Mercedes-Benz Cars at the 2016 Paris Motor Show (ADAPTED FOR THE USA)

The attendance of this year's Paris Motor Show by Mercedes-Benz Cars is characterized by change, both digitally and electrically: celebrating their world premieres in Hall 5.2 will be the electric drive versions of the new smart fortwo, the smart fortwo cabrio and, for the first time, the smart forfour. A Mercedes-Benz show car embodying a concrete vision of a totally new generation of vehicles with battery-electric drive will also have its world premiere. A new member of the E-Class family will be on show for the first time: alongside the sedan and wagon variants, the E-Class All-Terrain vehicle (currently not planned for the USA) is a new, lifestyle-oriented addition to the model range.

The focus on the topic of electric mobility is supported by the architecture of the trade show stand and its media presentations. Running centrally from the front edge through to the large LED panel on the rear building is the E-Mobility Lane: the electric vehicles from Mercedes-Benz Cars are positioned on black, backlit glass. They form the cordon for the Mercedes-Benz show car which is displayed in the central perspective. This provides a specific vision of a completely new vehicle generation with battery-electric drive system.

Architecturally the stand, which covers a total area of over 26,000 square feet, is framed by the "Silver Flow". This extensive, attention-grabbing shape has been the symbol of Mercedes-Benz's global trade show attendance since 2014.

A new feature is the integration of social media communication in the stand design: presentations on key topics are streamed via Facebook Live to the Mercedes community – at the same time, the stream can also be viewed on the five media panels on the stand.

Several world premieres from smart, Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG

In total Mercedes-Benz Cars is presenting around 30 vehicles in Paris, including several world premieres:

• the new smart electric drive (going on sale at US dealers in Spring 2017) makes entry into the world of electric mobility easier than ever. This is because it combines the unique agility of the smart with local emission- free driving – perfect for urban mobility. Fourth-generation emission-free driving pleasure can be enjoyed not just in the smart fortwo coupe and smart fortwo cabrio, but now also for the first time in the four-seater smart forfour (the smart four-seater is not planned for the US market). As a result, smart is the only brand to offer its entire model range not only with gas engines but also with electric drive.
• A new member of the E-Class family will be on show for the first time in the guise of the E-Class All-Terrain (currently not planned for the US market): thanks to off-road-based design features, the All-Terrain boasts a powerful and robust look and at the same time stands out from the classic wagon. Dynamic sportiness and modern luxury are combined with status- enhancing poise and assurance, and follow the current design idiom.
• The new Mercedes-AMG GLC43 Coupe (going on sale in Q1/2017 at US dealers) combines a sporty, elegant design with the brand's hallmark Driving Performance and the advantages of an SUV in terms of seating position, interior flexibility and also traction off the beaten track. The 362 hp, AMG- enhanced 3.0L V6 biturbo engine, AMG-enhanced 9G-TRONIC 9-speed automatic transmission with shortened shift times and AMG Performance 4MATIC® all-wheel drive configured with a rear bias form the basis for an especially dynamic on-road driving experience. Additionally, the GLC43 Coupe enables occasional off-road excursions to be undertaken: the ground clearance can be increased at the touch of a button, and the pneumatic all- round self-levelling ensures a constant vehicle level at all times.

A further highlight is the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6, which is celebrating its show premiere in Paris. The 2+2-seater pays homage to the glorious age of the aero coupés and consciously carries this tradition forward into the future. The coupé reinterprets classic, emotional design principles in an extreme way, following the Mercedes design philosophy of sensual purity. The Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6, which measures almost 18.5-feet (nearly six meters) in length, is designed as an electric car. The drive system has an output of 738 hp. The flat battery in the underbody enables a range of more than 200 miles.

Mercedes-AMG's continued expansion of the GT family will also be in evidence at the Paris Motor Show. Hot on the heels of the new AMG GT R, the sports car and performance brand will be presenting a further variant of the GT model series on the eve of the Paris Motor Show.