By Joe Thompson

The 77th Geneva International Auto Show will be hosting the unveiling of many vehicles which are made to please the motoring public. Different car makers will be making an appearance to showcase their products. This year's installment of the motor show seems to attract green car unveilings due to the increased environmental awareness. Since the European Union is hot on the topic of reducing greenhouse gases emission by vehicles car makers all over the world, they see it fit to introduce to Europeans the market's greener and cleaner cars.

Among those car makers who will be showcasing their vehicles not only to the media but to the public as well is Mercedes-Benz. The star of the show of the German car maker is the C-Class. Aside from the standard production model of the class, Mercedes-Benz will also premiere the AMG-Mercedes C-Class DTM 2007, a racing version of the C-Class model; and the Vision C 220 BLUETEC, an environment friendly version of the model.

The demand for the C-Class is strong according to Dr Dieter Zetsche, the Chairman of the Board of Management of DaimlerChrysler AG. Zetsche serves also as the head of the Mercedes Car Group. "Since the sales release date at the end of January, more than 55,000 customers in Western Europe alone have decided in favor of the new C-Class," says Zetsche. "We are confident that new C-Class will continue the success story of its predecessor, of which more than two million units were sold," he added.

Mercedes-Benz will be showcasing the fourth generation of the C-Class during the motor show. The strongest selling points of the standard C-Class models are safety, comfort, and agility. These three factors are, of course, what the car maker is well known for. The anchor of the agility, comfort, and safety of the Mercedes Bezn C-Class is the AGILITY CONTROL system which includes a responsive shock absorber control. The use of the said technology increases the stability of the vehicles. This then translates to a better ride comfort, handling agility, and resistance to slips and rollovers.

The response of the German car maker in the demand for cleaner vehicles is the advanced four-cylinder diesel engine with BLUETEC emission control. This technology allows the vehicle to comply with stricter EURO6 emissions standards. The emission standard will be enforced from 2015 onwards. But as early as today, Mercedes-Benz shows that they already have the technology to meet and even surpass the restrictions. The engine can provide 170 horsepower and torque of as much as 400 Nm. For all these power, the BLUTEC engine is supposed to consume only 5.5 liters of diesel every one hundred kilometers. This feat is hard to achieve even for gasoline engines fitted with a knock sensor

By Mike Bartley

Ford has been experiencing woes on their own turf - they have posted a decrease in their sale for the month of February this year compared to the numbers last year. But the company is focused to bring them back to profitability. In connection with their bid to increase sales globally, they have plans to launch new products at the ongoing Geneva Auto Show.

Ford is likely to introduce vehicles which will address the demand for segments in the European market. These segments that Ford is trying to take control of are the Multi-Purpose Vehicle segment and the premium-styled class of vehicles.

Last year, Ford of Europe saw their sales improving over 2005. The improvement is the result of the popularity of the Ford S-Max which was voted as the Car of the Year in Europe. This year, Ford has improved the overall appeal of the C-MAX which they hope will tighten their grip on the MAV segment of the European market.

Aside from MAVs, European motorists are also showing interest for top of the line features and innovative features in sedans. The increase in the sales of German premium brands like BMW and Audi reflects the current trend that European car buyers are more inclined to luxury sedans.

In response to this, Ford will launch at the 77th Geneva International Auto Show the redesigned Ford Mondeo. The sedan is the flagship vehicle of Ford's lineup in the European market. Just like BMW and Audi sedans, the Mondeo is also packed with features which spell luxury for its owner.

The Ford Mondeo was also given the benefit of having technological features akin to that held by Audi and BMW vehicles.

John Fleming, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ford of Europe, has this to say about the launching of the redesigned Mondeo: "The new Mondeo is particularly important to us, and it's the most technologically advanced car we've ever launched. I am convinced that like the Ford S-MAX, the new Mondeo will not only bring new buyers to Ford showrooms but also delight our loyal customer base across Europe."

The Ford Mondeo was designed not only to give a high level of performance and reliability but also to attract the attention of the public through its stunning looks. "We wanted to create an emotional connection with the new Mondeo that would attract people from an aesthetic point of view even before they appreciate its technology," says Martin Smith. Smith is the Executive Director of Design for Ford of Europe. "Our goal was to make people feel impressed when they see the car, and ultimately want to own one," Smith added in conclusion.

Meanwhile, the introduction of the Ford C-MAX further broadens the lineup of MAVs of Ford of Europe. Stephen Odell, the Vice President of Marketing, Sales, and Service for Ford of Europe, has this to say about the smaller sibling of the S-MAX: "The cornerstone of our 'MAX' strategy is to give customers all the features, space, and flexibility they need from a family vehicle, but to style the vehicles in a way that allows them to stand out in the crowd, and above all to maximize driving pleasure. Both the new C-MAX and the bigger S-MAX are true to this concept - versatile, comfortable, and spacious, yet also great fun to drive."

The drive of Ford of Europe to increase their performance in terms of sales has resulted to the two additional vehicles in their lineup. While no Nissan car cover can hide the great features of the vehicles, the acceptance of the car buyers of the Ford Mondeo and the Ford C-MAX still remains to be seen.