The Mercedes-Benz C-Class shows its adventurous side as it races, screeches and smashes through the streets of London in NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS from Walt Disney Pictures, in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Films, in theatres nationwide December 21. This daredevil chase scene is one of the largest of its kind in London’s history, with landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and Southwark Bridge serving as backdrops, and takes place at a pivotal moment in the plot of this highly anticipated motion picture.

"The tremendous scale and excitement of this scene in NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS was the perfect opportunity for the new 2008 C-Class Sport to demonstrate its exceptional athleticism and agility,” said Stephen Cannon, vice president of marketing for Mercedes-Benz USA. “The C-Class was tested and punished mercilessly during the shoot, and came through with flying colors. It will be a real spectacle to witness its abilities on the big screen.”

Controlled Chaos and Motion-Picture Mayhem on the Streets of London

Creating London's most ambitious car chase scene ever was no small feat. Behind the scenes, many of London’s streets and alleyways were closed while up to 40 stunt people, 70 logistical support vehicles, 50 extras and nine cameras brought the chase to life. Six C-Classes were used, many of which were heavily modified to accommodate rigging for cameras and apparatus for stunt driving. Four months of work went into the scene’s creation – from conception and writing to storyboarding and animation with “animatic storyboarding,” a video-game type program that simulates the scene before it’s shot.
   
“We did take after take after take – thankfully the Mercedes held up wonderfully,” said producer Jerry Bruckheimer. “London has so many one-way streets, and there are so many things that can go wrong, but the C-Class handled it. The great ability and agility of the car really helped.”