7 FAIL: 1997 Mercedes A-Class This car is the reason the Moose Test gained so much popularity, and it wasn't because it passed. Specht is a correspondent with Automobilwoche, a sister publication of Automotive News Europe. Go the the Mercedes OBD2 car scanner. The crisis room was more or less home during the first few weeks. There was a conference room near my office. But I had not thought it possible that the matter could reach this point and trigger worldwide reactions. The A-class was Mercedes-Benz’s first attempt at a small car. Mercedes and the moose test (B). It was also the first front wheel drivepassenger car from Mercedes-Benz. With the so-called swerve to avoid hitting elks (“Moose-Test’’), the Swedish car tester Robert Collin had destroyed the reputation of Mercedes’ A-Class, the “safest’’ car in the subcompact class. That was a first for the compact segment. Of course. On October 21, 1997, the journalist Robert Collin from the motor magazine Teknikens Värld overturned the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class in the moose test at 60 km/h (37 mph), while a Trabant — a much older, and widely mocked car … The Mercedes-Benz w168 A-Class created a big buzz in the press months before its launch in 1997. this was understandable; After all, it was the first front-wheel drive Mercedes-Benz and it was that firm’s first venture into the relatively new compact minivan market, not to mention one of the first luxury offerings in that market. The Mercedes-Benz A-Class may have begun as an oddly-styled city car, but has evolved through four generations into an appealing passenger car delivering prestige for the masses. In 1997, Mercedes entered the compact car segment by introducing a Describes a crisis management situation facing Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler-Benz AG. Were the moose test and the A class's problems the greatest debacle in Mercedes' history? Current Daimler Chairman Dieter Zetsche was development chief at the time. To date, about 1.6 million units have been sold worldwide. Yes, it sounds like something out of the pages of the Sunday Sport, but in 1998 the A-Class immediately became notorious after flipping over during a controlled test by a Swedish automotive magazine. And last but not least: Bosch, our ESP supplier. Yes, naturally. Sure, the thing that everyone remembers is that it fell over on the ‘elk test’ – but look beyond that and you’ll find a hugely innovative car that is destined for future classic status. A-Class is positioned as an entry-level car in the Mercedes lineup, and represented an attempt to Mercedes", to step outside of its core market. Remember, Mercedes has a history of failed Moose Tests, most notably with the first-generation A-Class. His answer was: That’s out of the question. Apr 03, 2020 at 6 ... that couldn’t be further from the truth in this revealing video of how the latest CLA-Class performed in the moose test. The all-new CLA echoes the first-gen A-Class stability issues after Mercedes’ new compact four door coupe failed the moose test. Decisions of this scope require the chairman’s agreement. Shouting doesn’t do any good. ISSN 2643-6604 (online). MERCEDES … Detroit MI  48207-2997 1998 Mercedes-Benz A-Class; 1998 Mercedes-Benz A-Class; 1998 Mercedes-Benz A-Class ... A motoring magazine in the wilds of Sweden had a standard test that was meant to simulate a situation in which you had to avoid a moose on the road. 1997 Mercedes A-Class test. Now 76 and retired, Hubbert, who was head of Mercedes cars at the time, recalled the crisis with Michael Specht, one of the journalists who flipped the boxy, first-generation A class. A few days after the car was officially unveiled, it prolonged during the test, known as the "moose test" conducted by a Swedish journalist. For the unfortunate surprise of Mercedes-Benz he flipped it on it's top during a routine test to avoid a moose at just 60 kmh. The Moose test rollover incident in October 1997 left a major dent in the high reputation of Mercedes from a safety perspective. Case Solution for Mercedes and the Moose Test (A) by Daniel Diermeier Abstract: The case describes a crisis management situation faced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler-Benz AG. The problem of this tests would be, says Mercedes spokesman Wolfgang Inhester, they do not exclude misleading results caused by driving mistakes. What would be the consequences of the moose test today, in the era of the Internet and social media? The problem was rather a combination of the position of the center of gravity and the chassis adjustment in an extreme driving situation. One is the technical solution. The moose test is an evasive maneuver test made to check if a vehicle can safely avoid sudden obstacles like, well, a moose crossing the street. The X-Class test … The fact the rims touched the asphalt shortly before the accident is a possible hint for too low tire pressure. Use our search engine below to locate your OBD2 port! Communications people were present right from the start. Founded in 1996, Automotive News Europe is the preferred information source for decision-makers and opinion leaders operating in Europe. A few days after the car was officially introduced, it rolled-over during a test known as the "moose test" conducted by a Swedish journalist. In 1997 Mercedes introduced a revolutionary new car, the A-class, Mercedes' first entry into the compact car segment. Various studies have shown this. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. Mercedes developed the A-class car for themid-market thatfailed the Moose test that verifies the sound performance of the car in the market.Such has been a problemfor the companysince it put the brand image of the company at stake, hindering itsnew strategy to tap and target the mid-tiermarket through its new car offerings. In an added twist, Mercedes … To go to the public with the whole truth. The moose test owes its name to the Scandinavian countries, where the risk of ending up with an actual moose crossing the road remains very real. Former Daimler executive Juergen Hubbert talked about how Mercedes overcame its moose-test crisis in 1997 when the brand's A class rolled over … For the unfortunate surprise of Mercedes-Benz he flipped it on it's top during a routine test to avoid a moose … The news from Sweden reached us there during the press conference. Without a doubt, the moose test help to move ESP to a breakthrough – and ultimately saved the lives of many people. Following the 'moose test' performed by Swedish magazine Teknikens Värld, A-Class deliveries, which had begun in October, are suspended for twelve weeks to allow time for chassis retuning and for the dynamic handling control system ESP to be retrofitted and incorporated into large-scale production. Shortly after the Mercedes-Benz A-class was introduced in 1997 the Swedish magazine "Teknikens Vaerld" (World of Technique) gave one A-class in the hands of the car tester Robert Collin. moose test Mercedes-Benz X-Class safety Mercedes-Benz pickup truck Europe click to load Disqus comments for this story This enables Disqus, Inc. to process some of your data. It included responsible parties from all the areas: development, production, materials management. Too many things are going through your head. Henceforth, this event exponentially increased the requirement of ESC on cars due to a very significant reduction in crashes. But after the relaunch, its image was even better than it was before the moose test. With social media, emotions enter the public discussion, and they frequently stand in the way of objective information and the solution to problems. Get this from a library! Tel: +1 877-812-1584, ISSN 2643-6590 (print) No, that idea first emerged with the Smart and Nicolas Hayek. When did you first hear about the rollover? One innovation of the W168 was a frontal-impact absorptio… We sat on the floor of the 747, the board member and the division director, and discussed what the cause was and what we could do. That was one key to success. Although the company's test drivers went through a few million of kilometers testing and tried to flip the car with some roof load they could not get it to roll. Milestones: Mercedes-Benz's A-Class mistake It promised to have the safety of a large car in a micro city car. The A-class was positioned as an entry-level vehicle in the Mercedes line and represented Mercedes' attempt to grow beyond its core market. In 1997 a so-called "moose test", an evasive manoeuvre without braking at a speed between 60 and 65 km/h, led to improvements in the Mercedes A-class after two vehicles rolled over in this manoeuvre. But at the time, as the responsible board member, I offered my resignation. At least in my time, there was nothing comparable. Mercedes and the Moose Test (A) | … The tires fundamentally played a subordinate role. Up to 30 persons at its peak, but usually seven or eight. Certainly at the outset. First the he right front wheel rim scratched on the asphalt followed by the right back rim and then the car rolled over. 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