Airbus Corporate Helicopters and Mercedes-Benz have renewed their design collaboration agreement, which was first signed in 2010. A facelift of the ACH145 Mercedes-Benz Style Edition is underway to “further reflect contemporary design values”. Since the helicopter’s launch, 26 unique examples have been sold.
The twin-engine ACH145 normally seats between four and eight passengers in a compact size particularly suited to the yacht market. It recently benefited from a new five-blade rotor designed to provide enhanced comfort in the cabin and 150kg of additional useful load.
Mercedes-Benz applies its expertise to take the customer experience to a new level of luxury based on the Sensual Purity design philosophy. Since its introduction in 2009 the Mercedes-Benz design team has created all products underneath the three-pointed star brand following this philosophy. This strategy has been applied to create luxury goods for all elements: on the sea, in the air and naturally on the roads worldwide.
“The ACH145 Mercedes-Benz Style Edition has proven a great success every year since launch,” said Frederic Lemos, head of Airbus Corporate Helicopters. “Our customers particularly value the exploration potential of this model combined with the incredibly sophisticated interior that perfectly matches the lifestyle of our clients. In a way it provides the Mercedes-Benz G Class off-road capabilities in Mercedes-Maybach-like comfort.”
“We look back on a successful cooperation that has already lasted a decade and now we are looking forward to entering the next evolutionary stage,” said Gorden Wagener, chief design officer, Mercedes-Benz. “Our design language of the Sensual Purity, which guides us in the design of all our products, has been brought into line with the challenges that the design of a helicopter interior entails. It embodies our understanding of luxury now also in the air. This design cooperation is very close to our heart, because creating the typical desire of Mercedes within an aircraft is a great challenge and inspiration.”
“Applying Mercedes-Benz design DNA onto the ACH145 has been an enjoyable and very satisfactory experience,” Wagener added. “The new facelift will offer an enhanced experience for all customers incorporating the design codes of our multifaceted brand. I’m very much looking forward to eventually revealing the evolution we have been working on.”
