Bennett  Oghifo

Mercedes-Benz stands for innovation, quality and luxury in automobile manufacturing. Epochal technical developments, exceptional engineering and outstanding design characterise the brand’s long history and make it an icon of the automotive world. Success in motorsport has always played a decisive role. Mercedes-Benz is demonstrating this excellence with a diverse brand experience at Pebble Beach Automotive Week 2024, with the world premiere of the new Mercedes-Maybach SL (preliminary values, combined energy consumption: 13.7 l/100 km | combined CO₂ emissions: 312 g/km | CO₂ class: G)^[1] being one of the highlights. Mercedes-Benz Heritage GmbH is also reviving historic motorsport successes for this special event and presenting automotive rarities from 100 years at the top event in California.

“Pebble Beach Automotive Week is one of the most important international platforms for exclusive automotive culture, from fascinating classics to inspiring innovations. The presence of Mercedes-Benz in 2024 with various brands also stands for this. A particular highlight is the C 111-II from 1970: With Wankel engine, high-tech materials, breathtaking performance and a futuristic design, it is a fascinating time machine today. It brings the visionary spirit from 1970 to life. We are bringing this innovative sports car with 257 kW (350 hp) after more than 50 years to Pebble Beach for the first time. This is a true super sports car with a top speed of up to 300 km/h – back in 1970!“
Marcus Breitschwerdt, CEO Mercedes-Benz Heritage GmbH

It is said that blank cheques were even received in Stuttgart, when the C 111-II experimental vehicle was presented in 1970, but it was never built in series. The experts at the Mercedes-Benz Classic Centre have now used their unique expertise to restore one of these super sports cars to working order.

The Maybach Zeppelin DS 8 brought to Pebble Beach exudes a very different kind of fascination. It is reminiscent of the heyday in the 1930s of Maybach Motorenbau, the company being the nucleus of today’s Mercedes-Maybach luxury brand. Celebrating its world premiere at Pebble Beach is the new Mercedes-Maybach SL. It will be presented to the public on the Sunday of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance as part of an exclusive event on the “Concept Lawn”.

Mercedes-Benz is also honouring 130 years of motorsport at Pebble Beach this year. Mercedes-AMG Motorsport from Affalterbach has taken this anniversary as an opportunity to develop a unique Mercedes-AMG GT3 racing sports car. The exclusive vehicle draws from two formative eras of motorsport at Mercedes-Benz. During the Pebble Beach Automotive Week, the collector’s item, limited to just 13 units, will be presented to the public for the first time.

At the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the Mercedes-Maybach S 680 Edition Nordic Glow will be presented for the first time, continuing the successful series of exceptional special editions. This exclusive edition was specially developed and produced for Pebble Beach with options from the MANUFAKTUR customization programme, among others. The Nordic Glow edition is available in limited quantities exclusively for the American market.

Mercedes-Benz Classic will bring the following vehicles to Pebble Beach in 2024:

• Mercedes two-litre Targa Florio race car; 1924: 100 years ago, this car won the Targa Florio, the legendary, gruelling road race in Sicily. Mercedes-Benz Classic has painstakingly restored an original vehicle with the utmost authenticity.
• Maybach Zeppelin DS 8; 1932: In the 1930s, Maybach’s top-of-the-range products competed with the top cars from Mercedes-Benz. The Maybach Zeppelin DS 8 produced 149 kW (200 hp) from a displacement of 7,922 cubic centimetres.
  
• Mercedes-Benz W 196 R; Formula 1 race car 1955: Mercedes-Benz returned to Grand Prix racing in 1954 with the W 196 R. Featuring open wheels or streamlined bodywork, depending on the track. Juan Manuel Fangio became the Formula 1 World Champion in 1954 and 1955.
  
• Mercedes-Benz experimental vehicle C 111-II; 1970: the 300 km/h futuristic super-sports car with four-rotor Wankel engine thrilled fans of the brand. It was never built in series. The Classic Center has brought the experimental vehicle back to life after more than 50 years. 

Tour d’Elegance and Concours d’Elegance

One of the top events of Pebble Beach Automotive Week is the Tour d’Elegance on 15 August 2024, which Mercedes-Benz is leading this year with the Targa Florio race car and the C 111-II. The Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance presents around 150 cars from the circle of concours participants on a scenically breathtaking route. These include 17-Mile Drive and Highway 1 to Big Sur.

The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance will take place for the 73^rd time on 18 August 2024 on the grounds of the Pebble Beach Golf Course near Monterey, California. The “Best of Show” award is particularly coveted. In 2023, a Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster won the title. This is the 10^th “Best of Show” title for a vehicle from the brand in the history of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance since 1950, making Mercedes-Benz the most successful brand in the history of this top classic car event.

^[1] The figures are provisional and were determined internally in accordance with the ‘WLTP test procedure’ certification method. Neither an EC type approval nor a certificate of conformity with official values are yet available. Deviations between the data and the official values are possible.