Riding champion Martin Fuchs and his Actros 2548 L/nR 6x2

Vehicle & Engineering

The strongest horse in the stable.

Riding star Martin Fuchs relies on Mercedes-Benz. An Actros 2548 L/nR 6x2 takes his team and his horses safely and comfortably from tournament to tournament.

The perfect solution. The Actros 2548 L/nR 6x2 tailored to the requirements of the Martin Fuchs team covers around 40,000 kilometres every year criss-crossing Europe with “steed and rider”.


Martin Fuchs has been a brand ambassador for Mercedes-Benz in Switzerland for three years now. The 23-year-old riding champion from the town of Bietenholz in the Zurich highlands, is enjoying great Europe-wide success and regularly stands on the first place of the podium to receive a gold medal. But Fuchs reaches for the stars not only in his sports endeavours, now he also does so for of his transport requirements. «With the sponsored Mercedes-Benz Actros 2548 L/nR 6x2 we cover up to 40,000 kilometres a year. It is a real pleasure to get on board and drive off, every time,» enthuses the show jumper. Whether in Zurich, in Geneva, in St. Gallen, in Paris, in Amsterdam or in Bratislava – thanks to his Actros he feels at home everywhere.

And his mother Renata Fuchs has only good things to say about their «strongest horse in the stable»: «Both my husband Thomas and I used to be professional show jumpers. For 30 years now, we have always driven a Mercedes-Benz from tournament to tournament, ourselves. We never had a chauffeur.» And they will probably never have one, either, for in this respect, too, their son Martin is following in his parents' footsteps: he already has a learner's driving licence and is thus allowed to "take the reins" at the wheel of the truck himself when accompanied by his parents. «This luxurious powerhouse has a lot to offer. I hope to pass the driving test soon,» he says. The whole family has always been pleased with the three-pointed star – but when it comes to the Actros 2548 L/nR 6x2 they show unbridled enthusiasm.


And no wonder, for this vehicle displays compelling characteristics all along the line and is the ideal complement for the perfectly harmonised Fuchs team. Its superstructure, including the integrated living area with pop-out provides a space for the whole team to get the rest they need. «We have plenty of room for sleeping, extremely large storage spaces and there is even a kitchen sector where we can cook for ourselves,» explains Martin Fuchs. In addition to this its Euro VI engine with BlueEfficiency Power and 350 kW output is exemplary in its economy and consequently takes full account of the sustainability we value – as do the standard-fit Mercedes PowerShift 3 automatic transmission and the wear-free secondary water retarder.

The family values this highly – precisely because they are on the road so often and for so long. «I am fortunate, as were my parents before me, to be able to make a profession of my hobby,» remarks Martin Fuchs. «However, it is a profession that demands a lot and also requires many things. For example, a suitable vehicle, one that cannot be found on every street corner and that to a certain degree really has to be tailored to my requirements. It is important for me to tackle the thousands of kilometres we drive as ecologically and also as economically as possible. And the performance of the Actros in this respect is absolutely incredible.»


Another advantage of the Actros is its steered rear axle, thanks to which this youngest newcomer to the fleet can be incredibly easily handled and manoeuvred on mountain roads and over mountain passes. And it ensures top-class ride comfort, together with the cruise control feature and the ergonomic, 2.3‑metre‑wide ClassicSpace L-cab with air conditioning and hot water auxiliary heating.

Safety is top-class as well. This holds true for passengers as well as for the horses being transported. It is taken care of, among other things, by the well-proven EPB Electronic Braking System with ABS, ASR, hill holder and the optional Safety Pack Top, which the Fuchs family can all rely on in their Actros 2548 L/nR 6x2. The systems include Attention Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Roll Control Assist and Proximity Control Assist as well as Active Brake Assist 3, airbag and secondary water retarder.


Being one's own driver. In her active time as a show jumper Renata Fuchs used to drive her truck herself – in this sense her son Martin continues the family tradition.


Thanks to a working relationship spanning many years with Werner Studer of Mercedes-Benz in Schlieren, safety is something of which the Team Fuchs can be certain. «If anything ever needs to be done to the Actros, it is usually just a simple service check,» says Renata Fuchs. «The service never demands much time and is always transparent and performed professionally. These things are important to us.»

Looks are also important, or better said: the design. From the front apron to the radiator grille to the roof – the striking, long-haulage-specific exterior design lends the Actros 2548 L/nR 6x2 a new visual dimension and at the same time bears witness to its inner strength. Martin Fuchs: «We are a family enterprise passionately dedicated to show jumping. And show jumping is quite simply an emotional sport. That's why we want to awaken positive associations towards the outside with our ‹strongest horse in the stable›.»

www.martinfuchs.ch

Photos: Robert Aebli

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