Detroit Auto Show: Mercedes blitzkriegs Motown

And they're off!

Not content to wait around for the opening bell on Sunday morning, Mercedes-Benz got things going here at the North American International Auto Show (the Detroit Auto Show to most folks) on Saturday night with a full-fledged, off-campus news conference with not one, not two, but three full reveals.

It was an ambitious offering, held at a newly reopened Detroit landmark, the Book Cadillac Hotel, which to an outsider might have seemed like the German Embassy transported to the Motor City. At the event, which the hosts dubbed a Neujahrsempfang, or New Year's reception, it seemed that few stops were not pulled out.

Indeed, judging by the elaborate level of production, rail-thin models, choreographed light-and-sound show, massive hordes of imported Daimler employees and two-block line of M-B shuttle vehicles outside the event, one could be forgiven for thinking that the economy was just fine and we were in boom times once again.

As guests were plied with lobster risotto, Merlot and creme brulee, the company's chief executive, Dieter Zetsche (known as the mustachioed Dr. Z for those of you familiar with old Mercedes commercials) rolled out the brand new E-Class sedan, as well as a limited-edition SLR open-top sports car, and a concept called the BlueZERO that can run on battery, hydrogen or range-extended electric drivetrains -- and will, in limited numbers, starting later this year.

Buzz levels peaked notably when Zetsche said that the new 2.5-liter turbodiesel version of the E-Class would turn in 44 miles per gallon highway fuel economy. That's worthy of a big exclamation point considering the fact that the current E-Class diesel, with a 3.2-liter engine, tops out at 32 mpg.

So, despite the heady feel of the event ...

... spread over several floors of the Westin hotel, despite the short ribs and the Chilean sea bass, despite the presentation of a 650-horsepower sports car with a top speed of 219 mph, these are tough times, Zetsche acknowledged. "We want to show that confidence is the right response to this market," he said. Detroit's mayor, Kenneth Cockrel, roaming the party, had a more direct take on things. "The economy just sucks," he said.

Cornered later at the party, Zetsche sipped on ice water and touched on a variety of subjects, including Daimler's 19.9% stake in Chrysler. He said that Daimler didn't need to sell it and that blame for the failure of its recent talks to unload its holdings fell squarely on the shoulders of Chrysler and its parent company, Cerberus. "They became totally unreasonable and made allegations which had no foundation," Zetsche said, while declining to explain just what those allegations were.

He also lamented the untimely end to the Firehouse party, a traditional Detroit Auto Show event thrown by Chrysler (with Daimler's help) that was canceled this year. Last year, Zetsche tended bar, and he suggested, had he more time to prepare, that the company might have organized the event in Chrysler's absence.

As a final shot, the amicable Teuton critiqued as absurd the prohibition on private planes favored by the administration in the bailout loan package granted General Motors and Chrysler. "To do the kind of jobs that are global jobs, sitting in airports and waiting for connections is just not effective," he said.

Outside, it was snowing, heavily. The lines of Mercedes shuttles picked up weary partiers and trundled off down the wide boulevard. On the corner, a Mercedes hybrid diesel concept was parked, jauntily collecting snow on its roof.

-- Ken Bensinger

Photos (from top): Associated Press; Ken Bensinger / Los Angeles Times; and Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times

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Mercedes blitzkriegs Motown
In photos: Detroit Production Cars
In photos: Detroit Concept Cars

Comments

[Gary Brandt]

I have to agree these guys need private aircraft to do that job but it was refreshing to see them brought down a little to make the point that not embracing efficient alternate power based autos was unfair to the rest of us who want to get off forign oil, save money on fuel and spare our planets atmosphere.

Planned obsolesence should also be curtailed to make great american products again like the old cars.

[George in Miami]

"Planned Obsolescence" was a hallmark of those great cars of Detroit's past. I think the current crop of cars is far removed from that philosophy, embodied in annual styling changes.

To bring Detroit back, we need a sane energy policy a single national industrial policy, and national health care.

[PG]

"To do the kind of jobs that are global jobs, sitting in airports and waiting for connections is just not effective," he said. (Daimler's CEO Zetsche)

This is a ludicrous posture, for, if the CEOS of these failing US auto companies were doing their jobs successfully -- with the benefit of corporate jet travel -- then WHY are their companies essentially insolvant?

Evidently, they used their corporate jets to hasten the speed in which their businesses would meet their demise -- least they must wait at an airport to do so.

Frankly, if the auto executives were a success then they could carry on anyway they saw fit. However, because they are a failure and their companies are techinically bankrupt, I fail to see how use of a corporate jet will make the US auto businesses a success, when it clearly had not done so before.

Let the auto executives eat their own cooking, drink their own kool aid, and sacrifice and struggle like everyone else who is in financial straits -- as adversity and baptism by fire straightens one's back, gives one nerve, and hastens one's walk.

Nothing focuses the mind of a man more, then being hung on a fortnight.

Hard work comes from perspiration not mere inspiration --- and being starved of the things you want, and thereby strive to achieve, is the grist of achievement.

[Randy]

Everyone has this stick it to em attitude of the Big 3 in Detroit but this has a huge affect on the working class man. One thing that still puzzles me is the fact that many of the investment companies have put their clients monies into ponzie schemes, bad investments, etc. they continued to make millions of dollars at the top but yet the U.S. automakers get crucified for taking a private jet. Yet, the amount of money that the investment companies that WERE bailed out by our government, our money, they could have bought several private jet companies. Who did Wall Street employee? They manufactured nothing. Wake up people.