At the event was Mercedes-Benz chief executive Stephen Byrne and sales manager Ciaran Allen pictured with model Yomiko.

This extra cover – which applies to vans registered in January – comes in addition to the two years bumper-to-bumper unlimited mileage factory warranty provided by Mercedes-Benz.

The iconic soft drinks producer has taken partial delivery of 13 Sprinter 313 and 513 long wheel base panel vans for use in delivering its unique brand of refreshment to their Irish customers.

Equipped with specialised flooring and shelving, units have been fitted with Bluetooth facilities and speed limiters.

Component Distributors, Ireland’s leading aftermarket motor parts supplier, has headquarters in Mallusk, Newtownabbey. It has just taken delivery of seven Euro 5 Sprinters from neighbouring dealership Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI), and another four from Dublin agent MUTEC.

As well as being cleaner, the new Sprinter is smoother, quieter, more powerful and significantly cheaper to run than its predecessor.

Four of the new vans have been added to the fleet now working from Component Distributors’ Dublin depot, while the other seven are based at its newly opened facility in Cork. One is a 316CDI with 163hp engine but the other 10 are all 129hp Sprinter 313CDIs – this model is 15 per cent more fuel-efficient than the 311CDI it replaced, this equating to an extra 4.5 miles per gallon, while CO2 emissions are down by 13 per cent.

Component Distributors imports motor parts direct from manufacturers, which it then distributes to independent motor factors throughout Ireland. Deliveries are made by its fleet of 35 Sprinters, as well as a single, 10.5-tonne Mercedes-Benz Atego truck.

The company’s new vans are the subject of a highly flexible Agility contract from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. This offers all the benefits of conventional hire purchase with a balloon payment – including low monthly repayments – but gives operators extra options at the end of the term.

Key to the Agility concept is the agreement of a Guaranteed Future Value (GFV) for the vehicle. At the end of the agreement the customer can choose whether to pay off the final lump sum and keep the vehicle, extend the agreement by spreading the balloon payment over a further term, or return it free of any further obligations, apart from an excess mileage charge if the initially agreed limit has been exceeded, and damage charges over and above fair wear and tear.

Component Distributors’ vans cover as much as 300 miles each day on demanding, multi-drop delivery routes, so reliability and fuel-efficiency are crucial.

“Our hard-earned reputation depends on our being able to keep promises on delivery times,” explained Managing Director Ken Knox. “Given the distances we cover and our busy workload, we need to have complete faith in our vehicles.

“Having used Mercedes Benz trucks and vans for many years we know we’re in safe hands. No other vehicle comes close in terms of reliability and durability, while they are also highly cost-effective to operate and the service from Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI) is always first class.”

Component Distributors is part of the privately-owned CD Group of Companies, which was established in 1963.

The manufacturer’s representative for Surrey and Sussex has supplied the BLOODHOUND Project with a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 313CDI van, which is now being used to transport technicians and the equipment they use when staging public presentations of their awesome machine.

At 129hp the Long-bodied van’s 2148cc common rail, turbocharged diesel cannot quite match the power output of the car’s custom-built Falcon rocket, which produces 27,500lbs of thrust – equivalent to 77,500hp or 645 family saloons – and works in unison with a jet engine.

But its low-emission Euro 5 credentials mean the strikingly-liveried Sprinter wins hands down when it comes to miles-per-gallon, while it is also a good deal easier to manoeuvre – pencil thin and over 12 metres (40ft) long, the rocket car has no reverse gear and a turning circle of 120 metres, which makes parking somewhat tricky!

In fact, its technologically advanced specification makes the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter a perfect ‘fit’ for the Bloodhound Project. And that’s because speed is not the car’s only purpose; rather, it is the focal point of an education programme designed to inspire young people to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM subjects) by showcasing them in the most exciting way possible – through the development of a car that’s faster than a bullet.

More than 4,500 UK schools have signed up to bring their science and maths lessons to life by using BLOODHOUND’s curriculum-ready resources, while design and operational data is being made available live on the web as the project develops, thus enabling tomorrow’s scientists and engineers to follow the project’s progress in the finest technical detail.

Some 220 high-tech engineering companies across the UK are producing key components for the car and after runway testing in the UK the team aim to be on the Hakskeen Pan in South Africa’s Northern Cape to begin high speed testing in 2013.

The BLOODHOUND Project is funded entirely by corporate sponsorship and public donations and Director Richard Noble welcomed the support of Rossetts Commercials, which has headquarters in Worthing and other dealerships in Aldershot, Crawley and Eastbourne.

“‘We had one hell of a problem!” recalled Mr Noble. “We are best described as an aerospace company financed by sponsorship and public donation, and demand for the project at exhibitions and schools was growing at an exponential rate.

“Our cashflow, which has to be spent on the project engineering, didn’t permit long term lease or purchase, so we were hiring vans which meant we had constantly to load and unload them, and our presentation didn’t look good.

“And then along came Perry Reeves from Rossetts who could see the opportunity immediately. The deal was done quickly and we now have the smartest van on the road. The project is still expanding fast and the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is going to do a huge mileage! We are extremely grateful to Rossetts for their help.”

Rossetts Commercials Dealer Principal Perry Reeves confirmed: “The BLOODHOUND Project is a truly inspiring British initiative and we are delighted to become one of its sponsors.”

The deal was agreed after Richard Noble delivered a lecture to a joint meeting of the Institute of the Motor Industry and Institute of Road Transport Engineers – Perry is a Full Member of the IMI and a Fellow of the IRTE, as well as its Southern Centre Chairman. The Mercedes-Benz man was hugely impressed by what he heard.

“At Rossetts Commercials we rely constantly on our qualified engineering staff to solve technological problems in order to keep our customers’ vehicles on the road,” Perry explained.

“But it’s not just workshop roles that require technical and mathematical knowledge. Our sales staff make calculations on a host of factors such as payloads and load volumes, and must also understand things like drive ratios if we are to supply our customers with vehicles built to the optimum specification for the task. Even the graphic designers in our marketing department use vectors in their work.

“So anything we can do to help encourage youngsters to take an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics is going to benefit our company in the future. And how can something as exciting as the BLOODHOUND Project fail to get them motivated?”

Set to build on the success of its best-selling predecessor – a truck voted winner of the International Truck of the Year award – first versions of the new Actros will go on sale in Europe in the second half of this year and arrive in Ireland in early 2012.

Equipped with fuel-saving, low-emissions BlueEFFICIENCY power, the new Actros promises greater profitability, dynamism and comfort in a completely new package.

Features will include totally new cabs in a striking, yet typically Mercedes-Benz design, with aerodynamic refinements, an innovative lighting concept and external dimensions that confirm the spaciousness of the working, living and resting space provided for the driver.

The new Actros will be powered by a new generation of Mercedes-Benz engines, available initially in four power output classes from 310 kW to 375 kW, with maximum torque from 2100 Nm to 2500 Nm.

Ultra-modern technology fitted in the new Actros will include the unique X-Pulse injection system, exhaust gas recirculation, exhaust after-treatment using BlueTec diesel technology and a particulate filter.

In the course of its seven years development, the new Mercedes-Benz Actros has been subjected to rigorous testing designed to uphold the Mercedes-Benz ‘trucks you can trust’ claim. Trials ranged from practical every-day road tests to the heat of the Sierra Nevada and winter tests on the Arctic Circle.

 

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Liam, who lives in Cranford, outside Gorey, is a member of the Liam Mellows Hurling Club in Coolgraney. He will use the van in his work as an agent for Brennan’s Bread, delivering to customers in and around Gorey and throughout the north Wexford area generally

Recently, while visiting Somers Commercials, he qualified by taking a test drive in the €24,000 Vito.

Delighting in his good fortune was his wife Celena and children Adam (age 8), Lee (age 6) and Niamh (age 5). Present with him at the prize draw was James Somers, Dealer Principal of Somers Commercials.

Commenting, Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles sales manager Fergus Conheady thanked all who had taken part in the event, the purpose of which, he said, was to promote the vehicle which the Irish Motoring Writers Association had chosen as the 2011 Irish Van of the Year and to contribute something practical and valuable into Ireland’s small to medium sized business sector at this time.

Just under 650 test drives took place as part of the competition, which ran in every Mercedes-Benz light commercial vehicle dealership in Ireland.

Our picture shows Liam Clare, winner of a recent Mercedes-Benz Competition, receiving the keys of his prize – a Mercedes-Benz Vito van – from Stephen Byrne, Chief Executive, Mercedes-Benz Ireland.

Designed to unblock the lending logjam that has prevented many owners from acquiring or replacing their van fleet, the scheme provides finance over periods from 3 to 5 years, upon payment of a ‘modest’ deposit.

Confined to the purchase of new vehicles only, the scope of the plan can also be extended to include maintenance costs. Moreover, dealers can facilitate buyers by agreeing a residual value that would be placed on each vehicle after the finance term has expired

Describing the plan as one ‘mutually advantageous’ to both sides, Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles sales manager Fergus Conheady said that it will “stimulate and assist the small business sector whose progress has been blocked on all fronts by the current restrictions on lending.”

With Mercedes-Benz Vans’ ambition of building the safest vans in the world, the partnership is ideally placed to educate and remind van users about the importance of correct tyre care and maintenance.

“It goes without saying but having Mercedes-Benz Vans join TyreSafe as a member is fantastic news for us and the wider commercial vehicle industry,” says Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe. “Safety is a key priority for Mercedes-Benz when designing its vehicles so our partnership is a natural fit, helping to ensure the ongoing protection of its customers. We look forward to their input and working with closely with them on future programmes.”

One of the first collaborative activities between the two organisations will see TyreSafe presenting at this year’s Mercedes-Benz Van Experience event. The annual event, which was established in 2003, has become firmly established as one of the highlights in the van calendar. This year’s experience will be held from 20th June until 1st July at Prodrive’s private test track in Warwickshire, where guests will be able to experience and learn about a wide range of safety-related technologies and programmes.

“Mercedes-Benz Vans is at the forefront of vehicle safety with a range of products and initiatives such as our SafeDrive Technologies”, explains John Reed, Van Product Manager, Mercedes-Benz UK. “With our focus on safety, we are delighted to be joining TyreSafe and offering our industry insight for future campaigns. We also look forward to utilising TyreSafe’s expertise in helping us educate our customers and staff about correct tyre care and maintenance.”

To help businesses and van users understand their responsibilities towards tyre care and the key tyre safety issues they need to consider, TyreSafe has recently launched a new dedicated van tyre safety section on its website. The site includes a selection of useful tips and guides as well as a free downloadable safety leaflet. To view the pages or download the leaflet, visit www.tyresafe.org.

Visitors to the NEC event (12-14 April) will be able to see at first hand the remarkable Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL, a vehicle that offers a tantalising glimpse of an emissions-free future.

The world’s first battery-powered van to be built on line at a mainstream production facility, the whisper-quiet Vito E-CELL will be presented at the NEC (12-14 April) in complete form and as a stripped down chassis, so the ground-breaking electric driveline can be viewed in close detail.

Still on the ‘green’ theme, Mercedes-Benz is also exhibiting a Euro 5-engined 113CDI from the recently launched Vito range in eco-friendly BlueEFFICIENCY trim, and a natural gas-powered Sprinter 316 NGT with factory-fitted dropside bodywork that emits practically no particulate emissions and has an exceptionally low carbon footprint when run on liquid biomethane produced from organic waste.

Meanwhile, the Mercedes-Benz Trucks division is showing a 2443LS 6×2 tractor unit with small-wheeled mid-lift axle and low-roofed sleeper cab, from the new Axor range, which is just starting to reach Britain’s roads.

Like its smaller sibling the new Mercedes-Benz Atego – the reigning International Truck of the Year – the Axor range of distribution and construction rigids, and distribution tractor units, has undergone a significant makeover.

Both the Axor and Atego have received a fresh new ‘face’ which incorporates the bold grille treatment already seen on premium specification Actros tractor units and rigids, as well as a host of new and improved in-cab features.

A three-time winner of the International Truck of the Year trophy and recently voted ‘Truck of the Decade’ by readers of Truck & Driver magazine, the Actros is sure to be a star of the show once again. Pumping out no less than 600hp and with its towering, flat-floored MegaSpace cab, the mighty 4×2 Actros 1860LS on parade in Birmingham would be any professional’s dream drive.

With the clock now well and truly ticking down to September 2014 – by when anyone driving a vehicle with a gross weight of 3.5 tonnes or more must be in possession of a valid Driver Certificate of Professional Competence – Mercedes-Benz leads the field in the delivery of high value courses that will deliver the requisite 35 hours of approved training. Also on its stand will be a 6×2 Actros 2546 MegaSpace from the Mercedes-Benz Driver Training Team’s fleet of specially converted vehicles.

Operators seeking to cut their carbon footprints often incur penalties in terms of higher vehicle running costs or reduced productivity. Not so, though, with the new and much improved Euro 5 (EEV-approved) Fuso Canter light truck range, which is sold and supported in the UK by Mercedes-Benz and its dealers, and which allows customers to reduce their outgoings as well as their emissions. Presented at the CV Show will be a Canter 7C15D seven-man crewcab with a tipper body.

Augmenting the vehicle line-up will be a number of service and information counters providing CV Show visitors with detailed information packs on Mercedes-Benz CharterWay, finance and leasing options and Daimler FleetBoard vehicle fleet management and telematics solutions, as well as a full range of vehicle product and service brochures. A number of technical experts will also be on hand to discuss individual operator requirements.

Western Hygiene, an ISO-accredited company, has 23 years experience supplying high quality branded hygiene products to customers situated throughout Ireland.

The two new Sprinter vans, which are automatic and fitted with panelling to suit Western Hygiene’s requirements, replace two 07-registered Sprinter 415 models.

In unison with the worldwide celebrations which took place on January 29th last, a framed copy of the patent application made by Karl Benz in relation to his Benz Patent Motor Wagen of 1886 was presented to the RIAC at an informal event held in the customer centre at Mercedes-Benz HQ in Dublin where the many historic exhibits includes an exact working replica of the same 1886 Benz Patent Motor Wagen.

There to accept the presentation from Mercedes-Benz chief executive Stephen Byrne (2nd right) and sales manager Ciaran Allen (left) were RIAC Chairman Cecil Sparks (2nd left) and Bob Montgomery (right), renowned motor historian and curator of the RIAC archive.

The cashless card facility enables drivers to access workshop and spare parts services through more than 2,000 Mercedes-Benz workshops across Europe, including Turkey.

With no fee, service supplement or call out charge, the card gives drivers access to an emergency mobile workshop

service which operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year supported by a vehicle towing and recovery service plus the guarantee of fast, fixed price roadside tyre repair assistance.

A centralised payments arrangement and a PIN-controlled fuel and toll charges payment facility form part of the package which can be applied for on-line at www.mercedesservicecard.com or by contacting your local Mercedes-Benz dealer.

Thanks to its emission-free drive system, the Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL is ideally suitable for inner-city operations and for particularly environmentally sensitive areas. The Vito E-CELL operates with no emissions and almost silently, and imposes no restrictions on the operator in terms of load capacity and payload. Production of a small series of 100 Vito E-CELL vans has already commenced this year, and a further 2000 units are planned from 2011.

Deliveries to inner-city areas and pedestrian precincts, operations in areas with rigorous access restrictions, in-company transport in production shops, delivery access via underground car parks – the quiet, emission-free Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL with its purely battery-electric drive system is the perfect answer to the question of delivery operations in environmentally sensitive areas. Moreover, the Vito E-CELL is not only able to carry out its transport assignments in areas with high exhaust pollution, but also where there are noise restrictions protecting e.g. health resorts or in residential areas with night-time driving bans.

In response to the growing environmental burden in the densely populated areas of Europe and other regions of the world, the relevant authorities are increasingly introducing vehicle access restrictions in the form of environmental zones based on emissions or with time constraints. Emission-free vehicles with electric drive are usually exempted. Accordingly the Vito E-CELL is eminently suitable for environmentally sensitive areas, both in commercial and public service operations, and in many areas of the service sector including e.g. parcel and postal deliveries, maintenance work and for other service providers.

There are also numerous incentive schemes for the purchase of emission-free vehicles. These are available in many countries and take widely different forms, ranging from direct purchasing subsidies to significant reductions in toll charges or vehicle taxes and exemption from access restrictions.

The Vito E-CELL is also considerably less expensive to operate. A comparison between the current diesel price and the cost of electrical power shows a factor of four to seven. This means that for the same driving distance, a Vito powered by an internal combustion engine incurs four to seven times the costs of a Vito E-CELL recharged overnight with low-priced off-peak power.

A joint venture contract was signed in the presence of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Premier of the People’s Republic of China Wen Jiabao. The approval for the deal was granted by the relevant Chinese government authority.

“The joint venture with Foton Motor represents another key milestone in implementing our China strategy. It further strengthens our position to address all segments of the market. And it shows that we deliver what we promise taking full advantage of the enormous potential in China and other growth countries.” Dr. Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG comments about the signing ceremony.

“The NDRC approval of the joint venture with Foton Motor in China is a key milestone in Daimler Truck’s overall strategy,” said Andreas Renschler, member of Daimler’ s Board of Management and Head of Daimler Truck

s and Daimler Buses. “The joint venture offers us an excellent springboard from which we can achieve growth, profitability and expansion in China, and with Foton as a global partner, in the international markets as well.”

In Galway, the appointment will also include responsibility for the full range of Mercedes-Benz heavy commercial vehicles, including the Truck of the Year award winning Actros, which last year helped propel Mercedes-Benz to first place in the heavy commercials sales table.

The appointments, which form part of a restructuring of the network, are driven by an objective on the part of Mercedes-Benz to further expand its position in the commercial vehicles market, a segment in which its light and heavy commercials are frequent contenders for top place.

Highlighting South Dublin, Galway and Kerry as regions with considerable market potential based on their established commercial and industrial infrastructure, Mercedes-Benz believes that

the appointments offer significant long-term opportunity for those best placed to make application.

To that end, interested dealers can view full details of the proposed appointments on the Mercedes-Benz web site www.mercedes-benz.ie

In Galway, the appointment will also include responsibility for the full range of  Mercedes-Benz heavy commercial vehicles, including the Truck of the Year award winning Actros, which last year helped propel Mercedes-Benz to first place in the heavy commercials sales table.

The appointments, which form part of a restructuring of the network, are driven by an objective on the part of Mercedes-Benz to further expand its position in the commercial vehicles market, a segment in which its light and heavy commercials are frequent contenders for top place.

Highlighting South Dublin, Galway and Kerry as regions with considerable market potential based on their established commercial and industrial infrastructure, Mercedes-Benz believes that the appointments offer significant long-term opportunity for those best placed to make application.

To that end, interested dealers can view full details of the proposed appointments on the Mercedes-Benz web site www.mercedes-benz.ie

Since 1960, truck fuel consumption has been reduced by 30 per cent.

In the same period, emissions levels have decreased by up to 98 percent. Similarly, freight transport efficiency has also increased by more than 80 percent while the introduction of fully automated transmission has reduced driver strain and increased driving comfort.  In terms of safety, smart assistance systems have also had a major role to play.

“In the years to come, engineers will have to pull out all the stops, from enhancing the aerodynamics of the truck and trailer and fine tuning the conventional drive systems we know today to using alternative fuels and perhaps partially hybridizing the power train,” Renschler said.

“While a reduction of fuel consumption and emissions is one of the goals, another aim will be to increase performance and torque – factors that have a big impact on a commercial vehicle’s efficiency and economy,” he added.

Ian Jones, Managing Director Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles announced: “If the CV Show returns in 2011, so will we, and we plan to return to the NEC with a full range of products and services.  The organisers of this year’s Commercial Vehicle Operators Show have stated their intent to reinstate the show proper next year, and it’s important that there is strong support to that initiative.”

The Commercial Vehicle Show 2009 was cancelled by organisers in light of the global recession and its effects on the industry, and the CV Operators Show in 2010 did not have any truck manufacturers in attendance.

Mr Jones continued:  “As a global business we ensured that Research and Development teams were properly-funded, to guarantee that we don’t reduce the commitment needed to keep the next generation of Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles at the top of their respective sectors.

“If there is another economic downturn we will obviously need to review the decision, and the CV Show will only be viable if other manufacturers join us in committing to the exhibition.  A lot clearly depends on the health of the British economy in the next 12 months of course, but it is our clear intent to return to the CV Show in 2011.”

The CV Show is the latest exhibition attendance announced by Mercedes-Benz UK, and is part of an ongoing commitment to meeting its customers and contacts around the country.  The truck division will feature prominently at Truckfest Peterborough, held at the East of England Showground on Sunday 2nd and Bank Holiday Monday 3rd May.  The large show stand will include a wide range of the company’s latest trucks and vans, along with experts from Mercedes-Benz UK on hand to answer questions and to talk trucks.

Ian Jones said:  “Truckfest remains a highpoint in our event calendar, and is an excellent way to meet operators, drivers and their families.  At 4,500 square metres, this year’s stand is the biggest we’ve ever had and there’s plenty to fill it.  Alongside the business elements, of course we plan to have some fun for all the family.  There will be face-painters, our MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula 1 simulator, and lots more besides – plus amazing mountain bike displays from the Animal Relentless bike tour!”

Van Experience, a two-week ride-and-drive event held in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, will run from 14-25 June.  Here, guests drive Mercedes-Benz Vans in a range of challenging conditions designed to highlight the myriad safety systems fitted as standard

to every Mercedes-Benz Van.

Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles is also exhibiting at a number of specialist shows including: FutureSource, formerly known as the IWM Show, in London’s ExCeL; Green Fleet Arrive and Drive at Rockingham Raceway; RWM at the NEC; with dealers being the main point of contacts at the four regional Truckfest shows held around the country throughout the summer.

A natural gas driven Sprinter designed for operation in an urban environment, producing significantly lower exhaust gas and noise emission figures, was voted winner in the Alternative Drive Systems category.

The awards were made by a 30-man jury consisting of experts from the courier, express and parcel services sector who evaluated 18 participating vehicles before selecting the winners in five categories.

The examiners covered a grand total of over 7,000 kilometres in the course of 540 test drives. Functionality, driving comfort, handling
characteristics, design and economic efficiency were amongst the points covered in the evaluation.

The performance limiter has been designed to prevent drivers using excessive fuel, when driving their vehicles when empty or with light loads.

The company says the “Excelerate” option will prevent fuel wastage as a result of over enthusiastic acceleration, when the vehicle is empty or is carrying a light load.

The limiter will be built into the vehicle’s diesel engine’s electronic management system and will optimise weight-indicating input data.

The Sprinter van and chassis cab range will be the first to benefit from this new technology.