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Date:         Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:00:39 -0700
Reply-To:     Zeitgeist <gruengeist@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Zeitgeist <gruengeist@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Why I love Mercedes Benz but would never own one of their
              cars (Friday ramblings)
Comments: To: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <012101ce6935$b23d0650$16b712f0$@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252

While MB is marketed as a "luxury" car here in NA, it built its reputation upon solid engineering and reliable transport for folks at a variety of different economic strata. My daily driver is really nothing more than a tarted up taxi cab ('90 300D). That taxi lineage is precisely why I love the 124 models, 'cause they're a wonderful combination of comfort, handling and robust engineering...but luxury, not so much. Classy is a more accurate term

On Fri, Jun 14, 2013 at 12:30 PM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>wrote:

> I’ve never been into luxury cars and never will be, but I have always had > tremendous respect for the company that arguably invented the automobile in > 1886 and has advanced the safety of it throughout the decades with > engineering innovations and liberal licensing of their technology. Did you > know they invented airbags and first installed them in Europe in 1981? We > could have had them in our Vanagons, not that they would help much without > the front crumple zone they also invented in 1951 (the defunct Eurovan had > both). But in many other ways our VWs are descendants of this lineage. A > Wikipedia excerpt: > > “Numerous technological innovations have been introduced on Mercedes-Benz > automobiles throughout the many years of their production, including: > • The internal combustion engined automobile was developed independently by > Benz and Daimler & Maybach in 1886 > • Daimler invented the honeycomb radiator of the type still used on all > water-cooled vehicles today > • Daimler invented the float carburetor which was used until replaced > by fuel injection > • The "drop chassis" – the car originally designated the "Mercedes" by > Daimler was also the first car with a modern configuration, having the > carriage lowered and set between the front and rear wheels, with a front > engine and powered rear wheels. All earlier cars were "horseless > carriages", > which had high centres of gravity and various engine/drive-train > configurations > • The first passenger road car to have brakes on all four wheels (1924) > • The "safety cage" or "safety cell" construction with front and > rear crumple zones was first developed by Mercedes-Benz in 1951. This is > considered by many as the most important innovation in automobile > construction from a safety standpoint > • In 1959, Mercedes-Benz patented a device that prevents drive wheels from > spinning by intervening at the engine, transmission, or brakes. In 1987, > Mercedes-Benz applied its patent by introducing a traction control > system that worked under both braking and acceleration > • Airbags were first introduced in the European market, beginning with > model > year 1981 S-Class. > • Mercedes-Benz was the first to introduce pre-tensioners to seat belts on > the 1981 S-Class. In the event of a crash, a pre-tensioner will tighten the > belt instantaneously, removing any 'slack' in the belt, which prevents the > occupant from jerking forward in a crash > • In September 2003, Mercedes-Benz introduced the world's first > seven-speed automatic transmission called '7G-Tronic' > • Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), brake assist, and many other types > of safety equipment were all developed, tested, and implemented into > passenger cars – first – by Mercedes-Benz. > > Mercedes-Benz has not made a large fuss about its innovations, and has even > licensed them for use by competitors – in the name of improving automobile > and passenger safety. As a result, crumple zones and anti-lock brakes (ABS) > are now standard on all modern vehicles.” > > I'm a bit of a car history buff. I have a short automobile history reading > list if anyone is interested. > > Stuart > '85 Westy and VW driver since 1976 >

-- Casey


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