restyled front and rear bumpers and rocker panels, larger wheels, brakes, and tires, four exhaust pipes, modified and reprogrammed suspension for sport biased handling, and various interior changes.
Optional accessories include:

• AMG 20-inch forged wheels with 255/35R20 front and 275/30R20 rear tyres
• AMG trim elements in carbon fibre/piano lacquer
• AMG floor mats

The vehicles went on sale in June 2009, with S 65 AMG available in long-wheelbase version only.
The vehicles were unveiled in 2009 Shanghai Motor Show.

S 250 CDI (2011-)

Mercedes has unveiled the S 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY at the Paris Motor Show.
As the name suggests, the car is powered by a four-cylinder diesel engine which produces 150 kW (204 PS / 201 hp) and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque. Despite this relatively small engine, the S 250 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds and hits a top speed of 240 km/h (149 mph). More importantly, fuel consumption is 5.7 liters per 100 kilometers (41.2 mpg US) while CO2 emissions are 149 g/km.
To get those class leading figures, Mercedes outfitted the engine with twin-turbochargers and a start/stop system. Furthermore, engineers "extensively revised" the seven-speed automatic transmission (called the 7G-TRONIC PLUS) for improved efficiency.

 

Mercedes-Benz Concept Ocean Drive (2007)

It is a concept vehicle based on long-wheelbase version of S 600, but with two-tone yarn fabric roof. The vehicle features an oversized grille, redesigned LED headlights and restyled trunk, LED head and tail lamps, a revised air dam, restyled flanks without the wheelhouse bulges, door handles that fit flush into the body, AIRSCARF neck-level heating system, on all 4 seats. The car also contains pillarless windows that provide an unobstructed view for occupants when the large soft top is down.
Other features include aluminum wheels with 275/35ZR21 tires.
The vehicle was unveiled at the 2007 NAIAS.

 

Specifications

Engines

Model	Years	Engine type/code	Power, Torque@rpm
Petrol engines
S 280 / S 300	2007-	2,997 cc (2.997 L; 182.9 cu in) V6 (M272)	231 PS (170 kW; 228 hp)@6000, 300 N·m (221 ft·lbf)@2400-5000
S 350	2005-	3,498 cc (3.498 L; 213.5 cu in) V6 (M272)	272 PS (200 kW; 268 hp)@6000, 350 N·m (258 ft·lbf)@2400-5000
S 350 4MATIC	2007-	3,498 cc (3.498 L; 213.5 cu in) V6 (M272)	272 PS (200 kW; 268 hp)@6000, 350 N·m (258 ft·lbf)@2400-5000
S 400 HYBRID	2009-	3,498 cc (3.498 L; 213.5 cu in) V6 (M272)	279 PS (205 kW; 275 hp)@6000, 350 N·m (258 ft·lbf)@2400-5000
		3-phase AC magneto motor (external rotor)	20 PS (15 kW; 20 hp)@6000, 160 N·m (118 ft·lbf)
		Total	299 PS (220 kW; 295 hp)@, 385 N·m (284 ft·lbf)@2400-5000
S 450, S 450 4MATIC	2006-	4,663 cc (4.663 L; 284.6 cu in) V8 (M273)	340 PS (250 kW; 335 hp)@6000, 460 N·m (339 ft·lbf)@2700-5000
S 550	2005-	5,461 cc (5.461 L; 333.3 cu in) V8 (M273)	388 PS (285 kW; 383 hp)@6000, 530 N·m (391 ft·lbf)@2800-4800
S 550 4MATIC	2006-	5,461 cc (5.461 L; 333.3 cu in) V8 (M273)	388 PS (285 kW; 383 hp)@6000, 530 N·m (391 ft·lbf)@2800-4800
S 600, S 600 Guard	2006-	5,513 cc (5.513 L; 336.4 cu in) V12 BiTurbo (M275)	517 PS (380 kW; 510 hp)@5000, 830 N·m (612 ft·lbf)@1800-3500
S 600 Guard Pullman	2008-	5,513 cc (5.513 L; 336.4 cu in) V12 BiTurbo (M275)	517 PS (380 kW; 510 hp)@5000, 830 N·m (612 ft·lbf)@1800-3500
S 63 AMG	2006-	6,208 cc (6.208 L; 378.8 cu in) V8 (M156)	525 PS (386 kW; 518 hp)@6800, 630 N·m (465 ft·lbf)@5200
S 65 AMG	2006-	5,980 cc (5.98 L; 365 cu in) V12 BiTurbo (M275)	612 PS (450 kW; 604 hp)@4800-5100, 1,000 N·m (738 ft·lbf)@2000-4000
Diesel engines
S 250 CDI	2009-	2,143 cc (2.143 L; 130.8 cu in) I4 turbo (OM651)	204 PS (150 kW; 201 hp)@4200, 500 N·m (369 ft·lbf)@1600–1800
S 300 BlueTec HYBRID	2009–2010	2,987 cc (2.987 L; 182.3 cu in) V6 electric motor	Total 265 PS (195 kW; 261 hp), 560 N·m (413 ft·lbf)
S 320 CDI, S 320 CDI 4MATIC	2006–2008	2,987 cc (2.987 L; 182.3 cu in) V6 Biturbo (OM642)	235 PS (173 kW; 232 hp)@3600, 540 N·m (398 ft·lbf)@1600–2400
S 320 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY	2008–2009	2,987 cc (2.987 L; 182.3 cu in) V6 Biturbo (OM642)	235 PS (173 kW; 232 hp)@3600, 540 N·m (398 ft·lbf)@1600–2400
S 350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY, S 350 CDI 4MATIC	2009-	2,987 cc (2.987 L; 182.3 cu in) V6 Biturbo (OM642)	235 PS (173 kW; 232 hp)@3600, 540 N·m (398 ft·lbf)@1600–2400
S 350 4MATIC BlueTec (US)	2012-	2,987 cc (2.987 L; 182.3 cu in) V6 Turbo	240 hp (180 kW; 240 PS)@3600, 455 ft·lbf @1600–2400
S 420 CDI	2006–2009	3,996 cc (3.996 L; 243.9 cu in) V8 Biturbo (OM629)	320 PS (235 kW; 316 hp)@3600, 730 N·m (538 ft·lbf)@2200
S 450 CDI	2009-	3,996 cc (3.996 L; 243.9 cu in) V8 Biturbo (OM629)	320 PS (235 kW; 316 hp)@3600, 730 N·m (538 ft·lbf)@2200

S 280 is only sold in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Asia(badged as S 300)
S 350 CDI 4MATIC is badged as S 350 CDI 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY in Germany.
S 500 is badged as S 550 in Canada, US and Japan market.

Transmissions

Models with V12 engines have 5G-TRONIC automatic transmission. Models with non-V12 engines have 7G-TRONIC transmission. S 350, S 350 4MATIC, S 400 Hybrid, S 450, S 450 4MATIC, S 500 include 7G-TRONIC Sport transmission.
S 65 AMG included five-speed automatic SPEEDSHIFT transmission with DIRECT SELECT.
Models with 7G-TRONIC transmission include DIRECT SELECT, which allows 7G-TRONIC to be electronically controlled by touching the lever on the right-hand side of the steering column.
Beginning in 2009, S 63 AMG includes AMG SPEEDSHIFT 7G-TRONIC transmission, S 65 AMG includes AMG SPEEDSHIFT 5-speed automatic transmission.

Handling

All models except S 63 AMG, S 600 L, S 65 L AMG use AIRMATIC suspension, with optional Active Body Control except for 4MATIC models. S 63 AMG, S 600 L, S 65 L AMG include Active Body Control as standard.
4MATIC models were unveiled in 2006 Paris Motor Show. Initial products include S 450 4MATIC and S 500 4MATIC, followed by S320 CDI 4MATIC in 2006-12, then S 350 4MATIC in mid 2007.All 4MATIC models were made in short and long wheelbases.S 320 CDI 4MATIC was replaced by S 350 CDI 4MATIC.

Safety

• Brake Assist Plus: an optional system designed to apportion brake pressure based on pedal speed and distance between the car and objects. This is an evolution of the Brake Assist system found on earlier models, and uses the vehicle's radar, in addition to the usual Brake Assist's monitoring of pedal depression speed, to apply power brake boost as required. This requires the optional adaptive cruise control's radar, so in vehicles not equipped with the latter, standard Brake Assist is substituted.
• Pre-Safe: a development of the previous Pre-Safe system fitted to the W220 S-Class, which uses vehicle-dynamic sensors to predict collisions, the W221's system also takes into account closing speed, as measured by the vehicle's radar. If a collision appears likely, Pre-Safe closes all windows and the sunroof, moves all passenger's seats and their head restraints to a safer position, and tightens the seatbelts.
• Electronic Stability Program (ESP): similar to the systems fitted to other Mercedes vehicles, this system measures driver inputs and compares these to the vehicle's path. If these diverge, ESP brakes single wheels selectively to eliminate oversteer (fishtailing) and understeer (plowing), and reduces engine power, if necessary.
• Night View Assist: optional, uses two near-infrared (NIR) illuminators mounted in the headlamp clusters and a sensor in the windshield. The infrared beams are picked up by the sensor and an image is displayed in the instrument cluster. Mercedes-Benz claims that this system provides the same viewable distance as high-beam headlights, without blinding oncoming motorists.

The W221 also contains many other safety features, including front and rear crumple zones, eight dual-stage air bags, seatbelt pre-tensioning devices, anti-lock brakes (ABS), collapsible steering column, and traction control.

Equipment

• Airmatic DC - air suspension, similar to the system fitted to the W211 E-Class, uses air springs and adaptive electronic control to sense road and driving conditions and produce a firm or soft ride. The air suspension is only available for the smaller engines up to S 500. The S 600, S 63, and S 65 AMG are equipped with an active suspension system called Active Body Control, which is based on steel springs. ABC is also optional on all other models except vehicles equipped with 4Matic all wheel drive.
• Distronic Plus - optional, a development of the Distronic system fitted to earlier models. Uses more radar systems (long- and short-wave) and improved control logic to detect vehicles ahead and adjust the vehicle's speed to maintain a driver-set distance behind the car in front. The system has more authority over the vehicle than previous Distronic iterations, and can bring the vehicle to a complete stop if necessary, unlike the previous versions.

W221 S-Class interior

• Drive-Dynamic seats with massage - optional, an evolution of the system fitted to many other Mercedes models, uses air bladders in the seat bolsters to support the driver during cornering. Also, other air bladders provide a four-mode massage function to front-seat passengers.
• Heated and Active-Ventilated seats, with heating elements for warming the seats and small fans to keep the seats cool and draw perspiration away from occupants.
• harman/kardon Logic7 stereo sound system with 14 speakers, in-dash CD changer and PC Card slot
• Hard-drive based GPS satellite navigation system
• Revised COMAND navigation and radio control system, uses the dash-top display and a central knob to navigate menu choices and options. Most frequently used functions (such as volume) can be controlled by dedicated switches.
• Fiber-optic ambient lighting for the dashboard, footwells, and other areas.
• Tele Aid, uses GPS tracking and cell phone service to provide assistance. Can be used for information, to call for roadside assistance, or to call for help in emergencies. Automatically calls for help if an air bag or seatbelt tensioner deploys.

 

Sales

On 11 May 2009, Mercedes-Benz announced the sale of 270,000 units since the original W221 launch.

Production

S 600 Guard and S 600 Guard Pullman were built in Sindelfingen plant with a separate production line.

Marketing

As part of the W221 launch campaign, Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH introduced a series of 17 products under S-Class Collection, beginning in 2005-09. Products include wrist watch designed with Sindelfingen-based Design Centre, piqué polo shirt, cufflinks, pen, umbrella, key fob, mouse pads, pen cases, cigar set, note pad, wallet, 1/43 S-Class scale model car. Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH also introduced a series of 1,200 units of S-Class vehicle freight train.

Awards

In the 2007 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, the W221 tied for first ranking in its category (with the Audi A8) for having the fewest quality problems in the industry after 90 days of ownership.The W221 was given the Bild am Sonntag 2006 Golden Steering Wheel Award in the Luxury category, Drive Car of the Year Awards Best Luxury Car over A$60,000,and top luxury auto in the Topauto 2006 awards.Safety awards include Popular Mechanics' 2007 Automotive Excellence Award for Safety, 2007's What Car? Safety Award,and 2006 British Insurance Car Security Award.Design awards include Wheels Magazine's 2006 Automotive Design Award, Automotive Circle International (ACI) "EuroCarBody Award 2005", Topauto 2006 award winner in the Innovation category for the Distronic Plus adaptive cruise control, and 2006 Automotive Interior of the Year Awards for Best Seat.

Gallery

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  2006 Europe variant Mercedes-Benz S 500(S550) with the optional AMG bodykit applied.
  
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  The W221 S550 is sold as the same-engined S500 in Europe.
  
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  The Ocean Drive Concept.
  
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  President of Germany W221
  
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  Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG (US)