Beijing, August 25, 2010 – Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd today held a grand ceremony entitled "Timeless Masterpieces: the S-Class Hall of Fame" to celebrate the illustrious heritage and leadership of the flagship S-Class series. Held at the prestigious China Academy of Art (CAFA) Museum in Beijing, this event marks the first ever for Mercedes-Benz to hold a unique S-Class heritage media workshop since the automaker's entrance into China. Chinese media from nationwide were provided with a guided tour of the "S-Class Museum" through a comprehensive exhibit of the models as narrated by experts from Germany.

As the inventor of the automobile, Mercedes-Benz has always distinguished itself from others in the luxury segment with the longest and most illustrious heritage. Since its origin nearly 125 years ago, Mercedes-Benz has consistently reinvented the automobile and redefined luxury with uncompromising fascination, perfection and responsibility that has continue to set the benchmark in the industry.

"With a history of 60 years and nine generations, the S-Class plays an integral role in the development of the Mercedes-Benz's 125-year heritage," said Klaus Maier, President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd. "The S-Class has always stood at the pinnacle of the world's top luxury car segment with pioneering technical breakthroughs, bringing state-of-the-art craftsmanship, elegant design and innovative technologies that set the pace among competitors worldwide."

The grand ceremony was befittingly held at CAFA Art Museum in Beijing, a classic hall that displays some of the most state-of-the-art artifacts, thus creating a truly majestic and historical atmosphere that truly represents the rich S-Class heritage. The venue was transformed to an "S-Class Museum", in which guests were treated to a visual journey of the S-Class history through elegant displays and pictures of all nine generations of the flagship model. Over the past 60 years, the S-Class has been the car-of-choice among distinguished individuals since its historical inception, including Sylvester Stallone, former German Chancellor Queen Elizabeth II, the Prince of Monaco, the Pope and many other world leaders and celebrities – thus greatly fulfilling the flagship model's illusory status.

With a history of 60 years and nine generations of the world's most luxurious sedans, the S-Class has repeatedly introduced new technological innovations, such as the airbags, Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) and Occupant Protection System PRE-SAFE® that were first installed in the model, then in other Mercedes-Benz vehicles, followed by other automakers in the industry.

The true leadership of the S-Class dated back to its first production in 1951 with the launch of the model 220 to marked the start of a magnificent era for the flagship model. With a complete new design for its inline six-cylinder overhead-cam engine, the model redefined the concept of drivetrain comfort. Over the next two decades, the model continued to pioneer the industry with the introduction of the new "Ponton" body in the second generation series, rigid passenger cell with front, rear crumple zones and the world's first safety body in the third generation – all of which truly demonstrated the innovative lineage of the flagship model.

1972 marked a landmark year for development of the S-Class, as Mercedes-Benz officially named its flagship model as the S-Class. This fifth generation model immediately introduced another world's first –ABS – which was put into full-series production in 1978. This innovative technology largely minimized the braking distance, strengthened stability and avoided dangers caused by breaking system deficiency. To this day, this electronic system has greatly influenced the auto industry and is currently still widely used by automakers as the most fundamental and essential safety technology.

In the 1980s, the society had begun placing greater emphasis on auto reliability and safety, in which the term "Baby on Board" was coined. Following this trend, the sixth generation S-Class introduced the driver airbags and belt tensioner, which positioned Mercedes-Benz as the first manufacturer in the world to offer the two revolutionary safety technologies. This quick response to the societal development is yet another indication of Mercedes-Benz's meticulous attention to the discerning needs of customers as well as the automaker's pioneering spirit, which continues to set the benchmark of the industry.

With the fast development of information technology in the 1990s, the S-Class also kept up with the trend as the seventh generation model came equipped with the world's first ESP in 1995 – setting new standards in active safety. According to research issued by the United States Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), ESP reduces the likelihood of fatal car accidents by 43%, single-vehicle crashes by 56% as well as rollover disasters by 77%-80%. Such remarkable statistics truly proved that ESP is a revolutionary contribution to the safety of the entire auto industry. As such, Mercedes-Benz announced in 1999 that all of its car models would feature ESP, making it the world's first luxury auto brand to include this safety technology in its entire lineup.

Always working to enhance safety on the road, Mercedes-Benz's research department found that about two-thirds of traffic accidents could be prevented beforehand. Thus, Mercedes-Benz developed the anticipatory occupant protection system PRE-SAFE®, which was world premiered on the eighth-generation S-Class, which also came with a total of 340 patents. With PRE-SAFE®, the S-Class became the first car with reflexes that are capable of reacting with preventive measures before an impact – greatly pushing safety to new heights. In 2003, globally renowned magazine Auto Motor und Sport awarded the PRE-SAFE® technology with its most respected "Paul Pietsch Award", further confirming the contribution Mercedes-Benz has made to automobile safety. Today, this technology has been included as standard equipment in all Mercedes-Benz models.

In-line with its history of groundbreaking technological prowess, the S-Class – now in its ninth generation – once again redefines industry standards with the unparalleled comfort features, pioneering safety technology and luxury at its finest.

"Following the upgrade to the entire lineup earlier this year, the S-Class has continued its strong momentum, garnering total sales of more than 11,600 units in the first seven months of the year. In July alone, the model experienced a remarkable growth of 218% to deliver 2,440 units, which further consolidate China as its largest market worldwide," said Bjoern Hauber, Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd. "This relentless growth of the S-Class has not only strengthened Mercedes-Benz's brand image, but it has also played a major role in contributing to our overall success, positioning us as the fastest-growing luxury brand in China."

The new generation S-Class continues its legendary status with revolutionary technology that guarantees unmatched in-car experience. With an exquisite interior design, the model features the world's first SPLITVIEW technology for the COMAND system, which allows the driver and front passenger to view different content simultaneously on one and the same screen. Comfort is further improved with the availability of extensive interior features, including rear-seat entertainment packages with the Harman Kardon® Logic 7® surround sound system. Additionally, the availability of the multi-color ambient lighting further enhances in-car mood as occupants may choose styling lights according to their taste and preference.

In terms of safety, the new generation S-Class equips even more enhancements to the flagship's already exemplary inventions. In addition to the PRE-SAFE available in the S-Class since 2002, a modern assistance system turns the new S-Class into an "intelligent" partner that can act independently to quickly prevent accidents or mitigate their effects. For instance, DISTRONIC – first available for the S-Class in 1998 – has been further enhanced in the new generation S-Class as DISTRONIC Plus (installed in S 600 and S 65 AMG as standard). This system utilizes a radar-based assistance system to monitors the road and keeps the car at a safe distance behind the vehicle ahead, sends warning tones and applies the brakes in the event of an emergency to mitigate collisions. Additionally, Adaptive Highbeam Assist recognizes oncoming vehicles, and controls the headlamps to ensure the best beam range without dazzling other road users, while Night View Assist is equipped with a special pedestrian detection function that automatically detects passerby ahead on the road – thus greatly optimizing safety precautions. Mercedes-Benz has also installed the exemplary ATTENTION ASSIST that automatically sends alerts when sensing the drowsiness of the driver.

Already a champion of green luxury, Mercedes-Benz further reinforced its pioneering spirit on the eco-friendly mobility sphere with the S-Class through S 400 HYBRID – the world's first series-production vehicle to feature a hybrid drive with a lithium-ion battery. Crowned as the "CO2 champion of the luxury class" and "the world's most efficient luxury saloon", S 400 HYBRID boasts a fuel consumption of merely 8.0 liters per 100 kilometers – just 188 grams per kilometers. The S 400 HYBRID is yet another example of Mercedes-Benz's roadmap of sustainable development in the country.

Over the past 125 years, Mercedes-Benz has introduced some of the world's most touted vehicles. As the automaker's flagship model, the S-Class has offered the most highlights of the Mercedes-Benz brand, with its legendary status and relentless technological innovations. With today's "Timeless Masterpieces: S-Class Hall of Fame", the legacy of the S-Class will undoubtedly leave a bigger imprint on the automotive industry and further illuminate the light of the three-pointed star.