Big Bang!

MANILA, Philippines - The year-end typically means slower days (or even weeks) as businesses wind down and prepare to close their books on yet another year. Well, that’s not the case with CATS Motors, Inc., the official distributor of Mercedes-Benz vehicles in the Philippines, as they launched a brand-new portfolio in their business: premium-class trucks.

Launched at CATS’ renovated facility in Greenhills, San Juan City, the Mercedes-Benz Actros truck is geared towards the extra-ordinary business owner. With over 2,600 hours of fine-tuning in the wind tunnel, 50 million kilometers of testing on test rigs and 20 million kilometers on the road, the Actros is the clear choice for those who demand reliability and economy from their long-distance haulers.

Towering over the dozens of guests representing the petroleum, mining and construction businesses, the Actros is brimming with technology which sets it apart from others in its class; it is, after all, the Mercedes-Benz of trucks. From its design to its drive train to its range of safety and convenience features, the Actros builds on Mercedes-Benz’s legendary truck-building history that stretches more than a century.

For starters, the Actros features all-new heavy-duty diesel engines which offer Euro IV emissions compliance. All part of the Mercedes-Benz Om 471 line-up; the inline-6 engine features a range of power outputs from 421 horsepower to 510 horsepower. This powerful yet environmentally-friendly power plant is then mated to Mercedes-Benz’s PowerShift which basically is a mechanical transmission with a fully-automated clutch. This Formula 1 derived technology boosts the Actros’ fuel efficiency contributing to its cost-effectiveness.

The chassis, though still featuring the fundamental design of solid axles do feature improved axle control and suspension to enhance driving comfort and safety. In addition, the Actros features a new steering system which promises better precision while being lighter in effort.

Sitting atop this rigid and solidly engineered chassis is an unmistakable exterior which is by itself designed to be as aerodynamically optimized as possible, again to increase overall fuel efficiency. Dubbed as “flow” by Mercedes-Benz engineers, the Actros, harmoniously combines the front section, bumper, corner paneling and flanks to form a single cohesive unit.

Aside from cost-effectiveness on the road and excellent design, continuous and accident-free operation is another important aspect business owners look for in their trucks. With the Actros, Mercedes-Benz has equipped it with a myriad of safety technologies also seen in Mercedes-Benz passenger cars. For instance, to minimize risk to both passenger and cargo, the Actros comes available with Attention Assist, which detects the driver’s drowsiness. It even comes with Proximity Control Assist which automatically controls the Actros’ starting and stopping in traffic jams – making the driver’s job easier when driving through cities or in stop-and-go traffic.

And when something does go wrong, CATS Motors has announced that it has invested on a dedicated team that will be on-call 24/7 as well as a dedicated facility and equipment to assist all Mercedes-Benz truck owners which will soon be inaugurated in C5 in Pasig City.

For CATS Motors, diversifying into the truck business is a natural progression and is by no means steering away from luxury. As a brand, Mercedes-Benz continues to push boundaries by producing the best premium vehicles to keep the world moving, be it passenger cars, commercial vehicles or even heavy-duty trucks. With the launch of the Actros, CATS Motors believes it can make Philippine roads a safer place by lessening road accidents while maximizing profitability to its customers and buyers.