Beartooth Highway, Wyoming and Montana

 

Mercedes-Benz First Estate Vehicle: the 1965 200 D Universal

Mercedes-Benz 200 D Universal

Surprise: An estate car from Mercedes-Benz back in the 1960s? The 123-series estate was not launched until 1978! This makes the 200 D Universal all the more astonishing for many visitors to the Mercedes-Benz Museum. It can be seen in Collection Room 5: Gallery of everyday heroes. Its history is intriguing.

Show premiere: The estate version based on the “fintail” 110 model series was presented by the then Daimler-Benz AG at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1965, initially as the 190 D. It had a load compartment capacity of 2.71 cubic metres behind the front seats for carrying a load of up to 710 kilograms. For that reason, this spacious body variant was fitted with larger 15-inch wheels than the saloon and came with reinforced springs. The new variant was of in-house design, and sales were via the dealer network. The vehicles were manufactured by IMA in Belgium on the basis of delivered chassis with partial bodywork.

Trendsetter: Quite appropriately, its model designation was “Universal”. Because this variant cut a fine figure on any road: it was the Mercedes-Benz among estate cars, and combined the advantages of the elegant saloon with a high utility value for daily use and leisure time. The Universal was already a harbinger of the attributes that Mercedes-Benz would establish twelve years later with the 123-series estate, which was launched in 1977 and went into series production in 1978.

High everyday utility: At the same time, the Universal heightened public perception of the “fintail” model series in a special way: the successful combination of spaciousness, comfort, performance, value for money and economy was considered ideal. The rigid passenger cell with crumple zones at the front and rear also set new standards in safety at the time.

Elegance: A look at this special estate shows a coherent all-round design. For example, the characteristic rear wings with their “guidance fins” are perfectly integrated into the bodywork – earning the model series the nickname “fintail” at the time. And of course the design of the entire rear section, including the large tailgate and low loading sill, is in keeping with the car’s role as a load carrier, yet it remains elegant and harmonious – typical of Mercedes-Benz.

Symbiosis: The press package of the 1960s describes the effort involved in styling and body construction: “Though the exterior lines already emphasise that this is a vehicle with special character, rather than a car whose rear end has merely been modified or extended, further examination of the uniform bodyshell structure shows that the design has been created as an inseparable whole.”

Premium quality: A glance into the rear compartment also reveals a consistent design for practicality and function with high visual appeal. Medium brown artificial leather gives the interior a cosy feel. The flooring resembles fine mahogany wood. In fact it is ‘Panolux’, as the press package explains: a composition of wood fibres and bakelite resin. “It guarantees maximum protection against scratches, stains, wear and tear, etc., not to mention the luxurious touch it gives the car.” And more: “The use of a wooden floor made of such a valuable material as ‘Panolux’ is more expensive than painted sheet metal, but in addition to the luxurious appearance, it offers the advantage of good sound insulation.” Screw-fitted chrome strips with rubber sections prevent the load from slipping. The rear seat can be folded down to create a load area around 1.90 metres long.

Also with a six-cylinder engine: From 1967, the 190 D Universal was followed by four variants of the “estate saloon” based on the 200 D, 200, 230 and 230 S models. The first two were powered by four-cylinder engines, the other two by six-cylinder units. The 230 S Universal had a special role to play: It was assigned to the luxury-class 111 model series and – with its longer front end, the front section typical of the corresponding saloon models with vertical rectangular headlights and lavish chrome trim – it was a particularly prestigious ancestor of later lifestyle estate cars.

Export career: The exhibit in the Mercedes-Benz Museum is a 200 D Universal. It has a four-cylinder engine with a displacement of 1988 cubic centimetres and an output of 40 kW (55 hp). The vehicle on display was delivered near to Bordeaux in France, and registered there in July 1968. It was therefore built after the facelift, and has the newly developed hydropneumatic suspension adjustment for added safety and comfort. This automatically adapts itself to the load weight.

Rarity: Plenty of space on four wheels, packaged in an elegant body – that’s what the Mercedes-Benz Universal already offered back in the 1960s. It is a rare beauty. Because between 1965 and 1968, just 2,754 units of the first Mercedes-Benz lifestyle estate were built. A total of 622,453 saloons and 5,859 chassis with partial bodies left the Sindelfingen plant during the six-and-a-half-year production period of the 110 model series.

Mercedes-Benz/Hydro Joint Venture: A Very Interesting North/South Development

 

• Corridor Program: Mercedes-Benz and Hydro extend their strategic partnership to support the long-term development of communities along the aluminium supply chain in the state of Pará, Brazil.
• Just Transition: Lighthouse project to create positive impacts for both people and nature throughout aluminium supply chain in Brazil.
• Joint efforts: Mercedes-Benz, Hydro and local NGOs form a steering committee to enhance community involvement in mining area.
• Decarbonization: In 2022, Hydro and Mercedes-Benz agreed to work together on a technology roadmap for producing low-carbon aluminium.

At the New York Climate Week, Mercedes-Benz and Hydro elevate their strategic partnership by enhancing the vertical integration of their aluminium supply chain and launching the long-term Corridor Program for a sustained development in the Amazon. Following their joint decarbonization roadmap Mercedes-Benz and Hydro signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate with local NGOs and partners in the state of Pará, Brazil. Their goals include promoting human rights, generating income for local communities, fostering biodiversity and low-carbon value chains in the Brazilian Amazon. 

“In managing our supply chains responsibly, we concentrate on three goals: The decarbonization of our products, the promotion of human rights and the focus on more sustainability over the vehicles' entire life cycle. The joint Corridor Program manages to connect all three. In close cooperation with our partners, it has the potential to push the vertical integration of our supply chain to a new level.“ 
Dr. Gunnar Güthenke, Head of Procurement and Supplier Quality Mercedes-Benz Cars

The Corridor coalition aims to create a positive impact for the communities along the 244-kilometer bauxite slurry pipeline operated by Hydro, which runs through seven municipalities in the state of Pará, Brazil – from the Paragominas bauxite mine to the Alunorte alumina refinery in Barcarena. The goal is to engage local communities along the aluminium supply chain and empower them to improve their economic, ecological, and social well-being. Mercedes-Benz is part of the program's governance, helping to establish necessary structures and build knowledge for sustainable risk management in raw material supply chains.

The Corridor initiative reflects the company’s commitment to a "Just Transition": Prioritizing people and human rights along with responsible policies and community engagement as the decarbonization of the Mercedes-Benz Group’s business model leads to significant changes in technology, products, and workforce. The program has the potential to become a blueprint for the involvement of local communities and getting vertically engaged in vulnerable mining areas.

“The joint program with Hydro in Brazil serves as a model: We are sourcing aluminium with reduced CO_2-emissions and are firmly committed to uphold human rights along our supply chain. In doing so, we are putting our sustainable business strategy into practice. A special focus is placed on engaging with the local communities. This example demonstrates that decarbonization measures and social considerations can go hand in hand for a successful sustainable transformation.” 
Renata Jungo Brüngger, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. Integrity, Governance & Sustainability

“We are excited to further develop our strategic partnership with Mercedes-Benz, expanding our collaboration beyond low-carbon product development to create positive social and environmental impact in the Amazon. Working together, we aim to lift sustainability throughout our shared value chain, from mine to end-consumer product, while fostering economic opportunities and biodiversity conservation in the communities where we operate." 
Eivind Kallevik, President and CEO in Hydro

The program has been rethought from the ground up and is built on a fundraising concept. While some projects, like scaling up local farming (Tipitix) or sewing initiatives (Estilo), are already underway, the Corridor coalition aims for long-term value creation. Local communities living around the pipeline will identify and prioritize projects, ensuring they directly benefit their regions. This approach empowers local stakeholders to foster ownership and align with the project's overarching goals. This way Corridor intends to achieve improvements for the local people. Hence, data-based tracking of effectiveness will be a crucial part of the governance.

The program will be anchored on three strategic pillars:

• Economic Development: Identifying obstacles to the economic development and finding solutions to improve the conditions for raw material value chains in the territory.
• Social Development: Large scale approach to social development, targeting basic human needs, well-being, and opportunities. The program will pursue practical ways to implement improvements to the condition of life in the communities, both in urban centers but mainly in rural areas (e. g. ongoing TerPaz program).
• Environment and Biodiversity conservation: Working on the conservation of biodiversity in the Amazon, required to ensure positive gains for people and nature. The program will identify opportunities to reduce degradation of forests as a first target but with an ambition to contribute to the regeneration of nature.

The projects will operate in strict compliance with Brazilian laws and regulations. Moreover, the program will be implemented by a multi-institutional project organization composed by the companies and organizations. Partners include (but not limited to) Hydro Brazil, Alunorte, MPSA, Mercedes-Benz, IPAM*, IMAZON**, CEA***, Hydro Sustainability Fund and BCG.

About Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz is dedicated to responsible raw material sourcing and advancing global mining standards. Key to this is ensuring low participation barriers for mining communities and indigenous peoples as well as effective certification schemes. The company is actively involved in various raw material initiatives and has extended partnerships with Bon Pasteur in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Terre des Hommes in India to support human rights. Mercedes-Benz aims to merge commercial success with responsible actions towards the environment, people, and society across the entire value chain. 
Moreover, Mercedes-Benz will consistently create the preconditions for a net carbon-neutral**** 
new vehicle fleet by 2039. The company focuses on reducing CO₂ emissions and preserving resources through its "Design for Environment" approach. Mercedes-Benz collaborates with partners to research sustainable materials and promote circularity.

About Hydro

Hydro is a Norwegian leading aluminium and energy company that builds businesses and partnerships for a more sustainable future. Hydro is committed to leading the way towards a more sustainable future, creating more viable societies by developing natural resources into products and solutions in innovative and efficient ways. Hydro is through its businesses present in a broad range of market segments for aluminium, energy, metal recycling, renewables and batteries, offering a unique wealth of knowledge and competence.

Singapore Grand Prix Preview

 

Second leg of the double header takes place at Marina Bay in Singapore.

• Toto Talks Singapore
• Fact File: Singapore Grand Prix
• Stat Sheet: Singapore Grand Prix

Toto Talks Singapore

We head straight to Singapore for the second race in this double header. Although a street circuit like Baku, Marina Bay is a different challenge. Physically, it is incredibly demanding on both the drivers and team members. The heat and humidity play a big role in that but so does the track itself. It is bumpy in places, contains a mixture of both low and high speed corners, and the walls are waiting to catch you out.

After a mixed weekend in Azerbaijan, we will take the learnings from Baku and aim for an improved performance in Singapore. At times, our pace was strong but we couldn't deliver that consistently. Our main challenge was controlling tyre temperatures and something we know we need to improve upon. It is encouraging that, when we get the car working, we have the pace to be competitive. Whilst we came away with a podium though, we know that it was fortuitous and we were P5 on merit.

We have additional motivation heading into this weekend too. Singapore has become a key race for our Title and Technical Partner PETRONAS in recent seasons, as the closest event to Malaysia. We are excited that this year we will be part of their 50th anniversary celebrations. We have enjoyed a record-breaking partnership with them since Mercedes returned to F1 as a works team in 2010. We have achieved incredible success together over the past 15 seasons and that relationship continues to grow as we push forward with our sustainability ambitions both on and off track, including the exciting work around sustainable fuels for 2026. We have several exciting moments planned as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations over the next week and look forward to sharing them with our fans.

Fact File: Singapore Grand Prix

• Last year's Singapore Grand Prix featured a new layout as redevelopment works took place in the vicinity of the track.
• The circuit between what was Turns 16 to 19 became one long 397.9m straight, reducing the number of corners from 23 down to 19.
• The circuit length was reduced from 5.063 km to 4.928 km and the number of laps of the Grand Prix increased from 61 to 62.
• Lap times were reduced by roughly 10 seconds due to the changes.
• The new layout was beneficial for the tyres; previously, they would begin to overheat towards the end of the lap, but the removal of four 90-degree corners helped them stay closer to the optimum operating window.
• Track evolution is incredibly high in Singapore, given that it is a street circuit. The surface can ramp up by as much as three seconds between FP1 on Friday and Qualifying on Saturday evening.
• The Singapore Grand Prix is one of the most physically demanding races of the season. The intense humidity, warm temperatures, combined with the stop/start nature of the track, make it very challenging.
• Due to these factors, drivers can lose around 5kg of weight during the race through sweating alone.
• That stop/start nature, with a requirement for constant re-acceleration, ensures the circuit has one of the biggest fuel effects of the year. In simple terms, that means the amount of time you lose each lap is higher for every kilogram of extra fuel in the car.
• Owing to the large amount of time spent in corners, just over 50% of lap time is spent at full throttle - only Monaco and the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico have lower amounts.
• The track is also very bumpy. That adds to the stress that the drivers and cars are put through - that is particularly true with these new generation cars that run lower to the ground.
• With a speed limit of 60 km/h, and a layout that feeds in at turn two, the total pit lane time is the highest of the season at 25 seconds.
• Marina Bay is one of four circuits on the calendar to have a 60 km/h pitlane speed limit, owing to its tight nature. The others are Melbourne, Monaco, and Zandvoort.
• Being a street track, it is perhaps no surprise that all 14 of the previous Singapore Grands Prix have featured at least one Safety Car deployment.
• In the last six editions, we have seen 11 Safety Car deployments.
• The team has achieved four wins around the streets of Marina Bay. Three times with Lewis (2014, 2017, 2018) and once with Nico Rosberg (2016).  

Stat Sheet: Singapore Grand Prix

2024 Singapore Grand Prix
Session	Local Time (SST)	Brackley (BST)	Stuttgart (CEST)
Practice One – Friday	17:30 – 18:30	10:30 – 11:30	11:30 – 12:30
Practice Two - Friday	21:00 – 22:00	14:00 – 15:00	15:00 – 16:00
Practice Three – Saturday	17:30 – 18:30	10:30 – 11:30	11:30 – 12:30
Qualifying – Saturday	21:00 – 22:00	14:00 – 15:00	15:00 – 16:00
Grand Prix - Sunday	20:00	13:00	14:00

 

Race Records - Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team at the Singapore Grand Prix
	Starts	Wins	Podiums	Pole Positions	Front row places	Fastest laps	DNF
Mercedes	12	4	7	3	7	4	5
Lewis Hamilton	14	4	7	4	6	3	3
George Russell	3	0	0	0	1	1	2
MB Power	14	5	12	5	10	6	18

 

Technical Stats - Season to Date (Pre-season Testing to Present)
	Laps Completed	Distance Covered (km)	Corners Taken	Gear Changes	PETRONAS Fuel Injections
Mercedes	5,178	26,539.084	85,619	253,196	107,400,000
Lewis Hamilton	2,593	13,323.442	42,884	126,562	104,000,000
George Russell	2,580	13,186.677	42,680	126,454	103,200,000
MB Power	19,741	101,123.239	324,894	964,539	788,680,000

 

Mercedes-Benz in Formula One
	Starts	Wins	Podium Places	Pole Positions	Front Row Places	Fastest Laps	1-2 Finishes	Front-Row Lockouts
Mercedes (all-time)	310	128	296	139	262	109	59	82
Mercedes (since 2010)	298	119	279	131	242	100	54	80
Lewis Hamilton	349	105	201	104	176	67	N/A	N/A
George Russell	121	2	14	3	11	8	N/A	N/A
MB Power	580	220	609	228	465

Azerbaijan Grand Prix Results, Baku, 2024

 

Podium after dramatic day in Baku

• George Russell finished third and Lewis Hamilton ninth in today’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
• George started from P5 on the Medium tyre but suffered with rear tyre temperatures throughout his first stint.
• It was a similar story for Lewis who, having taken a new power unit ahead of the race, started from the pit lane on the yellow-walled compound.
• Both ditched the Medium tyre at the end of lap 13, swapping to the Hard compound tyre and went to the end of the race.
• A gentle introduction in the opening laps paid dividends in the closing stages with George amongst the fastest runners and closing on the top-four.
• As that group concertinaed together, contact between Sainz and Perez ended with both in the wall and promoted George to P3.
• Lewis worked hard to battle his way through the pack, but his progress came to a halt when he reached the Williams of Franco Colapinto.
• However, a puncture for the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg plus the Sainz/Perez incident elevated him to P9 and two hard-earned points at the flag.
• We now head to Singapore where the team will celebrate PETRONAS’ 50^th anniversary at what has become something of a home race for our Title and Technical Partner.
  

Driver	Grid	Result	Fastest Lap	Start Tyre	Stop One
George Russell	P5	P3	1:46.628	Medium	Hard (L12)
Lewis Hamilton	PIT	P9	1:47.236	Medium	Hard (L12)

George Russell

It was a really strange race today. It was very difficult on the Medium tyre in my first stint. I was over one second off the ultimate pace and finding it hard to control the rear tyre surface temperatures. On the Hard tyre in my second stint, the car felt brilliant. In the final 20 laps, I was lapping one second quicker than those at the very front. It is hard to work out exactly why this was and is a little frustrating.

We were fortunate to get onto the podium and I am glad that both Carlos (Sainz) and Checo (Perez) are OK. We were having a relatively quiet run to P5 after I got past Verstappen, but we will take it. It is a good reward for all the efforts of the team after a challenging weekend on the whole.

Lewis Hamilton

Today was a difficult race. We had a good day on Friday, but the rest of the weekend was tough. We made some changes heading into Saturday that didn’t work out, but we had to live with them. We also knew it would be challenging to overtake today. Despite the long straight, it is hard to follow through the second sector. Franco Colapinto and Oliver Bearman, who I was racing for a lot of the afternoon, did such a great job. It is great to see the youngsters like them coming through and doing so well. For their first and second races, it was very impressive.

Despite how tough my own race was, the positives are that George had a decent race and was able to score some good points for the team. We’ve also got lots of data to work through ahead of Singapore. We’ve got some upgrades coming before the end of the year so hopefully we can make a step closer to those at the front soon.

Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO

We will take the positive from today that we were able to get one car on the podium. We saw that it was getting feisty at the front and that ultimately ended with Sainz and Perez in the wall. Inheriting a podium and finishing third is better than we expected but we are not fooling ourselves that, on pace today, we were P5.

We will analyse the race and weekend as a whole. The second half of our Grand Prix on the Hard tyre was encouraging. George was able to keep the temperatures under control and, having driven within himself early in the stint, was able to deliver strong pace in the closing stages. It was more difficult for Lewis with the traffic he faced but at moments, he showed good speed. We now head to Singapore, and it is another difficult circuit to know how everyone will perform. We will dig through the data from this weekend, aim to improve the car balance and have a stronger weekend there.

Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director

It was nice to get a car on the podium, but we aren’t fooling ourselves; this weekend hasn’t been good enough and we need to improve. The first stint for both drivers was weak. We couldn't stop the rear tyres from overheating, and, at one point, it was looking like we were in for a very difficult afternoon. 

The Hard tyre suited us much better. George had clean air to work out how to get the best out of the tyres and maintain them in a good window. That served him well later in the race. We'd lost too much time early on in the race to stick with the leaders, but it was good to get the pass on Verstappen done and that proved crucial for the podium.

Lewis' race was difficult as he kept bumping into DRS trains and just couldn't make it through them. The closer he got to the cars ahead the more tyre overheating he suffered with. Regardless, we were not strong enough here to get a podium on merit and that's what we need to put our efforts into resolving. We've got a different challenge in Singapore next week but are looking forward to getting back on track.

Preview Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2024

 

Frantic Friday in Baku

• The team took to the Baku City Circuit in Azerbaijan for the first day of this weekend’s on-track running.
• Both drivers ran the Medium and Soft compound tyres in a thrice red flagged FP1 session.
• Lewis was happier with the overall car balance, clocking the second quickest time with George in P8.
• Ahead of FP2, the team made a precautionary power unit change on George’s car after an irregular oil sample; that delayed the start of George’s session by 25 minutes.
• He nevertheless still managed to complete running on both the Hard and Soft tyres in that second session, posting the ninth quickest time.
• Lewis was able to complete an extra six laps in FP2, on the same compounds as his team-mate, and set the third quickest time, just 0.066s shy of the pace-setting lap set by Charles Leclerc.
  

Driver	FP1				FP2
Lewis Hamilton	19 Laps	1:45.859	P2	Medium, Soft	22 Laps	1:43.550	P3	Hard, Soft, Hard
George Russell	18 Laps	1:46.516	P8	Medium, Soft	16 Laps	1:44.536	P9	Hard, Soft

Lewis Hamilton

Today was a really good day. I enjoyed it from the start as the car felt strong from the first laps on track. We made some positive incremental steps on the set-up. There was nothing we had to come back on, and we continued to build throughout.

Pace wise, we didn’t complete a huge number of laps on our long run in FP2. We will have to do some comparisons tonight therefore to see where our relative speed is. Our usual competitors looked strong, but I think we are there or thereabouts. That is encouraging and was our hope coming into this weekend. We will stay cautious and vigilant though. We will work hard tonight to try and find more gains and see what we can do in qualifying tomorrow.

George Russell

Today wasn’t the smoothest Friday we’ve ever had. Unfortunately, we lost a little bit of running time with a precautionary power unit change ahead of FP2. Once we were out on track, I wasn’t completely happy with the balance of the car. I was struggling to get the tyres in the right window and was lacking a little confidence. I’ll work hard overnight to improve on that, step my game up for tomorrow and close the gap.

The good news is that Lewis was looking very quick out there. It encourages us that the car is strong, and we can be competitive this weekend. It looks very close between several teams, with Ferrari in particular looking strong. If we can make improvements overnight though we can aim to be in the mix for qualifying and the race on Sunday.

Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director

Lewis had two decent sessions and finished the day happy with the car. His pace also looked sensible although we know the areas we've got to work on. Overall, we're pleased with how his weekend has started. As has been the case in recent races, it looks very tight at the front in terms of single lap, so we'll be working hard overnight to find every bit of lap time.

In comparison to Lewis, George had a more challenging day. He wasn't very happy with the balance of the car in FP1, so we spent that session trying to improve it. Shortly after FP1 finished, we spotted an issue with the power unit that led us to take the cautious approach of swapping it out for FP2. That unfortunately cost him 25 minutes of valuable track time and whilst we got to run both tyres, the programme was compromised. We'll be aiming to recover some of the lost ground with George tomorrow in FP3.