The Southwest Star COVERING THE SOUTHWEST REGION OF THE MERCEDES-BENZ CLUB OF AMERICA VOLUME 2, NUMBER 1
The world’s best coupe The new C-Class The new S65 AMG Powers Aston Martin
Las Vegas and ZZYZX Desert Stars Tech Session The Palm Springs International Film Festival California Coast Carfest Orange County on the High Seas Mercedes-Benz at a local Porsche rally Party after party after party and much more
Page 1 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 2 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 3 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
The Regional Director’s Corner Communiqués from the section presidents
10 13 - 25 27
The all-new S-Class Coupe
33
Mercedes-Benz at a Porsche Rally? The Tucson Classics Car Show
38
39
S65 AMG
48
Desert Stars Holiday Party Oktoberfest in Los Angeles
50 53
Desert Stars Tech Session San Diego Party
56
Page 4 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
62
AMG Powers Aston Martin
66 Los Angeles Holiday Party 76 Oktoberfest with Long Beach 80 The all-new 2015 C-Class
Las Vegas Holiday Party
83
Tucson Holiday Party
86
Palm Springs International Film Festival ”That other” Film Festival OC on the high seas
88
90
97
Upcoming Events
101
Page 5 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
The Southwest Star Covering the Southwest Region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America March 2014 Editor-In-Chief
Marcus Blair Fitzhugh
Managing Editor
VeeAnn Hegreberg
Creative Director
Karcy Bowles
Contributors Mercedes-Benz USA, Gail Adams, Steve Ross, Dieter Schaltinat, Mike Zonnefeld, Bud Cloninger, Tommy Alvarado, John McCully, Paul Bergstrom, Lynn Hern, Michael Cooper, Roz Bergstrom, Chris Bingham, Geoff Bolt, Harman and Susan Cadis, Dee Cloninger, Matthew Crawford, Kevin Ehrlich, Gerhard Fehrmann, Ann Geskes, Allen Goodloe, Bob Gunthorp, Debbie Ichiyama, Mark Ichiyama, Carlos E. Muñoz, Chris Murray, John & Roberta Phin, Fran Schoenfeld, Rich Schulte, Brigitte Sutherly, Lana Tbilisi, Tina Wright, Kevin Wright, Bob Yoder, Bink’s Midtown, BiCE Restaurant, Furnace Creek Ranch. If we’ve forgotten anyone, we apologize. Send us a note and we’ll correct it. Southwest Region President - Steve Ross Channel Islands Section President - Dieter Schaltinat mbcachannelislands.org ◊ Ventura-Santa Barbara Counties, California Chaparral Section , President - Mike Zonnefeld www.tucsonsmercedesclub.org ◊ Tucson, Arizona Desert Stars Section President - Bud Cloninger desertstars.mbca.org ◊ Phoenix, Arizona Las Vegas Section President - Tommy Alvarado www.mbca-lasvegas.org Las Vegas, Nevada Long Beach - South Bay President John McCully www.mbcalb-sb.com ◊ Long Beach and the South Bay area of Los Angeles County, California Los Angeles Section President - Paul Bergstrom www.la-mbca.com ◊ Los Angeles, California Orange County Section President - Lynn Hern www.mboc.info ◊ Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and Orange, CA. San Diego Section President - Michael Cooper sandiego.mbca.org ◊ San Diego, California The Southwest Star Magazine is published quarterly by Fitzhugh Media and we welcome all contributions. Any and all items submitted to The Southwest Star Magazine will become the sole property of The Southwest Star Magazine and are subject, but not limited to editing, comments, and titles. The Southwest Star Magazine is a trademark of Fitzhugh Media. All rights reserved. This magazine may not be reproduced in part or in full - in print, by digital media, broadcast, or in any other manner without the express written permission of Fitzhugh Media. That said, permission is regularly given, so please, just ask first. The publishers of The Southwest Star Magazine believe the content of the magazine to be reliable and correct at the time of publication. We do our best but no representation is made as to the accuracy hereof as this magazine is subject to errors and omissions. With that in mind, neither the publishers nor contributors can be held responsible for any effects arising from the content of The Southwest Star Magazine. This may include but is not limited to excessive time spent tinkering with, admiring, discussing, or dolling out money on Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The views expressed in The Southwest Star Magazine are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of the publisher. Advertising is accepted with the understanding that it is accurate and does not contravene the Trade Practices Act. Inclusion of an advertisement should not be construed as an endorsement by The Southwest Star Magazine, the publishers or contributors. The Southwest Star Magazine is independent of Mercedes-Benz, Daimler AG, its subsidiaries, the Mercedes-Benz Club of America, all individual MBCA regions and the associated sections. Neither Fitzhugh Media nor The Southwest Star Magazine is responsible for any claims made by its advertisers or partners. In addition, neither Fitzhugh Media nor The Southwest Star Magazine is responsible for injuries, losses, or damages, to property or self.
All that said, feel free to contact Fitzhugh Media at Info@FitzhughMedia.com
Page 6 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 7 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
From the editor’s desk though I’d prefer it were from my garage
R
umors, allegations, speculations, and unsubstantiated reports.
We see them all the
time. One rumor from the UK publication AutoCar recently crossed my desk. Their sources say Mercedes-Benz is making a return to inline six cylinder engines.
If true, for some this won’t matter. Some simply step on the loud pedal and go. Vee, inline, supercharged, turbocharged, they don’t care. As long as the car accelerates like a MercedesBenz, that’s all that matters.
The more technically inclined will recognize what this means.
From a design standpoint, an inline six is better.
They are inherently smoother.
Even with
balance shafts, a vee-six isn’t as smooth as an inline six. Of course, there are some downsides to an inline six. One is packaging, but that doesn’t apply to Mercedes-Benz.
An inline six will fit in any Mercedes-Benz that currently has a vee-six.
Another issue is cost, but that doesn’t apply to Mercedes-Benz either. Although modular veeeight / vee-six engines cost less to manufacture, the last modular vee-six used by MercedesBenz was discontinued in 2006. Basically, a new inline six would be technically superior with no downsides. If it’s true, what’s not to love? Per AutoCar, the new six will arrive in the 2016 E-Class. Like a bad 1950’s sci-fi movie, the inline six cylinder rumor has mutated into another uncorroborated story. This one involves Mercedes-Benz spinning off a three-cylinder variant of the new, as of yet unconfirmed, inline six. This might make sense because the Smart car uses a three-cylinder. However, I’m going to limit myself to unfounded story at a time. There is plenty of news that has been authenticated, so we’ll concentrate on that. If the new inline six story does prove true, we’ll follow up on it.
Marcus Blair Fitzhugh
Page 8 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 9 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
The Regional Director’s Corner Our Bells of Freedom Marine Corps Family by Steve Ross Photos by Bob Gunthorp
I
t is a pleasure to assist these service men and women who have volunteered to serve our country in these uncertain times for not a lot of money.
The Mercedes-Benz Club thanks all of you for your generosity in supporting this program every year. It could not be accomplished without your donations. Looking at their smiling faces makes it all worthwhile. If you have never experienced this delivery to Camp Pendleton and these young families, I urge you to do so as it is a wonderful Holiday event.
Victor holding their two month old son Issac and Zaira Lowe, with our Club representative delivering the holiday cheer to the worthy Marine Corps family
Loading up one of the many trucks for delivery to Camp Pendleton
Page 10 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 11 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
5475 Car Country Drive Carlsbad, CA 92008 (760) 438-4454
Best of the Best Dealer
Complete Custom Detail Regular $175.00 For MBCA Club Members $129.00 **Plus FREE loan car for the day. (Must present this coupon)
10% Discount On Parts and Labor To MBCA Members (Must present Club membership card while making service appointment)
Page 12 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
H
ello All, As the newly-elected section president I would like to send out greetings to all the local
members and express my gratitude to outgoing, long-term president, Geoff Bolt. Geoff has tirelessly served as our section president for seven consecutive years. While doing so he has also acted as editor and layout artist for the newsletter, designed numerous rallies and been the point person for countless events. Thank you Geoff your tireless efforts are greatly appreciated. For those of you who don’t know me; originally from Montreal, I’ve been living in Los Angeles since January of 1994. I’ve been a car nut for as long as I can remember. In my teens I was an avid go-kart racer and I’ve worked in various capacities with teams and drivers in Formula Atlantic, CART and Formula Renault – mostly marketing but also a bit of pit work from time to time. I’ve been a Mercedes owner for almost two decades and most weekends you’ll find me in my garage working on something Mercedes or, during the season, glued to the Formula 1 race. The past couple of months have been pretty active. Our section has been to: The Palos Verdes Concours d’Elegance, The California Coast Car Fest, The Petersen Octoberfest German Car Cruise-in and The Phoenix Club for Octoberfest. There’s a lot of great stuff going on and more to come. The current website calendar has caused some technical problems so over the next couple of weeks a new calendar software will be implemented.
Page 13 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Event planning is a big part of our club activity and our board members have been doing a great job in setting up some very memorable adventures but we are looking for some new ideas. If you have an event idea, want to help create a rally, a gymkhana or know of a great collection we can tour please drop me an email and we’ll see if we can make it happen. We kick off the 2014 with a tour of a very special private car collection that you will not want to miss. In February we’ll be holding the 9th annual Chinese New Year, which is always a hugely popular event. Hope to see you at the events. Happy holidays,
John W. McCully
The Southwest Star Magazine; we cover your cars, your events, and we’re free. Yes, you are in the right place.
Page 14 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 15 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
The Desert Stars Section’s President’s Desk By Bud Cloninger
H
appy New Year to all! As our Desert Stars brings in 2014, I’m happy to say that our membership has grown and it’s great to see so many new members enjoying themselves. Our activities
Directors have also opened the New Year with a Bang! They have
changed things up with many exciting new events geared to getting members out of the house, and into their cars. Our newsletter, The Star Dust, has also grown with more articles and photos and may expand in size if this trend continues. As we move into next year, I see exciting times for our club and I wish all of you the best in 2014! Of all the hard working and dedicated people we have on our Board of Directors, I would like to make mention of one, our treasurer, Richard Sharp. He has just received the M.B.C.A. Southwest Region’s highest award, Officer of the Year. Dick and his wife, Mindy, are 27-year veterans of our club. They have both served at one time or another, in every position on our club. From Vice President to Director and I want to congratulate him on receiving this welldeserved award. Hope to see you at an event soon,
New Star Dust Section Members, “Welcome!” October: Paul Jasper, George Krabbe, Paul E Schneider, and Richard Whitney November: Edwin Link, Chuck Murphy, David Sanderson, and Marty Sigmund
More Than a Car | We’re a Community
Page 16 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 17 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
H
The Los Angeles Section President’s desk ello club members.
2014 is here and we’ve hit the ground running.
We had an
abbreviated board meeting late in December, followed by another early in January. These meetings allow us to go over activity within the club and plan future events - and
boy, do we have plans. One item of great importance is that we have your CURRENT email address. We recognize email isn’t for everyone and we will continue sending this newsletter via postal carrier for the foreseeable future. However, email is a much more efficient system and we need your email address to make it work. To change or set your email address, logon to the Mercedes-Benz Club of America national site at www.mbca.org.
Click the edit profile tab.
The edit profile
screen allows you to change your email address. As always, we won’t share your address with anyone. We only use it to keep you informed about club activities. Speaking of being informed, do you visit the website? The site is www.la-mbca.com and it has everything we could think of. For example, you can read about events by clicking the Events link at the top of the page. From there, you can see the calendar of future events and photos from past club activities. Yes, past activities. That’s why we don’t show event photos here – they’re on the web! Take a look. We have 18 photos from the holiday party. There are another dozen photos from the Oktoberfest event. We also covered the Deer Park Winery event, the Music Center, Cars & Coffee and the Classic Center. But wait, there’s more. If you click the Articles tab at the top of the page, you’ll be able to read The Southwest Star Magazine. The Southwest Star has coverage for each section in our southwest region. We hope our website has everything you need. If not, drop us a note, preferably by email, and we’ll look into making changes. I see I’m running out of paper, so I’ll quickly cover some upcoming events - Our first event of the year is the Warner Bros VIP tour. That is coming up on February 22nd and you can read about it later in the newsletter. The second event is The Rally on April 6th. This will be followed by our club BBQ, which is scheduled for June 21st. Also, we’d like to schedule a visit Supercar Sunday. That’s four events in the first six months. We’ll hold more board meetings throughout
Page 18 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
the year and add events as we can. Is there an event that you’d like to see happen? It’s easier than many people think. Send us a note, we’ll let you know when the next board meeting is than many people think. Send us a note, we’ll let you know when the next board meeting is planned, you attend the meeting and together we get your event planned! Yes, it is that simple. I look forward to seeing you at future events and meetings.
Paul Bergstrom President Mercedes Benz Club Los Angeles Section
Page 19 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
The Orange County Sections’s President’s Desk
O
ver the past several years the Orange County Section has tried in vain to attract more section members to take an active part in section leadership. Last September when this section was seeking
nominations for officers and board members to replace those that did not want to be reelected, there were no replacement candidates to be found. Reluctantly, all current board members and officers agreed to continue in office with the hope that replacements could be found in the near future. As president, I am sorry to report that I have been unable to generate sufficient enthusiasm from section members to come forward and accept the responsibilities to govern our section. Since I have no desire to remain president for life, I am resigning as president and newsletter editor effective March 31, 2014. At the same time our Vice President of Programs, Secretary and Treasurer will also resign their offices. The bylaws of the Orange County section stipulate that the Vice President of Programs will assume the office of President in the event that the office of President becomes vacant. All other vacancies can then be filled by an appointment of the new President if confirmed by a majority of the Board of Directors. These appointments are for the remaining terms being filled. In accordance with the bylaws described above, the following officers will be appointed to serve for the remaining terms. President Jocelyn Salisbury
Vice President of Activities Marlyn Ortiz
Secretary Dorothy Lindeman
Treasurer Lynn Hern Board Member Jim Salisbury
In addition Laura Dykstra will assume the responsibilities of newsletter editor. This will still leave one board member position and Vice President of Programs open. In closing I would like to sincerely thank all the current officers and board members along with those members who have actively participated in planning or organizing a club event for their outstanding loyalty and support to the Orange County Section and me. Ave Atque Vale
- Lynn Hern We welcome our newest Orange County Section members – Robert Dewar Darren McKendry Rexford Parker Michael Rohan Reonel Saddul
Page 20 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 21 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
My dear Mercedes Benz Club Members,
I
would like to wish The Mercedes Benz Club of Las Vegas a Happy
25th Birthday. It is time to reflect on how fortunate we are to be part of this club on its Silver Anniversary. With that being said, this year will be like no other as we
celebrate all year long! I would like to thank Mercedes and Ty Hilbrecht for having the desire and passion to start Our Car Club. I would also like to thank all the members who came before us who helped forge the way for the rest of us. I would like to wish all of our members a Happy and Healthy New Year.
I always think of
January as a time for resolutions and a time to help others that are not as fortunate as us, that is what life is all about, helping each other. Well, our Christmas Party was a blast again this year, Thank You Anne. I hear the band kept you entertained all night long. Ronnie Rose puts on a great show.
Wouldn't you agree? The
members attending said that it made for an awesome evening. I wish I could have been there with you. I encourage all members to submit ideas for this years activities and/ or events. Without your feedback it's hard to determine what would make for a successful and good time. There are a few events slated for this year already that will be listed in our monthly newsletters with more to come as the year progresses. There will be a monthly reminder in the newsletter about receiving half price tickets to the Christmas party if a member attends nine MBCA events and /or brunches. I would like to thank all our past elected and appointed officials for their help to this wonderful club. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as your President. I pledge to do what is best for the membership; this has always been my goal. As I reflect back to one year ago when I was first elected, I am very pleased to say that this club is better and stronger now. I thank the membership for helping to make that happen. On that note, I will see all of you at our next meeting.
Tommy Alvarado President
Page 22 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
From the Desk of The San Diego Section President
By Michael Cooper
H
appy new year to all! Your San Diego Section is excited at the opportunities ahead of us in 2014. More fun events, and more fun friends. The year will start off with a member dinner/get-together in January. (Please see the newsletter for details) We will also be
working on events and activities on a quarterly (3 months at a time vision) instead of a yearly calendar in an effort to keep things fluid and focused. We will also move our meeting locations quarterly with the idea of attracting more members to attend throughout the region. We will be focused on making this the club YOU want it to be.
Club membership offers a multitude of
things, including The Star Magazine, Local and National events, and Dealer discounts on parts as well as new car purchases. (More about dealer discounts in the next issue). Please enjoy all that your club membership has to offer in 2014. And whenever possible, please consider using our advertiser/sponsors. See ya’ soon.
Michael Cooper President
New San Diego Section MBCA Members Radu Alexandru
Kip Busse
Cesar Cardozo
William Lemasters
Ken Smith
Robert Stinson
A hearty welcome to all our new members. We hope to meet you real soon at one of our upcoming events. Please feel free to contact any of the Board Officers (listed on the front page of this Newsletter) with any questions, comments, or concerns.
We are always looking for volunteers to help out with ideas, planning, and
coordinating events.
Page 23 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 24 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
The President’s Desk
W
ow! Another year has slipped by. The Chaparral Section has enjoyed another year of fun and outstanding events. Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, Museum Tours, Dine and Drive events, the list goes on.
We closed the year with a wonderful Holiday Party at the exclusive and private setting provided by the Mountain Oyster Club thanks to Ed Gladish’s efforts. This event with its outstanding food, amazing huge western art collection, western ambiance and outstanding entertainment, is the highlight of the year. The gifts and raffle prizes made for fun for all attendees. Mercedes-Benz of Tucson provided outstanding prizes as well. Thank you Mercedes-Benz of Tucson. During our annual meeting, your present Board of Directors were re-elected by a unanimous vote of the members present at this exciting event. We now number 104 members, have a positive balance in our financial accounts and are in a great position to grow even more. At our December board meeting, the Board of Directors voted to keep the same officers in their current positions. All members are welcome to attend the board meetings, which are held at MercedesBenz of Tucson, 5:00 PM, the second Thursday of each month. We would like to have your input. It is an honor to be a part of this hard working board. The Chaparral Section has real enthusiastic dedicated board members, and as president, I try to stay out of their way while the members do an outstanding job. 2014 portends to be another exciting year. Check the Calendar of Events in the newsletter and on the website and come join the fun. Wonderful events are already set up for the year. See what other excited Mercedes-Benz owners and enthusiasts are up to. Join us for the driving events and enjoy your car with other Mercedes-Benz Club of America enthusiasts. Looking forward to seeing you this next year… For the Chaparral Section, MBCA
Mike Zonnefeld
President
Page 25 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 26 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
By definition, there can only be one “best”. This is it
T
By Marcus Blair Fitzhugh Photos courtesy of Mercedes-Benz USA
he 2015 S-Class Coupe made its world premiere and if you demand unsurpassed excellence, look no further. This is truly, the best luxury GT available. In many conceptto-production transformations, things are substantially dialed back.
concept car at last year’s Frankfurt Auto Show was beautiful.
Not here.
The
However, this is better.
The
changes appear to be more along the line of refinements to the show car design, and it worked.
Page 27 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
As you can see, the body is stunning. With its long hood, low greenhouse, and high beltline, it screams GT.
The flowing profile embodies its muscular rear-wheel-drive proportions while
emphasizing Mercedes’ hallmark dropping line.
Its accentuated wheel arches are filled with
large 18 to 20 inch wheels, which look natural in their setting. There is no mistaking this for anything other than a premium Mercedes-Benz Coupe. I think Gorden Wagener put it best
As exclusive as it gets – the ultimate in aesthetic sportiness. The breathtaking design of the Concept S-Class Coupé marked by sportyclassic proportions and sensual purity is transferred to the seriesproduction S-Class Coupé virtually unaltered. The large coupé has always been the supreme pinnacle of our model range and that's why it's now called the "S-Class" again. Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management, Sales and Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. He’s a bit technical in its delivery, but I’m fairly certain that’s German for ooh la-la.
Page 28 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Moving from the side profile to the front, we’re taken in by a bejeweled grill with a center mounted star between a pair of full-LED headlamp units. These headlamps are highlighted by iconic eyebrows that function as daytime running lamps. As if the new LED lighting system wasn’t
enough,
a
unique
lighting option with no less than 47 Swarovski crystals is available.
17 angular crystals
are used to form the flareshaped daytime running lamps, with 30 round-shaped crystals making up the turn indicator lamps. Circling to the rear, you’ll notice the license plate has been moved to the lower portion of the bumper.
This allowed the lower trunk area to be smoothed out, making the Star more
prominent. The trunk mounted star is used to hide the rear camera. The Star pivots up, giving the camera a 360° view. The tail lights are an arrangement of horizontal LEDs that begin at the outer sides of the trunk lid and wrap around the rear fenders. The lower section of the rear contains the license plate, diffuser, and dual exhaust tips.
Page 29 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
As expected, the interior is an elegant design comprised of spare-no-expense components. The Coupe’s interior has a lot in common with the sedan, yet has enough exclusivity for both interiors to remain unique. The dashboard is divided into upper and lower sections. Both layers have a wrap-around effect, flowing through the doors. Like the sedan, the dashboard has two high definition wide-screen format TFT screens. The leftmost screen is used to display a mixture of analogue and digital style gauges. The right has additional driving systems, vehicle settings, infotainment and navigation. The sedan’s two-spoke steering wheel has been replaced by a three-spoke sport unit. As with the sedan, a heads up display is available. This display presents information on the windshield in such a way that it appears to float in front of the car. Other available features include AIRBALANCE,
seat
massage
functions,
heated
armrests,
Burmester®
surround
sound
and 3D surround sound, and driver
selectable
ambiance
lighting.
Page 30 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
The center console is a gorgeous piece and it flows from the dash through the rear seating area. Both the front and the rear feature sport seats.
As with
Mercedes’ previous premium coupe, the two rear seats are designed as individual components. All lids and armrests are covered in leather. Air vents, switches, belt extender rosette (see photo to the right) and
trim
elements
are
in
electroplated
"Silver The front-seat seatbelts are integrated into the rear side panelling giving the car an uninterrupted waistline with the windows open
Shadow". In front of the armrest lies the optional touchpad.
It has a black high-sheen surface and chrome surround. Similarly to an Android
smartphone, the touchpad allows all the head-unit functions to be operated using finger gestures. The touchpad permits letters, numbers and special characters to be entered in handwriting. The system also recognizes every language accepted by the COMAND system. The S-Class Coupe has all the latest safety systems; PRE-SAFE®, DISTRONIC PLUS, BAS PLUS, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive High-beam Assist Plus, Night View Assist Plus. COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS, and all the other SClass features. There is one new item that stands out; MAGIC BODY CONTROL, is complemented with a new curve tilting function.
The new Coupe leans into
turns similarly to a motorcyclist or skier. reduces
the
occupants’
lateral
This
acceleration,
allowing passengers to sit in a more upright position. The first model will be the S550 Coupe.
This is a 4.7 liter dual turbocharged V8.
Its 455
horsepower is transferred through a seven speed automatic to all four wheels via a 4MATIC® permanent all-wheel drive system. I haven’t driven one yet, but it’s safe to say acceleration is not going to be a problem. In fact, with this car, there are no problems. effort”.
It is “The Best”.
This is an S-Class.
It’s not someone’s “best
With an S-Class, exceptional is expected and Mercedes-Benz has
delivered. The Coupe will be shown in Switzerland in March and is expected to arrive stateside this fall.
Page 31 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 32 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Houston – we have a Rally!
The Aviation, Aerospace and Automotive Rally sponsored by the San Gabriel Valley Region of the Porsche Club of America By Kevin Ehrlich
“R
emember, the purpose of this rally is to have fun…” and with those words the A3 Rally was underway. Hosted by the San Gabriel Valley Region PCA, the scavenger hunt rally commenced during the early morning hours of November 2nd from the
Petersen Automotive Museum. But this was no ordinary rally. This event involved no stopwatches or odometers or specific route instructions.
There were no mandatory
stops. Instead, participants were tasked to chart their own course from a previously provided list of 66 automotive, aviation, and aerospace stops in and around the Southern California region, each stop having its own unique point value. The objective? Achieve the highest point total.
The challenge?
Navigating roads
from Santa Monica to March Air Force Base, and from Simi Valley to Yorba Linda. Traveling those same roads, almost 70 participants came from as far as Long Beach, Oxnard, Rancho Cucamonga, and Ridgecrest – yes, that Ridgecrest – beyond Mojave.
Likewise, the
group brought an assortment of automobiles. Representing the newer generation of Porsches
Page 33 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
was a red 2013 991 and a pair of 2013 Boxsters – including a speed yellow Boxster S that had been picked up new in Germany and exercised in the Alps before coming home to California. The award for the most seasoned entry went to a beautiful 1962 356, but a 1972 911 Targa and 1974 914 added vintage flavor as well.
Although
the
event was hosted by a Porsche club, other marques joined – including a brood of Vipers, several Mercedes and BMWs, a pair of Miatas, and a spiffy VW Rabbit.
The mad scientist entry,
though, was clearly the 2005 Pontiac GTO with a
Corvette LS7 engine stuffed under the hood. The rumble when the car was started gave away the secret that the car was not stock.
The Los Angeles area provided a rich landscape for locations featuring the automotive, aviation and aerospace theme. Automotive stops included a range of museums - the Petersen Automotive Museum,
Marconi,
and
Nethercutt,
to
the
Automobile Driving Museum and the NHRA museum.
Other points of interest included Barris Kustom in North Hollywood (with a
Batmobile on display), the route from the Pasadena-Altadena Hillclimb races that were held in
Page 34 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
the early 1900s (now more commonly known as Christmas Tree Lane), and the site of the former Ontario Speedway. For the aerospace faithful, did you know that the Apollo program Saturn V rocket engines were built in Canoga Park? Or that when the Apollo 13 astronauts radioed to NASA at Houston, the NASA team called engineers for help in Downey
where
the
crew
capsules were built? Space launches these days are planned from the Hawthorne SpaceX factory. Likewise,
there
was
no
shortage of aviation history. Participants learned that at one time, the area’s largest airports were in places like Glendale and Alhambra rather than LAX.
The finish was at the Spitfire Grill, on the
grounds
of
the
Santa
Monica
Airport.
A
restaurant has operated at that site since the mid-1950s and gives a nod to the World War II and Douglas Aircraft history of the area in its decor. Of course, other potential stops were thrown in for fun. For example, there are three different locations around
the
greater
Los
Angeles
area
where
segments of the Berlin Wall are on display. (In an unexpected twist, one entrant even brought his own piece of the Berlin Wall to show.) Entrants shared war stories over lunch, while the points were tallied and stops verified. The top points finisher drove a Mercedes C250 and made use of several combination bonuses that awarded extra points for stopping at certain locations
Page 35 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
with a common theme. The winner also made an unscheduled stop at a playground that earned no points, but made a pair of threeyear old navigators very happy.
A Porsche
991 entry piloted by a pilot claimed second place followed by a 1996 Porsche 993. Prizes were distributed – most at random to ensure the pursuit of points didn’t overwhelm the instinct for a fun event.
Prizes were
donated by generous sponsors: Falken Tire, Twin Palms Restaurant, Beckham Grill, Congregation Ale House, Bentley Publishing, Callas Rennsport, Meguiars, Petersen Automotive Museum, and Collision Consultants on La Cienega, which sponsored breakfast at the start. Thanks very much to all the participants! Sound like fun? Want to make sure you don’t miss the next one? Have questions? E-mail rallya3@yahoo.com.
Page 36 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 37 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
THE 2013 TUCSON CLASSICS CAR SHOW by Mike “Coop” Cooper
S
aturday, October 19, 2013, saw eleven Chaparral members with 14 Mercedes-Benz automobiles met at the shopping center on the North East corner of Craycroft Road and River Road in “Club Row,” where we received our “goodie” bags and window placards. The
vehicles this year ranged from a 1960 190 SL to a 2008 C300W, and one prospective member vehicle.
Promptly at 8:27, we were escorted as a caravan to the St. Gregory Preparatory School, at 3231 N. Craycroft Road where we had our “Mercedes Row” on the grass. After everyone all had their Mercedes-Benz ready for the show, we had five and one-half members set up our tent in the middle of our row. Ron Isler was the one-half member who mainly watched and at one time held up one corner of our tent! This year’s “Class Number E, Foreign / Sports Cars through 1979”, winner was our own Lynda Bosworth with her beautiful 1960 190 SL. The highlight of the show was showing of the past “Best in Show” winners from the show’s winner in 2007 through the current reigning winner from 2012. The 2011 winner was Hal Ashton’s 1955 Mercedes 300 SL Gull Wing Coupe.
Page 38 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
From Los Angeles:
the 2014 S65 AMG
By Marcus Blair Fitzhugh
he third generation S65 made its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. During its introduction, Tobias Moers, Chairman of the Board of Management of MercedesAMG GmbH, said, “Soon after the successful launch of the S 63 AMG, we are unveiling the new S 65 AMG. Supreme exclusivity and incomparable dynamism provide the guarantee of a high fascination potential. With the third generation of the S 65 AMG, we offer our loyal and discerning V12 customers a unique high-performance automobile.” Mercedes-Benz V-12’s have been available in a number of vehicles.
The first V12
engine to power an S-Class was a six liter called the M120.
The M120 was used in
the S600 from 1991 through 1999.
The
M120 was replaced by the much improved M137, which was later replaced by the M285. These V12s powered the standard S-Class. Although similar in design, the
Page 39 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
AMG division has always used engines specific to their platform; engines which have been larger and more powerful. The new S65 is powered by a six-liter, twin-turbocharged V12 that produces 621 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque.
For many, those are just numbers. . . . numbers that aren’t
easily translated to something tangible. What those numbers mean is, the 2015 S65 AMG is the most powerful vehicle in its segment.
As the Pirelli ad slogan says, “Power is nothing without control” To control the power, the S65 comes standard with an AMG sports suspension based on MAGIC BODY CONTROL. This is the first car in the world that can see irregularities in the road and adjust the suspension to suit the condition. MAGIC BODY CONTROL does this by using cameras to monitor the road surface. If a rough patch of road is detected, MAGIC BODY CONTROL will make instantaneous suspension adjustments.
Those adjustments keep the passengers in
limousine-like comfort, as if the road was as smooth as glass.
Page 40 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Since a body in motion tends to stay in motion, this long wheelbase S-Class has to work a little harder when it’s time to change direction. To aid in cornering, the S65 has electromechanical speedsensitive steering. variable system
ratio
This
steering
provides
much
better feel than earlier designs.
The electronic
steering is also tied into the
driver
electronic
selectable suspension.
When the suspension is in
“Comfort”
mode,
additional steering assist is supplied. If the “Sport” suspension setting is selected, less steering boost is provided, giving the driver more road feel.
In addition, the S65 has ESP® Dynamic
Cornering Assist. While cornering at high speeds, this feature applies the brakes to the inside rear wheel. This dramatically reduces understeer. The S65 combines its über powerful V12 with the AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS equipped 7G-TRONIC. This upgrade from the previous generation’s five-speed, to a wide ratio seven-speed, lowers engine speed at cruise, which is a key to the S65’s reduced fuel consumption. The AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS equipped three
7G-TRONIC individual
programs
that
has
driving can
be
selected by a center console button: Controlled Efficiency (C), Sport (S) and Manual (M).
In S or M modes the
emphasis is on sportiness: maximum acceleration that is
Page 41 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
only interrupted by a brief, precisely defined reduction of ignition and fuel during upshifts under full load. The opposite end of the spectrum is C mode. In this setting, efficiency is held in the highest regard. The shifts are smoother, the fuel gauge doesn’t drop as rapidly, and the ECO start/stop function is activated. As expected, the interior of the S65 is filled with the highest grade materials available.
One
example is the diamond-pattern design in the nappa leather seats. A close examination shows there are no perforations in the nappa leather wherever there is contrasting topstitching. This method was chosen as it produces high quality seams. Other features include a nappa leather roof liner, a leather-lined dashboard, leather door center panenls in a diamond-pattern design, leather-clad roof grab handles, additional wood trim and white illuminated stainless-steel door sill panels.
The other AMG specific interior upgrades include AMG developed electric sports seats (all with memory, heating and active ventilation - standard), a two-spoke AMG sports steering wheel, and an AMG specific instrument cluster.
Page 42 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Two new innovations make their debut in the S65AMG: a heads-up display and a touchpad.
Heads-up display for enhanced comfort and safety The heads-up display projects information such as vehicle speed, navigation details, and DISTRONIC PLUS information on to the windshield.
In manual transmission mode, a colored
upshift bar and the possible gears for a manual gear change are also projected. The virtual color display is approximately 8 inches by 3 inches and appears to float on the hood at a distance of about six and a half feet from the driver.
This positions the heads-up display directly in the
driver's field of view, allowing us to see the information without having to look away from the road. The heads-up display position is also height-adjustable and is saved using the memory function.
The brightness of the display automatically adjusts to suit ambient brightness.
Alternatively, the driver can adjust the brightness to their preference.
An Innovative touchpad for significantly easier operation Automotive
touch
controls
feel
primitive
when
compared to modern smartphones and tablets. The new S65 touchpad levels the playing field, making it easier to operate radio, telephone and navigation system.
The S65 touchpad is 2.6 inches wide and
1.8 wide, and is integrated into the hand rest with a cover for the keypad. Android users will feel right at home as the pad has haptic feedback.
iPads and
iPhones don’t have haptic feedback, but even if you’ve never used it, the natural feel makes this touchpad a lot less distracting than other automotive touch
controls.
Some
readers
are
no
doubt
wondering, “What is haptic feedback?” When using a phone or tablet, “haptic feedback” is the physical action of touching a screen interface, and then getting a physical response - a vibration.
The
vibration is an acknowledgement from the touch screen that it was pressed.
The touchpad can be
controlled in the same way as a smartphone or tablet PC. It recognizes one and two-finger
Page 43 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
gestures, swipes, zoom gestures (through the intuitive widening and narrowing of the fingers) and writing. By writing, I mean this - the touchpad links to the screen on the dash. It lets you draw with your finger to write words for the navigation system without having to look down. You can also write numbers and symbols.
This touchpad recognizes every language available in
COMAND. As an alternative to the touchpad, the driver can also use the COMAND controller and Voice Control for the control of radio, telephone and navigation system. Both the head-up display and the touchpad will soon be available in other models, but for now it is available exclusively in the S65.
S65 Eye Candy Outwardly, the S65 has a few AMG specific eye-catchers. It leads with a large, upright, threedimensional V12 radiator grill. Below the grill is the front apron with its three large cooling air intakes. The apron has a high-gloss chrome front splitter that is both functional and good
Page 44 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
looking. The apron increases down force on the front axle, while the gap above the front splitter ensures an effective flow of air to the engine oil cooler. The side sill panel inserts and the trim in the rear diffuser are also high-gloss chrome. Owners who prefer the understated look have the option of ordering the grilles and trim in high-gloss black.
Other design features include the
"V12 BITURBO" lettering on the front fenders, the "S65AMG" model badge on the trunk lid, and the AMG sports exhaust system with twin chrome-plated tailpipes. If you’re still not convinced that the S65 is THE S-Class, you’ll have an opportunity to change your mind when it arrives at dealerships during the second quarter of 2014.
Page 45 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
The Las Vegas Section’s ZZYZX Excursion On November the 9th of 2013, members of the MBCA Las Vegas Section took to the Wilderness at Kelso Station. It was wonderful weather for this event. Let’s do it again sometime.
Page 46 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 47 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Desert Stars Section Holiday Party, Member Recognitions and Toys for Tots Drive By Debbie Ichiyama & Matthew Crawford
T
hank you to all who attended yet another exceptional Holiday Party and Luncheon. Desert Stars members arrived at Talking Stick around noon to a festively decorated room, with not just one, but two Christmas
trees. We had green garland strung from the ceiling, festively wrapped gifts on the walls and plenty of ‘Toys for Tots’ were brought in to make the holidays special for under-privileged children. After
a
camaraderie Bud
nice and
Cloninger
social
hour
cocktails, made
his
with
President opening
remarks just prior to us sitting down. Our wonderful lunch started with a very tasty chicken
corn
enjoyed
either
chowder. a
New
The
guests
York
strip
then steak,
Dungeness crab cakes or Portobello mushroom ravioli. Of course we all were served up the famous and decadent chocolate marquise for dessert as we enjoyed last year.
After dessert Bud turned our attention to recognizing our member’s anniversaries. In five-year increments we always award our members as they achieve milestones in the club membership. Ed Kasmer proudly received his 40 year pin as our longest recognized member in attendance. We then turned our Members Kathy and Carey Hobson enjoying the day!
Page 48 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
acknowledgment to Don & Brynn Burton who were our members of the year. We were lucky this year to also have the Southwest Region Officer of the Year in our local section. Dick Sharp was recognized for his many years as our Treasurer by our visiting Regional Director, Steve Ross. As well as collecting Toys for tots, this year we held a 50/50 cash raffle to the benefit of the Ronald McDonald House. Set to an eclectic holiday music
Officer of the Year, Dick Sharp with Bud Cloninger and Steve Ross
arrangement and a slide show depicting the events over the last year by Mark Ichiyama, the 2013 Desert Stars holiday Party was a fun time for all! Thank you for attending!
Members of the Year, Brynn & Don Burton
Page 49 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
By Marcus Blair Fitzhugh
Our 2013 Oktoberfest event took us to the Petersen Automotive Museum for their German.
T
he Petersen is literally one of the world's largest automotive museums and it is fantastic. If while in L.A. you have a chance to visit one auto museum, make it this one. It’s on Wilshire Boulevard along Museum Row in the Miracle Mile. Southern
California is widely known as the car capital of the United States. The ground floor display of The Petersen tells the history of the automobile in Los Angeles. The second floor has both permanent and special exhibits. I’ve been to The Petersen at least a dozen times and I’ve never seen the entire collection. That’s because The Petersen never shows its entire collection of cars at once.
There are
over 300 cars in The Petersen collection, but only about 150 vehicles are on display at any one time. In addition, there are times when 90% of the vehicles on display at The Petersen are on loan for rotating exhibits. The Petersen is like a theater; many are familiar with the venue, but the shows, those are always new. For Oktoberfest, the Petersen featured
An outdoor area with live music and activities for the kids
The Steingarten Restaurant, which had brats & beverages
German car dealers brought new vehicles
Owners of German special interest vehicles brought them out for display
Page 50 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 51 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Of course, it wouldn’t be Oktoberfest if those German car owners didn’t show up
For those who couldn’t make it, there’s always Oktoberfest 2014.
Page 52 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
By Bud Cloninger
T
his year’s tech session was very well attended, with over thirty members turning out for this event. We started the session with how to prepare your car for an extended trip: everything from tools, spare tires and basic maintenance checks before getting
out on the road. After discussing the car itself, we transitioned to preparing the driver, from carrying extra water to seating and mirror positions were covered to help make it a comfortable and safe trip. Officer Zenke from the Department of Public Safety (DPS) addressed our members and presented a slide show on the dangers out on the highway, particularly the hazards and consequences of impaired driving.
Director Alberto Gutier, from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, spoke to our members on what our state is doing to combat distracted driving. The Director also talked at length about how his office is working with the DPS to increase the public’s awareness of highway safety. After a break for lunch, we had Matthew Hall, a representative from Valley Towing, speak to the group on what to expect if you do break down and need to be towed. Matthew also related his first hand experiences of the dangers that exist out on our highways and ways you can protect
Page 53 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
DPS Officer Zenke to the left, Mathew Hall of Valley Towing above, and below is Director Alberto Gutier of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety
yourself if you break down. In all, it was a very informative event. Every member learned how to be a safer and more prepared driver. I would like to thank The Governor’s Office, DPS and Valley Towing for making this event a great success.
Page 54 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 55 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
The San Diego Section Holiday / Christmas Party SANTA WASN’T THERE, BUT... Story by Steve Ross Photos by Bon Gunthorp
We had a party anyway and it was a good
one
from
Mercedes-Benz
all
began
accounts. arriving
The early
evening at The Country Club at Rancho Bernardo and it wasn’t long before we had a nice gathering of Star Cars and festive people. There were long time members along with new members which led
to
reunions
and
meeting
new
Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts. The Country Club had our room decorated in finest tradition of the season. The food was delicious which complimented the deco. Add to that the people in our club and you have a gala Holiday party. I know I said that Santa wasn’t there but a review of the pho-tos would indicate an error may have been made. The gentle man on the right with the lovely lady sure looks like Santa. He bears a striking resemblance to Brian Kruse and the lady is Diana Kruse. Diana is a member our Section Board serving as the “Director of First Impressions.” To the left, Carol Ross (on left) our Club Treasurer, confers with President Michael Cooper as his wife listens in.
To the right, Emily and Jerry Cole
Page 56 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Lori and Ron Grabler. Lori was able to get off from her duties at the Escondido Performing Arts to join us. As you can see in photos the ambience is very nice. We had a Christmas Tree and lots of garland.
David and Munira Coomber
Ted and Kathy Williams
Robert and Mary Schneider Proposing a toast?
Page 57 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Carlos and Zulma MuĂąoz. Carlos is our Star Bulletin Editor. He is the man who makes our Section news-letter one of the best in the MBCA.
Christine Hartwell, Bob Gunthorp (our official photographer) and Bud Hartwell. Since Bob is our Photographer, I wonder who took this picture?
Floyd and Evie Burgess and their daughter Pam
Page 58 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Debbie
and
Bob
Llewellyn
anticipate
Victoria Mazelli passing the bread basket.
Steve Seiver and Carol Osselear in the holiday spirit.
Bud Hartwell Gary Jarvis and our former Vice President Elaine Davis
Caryoln and Ed Parrish definitely in the spirit of the season
Page 59 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
The San Diego Section President and First Lady: Michael & Denise Cooper Enjoying a classic Mercedes-Benz Holiday/Christmas party!
As you can see from the photos the room was filled with a host of happy Star ladies and gentleman. We are looking forward to seeing all of you this year at one of our outings. In the meantime HAPPY BENZING!!
Page 60 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 61 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
aimler AG and Aston Martin have signed a technical partnership agreement. Aston Martin will receive engines and other assistance in the area of electronics and gearbox technology from AMG. In return, Daimler will receive 5% shares of Aston Martin. These are non-voting shares in Aston Martin, and will be paid out in steps as the technical partnership progresses. Also, Daimler will receive observer status on the Aston Martin board. “By signing the Umbrella Agreement and the Engine Agreement both parties have agreed to this technical partnership: Mercedes-AMG will provide the British icon Aston Martin with engines for their forthcoming sports cars. At our company´s headquarters in Affalterbach we are proud to work with Aston Martin – this agreement is a real winwin situation for both sides.” - Tobias Moers Chairman of the Management Board of Mercedes-AMG GmbH On the Aston Martin side, a spokesperson for their board made the following announcement “Our company is this year celebrating its centenary, and the partnership agreed today underpins prospects for Aston Martin’s bright, vibrant and dynamic second century in the sports car business. This strategic collaboration for Aston Martin will, in our next generation of luxury sports cars, offer our customers increased performance and state-of-the-art features whilst retaining the unique character and style of an Aston Martin.”
When Aston Martin is mentioned, James Bond typically comes to mind. Ian Fleming’s fictional MI6 agent is known for his DB series Astons.
It started with the DB5 in Goldfinger.
Later
movies included an early DBS, a Vantage Volante, a Vanquish, and a DBS V12. Like the Bond Girls, each car is astonishingly beautiful. Aston Martin is much more than fetish cars in James Bond movies.
It is one the older car
manufacturers and has a history that is steeped in racing, bankruptcies and acquisitions.
Page 62 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Aston Martin was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford, but due to World War I, production couldn't start.
After the war, the
company was refounded and concentrated their efforts on race cars. In 1920, Bamford left and the company Zborowski.
received
a
bailout
from
Count
Louis
In 1924, the company went bankrupt,
was purchased, and failed again in 1925. Aston Martin was purchased again the following year, only to run into financial trouble in 1932.
In
1936 it was purchased and things appeared to be going well until production was halted for World War II. After the war, Sir David Brown saw an ad in the classified section of the paper that read "High Class Motor Business for sale". That led to his purchase of the company.
With Sir
David Brown at the helm, Aston Martin finally saw secure footing. Under his leadership, the famous DB series cars were introduced and the company had 25 years of stability in ownership. As in earlier years, financial times got tough again. In 1972 Aston Martin was sold. And again in 1975, and again in 1981. During the next ten years, investors came and went, buying and selling stakes in the company, and then Ford took ownership. Under Ford, new factories were opened, stale engine designs were upgraded, the DB series was reintroduced, and Aston Martin reestablished itself as one of the world's premier manufacturers.
Aston Martin DB9
Page 63 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
In 2006, an audit led Ford to break up its "Premier
Automotive Group".
This meant Aston
Martin was once again for sale. In 2007, an American investment banker and two Kuwaiti companies purchased Aston Martin. Last year, an Italian investment firm bought 37% of the company, which brings us to today. Today, Aston Martin engines are still manufactured by Ford in Germany. These are exclusively Aston Martin engines as Ford doesn't use them in any other vehicles. between Aston Marin and Ford was scheduled to end sometime in 2013.
The engine contract This is why Aston
Martin turned to Mercedes AMG, and the timing couldn’t be better. Aston Martin has a line of
new
cars
in
the
works. These new cars will
ride
on
new
platforms, which is the perfect time for new engines, transmissions, and
electronics.
new
models
The
haven’t
been introduced to the public, but as soon as they are, we’ll have the details. Aston Martin Rapide
Aston Martin Vanquish
Page 64 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
At The Southwest Star Magazine, our focus is Mercedes-Benz; a manufacturer with a long distinguished history of making history. Although Mercedes-Benz produces the type of vehicles that cause you to stop and stare, they’re more than just eye candy. They’re functional vehicles that can be used in all four seasons.
Did I mention the magazine is free?
Page 65 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
M
ercedes-Benz has revealed the new fourth generation C-Class. The new model has an internal designation of W205, and is longer, wider, more powerful, and weighs less than today’s W204 C-Class.
The 220 pound weight reduction is mainly due to the re-engineered high-strength steel underpinnings and a new body that is primarily made of aluminum. Previously, the C-Class grew
Page 66 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
The new 2015 C-Class
a little bigger and got a little heavier with each new generation. This weight reduction should produce a faster car with increased fuel economy, shorter stopping distances and better handling. The new model is very attractive and has many S-Class cues.
This relationship is especially
clear when viewing the front with the classic grill option and hood mounted Mercedes star.
Page 67 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Other influences are the upper and lower side creases and the sloping rear.
For those who
prefer a sportier look, the Sport package moves the star from the hood to the grill and surrounds it with the soft-nose styling. According to Mercedes, the C-Class has grown in size to keep up with the buying public's increased average height. The new C-Class is 3.7 inches longer (at 184 inches total) and 1.6 inches wider (71 inches) than the previous generation. The wheelbase is longer, and this is the primary reason for the larger interior.
The additional interior space particularly benefits rear
passengers, who now travel in greater comfort. The new C also has a larger 17 cubic foot trunk. In
addition
to
the
increased
spaciousness, the interior has been completely redesigned.
The sportier
instrument cluster and the new center console really stand out.
The center
console is a large one-piece wooden panel that sweeps from the center air vents to the armrest.
The seamless
center section is elegant and creates a sense of open space. A
centrally
positioned
free-standing
central display sits above the air vents.
Diagonally, the new display is 7 inches on standard
cars, or 8.4 inches for those equipped with the Multimedia Package.
Page 68 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Behind the media display is a rich leather covered dash with contrast stitching.
The gauge
cluster has a speedometer on the left, a tach on the right, and a TFT display in-between. The new headlamp switch, climate control, seat switches and radio controls have all been upgraded. A head-up display is also new to the C-Class.
As with the S-Class, it displays information
directly in the driver's field of vision. The heads up display provides vehicle speed, navigation instructions, and messages from DISTRONIC PLUS. It provides this information clearly and in such a way as to not distract the driver from the road. Also in line with the S-Class, the W205 C-Class
receives
the new touchpad technology.
The
touchpad is in the hand rest over the Controller
on
the
center console. The new
touchpad
allows control over all
the
functions finger
head-unit using gestures.
The touchpad also permits
letters,
numbers and special characters to be entered in handwriting, using a finger as a stylus. When written with a finger, the touchpad will recognize the characters in any language known to COMAND.
The user receives clear, haptic feedback when operating the touchpad's control
surface. “Haptic feedback” is the physical response, a vibration, issued by the touchpad when touched. The vibration is an acknowledgement from the touch screen that it was pressed. This is a common feature on modern Android cell phones and tablets. The U.S. market launch will consist of two C-Class models; the C300 4MATIC and the C400 4MATIC. The C300 4MATIC is powered by a 2.0 liter turbocharged direct-injection in-line four cylinder engine. This engine produces 235 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. The C400
Page 69 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
4MATIC has a 3.0 liter turbocharged direct-injection V6 rated at 329 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. As the names imply, these initial models will have all-wheel-drive. Rear wheel drives models are expected to follow in March of 2015.
Both the new models are
equipped with 7G-TRONIC PLUS seven-speed automatic transmissions. The front suspension has been redesigned and uses a fully independent 4-link front axle. This new design provides superior grip, higher lateral stability, and better steering feel. The rear is suspended by Mercedes-Benz’ patented five-link independent rear suspension. In addition to the base and sports suspension, AIRMATIC is available.
The self-leveling
AIRMATIC front and rear air suspension system had previously been reserved for higher end models.
Like the other AIRMATIC systems, this one has electronically controlled, continuous
variable damping. The AGILITY SELECT switch allows the suspension to be set to one of four different settings; Comfort, ECO, Sport, or Sport+.
Page 70 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Mercedes at its best - that's the new C-Class, which sets new standards for the mid-range segment on many fronts.
It is
characterized by an emotional yet clear design which is continued in the
high-quality
and
modern
interior.
Its
efficient
and
high-
performance engineering provides the basis for a high standard of driving enjoyment. - Prof. Dr Thomas Weber Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG In addition to the improvements that allow the new C-Class to accelerate faster, stop sooner and corner harder, Mercedes-Benz has upgraded the safety equipment.
The new C incorporates
almost all of the new assistance systems. This includes a host of enhanced functions which were unveiled in the E and S-Class a few months ago. ATTENTION ASSIST, Adaptive Brake Assist, and COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS are all standard. In addition, there are 3-point seat belts with pyrotechnical belt tensioning and a belt force limitation feature. Did I mention the airbags?
The airbags include pelvis bags for the front occupants, a newly developed window
bag, side bags for the outer rear seats, and a knee bag for the driver.
Why all the safety
equipment? It’s been a long standing policy at Mercedes-Benz to make the highest standard of safety available across its entire line of vehicles.
Basically, if the S-Class gets it, and it’s
possible, the C-Class gets it. The new C-Class offers improved power, better fuel economy, several technical innovations and an increased number of standard features. Congratulations to Mercedes-Benz for raising the bar again.
Page 71 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Wannagoshopping?????
Hats embroidered with section logo only $12 each Available at all events or by mailing check to MBCA Long BeachSouth Bay Section PO Box 30132 Long Beach, CA 90853-0132
T-Shirts in blue or black with silver screen printed logo $12 each
New!!! Polo shirts with embroidered Long Beach-South Bay Section logo. Only $25 each Add $5 for packaging and postage per shipment
Page 72 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
The Tucson Section’s Tour of the By Michael Turner
S
aturday morning, November 2, 2013, dawned spectacularly clear in Tucson, but with wind gusts up to 30mph it seemed like a wonderful day to do something inside.
24
Chaparral Section members and 14 Mercedes-Benz automobiles met at the Stewart
Observatory Mirror Lab (SOML) under the east side grandstand of the football stadium on the campus of the University of Arizona, for a tour to answer the question; “How are those huge, 8.4 Meter (27.6 Foot) diameter mirrors that are used in some of the world’s largest land based telescopes made?” Our host for today’s activities was the former lead of the finishing department, Dean Ketelsen. Dean has quite a few of these gigantic mirrors under his belt. As we found out, there are two distinct phases to the creation of these huge mirrors; Casting and Finishing. The tour began with a wonderful classroom introduction to the process. Several discussions ensued to better understand the process. Dean then led us to the spin casting furnace, and explained the process of creating the mirror blank from start to completion of the casting phase. The
mirror
temperature
today
Note: was
166◦C, while on August 24, 2013, 3 days after the oven was closed and started, the temperature was 1172◦C, just short of the maximum casting temperature. Our next stop was in the finishing department, where as Dean says “the
Page 73 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
magic happens�. The mirror currently in the oven is the 3rd of 7 mirrors destined for the Giant Magellan Telescope (http://www.gmto.org/), while the mirror currently being finished is destined for the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (http://www.lsst.org/lsst/science/development). Dean took the time to explain how the grinding and polishing machines do their magic, with a little help from the human staff.
We completed the tour with an explanation of the testing that is done to insure the mirrors are ground and polished to the proper specifications. Thank You, Dean, for a great tour.
Page 74 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 75 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
The Los Angeles Section’s Holiday Party Submitted by the Los Angeles Section
W
e hear it all the time; "Save the date". The Los Angeles Section put on a fabulous holiday party and those who attended are really happy they "saved the date".
First, let's thank our event organizers, Paul Bergstrom & Tina Wright, who were able to secure both a location and catering after a scheduling issue required a last minute change in plans. Our event was hosted at The Automobile Driving Museum. The museum was founded in 2001 by Earl Rubenstein and Stanley Zimmerman. It has a rotating collection of 130 classic, antique and vintage automobiles on display. The museum also has a research library, a museum store, and for our event, we were offered rides in the museum cars. The meal was catered by Critic's Choice; a full-service catering and event planning company that serves the South Bay and greater Los Angeles area. We were able to see firsthand why Critic's Choice has been a Brides Choice Awards winner and voted "South Bay's Best" by the Daily Breeze in each of the past three years. The photos below are from the event.
Inside a marquee directed us to our dining room
Those who arrived early caught a glimpse of our event organizer, Tina Wright, unloading gifts for the MBCA attendees. Each attendee was able to choose amongst an array of gifts that were supplied by the Los Angeles Section.
Page 76 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
The dining area was comfortably full
Our Los Angeles Section President reviewed 2013 and spoke of the possibilities in 2014
After the meal we were treated to a tour by a very knowledgeable guide
The collage of photos on the following page are a mere glimpse of The Automobile Driving Museum
Congratulations to Amir Rudyan, who was recognized as the 2013 Los Angeles Section Member of the Year!
Page 77 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 78 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 79 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Oktoberfest with the Long Beach Section Photos and text by Allen Goodloe
W
hat a beautiful October day for viewing Mercedes Benz Cars and eating German food.
The Phoenix Club was abuzz with activity, a large crowd filled the huge tent while enjoying massive amounts of bratwurst and beer! The
Long
Beach-
South Bay Section showed
off
Joe
Edone's stunning 600 SWB Limo and John McCully's shinny rare 250SE Coupe.
Page 80 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Lynn Hern, the President of the OC Section along with several other OC members showed off ultraclean examples of our Clubs Marque. The crowd really enjoyed the fine examples of Benz models on hand, Club Newsletters and Star Magazines were given to many Benz fans. This festival didn't slow down as darkness approached, the dance floor stayed full, the band would make any German band jealous! Thanks to the efforts of our VP/Treasurer, Gerhard Fehrmann and others, this was another successful Mercedes Benz Club Event.
Page 81 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 82 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
P
resident Tommy Alvarado was not able to attend, so our Vice President Paul Kruger made the announcements.
Entertainers for the evening: Ronnie Rose, Mike Clark, Jess Gopen Aguinaga, Sara, Treasurer & Regimbal, Lisa Benson, Barbara & Charles Cameron, Barbara Dougherty, Gail & Fehl, Bill Frost, Sherre Geskes, Han Hilbrecht, Ty & Mercedes James, Melva Kruger, Paul , Vice President Loyd, Don & Betsy Luffy Machado,Lolita & Burke, Robert (Bob) Mannino, Salvatore & Loreen (Rennie) Marshall, Steve & Linda Minton, Frank & Joan Murray, Chris & Anita Nelson, Alan & Tarbet, Nancy Patti, James & Cassese, Linda Rosak, Charles & Ellen Saleh, Joyce Sutherly, Brigitte , Editor Waymire, Ed & Billie Werner, Beatrice, Secretary
Page 83 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Good Fellowship and Camaraderie marks this Mercedes Benz Club for 25 years and hopefully many more years in the future.
Page 84 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 85 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
The Tucson Section’s 2013 Holiday Party by Fred Finney and Jerry Tucker
T
hirty eight members and spouses/guests attended the Chaparral Section’s annual Holiday Party which took place again at the Mountain Oyster Club, courtesy of Ed Gladish, from our Board who is a member of the MO Club, and his wife Barbara. Everything was decked
out in holiday splendor. Everyone
enjoyed
the
great
ambience
of
MO
Club,
socializing
the with
fellow
Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts and partaking of a delicious holiday meal;
surrounded
by
the
largest collection of western art by some of the top western artists
in
the
world.
While
dessert was being served, the attendees were treated to a delightful songfest by tenor Jose “Chach” Snook and his wife, soprano Jodi Darling, singing hit tunes from several Broadway shows. Following the entertainment, President Mike Zonnefeld conducted a brief business meeting which included the election of members of the Board of Directors for 2014. Board member Lynn Davison then presented the Chaparral Section Member of the Year award to Beverly Maddalone, partially in recognition of the great job she did putting together an overnight event for members who traveled to Albuquerque for the annual Balloon
Page 86 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Fiesta in October. Since this is a time of cheer, joy and companionship the Board of Directors decided to have a fun event of receiving and giving gifts--by all attendees. Forty gifts were provided by the Board and distributed to the 40 attendees. When all had their gifts we had a grand
opening
“fabulous”
to
gifts…
fi
nd
things
the you
would not buy for yourself.
Holidays are for families, for loved ones and good friends and members of The Chaparral Section of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America.
Page 87 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
F
or the 10th consecutive year, Mercedes-Benz was the official vehicle of the annual Palm Springs International Film Festival and Awards
Gala. Mercedes-Benz is a major sponsor and in addition to its vehicles being used to provide transportation, they were on display throughout the festival. The Palm Springs International Film Festival is one of the largest film festivals in North America.
135,000 annually
attend for the international features and documentaries. This was the 25th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival, and 191 films from 60 countries were screened at the event. Also included were 46 of the 76 foreign language entries for this year’s Academy Awards®. Idris Elba and the SLS
Mercedes-Benz is proud to return for the 10th year as the official vehicle for the Palm Springs International Film Festival. The festival is a great opportunity to honor Hollywood’s elite talent and exceptional films, while highlighting our own icon – the all-new 2014 S-Class.” Bob Yeatman - regional general manager for Mercedes-Benz. This year, The Mercedes-Benz Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature went to Lakshmi. Directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, Lakshmi is based on the true story of a 13 year old girl who was kidnapped and sold into prostitution.
Through Lakshmi’s perseverance, she was later able to
confront her victimizer in a court of law.
Page 88 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
“We’re excited to welcome back Mercedes-Benz for a 10th consecutive year. This is a great partnership for our festival and we look forward to working with them for many years to come.” - Harold Matzner, Festival Chairman
Tom Hanks, & Bradley Cooper
Elisabeth Rohm
Matthew McConaughey & Camila Alves
Naomie Harris
Ewan McGregor
Page 89 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Once again, Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG will be supporting the 2014 Cannes Film Festival with a wide range of activities. In 2013, twelve high-performance models from Mercedes-AMG added to the glamour along the Croisette. The vehicles were supplied to provide an exclusive shuttle service, for spur-of-the-moment test drives, and as display vehicles.
One particularly
special star put in a sparkling appearance in front of the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc: the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The new S made its debut on the Côte d‘Azur at the Cinema Against AIDS gala. Mercedes-Benz is a Signature Sponsor of this star-studded gala, which is considered one of the most prestigious events held during the Film Festival. As well as the new S-Class, Mercedes-AMG presented the world's most powerful electric sports car - the SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive.
Have some vacation time?
Get your travel agent on the phone.
The year’s
Cannes film festival is from May 15 through 25. Here are some photos from last year’s event -
Page 90 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Stop. Wait. A Porsche Ad? In the Southwest Star?!?!?!?!?! Well, yes and no. Kind of definitely sort of.
It’s an event and it’s open to everyone. By popular demand, the Aviation, Aerospace and Automotive Rally is scheduled to return on
Saturday, May 3, 2014! SAVE THE DATE!! The structure and approach will be similar to the 2013 edition. There may be some stops added, new points assigned, and new combination bonuses developed. As in 2013, the event will be sponsored by the San Gabriel Valley Region of the Porsche Club of America and will be open to all. As information becomes available it will be posted at rallya3.wordpress.com. Want to make sure you don’t miss updates? E-mail the Rallymaster at rallya3@yahoo.com. Did you miss the 2013 event? Want to know more? Go back and read the article on page 31!
Page 91 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
The California Coast CarFest Photos and text courtesy of the Long Beach Section
T
he Southwestern Region’s sixth annual joint event, the California Coast CarFest was a really great weekend which was enjoyed by all participants.
The weekend started with guest registration at the Pierpont Inn & Spa in Ventura and also check in at the MBCA greeting desk which had been set up in front of the hotel on a beautiful Southern California evening. The hotel comprises a number of rooms and also two cottages in the ground, the larger of these was used by Gerhard and Isolde Fehrmann, and it also doubled as the hospitality suite where members cold sit around, chat and have drinks and snacks.
Everybody was on their own for dinner that evening, but most of the participants chose to eat in the hotel restaurant. On Saturday morning, we had anticipated that we were going to have to go out and buy continental breakfast to be consumed in the hospitality suite, but, upon check-in, we were surprised to receive vouchers to eat a full breakfast in the restaurant. Then it was down to business! We already had managed to cordon off the parking area directly in front of the hotel so that all of our cars were parked together, and the first events were the car show and surprise fun event. Wanting to keep the car show judging very simple, we placed a sheet of paper with the car details under the windscreen wiper of each car, and participants went round car by car to vote on which car they would most like to drive me in. Fortunately nobody lost their cars, but the winner, Tom Leeds from Las Vegas Section in his 1958 190 SL had the bad luck to have black smoke gushing from his exhaust so he wasn’t able to take part in the rally. The surprise fun event consisted of four games, firstly recognizing eighteen different parts of Mercedes-Benz cars that had kindly been cleaned, listed and donated by Mike Vrooman of Vrooman’s Automotive in Artesia. There was also the favorite Pin the Star on the Car (instead of the tail on the donkey!), trying to get the best three card poker hand and finally out of six table
Page 92 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
tennis balls, seeing who could throw the most into plastic cups set up on the table - easier said than done! This event was won by Cannel Islands member, Jesse Smith. Upon completion of these two events, participants were free to leave on the rally which was held all over the Ventura area, covered over 80 miles and lasted just over two hours. The winners of the rally were our old friends Rich Leamon and Yvonne Leazar who had driven down from their retirement home in Moro Bay to Join us for the weekend. After recovering from the rally, everybody went in to the awards banquet and auto memorabilia show. The auto memorabilia show was not so well patronized as it has been in the past, but the members seemed to have fun checking out the exhibits and coming up with the winner, who was Geoff Bolt of Long Beach-South Bay Section. It was good that the winners of the different events were spread around various sections. During the dinner, the winners of the different events were presented with certificates for first, second and third place, together with gift certificates for the three places from the MBCA Club Store. The raffle was also being conducted at that time, and we have to thank Isolde
Fehrmann and Jojie Bolt for diligently selling tickets to make sure that everybody had some. We also have to thank George Brown for obtaining the two major prizes which were one night stays in different hotels. As is always the case when we have a function with a raffle, Steve Ross wins so many prizes that we threaten to ban him but it never happens! Steve also won the star prize which was a $200 gift certificate to be used against the cost of the 2014 Joint Event. Sunday morning saw everybody drift in to breakfast again, then there were many farewells to be said to old friends and new, and everybody seemed to have a good time and enjoy themselves, which was the whole purpose of the event. We had members from Las Vegas, Channel Islands, Orange County, San Diego and Long BeachSouth Bay, so it was a pretty good representative bunch. If you want to go next year, we have to persuade a Section to act as hosts, even if it is only so Steve Ross can use his gift certificate!
Page 93 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 94 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
S
an Diego Section President Michael Cooper presents Carlos MuĂąoz with the Member of the Year Award for 2013. Carlos is our Section Star Bulletin Editor and continued this monumental task even while stationed in Germany with the U.S Navy. Carlos and his
family were living in Stuttgart, so he kept an eye on Daimler-Benz for us.
Carlos is active in our Section and has had a hand in planning events and attending all on a regular basis. Of course while in Germany his participation was severely limited. Now that Carlos and Zulma are back in town, we see a lot of them. Carlos is one of those people who make our Section a fun place to be and his dedicated contribution to the MBCA strengthens the organization. THANK YOU CARLOS FOR A JOB WELL DONE!
Page 95 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 96 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Orange County Section Cruise
T
he OC Section cruise on the Sapphire Princess had only a minimal participation. This was unfortunate because the weather was outstanding for January and the entire cruise fare could be credited toward any future 7-day or longer cruise. On Monday,
January 20, we left Port of Los Angeles for Catalina. Tuesday was spent strolling around Catalina Island and on Wednesday we were at sea. The weather was warm enough for sunbathing around the pools or just lounging on deck. Shopping and walking around Ensenada occupied most of Thursday. Our evenings were spent having leisurely dinners with our travel companions, attending the shows in the theater and gambling in the casino. Thursday evening we sailed back to the Port of Los Angeles and disembarked on Friday morning.
Page 97 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 98 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 99 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 100 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Upcoming Events If you would like to attend an event listed here, please be sure to contact the event coordinator of the hosting section.
This is important as many events
require an RSVP so we can know how many people to expect. Also, additional details may be available at the hosting section’s website.
Saturday, March 8 – Desert Stars Section Bink’s Midtown Join Desert Stars for a Star Night Dinner at 6:00 PM, Saturday, March 8, 2014. Our venue will be Bink’s Midtown which is the newest venture for award winning chef Kevin Binkley.
Bink’s
Midtown follows the traditions of the flagship restaurant, Binkley’s in Cave Creek, in that fresh, locally sourced ingredients are featured in dishes that astonish with their creativity. You will be surprised and delighted by the menu that is consistent with the quality and ingenuity of the flagship but is different enough to be a unique experience in and of itself. As is our custom, we will order off the menu and separate checks will be provided. There is ample valeted parking on site. The address is 2320 E. Osborn, Phoenix. Please call John Phin at 480-272-8851 or by eMail to jgphin@cox.net to RSVP. No need to contact the restaurant as John will coordinate our event with Bink’s.
Saturday, March 15 – Desert Stars DM 50 Picnic and Casual Classics Car Show - DM Air Force Base The DM-50 is having their annual picnic to show appreciation to the US Air Force and DavisMonthan AFB. Included in the festivities is the Annual Casual Classic Car Show which is a FUN event with no rigid rules and a special class just for Airmen to show off their classic cars. The
Page 101 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
entry fee is passed directly to the Kachina Fund to support the Airmen and their families, and other community related projects that do not have appropriated funding. This will be the 5th year the Chaparral Section has supported this worthwhile event. We will be pre-staging prior to entering the base as part of the overall Base security protocol for the event. Please note: We must enter the base as a group, there are no single car entries allowed on base. Contact Michael Turner <mrmgturner@earthlink.net> or 520.743.3437.
Desert Stars Section Annual Family Picnic Sunday March 16, 2014 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m It’s that time of the year again. We all had a great time last year and hope you will all come out once again for a day of fun, food and games. Located at the corner of Scottsdale Road and E. Indian Bend Road, the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park (7301 E. Indian Bend Road in Scottsdale) celebrates Arizona’s railroad history. It features two playgrounds, model train exhibits, and both train and carousel rides in a beautiful landscaped park. Tickets for train rides, carousel, gifts and souvenirs are available separately in the park gift shop. We also have plans for fun and games throughout the day. Back by popular demand will be the Donut Contest along with lots of other games. Kids of all ages should plan to participate in the picnic contests, races and a prize raffle.
Don’t miss this event!
Please RSVP by March 12, 2014. You can pay by check or credit card see registration form
on
page
eight
for
details.
For
more
information
on
the
park,
visit
http://www.therailroadpark.com/visitor-info.
Page 102 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Join the Orange County Section for a Fun-Filled Weekend at Furnace Creek Ranch in Death Valley March 28-30, 2014 There are still rooms available for our weekend at Death Valley. To participate in this event, you must make your own reservation at the Furnace Creek Inn. There are eight small cabins set aside for our group.
The rate for this is about
$150.00 per night. You also may choose to stay at the Furnace Creek Ranch Hotel. Either way you will be responsible for your reservation so make yours ASAP.
Check in on March 28th and
check out March 30th.
The club is
sponsoring a Wine and Cheese Happy Hour Friday afternoon for OC section members on the Ranch patio. On Saturday we will have a drive in and around Death Valley. For those who are interested, they also have Ranger guided walking tours. Saturday night the OC Section will sponsor Dinner at the Ranch Restaurant for OC section members. The times for Saturdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s events will be announced on Friday. Sunday morning breakfast and check out. You may then continue to explore Death Valley or go to another destination. The phone number for Furnace Creek Ranch in Death Valley is (760) 786-3355 or (760) 7862345. The booking number is 635706, also mention the Ortiz group. Please call Marlyn Ortiz @ (949) 481-8096 so she can plan events.
Los Angeles Section Rally April 6, 2014 Are you looking for an excuse to bring the Benz out for a day in the sun? Something a little more than a trip to the store, but nothing too wild? Got some free time in April?
Page 103 The Southwest Star Magazine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Thanks to Southern California's Premier Rally Meister, Howard Green, we have a fantastic rally planned for April 6th. As with most rallies, we have to keep the details rather secretive, but we can tell you two things; no freeways will be involved and the theme for this rally is "L.A.'s High
Rent District". Check the Los Angeles section website, www.la-mbca.com, for further details such as the starting point, times, etc.
Desert Stars Section Show-Off Your Car” Show and Luncheon April 19, 2014 Got a beautiful car? A unique car? A reliable family car with tons of history? Share your treasure with other Mercedes Benz enthusiasts at a Mercedes Benz car show and luncheon that will take place on Saturday, April 19, 2014 at the Radisson Fort McDowell Indian Resort & Casino. Or just come to look and mingle! There will be several categories for recognition, including a “People’s Choice” Award. We will gather the cars at 11 AM in an area reserved just for us. There will be time to look, vote, and scheme for your next vehicle. An open bar will be set up in our separate event room, and a luncheon will be served while we tally votes and announce the selected winners. The fee per person for the event is $35, which includes lunch, dessert and coffee or iced tea. Please complete the reservation form for this event included on page eight and let us know what car(s) you will be showing, the number of guests and their luncheon selections. Reservations and payment are due by April 10, 2014. For questions call John and Roberta Phin at 480-272-8851, or email jgphin@cox.net. Please do not contact the resort directly.
Desert Stars Section 2014 Trip to Germany July 28, 2014 through August 3, 2014 By Rich Schulte
The Nationally organized MBCA Germany trip is filling up quickly. Desert Stars own Rich Schulte is coordinating a Desert Stars group for this seven day, six night MBCA trip to Germany in July. Feel free to contact Rich at (401) 225-2090 to discuss the week-long journey. Registration is through the NBO by completing a form on the national website, or contact Jim O'Sullivan at osullivanj55@gmail.com or 843-671-2079. Guided tours of multiple Mercedes-Benz facilities, six
Page 104 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
nights in a five-star hotel, all breakfasts, lunches, dinners, transportation, admissions, tour guides, and a full-time escort are included. $2,500 fee per person trip is all-inclusive except for airfare. A refundable $500 deposit (per person) is required to save your place.
Desert Stars Section B.E.A.T. Rally April 12-13, 2014 Listen up! It is time to register for the 2014 British European Auto Tour! This two day run from Phoenix to Flagstaff is in its 17th year and great fun. For those of you who have never attended, this is a time to get those cars out of the winter doldrums and onto the road. The tour departs Phoenix at 6:30am sharp (after receiving your goody bag and directions) on Saturday, April, 12. Last year, Desert Stars had several members in the 16th running and we would like to have even more turnout this year. There were a total of 140 cars on the B.E.A.T. last year and they are limiting the event to the first 125 paid registrations this year. Registration closes on March 14, 2014, hence the rush to register this year. You can go to www.beataz.com and obtain all information and a registration form. I will be keeping a tally of club members attending. Let me know your name and the number in your party. I will be making reservations in Prescott for us to lunch together at Little America for dinner. I would appreciate it if you would call me at (480) 998-0194 or email at bobyoderaz@cox.net.
Desert Stars Section 2014 Trip to Germany July 28, 2014 through August 3, 2014
The Nationally organized MBCA Germany trip is filling up quickly. Desert Stars own Rich Schulte is coordinating a Desert Stars group for this seven day, six night MBCA trip to Germany in July. Feel free to contact Rich at (401) 225-2090 to discuss the week-long journey. Registration is through the NBO by completing a form on the national website, or contact Jim O'Sullivan at osullivanj55@gmail.com or 843-671-2079. Guided tours of multiple Mercedes-Benz facilities, six nights in a five-star hotel, all breakfasts, lunches, dinners, transportation, admissions, tour guides, and a full-time escort are included. $2,500 fee per person trip is all-inclusive except for airfare. A refundable $500 deposit (per person) is required to save your place.
Page 105 The Southwest Star Magazine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
San Gabriel Valley Region of the Porsche Club of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Aviation, Aerospace and Automotive Rally May 3rd
Hey, did you miss the ad on page 84? The one with a 911 sitting on water casting an S-class coupe reflection? We thought it was hard to miss with that red lettering, so yes, that one. Well, it really is a rally and it really is open to everyone. No, a Porsche is not required, so come on out. If you need details, flip back to page 84 and take another look.
Page 106 The Southwest Star Magazine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
If you would like to see your ad here, send us an email at info@FitzhughMedia.com
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Page 108 The Southwest Star Magazine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 109 The Southwest Star Magazine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 110 The Southwest Star Magazine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 111 The Southwest Star Magazine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America
Page 112 The Southwest Star Magazine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America