Actros is a winner!

The new Mercedes-Benz Actros isn’t just efficient, green and technologically advanced; it’s a real head turner too. This has been confirmed with the news that the truck has won three leading design awards.

The first accolade for the truck, which isn’t available in South Africa yet, was the Red Dot design award in July this year. It won the Red Dot award because of the “high quality and ergonomics of the interior and the consistent exterior design”.

Then came the thumbs up from the Design Council. A panel of judges evaluated some 1 500 submissions in ten categories, picking the Actros as cream of the crop in the Transportation and Public Space category and awarding it the German Design Award.

Design quality, level of innovation, brand value, functionality, ergonomics and environmental compatibility were all part of the tough criteria. The official award ceremony will be held at the Ambiente trade fair in Frankfurt in February 2013.

The new truck was then honoured on October 12 by the Design Centre in Stuttgart, Germany, with the Focus on Gold 2012 award in the Vehicle category. The Design Centre Stuttgart has been organising the design product of the year competition since 1962 and is the oldest institution of its kind, making it a reputable award for the vehicle. The Focus in Gold 2012 award was presented to Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle designers Kai Sieber and Bertrand Janssen at a ceremony in Ludwigsburg.

“We are incredibly proud and very pleased about this special recognition in the form of these coveted international design awards,” says Sieber.