Mercedes-Benz USA And The Conservation Fund Kick-Start Initiative To Support Green Entrepreneurs

Mercedes-Benz' Investment in The Conservation Fund's ShadeFund program spurs creative conservation and green economy by investing in sustainable farms, forests and forest products, eco-tourism and small-scale renewable energy. Mercedes-Benz USA and The Conservation Fund announced today a keystone investment in The Conservation Fund's ShadeFund program, a new charitable endeavor to raise donated capital that will provide small loans to green entrepreneurs. While most microloan charities focus on entrepreneurs in the third world, The Conservation Fund's ShadeFund program will tap into the growing trend of making loans to American small businesses. True to its mission, The Conservation Fund's ShadeFund program is aimed at giving a leg up to entrepreneurs and innovators who use natural resources creatively and responsibly to spur a greener economy. As an inaugural sponsor of the program, Mercedes-Benz USA will invest in 10-12 Mercedes-Benz Signature ShadeFund Entrepreneurs over the next two years: select, small business owners who display an innovative, entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to environmental values and exceptional artisanship.

The first two Mercedes-Benz Signature ShadeFund Entrepreneurs, Connecticut-based City Bench and Bluebird Hill Farm out of North Carolina, will receive their loans by the end of the year. Steve Cannon, vice president of marketing for MBUSA. During a time when even the most creditworthy businesses are having a hard time getting loans, green entrepreneurs face an especially steep challenge. 50,000 because there is not enough profit to balance transaction costs and the risk. Shade Fund's director, Rick Larson. Established by The Conservation Fund with a lead grant from the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, ShadeFund is asking individuals, companies and foundations across the U.S. As soon as the donations are received, they are pooled by ShadeFund and can be used to support qualified small businesses nationwide. Once the entrepreneurs repay their loans, those same dollars will be recycled to empower new investments in green endeavors again and again. Eligible industries include sustainable farms, forestry and forest products, eco-tourism and small-scale renewable energy production. 50,000 and can be used for working capital, as well as for the acquisition of materials, supplies, equipment and certification. The Conservation Fund is dedicated to advancing America's land and water legacy. With our partners, we conserve land, train leaders and invest in conservation at home. Since 1985, we have helped protect more than 6.7 million acres, sustaining wild havens, working lands and vibrant communities. Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service for all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the United States. MBUSA offers drivers the most diverse line-up in the luxury segment with 12 model lines ranging from the sporty C-Class to the flagship S-Class sedans and the SLS AMG supercar. MBUSA is also responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Vans in the US.

A new vaporization system enables the engine to run at extremely slow speeds below 1,000 rpm. Besides automatic mode, the driver can also choose to control the tiptronic using the standard paddles on the steering wheel or via a selector lever. In both cases, the commands are transmitted purely electrically (by wire). The self-locking center differential - the heart of the quattro all-wheel drive system - is integrated into the housing of the eight-speed tiptronic. It is significantly lighter and more compact than the transfer case of the previous model, and with its optimized locking rates provides for outstanding traction and handling. Under normal driving conditions, the center differential distributes the power between the front and rear axle in a 40:60 ratio. If the wheels of one axle lose grip, it can extremely quickly transfer as much as 70 percent of the power to the front and a maximum of 85 percent to the rear.

The mechanical center differential operates in direct conjunction with torque vectoring. During fast cornering, the control software uses finely metered interventions to brake the inside wheels, which are under a reduced load. This makes the steering response of the big SUV even more agile and precise, and the grip even better. The new Audi Q7 is an extremely comfortable companion. It tracks smoothly and confidently on the highway and spoils its passengers with a high level of rolling comfort. On twisting interurban roads, it is manageable, precise and agile, and it also keeps going when the asphalt stops. Compared with the previous model, the center of mass of the big SUV has been lowered by 50 millimeters (2.0 in), in part by installing the engine lower. The chassis also features numerous changes. Both the front and rear axle are five-link designs, replacing the double wishbone axles of the previous model.

The new elastomer bearings and the separate springs and dampers at the rear axle respond extremely sensitively. Also new is the electromechanical power steering, whose boost decreases as speed increases and is very efficient. It provides for direct steering response, and several of the driver assistance systems would not be possible without it. Compared with the previous model, the chassis of the new Audi Q7 is over 100 kilograms (220.5 lb) lighter - thanks to many changes. The links of the wheel suspensions, for example, are now made of aluminum and high-strength steel; the cardan shafts of the front axle are hollow; and the pivot bearings are aluminum forgings. Audi offers another groundbreaking innovation as an option: all-wheel steering. A steering system with an electric spindle drive turns the rear wheels inward by as much as five degrees depending on the situation. At low speeds they steer opposite the front wheels, which significantly increases vehicle agility and reduces the turning radius by up to one meter (3.3 ft).