23rd "Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles": Mercedes-Benz vehicles deliver a good performance in the desert

Morocco/Stuttgart (ots) -

- Fifth and seventh place for the two Mercedes-Benz Vito driven by
Daimler women employees
- Sixth place in the overall rankings for the Sprinter
craftswomen
- Slightly modified Mercedes-Benz Vito and Sprinter vehicles
convince
- The "Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles": a race for a good cause
- Video-material available for editorial use:
http://bit.ly/17rr3VS

On March 30, 2013 the Daimler employees Coralie Lejeune and
Susanne Ehmer, Sabrina Trillmann and Astrid Ebermann, as well as the
skilled trades team members Sabrina Mayer and Larissa Lauber crossed
the finish line of the "Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles" exhausted but
satisfied. The Mercedes-drivers were able to capture top positions
with their standard production transporters in the rallye's most
important rankings.

In particular the last stage of the rallye was a real challenge.
Not only the drivers' visibility was significantly restricted by a
sandstorm, but the navigation also became extraordinarily difficult,
as the eight checkpoints were hard to find in the changing landscape.
Yet, despite these obstacles, the Daimler employees Coralie Lejeune
and Susanne Ehmer in their Mercedes-Benz Vito 4x4 managed to finish
the race safely with an excellent fifth place in the Crossover
category.

The second Daimler team - Sabrina Trillmann and Astrid Ebermann -
also driving a Mercedes-Benz Vito 4x4, achieved a respectable seventh
place in the Crossover category. The third team - the skilled trades
team - consisting of the optician Larissa Lauber and Sabrina Mayer,
employee in a car body shop, faced the difficult task of driving a
Sprinter in the Crossover segment in competition with smaller
off-road vehicles from all top manufacturers. Because of their long
wheelbases, vans have a particularly hard time maneuvering through
the sand dunes typical in the Sahara. Nevertheless, the two women
were able to secure a solid sixth place in their Mercedes Benz
Sprinter 4x4.

Slightly modified Mercedes-Benz Vito and Sprinter vehicles
convince

Both the two Mercedes-Benz Vito 4x4 models and the Sprinter driven
by the skilled trades team were all standard production vehicles. The
all-wheel-drive models, which were modified only slightly for the
desert race, finished the rallye without any problems to speak of and
displayed an outstanding traction, in spite of the extremely
demanding conditions they had to face. The fuel-efficient four-
cylinder diesel engine (OM 651) introduced in the Vito in 2010 was
very impressive in terms of its driving performance.

The third rallye vehicle - a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4x4 - was
equipped with a standard three-liter diesel engine with an output of
140 kW (190 hp), a manual transmission, and an ex works all-wheel-
drive system with open central and axle differentials.

The "Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles": a race for a good cause

As was the case in the previous three years, physically fit female
Daimler employees with a basic knowledge in French were welcomed to
apply to take part in the "2013 Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles". This
year, however, it was the first time that two craftswomen, who were
selected via a tender in a skilled crafts and trades magazine, had
the chance to participate in the rallye.

The "Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles" is organized by women for women.
The race, which is run under the patronage of King Mohammed VI of
Morocco, covers a total distance of 2,500 kilometers and consists of
six stages, two of which are marathon segments that each last two
days. A total of 300 women from 20 countries took part in this year's
race. The "Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles" offers no prize money; instead,
all proceeds from the competition (sponsorships and participation
fees) are donated to projects that help the people of Morocco.

A medical convoy makes its way through the country during the
race, stopping along the way to provide medical assistance to nomads
living in remote areas. This year the participating physicians
conducted more than 6,000 consultations during the race and also
performed over 100 operations on site.

Video material about the "Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles" can be
downloaded here: http://bit.ly/17rr3VS

Contact:
For questions concerning the provided videos please contact:
videoportal@fischerAppelt.de