Mercedes-Benz has hit the midway point of its 140 YEARS. 140 PLACES global tour celebrating the marque’s 140th anniversary. In four months, three S-Class saloons named Bertha, Carl and Gottlieb — honouring Bertha Benz, Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler — have covered more than 35,000 km. And that is only half the road.
The journey started at the end of January. Since then the convoy has crossed Europe, both Americas and a significant chunk of Asia. St. Moritz, the Andes, Tokyo, New York, Singapore — the route reads like a wishlist for any car enthusiast. According to Mercedes-Benz, tour events have drawn around 15,000 customers and brand fans. In Malaysia a single stop pulled in roughly 2,000 attendees and 140 cars. In Singapore the brand welcomed more than 350 guests and around 140 media representatives and content creators.
What is Mercedes proving with this marathon? That the S-Class can take a punch in any conditions — from Alpine cold to tropical heat and the thin air found nearly 4,000 metres above sea level. But this is more than an endurance test. The tour is built as a massive brand platform where the flagship works not just as a car, but as a symbol of status, technology and brand history.
Singapore was not chosen by accident. This is where Mercedes-Benz announced the opening of its first ever Mercedes-Benz Studio anywhere in Southeast Asia. The space will sit inside the Future of Us pavilion and operate as a venue for customer interaction, presentations and sales. Premium brands figured it out long ago: selling cars is no longer enough — you sell a whole lifestyle around them.
In the second half of the journey the S-Class will press on through Australia, New Zealand, India and Africa, then make its way back to Stuttgart through Northern Europe. The grand finale is scheduled for October.
Earlier the Mercedes CLA EQ 250+ topped the Green NCAP rating.
