Tag Archives: Mercedes-Benz

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HWA EVO Proves Safety and Performance Can Coexist

When it comes to motorsport legends, few names resonate like the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 EVO II. Last year, HWA AG, the company renowned for its decades of motorsport excellence, offered a bold reinterpretation of that icon: the HWA EVO. But this isn’t just a nostalgic nod to the past—it’s a fully realized, thoroughly engineered modern sports car, with a price tag of €714,000 to match its exclusivity.

Unlike many limited-edition homages, the HWA EVO isn’t just about looks. The development program was unusually rigorous, matching—or even exceeding—the standards typically reserved for mass-produced vehicles. That’s no small feat for a car based on a 30-year-old chassis. Under the guidance of TÜV Süd, HWA carried out homologation crash tests using a purpose-built prototype chassis. Forward and rearward acceleration tests validated seat anchorages, while seat belt tension, ISOFIX anchorage, and rear seat load tests all passed with flying colors. In total, more than 60 tests—including brake, component, and emissions evaluations—confirmed that the HWA EVO is as safe and structurally sound as it is striking.

“Our goal was to create a vehicle that can proudly bear the name HWA,” says CEO Martin Marx. “After decades in top motorsport and complex road vehicle projects, it goes without saying that we demand the highest standards of quality, performance, and safety from the first road vehicle under the HWA banner.”

With safety checks behind them, the development team is now turning its attention to what really matters: the driving experience. Extensive testing has already taken place across a range of conditions, and future sessions will push the EVO through its paces on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, winter roads in northern Europe, and the sunny circuits of southern Spain. Bosch Engineering will join HWA at the Boxberg test track to fine-tune dynamics and performance, ensuring the car delivers a pure, engaging driving experience worthy of its heritage.

Production will be strictly limited to 100 units, all of which are already reserved—a testament to both HWA’s motorsport pedigree and the enduring allure of the 190E legend. The HWA EVO proves that even decades-old designs can be reimagined with modern engineering rigor, resulting in a collector’s piece that is as functional as it is beautiful.

Source: HWA

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Mercedes-Benz Posts Solid Q3 Results Amid Global Headwinds, Gears Up for Biggest Product Launch Wave Yet

Mercedes-Benz Group AG may be weathering economic headwinds, but Stuttgart’s star isn’t dimming anytime soon. The German automaker reported third-quarter results that aligned with full-year expectations—proof, according to CEO Ola Källenius, that the company’s largest-ever product and technology rollout is on track.

“Our biggest product and tech launch program is well on track,” said Källenius. “The new CLA and GLC mark the beginning of a series of new models across all segments and drive trains, tailored to specific market and customer needs.”

Financials: Lower Volumes, Higher Discipline

Mercedes-Benz Group’s adjusted EBIT landed at €2.1 billion, down from €2.54 billion in Q3 2024—a reflection of softer sales volumes, higher tariff costs, and foreign exchange challenges. Still, the company managed a robust industrial free cash flow of €1.4 billion, bringing total nine-month cash flow to €5.6 billion.

Mercedes-Benz’s war chest remains deep: €32.3 billion in net liquidity as of the end of Q3. That strength underpins a planned €2 billion share repurchase program, set to kick off within the next 12 months.

Across its three divisions—Cars, Vans, and Mobility—EBIT margins stayed in line with guidance, showing that Mercedes’ famed precision engineering extends to its balance sheets.

Mercedes-Benz Cars: Navigating the Global Maze

The automaker’s passenger car division reported an adjusted EBIT margin of 4.8% for the quarter, with sales of 441,453 units. While tariffs and currency fluctuations dampened momentum in China and the U.S., there were bright spots:

  • Europe saw a 2% uptick,
  • The Gulf States surged 33%,
  • Turkey climbed 15%,
  • and South America soared 45%.

In China—the world’s largest luxury market—Mercedes retained its dominance in the ultra-luxury bracket, where vehicles priced above 1 million RMB saw 13% growth, driven by the S-Class, GLS, G-Class, and AMG flagships.

Globally, Top-End Vehicles represented 15.4% of total sales, underscoring Mercedes’ profitable pivot toward higher-margin models. The AMG division also capped off a record quarter, with the AMG CONCEPT GT XX completing a headline-making validation run in Nardò—proof that Affalterbach’s engineers aren’t done turning up the heat.

Electric Momentum: The Battery Boost

Mercedes’ electric offensive continues to gain traction. Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sales jumped 22% quarter-over-quarter, buoyed by the launch of the new electric CLA in Europe and early orders for the electric GLC, now available across nearly all European markets. These two models spearhead the next phase of Mercedes’ electric expansion, designed to offer the “choice of luxury” in every powertrain format—from combustion to pure EV.

Vans and Mobility: Quiet Powerhouses

Mercedes-Benz Vans maintained its reputation as a profit engine, posting a 10.2% EBIT margin for Q3 and 10.7% year-to-date. Total van sales hit 83,843 units, with electric variants doubling year-over-year to 8,579 units. EVs now represent 10% of global van sales—and 14% in Europe.

Mercedes-Benz Mobility, the financial services arm, posted an adjusted Return on Equity (RoE) of 9.6%, boosted by improved portfolio margins and ongoing efficiency drives, though tempered by a tougher credit environment.

The Road Ahead: Efficiency Meets Ambition

Looking forward, Mercedes-Benz reaffirmed its full-year guidance. The company acknowledges the turbulence of today’s global market—from tariffs to exchange rates—but is betting on disciplined execution and a relentless focus on product excellence.

“We will continue to drive efficiency across the company and generate attractive returns for our shareholders,” Källenius affirmed.

With the all-new CLA and GLC leading a fresh product wave—and AMG’s next-generation GT waiting in the wings—Mercedes-Benz isn’t coasting. It’s doubling down on its heritage of engineering brilliance, technological boldness, and luxury leadership.

The message from Stuttgart is clear: even in a volatile world, the three-pointed star still shines brightest when the road gets rough.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

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Mercedes G-Class Meets Mayhem: Pennsylvania Police Officers Rammed Four Times in Violent Encounter

Police work rarely follows a script. One minute it’s a call about erratic driving, the next, it’s a life-or-death confrontation in broad daylight. That’s what played out this Friday in Plymouth Township, Pennsylvania, when two police officers found themselves on the receiving end of a Mercedes-Benz G-Class — not as passengers, but as targets.

Authorities say 21-year-old Dalton Lee Janiczek turned his father’s luxury SUV into a weapon, allegedly running over one officer four separate times during a violent encounter that left both officers hospitalized — and the iconic G-Wagen with a new kind of reputation.

From Traffic Stop to Tactical Nightmare

Just after noon on October 24, police responded to reports of a white Mercedes G-Class driving erratically. When officers located the vehicle and initiated a stop, things went sideways fast. According to Montgomery County investigators, Janiczek allegedly reversed the hulking SUV into a police cruiser. One officer jumped out, weapon drawn, issuing commands.

Instead of complying, Janiczek reportedly drove directly at the officer, who fired in self-defense — striking his partner in the process. What followed sounds more like a scene from Grand Theft Auto than a Pennsylvania suburb.

“He’s trying to self-apply a tourniquet,” said Deputy Chief of Detectives Tom Nolan, “when the vehicle drives directly at him again, striking him a second time. The vehicle then backs up two additional times and strikes the officer intentionally two more times.”

Four impacts. One officer. A Mercedes G-Class built for off-roading — not officer-offending.

A Familiar Face to Law Enforcement

This wasn’t Janiczek’s first run-in with police. According to officials, he had a documented history of refusing to stop for officers, reckless driving, and even threatening to blow up a police station in a prior encounter. On Friday, his luck — and his father’s SUV — finally ran out.

The pursuit ended when Janiczek allegedly rammed another patrol car head-on, after which he was taken into custody. Both injured officers are expected to recover.

A Legal Roadblock

Janiczek, the son of a prominent local attorney, is now facing a laundry list of charges, including aggravated assault, fleeing and eluding police, and attempted murder of a law enforcement officer. He’s being held without bail — and given the bodycam footage and prior record, this may be one case even his father can’t litigate away.

The G-Class in the Wrong Spotlight

It’s an unfortunate headline for one of Mercedes-Benz’s most recognizable machines. The G-Class, a boxy brute born from military roots and beloved by the wealthy, is more commonly seen outside luxury gyms and ski chalets than in police reports. With over 5,000 pounds of curb weight and a twin-turbo V8 under the hood, it’s a vehicle built to dominate terrain — not traffic stops.

But as this Pennsylvania case shows, even a six-figure SUV can become a blunt instrument when placed in reckless hands.

Police work may never be simple — but neither, it seems, is predicting what a G-Wagen driver might do next.

Source: FOX 29 Philadelphia via Youtube, @kelsandelles/TikTok