Mercedes-Benz Atego is "Truck of the Year 2011"

Mercedes-Benz has once again lifted the International Truck of the Year title, after its new Atego beat off competitors to win the prestigious award. The new Atego range – which, for the first time, includes a factory-built diesel-electric hybrid version, polled 127 points from the judging panel of top industry journalists, representing 23 European countries. Its victory came by a comfortable margin: the second-placed vehicle (Volvo FMX) scored 82 points. The third place had received Scania R with V8 engine (45 points). On top of its winning performance in all these categories, jury members were particularly impressed by the new Atego’s comprehensive list of standard equipment, and by the presence in the range of a clean, ‘green’ hybrid drive variant.

The judging panel’s verdict stated: “In the new Atego family, Mercedes-Benz presents a versatile medium-duty truck with ‘two souls’. On the one hand, the short- radius distribution driver now gets equipment which not long ago was reserved to long-haul drivers. On the other hand, the progressive parallel hybrid drive promotes the reduction of the CO2 emissions of commercial vehicles.”

The award was received by Hubertus Troska, head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, at the IAA International Commercial Vehicle Show in Hanover, Germany. He said: “We are pleased that with this high honour the Truck of the Year jury has confirmed our efforts in two significant points: firstly, that we devote to the distributor vehicle the attention it deserves on account of its performance in the daily supply of the needs of our society; secondly, that it was right to continue our investments and developments in technologies of the future, like hybrid drive, even in economic crisis situations. That now pays off.”

1st place - Mercedes New Atego - 127 points

2nd place - Volvo FMX - 82 points

3rd place - Scania R V8 - 45 points