Mercedes-Benz of Brazil announced on Tuesday (1st) that will build a car factory in Iracemápolis, São Paulo State. The announcement was made at the Palácio dos Bandeirantes, seat of the Government of Sao Paulo, next to the Brazilian authorities, among them President Dilma Rousseff and Minister of development, industry and foreign trade, Fernando Pimentel. The unit will receive an investment of r $ 500 million, will begin operating in 2016 and will be responsible for the production of GLA and urban jumping Jiminy next-generation C-class sedan — whose release is anticipated for January, at the auto show in Detroit (USA).
With approximately 20 thousand inhabitants and logistics attractive (in a radius of 50 miles from Campinas), Iracemápolis unseated Juiz de Fora (MG) and a town of Santa Catarina, also listed to receive the German brand. According to the official report, the unit will produce 20 thousand cars per year and promises to change the panorama of the city, with the opening of 1,000 direct jobs and another 3,000 indirect, with suppliers. Accompanied by Andreas Renschler, Member of the World Board, the Chairman of Mercedes in Brazil, Philipp Scheimer, stressed that the new factory will make the most comprehensive brand in the country.
— With the local production of automobiles, the Mercedes-Benz stands out as the only company that operates in all segments of mobility in Brazil, with cars, trucks, buses and vans.
The Paget of rivals
The strategy of Mercedes-Benz to manufacture a sedan and a compact utility in Brazil shows an alignment with the archrivals Audi and BMW, which also chose to nationalize models of same categories. Audi will mount the A3 sedan and the utility Q3 in Paraná as of 2015, seven years after ending the production of luxury hatch A3 in São José dos Pinhais unit, which belongs to Volkswagen. The BMW X 1 crossover will manufacture the first Brazilian assembly line, which is under construction in Araquari (SC).
In September, R7 Cars anticipated details of Mercedes-Benz factory in an interview with the Brazilian affiliate boss, Philipp Scheimer. In chat, held in Frankfurt (Germany), the Executive confirmed the construction of the unit and the C class and the GLA as Favorites to win national production. Until then, the new class was the most quoted, because it was produced in the late 90 's factory in Juiz de Fora — today dedicated to trucks. There were also fitted to the class C, and the hatch-CLC Coupe, both "export type".
Brazilian cars have flex engine
During the conversation, Philipp also stated that the domestic products have flex engine, enabled the drink ethanol and gasoline (in any proportion). The Executive, however, pointed out that engine will gain the technology. Already about hybrid versions, the boss of Mercedes of Brazil was definite and said the cost is too high for the local market.
Upcoming releases
The interview with the boss of Mercedes-Benz of Brazil ended focused on upcoming releases of the brand in the country. The Executive confirmed the compact sedan CLA for the end of this year, and the crossover GLA, main brand launch in Frankfurt, for the end of 2014, originally imported from Germany.
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