Under the guidance of general manager Gianvito Blanc, the group came to the R&D department of the Brazilian Mercedes-Benz automobile factory.
Affected by Germany's defeat in the war, Mercedes-Benz's life in Germany was difficult. Therefore, when Fang Lang was negotiating with Mercedes-Benz, he asked Mercedes-Benz to relocate its entire R&D department to Brazil.
This has resulted in the current R&D department of Mercedes-Benz Brazil being very large.
There is not only a power research laboratory, but also a research center for various new models and new technologies. The entire R&D department even occupies more than half of the factory.
It also concentrates almost the best technical strength and excellent R&D personnel of German Mercedes-Benz.
This is also the main reason why Mercedes-Benz Brazil was able to quickly put into production in Brazil.
The first thing everyone visited was Mercedes-Benz's new model research and development department. The environment of the entire R&D department looked far less clean and tidy than the factories that Fang Lang saw later, but the workers all wore uniform work clothes with Mercedes-Benz standards printed on them.
This is a favorite style of work clothes for workers in this era, cotton shirts and cotton overalls.
The workers did not stop what they were doing just because the boss came.
After walking into the gate, Fang Lang saw at a glance a vehicle parked in the middle of the R&D workshop that looked somewhat like an F1 racing car. It had a baguette-like body, four wheels that were exposed, and no windshield. convertible cab.
The entire front face is an oval air intake, and the Mercedes-Benz logo is installed on the hood close to the front face.
With just one glance, Fang Lang could tell that this was definitely not the pre-war style family car he had just seen in the production workshop, but a real racing car.
The F1 racing-style appearance says it all. But Fang Lang searched his memory carefully, but couldn't find any impressions of F1 events from this era.
In fact, F1, also called the World Formula One Championship, was not held until 1950 at the Silverstone Circuit in the United Kingdom.
Of course, Fang Lang didn't know this, so he felt a little strange and looked at general manager Gianvito Blanc and said:
"Is this a racing car?"
General manager Gianvito Blanc immediately gave the answer to the boss's doubts.
"Yes, boss.
This is a race car specially built by us in order to reshape the image of our high-end Mercedes-Benz car brand. We are ready to return Mercedes-Benz to people's attention by participating in world-class rallies. "
Fang Lang does not dislike racing. On the contrary, he likes racing very much. After all, it represents pure speed and passion. Therefore, he also agreed very much when he learned that the company's leadership wanted to enhance the brand image through racing.
After all, those high-end car brands in later generations did not prove themselves on the racing track before they achieved their subsequent brilliant achievements!
"Hmm! It's a very good idea, but in my impression, there doesn't seem to be any world-famous events being held now!
How about the three car brands under our Fangyuan Group come together to organize a competition similar to the Le Mans 24 endurance race in Brazil? "
This is what Fang Lang said casually, because apart from knowing F1, he only remembers the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Another thing that impressed me the most was the track called the Nürburgring.
When later generations of cars are sold, they don’t run them on the Nürburgring. They tell everyone what good results they have achieved, as if they are too embarrassed to sell them.
Although Fang Lang has never been there to see it, as far as Fang Lang knows, this track seems to be located on a plateau and is famous for its many curves and difficulty.
But when it comes to the plateau, the Brazilian plateau is not just a general one! As for the many curves and the difficulty, isn’t this simple? Wouldn’t it be enough to create such a road artificially?
It was just a casual remark at first, but after thinking about it in his mind, he seemed to have found a new way of thinking.
General manager Gianvito Blanc didn't know what Fang Lang was thinking. After hearing Fang Lang's words, he was a little surprised. He didn't expect that the boss wanted to organize a game by himself.
However, after thinking about it, he felt that there seemed to be no problem. After all, the three brands owned by the boss were not ordinary.
Therefore, he quickly replied:
“We have received news that the Thousand Mile Rally, which was suspended due to World War II, will restart this year.
If we can get a good ranking in this competition, we will definitely be able to re-establish our Mercedes-Benz brand around the world.
As for your idea of holding an event of your own, I support it with all hands. I believe that with the strength of our Mercedes-Benz, no matter what kind of competition it is, we will definitely become the final champion. "
Hearing this, Fang Lang smiled slightly. Holding an event was obviously not a simple matter. If it was just three automobile companies under his own control, what would be the point of having fun behind closed doors?
The most important thing about car competitions is to have enough influence and give car manufacturers a sufficient sense of accomplishment. Either we don’t do it at all, or we just do it in a big way.
Create a world-class event so that car brands around the world will flock to it and compete to participate, so that they can have the opportunity to make big money.
Anyway, now that I am ready to start a Brazilian football league, why not have a more exciting car game? This will not only give Brazil's automobile industry a shot in the arm, but also add a new competition program to its own TV channel.
Why not do it?
Thinking of this, Fang Lang immediately decided to go back and arrange for Fangyuan Media to start relevant preparations. If there is no venue, he will bring his Global Road and Bridge Company to Brazil and build a hellishly difficult car track first.
Let the world's major car brands come here to try their hand at it.
As for the event mentioned by general manager Gianvito Blanc, Fang Lang carefully searched his memory and confirmed that he had never heard of the name of this event. He couldn't help but said with some doubts:
"Are you sure this event has such a big influence? Why don't I seem to have heard of it at all! Where is it held?"
General manager Gianvito Blanc saw that his boss was interested and quickly explained:
"This is an open road endurance race held in Italy. Since its inception in 1927, it has become the most famous automobile endurance race in the world.
He has a huge influence in society. No matter who he is, as long as he can achieve good results here, he will be sought after by the whole world.
If we can succeed here, then we at Mercedes-Benz will be able to succeed. "
Hearing this, Fang Lang could only nod. After all, he was not a professional. It was normal that he had never heard of this competition. Since the company management unanimously decided to participate, he would certainly not object.
In fact, this thousand-mile endurance race, also called Mille Miglia, is the most romantic and legendary racing event in the history of world racing.
A total of 24 sessions were held before and after, including 13 sessions before World War II; and a total of 11 sessions were held from 1947 to 1957 after the war. It is a world-famous international competition in the last century.
However, due to an accident during the 1957 race, a Ferrari 290MM lost control during the race, killing a total of fourteen people including driver Alfonso de Botago, and the Mille Miglia race was terminated.
"Very good. I support your idea. Can you introduce this racing car to me?"
Gianvito Blanc looked very confident about this racing car. He gently brushed the nose of the car with his hand, bowed slightly to Fang Lang and said:
"Of course, boss! It's my pleasure.
This racing car uses an in-line six-cylinder gasoline engine developed by Mercedes-Benz itself, with a power of 215 horsepower, an acceleration time of 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 10 seconds, a top speed of 260 kilometers per hour, and a fuel consumption of 15 liters per 100 kilometers.
We have reached a world-class level, and with an excellent racing driver, we will surely achieve an unprecedented victory in the competition. "
Although, Fang Lang felt that the shape of this racing car did not fit Fang Lang's aesthetics. But I have to say that this must be a racing car with a very small wind resistance coefficient. After all, the barrel shape without even a windshield will definitely have a much smaller wind resistance than the old-fashioned cars on the market today.
Maybe this is the reason why it can reach a top speed of 260 kilometers per hour!
Hearing this data, Fang Lang had to sigh. Mercedes-Benz has a profound technical background. After being beaten by the war, it can still have such technical strength.
Fang Lang didn't want to make too many comments about this kind of racing, after all, he really didn't know much about it. After listening to the other party's introduction, he nodded with satisfaction and said:
"Are there any other models?"
Seeing that the boss had no other expression, Gianvito Blanc couldn't help but murmur in his heart. Is this satisfaction or dissatisfaction?
He didn't dare to ask. Anyway, if the boss didn't object, then he would be the boss for sure!
Hearing that the boss wanted to see other models, Gianvito Blanc quickly stepped forward, pointed to the other side and said:
"Of course, boss!
This is the only one that has been trial-produced now, but we have already started the development of subsequent models. plz follow me. "
After saying that, he saw his hand pointing in another direction and stepped forward to lead the way.
After walking more than a hundred meters, Fang Lang followed Gianvito Blanc and came to a large office area where there were no external mechanical processing equipment. Most of them are desks, and many engineers are immersed in work.
Fang Lang saw at a glance a set of car design drawings fixed with head nails on the wall behind the office. The unique gull-wing door design shocked Fang Lang speechless.
He is not a professional in the automobile industry and does not know when gull-wing doors appeared. However, now you see such a car with gull-wing doors in its own Mercedes-Benz factory. To be more precise, this should be a coupe.
How could this not make his jaw drop? He originally thought of coming over to give some advice to the designers, but he was instantly shattered.
Needless to say, he also understood that there must be a hidden dragon and a crouching tiger in his Mercedes-Benz factory at the moment.
The streamlined shape with almost no decorative elements and graceful curves are different from the current mainstream car with a high front in the middle and two slightly lower wheel arch plates on both sides.
The two round headlights on the left and right protrude slightly, and the middle cover is lower than the two sides. The shape of the entire front of the car has changed from the original convex characters to concave characters, which is definitely a subversion in appearance.
Coupled with the elegant gull-wing door, Fang Lang's eyes were instantly attracted, and he couldn't help but walk to the design drawing.
As Fang Lang walked closer, he saw the large Mercedes-Benz LOGO in the middle of the grille on the front face, crossed by a horizontal line, and instantly found the shadow of the Mercedes-Benz cars passing through the streets in later generations.
At this moment, Fang Lang had only one thought in his mind, he wanted to have this car.
(End of chapter)
