DaimlerChrysler to Invest $40 Billion in North America despite Cutbacks by GM and Ford

European versions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Chrysler Caravan and new 300, for instance, offer diesel power, therefore bringing

European versions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Chrysler Caravan and new 300 offer diesel power, therefore bringing these to market in North America should be a relatively simple exercise. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

these to market in North America should be a relatively simple exercise. Other models, such as the Dodge Durango and Dakota would be ideal for a small six-cylinder diesel powerplant, and the timing to introduce such would align with new federal regulations to clean up North American diesel fuels by 2007. It should also make sense that DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz division would want to take advantage of economies of scale and build diesels for the much larger Chrysler Group, potentially reducing the manufacturing cost of diesels used for its own production cars.

"We believe both (diesel and hybrid) technologies will grow and flourish in this country," Zetsche added.

The Innovation Symposium highlighted many new technologies developed by DaimlerChrysler in the past*, such as airbags, ABS brakes and ESP electronic stability control (the latter co-developed with Bosch), as well as fairly new technologies, such as Pre-Safe, a system that makes use of electronic driver aids like Brake Assist and mechanically actuated seatbelt pretensioners, as well as power seats with memory functionality combined with a myriad of sensors looking for signs of a potential accident such as excessive lateral roll, a spin or emergency

Mercedes-Benz's bionic car, a unique concept that combines a 140-horsepower 2.0-litre diesel four-cylinder featuring 221 lb-ft of torque, with a body shell formed to cheat the wind by an impressive 0.19 coefficient of drag, shocked even seasoned industry professionals. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

braking, to prepare the car in expectation of impact.

DaimlerChrysler also introduced future technologies, such as its wireless car-to-car "Information Bridge" communication system, which has the ability to send out and receive warning signals to surrounding vehicles, and its Mercedes-Benz bionic car, a unique concept that combines a 140-horsepower 2.0-litre diesel four-cylinder with 221 lb-ft of torque with a body shell formed to cheat the wind by an impressive 0.19 coefficient of drag to achieve 3.4 L/100 km in the city and 2.8 L/100 km on the highway. The innovative car, inspired by the deep-sea guppy-like boxfish, is not only extremely efficient, but also delivers real-world performance that includes a 0 to 100 km/h time of 8.0 seconds and top speed of 192 km/h (119 mph).