Mercedes-Benz leads the field in seven categories in the ETM readers' poll

Mercedes-Benz secures seven victories for the best commercial vehicles and brands of 2014 Number one for trucks, buses and vans: Mercedes-Benz Actros, Antos, Arocs, Citaro and Sprinter Once again voted "Best Brand of 2014": CharterWay and TruckWorks

Stuttgart--June 10, 2014: Each year publishing house ETM-Verlag asks the readers of its trade publications "Fernfahrer", "lastauto omnibus" and "trans aktuell" for their opinions on the best commercial vehicles and brands, and after counting the votes this year the products and services of Mercedes-Benz secured victory in a total of seven categories. More than 7000 readers took part in this year's poll. "We are enormously proud of the seven awards in the readers' poll.

The fact that we have succeeded in impressing the well-informed readers once again this year is great confirmation of the work we put in every day. And it motivates us to continue to give our customers the very best. My colleagues and I would like to thank all of the readers and participants for voting for us in the poll", said Dr Wolfgang Bernhard, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Daimler Trucks & Buses.

Mercedes-Benz Actros, Antos and Arocs voted best trucks Victory once again in this category is proof that the Mercedes-Benz Actros is the best long-distance transport truck, impressing customers and drivers in equal measure. The optimised Mercedes PowerShift 3 automatic gearshift, the aerodynamics designed to achieve lower fuel consumption and a predictive cruise control system make the Actros the forerunner when it comes to efficiency and environmental acceptability. Since its market launch at the end of 2011, more than 45,000 new Mercedes-Benz Actros have been put into daily use, clocking up a mileage of up to 800,000 km. The Mercedes-Benz Antos, meanwhile, was voted the best distribution truck.

In the Mercedes-Benz truck range, the Antos is the expert when it comes to heavy-duty short-radius distribution applications above 18 t. Thanks to a choice of six cab variants as well as application-specific transmission and rear axle ratios, the Mercedes-Benz Antos is geared specifically towards the demands of this sector.

In addition, it provides drivers with a highly ergonomic and well-organised workplace. In the category for dump trucks up to 32 t, the Mercedes-Benz Arocs walked away with the number one place. The powerful construction sector professional boasts low maintenance and repair costs and high levels of economy. Its durability, robustness and BlueTec 6 engines, which are available in 16 power variants, enable the Arocs to accomplish all of the many applications it might face on the road and construction sites to optimum effect. Victory for the Mercedes-Benz Citaro Readers once again voted to make the Mercedes-Benz Citaro the best urban bus. With a production run of over 40,000 units spanning 16 years of production it is the world's most successful urban bus. This is why it was able to take pole position in this year's IBC (International Bus Competition) in the categories of bodywork, suspension/handling/driving safety and passenger comfort.

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter remains undefeated For the 18th time in a row, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter succeeded in impressing the readers to secure victory in 2014 too, in the category for vans up to 3.5 t. The efficient and environmentally friendly Sprinter shines with outstandingly low consumption figures of up to 6.3 l/100 km and therefore significantly reduced CO2 emissions of just 167 g/km. In order to meet the highest of safety standards, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter features Crosswind Assist as standard, and can also be specified with a proximity warning function and Blind Spot Assist as options.

Also making up part of the range are Highbeam Assist and Lane Keeping Assist systems. CharterWay and TruckWorks again pick up awards For the eighth time in a row, the commercial vehicle service provider Mercedes-Benz CharterWay emerged victorious in the "Rental/Leasing" category. Whether customers are looking for a tractor unit, a complete vehicle, a waste disposal truck or a construction vehicle, CharterWay’s 7000-strong rental vehicle fleet has the appropriate vehicle to cope with any transport requirement. Depending on requirements, the vehicle can be rented for a 24-hour period or by the week or month. In Germany, CharterWay Service currently looks after more than 100,000 Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles. Available services range from a guarantee on the drive system through to maintenance packages or a complete service offering.

The service brand TruckWorks was also awarded the title of "Best Brand" for the fourth time in succession in the "Truck and Trailer Services" category. With more than 97 sites throughout Germany, TruckWorks provides complete service offerings for all things commercial vehicle-related, including maintenance, repairs, vehicle cleaning and care services, and also bodywork and paintwork repairs. To enable it to provide a comprehensive service, TruckWorks cooperates with well-known partners in the fields of trailers, bodies, axles, brake systems, tail lifts and refrigeration units.

About the ETM readers' poll Publishing house ETM-Verlag holds an annual readers' poll to find the "Best Commercial Vehicles" and the "Best Brands" in conjunction with trade publications "Fernfahrer", "lastauto omnibus" and "trans aktuell". The winners are determined together with engineers from Dekra (German vehicle inspection company). In 2014 more than 7000 readers cast their votes in 12 vehicle categories and 22 brand categories.