Showing posts with label Hamburg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hamburg. Show all posts

Mercedes-Benz Citaro for Hamburger Hochbahn: The Citaro has been in service in Hamburg for over 15 years

On 15 August 2013 Ulrich Sieg, director of operations and infrastructure at Hamburger Hochbahn AG, and Steffen Rothhardt, head of the buses division at Hamburger Hochbahn AG, commissioned the 50th Mercedes-Benz Citaro to be delivered in 2013. The anniversary vehicle symbolises the more than 15 years of trust which Hamburger Hochbahn AG has placed in the Citaro concept since 1997. Tammo Voigt, Head of Public Transport Fleet Sales at Mercedes-Benz Buses & Coaches, handed over the vehicle at the port of Hamburg. "The anniversary bus stands for the strong partnership which we have enjoyed with Hochbahn for many years now. Around 15 years ago, Hochbahn was one of the first companies to believe in the successful Citaro concept, and it has kept its faith to this day, having taken delivery of over 1000 Citaros in the meantime" said Tammo Voigt during the presentation ceremony. "With its modular design, the Citaro has always managed to combine functionality, modernness and innovation, providing the basis for a successful concept," noted Ulrich Sieg.
Custom solutions from a modular system
Hochbahn has ordered a total of 81 Citaro vehicles for 2013. The anniversary bus, a Citaro LE (LowEntry), will operate in Hamburg as a so-called express bus. In addition to the two LEs, Hochbahn has also ordered 46 Citaro Gs and 33 Citaro rigid buses. It is precisely this broad range of different variants in the modular Citaro line which is valued so highly by transport operators in the many major cities throughout the world where some 37,000 Citaros are in service. Since it went into production in 1988, the Citaro has offered a range of urban and rural buses in different lengths and equipment variants, the diversity of which is unrivalled among low-floor regular-service buses. The first generation of the Citaro covered 28 different variants, ranging from the compact Citaro K measuring 10.5 m in length to the four-axle, 19.54 m long CapaCity articulated large-capacity bus which is also based on the Citaro modular system.
The new-generation Citaro with Euro VI engine technology already comprises 19 model variants. In addition to the Citaro Solo, the artic and the Citaro LE, the range also includes the short variant, the Citaro K, and RHD Citaro models of the Citaro Solo and Citaro K. With this diverse spectrum, the Citaro covers virtually the entire range of transportation requirements of bus companies providing regular urban and rural public transport services.
Hamburger Hochbahn AG
With its order in 2013, Hamburger Hochbahn AG has once again placed its trust in the Citaro as a highly capable and comfortable urban regular-service bus. With its fleet of some 900 buses for the most part Mercedes-Benz Citaros - and an annual passenger volume in excess of 230 million, economy, reliability and environmental compatibility are crucial to the Hochbahn group.
With a workforce of over 4500 and a passenger volume of some 1.2 million on weekdays, Hochbahn AG is not only the largest partner in Hamburg's HVV transport association but also the second-largest transport company in Germany. Hochbahn provides high-quality transport services in Hamburg on four underground railway lines and 100 bus lines. As the orchestrator of a multimodal transport offering, Hochbahn aims to combine bus and rail with complementary mobility services under the "switchh" brand in future, thereby establishing inner-city mobility without the use of private cars as the new standard.

Credits: Daimler AG
Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Meeting of two flagships: The Airbus A380 as the backdrop for the world premiere of the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Wednesday evening, Mercedes-Benz presented the S-Class in a special event. At the Airbus A380 delivery centre in Hamburg-Finkenwerder, the new Mercedes-Benz flagship met up with the world's largest and most advanced passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380. As "Germany's most valuable package", the star of the event had previously been flown from Stuttgart to Hamburg in an Airbus A300-600 freighter operated by DHL – just in time to celebrate the world premiere with around 750 international guests from politics, industry and the media.

On an LED video screen measuring some 200 square metres, the guests were able to witness the new S-Class being unloaded and driven across the runway to the launch pavilion equipped with multimedia facilities – flanked on each side by current Mercedes models. 15 cameras recorded the event and broadcast the images around the world via an outside broadcast truck. 96 loudspeakers and 20 kW of sound output ensured that every word was heard.

The choice of the A380 Delivery Center as the location for the world premiere was no accident. Like the A380, the new S-Class will set new standards in luxurious travel. "Rather than being about safety or aesthetics, power or efficiency, comfort or dynamism, our aspirations were 'the best or nothing' in every respect. No other car stands for the Mercedes-Benz brand promise more than the S-Class," said Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of Daimler AG and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

2000 square-metre pavilion for the launch celebration

As a logistical tour de force, Mercedes-Benz had a launch venue constructed where Airbus customers from Europe and the Middle East normally take delivery of their new A380, with a multimedia presentation stage, S-Class showroom, product display, VIP lounge and extensive backstage areas for technical facilities, logistics and catering. This included a kitchen for five German Michelin-star chefs, who opened a unique "ten-star restaurant" on the evening of the premiere to celebrate the S-Class.

Constructing the temporary building took around 14 days, employing up to 100 personnel from various trades each day. A total of 160 semitrailer trucks delivered the necessary materials: more than 500 tonnes of steel, 4000 square metres of wood, 400 spotlights, 96 loudspeakers and an LED video wall measuring 28 metres in width and seven metres in height.

The additional power supply with 3000 KVA of output required 25 kilometres of newly laid cables, 40 distributors and its own generators. Sound quality, for example during the live appearance of the international star Alicia Keys, was not only ensured by the precisely positioned loudspeakers, but also by 26 output signal channels and a mixing console with 168 input channels. 400 spotlights with 130 electric motors in around 1000 metres of traversing rigs shed the best possible light on the S-Class.

The new S-Class: Luxurious travel at the highest level

The new Mercedes-Benz flagship model is the epitome of a modern luxury saloon. The S-Class is an exclusive first-class office along the lines of a business jet, as well as a haven of relaxation with the ENERGIZING massage function based on the hot-stone principle and individual interior fragrancing.

"Our completely newly developed S-Class establishes a never-before-seen dimension in luxury, comfort and efficiency in a saloon, and raises the standard of safety equipment in automobiles to a new level. More than ever, this makes it synonymous with luxury and innovation in automotive engineering," says Prof. Dr. Thomas Weber, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, Group Research & Mercedes-Benz Cars Development.


Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

"The Taste of Luxury": Mercedes-Benz opens "Ten Star Restaurant" for one night only

The stars were out in force at the Airbus facility in Hamburg-Finkenwerder for yesterday's world premiere of the new S-Class when for one night only Mercedes-Benz opened a globally unique "Ten Star Restaurant" in the Airbus A380 delivery centre. Five German star-rated chefs specialising in different culinary styles were on hand to indulge the approximately 750 international guests from the worlds of politics, industry and media with a variety of culinary specialities. The gourmet creations were served up at several live cooking stations by chefs Juan Amador, Douce Steiner, Tim Raue, Matthias Schmidt and Wahabi Nouri, and formed the crowning touch to the evening's 'flying menu'.

With some unique dishes specially arranged for the world premiere, the chefs brought a further touch of refinement to the launch of the new Mercedes-Benz luxury saloon - a vehicle which is an exclusive first-class mobile office and a centre of well-being, all rolled into one. And just as the new S-Class is once again setting standards in terms of luxurious automobility, all five of the chefs are characterised by their exceptional culinary skills.

Juan Amador: veal cheeks in curry sauce, coconut jelly and mango mayonnaise

Well known and highly praised for his avant-garde compositions and flavour contrasts, three-star chef Juan Amador surprised guests with veal cheeks in curry sauce, coconut jelly and mango mayonnaise. Born in Swabia and with a German/Spanish background, he is regarded as one of the most innovative chefs around. He specialises in classic French haute cuisine as well as in the techniques of molecular gastronomy. In his own creative studio, the 44-year-old chef develops new cooking methods, researches completely new aromatic combinations, and also redefines or completely reinterprets familiar dishes. He earned his first Michelin star at just 25 years of age. He runs the "Amador" restaurant in Mannheim, which is currently rated with 18 points by the Gault&Millau gourmet guide.

Douce Steiner: diced turbot in lemon sauce with green asparagus tips and sorrel

Douce Steiner, the first German female chef to earn two Michelin stars, served diced turbot in lemon sauce with green asparagus tips and sorrel. Hailing from southern Baden, she is well known for her love of vegetables and herbs – and also famous for her light sauces. In 2007 she took over the "Hirschen" hotel and restaurant in Sulzburg, in the Margravian region of southwest Germany, from her father, under whom she also served as an apprentice. In 2011, the 42-year-old was named "Rising Chef of the Year" by the Gault&Millau gourmet guide. Two years later she earned her second star with her light, Mediterranean-inspired style.

Tim Raue: wasabi langoustine

Two-star chef Tim Raue, from Berlin, delighted guests with an Asian dish - wasabi langoustine. The current edition of the Gault&Millau guide describes the work of the 39-year-old chef as a "love affair with Asia". His dishes are characterised by the careful composition of spices and aromas from China, Japan and Thailand. Deeply rooted in the traditions of Asia, Raue's creations reflect an intense sense of harmony and a strong balance between sweet, sharp, sour and salty highlights. With 19 points, he is one of the few chefs to come close to the maximum score in the current Gault&Millau guide for his restaurant "Tim Raue".

Matthias Schmidt: frozen cress with sorb purée and mustard caramel

31-year-old Matthias Schmidt from Frankfurt am Main is one of the leading creative chefs from the younger generation. As a bold chef, he has earned a reputation which stretches way beyond the boundaries of the banking metropolis. This is because he has turned his back on classic haute cuisine and now works only with (organic) regional products. As part of his approach he opts for little-known products which are not often found in high-end gastronomy, such as sorb and few-flowered leek. His recipe for success lies in the use of often hand-picked ingredients used in his typically innovative style, full of contrasting flavours, to create high-quality, top-class dishes. For the S-Class he created frozen cress with sorb purée and mustard caramel. The two-star chef runs the "Villa Merton" restaurant in Frankfurt. The Gault&Millau guide has awarded the chef's ground-breaking cuisine 17 points.

Wahabi Nouri: Frisian shoulder of ox braised in ras el hanout with celeriac polenta and pickled mirabelle plums

Wahabi Nouri was born in Casablanca and has a reputation as something of a wizard when it comes to the finest culinary delights. As such he charmed the guests at the premiere with Frisian shoulder of ox braised in ras el hanout with celeriac polenta and pickled mirabelle plums. His imaginative dishes are considered to be works of art. They are based on classic delicacies from French cuisine, which the 43-year-old chef combines discreetly yet emotionally with influences from his Moroccan homeland, as well as some modern twists. In 2002 he opened the "Piment" restaurant in Hamburg and one year later earned his first Michelin star. In 2010 he was named "Chef of the Year" by the Gault&Millau guide.

World premiere of the new Mercedes-Benz luxury saloon in Hamburg

The S-Class gourmet creations of the top chefs

Five of the best German chefs brought a further touch of refinement to the world premiere of the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class in Hamburg with some unique gourmet creations.

Juan Amador: veal cheeks in curry sauce, coconut jelly and mango mayonnaise

4 veal cheeks
butter freshly ground white pepper
50 g butter
20 g purple curry
20 g beetroot granules breadcrumbs
hazelnut oil Maldon salt
curry paste
50 g nut butter
80 g dried honey bread

Curry sauce

1 dsp chopped shallots
1 tsp purple curry
200 ml red Banyuls wine
ground arrowroot Maldon salt
1 dsp chopped garlic
30 ml red wine vinegar
500 ml veal jus butter

Coconut jelly

1 l coconut milk 4 gelatine leaves
1 pinch Maldon salt 10 g agar agar
1 pinch sugar

Mango mayonnaise

400 g mango purée
200 ml olive oil
6 g lota (Textura)

Preparation

To make the curry sauce: gently fry the shallots and garlic in a little butter. Sprinkle over the purple curry powder and deglaze with the red wine vinegar. Add the Banyuls and allow to simmer until syrupy in consistency. Add the veal jus, bring to the boil and simmer to reduce by a half, then pass through a sieve and thicken with a little arrowroot.

To make the coconut jelly: bring the coconut milk to the boil with the salt and sugar. Stir in the agar agar, bring to the boil then remove immediately from the heat and sieve before stirring in the softened gelatine. Pour into 2 cm-deep moulds and allow to cool. Before serving, mix the jelly with a little argan oil in a thermomixer to form a smooth cream.

To make the mango mayonnaise: bring the mango purée to the boil and stir in the lota, then add the olive oil to the warm mixture using a hand-held blender until an emulsion is formed. Keep warm. Vacuum-seal the veal cheeks individually with a little hazelnut oil and immerse in a water bath at exactly 60°C for 12 hours.

To make the curry paste: melt 50 g butter and 50 g nut butter in a pan. Add the purple curry, breadcrumbs and beetroot granules. Season with salt and keep warm.

Remove the veal cheek from the bag, season with salt and pepper and fry briefly on each side. Coat with the curry paste, sprinkle with a little Maldon salt and serve.

Douce Steiner: diced turbot in lemon sauce with green asparagus tips and sorrel

Turbot

4 x 60 g turbot fillet salt and pepper
1 dsp vegetable oil
1 dsp butter
1 sprig lemon thyme

Season the fish and fry on each side in the vegetable oil until golden; roast for about 3 minutes in the oven at 180°C, then add the butter and thyme and baste continuously for about ½ minute. Serve with the lemon sauce.

Lemon sauce

2 shallots, finely chopped
2 lemon grass stalks, crushed and roughly chopped
3 saffron threads
2 dsp lime-infused olive oil
½ l chicken, fish or vegetable stock
3 lemons, grated zest and juice
6 sprigs lemon thyme
50 g cold butter
freshly ground salt and pepper
1 tsp pink pepper, crushed

To make the lemon sauce: gently fry the shallots, lemon grass and saffronn in the lime-infused olive oil. Add the chicken stock and the grated lemon zest and simmer until reduced by about a half. Add the thyme and simmer for a further 1-2 minutes. Pass the mixture through a sieve and return the liquid to the pan. Add the lemon juice and butter, season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk thoroughly just before serving. Sprinkle with the pink pepper as a final touch.

Green asparagus tips and sorrel

Trim 4 spears of asparagus and boil for approx. 5 minutes with salt, sugar and 1 dsp butter, then rinse in cold water so it retains its lovely green colour. Just before serving, halve the spears and fry quickly in a dsp olive oil. Place on top of the fish, which should already be on the plate with the lemon sauce, and scatter with the sorrel.

Tim Raue: wasabi langoustine

Langoustine

4 langoustine tails
2 dsp cornflour
Wasabi mayonnaise
7 dsp Japanese mayonnaise
1 dsp wasabi powder
2 dsp freshly grated wasabi root
1 dsp lime juice
4 tsp green rice

Dressing

80 ml Nuc Nam fish sauce
50 ml rice vinegar light (Marukan)
50 ml lemon squash (e.g. Rose's)
3 dsp finely diced carrot
3 dsp finely diced mango
1 dsp chopped coriander stalks

Toss the langoustine tails lightly in the cornflour and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Fry in hot fat (160°C) for 3 minutes.. Blend the wasabi powder with the lime juice, then stir all other ingredients into the mayonnaise. Fry the rice in hot fat at 160°C for a few seconds, place on kitchen paper to drain, season lightly with salt. To make the dressing: mix all liquid ingredients together, then add the carrot, mango and coriander. Serve chilled.

Matthias Schmidt: frozen cress with sorb purée and mustard caramel

The sorb, also known variously as the service-tree, checker tree or sorb apple, is a wild fruit tree related to the rose.

Sorb purée

300 ml apple-quince mead
400 ml glucose
4.5 g dried woodruff
600 ml parsley root juice
35 g garden cress
250 g Boskoop apples
250 g Povida apples
3 g agar agar
3 leaves gelatine
150 g ripe sorb apples
Mustard caramel
60 g sugar
30 g mustard seed

Boil the quince mead with the glucose, add the woodruff and leave to steep for 24 hours and then pass through a sieve. Blend the cress, the parsley root juice and the woodruff mixture together in a mixer until the cress is completely liquidised. Freeze the resulting mixture.

Extract the juice from the Boskoop apples, bring to the boil and pass through a fine cloth. Core the Povida apples, chop finely and allow to soften in the hot Boskoop apple juice. Add the agar agar to the hot mixture, boil for one minute and then add the softened gelatine. Blend everything together to a smooth purée. The sorb apples should be so ripe that they are completely brown and can be pressed through a fine sieve to separate out the flesh of the fruit. Mix the two purées together.

Allow the sugar to caramelise until golden yellow; add the mustard seed and then remove the mixture immediately from the pan onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Allow to cool before cutting into small pieces with a knife.

Wahabi Nouri: Frisian shoulder of ox braised in ras el hanout with celery polenta and pickled mirabelle plums

Frisian shoulder of ox

ox shoulder, approx. 1.5 kg in weight
2 pimientos
1 clove ½ cinnamon stick
2 onions ras el hanout spice mixture
15 g ginger
1 bay leaf
0.5 l white wine zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
250 ml veal stock salt

Chop the onions roughly and allow to marinate for at least three days with all the other ingredients. Sear the meat, season with salt and ras el hanout; add the onions and continue to cook gently. Pour over the marinade and allow to braise for about three hours at 80°C until tender. Remove the meat and place on one side to cool. Sieve the sauce to remove residue and simmer to reduce to the desired consistency. Warm the meat through in the sauce.

Celery polenta

½ head of celery
50 g parmesan
250 ml chicken stock
100 g polenta
100 ml milk
20 ml olive oil

Extract the juice from the celery and immediately bring this liquid quickly to the boil before passing through a fine cloth. Mix this stock with the remaining ingredients to create a soft polenta, then refine with grated parmesan and olive oil.

Pickled mirabelles

100 g mirabelle plums
50 g sugar
50 ml water
25 g white balsamico
salt
2 g agar agar

Halve the mirabelles and bring to the boil with the remaining ingredients, with the exception of the agar agar. Allow to steep and remove any stones. Add the 2 g agar agar and bring to the boil; allow to cool, liquidise and sieve.

















Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Spectacular world premiere of the new S-Class at Airbus in Hamburg: Grand unveiling of the new flagship model from Mercedes-Benz

On the evening of 15th May, the new flagship for luxurious motoring landed in Hamburg on board an Airbus A300-600 DHL cargo plane. Mercedes-Benz had the new S-Class flown in exclusively from its birthplace in Stuttgart for its world premiere at Airbus in Finkenwerder. At the delivery centre for the Airbus A380, the world's largest passenger aircraft and a benchmark in travel comfort, Mercedes-Benz unveiled its new luxury saloon in front of around 750 international guests from the worlds of politics, industry and media. Flanked by the 20 current Mercedes-Benz models and musically accompanied by the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, the new top-of-the-line model from Stuttgart rolled across the tarmac as part of a spectacular show. In a dazzling display, it took up its position at the head of the Mercedes-Benz family and drove onto the stage with its first passenger, the global superstar Alicia Keys.

Just as the Airbus A380 has set new standards in air travel, the new S-Class is the technological spearhead of automotive development. "Rather than being about safety or aesthetics, power or efficiency, comfort or dynamism, our aspirations were 'the best or nothing' in every respect. No other car stands for the Mercedes-Benz brand promise more than the S-Class," said Dr Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

The new S-Class: redefinition of luxurious motoring

The new S-Class is the true embodiment of a modern luxury saloon: it is an exclusive first-class mobile office akin to a business jet and also an exquisite centre of well-being at the same time. While achieving fuel-consumption and emissions values that appeared utopian just a few years ago even for a mid-size car, it raises the standard for automotive safety equipment to a new level.

In addition to featuring high-grade materials, the interior boasts numerous world firsts, opening up a completely new dimension in luxury and comfort. These include the ENERGIZING massage function based on the hot stone principle, active seat ventilation with innovative reversing fans, active and individually adjustable fragrancing as well as the executive rear seat with a revolutionary fully reclined position. Equally unique is the musical experience. The new S-Class is the first saloon to feature Mercedes-Benz's front bass system and the new Burmester® high-end 3D surround sound system – for a superlative listening experience. For the first time, each passenger can individually access the entertainment system from their seat – another world first.

The new S-Class also makes its mark in terms of lighting technology. The first car in the world to completely dispense with conventional electric bulbs, it makes exclusive use of energy-saving LED technology both inside and outside. Equally efficient are the engines, which set new standards in the luxury segment. For example, the S 300 BlueTEC HYBRID consumes just 4.4 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres. And this will soon be followed by the S 500 Plug-In HYBRID, the first S-Class to boast a fuel consumption with a three in front of the decimal point.

A new benchmark in safety is assured by a host of innovative and intelligently interlinked safety and assistance systems. Thanks to their 360-degree all-round vision, these systems provide early detection of potential dangers, warn the driver and sometimes intervene to correct the situation. Mercedes-Benz calls this "Intelligent Drive".

Launch party with global superstars and unique "Ten Star Restaurant"

The new S-Class's uniqueness and leadership aspiration were conveyed to the guests at the world premiere not just through the vehicle itself, but also by a varied range of sensory experiences. For the dinner, Mercedes-Benz had opened a unique "Ten Star Restaurant". Five German star-rated chefs specialising in different culinary styles each cooked their own dish, which they also served themselves as a flying menu: Juan Amador from Mannheim (3 stars), Douce Steiner from Sulzburg (2 stars), Tim Raue from Berlin (2 stars), Matthias Schmidt from Frankfurt am Main (2 stars) and Wahabi Nouri from Hamburg (1 star).

The musical accompaniment was equally excellent and diverse. Global superstar Alicia Keys had come specially to Hamburg just a few days ahead of the start of her European tour. With 19 musicians under conductor Prof. Johannes Schild, the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra played various pieces that had been specially composed for the world premiere of the S-Class by the internationally successful film composer Marius Ruhland. There were also appearances by two internationally acclaimed German musicians: the Berlin-based jazz singer Lisa Bassenge, who won last year's German Jazz Award in Gold, and Alice Francis from Cologne, who received critical acclaim in 2012 for her debut album. In an original and elegant way, she combines elements of swing, Charleston and jazz from the 1920s with modern hip-hip and an electro-sound.

















Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

PREVIEW: The new S-Class - Special delivery at Hamburg

The big stars of tonight's show have already arrived at the Airbus A380 delivery center. The special transport by logistics partner DHL recently landed at the Hamburg airport, where the precious cargo inside was carefully unloaded from the plane and securely directed to the stage of the world premiere, not before being safely covered with white camouflage tape.


Image Credits: Mercedes-Benz | Facebook

Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

PREVIEW: Setting the stage for the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The Hall of Premiere for the new S-Class is getting readied, with the final touches before the big unveiling being minutely applied. Today, Mercedes-Benz reveals the brand new S-Class on a very special stage: the Airbus A380 delivery center in Hamburg, Germany. The luxury flagship of Mercedes-Benz will thus meet the biggest and most modern passenger plane in the world – the Airbus A380 - today.

The LIVE WEBCAST of the new S-Class world premiere --> http://tinyurl.com/NewS-ClassLIVE


Image Credits: Mercedes-Benz Passion Blog

Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
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