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773 views March 5, 2007

Mercedes sharing components across lineup

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Future Mercedes Benz models will share much more components across its lineup thanks to a new strategy that's being implemented. Currently, engineers design and build unique components for each model series, a practice that increases both development time and costs. CEO Dieter Zetsche gave a good example of the solution during an interview with Automotive News, saying "we no longer have five different handles for five different vehicles." Instead, all models will use just one “perfect handle.”

The new system allows engineers to pick common items from a Mercedes parts bin when designing its new cars. Mercedes previously went from using six different sunroofs to just one, which enabled a cost saving of 25%. Other new components to be shared will likely be seat structures, electronic architectures, sensors, wiring and software. The new C-class is the first model to take advantage of the cost-effective design strategy, using parts in common with the current E-class as well as the previous-generation model.