Ihr kostenloser Branchen-Newsletter

Symbolbild Newsletter auf Smartphone

Lassen Sie sich von unseren Fachjournalisten einmal wöchentlich über die wichtigsten aktuellen Entwicklungen der Taxi-Branche informieren, bequem direkt in Ihre Mailbox.

Jetzt Branchen-Update anfordern »

Aktueller Termin

Europäische Taximesse 2026
Wie 2024 wird auch 2026 die Europäische Taximesse wieder in Köln stattfinden.| Foto: koelnmesse
-
Mehr Informationen »
Company, business and industry news (other)
Cab topics (general)

Mercedes Taxi: News overview of the development of Mercedes-Benz taxi models

10. June 2026, 12:43 Uhr

Mercedes-Benz is gradually exiting the taxi business. From the iconic W 123 to moving away from the E-Class as a taxi and discontinuing factory-built taxi models — a structural shift toward a luxury focus is shaping the strategy. The industry is responding with criticism, but also with pragmatic reorientation.

Mercedes dominance at the taxi rank. A light ivory sedan with the star was THE taxi for decades.| Photo: Wal_172619-Pixabay
Mercedes dominance at the taxi rank. A light ivory sedan with the star was THE taxi for decades.| Photo: Wal_172619-Pixabay
10.06.2026
Thomas Kanzler

Table of contents: Navigate effortlessly through our comprehensive news collection on the topic of Mercedes Taxi (click to jump to the corresponding news item and, at the end of each news item, simply click to return here to the index)

This article consists of the following Mercedes Taxi news:

Mercedes Taxi news from 2025:

Mercedes Taxi news from 2024:

Mercedes Taxi news from 2023:

Mercedes Taxi News from 2022:

Mercedes Taxi News from 2021:

Mercedes Taxi News from 2020:

Mercedes Taxi News from 2019:

Mercedes Taxi News from 2018:

Mercedes Taxi News from 2017:

Mercedes Taxi News from 2016:

Mercedes Taxi News from 2015:

Mercedes Taxi News from 2014:

Mercedes Taxi News from 2013:

Mercedes Taxi News from 2012:

Mercedes Taxi News from 2011:

Mercedes Taxi News from 2010:

Mercedes Taxi News from 2009:

Mercedes Taxi News from 2008:

Mercedes Taxi News from 2005:

Mercedes Taxi News from 2004:

Electric vans in focus: Mercedes brings VLE and VLS with new platform

News from 24.09.2025 by Kathrin Köstner

From 2026, Mercedes is expanding its van portfolio with the VLE and VLS models. The modular Van.ea platform enables up to 500 kilometers of range, all-wheel drive and 800-volt technology. The Sprinter will also get an electric version in future.

Mercedes is pushing ahead with the introduction of the new van generation. Production of the new V-Class has begun at the Spanish Vitoria plant, initially with pre-series models of the all-electric VLE. Series production is scheduled for spring 2026. In parallel, the plant is being prepared for future flexible production of electric and combustion-engine models.

New Van.ea platform

The VLE and VLS models are based on the newly developed Van.ea platform. This modular architecture allows both electric and conventional powertrains and, with a high proportion of shared parts, is intended to reduce costs and complexity. Around 70 percent of the components are identical to the also planned combustion architecture Van.ca. Both platforms can be built on the same line.

Vitoria plant modernized

To make the transition, conversion work was carried out in Vitoria and more than 5,000 employees were prepared for new processes in 160 training programs. From winter 2025/26, the V-Class, Vito, eVito and the new VLE and VLS models are to be built there. The plant celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2024 and has a production area of 665,000 square meters.

Model variants and key technical data

The VLE will be unveiled in spring 2026, with the VLS to follow later, including a Maybach version. Commercial vehicle variants without premium equipment are also planned. Technically, features include an 800-volt system, ranges of around 500 kilometers, all-wheel steering, up to 400 kW of power, all-wheel drive and enhanced driver assistance systems.

Vitoria plant modernized

To make the transition, conversion work was carried out in Vitoria and more than 5,000 employees were prepared for new processes in 160 training programs. From winter 2025/26, the V-Class, Vito, eVito and the new VLE and VLS models are to be built there. The plant celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2024 and has a production area of 665,000 square meters.

Model variants and key technical data

The VLE will be unveiled in spring 2026, with the VLS to follow later, including a Maybach version. Commercial vehicle variants without premium equipment are also planned. Technically, features include an 800-volt system, ranges of around 500 kilometers, all-wheel steering, up to 400 kW of power, all-wheel drive and enhanced driver assistance systems.

↑ back to index ↑

Mercedes-Benz bids farewell to its small vans: T-Class and Citan on the way out

News from 15.04.2025 by Thomas Kanzler

Mercedes-Benz is withdrawing from the small light commercial vehicle segment and discontinuing the T-Class and Citan models. This decision marks the end of the collaboration with Renault and is part of the company’s strategic realignment.

In an internal memo, Mercedes-Benz informed its dealers that both the passenger car variant T-Class and the high-roof van Citan will be withdrawn from the market. The electric versions EQT and eCitan will also be discontinued. Production of these models is scheduled to end in the second quarter of 2026.

The company justifies this step with a focus on more profitable segments. In a statement it says: "In line with the strategy 'Growth in profitable segments' communicated in May 2023, we are deploying our investments in a targeted manner and further optimizing our product portfolio. We will therefore focus on the midsize and large van segments in future and end our involvement in the small-van segment next year."

End of the cooperation with Renault

The T-Class and the Citan were developed in cooperation with Renault and were produced together with the Renault Kangoo and Nissan Townstar at the Maubeuge plant in northern France. The cooperation between Mercedes-Benz and Renault, which began in 2009, is now ending. Mercedes-Benz had previously announced that it would not participate in Renault’s "FlexEvan" electric project and would instead develop its own platforms for electric and combustion models.

Future plans and customer service

Mercedes-Benz plans to base all newly developed vans on the modular, flexible and scalable Mercedes-Benz Van Architecture. From 2026, all-electric models are to be introduced on the Van Electric Architecture (VAN.EA), while new combustion-engine models will follow on the Van Combustion Architecture (VAN.CA).

Despite the production stop, Mercedes-Benz assures that spare parts will continue to be available for the existing small-van models. "For our small-van products on the market, we will continue to fulfill our responsibility as a manufacturer: For the Citan, eCitan, T-Class and EQT, spare parts will be available for up to ten years and mobility-relevant spare parts for up to 15 years after the end of production," the company said.

Market developments and sales

Sales of Mercedes commercial vehicles declined sharply last year, especially in North America and China, and the market is also weak in Europe. In the first quarter of 2025, just over 7,000 units of the T-Class and Citan were sold, making them the weakest-selling models in the portfolio.

By exiting the small-van segment, Mercedes-Benz is focusing on larger and more profitable vehicle classes. For customers, this means they will have to adapt to a changed offering, while the manufacturer will continue to provide service and spare parts for the existing models. For taxi operators, this means that customers who want to buy the T-Class or Citan now have to look for a dealer with a diamond (Renault) instead of a star.

↑ back to index ↑

Intax pulls the stars from the taxi sky – Five Mercedes-Benz models available as taxis

News from 08.04.2025 by Thomas Kanzler

Even though the Stuttgart manufacturer has officially renounced the taxi business, Mercedes-Benz still offers a broad range of vehicles that are interesting for use as a taxi or hire car. The Oldenburg taxi manufactory Intax can currently supply five model series "with a star".

The range of Mercedes-Benz models from the Oldenburg taxi manufactory includes the Sprinter, V-Class, Vito, Citan/T-Class and E-Class as a saloon and T-Model. On request, including a full-surface wrap in light ivory. Depending on the scope of the order, Intax says the taxi conversions can be completed within two to three weeks.

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

The Sprinter is available in various body variants, including panel van, Tourer, flatbed and chassis. The engine range includes diesel engines with outputs from 84 kW (114 hp) to 140 kW (190 hp). A fully electric variant, the eSprinter, is also offered.

Mercedes-Benz V-Class

The V-Class is aimed at customers looking for a large-capacity limousine with upscale equipment. It offers space for up to eight people and is available in various trim lines. The powertrains include diesel engines with outputs from 120 kW (163 hp) to 174 kW (237 hp).

Mercedes-Benz Vito

The Vito is available as a panel van, Mixto (combination of passenger and cargo transport) and Tourer (people mover). The diesel engines deliver between 75 kW (102 hp) and 176 kW (239 hp).

Mercedes-Benz Citan and T-Class

The Citan is designed as a compact urban delivery van and is available as a panel van and Tourer. The engine range includes petrol and diesel units with outputs from around 70 kW (95 hp) to 96 kW (130 hp). The T-Class, as the passenger-car variant of the Citan, offers higher-quality equipment for private use.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class saloon and T-Model

The E-Class is offered as a saloon and as a T-Model (estate). Mercedes offers a variety of powertrains as petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrids. The surcharge from the saloon to the estate is about 2,500 euros.

Detailed information on the vehicles is available directly via the Mercedes website and from dealers.

Extended workbench

The Oldenburg manufactory converts the vehicles in close consultation with Mercedes-Benz, so the vehicles retain the full factory warranty and, of course, all the necessary information for conformity assessment. Customer support is happy to advise and assist with taxi equipment, Intax concludes.

↑ back to index ↑

Mercedes-Benz Vans also no longer offers taxis ex factory

News from 31.07.2023 by Dietmar Fund

With the model refresh of the Vito Tourer and V-Class and their electric derivatives, Mercedes-Benz Vans also no longer offers taxi and hire-car equipment ex factory, but only retrofitting via external conversion companies.

For the "midsize vans" of Mercedes-Benz’s Vito family, a model update is due, which taxi heute has already reported on. Mercedes-Benz Sales Germany has now also promptly answered the question of whether there will still be factory taxi packages for the refreshed variants of the Vito Tourer, eVito Tourer, V-Class and EQV as before.

A press spokesman communicated the following on July 31, 2023: "With the now announced model enhancement of our midsize vans Vito and V-Class and their electric variants eVito Tourer and EQV, a taxi package ex factory will no longer be offered. Solutions for taxi conversions can then be carried out by bodybuilders in a two-invoice business (taking into account the relevant body guidelines)."

This means the last factory taxi and hire-car offerings are history for the vans as well, after the passenger car division had already announced some time ago that it would no longer offer the new E-Class as a taxi. Unlike their passenger car colleagues, however, it looks as though the van division at least supports conversions at external service providers.

A different question now is whether INTAX’s external conversion of the Citan panel-van combi will be relaunched for the current generations. At the moment, only the current Sprinter is still listed on the homepage of the taxi manufactory at INTAX. For the current Citan, a technical solution is in sight, but it has not yet been commissioned by the manufacturer.

The donor Renault Kangoo in its current form still cannot be converted due to the lack of an approved distance signal. For Renault, INTAX, for example, states alongside an image of the compact van Scénic: "All other models unfortunately do not have a legally compliant distance signal and therefore cannot be legally converted to taxi/hire car."

↑ back to index ↑

Farewell, Mercedes E-Class – Why the era of roomy saloons ended

News from 24.03.2025 by Thomas Kanzler

If you land at the airport and look for a ride into the city, most taxi ranks in Germany will greet you with an armada of Toyota hybrids – hardly any comfortable saloons like the E-Class, almost only practical – but also rather low-value looking – Japanese mid-size estates.

The vehicle models of taxi operators often differ little from those used by platform operators like Uber & Co. If a passenger doesn’t want to get into one of the questionable platform ride-hailing vehicles and instead laudably chooses a taxi, they should get more in return for the usually higher price.

Long gone – the black saloon

The Mercedes E-Class was once inseparably part of the urban landscape. In West Germany and West Berlin, passengers were chauffeured through the city in well-kept saloons, while in East Berlin the robust models of the Russian brand Volga dominated. The look changed when the color scheme for taxis was defined in 1971: elegant black gave way to the utilitarian "light ivory" – a color that may evoke many things but hardly valuable ivory. The regulation was supposedly intended to improve visibility and make the vehicles heat up less in summer.

More tragic, however, is what later happened to the fleet. The E-Class, long synonymous with comfortable taxi rides, has now virtually disappeared from the trade in many cities.

Diesel scandal, Environmental Aid and the Toyota wave

A key turning point was 2015. The diesel scandal shook the industry, and German manufacturers came under pressure. Particularly active at the time was the Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH – German Environmental Aid), which campaigned for stricter emissions standards – and was, ironically, co-funded by Toyota. The effects were soon felt in the taxi industry. Daimler withdrew from subsidized sales of taxi models, and the E-Class simply became too expensive for operators. Instead, more and more hybrid vehicles found their way onto the roads – above all the Toyota Corolla. The once generous saloons were replaced by vehicles whose interiors not only feel narrower but also more spartan.

Anyone calling a taxi today is very likely to end up in a Corolla Hybrid. The diesel engine was swapped for a synthetic-sounding hybrid drive, the soft leather for hard-wearing fabric or synthetic leather. The taxi trade has changed – not only visually, but also in perception.

A market gap for comfort?

Competition with ride-hailing providers such as Uber and Bolt forces taxi drivers to present themselves in a more customer-friendly way. But does the future of the taxi trade really lie in low-cost compact cars?

One idea would be to aim for a return to the premium class. An upmarket taxi offering with high-quality vehicles and professional service could be attractive to a clientele willing to pay. Comfort has its price – but some passengers may be willing to pay it. Whether the E-Class will ever re-establish itself as the standard taxi remains questionable. But with the right strategy, taxi drivers could once again score with luxury in the back seat.

 

↑ back to index ↑

Automotive classic Mercedes 300 Diesel taxi / W 123 in Florida

News from 12.03.2025 by Thomas Kanzler

Hello taxi! No question – the Mercedes W123 series is an automotive legend. The premium model from Stuttgart is considered timeless, elegant and indestructible. That applies more than ever to the 300 Diesel. On a tour through Florida, the ivory-coloured exile Swabian attracts attention not just because of its taxi sign on the roof.

Mercedes is presenting its new CLA these days. An elegant four-door coupé with the latest technology, either purely electric or with hybrid tech. Whether the four-door with the internal designation C174 will ever become a classic or even a legend with a star seems more than uncertain. Perhaps that’s no longer possible these days anyway. At just under 4.73 meters, the new Mercedes CLA is exactly as long as the Mercedes 300 D of the W123 series; an E-Class that at the time did not yet bear the designation only introduced in the 1990s. But not only dyed-in-the-wool Mercedes fans will concede that the W123 series, available between 1976 and 1986 as a saloon, estate and coupé, is one of the great automotive classics – not just in the Mercedes portfolio.

With the 2026 model-year CLA, the briefly discussed diesel engine was dropped because efficient hybrid petrol engines and electric drives are to take its place. In 1979, when the ivory-coloured Mercedes 300 D of the W123 series left the Sindelfingen production hall, a diesel was a given and the three-litre diesel, with and without turbocharging, was the measure of all frugality with hidden dynamic ambitions. It became a successful long-distance runner in the United States in particular, because the small four-cylinders like the 200, 230 or 240 D were mostly not offered and the strict emissions regulations increasingly made life difficult for the petrol engines. One reason why the inline five-cylinder diesel was even offered as the 300 CD in the C123 coupé.

Those guidelines in force since the mid-1970s are also the reason for the not even 29,000 miles shown by the odometer of the supposed taxi model. It covered most of this distance not on US highways or in the crowded downtowns of Los Angeles, Denver or Chicago, but unemotionally on the dynamometer. That’s not only what expert Nate Landers from the Mercedes Classic Center in Long Beach reports, but also what a badge in the engine bay of the test vehicle confirms: "A car with this special powertrain really shouldn’t exist at all," smiles Landers. "You only have to look at the injection system and all the lines and auxiliary units in the engine bay. A genuine test mule. But it runs." And how – because anyone who cruises in the ivory-coloured Mercedes 300 D through the upmarket residential areas of Coral Gables attracts as much attention as farther north in the Greater Miami area. "Hello taxi....", okay, you don’t hear that joke just once at the street corner that morning. No wonder with the mounted German-style taxi sign, which also seems to go down well with Floridians. Thumbs keep going up and phone cameras click – that’s the USA. The country is as car-crazy as ever.

You shouldn’t expect miracles from the saloon’s propulsion despite the three-litre pre-chamber diesel. Nate Landers had already pointed out that the engine output of this US model was well below the 65 kW / 88 hp of the standard European model. There aren’t even 80 lightly galloping horses behind the upright star-topped radiator grille. The four-speed automatic does its part to rob the shining four-door of any urge to get up and go when you want to be a bit more brisk. No wonder that many potential customers in the USA at the time waited for the turbo version with initially 125 hp, which became a great success, especially in the estate version of the S123.

But the clattering five-cylinder sound with the OM 617 engine code does nothing to diminish the W123 experience in the USA – quite the opposite. The premium saloon is an unhurried companion on this sunny day in South Florida, and the occupants enjoy comfort features that were rather rare in Germany at the time, such as power steering, power windows, an electric sunroof, central locking and air conditioning. It works splendidly despite the 1979 model year and cools the interior, with its perfect condition of leatherette, wood and plastic surfaces, impressively while the local KCS station plays on the radio – of course only after the electric aerial has made its way skywards. So it doesn’t matter that the advertised top speed of 155 km/h is likely to remain distant even at full throttle, not least on account of the prominent taxi sign. This Mercedes 300 Diesel is a real showpiece and the star of any classic event – especially as an export taxi in US exile.

For us in Florida: Stefan Grundhoff, press-inform

↑ back to index ↑

Mercedes executive: "Taxis simply don’t fit our luxury ambition"

News from 30.09.2024 by Thomas Kanzler

Mercedes’s withdrawal from the taxi business marks a significant watershed for the German taxi industry. Whereas more than every second taxi used to be a Mercedes, it’s currently just 13 percent.

In recent years, the manufacturer’s E-Class models have shaped the streetscape in many cities, but this dominance is now coming to an end. According to an exclusive analysis by market research firm Dataforce, obtained by "Handelsblatt", taxi registrations by Mercedes fell sharply in the first eight months of 2024. From January to August 2024, only 127 E-Class vehicles and a single B-Class from Mercedes-Benz were newly registered as taxis in Germany. Across all series, taxi registrations for the brand with the star fell from 1,730 to 497 units in the first eight months of the current year – a hefty 71 percent drop. Sales of the E- and B-Class even plummeted by up to 95 percent; only the large-capacity Vito is still being used more frequently in the taxi business.

Mercedes only wants premium

This decline is the result of a strategic reorientation at Mercedes. The manufacturer is increasingly focusing on the luxury segment and has classified the taxi business as unprofitable. In a statement, the company confirmed that no special taxi models would be offered ex factory. A manager told "Handelsblatt" that "taxis simply don’t fit our luxury ambition." As early as last year, under CEO Ola Källenius, Mercedes scrapped almost all special models as well as discounted

Fewer and fewer taxis with a star

The result of this change of course is a significant drop in market share. In 2019, Mercedes still accounted for more than half of the taxis registered in Germany; today it’s only 13 percent. The Federal Association of Taxi and Hire Cars strongly criticizes this decision. Michael Oppermann, CEO of the Federal Association of Taxi and Hire Cars, emphasizes that by discontinuing the E-Class special models, Mercedes has "de facto abandoned the taxi market."

A saloon in light ivory with a star logo on the bonnet – that’s what almost every taxi looked like for decades. Whether the Stuttgart carmaker’s "premium only" strategy will pay off is questionable. For many taxi companies, the question of alternatives now arises. Manufacturers such as Toyota and Volkswagen will play a greater role in future, and new manufacturers from China are entering the market. The era of a Mercedes-shaped taxi fleet in Germany is coming to an end. Mercedes will surely never find customers as loyal as the taxi trade again…

↑ back to index ↑

Taxi supplier Mercedes-Benz switches sales to an agency model

News from 31.05.2023 by Dietmar Fund

In future, there are also to be nationwide uniform prices for cars and vans for business customers.

On May 31, 2023, Mercedes-Benz switched its new-car sales to an agency model. It applies to sales of passenger cars as well as of transporters, nowadays called vans. In addition to sales to private individuals, the change also covers those to business customers.

The group is selling the change to customers with the argument that the "sales of the future" will give them full cost and price transparency across all sales channels. From now on, a uniform price at any given time will apply throughout Germany for each vehicle model and each customer group thanks to centralized pricing for new vehicles. The small print states that this depends on the time of order, the customer segment, the specific vehicle model, the equipment and the method of payment.

The price of a new vehicle should therefore be the same whether ordered online or on site at the dealer. The marketing strategists want to network the "online and offline purchase process" so that customers can "seamlessly" switch between the different sales channels. They should also have access to vehicles throughout Germany, which could be an advantage for taxi and hire-car companies that need a replacement vehicle quickly.

A uniform pricing or discount structure had already been reflected in Mercedes-Benz’s taxi price list by the beginning of 2023. In its last downloadable pdf version from January 2023, special models "The Taxi" were listed for both the passenger car and transporter series, with a taxi discount already included in the fixed price. Mercedes-Benz Sales Germany has not yet stated whether these still exist. Its remit includes the new sales strategy and the remaining activities for taxi and hire-car companies.

↑ back to index ↑

    Taxi operators need not mourn the new E-Class

    News from 05.03.2023 by Dietmar Fund

    In an initial press release, the luxury-focused Mercedes-Benz brand lays heavy emphasis on interior frills that would have brought no benefits to a hard‑working industry.

    After the era of driver assistance systems, which seem largely exhausted, carmakers are now discovering the infotainment of new “standing vehicles” as a playground for making money. Exemplary of this is a first press release from the new luxury manufacturer Mercedes-Benz about its new E-Class of the facelifted W 214 series, which is to come first as a sedan in the summer. It focuses on the dashboard and the on‑board entertainment offering.

    “Music, games and streaming content can be experienced in the car with all the senses,” exult the press officers turned marketing henchmen. “Digital content makes the E-Class smarter, and it reaches a new dimension of personalisation and interaction.”

    Specifically, well‑heeled buyers are said to be able to order “Active Ambient Lighting”. It is supposed not only to let you hear music and feel it through structure‑borne sound, but also to make it visible via a light strip. “Fast beats can, for example, cause rapid light changes, and flowing rhythms can create lighting moods that blend softly into one another,” says the advertising poetry—pardon, the press text.

    Front passengers can, for example, also watch a TV programme or stream a film while they are chauffeured. A camera‑based anti‑glare function is intended to control the brightness of the display so that the driver is not distracted. Anyone who orders the MBUX Superscreen as an option can take part in video conferences from behind the steering wheel while stationary.

    You can also indulge your playful streak by defining standard routines for comfort systems individually. For example, you can link the activation of the seat heating at a certain outside temperature with a specific colour of the ambient lighting.

    In view of all these gimmicks, the taxi and hire‑car sector need not grieve that the W 214 series will no longer be offered to it. If the press department has to go on at length about such trivialities first, it is hardly to be assumed that the facelift brings major breakthroughs in terms of cost‑effectiveness.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    New taxi price list applies only to the old E-Class

    News from 15.02.2023 by Dietmar Fund

    The Mercedes-Benz Vans price list for E-Class taxis, which is well hidden, applies only to remaining stocks of the W 213 series.

    The announcement that the Mercedes-Benz E-Class can once again be ordered as a taxi, albeit no longer painted in light ivory, needs to be read carefully. The published price list dated 1 January 2023, which, unlike previous lists, is adorned only by a black‑painted taxi with a roof sign, applies only to remaining stocks of the outgoing W 213 series. The Taxi and Hire Car Association Germany (TMV) points this out.

    It writes that the Schongau taxi operator Uwe Wieland, chairman of the association council, had contacted the manufacturer. In doing so, he learned that a few vehicles of the current model could still be ordered. “Unfortunately, it is not about the new series that will come onto the market in the middle of the year,” writes Wieland. “We will remain in contact with Mercedes—in the hope of still being able to change the decision against the new E‑Class model as a taxi.”

    As Uwe Wieland explained to taxi heute, he spoke in this regard with Tim Podszus, who now has a new role but is still looking after the series. According to Podszus, only estates can still be ordered. For sedans, dealers could convert cancelled customer orders for normal passenger cars into taxis.

    Trade journalist Simon Günnewig recently “unearthed” that on the Mercedes-Benz Vans homepage for taxis, among the vans, one can also find the new price list for E-Class taxis. He also wrote that it applies only to the current W 213 series.

    According to Uwe Wieland, many entrepreneurs overlooked this note. He received his first call on the matter the night after this report was published.

    Interested readers can download the current taxi price list for the outgoing E‑Class as a PDF file in the download area of this report. As can be seen there, the light ivory paintwork has been dropped for the “Das Taxi” special models. In its place comes “solid black” paint. This means that in federal states without a colour waiver you also have to have your taxi wrapped.

    For the vans, the equipment of the “Das Taxi” special model still includes “light ivory wrapping”, but not for the electric models e‑Vito Tourer and EQV.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes dealership faced taxi criticism

    News from 15.11.2022 by Dietmar Fund

    At an event staged by a brand dealer in Kehl, members of the Taxi Interest Group Ortenau e.V. did not hold back with their criticism of Mercedes-Benz’s exit from the taxi business.

    Taxi and hire‑car operators are a loyal clientele who like to “speak plainly” when they feel badly treated. The team at the Mercedes-Benz dealership S & G in Kehl had to learn that on 8 November 2022 when it invited members of the Taxi Interest Group Ortenau e.V. to “Sternstunden”. After the welcome by site manager Udo Betz, the focus was initially on a talk by Mercedes-Benz’s Suheib Bilawi about electric mobility. He also addressed the fears and scepticism with which many entrepreneurs approach the topic.

    When a slide titled “Taxi adieu” was shown during the presentation, a discussion ensued among the roughly 50 participants about Mercedes-Benz’s exit from the taxi business with passenger car models. The electric mobility expert registered strong displeasure over the loss of the E-Class as a taxi, which he perceived as very emotional. Industry representatives apparently reacted angrily because they only learned via the press about the near‑complete exit from the taxi business and would have preferred earlier and more transparent information for loyal customers like them. Voices were raised saying that the V‑Class and the Vito were not a replacement for an E‑Class because there are customer groups for whom the vans are unsuitable.

    Following the lively discussion, the tasty offerings of a food truck soothed tempers a little again, reports chairman Markus Schmid. The event, which began at 5 p.m., ended around 8 p.m. after further “diesel conversations”.

    The S & G dealership calls itself the “world’s oldest Mercedes-Benz partner”.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes-Benz: New taxi man introduces himself

    News from 28.09.2022 by Dietmar Fund

    At the traditional taxi evening of the German Taxi and Hire Car Association e.V., organised by Mercedes-Benz and VDK Signal Iduna, André Prick introduced himself on 28 September 2022.

    Unlike at the Taxi Driving Innovation event in November 2021 in Berlin, on 28 September 2022 Herwig Kollar, president of the German Taxi and Hire Car Association e.V., was able to welcome André Prick as the official representative of sponsor Mercedes-Benz AG at the traditional “Mercedes Evening”. He introduced him to industry representatives on the evening of this year’s Taxi Driving Innovation series, once again staged with Telekom. “He lives in the state of Brandenburg, is married and has two teenagers, so he should be able to deal with difficult people,” Kollar said.

    André Prick reported that, as Head of Product Management Special Vehicles at Mercedes-Benz Sales Germany, he works in the same place in Berlin as his predecessor. Prick represents Mercedes-Benz Vans and asked not to be asked about taxis based on passenger cars. As is well known, the brand no longer wants to offer new models as taxis in that area. “We are currently sounding out how things can continue with vans in the taxi business,” explained the new taxi point of contact. He concluded by emphasising the 48‑year collaboration with the taxi trade.

    The well‑known taxi number 0 30 / 26 94-26 94, once introduced by Guus Biesenbach, is apparently history. It no longer appears on Prick’s business card. Ralf Schamaitis will continue, as taxi point of contact for service questions, to look after taxis based on passenger cars, Prick told taxi heute. Who will take on this role at Mercedes-Benz Vans still needs to be discussed. There was no further mention of Prick’s predecessor, Tim Podszus, whose mailbox can currently still be reached via the taxi number.

    Marc Borucki, taxi specialist at industry insurer VDK Signal Iduna, which always appears somewhat in the shadow of the “star” as co‑sponsor of the “Mercedes evenings”, emphasised for his part that his company began its collaboration with the taxi trade on 1 January 1980. Although it has not lasted as long as that with Mercedes-Benz, VDK Signal Iduna is also considerably older.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    National taxi associations spoke with Mercedes-Benz

    News from 25.03.2022 by Dietmar Fund

    A regular exchange with the German Taxi and Hire Car Association e.V. (BVTM) was recently followed by a discussion with the Taxi and Hire Car Association Germany e.V. (TMV).

    The Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales Germany (MBD) is talking with the German Taxi and Hire Car Association e.V. (BVTM) and on 23 March 2022 spoke with representatives of the Taxi and Hire Car Association Germany e.V. (TMV). Neither side is allowed to say anything about the exact content of the talks. That is the meagre insight from a hastily thrown message from Alexandra May, Head of Public Relations and Internal Communications at Mercedes-Benz Sales Germany. Who the TMV’s interlocutors were on the manufacturer’s side was not made public. Reportedly, the actual taxi point of contact, Tim Podszus, was not present.

    So that taxi readers can gauge how the once most important partner of the taxi and hire‑car trade conducts its press work today, the e‑mail message is quoted here verbatim, which did not even contain a personal salutation:

    “Herewith the following information for your information:

    ·       The Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales Germany (MBD) is in regular exchange with the long‑standing partner German Taxi and Hire Cars Association e.V. (BVTM). 

    ·       In addition, on 23.03.22 a working meeting took place with the Taxi and Hire Car Association Germany (TMV).

     ·       As previously described, Mercedes-Benz Germany remains present in the taxi business with a diverse model offering. Moreover, it has been agreed that there will be further talks at working level on cooperation between the taxi and hire‑car industry and Mercedes-Benz.  

     ·       Please understand that we will not comment on the specific content of the talks with the taxi associations. Both sides have agreed to maintain confidentiality about the exact content of the individual discussions.”

    Equally uninformative is the statement that the TMV issued about the meeting and, reportedly, coordinated with the manufacturer as well: “The Taxi and Hire Car Association Germany met today in Berlin with those responsible at Mercedes-Benz for a working meeting in an open, pleasant and constructive atmosphere. It has been agreed that there will be further talks at working level on cooperation between the taxi and hire‑car industry and Mercedes-Benz.”

    The BVTM did not comment on the subject at all. Its managing director, Michael Oppermann, recently reproduced in full the manufacturer’s justification for its withdrawal from taxi and hire‑car production for the successor models to today’s E‑ and B‑Class in a newsletter, while the TMV at least lodged a protest against this decision with an open letter to Group CEO Ola Källenius (as reported by taxi heute).

    Apart from the exit from production of taxis and hire cars based on passenger cars, the electric perspective on the part of the brand drifting into luxury would also have been of interest. It is also still open whether Mercedes-Benz will take part in the 2022 European Taxi Fair and raffle off a taxi there. Both are not insignificant for the attractiveness of the fair.

    One can hardly shake the impression that both national taxi associations urgently depend on the manufacturer’s sponsorship money. No wonder, after they have effectively set up and now have to fund an expensive dual structure with two offices.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes-Benz Group remains in the taxi business

    News from 01.03.2022 by Dietmar Fund

    The future of the B‑ and E‑Class as taxis is indeed under review, but contrary to other speculation, no decision against them has yet been made.

    The Mercedes-Benz Sales Germany (MBVD) in Berlin, where the taxi business is based, is currently in the sounding‑out phase for a new Mercedes-Benz passenger car taxi model of the E‑ and B‑Class. A decision against continuing these two series after a model change has therefore not yet been made.

    This was communicated at the request of taxi heute by Alexandra May, Head of Public Relations & Internal Communications at Mercedes-Benz Sales Germany. She reaffirmed the taxi commitment in the area of the Vito Tourer and V‑Class vans and their battery‑electric variants. In this respect, there can be no talk of an exit from the taxi business.

    The enquiry was prompted by a press release from the Taxi and Hire Car Association Germany (TMV), which enclosed a letter to the Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group, Ola Källenius. With it, the TMV takes a position on the alleged withdrawal from the taxi business as far as passenger car models are concerned.

    An enquiry about the truth of the speculation that the current E‑Class W 213 is already sold out as a sedan and can only still be ordered as a T‑Model remained unanswered. Reportedly, no taxi contingent of the sedan was produced. However, there may still be stock vehicles at individual dealers. For the T‑Model, delivery dates are currently said to lie in the first quarter of 2023.

    As a long‑time industry insider has meanwhile confided off the record to taxi heute, he knows from several of the brand’s taxi salespeople that they have been offered either a job change or a severance package. The previous taxi developer, Alexander Kämmler, has been working elsewhere in the company for several months and the taxi development is therefore vacant. Taxi heute had already enquired about this personnel matter with the press office, without success. The information about the taxi salespeople unfortunately cannot be verified, since of course no one negotiating with their HR department about a job change or a severance package wants to comment publicly, and press offices traditionally remain silent on such questions.

    Interested readers can download the TMV’s letter as a PDF file in the download area of this report.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes cuts the E 220 d from the taxi programme

    News from 07.01.2022 by Dietmar Fund

    The in‑house 2‑litre diesel is now available only in plug‑in hybrids and in more powerful and more expensive models, but no longer in the bread‑and‑butter types of the trade. However, the model is to be available to order again as a taxi shortly.

    With the taxi price list dated 14 December 2021, Mercedes-Benz has removed the E 220 d, popular in the taxi trade, from the programme. This applies to both the sedan and the T‑Model estate. The entry‑level model in both body variants will continue to be equipped with the Renault diesel with 1.6 litres displacement. The modern 2‑litre diesel developed by the brand itself is now available only as the basis of the plug‑in hybrids E 300 de, with their major loss of boot space, and in the more powerful all‑wheel‑drive models E 300 d and E 400 d, which are marginal in the taxi and hire‑car trade.

    The possible change in the order programme, which was confirmed when reading the taxi price list, was pointed out by Gaggenau taxi and hire‑car operator Dirk Holl. As a user of E‑Class taxis, he is seriously considering whether to stick with a diesel model from the brand for his next vehicle change or to switch straight to electric taxis, and reports that the 1.6‑litre diesel engines sourced from Renault give his brother Sebastian, who is among other things responsible for the service work, little joy.

    In the diesel versions of the Vito Tourer and V‑Class vans, the 2‑litre diesel remains on board, incidentally. That also applies to the compact B‑Class. With regard to the B 180 d and the B 200 d, the taxi price list is misleading. Under its technical data it lists only the manual six‑speed gearbox. In the description of the “Das Taxi” special model, however, the 8‑speed dual‑clutch transmission still appears.

    On 8 January 2022, new‑car salesman Sven Karnath from the Bochum dealership Lueg contacted taxi heute. As he writes, the E 220 d can be ordered again from 11 January. It will then have the OM 654 engine from the new C‑Class together with a 48‑volt on‑board electrical system with a 15 kW boost function. It thus counts as a mild hybrid.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    INTAX remains van partner for Mercedes-Benz

    News from 22.06.2021 by Dietmar Fund

    The partner status of the Oldenburg development and conversion partner has been extended for a further three years.

    INTAX, the Oldenburg development and conversion partner for many vehicle manufacturers’ special vehicles, will also be considered a “Mercedes-Benz Van‑Partner” for the next three years. This title documents that the company meets the van manufacturer’s requirements in terms of quality, sales, engineering and after‑sales. They concern bespoke body solutions, which include conversion of the high‑roof combi Citan, a.k.a. Renault Kangoo, into a taxi or hire car. The Oldenburg team also carries out corresponding conversions for the large Sprinter van.

    For the next generation of the Renault Kangoo and a Nissan derivative, there will again be a taxi and a hire‑car package from INTAX. Planning for the Citan successor, which is also to be offered as the T‑Class, is at an advanced stage.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Taxi world premiere for Mercedes B‑Class natural gas

    News from 26.10.2012 by Editorial staff (general)

    The Daimler AG will present its full taxi programme at the European Taxi Fair. A first: The new B‑Class with natural gas drive and taxi equipment.

    During the European Taxi Fair on 9 and 10 November 2012 in Cologne’s Exhibition Hall 4.1, Mercedes will show its entire range of taxi vehicles.

    This includes, besides the diesel models of the B‑Class, the E‑Class estate + sedan and the Vito, also the new B‑Class “Natural Gas Drive”. The newest model in the B‑Class family celebrated its “civilian” world premiere in September at the Paris Motor Show and will now be presented in Cologne with the taxi equipment customary at Mercedes.

    A fill of natural gas is said to last up to 500 kilometres, after which a small 12‑litre petrol reserve tank kicks in. The vehicle is classified as monovalent+, which makes the vehicle tax more favourable than for a diesel model.

    Speaking of a comparison with diesel: In terms of fuel costs, a taxi operator also drives more cheaply with the natural gas version: If you convert the consumption of the B 200 Natural Gas Drive to the energy equivalent of diesel, the price per kilometre is about 30 percent below the fuel costs of a trip with a corresponding diesel vehicle, Daimler states.

    The 156 hp engine of the B‑Class natural gas model meets the EURO 6 emissions standard and consumes 4.3 kilograms per 100 kilometres. That corresponds to CO2 emissions of 117 grams per kilometre.

    In terms of performance, the achievable top speed stands out: it is 200 km/h, with acceleration of 9.1 seconds to the first 100 km/h. For the transmission, taxi and hire‑car operators can choose between a 7D‑GCT automatic or a 6‑speed manual gearbox.

    The only thing missing is information about when taxi operators can start their first shifts and what price the natural gas version will have. The group is not yet giving any details on this. A Mercedes branch speaks very vaguely only of “2013”.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes-Benz increases prices of B‑Class taxis

    News from 10.06.2020 by Dietmar Fund

    The “Das Taxi” special models have become more expensive due to expanded equipment scopes.

    Amid the doldrums facing German carmakers, Mercedes-Benz has increased the prices of its B‑Class entry‑level taxi model. The price of the B 180 d rose as the “Das Taxi” special model from the last 24,550 euros (prices excl. VAT) to 25,360 euros, and that of the B 200 d as the “Das Taxi” special model from 26,505 euros to 27,330 euros.

    According to the German Taxi and Hire Car Association, the “Das Taxi” special models are still based on the “Style” line and nothing has changed in their taxi‑specific equipment. The standard scope has increased, among other things, with Active Brake Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist and the MBUX operating system with two 7‑inch displays. The latter features voice control that is said to understand the driver’s commands even if they do not follow a rigid command scheme.

    According to the national taxi association, the B‑Class can also be configured individually as a taxi or hire car as the B 2004MATIC with all‑wheel drive and ordered with a 20 percent discount. This follows a desire for passenger cars with all‑wheel drive that is occasionally expressed by operators working in low mountain ranges or the Alpine foothills.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Model update: Mercedes-Benz is not starting with the E 200 d taxi

    News from 03.06.2020 by Dietmar Fund

    The facelifted E‑Class can be ordered as a taxi or hire car since 3 June 2020—but not yet as the entry‑level E 200 d.

    At the same time as private customers, taxi and hire‑car operators can also order the facelifted E‑Class with taxi or hire‑car equipment ex‑factory. This has been possible since 3 June 2020.

    The facelift is recognisable at the front only on closer inspection by the flatter housings of the standard LED headlights and at the rear by the likewise LED‑equipped tail lights. The core of the novelties is technical and above all found in optional driver assistance systems.

    Those who order the Driving Assistance Package can now hope that the taxi will brake automatically when turning across oncoming traffic if a collision threatens. Customers ordering this package can also optionally have Active Speed Limit Assist. It is intended to react to satnav data and traffic sign recognition to prevent speeding. In motorway traffic jams, Active Traffic Jam Assist should be able to automatically maintain distance to the vehicle ahead, steer, stop and automatically set off again up to 60 km/h. Active Steering Assist, in turn, is said to be able to form an emergency corridor automatically before a traffic jam.

    Available to order as “Das Taxi” special models, each as a sedan or as a T‑Model, are now the E 220 d with four‑cylinder diesel and 143 kW/194 hp and the plug‑in hybrid E 300 de with diesel engine and the same rated output. Both have a nine‑speed torque‑converter automatic transmission. The plug‑in hybrid still suffers from a considerable loss of boot space due to the batteries housed there.

    In the first price list after the model change, the E 200 d “Das Taxi” with 118 kW/160 hp is not yet included. It had still been listed in the last taxi price list dated 5 November 2019.

    The simplest “Das Taxi” special model is now the E 220 d sedan, whose price has risen from 33,580 euros (prices excl. VAT) to 34,960 euros. The price of the E 220 d “Das Taxi” T‑Model rose from 35,600 euros to 36,860 euros. The diesel plug‑in hybrid E 300 de, which was not cheap before, has again become more expensive. Its price as a T‑Model has risen from 48,245 euros to 50,495 euros.

    Nothing has changed in the taxi‑specific components of the special model. The integrated child seats are also still available. The equipment has been supplemented, among other things, by hard‑disk navigation.

    After an initial reaction from the dealer network, the press spokeswoman for Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales Germany pointed out that the E 200 d model had not been scrapped. It would be possible to order it as a taxi “in the near future”. Manufacturers always like to use this phrasing when they do not want to say how long their customers still have to wait. Incidentally, order release and start of deliveries are two different things. The manufacturer has not yet said anything about the start of deliveries of the models now available to order.

    Interested readers can download the current price list dated 3 June 2020 as a PDF file in the download area of this report.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Electric taxi from Mercedes-Benz will not be exactly cheap

    News from 26.05.2020 by Dietmar Fund

    The battery‑electric V‑Class derivative EQV can now be ordered for more than 70,000 euros.

    The battery‑electric EQV van is said to travel up to 418 kilometres and can now be ordered for a modest 59,990 euros (excl. VAT). Its battery with a usable capacity of 90 kWh feeds an electric motor with a continuous output of 70 kW/95 hp and a maximum output of 150 kW/204 hp, which drives the front wheels. This allows the shuttle vehicle to travel at 140 km/h as standard and even 160 km/h as an option. Both will rarely be usable in the trade, where range will certainly be more important.

    The on‑board charger is quite adequately designed for AC charging at 11 kW. In addition, the EQV can also be charged with DC via a CCS connector. Its charging capacity of 110 kW is then supposed to allow a tolerable 45 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 percent of battery capacity.

    The driver can influence the strength of brake energy recuperation when coasting or decelerating via paddles on the steering wheel. A mode called D Auto is intended to automatically adapt recuperation to the circumstances using the satnav and the front camera. The driver also has four drive programmes. He should therefore be trained intensively.

    Included in the price, incidentally, are the costs of a maintenance package for four years. A battery certificate is intended to cover customers up to 160,000 kilometres of mileage or eight years (which are irrelevant in taxis or hire cars).

    In terms of range, the EQV is currently by far the most interesting base vehicle for taxis and hire cars in the large‑capacity segment with eight seats.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    ACR can once again retrofit Mercedes taxis

    News from 18.11.2019 by Dietmar Fund

    The Pfaffenhofen converter can, as a partner of HALE, retrofit all Mercedes models to taxis or hire cars that are also available with taxi equipment ex‑factory.

    Since early November 2019, the taxi converter ACR from Pfaffenhofen/Ilm has been a conformity service station for HALE. As a partner of the Salzburg taximeter manufacturer, ACR can, among other things, retrofit all Mercedes-Benz models to taxis or hire cars that can also be ordered as new vehicles ex‑factory as taxis or hire cars.

    Stefan Fixsen, ACR’s taxi specialist, now has a specially set up and approved 100‑metre test track. This gives him the opportunity to retrofit a vehicle delivered in the morning within a day, load the customer’s local tariff, drive the test track, print out the declaration of conformity and hand the ready‑to‑use taxi directly over to the customer. This saves the customer a visit to the calibration office, which he only has to visit later for re‑calibration, reports Fixsen.

    In this way, the taxi converter can handle urgent requests for an accident replacement vehicle and quickly convert young used vehicles with low mileage into taxis or hire cars that can only be obtained ex‑factory with long delivery times or perhaps not at all with special options as taxis.

    However, with the currently frequently requested SUV derivative Mercedes-Benz GLC, Fixsen also has to pass, because the manufacturer does not issue him with a certificate of the distance signal. However, this is a mandatory prerequisite for the conformity procedure. The same applies to customers of Volkswagen who, for example, want the Touran and Passat models as an owner’s vehicle with a higher trim than the “Trendline” on which Volkswagen’s taxi models are currently based.

    The compact SUV not offered ex‑factory as a taxi cannot be retrofitted by ACR either, because Volkswagen does not issue a certificate of the distance signal for it. Some taxi customers have already enquired about the Tiguan, reported Fixsen. They include the Sindelfingen taxi and hire‑car operator Uwe Schwarzenberg, who has so far used a well‑equipped Tiguan Allspace as an owner’s vehicle because he has obtained an exemption from installing a distance recorder for the hire car. Schwarzenberg had prompted taxi heute’s enquiry with ACR.

    HALE now stresses that it wants nothing to do with the criticism voiced at Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes-Benz Van Rental offers wheelchair taxis for rent

    News from 20 May 2019 by Dietmar Fund

    The subsidiary Van Rental now rents out Sprinter Mobility models with system floors that can be flexibly fitted with individual seats and wheelchair tie-downs.

    Mercedes-Benz Van Rental now lets around 50 Sprinter Mobility vans on a short-term basis or for up to 24 months. Their hallmark is a wheelchair-accessible conversion by certified VanPartner AMF-Bruns. It equips them with a Smartfloor system floor into which up to six single seats can be anchored for journeys with wheelchairs or up to five wheelchair spaces can be configured. At the rear, the vehicles have a linear lift, and at the side entrance an electrically powered step to overcome the Sprinter’s rather high step-in height. For operations where no wheelchair user is to be carried, up to eight passenger seats are also possible.

    The rental offer is initially tied to around 120 existing rental locations. They are located not only at company-owned dealerships but also at authorized Mercedes-Benz partners.

    As Gerrit Bruns, Managing Director of AMF-Bruns, stated on the occasion of the cooperation, rental offers for transport service providers in this segment have been few and far between to date. In fact, only the taxi and special-vehicle rental company Alexander Czernig from Chemnitz has drawn attention to this so far. Shortly after Mercedes-Benz Van Rental, European Van Service (EVS) from Hanover also presented its new rental offer for motor vehicles for persons with restricted mobility (KMP) at RETTmobil 2019.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    New taxi point of contact at Mercedes-Benz

    News from 01 February 2019 by Dietmar Fund

    Saxony native Tim Podszus becomes the new contact person for the taxi and hire-car business.

    As of 1 February 2019, the former Key Account Manager Tim Podszus has taken over the management of the taxi sector management within the fleet management team of Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales Germany (MBD). The married father of two was born in Freiberg, Saxony. He began his career with the Group in 2006 at the Munich branch, where he looked after major and fleet customers of the smart brand and later took over sales coordination for the brand’s major customer business. From 2015 to the end of 2018, he played a major role in shaping this business field at MBD’s sales headquarters in Berlin.

    Podszus succeeds Jan Thomas as the contact for the taxi and hire-car trade, who had looked after the mobility sector for not even a year. Thomas will in future be responsible for heading strategic product and market topics at MBD.

    According to its press release, Mercedes-Benz intends to reposition itself in the hire-car business. To respond even more precisely to the requirements of taxi and hire-car customers, they aim to look after them directly via MBD’s fleet management team, it says.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Hire-car service won a Mercedes taxi

    News from 03 November 2018 by Dietmar Fund

    The 2018 European Taxi Fair in Cologne ended with the raffle of a special E-Class model “Das Taxi”, which was won by a hire-car operator.

    For the 15th time in a row, Mercedes-Benz donated a taxi as the main prize for the tombola, which traditionally marks the conclusion of the European Taxi Fair in Cologne. This time it was once again a Mercedes-Benz E-Class saloon, equipped as the special model “Das Taxi”.

    The lucky winner was Frank Brück. His company, Mietwagenservice Frank Brück, is based in Bergisch Gladbach. As you can read on his homepage, the company was originally founded as a taxi firm and expanded into a hire-car service in 2007. Frank Brück already operates two Mercedes-Benz vehicles as well as two Opel models.

    The proud main prize was presented by Jan Thomas, Head of Taxi Product Management at Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales Germany in Berlin. He was assisted by Tanja Borchert with a bouquet of flowers. She organized the brand’s stand at the fair and the equally traditional “Mercedes Evening”, which this time took place in Motorworld Cologne, opened only in June 2018.

    As in previous years, Kerstin Renner acted as lady luck. Her boss, Holger Goldberg, Managing Director of the Fachvereinigung Personenverkehr Nordrhein Taxi und Mietwagen e.V., hosted the raffle in his usual robust manner. Michael Dickmann served as the bearer of the good news.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes-Benz: Trade-in bonus also for taxis

    News from 15 October 2018 by Dietmar Fund

    Anyone buying a new special model “Das Taxi” in the priority regions affected by the Federal Government’s “emissions compromise” can expect up to 10,000 euros in incentives.

    A trade-in bonus of 6,000 euros can be claimed for a new special model “Das Taxi” of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. In conjunction with the currently valid trade-in allowance from Daimler AG, the total bonus can amount to 10,000 euros. Daimler AG announced this in connection with the Federal Government’s concept for clean air.

    Accordingly, the bonuses apply to the trade-in of diesel vehicles, including those with the Euro 5 emissions standard, in the priority regions defined by the “emissions compromise” to avert diesel driving bans. The used car may also be of another brand.

    Trade-in bonuses are also available for the B-Class special model “Das Taxi” and for all other Mercedes-Benz models with individual taxi or hire-car equipment, including vans. With all bonuses, a saloon of the E 200 d type as the special model “Das Taxi” is available for 20,930 euros (excluding VAT).

    The new vehicle must comply with one of the Euro 6c, Euro 6d-TEMP or Euro 6d emissions standards. This applies to petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrids, which are due on the market shortly. According to the manufacturer, this incentive can also be combined with the 3,000-euro environmental bonus paid by the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA) for plug-in hybrids.

    The trade-in campaign applies until further notice and to all orders placed since 8 October 2018. The old vehicles must have been registered to the applicant before 1 October 2018.

    Which regions are considered affected has been published on the homepage of the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure. There you can download the concept as a PDF file, which is also stored in the download area for this report.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    The new taxi man at Mercedes-Benz got personal

    News from 14 May 2018 by Dietmar Fund

    At the Open Extended Board Meeting of the BZP, Jan Thomas shared quite a bit about his career leading up to his new role as “Mr Taxi”.

    Jan Thomas told the delegates of the state associations and taxi dispatch centers united in the German Taxi and Hire Car Association (BZP) that he is 41 years old. He is happily married and has one child. The Open Extended Board Meeting took place on 14 May 2018 at the Hotel Maritim Pro Arte in Berlin.

    As the successor to Andreas Bösche, who left a year ago, and his interim representative Mathias Kuchling reported, he had previously worked at Saab and the supplier SKF. Within the Daimler Group, he dealt with passenger cars for off-road use and motorhomes before moving to Daimler Trucks and most recently working for the smart brand.

    “The taxi and hire-car sector is an exciting field,” Thomas explained. “Entrepreneurs need economical vehicles on the one hand and on the other also want to drive a Mercedes as an emotional vehicle.” He said he had developed an understanding of entrepreneurial concerns at Daimler Trucks.

    At Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales Germany (MBVD) in Berlin, Jan Thomas still has the memorable extension that was reserved after the move to Berlin by the taxi contact appreciated by the mobile trade, Guus Biesenbach. It is 0 30 / 26 94-26 94.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes-Benz once again has a taxi point of contact

    News from 03 April 2018 by Dietmar Fund

    The new taxi contact at Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales Germany is Jan Thomas, who comes from the smart brand.

    Jan Thomas is the new Head of Taxi Sector Management at Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales Germany in Berlin. He succeeds Andreas Bösche, who left this position on 1 March 2017. Since then, Mathias Kuchling had taken on the task on an interim basis.

    Thomas has worked in the Daimler Group since 2002. Since 2016 he had headed marketing for the smart brand. From 2007 to 2016 he worked in various positions in the truck sector. He started out in passenger car product management.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes-Benz: The C-Class taxi is being phased out

    News from 15 February 2018 by Dietmar Fund

    After the facelift, which will be presented at the Geneva Motor Show at the beginning of March, there will no longer be factory taxi equipment for the compact executive model.

    After the much-loved “Baby Benz” was offered with a factory taxi package, Mercedes-Benz had at one time already stopped offering a predecessor of today’s C-Class with a factory taxi package. The same fate now befalls the saloon and the estate of the current series. After the facelift, which will be presented at the Geneva Motor Show at the beginning of March, it will no longer be offered with factory taxi equipment.

    In response to an inquiry from taxi heute, Meri Todorovic, press spokesperson at Mercedes-Benz Car Sales Germany in Berlin, replied as follows: “We will focus our taxi offering even more on the B-Class, E-Class and our large-capacity limousines in future. We have therefore decided not to offer the C-Class as a taxi or with taxi equipment from the model update this year.”

    Until now, the C-Class was available both as a special model “Das Taxi” for two diesel engines and with individual equipment and accessories for taxis and hire cars. The press spokesperson did not wish to comment yet on the B-Class, which reportedly is also due for a model change. She only wrote that production of the B-Class-based electric taxi had ceased due to the model change in the compact class at the Rastatt plant. Taxi and hire-car operators interested in the C- and B-Class should therefore best contact their taxi sales representative.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes-Benz: The big people-carrier taxi gets even more versatile

    News from 05 December 2017 by Dietmar Fund

    With front-, rear- and all-wheel drive as well as an electric variant, Mercedes-Benz’s large van becomes an even more versatile multi-purpose vehicle for taxi and hire-car operations.

    Since 1995, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has been the epitome of the 3.5-tonner among vans. It earned that status solely with rear-wheel drive. However, the latest generation coming in 2018 is set to offer front-, rear- and all-wheel drive as well as a battery-electric variant, thus providing powertrain options as diverse as those of the “little brother” Vito and catching up with the VW Crafter. With front-wheel drive, the load sill is said to be eight centimeters lower. The manufacturer revealed as much on 4 December 2017 at the “Sprinter Innovation Campus” at Messe Stuttgart.

    Four different cockpit concepts were on display there, ranging from a very simple model for trades vans up to a top model with screen, piano black and a climate control panel for high-grade VIP shuttles.

    One of three industry-specific workshops was devoted to passenger transport, because after all every fifth Sprinter in use worldwide is a “people mover”, as the manufacturer announced. On the hardware side, what is important for the mobile trade in Germany is not only that the driver’s seat is completely new and can be upgraded to 10-way adjustment with an extendable front seat cushion. The passenger seats have also been newly developed. Their features include a backrest angle adjustment and two cupholders that slide out from the front of the seat cushion. Due to the reintegrated three-point belts, the seating isn’t much lighter, but in future it should be easier to remove and reinstall thanks to an “Easy-Mounting System” with rollers.

    Specifically for passenger transport, Mercedes-Benz promises improved noise insulation. In addition, a dedicated air-sprung rear axle has been developed for it. For the top variants there is a climate control panel for the front and the passenger compartment that is intended to offer a passenger car-like feel. A roof-mounted air conditioning unit also joined the range.

    The manufacturer says it has not only improved its hardware, but also describes various ways of feeding vehicle-supplied data into better fleet utilization. Among other things, a cooperation was entered into with the American start-up VIA, which contributes its software for on-demand services. In Europe, such services, which are independent of stops and timetables, are to be trialed shortly.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes-Benz market leader in London with Vito Taxi

    News from 25 October 2017 by Editorial staff (general)

    The Mercedes-Benz Vito is ahead of its competitors in London with a market share of over 55 percent.

    Among the so-called “black cabs” in London, the “Vito Taxi” from Mercedes-Benz has also been present since 2008. The model is sold more often in London than its competitors, Daimler AG announces. This is demonstrated by a study by the transport organization Transport for London: From January to September 2017, 625 Vito Taxis were licensed, compared with 474 “TX4” from the London Taxi Company in the same period. With a market share of over 55 percent since the beginning of the year, Mercedes-Benz is thus the market leader in the English capital with the Vito Taxi.

    (um)

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes-Link Taxi now also available in the E-Class

    News from 18 September 2017 by Dietmar Fund

    At the dedicated taxi stand at the IAA, the option to dispense with an additional display for data radio in the E-Class was presented for the first time.

    Mathias Kuchling, by trade product manager for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and interim taxi contact for the brand, presented the Mercedes-Link Taxi system in an E-Class at the IAA. It was first shown in the B-Class at the European Taxi Fair in November 2016 and has recently also become available to order in the high-volume E-Class model.

    Via the MirrorLink connection behind Mercedes-Link, the driver app of dispatch systems such as those from fms Austrosoft can now also be operated. This makes the installation of stand-alone hardware somewhere on the dashboard superfluous, which has been very critical since the introduction of airbags.

    As announced in Cologne at the time, the system can also be combined with the Audio 20 audio system and the simpler variant of the dashboard and was also exhibited in Frankfurt in this configuration. Cost-conscious taxi operators therefore do not have to order the more elaborate screen, which, together with the necessary Comand system and other mandatory bundles, adds up to around 4,000 euros gross. Mercedes-Benz Link Taxi costs only 150 euros (excl. VAT).

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes-Benz is looking for a new taxi contact

    News from 09 March 2017 by Dietmar Fund

    Andreas Bösche has opted for another position in the fleet department.

    Since 1 March 2017, the previous taxi contact at Mercedes-Benz Sales Germany, Andreas Bösche, has been working in the organization’s fleet division. There he holds a management position in the “Back Office”, i.e. internal sales.

    A successor arrangement has not yet been made. Bösche’s previous position as Head of Taxi Sector Management has been advertised internally.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    The new Mercedes estate remains a benchmark for taxis

    News from 13 September 2016 by Dietmar Fund

    At the first drive, the estate version of the new E-Class impressed with its still very good space and high level of comfort.

    With plenty of space in the rear and its capacious load area, the estate version of the previous E-Class was the benchmark in the upper mid-size class for taxi use. Although the rear is now shaped more sportily and the load area has shrunk by a few liters in its upper section as a result, the series may still be counted among the trendsetters. Rear passengers still have good headroom even under the optional panoramic glass roof. There is no lack of kneeroom either; only the footwell becomes a little tight when the front seats are fully lowered. Remarkably low is the noise level, which in the high-end trim lines presented may have benefited from sound-damping film in the windscreen. These are the key impressions from the drive presentation on 5/6 September 2016 in Schleswig-Holstein, which all journalists are only allowed to report on from 13 September 2016.

    If you need more load space in the new model, you can initially either fold down part of the 40:20:40 split rear seat backrest or lock it a few degrees more upright in one piece. When the electrically operated backrest is folded from the rear, a flat load floor is created. Under it, towards the end of the year, you can again have a fold-out two-seat bench for children up to six years old or 115 centimeters tall. However, it may now only be used with child seats.

    Initially, only the E 220d with 143 kW/194 hp is listed as the special model “Das Taxi” in the taxi price list, which can be downloaded in the download area below this report. It is set to be followed in the fourth quarter of 2016 by the E 200d with 110 kW/150 hp, which has previously been the most sought-after engine variant as a taxi. Due to the many optional features that could also be ordered for a individually configured taxi, the standard E-Class price list is also attached for download.

    A detailed road test will appear in taxi heute issue 10/2016.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes-Benz puts 120 new E-Class taxis into field trials

    News from 11 April 2016 by Dietmar Fund

    In nine major cities, brand-loyal taxi operators are already allowed to test the new E-Class series W 213 with taxi equipment for a year.

    Andreas Bösche, the person responsible for taxis at Mercedes-Benz Sales Germany, is currently having 120 new E-Class models as the special model “Das Taxi” tested by taxi operators in nine major cities. Together with the branches, loyal brand customers are to be rewarded who are allowed to test their new taxi from April 2016 to April 2017, Bösche reported at the spring meeting of the German Taxi and Hire Car Association (BZP), which took place on 11 April 2016 at the Congress Center Leipzig. The vehicles would be stickered with the side lettering “The new E-Class ‘Das Taxi’ – in dealerships from September” and would thus be on the road as brand ambassadors, said the sector contact.

    At an evening event for representatives of the mobile trade, Bösche presented one of the new taxis. Externally it corresponded to the Avantgarde trim and inside to the basic specification, which, in addition to a screen in the middle of the dashboard, features two traditional round gauges with another color display between them.

    The demonstration taxi had a HALE Microtax 06 taximeter, not very elegantly installed in a roof console. However, mirror-mounted taximeters are also available. The radio pre-installation is again available in the glove compartment or in a side compartment of the trunk. The installation position of dispatch center-specific devices has changed: they are no longer anchored at the passenger’s footwell side of the center console, but housed in the wide center console. Two integrated child seats are still available in the taxi package. As with previous taxi premieres, the taxi developers offer a single-arm roof sign.

    The ordering release of the taxi models is scheduled for the beginning of July and then also immediately for the estates. Deliveries begin in September. Anyone who wants a new E-Class taxi earlier can draw on a pool of the outgoing W 212 series.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    IAA: Mercedes-Benz pulls out all the stops with giveaways for taxi customers

    News from 18 September 2015 by Dietmar Fund

    In the pavilion in front of the trade fair entrance opposite the Maritim Hotel, taxi customers receive not only coffee and snacks like all interested visitors, but also interesting giveaways.

    Andreas Bösche, taxi contact at Daimler AG, clearly has a flair as a host and for nice little details. During his stand duty up to the first IAA Sunday, he personally handed out handsome giveaways exclusively to taxi customers, supported by two taxi salespeople from various branches and a service team.

    On each day of the fair, taxi customers and waiting taxi drivers can pick up in the pavilion in front of one of the main entrances opposite the Maritim Hotel a small box with three care products, a small power bank for on the go and two little bags of gummy bears. They also get coffee, cold drinks and a small snack.

    Next to the pavilion with the taxi café, Bösche lined up seven taxis of his brand in which four suppliers presented their latest solutions. For the first time, the taxi department deliberately exhibited outside the fairgrounds to draw the attention of passers-by without tickets to the brand’s long taxi tradition.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    IAA: Mercedes-Benz looks forward to taxi customers

    News from 18 August 2015 by Dietmar Fund

    At an exclusive taxi stand at the West entrance of the IAA, taxi and hire-car operators can have a cup of coffee and take a look at the latest taxi models.

    While other manufacturers sheepishly show one or two taxis at the expensive IAA trade visitor days at best, Mercedes-Benz Sales Germany is going all in. At the stand under the starry sky, a wide selection of the brand’s taxi models, from the compact model to the van, will be on display continuously from the press days onward. Taxi-specific software and hardware will be presented in some display vehicles by “selected suppliers”.

    Andreas Bösche, taxi contact at Mercedes-Benz Sales Germany, plans to be at the show until 19 September. He cordially invites strolling taxi and hire-car operators to a chat over a cup of coffee at the “Café Taxi” at the stand. The free coffee and a small surprise should still be available after Bösche’s departure until 27 September 2015. The taxi stand is located in the outdoor area of the IAA at the West entrance.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes’ taxi man with a new “boss’s boss”

    News from 22 December 2014 by Dietmar Fund

    At Mercedes-Benz Sales Germany, Harald Schuff is onboarding his successor, Dr. Carsten Oder.

    Shortly after taking office, Andreas Bösche, the new taxi contact at Mercedes-Benz, is getting a new “boss’s boss”. From April 2015, Dr. Carsten Oder (49) will take over the management of Mercedes-Benz Sales Germany from Harald Schuff (58). Schuff, who since 2009 had kept a rather low profile in the taxi business, is leaving the company after onboarding his successor, after 40 years of service, “at his own request and by mutual agreement”.

    Oder has worked “at Daimler” since 1994 and has been Head of Product Marketing Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars since 2013. His previous management positions also include Head of AfterSales Technology and Product Management Service & Parts for Mercedes-Benz Cars – experience that could be useful in the taxi business, which relies heavily on good service.

    However, Oder will hardly have much time for the mobile trade, as from April he will also be Chairman of the Executive Board Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales Germany.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    AMI Taxi Day: Mercedes-Benz presented two new taxis

    News from 03 June 2014 by Dietmar Fund

    In addition to the C-Class estate, there is, with the Citan panel-van combi, for the first time a taxi that is converted externally at Intax.

    Robert Wilhelm, the taxi contact at Mercedes-Benz Sales Germany in Berlin, was pleased on Taxi Day at the Leipzig motor show AMI on 3 June about his now complete “taxi family”. After the recently presented C-Class saloon, which can already be ordered as a taxi, Wilhelm presented the estate in taxi outfit. The wrap by Intax and the white paintwork already showed that the display vehicle was still a development vehicle – wraps ex factory are still not available “at Daimler”. Apart from the mirror-mounted taximeter, the radio pre-installation in the glove compartment, the robust floor mats and the simple electric driver’s seat adjustment on the side of the seat, the interior no longer revealed anything taxi-specific. The designers are keen that their high-quality interior is not disfigured by installations.

    On the estate with the factory taxi package, the single-arm roof sign is mounted very far back so that it does not cause booming even with the optionally fitted glass roof that extends far to the rear.

    The star brand’s second premiere was not at the stand but in the glass hall at the Intax oasis. After all, the extra-long Citan with five or seven seats is converted into a taxi in Oldenburg. The development vehicle had a double console in the roof, with a radio installed behind the taximeter. Unfortunately, there is no room left in it for the exemplary bright LED interior lighting that Intax installs in its pure taximeter consoles. As the Intax stand staff reported, the Citan was the visitor magnet in the oasis.

    Robert Wilhelm could not yet name concrete prices for either the Citan or the C-Class estate. The order release for the taxi package for the estate is only on 30 June. At that time the 200 BlueTec diesels can also be ordered for both body variants, initially only with a manual gearbox. Development of the Citan is expected to be completed at the end of July, so that it could be delivered in autumn.

    Wilhelm also announced sales releases for July for the taxi models of the V-Class and the Vito. The latter is to be available with a taxi package like its predecessor. However, deliveries of the Vito taxis will not take place until early 2015. Unlike its immediate predecessor, the new Vito generation will be available with rear- and front-wheel drive. The front-wheel drive is available only with manual transmissions.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    AMI Taxi Day: Mercedes-Benz presented two new taxis

    News from 03 June 2014 by Dietmar Fund

    In addition to the C-Class estate, there is, with the Citan panel-van combi, for the first time a taxi that is converted externally at Intax.

    Robert Wilhelm, the taxi contact at Mercedes-Benz Sales Germany in Berlin, was pleased on Taxi Day at the Leipzig motor show AMI on 3 June about his now complete “taxi family”. After the recently presented C-Class saloon, which can already be ordered as a taxi, Wilhelm presented the estate in taxi outfit. The wrap by Intax and the white paintwork already showed that the display vehicle was still a development vehicle – wraps ex factory are still not available “at Daimler”. Apart from the mirror-mounted taximeter, the radio pre-installation in the glove compartment, the robust floor mats and the simple electric driver’s seat adjustment on the side of the seat, the interior no longer revealed anything taxi-specific. The designers are keen that their high-quality interior is not disfigured by installations.

    On the estate with the factory taxi package, the single-arm roof sign is mounted very far back so that it does not cause booming even with the optionally fitted glass roof that extends far to the rear.

    The star brand’s second premiere was not at the stand but in the glass hall at the Intax oasis. After all, the extra-long Citan with five or seven seats is converted into a taxi in Oldenburg. The development vehicle had a double console in the roof, with a radio installed behind the taximeter. Unfortunately, there is no room left in it for the exemplary bright LED interior lighting that Intax installs in its pure taximeter consoles. As the Intax stand staff reported, the Citan was the visitor magnet in the oasis.

    Robert Wilhelm could not yet name concrete prices for either the Citan or the C-Class estate. The order release for the taxi package for the estate is only on 30 June. At that time the 200 BlueTec diesels can also be ordered for both body variants, initially only with a manual gearbox. Development of the Citan is expected to be completed at the end of July, so that it could be delivered in autumn.

    Wilhelm also announced sales releases for July for the taxi models of the V-Class and the Vito. The latter is to be available with a taxi package like its predecessor. However, deliveries of the Vito taxis will not take place until early 2015. Unlike its immediate predecessor, the new Vito generation will be available with rear- and front-wheel drive. The front-wheel drive is available only with manual transmissions.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes-Benz presents the estate and Citan as taxis

    News from 27 May 2014 by Dietmar Fund

    On Taxi Day at the public AMI motor show, Mercedes-Benz is presenting the latest version of the C-Class as the special model “Das Taxi” and is also showing the Citan with a taxi package.

    New products are rather thin on the ground at this year’s Taxi Day at the Leipzig AMI motor show on 3 June. Taxi market leader Mercedes-Benz is now announcing two interesting new taxis.

    The first is the new estate (T-Modell) of the C-Class, which has just been launched and was only presented statically to the press last week. The second is the long-awaited taxi version of the Citan panel-van combi co-produced with Renault. It will be on display in the version with the longest of the three available wheelbases as a seven-seater in the glass hall.

    The vehicle currently at Intax in Oldenburg for development is being brought to the show by the development and conversion partner of many manufacturers.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    New taxi prices at Mercedes

    News from 16 January 2013 by Editorial staff (general)

    Anyone currently contemplating the purchase of a Mercedes-Benz “Das Taxi” model should order this month. From 1 February new terms with slightly higher fixed prices apply, which in the case of the E-Class already concern the revised version.

    Mercedes is raising the fixed prices for orders from 1/2/2013 by 300 euros net each for the “Das Taxi” models of the B-Class and the E-Class (saloon and estate). For the E-Class, however, the prices already apply to the facelifted revision (we reported; taxi heute will publish a first road test of the new 212 on 7 February).

    Specifically, the following models cost from the date mentioned:

    New E 200 CDI saloon “Das Taxi”: 29,400.00 eurosNew E 200 CDI estate “Das Taxi”: 31,400.00 eurosB 180 CDI “Das Taxi”: 22,400.00 eurosB 200 Natural Gas Drive “Das Taxi”: 24,900.00 euros

    All prices net and not eligible for discounts.

    According to Mercedes, the natural gas version of the new E-Class saloon will also be available to order as a fixed-price taxi model – but only in the second half of 2013.
    As an alternative to the special models mentioned, Mercedes-Benz grants the following discount rates for taxi and hire-car use for the other engines:

    B-, C-, E-, S-Class, Citan and Viano: 15 percentVito: 22 percentSprinter: 25 percent

    For the Vito and Viano, taxi special packages with price advantages are still available, which go beyond the taxi discount. From February they cost 1,453 euros net for the Vito and 1,990 euros net for the Viano. Mercedes grants a so-called engine bonus of 600 euros for the Vito with an output from 120 kW.

    The following effective interest rates apply to the taxi special financing from 1/2/2013:

    2.99 percent for the B-Class and the revised E-Class1.99 percent for Citan, Vito and Viano0.99 percent for the C- and S-Class0.90 percent for the pre-facelift E-Class (according to the manufacturer, only a few vehicles are still available)(sk)

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Turkish taxi colleague wins Mercedes E-Class

    News from 15 November 2012 by Editorial staff (general)

    Many thousands of visitors strolled through Hall 4.1 of the Cologne exhibition grounds last Friday and Saturday. One of them will probably never forget this weekend: taxi operator Hüseyin Sen from Frankfurt am Main won a Mercedes E-Class.

    When the European Taxi Fair takes place every two years, around 100 exhibitors present their vehicles, products and services relating to the taxi and hire-car sector. This attracts around 10,000 visitors – not least because of the big tombola, where numerous high-value prizes are raffled. The main prize on Saturday is traditionally a new E-Class taxi, and this time the lucky winner was Hüseyin Sen.

    You can browse our picture gallery to see how pleased the Frankfurt taxi operator was and what other visual and thematic highlights our editors brought back from Cologne.

    A detailed post-event press report will also appear in the December print issue of taxi heute.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes raises fixed taxi prices

    News from 17 January 2012 by Editorial staff (general)

    Taxi operators planning to purchase a new B- or E-Class in the near future should order in January. After that, the “Das Taxi” fixed-price models will become more expensive.

    As the Mercedes-Benz sales organization reports, the following prices will apply to the special models tailored specifically to the taxi trade for orders from the cut-off date of 1 February 2012:

    ■ B 180 CDI “Das Taxi” (series T 246): 22,100 euros net
    ■ E 200 CDI “Das Taxi” saloon (series W 212): 29,100 euros net
    ■ E 200 NGT “Das Taxi” saloon (series W 212): 31,100 euros net
    ■ E 200 CDI “Das Taxi” estate (S 212): 31,100 euros net

    This makes the E-Class taxis 560 euros more expensive than in 2011, which corresponds to a price increase of around 2 percent for the diesel saloon and around 1.5 percent for the estate and natural-gas saloon. After the model change, the B-Class becomes 4.25 percent more expensive (900 euros) as a taxi.

    All special models come as standard with extensive taxi equipment, an automatic transmission, heated front seats, integrated child seats, the “THERMATIC” automatic climate control and many other features, and can be individually supplemented with further optional extras, provided there is no technical exclusion.

    The “Das Taxi” models are no longer eligible for discounts beyond the existing price advantage. As an alternative to the special models, Mercedes-Benz will, however, continue to grant the following fleet operator discounts on a taxi or hire car with individual equipment:

    ■ On models of the B-, C-, E-, S-Class and the Viano: 15 percent discount
    ■ On models of the Vito: 20 percent discount
    ■ On models of the Sprinter: 25 percent discount

    Both the “Das Taxi” special models and taxis and hire cars with individual equipment can be financed via the Mercedes-Benz Bank for up to 60 months. For the B-, C-, E- and S-Class as well as Vito, Viano and Sprinter, a taxi special financing with an effective interest rate of 2.99 percent applies.

    In addition, Mercedes offers taxi special packages for the Vito and Viano, which, according to the manufacturer, include a price advantage of 1,864 euros (Vito) and 1,990 euros (Viano) over and above the discount.

    Note: All prices net

    (sk)

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Taxi operators benefit from Mercedes anniversary

    News from 02 February 2011 by Editorial staff (general)

    With a grand ceremony a few days ago, Mercedes kicked off a year of celebrations for the 125th birthday of the automobile. And the Mercedes taxi is also celebrating a milestone in 2011: 75 years ago, the first diesel cab, the 260 D, came onto the market.

    Our Topic of the Month for February is therefore all about these anniversaries. We highlight how the Swabians intend to underpin their leading position as Germany’s taxi brand in 2011 as well. You can find all the information on the newly offered anniversary special financing for Mercedes taxis and on all other terms for the new year in our current Topic of the Month.

    (sk)

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Bremen-based operator wins Mercedes taxi

    News from 08 November 2010 by Editorial staff (general)

    At the eagerly awaited raffle of tombola prizes during the European Taxi Fair in Cologne, a taxi operator from Bremen was delighted to win the main prize.

    From around 5,000 tickets, Hans-Jürgen Kück had precisely the number on his wristband that Holger Goldberg, Managing Director of the fair organizer Fachvereinigung Personenverkehr Nordrhein Taxi und Mietwagen e.V., drew from the bulging raffle drum. The tombola on Saturday afternoon marked the conclusion of the European Taxi Fair in Cologne’s Hall 4.1, which had started the day before. Initial estimates put visitor numbers over both days at between 12,000 and 14,000 from the taxi and hire-car trade. The number of stands increased compared with the last taxi fair from 95 to 106 exhibitors.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Special financing for Mercedes taxi buses

    News from 11 May 2010 by Editorial staff (general)

    To stimulate demand for the current Vito and Viano large-capacity limousines ahead of the launch of their facelifted successors, Mercedes-Benz is currently offering entrepreneurs particularly attractive financing.

    Taxi operators currently have to pay only 0.99 percent effective annual interest to finance their Vito or Viano taxi. The interest rate applies to the current model generation, i.e. not to the respective facelifts appearing shortly, and to all orders placed by 31 August 2010. The financing term can be selected between 12 and 60 months.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Price advantages for Mercedes van taxis

    News from 21 January 2010 by Editorial staff (general)

    Mercedes is offering taxi special packages for the Vito and Viano large-capacity taxis that allow entrepreneurs to save almost 2,000 euros.

    The package includes, in addition to the “Taxi International” equipment, an automatic transmission, rear compartment air conditioning and a heated driver’s seat. According to the Stuttgart-based company, the price advantage is 1,990 euros for the Viano and 1,864 euros (net) for the Vito. A standard price, as introduced by Daimler AG with the “Das Taxi” special equipment for the B- and E-Class, is not feasible due to the large number of variants of the Vito and Viano, Daimler says. However, with the prices now communicated, similarly attractive terms are intended.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    IAA taxi highlight 1: Mercedes shows new E-Class estate in light ivory

    News from 17 September 2009 by Editorial staff (general)

    From a taxi perspective, it is the undisputed star of this year’s IAA: the new E-Class in estate format. The T-Model can now be ordered with predefined taxi equipment. taxi heute took a look at the Swabians’ new showpiece in Frankfurt.

    The new E-Class brought a series of technical innovations to production – from drowsiness detection to automatic full braking in the event of imminent collision, from the adaptive high-beam assistant to the active bonnet, which can reduce the risk of injury to pedestrians in the event of an accident. Of course, the estate also features all these innovations of the saloon. From a taxi point of view, however, the estate scores above all with its almost two cubic meters of load volume. In addition, Mercedes has integrated a function in the estate that is extremely practical for cabbies who often have to take bulky items: to fold down the rear seat, neither the head restraints nor the seat cushions need to be adjusted. A single lever at the tailgate suffices and the seats fold forward. Mercedes charges 30,500 euros net for “Das Taxi” of the estate in the E 200 CDI engine. However, this smallest diesel variant will not be available until early 2010. If you choose a different engine instead (220 CDI, 250 CDI, 350 CDI), you only have to wait until 21 November, can configure your taxi individually and will receive a 15 percent fleet operator discount on the list price at your dealer (E 220 CDI: 37,650 net). Financing is available at an effective annual interest rate of 2.99 percent.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Taxi driver day at the Mercedes Museum

    News from 09 June 2009 by Editorial staff (general)

    Today, Wednesday, everything at the Mercedes-Benz Museum is under the taxi star: until 6 p.m., taxi drivers and their families are invited to visit more than 120 years of automotive history.

    “With Taxi Driver Day we are giving Stuttgart’s taxi drivers the opportunity to experience our museum for themselves. All day long we invite them to discover the history of the automobile, and we are guided entirely by the needs of the drivers,” says Michael Bock, Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz Museum GmbH. “There has always been a close connection between the Mercedes-Benz brand and the taxi driver profession. We would like to continue this dialog in the future.” On Wednesday, taxis enjoy exclusive priority and parking rights on the hill at the main entrance. On presentation of their P-license, drivers receive free admission and further extras for themselves and their families. The focus of Taxi Driver Day is the special exhibition E-Class Evolution, which can be seen in the “Collection 5” room until 27 September 2009. Museum and Stuttgart branch employees provide information on the history of the E-Class and the new taxi model and are available for questions. There are three taxis to be seen at the Mercedes-Benz Museum: a 260 D Pullman Limousine, the world’s first series-produced diesel passenger car, a Mercedes-Benz 240 D from 1975 and a 200 D from 1988 with 1.9 million kilometers on the clock. The address of the Mercedes-Benz Museum is: Mercedesstraße 100, 70372 Stuttgart.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Forgetful celebrities in Mercedes taxis

    News from 27 November 2008 by Editorial staff (general)

    Mercedes-Benz has announced its taxi calendar for 2009. Included for the first time: a competition with attractive prizes.

    The Mercedes-Benz Taxi Calendar 2009 is themed “Rightly taxed” and will be available from the end of November from all branches and partners. As usual, it includes twelve impressive monthly images that you should look at even more closely this time: on each calendar sheet the interior of a taxi is depicted that has transported a famous personality. Forgotten items are lying in the vehicle that reveal quite a lot about their prominent owners. Those who correctly identify the VIPs can win an exclusive participation in a high-performance driving event on a Grand Prix circuit as the main prize. In addition, there is a classy Mercedes-Benz fitness bike and two grandstand tickets for the Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Nürburgring to be won.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes taxi special models become more expensive

    News from 04 January 2008 by Editorial staff (general)

    For the second time within a few months, Mercedes has increased prices for its “Das Taxi” special models. In return, individualists now enjoy a three percent higher discount of 15 percent than before.

    From January 2008, the Mercedes “Das Taxi” special models, which are offered for the diesel series B 180, E 200 CDI, E 200 CDI estate and for the natural gas variant NGT, will cost around 500 euros more than before. This puts the net price for the B-Class at 20,900 euros, for the E-Class saloon at 27,900 euros, for the estate at 29,900 euros and for the NGT at 30,900 euros. The Stuttgart-based company had already raised prices in the summer, so that compared with the same period of the previous year, a price increase of 1,000 euros per model has now been implemented. The special models “Das Taxi”, which have existed since 2005, include, among other things, extensive taxi equipment and an automatic transmission. For the first time, however, a 6-speed manual can also be ordered. Although Mercedes does not grant a price reduction for this, the savings due to lower consumption should be noticeable in times of constantly rising diesel costs. In parallel with the special models, taxis and hire cars of the B-, C-, E- and S-Class can still be ordered with individual equipment. The fleet operator discount previously granted for this was increased from 12 to 15 percent with effect from 1 January 2008. The effective annual interest rate of 1.99 percent with a term of up to 60 months continues to apply both for the special models “Das Taxi” and for individual equipment. The owner rule was also retained, whereby any taxi operator who has purchased at least one new Mercedes taxi within the last four years may claim a 10 percent discount when purchasing a private Mercedes.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes restructures taxi prices

    News from 21 June 2005 by Editorial staff (general)

    From 18 July, Mercedes-Benz is realigning its taxi terms and, in addition to the new B-Class taxi, is offering three E-Class taxi models at a heavily discounted fixed price.

    The four models bear the designation “Das Taxi” and are equipped with an automatic transmission, heated front seats, integrated child seats and, of course, a taxi package. The engines comply with EU4 and have a particulate filter as standard. Specifically, the fixed prices apply to the following four models: B 180 CDI “Das Taxi” (T 245) purchase price: 19,900 euros plus VAT. E 200 CDI “Das Taxi” (W 211) purchase price: 26,900 euros plus VAT. E 200 NGT “Das Taxi” (W 211) purchase price: 29,900 euros plus VAT. E 220 CDI “Das Taxi” (S 211) purchase price: 30,900 euros plus VAT. Due to the discounted fixed prices, these models are of course excluded from the usual fleet operator discount scheme. The DaimlerChrysler Bank offers financing exclusively for them with an effective annual interest rate of 1.9 percent. For the other models and engines of the B-, C- and E-, M- and S-Class, a fleet operator discount of twelve percent continues to apply. For the Vaneo and Viano models, the taxi discount is 14 percent, and for the Vito 20 percent. All taxis that fall under the fleet operator discount scheme are financed by DaimlerChrysler Bank with an effective annual interest rate of 3.9 percent. However, the manufacturer announced that in connection with the new pricing concept, the current taxi and hire-car promotion (free delivery of the taxi or hire-car package) will be discontinued for all orders from 1 July. Also part of the new pricing concept is an owner rule, according to which a taxi/hire-car operator may purchase a maximum of one vehicle per year with an 8% discount, provided that he has taken delivery of at least two taxis in the last three years. The owner rule applies to all Mercedes-Benz passenger cars that have at least two doors on the right-hand side of the vehicle. The financing with an effective annual interest rate of 3.9 percent also applies to vehicles within this owner rule.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    “Taxi Edition” at Mercedes

    News from 20 August 2004 by Editorial staff (general)

    Special models have become a popular marketing tool in the automotive industry to motivate private customers to buy a new vehicle. Societal occasions from the world of sport or culture are usually the basis for such offers. Now the taxi industry has its first special models too. Under the name “Taxi Edition”, DaimlerChrysler is offering the E-Class with three predefined equipment variants.

    The Taxi Edition costs 959 euros and, in addition to the taxi package, includes further taxi-specific pre-installations such as roof sign connection, radio antenna, radio integration, hands-free radio pre-installation, light ivory paintwork and leather “Twin”. A 5-speed automatic, integrated child seats and heated front seats are also included in the price. If the extras were ordered individually, a surcharge of over 4,000 euros would be incurred. The actual additional saving amounts to 1,810.76 euros, as parts of the taxi package were still free of charge anyway due to ongoing additional promotions. The Taxi Edition is available for all Mercedes E 200 CDI as long as stocks last. The entry price for equipment variant 1 is 30,990 euros. In combination with the 12% fleet operator discount, this corresponds to a total discount of 24 percent on the list price. All prices mentioned in the article are gross prices.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes taxi can be ordered with two extra keys

    News from 22 January 2004 by Editorial staff (general)

    Good news for all multi-vehicle operators who use several drivers on one taxi: from 9 February, two additional keys with remote control can be ordered when purchasing a new E-Class estate or saloon.

    This allows the taxi and hire-car operator to take delivery of the new E-Class from the factory with four keys. The surcharge for the two keys is 96.80 euros (fleet discount already included). The order is only possible in combination with the taxi and hire-car package. Those who have lost or defective keys duplicated must continue to pay the list price of approx. 120 euros per key. All prices quoted are net.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Mercedes taxi can be ordered with two extra keys

    News from 22 January 2004 by Editorial staff (general)

    Good news for all multi-vehicle operators who use several drivers on one taxi: from 9 February, two additional keys with remote control can be ordered when purchasing a new E-Class estate or saloon.

    This allows the taxi and hire-car operator to take delivery of the new E-Class from the factory with four keys. The surcharge for the two keys is 96.80 euros (fleet discount already included). The order is only possible in combination with the taxi and hire-car package. Those who have lost or defective keys duplicated must continue to pay the list price of approx. 120 euros per key. All prices quoted are net.

    ↑ back to index ↑

    Content automatically translated.

    Taxi-Fahrzeuge (Pkw) , Taxi-Newsletter, Taxameter, Taxi-Fahrer , BZP – Deutscher Taxi- und Mietwagenverband , Straßenverkehrsordnung (StVO) , Krankenbeförderung , Weiterbildung , Taxi-Konzessionen , Verkehrspolitik , Mietwagenbranche , Taxi-Apps , Berufskraftfahrer-Qualifikations-Gesetz BKrFQG) , Taxizentralen , Personal, Gehälter, Arbeitsschutz , Wirtschaftsnachrichten , Werbung , Taxi-Folierung , Taxi-Umrüster , Straßenverkehr , Elektromobilität, Taxifuhrpark und -flottenmanagement , Taxi-Versicherungen , Hybrid, Diesel, Erdgas , Taxi-Magazin

    Logobanner Liste (Views)