Mercedes Berlin Plant Rolls Out 1 Millionth V6

On Tuesday, German carmaker Mercedes Benz announced it has achieved an important milestone for its Berlin facility, the oldest plant of the Daimler group, as the V6 engine no. 1 million came off the assembly lines.

"The Berlin engine plant has been a vital part of Berlin's industrial landscape and a key player in the business community for many decades," Berlin mayor Harald Wolf, who attended a ceremony at the plant, said. "We look forward to a continuing positive impact on the region."

The moment was of a special significance for the carmaker, who called to the plant manager Thomas Uhr, Volker Stauch, head of Powertrain Production Mercedes-Benz Cars and even some of the children from the Berlin plant's "sternchen" creche...

Yes, you read it right, the children from the creche, who were tasked with making and painting a papier-mache wall through which the engine crashed when coming off the line.

"Although this is the oldest plant in the Daimler Group in historical terms, the magnificent enthusiasm and commitment of our workforce has kept it young and dynamic," plant manager Thomas Uhr added.

Mercedes also announced on Tuesday that, in addition to the V6 diesel engines being built here since 2005 (including the BlueTEC variant) and the V12, production of the transmission-integrated electric motors for Mercedes vehicles will begin in 2012.

The plant will also be retooled for the new task, following a EUR40 million investment. Mercedes will convert a 4,000 square meter shop for the production of the electric motors.