Mercedes' Parent Company Daimler Dismantled A Rented Tesla Model X For Research
Rental cars have hard lives full of frequent abuse from hoons and careless drivers alike, but Mercedes-Benz’s parent company Daimler apparently took it to a whole new level. According to a report in Germany’s Der Spiegel, Daimler rented a Tesla Model X to test and dismantle for research purposes. Not purchased—rented.
The story says Daimler rented the Model X for seven weeks in July and August from Sixt, the story says. The 100-kWh Model X belonged to Bavarian couple Monika Kindlein and Manfred van Rinsum, who own three Teslas they put up for rent—usually to wedding parties and other events directly as an additional source of income. The agency reached out to them to arrange the rental.
However, the couple didn’t know who rented out their Model X until it was returned heavily damaged, with a note in the glove box which read “you parked incorrectly” from the Mercedes-Benz Technology Center in Sindelfingen, Germany, near the marque’s Stuttgart corporate headquarters.