Southwest Star Magazine 2017 2nd quarter

COVERING YOUR CARS & YOUR EVENTS VOLUME 5, NUMBER 2

The new S, Luftgekühlt, She’s Mercedes, a 917, The Festival of Speed, the AMG GT Concept, Porsche’ Mission e, and that’s not the half of it.

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

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10 Luftgekühlt 20 The 2018 S Class 28 Festival of Speed 36 The AMG GT Concept 40 She’s Mercedes 48 Porsche Mission e 54 The Iconic 917 62 Concept EQ 68 The Dustball 77 Mercedes-Benz at Geneva 82 AMG Customer Sports 90 Boosted Again 94 The CE 98 Certified Porsches 102 Winter in SoCal 108 Werks Reunion

110 Benz There, Done That 112 A 500,00 mile 300TD 117 Diesel Update 120 Upcoming Events

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

The Southwest Star Your cars & your events May 2017 Subscribe

The Southwest Star Magazine is published four times per year by Fitzhugh Media Santa Clarita, California, USA www.fitzhughmedia.com info@fitzhughmedia.com

Editorial Editor in Chief Marcus Blair Fitzhugh Managing Editor Veeann Hegreberg Creative Director Karcy Bowles Motorsports Editor Kevin Ehrlich Features editor Mary Fischer East Coast Bureau Chief Wendy Fitzhugh Creative Consultant Sean Fitzhugh Contributors To This Issue Andrew Thompson Belinda Sarooei Big L Media Brian Cleary/BCPix.com Jay Pill Kenny Pi Tony Brown

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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 and/or Porsche vehicles. The views expressed in The Southwest Star Magazine are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of the publisher.

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

From the editor’s desk don’t believe in bucket lists. I understand the concept, but making a list of stuff I want to do before I die doesn’t appeal to me. If I see or hear about something I want to do or own, I try to do it now. If not now, very soon. Waiting until the perfect situation arises usually means something is never getting done.

Here’s an example – can you imagine being hungry, writing down the name of a restaurant, and saying “someday”? That’s ridiculous, if you’re hungry now, just go. The same applies to your dream car. If you want it, buy it. A house at the beach? Move. If it’s a job, work it. Put one foot in front of the other and get where you want to go.

Some may ask, “What about the things you can’t afford?” I’m not sure I agree with the question. There are things we shouldn’t expect to be able to buy. For example, I probably can’t buy Jerry Seinfeld’s 901 Porsche. It’s the oldest 911 I know of, and it’s not for sale.

However, I can buy an early 911. Just not Seinfeld’s 911. Reasonable choices are usually obtainable. In some cases, even unreasonable choices are possible.

If whatever you’re after simply costs more than you can put your hands on, then do something about it. Position yourself; work, save some money, put in the effort, and move forward. Change your outlook from “someday” to “I’m working on that right now”.

Now, about those car parts you’ve been “thinking” about ordering . . . . .

Marcus Blair Fitzhugh Page | 8

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

n Sunday, May 7, the epicenter of the Porsche world was squarely in San Pedro.

The Los Angeles dock town next to the Long Beach ports was invaded by hundreds of Porsche enthusiasts united by a common appreciation of the air-cooled Porsche in all of its various forms at the fourth edition of LuftgekĂźhlt.

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by Kevin Ehrlich

Luftgekühlt is the brainchild of Porsche factory driver Patrick Long and designer Howie Idelson. The terminology is German for “air cooled” which limits participation to Porsches manufactured from inception through 1998, when production of the 993 ceased. Think of the event as a modestly curated air cooled cars and coffee.

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

The third edition, held in April 2016 at a furniture design and manufacturing facility in Vernon, was impressive.

Dozens of owners

brought their cars for show and hundreds more turned the parking lots into a car show of its own.

(See story in the 2Q 2016 issue of The

Southwest Star here.) As impressive as Luftgekühlt 3 was, Luftgekühlt 4 eclipsed it on every level.

Leading up to the show, indications surfaced on social media to give a sense of the magnitude. Owners gave peeks of efforts to finish projects or polish up their rides. Spectators chatted about attending and meeting others there with some coming from well beyond the Los Angeles area.

The event gave an excuse for the Porsche faithful to hit the road, so posts emerged showing various cars en route – some from as far away as New York.

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As spectators walked and drove in, rain drops fell and black clouds threatened. There was something ironic about an event that excludes any water-cooled Porsches opening its gates amidst raindrops. The wet weather lifted as a rainbow painted against black clouds gave promise that sunshine was on its way.

The spectator parking lots were stuffed with hundreds of Porsches.

Within the fences of the formal event area, hundreds more were on display.

Early 356 models clustered together, the 911 range was

roughly clustered by era, and the 993 variations huddled together.

Three very early 356A coupes set on a concrete sidewalk pedestal nose to tail. Desert and safari cars, some just back from racing in Mexico, were also on display.

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

The rain drops and industrial setting made for quite a setting as photographers and children looked for puddles, but for different reasons.

Inside the main warehouse,

however, was a selection of some of the most significant Porsche cars in history.

Chandeliers hung above individual cars with large artistic backdrops giving additional emphasis to some. Not a rope or barrier could be found anywhere, which is remarkable in light of the value represented in the rooms. Cars were arranged with plenty of space between them so spectators circulated easily through the hall without tripping over each other or the cars.

The 1979 LeMans winning Porsche 935 sat across from a pair of Porsche 917 models – a 917K in Gulf blue and orange and a 917/30 Can-Am car in blue and yellow Sunoco colors driven by Mark Donahue.

Any of those three, let alone the three together, would be

sufficient to headline almost any other car event or museum display anywhere in the world.

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The very first Porsche that took a class win at LeMans in 1951 presided on an elevated pedestal under its own chandelier. It had an active vintage racing career before being restored to its LeMans configuration for its owner by Rod Emory in 2015 in time for display at the Rennsport Reunion V at Laguna Seca. The restoration was fully completed in 2016 and shown at the Pebble Beach concours. The black 46 number on a white circle against a bare silver color was striking and the aerodynamic wheel covers give an indication of the top speed priority at LeMans. This 356 is arguably where the story starts of Porsche motorsports success at LeMans and other racetracks around the world.

Scattered elsewhere were other goodies including a line-up of 5 white R and RS version cars. A rare 1967 911R headed the lineup with a 1973 Carrera RS, a 1974 Carrera RS 3.0, a 1992 964 Carrera RS and a 1995 or 1996 993 Carrera RS. The presentation was simple, but the column of white R and RS history was striking.

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The ability of Patrick and Howie to make calls and convince owners to bring cars of such a high caliber is testament to the compelling nature of their vision (and the generosity of their friends).

A full description of all the cars in attendance is absolutely infeasible but it was enough to overload the mental circuits of even the most ardent Porsche purist. A degree of guilt creeps in as it is impossible to fully grasp or do justice to each car. But few events provide the chance to talk to the person that originally built, owned or drove the race car in period or did the restoration or owned the car since new.

Walking around and talking to owners, the central truth emerged that each and every car has a story. No cars were new or built recently, so all have traveled a literal and figurative path to get to this point. Some have stories of racing glory. Some are barn finds where a car was rescued from obscurity. Some have stories of a million miles driven.

Some have paperwork from the original owner that picked up a red 356 while posted at a US military base in Stuttgart and drove it through Europe and into Russia before bringing it home and keeping it until death only recently ended the unbroken chain of ownership.

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It is not an overstatement to say the LuftgekĂźhlt has quickly cemented itself as a significant and mandatory event on the Porsche scene. The irony is that it was originally conceived only as a chance for Patrick and Howie to get together with a few like-minded Porsche friends. What they found, however, is that there are a lot of like-minded Porsche fans that quickly have become friends.

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

ercedes-Benz introduced the refreshed 2018 S-Class at the Shanghai Auto Show, and it’s amazing that a car so perfect could be improved in so many ways.

When introduced in 2014, the W222 was a brilliant step forward, but the 2018 model’s level of refinement is astounding.

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by Marcus Blair Fitzhugh

The first thing you need to know is, the names have changed. They’re now called the 450 and 560. These names were previously used in the 1970’s and 80’s with the wildly popular W116 and W126.

We like the new names because they clearly differentiate the two

drivetrain choices. The S450 replaces last year’s S550e, which had a six-cylinder plug-in The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

hybrid. The new S450 is powered by a 3-liter biturbo V6 that produces 362 horsepower. The new S560 replaces the old S550 and it also has a new engine. Last year’s 4.7-liter biturbo V8 has been replaced by the smaller, more powerful, and more efficient 4-liter biturbo V8. Yes, THAT 4liter biturbo. Variations of the 4-liter V8 are in several other MercedesAMGs, but this is the first time it’s been offered in a non-AMG. This version produces 463 horsepower and 516 pound feet of torque. Both the 450 and 560 are equipped with the 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic transmission and are optionally available with 4MATIC all-wheel drive.

The new V8 is one of the most

economical in the world and it’s 10% more fuel efficient than last year’s model. The S63 AMG also has a 4-liter biturbo V8 for 2018. This new engine replaces last year’s 5.5 liter biturbo and it produces 603 horsepower. That’s an increase of 26 horsepower over last year. The 4-liter retains the old engine’s peak of 664 pound-feet of torque, but the peak torque is available over a much wider rev range.

Like the S560, the S63 uses the

CAMTRONIC valve lift system to deactivate 4 of the 8 cylinders while under a light load.

Using this technology, the new S63 is substantially more fuel efficient than the previous 5.5-liter V8.

The new S63 is also equipped with the nine-speed automatic this year,

replacing last year’s seven-speed. Simply put, the new S560 and S63 are more powerful, more economical, and faster than last year’s models. The S65 retains last year’s biturbo V12 with 621 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque.

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"The development of the new S-Class was extremely extensive. With a whole series of new features and functions, the S-Class remains a technological pioneer," Ola Källenius Member of the Board of Management responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development.

Several improvements have been made to the new S-Class’ intelligent driving features.

The upgrades allow the various systems to have a better awareness of the surroundings.

The adaptive cruise control can now slow the car for upcoming curves, turns, and roundabouts. Also, DISTRONIC now uses cameras, radar, maps, and navigation data to determine where to adjust speeds. The new S even has a feature where a flick of the turn

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

signal will engage the Active Lane Change Assist. This will allow the car to change lanes by itself. Mercedes-Benz has also added Magic Body Control’s CURVE function for the sedan. This system was previously restricted to the coupe and it allows the car’s body to tilt toward the inside of the curve by up to 2.65 degrees. This reduces the centrifugal forces felt by passengers.

In the area of visual improvements, we’re going to start with the new steering wheel.

That’s an odd place to start, but the old wheel was known as the clown face and it was the only thing we didn’t care for.

The new steering wheel is both good looking and

equipped with touch-sensitive controls. The controls respond to swiping motions like a smartphone and they allow the driver to control all the infotainment system options, along with DISTRONIC and cruise control.

The upgraded infotainment system can also be

controlled with either the touchpad controller in the center console or by LINGUATRONIC voice control.

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Last year’s dual digital dashboard displays have been enhanced. The new dash uses the two high definition units found in the current E-Class. The two displays are under a single glass cover, giving them the appearance of a single widescreen cockpit. Other significant interior upgrades include wireless phone charging, additional high end material options, and the Energizing Comfort system, which links climate control, the in-car fragrance system, console heating, LED backlighting (now with 64 color choices), seat heating / cooling / massage settings, and individual occupant noise control.

Apple CarPlay and

Android Auto remain standard.

The exterior has a new front bumper with more pronounced air intakes, a new grill, and new optional multibeam LED headlamps. The tail also has a new bumper skin and new crystal look LED lamps. Like the E, the taillamps perform the optical light show when the car is locked and unlocked. All models have a redesigned rear lower bumper section with an integrated tailpipe border. The tailpipes are framed by a chrome trim element that spans the width of the vehicle. Lastly, seven new light-alloy wheels in diameters from 17 to 20 inches are available. We expect pricing to be announced shortly.

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

ach April, the Porsche Club of America rents the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California and invites everyone they know to come join in a “festival of speed.�

The Zone 8 region, which roughly comprises the southwestern US, assembles a mix of track action, car displays, car corrals, vendors, swap meet goodies and even an autocross course.

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by Kevin Ehrlich

The traditional mid-April date is also usually an introduction to summer in Los Angeles, so bright, sunny and hot is usually the order of the day.

Spectators pay for car for parking, but otherwise admission is free. It is natural for Porsche owners to bring their toys and the parking lots are filled with makes and models from all eras, ranging from factory correct to the heavily modified. Of course, a Porsche The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

isn’t required to attend, so the odd Ferrari, Lamborghini, Audi and even a Mercedes McLaren SLR found their way in for the festivities this year.

A special Saturday display this year featured a timeline of 54 years of 911 examples. It is a unique opportunity to walk through the evolution of the model all the way from the earliest to the most recent.

One owner drove his beautiful red Turbo-look coupe all the

way from Phoenix to participate in the timeline. Sunday featured a line-up of 356 models as well.

Track grouping cater to the range of drivers with the range of cars. Many road cars wear temporary numbers and tape on their nose to protect from chips. Newer drivers get track time and some bring coaches to sit alongside and provide pointers as well. On the other end of the spectrum sits all out PCA Club Racing cars and drivers – these are race cars run (usually) by those with the most experience and skill.

Some race cars reflect more of a home-built project look about them while others have only recently retired from active racing. Two cars in particular carried obvious markings of a former life under the Manthey Racing banner which is famous for racing Porsches and Page | 30

success at the Nurburgring, only minutes from their shop in Germany. The quicker race cars are 911-based but there are a good number of Boxster platforms on track with a scattering of 944/924 models mixed in.

This year the organizers made provisions to open the infield area for spectators which gave those willing to make the walk over a bridge a great look at most of the infield road course action. In some past years, getting access was more difficult which limited viewing options, so kudos to the organizers for opening up the infield.

A highlight was a 70 minute enduro race as the last Saturday event. Participation is high and the field is large, but the longer race gives a different competitive feel than a brief sprint race.

While amateurs clearly comprise the bulk of the entrants, there are several professional operations that support their amateur customers. Banners and trucks bearing familiar names of Hergesheimer, Global Motorsports Group (GMG), Vision Motorsports, the Speed Gallery, Patrick Motorsports among others attest that this hobby is serious business.

Some customers drive or trailer their own cars, but some shops offer an arriveand-drive program for those that wish to rely on someone else for transportation, preparation and support.

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

Porsche of Riverside (part of Walter’s Automotive Group) is a sponsor of the event and has a visible presence including putting new cars on display and selling goodies like hats and posters. Other vendors lined the alleyway behind the pits with everything from car care products, lubricants, suspension bits and wraps for your car to hats, shirts, flags, posters and model cars for your closet and home décor.

Several food trucks set up shop in the paddock and did a healthy business.

Lunchtime laps gave any takers willing to part with $30 a chance to drive on the track for a few parade laps. The idea was clearly popular – Page | 32

likely too popular given the fact that some of the laps looked less like grand touring and more like a crawl on a Los Angeles freeway.

Regardless, it is still quite a sight to see dozens of Porsches snaking around the circuit with passengers snapping photos and video along the way.

As spectators circulated through the garages and around the track, a steady stream of cars made their way into the autocross course. Some drivers were clearly experienced and looking to give their tires and brakes a workout but many were newbies who just wanted to gently check out life between the orange cones. Helpful workers even jumped in to provide guidance and even gave rides in their own cars for a few lucky attendees.

A day at the track is a good day and the Porsche Club of America Festival of Speed puts on quite an annual event. Thank you to all of the PCA members, volunteers, corner workers, participants, vendors and others that combine to make the event happen.

If all of

this sounds like fun, keep an eye out for the April 2018 PCA calendar and head to the track!

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MSRP: $131,200

Enter for a chance to win your dream vehicle, a 2017 Mercedes-AMG-GT S. Tickets are $50 each and there is no limit to the number of tickets you can purchase.

The International Stars Mercedes-Benz Club of America raffle is open to MBCA members only.

Visit raffle.mbca.org for more information and to read the rules and regulations.

To purchase tickets by phone please call 1-800-637-2360 (Monday-Thursday 8 am - 4:30 pm or Friday 8 am to 4 pm Mountain Time).

Image in contest promotional materials doesn't entirely represent actual prize being won.

Photo credit: Mercedes-Benz-USA

1907 Lelaray St. Colorado Springs, CO 80909

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

ercedes-AMG took the wraps off the AMG GT Concept at the 2017 Geneva Auto Show and it is stunning. The following month, Mercedes-Benz brought the same car to the New York International Auto Show.

The Mercedes-AMG GT Concept has a low-slung, fastback sedan design with cues from the AMG GT sportscar. Like the GT coupe, it has a large tailgate, which gives access to a sizeable luggage area. As with the Audi RS7 and Porsche Panamera, please, don’t call this a hatchback.

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By Tony Brown

The nose features a Panamericana grille with vertical ribs painted red on the sides. The nose has slim headlamps and large lower air intakes. This flows into a clamshell design hood that wraps into the wheel arches. Just below where the hood and fenders meet are tiny cameras, which replace the standard side view mirrors.

I’m demanding when it comes to the rear of cars. That’s a make or break area for me.

The GT Concept’s hind quarters are rather large, but it works. On an individual basis, I’m not sure parts of the rear would hold up, but as a unit, they flow very well together. The The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

tail of the GT Concept has ultra-thin taillamps, rear vents, and a diffuser with an integrated center exhaust.

The GT Concept is much more than a styling exercise. Our first clue is the “EQ Power+” insignia on the side view mirror camera. That same logo is also on the W08 MercedesAMG Petronas F1 car, the second cue is – it’s an AMG. This particular Mercedes-AMG is a hybrid. They’ve combined the 4.0-liter biturbo V8 with the 4Matic all-wheel drive system and added an electric motor to the rear axle. The total system output is 805 horsepower and the GT Concept will rip to 60 MPH in under 3 seconds. The AMG GT Concept has three operating modes; pure electric, pure biturbo 8, or plant the pedal in the carpet and let’s see how much trouble both power systems can get us in.

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"With the Mercedes-AMG GT Concept we are giving a preview of our third completely autonomously developed sports car. And extending the attractive AMG GT family to include a four-door variant. Plus the GT Concept – like the AMG Hypercar, which we are presenting at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt – illustrates how we are defining performance of the future at AMG. Impressive driving dynamics coupled with high efficiency, resulting from an innovative drive system and tailored to the vehicle segment in question – that is Future Performance made by AMG. With our AMG GT Concept that means a combination of an ultramodern V8 petrol engine and a highperformance electric motor. Both intelligently networked and with a modular battery concept with a combination of extremely powerful yet light batteries. This performance hybrid powertrain offers an impressive electric range and the opportunity to generate a system output of up to 600 kW in its last level of development. It covers the sprint from 0-100 in less than three seconds – which corresponds to a super sports car level" Tobias Moers CEO of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

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is an initiative that Mercedes-Benz started in 2015. The program targets women as part of its "Best Customer Experience" strategy.

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By Marcus Blair Fitzhugh | photos courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

The goal is to establish Mercedes-Benz as the world’s most attractive premium automotive brand for women and increase the female customer base. The initiative has exclusive networking events, a website, an online community, and a magazine.

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

"Women are the fastest-growing and most influential consumer group in the world. Our aim is to respond in a holistic manner to the wishes and needs of women – from sales to communications to services. In the coming years, our aim is to establish Mercedes-Benz as the most attractive premium car brand in the world for women and to significantly increase the proportion of female customers."

Kerstin Heiligenstetter, Head of the She’s Mercedes initiative

She’s Mercedes events build bridges between yesterday and today

The She’s Mercedes program also includes an increased female sales staff, the specialized training of sales employees, the development of new after-sales services, and tailored mobility services. One mobility service example is Blacklane; a chauffeur service in which Page | 42

Daimler AG has held a stake since 2003. This professional driver service is very popular with businesswomen, and features various Mercedes-Benz vehicles in over 200 cities worldwide.

There’s been a

She's Mercedes Event in China with a Mercedes-Benz shuttle

tremendous response to the She’s Mercedes program.

Approximately 5000 women have already taken part in She’s Mercedes events all over the world. Last year, ten events were hosted in China with a variety of events designed to She's Mercedes Participant The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

strengthen the exchange within the community. In the Middle East, She’s Mercedes activities focus on events and social media activities, the aim being to make direct contact with the women living there and to offer them a premium brand experience.

The fourth edition of the She’s Mercedes magazine was released in April, and it has a circulation of 170,000 in both German and English. The various articles are about strong women who make things happen at Mercedes-Benz; both now and in future.

Of course, that begs the question; “Why?” Why this ongoing push for a better customer experience? The answer is “competition”.

Above: Participants at a She's Mercedes event in Jordan

Left: Scene from the She's Mercedes video "The Female Bond"

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Over a hundred years ago, Gottlieb Daimler promised the company’s vehicles would be “the best or nothing” and they’ve lived up to the promise.

Karl Benz invented the

automobile and since then it’s been one innovation after another.

They had the first

vehicle with four-wheel independent suspension, the first car with hydraulic brakes, the first diesel powered passenger car, the first car with crumple zones, the first passenger car with airbags, the first car with standard antilock brakes, the first car with direct injection, electronic stability control, attention assist, PRE-SAFE, Active Lane Keeping Assist, and the list goes on. These aren’t just a lot of old breakthroughs. Two years ago, the Center of Automotive Management and Price WaterhouseCoopers named MercedesBenz the most innovative premium brand of the last decade.

Innovation, superior

engineering, and safety have allowed Mercedes-Benz to create a superior vehicle. Some Mercedes-Benz dealers recognize vehicle quality alone will build customer loyalty and have ignored the value of the customer experience.

Some manufacturers have identified this as the weak spot for Mercedes-Benz.

When

Lexus was launched, Lexus said they would differentiate themselves based on customer experience.

Not a better car, but a better experience.

The original Lexus dealership

agreement stated “Lexus will treat each customer as we would treat a guest in our home.”

Lexus isn’t the only manufacturer to pick up on this. She’s Mercedes is here as part of a program to deliver the best experience to go along with the best vehicle.

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

orsche is knee deep in the electric car game and plans to roll out its first fully electric vehicle, the Mission E, by 2020. Porsche unveiled the Mission E two years ago at the Frankfurt Auto Show and it’s a roomy four seat sports car.

The Mission E has an 800-volt drive system that produces over 600 horsepower (440 kW) and has a range of over 300 miles. Complete details on the charging system haven’t been released, but we’ve been told that it can be charged to 80 per cent of capacity in about 15 minutes. That would allow it to travel 250 miles, which is marvelous.

The Mission E’s drive system is completely new. It’s powered by two permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM), which are similar to those used in the Le Mans winning Page | 48

by Tony Brown | photos courtesy of Porsche

Porsche 919 hybrid. It has all-wheel drive, all-wheel steering, can sprint to 60 MPH in less than 3.5 seconds, and reach 120 MPH in less than twelve seconds. We’re told the motors are incredibly efficient and unlike today's electric drive systems, they can develop full power even after multiple accelerations at short intervals.

A huge part of the motor efficiency is due to the innovative 800-volt technology. This is double the voltage of today's electric vehicles.

Doubling the voltage has several

advantages. This system has shorter charging times and lower weight, because lighter, smaller gage copper cables are sufficient for energy transport. As shown on the next page, the front left fender opens to allow access to the charging port. As an alternative to the 800-volt charging port, the Mission E can be connected to a conventional 400-volt The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

charging station. If the owner opts for an inductive charging unit, the Mission E can also be charged at home in the garage. With the garage unit, the car is parked over a coil embedded in the garage floor. A wireless charge is then transferred to a coil in the car's underbody.

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All of the production model’s high tech features have not been released, but Porsche has given us glimpses of what may be offered. The driver's display is curved, has a lowprofile, and is free-standing. The instrument cluster has five round instruments, which are instantly recognized as a Porsche gauge cluster, but they are displayed “virtually” using organic light-emitting diodes.

The instruments are automatically operated by eye-

tracking, gesture control, and holograms. The holograms are driver oriented and adjust automatically based on the driver's position. This eliminates the possibility of the steering wheel blocking a gauge, as a camera watches the driver and moves the holograms as the driver moves.

The seats are four individual lightweight buckets. The car doesn’t have a transmission tunnel, so the center console curves up and into the dash like a bridge with a space underneath it. Rather than mirrors, the Mission E has cameras and uses the lower corners of the windshield to display the outside images.

2020 is a mere three model years away and we expect to receive a lot more information by the official rollout.

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

hile diplomats and cartographers may technically show the roads around LeMans as French soil, Porsche has laid claim to the winding bit of pavement that comprises the trace track and especially victory lane.

Since 1951 when a silver Porsche 356 won the very first class win at LeMans, the German manufacturer has won in class and outright more times than any other manufacturer.

In fact, Porsche has won overall at LeMans 18 times.

The iconic 12-cylinder Porsche 917 will always be known as the car that got the overall winning tradition started and played a major role in enhancing Porsche’s motorsports heritage.

Competition cars that were built four decades ago remain some of the most popular bits of machinery ever to emerge from the Porsche workshops or grace the race tracks of the world.

The 1970 Porsche 917 long-tail prototype certainly carries that tradition. Chassis 043, a visually striking purple and green beauty, lives today at the Simeone Foundation Museum near the Philadelphia airport. Even among the Museum’s collection of historically Page | 54

by Kevin Ehrlich

significant and rare vintage hardware, the 917 stands out as a crowd favorite. The Hippie Porsche Power Launches a Le Mans Legacy Museum can clearly see evidence via the clicks that the car gets on its website and on its social media pages.

Approaching the 917, the car looks like a space ship. The roofline cuts a low profile and has only modest ground clearance which makes it look glued to the concrete beneath.

The curves of the front fenders embrace the headlights and complement the bubble of the drivers’ compartment. Two doors pivot up and forward like wings and the spartan interior The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

is only accessible by climbing over a wide side sill. The minimal red fabric driver’s seat sits among black tubing and basic gauges with the famous wooden knob gearshift that connects to the 5-speed transmission sitting to the driver’s right.

The long-tail provides another distinctive visual feature. An enormous rear deck drapes a single piece of fiberglass bodywork over the engine and rear wheels and supports the wide and flat wing across the very back of the car. The rear deck is so large that it requires two people to lift and position it to provide access to the engine and rear underpinnings.

Looking carefully, it is difficult to find straight lines in the bodywork.

Yes, there is some flat bodywork across the nose and the rear deck and the wing is flat, but otherwise the car is a continuous flow of curve to curve to curve.

By comparison, a competition Ferrari Daytona sitting alongside looks

brutish and harsh.

The museum’s Porsche 917 chassis 043 came in second at the 1970 24 Hours of Lemans in the hands of Willi Kauhsen and Gérard Larrousse. The flat 12-cylinder engine produced over 600 horsepower but the slippery long-tail body and green and purple swirl design is what made the car memorable. Power plus aerodynamics was sufficient to push the car to 240 mph in qualifying - with a LeMans track configuration that did not make use of the two chicanes of the modern version which slow the cars on the long Mulsanne straight.

The livery prompted the French to call the car “Le Psychadelic” or “Hippie Car,” a name that has stuck. While the cultural context of the 1970s might be credited for the reference, Page | 56

the hips of the fenders as they curve around the flanks and guide air towards the longtail at the rear gives the nomenclature a double meaning.

One of the most interesting aspects of the Porsche 917 history is the variety of body configurations that were draped over the chassis. The most well-known is likely the 917K short-tail (“kurzheck” in German), but six cars were built in long-tail configuration as the aerodynamics were targeted specifically for the high speed LeMans circuit known as the 917L (“langheck”). The art of aerodynamics was on its infancy and knowledge was coming in uneven chunks of understanding.

Qualifying just outside the top 10 behind a field filled with Ferrari 512 and Porsche 917K models, Kahsen and Larrouse were charged with playing the steady turtle as other quicker and more powerful cars ran at the front. Another Porsche 917L qualified on pole position and was targeted for the win but retired with engine problems.

Kauhsen

and Larrouse navigated through rain as the conditions and other misfortune took out or delayed other contenders. They ran in third place after seven hours before climbing to second after twenty hours. Chassis 043 finished in second behind a red and white Porsche 917K, chassis 023. The win was the first overall for Porsche and the one-two finish was an emphatic exclamation point.

Porsche clearly saw promise with the long-tail aerodynamic approach and sought to further study and develop the car. Legendary Porsche designer Norbert Singer coordinated testing and the long-tail design was further refined for the 1971 race. The refined 917L sometimes carries an unofficial “917LH” designation to indicate the additional development.

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Taking over for the factory team, the John Weyer team took charge of a new and improved chassis 043 for the 1971 LeMans 24 hours in gulf blue and orange colors. Former race winner Jackie Oliver proved the car’s outright speed by taking pole with the fastest lap in history at LeMans. A time of 3 minutes 13.9 seconds translated into an average in excess of 250kph and a top speed of 386kph.

Despite the promise, a podium finish was not to be. After leading for eleven hours, oil pressure woes forced retirement at 5am – a cruel departure time after surviving the night and seeing dawn approach with the promise of a new day.

Six original Porsche 917 long-tail chassis that were built between 1970 and 1971, spanning chassis 040 to 045.

The first two chassis (040 and 041) were damaged in testing and scrapped. Chassis 042 remains in the Porsche Museum and chassis 045 is on long-term loan to the LeMans museum. That leaves 043 and 044 which is where our story gets interesting.

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A Porsche 917 with chassis number 044 was sold by Porsche to Californian racer and Porsche dealer Vasek Polak in 1975. However, chassis 044 was believed to be crashed in testing in 1970 and never raced. A restoration discovered enough clues to confirm that Polak’s car was actually chassis 043. In those days, race cars were largely disposable and chassis plates were fungible. Presumably 044 did not survive but there is some thought that parts of 044 may have been used to restore or repair 043 at some point. The real story of the parts of various cars and chassis plates will likely never be known but 043 has been acknowledged as 043 since at least 1998 when the car was auctioned at Pebble Beach by Christie’s after Vasek Polak’s death.

What we do know is that 917-043 that currently resides at the Simeone Foundation Museum is one of only six very special race cars built, one of only three to survive, and the only one ever to exist in private ownership. It is also the only one that lives in the United States.

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The Hippie Porsche 917 is the anchor to the Simeone Museum’s line-up of LeMans history.

Against a backdrop that echoes the older pit boxes at LeMans, the Porsche 917 is the pinnacle of a collection of several rare and significant cars with badges like Ferrari, Aston Martin, Alfa Romeo, Peugeot, MG, and Delahaye that have LeMans history in their DNA. The Simeone Foundation Museum runs demonstration days once each month featuring four or five cars with a similar theme. These events give visitors a chance to see the cars up close, open up hoods and bonnets, and hear more about their stories and history. In many cases, the Museum staff also fires up the cars and runs them around the wide expanse of blacktop behind the building. In March, the Porsche joined two Ford GT40s and a 1975 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 TT12 with a “plastic prototype” theme. The Museum also does a demonstration day each year where the participants are chosen by popular vote. As you might imagine, 917-043 is always on that list. November 23 is on the schedule for the 2017 popular vote day, so mark your calendar now.

The Simeone Museum has a remarkable collection of very significant cars that represent key hallmarks of automotive racing history. 917-043 is the only Porsche currently on display and it distills everything that is compelling about Porsche and its racing heritage in one car. Despite never having won a race, the car played a major role in advancing the understanding of aerodynamics and helped to cement Porsche’s motorsport credentials.

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ercedes-Benz has taken the next step into the electric passenger vehicle sector: a product brand called “EQ”. This summer, two sub brands are scheduled to be released; EQ Power will be for standard plug-ins and hybrids, while EQ Power+ will be the designation for AMG plug-ins and hybrids.

The newest electric vehicle is the Concept EQ, and it’s a clear look into a completely new generation of Mercedes-Benz vehicles with battery-electric drivetrains. The Concept EQ has all-wheel drive and is powered by two electric motors.

The system has scalable

battery components and the output can be increased to up to 300 kW. This design allows for a wide range of performance as needed.

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by Tony Brown | photos courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

Concept EQ has the appearance of a sporty SUV coupe with a new electro-look, which underlines the focus on the powerful electric drive system.

The Concept EQ has a stocky, elongated greenhouse that gives rise to muscular proportions. The new electro-look is the result of a flowing transition from the polished black hood across the windshield to the dark-tinted panoramic roof. This is an exciting contrast to the alubeam silver paintwork. It has body panel joints that are barely visible, concealed windshield wipers, cameras instead of side mirrors, and a lack of conventional door handles.

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Mercedes-Benz plans to launch more than ten electric vehicles by 2025. will cover all segments, from smart cars to large SUVs.

The planned proportion of

worldwide electric vehicle unit sales is between 15 and 25 percent. dependent on infrastructure development and customer preferences.

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Those vehicles

Naturally, this is

The Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant is the center of excellence for Mercedes-Benz luxury class passenger cars, and they will lead the electric vehicle foray. The Sindelfingen plant employs more than 25,000 people, and it’s used to produce the E-Class, CLS, S, Maybach and the AMG GT. The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

Future EQ models will be integrated into the production of the existing Mercedes-Benz plants on four continents. The new generation of electric vehicles will be based on an architecture specifically developed for battery-electric models. This architecture will be scalable across the model range. The EQ models will be built at sites based on market demand, and all three German Mercedes-Benz car plants Bremen, Rastatt and Sindelfingen will play a key role for electric mobility in the global production network.

“Mercedes-Benz Cars is setting the strategic course for the production of electric vehicles within the global production network. In this way, we are taking advantage of the opportunities offered by electric mobility and are significantly limiting the required investment. We have invested worldwide at an early stage in flexibility and technical equipment with groundbreaking Industry 4.0 solutions. With our plants in Bremen, Rastatt and Sindelfingen as well as the smart plant in Hambach, France, we now have four competence centers for the production of electric vehicles,�

- Markus Schäfer, Member of the Divisional Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Production and Supply Chain Management.

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by Jay Pill | photos by Andrew Thompson

Page | 68

he truth is, most of us aren’t getting a Competition License. It may appear easy on television, but racing is serious business.

Sanctioning bodies are humorless when it comes to putting pedestrians in race cars.

Here’s an example Those who pass NASA’s week long competition school are issued a provisional license.

“Provisional License” is a nice way of saying “rookie” without insulting the person who paid the fees. After completing four races without any “unpleasantries” (that’s a polite way of saying the rookie didn’t crash, or cause a crash), the driver can apply for a Competition License.

Even with the NASA Competition License, the driver is still considered a rookie until they’ve completed the eighth The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

race without an incident. To ensure the other drivers are aware there’s a high speed hazard on the track, Rookies are required to have a large “R” on their car.

If driving around with a scarlet “R” sounds humiliating, imagine how they feel after they’ve secured last place for the eighth consecutive race in a slow car that’s bankrupting them. If you’re like most of us who lack talent and have no desire to be publicly humiliated, I’d like to suggest an alternative; The Dustball Rally.

The Dustball Rally (DBR) is a series of legal rallies that vary from 1,000 to 3,00 miles in length. The rally is essentially a scavenger hunt, that covers 1,000 or more miles, on paved roads, over several days. Each rally is carried out by a few dozen teams which include at least one driver and one navigator. The routes and where the participants will spend the night are kept secret. If this sounds a bit different, it is. Drivers are literally on unfamiliar roads, at a “good pace”, making several stops along the way where they hope to solve clues or locate gimmicks to answer test questions or get directions. This is considered a legal rally, because the participants are deeply discouraged from doing anything illegal. There may be some speeding along the way, but nothing worse than Page | 70

what our editor does on a run from SoCal to the Bay Area is encouraged. If you’ve heard the expression, “Life’s a journey, not a destination”, well, that’s the DBR. I’m sure some are in it for the speed, but others are enjoying the trek.

The requirements are the entry fee, a car that can pass the tech inspection, a driver’s license that’s valid in some jurisdiction, and an insurance policy that’s valid where the car is registered.

If you’re wondering about the tech inspection and what kind of prep work is required, participants need something that’s road legal with working lights, has tires with tread, windshield wipers, a rear-view mirror, working brakes, seatbelts, and a horn.

For firsthand DBR particulars, we tracked down Andrew Thompson who’s participated in the Dustball Rally twice. He did the DBR2000 from Austin Texas to Vancouver British

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Columbia (via Las Vegas) in his CLK55 AMG, and again in the DBR1000 from El Paso to Las Vegas in his Porsche 996 (not that there’s any other manufacturer of CLK55s or 996s).

Andrew simply took his 12-year-old CLK55, filled it with gas and passed inspection. The inspectors just want to insure the car appears capable of going a couple of thousand miles.

The Dustball welcomes all kinds of cars. From Bentleys and Astons, to garden variety Toyotas. Two of the DBR2000 participants showed up in a rented Hemi Challenger. I’m guessing they checked off the unlimited miles and insurance boxes on the rental form. If someone has $2K or so for their team, and the vehicle is road worthy, they’re in.

That begs the question, “In for what?” If you’ve seen the movie, “The Cannonball Run”, forget it. “This” isn’t “that”. The word legal can’t be expressed strongly enough. No one crosses double yellow lines, performs banzai runs through local towns, or performs any other “go to jail now” tricks. In the words of Andrew Thompson, “The DBR 2000 featured

Page | 72

camaraderie, a positive, supportive vibe, good organization, and fantastic, scenic, largely-empty two-land roads through deserts, forests, and vast, vast wheat fields.” The fun lies between the start and the finish.

The DBR experience doesn’t come with a support truck or a crew. If someone’s car breaks, a fellow participant will probably stop and help, but they’re under no obligation to fix someone else’s car. The same applies if someone gets ticketed along the way.

There’s no DBR bail fund or staff attorney.

If something happens, participants are

expected to deal with it. That’s right in line with the Dustball Rally’s official slogan; “no sniveling”. If the opportunity to whimper arises, participants are expected to handle it like adults.

Andrew described the 44 cars in the DBR2000 as three groups of cars traveling together.

The really fast guys were out front, the semi fast crew was in the next group, and those who weren’t in a hurry and had nothing to prove brought up the rear. This sounds like the perfect rally, but that’s not to imply things don’t occasionally get sideways. In one example, a Mustang had two tires delaminate. It was probably a manufacturing defect and the participants were able to buy new tires and finish the rally with a mismatched set.

Another example was a single car wreck.

In that case, a modified Camaro’s a-arm

collapsed at speed. The car bounced off a barrier three times and got several flats. Those two examples are extreme exceptions to the rule, but things happen.

Andrew got involved in the DBR after reading about it in a magazine. He was intrigued by the adventure and camaraderie that was described, and dove in. Within hours of The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

reading the article, Andrew and his girlfriend agreed to form a co-driver/navigator team, registered, and paid the entry fee. They weren’t disappointed. They enjoyed traveling through states they had never seen and enjoying spectacular scenery. It was an opportunity for them to get involved with a caring community and enjoy their first large scale road trip. I’m sure their choice of cars only added to the enjoyment.

Andrew’s W209 CLK55 is a true grand tourer.

We covered the CLK class two years ago. It’s a coupe that seats four and is both powerful and comfortable. Being an AMG, Andrew’s CLK55 has more of everything and can cover long distances without breaking a sweat.

Rather than going into details about the CLK55’s performance capabilities, we’ll move on to Andrew’s higher performance alternative; the 996.

When introduced, the 996 was a breakthrough car.

It was lighter, faster, and more

comfortable than the 993. There were some downsides, but water cooling is here to stay and IMS failures usually provide clues before they arrive.

The CLK55 produces more

power, but the 996 is a real sports car and it handles like one. For some, the 996 is THE rally experience. Others will prefer a GT. It’s hard to go wrong with either car.

The Experience; that’s why we buy these cars.

The experience is what drives explorers to explore. Those who would like a driving experience they’ll never forget should consider The Dustball Rally. If that doesn’t scratch your itch, you just may need an FIA Super License.

Page | 74

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Page | 76

By Jay Pill | photos courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

utomotive journalists were given the opportunity to discover Mercedes-Benz product innovations the day before this year’s Geneva Motor Show. The motto was "Meet Mercedes" and we’ve included some photos from the event.

It was an opportunity for columnists to exchange views with Mercedes Benz product experts in a relaxed atmosphere. A total of eleven production and concept vehicles from Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Maybach, and smart were displayed at "Meet Mercedes". The main focus was the new E-Class Cabriolet.

"The passion for extraordinary vehicles, which we share with our customers, is reflected in our new E-Class Cabriolet in a special way. It is a car that lets people enjoy comfort and luxury in the open air."

- Britta Seeger

Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing & Sales.

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Page | 78

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

Twenty-five years ago at the Geneva Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz introduced the 300 CE Cabriolet.

At this year‘s Geneva Show, Mercedes-Benz completed the current E-Class

rollout by introducing the new E-Class Cabriolet. Like the CE, the new cabrio is a fourseater with a fabric soft top and all the latest technology.

A fully automatic acoustic soft top is standard and available in dark brown, dark blue, dark red or black. It's a multi-layered structure with sophisticated insulation that reduces wind and driving noise. Derived from the S-Class Cabriolet, the soft top is a very high quality unit in terms of durability and operation. It can be fully opened and closed in 20 seconds when moving at speeds up to 30 MPH. After opening, it quietly folds and is stored in the trunk's soft-top compartment.

Page | 80

A retractable cover separates the soft top from the remaining trunk space. The trunk has a capacity of 13.6 cubic feet (385 liters) with the top up, and 10.9 cubic feet (310 liters) with it down. The 50:50 folding rear seat backrests can be used as a pass through loading feature, which is another plus when it comes everyday practicality.

Being the market launch, the engine choices haven't been expanded yet. The official word from Mercedes-Benz is “Further engines will be added to the line-up in due course.” At this writing, the standard engine will be the 329 horsepower biturbo V6 and all models are equipped with the 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic transmission.

Compared to last

year’s 7G-TRONIC, the new 9G allows faster gearshifts and lower engine speeds. This provides better efficiency, acceleration, and reduced noise. Also, 4MATIC permanent all-

wheel drive will be available for the first time in an E-Class cabriolet. This adds all-weather functionality should conditions take a change for the worse.

All the standard E-Class features are available on the cabriolet, including advanced smartphone integration. The smartphone integration has two new features. First, it allows compatible mobile phones to be charged wirelessly. Secondly, it can allow the owner's smartphone to act as a digital vehicle key with which the car can be locked, unlocked, and started.

No word on when they’ll be available at US dealerships, but we have been told to expect a 25th Anniversary model that will include high grade designo features with exclusive color combinations.

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fter an absence of 60 years, the Mercedes AMG GT3 has finally given the marque a chance to compete and win on the race track in the US. The 2017 customer program in the US follows a successful rollout of customer racing largely focused in Europe over the 2016 season. With deliveries of more and more cars, competitive teams are putting on a show for spectators in the US. The IMSA 24 Hours of Daytona was the first opportunity in the US to see the AMG GT3 in race action.

Three entries took the start, showed pace and were competitive in the GTD class.

Weather and collisions hampered two runners, but the Riley Motorsports AMG GT3 kept close to the front and claimed third place class honors at the finish. Regular drivers Jeroen Bleekemolen and Ben Keating (team owner) were joined by Mario Farnbacher and Adam Christodoulou for the enduro event. Daytona was a strong first US outing for the AMG GT3 in an incredibly competitive class.

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by Kevin Ehrlich | photos courtesy of Brian Cleary/BCPix.com

Fast forward to mid-March and the bumpy Sebring raceway in Florida and the AMG GT3 was ready to strike. The trio of Bleekemolen, Farnbacher and Keating ran the perfect race The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

and claimed GTD class honors for the IMSA 12 Hours of Sebring.

The car had no

mechanical issues and didn’t even have bodywork damage or scars from contact with other competitors or the barriers. Bleekemolen in particular had a masterful drive. He took the controls with just under three hours to go and ran away from the rest of the field over the next 75 laps in the darkness and crossed the finish line with a comfortable margin.

The win was the first for Mercedes in the US since 1957 when a pair of privateer 300SL Gullwings finished 1-2 in their class at Sebring.

To prove the outcome was no fluke, Keating took pole has he and Bleekemolen took second in GTD class at the narrow and bumpy Long Beach street course at the next IMSA round in early April. They finished runner up to the winning Mercedes AMG GT3, the WeatherTech Racing entry (also run by Riley) for drivers Connor MacNeil and Gunnar Jeannette. The Mercedes AMG GT3 raced alongside teams running models from Lexus,

Page | 84

Acura NSX, BMW, Porsche 911, and Audi. Overcoming such strong competition, the twin AMG entries dominated the race and, again, finished with nary a scratch to be seen.

The racing at Long Beach is always tight. The street course winds its way around the Long Beach aquarium and convention center. The walls are unforgiving and small mistakes or bumps are often punished severely. Passing is difficult which puts a premium on driver tactics and measuring risk versus reward when considering a move.

As an example, just behind the two AMG runners, a trio of GTD competitors ended their day at the tight hairpin on the last lap.

An ambitious passing attempt by a Lexus

essentially used an Acura NSX and a BMW for braking assists. The three tangled and parked together at the corner exit, blocking most of the track.

While the two white and black Mercedes AMG GT3 models were busy waving the flag in IMSA competition, several teams are contesting the Pirelli World Challenge series as well.

PWC focuses on shorter sprint races which results in bursts of intense racing with closely

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matched cars.

Regulations balance the

performance so that the costs of development in the search for speed doesn’t spiral out of control.

In 2016, a single Mercedes SLS GT3 ran in the PWC series but several AMG GT3 cars have run in each of the 2017 races so far. Newcomer CRP Racing behind driver Ryan Dalziel has been the most competitive, testing the top runners who all have significant experience and success in PWC racing. Dalziel’s mount is distinctive with a bright orange livery.

Tim Pappas with Black Swan Racing also runs his black, green and chrome AMG GT3 in the Amateur class against stiff competition. The business model for these teams is very much a customer model.

Mercedes AMG provides

support, but the teams buy the cars and take responsibility for running them.

For longer

races, Mercedes may loan a factory driver to fill out the squad.

It is a model that other

manufacturers like Porsche and Audi have used with great success and the idea goal is that both the manufacturer and team benefit from the arrangement.

Long Beach is the closest sportscar racing event for southern California fans and spectators get a weekend packed with racing. The IndyCar race on Sunday is the headliner, with an IMSA race on Saturday and a Pirelli World Challenge race on Sunday running as well. An exhibition class ran this year with vintage 1970s Can-Am race cars. In the late afternoon, trucks ran the same course but with large ramps set up on the straights to act as jumps.

Try to envision a dozen purpose-built pickup trucks with huge tires and miles of suspension Page | 86

travel and you’ll get the idea. Spectators are also treated to drifting, a concert, and tons of manufacturer displays and photo opportunities.

After Long Beach, the car with the star didn’t wait long to visit victory lane again. Virginia International Raceway is a natural terrain road course set near the North Carolina border.

Drivers love the track and the teams love the track staff.

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The Pirelli World Challenge series hosted two rounds of racing over the last weekend in April, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Saturday saw great promise of pace, but a rash of minimum pit stop penalties jumbled the field and prevented a Mercedes AMG from claiming the win.

Sunday, however, saw success for two Mercedes AMG teams. Jeroen Bleekemolen and Daniel Morad lead the way at the green in their respective AMG mounts but in two different classes. Morad turned over to co-driver Ryan Dalziel who finished to take the overall win and Bleekemolen turned over to Tim Pappas who finished to take the win in the Pro/Am class. Bleekemolen in particular showed strong pace, logging the fastest race lap in both the Saturday and Sunday events.

As the IMSA and Pirelli World Challenge series work their way through the calendar, there will be more opportunities to run in front of more Mercedes fans across the country. After an absence of decades, it is nice to see the car with the star racing competitively in the US again.

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by Kenny Pi

n the last issue, we explained why boost increases horsepower. In this article, we’ll dig a little deeper and explain how to make more horsepower.

Turbos are air pumps that produce boost. Stock turbos do a good job, but there are ways to make them more efficient. Before presenting the solution, let’s review the problem.

Before entering the engine, intake air is at atmospheric pressure. When it’s pulled through the air filter and the associated tubing, the pressure drops below atmospheric pressure.

The turbo then compresses the intake air. Compressing the air makes it denser, but heat is generated as a byproduct. To counteract the heat, the intake stream is directed to an intercooler.

The intercooler lowers the temperature of the intake air, but it causes a

second pressure drop.

That’s due to a combination of the tubing that leads to the

intercooler, the intercooler itself, and the tubing that directs the air to the intake manifold.

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Let’s say a car has a boost gauge that shows 15 psi, and remember, that’s the pressure in the intake manifold. In this example, the pressure drop caused by the filter and intake tubing before the turbo, is 3 psi. The pressure drop from the intercooler and tubing after the turbo is another 5 psi. That means the turbo must produce enough boost to overcome both pressure drops and still produce 15 usable psi; 3+5+15. The 23 psi generated by the turbo is 35% more boost than we’re using (15 psi). Generating that additional 35% of boost creates heat. A cool, dense intake stream makes more power, so this hotter intake stream is the opposite of what we’re after. In addition to decreasing power, the pressure drop decreases turbo life.

Reducing the pressure drop will require either a high efficiency intercooler or an upgraded intake system, or both.

Reducing the pressure drop after the turbo is the harder of the two changes to make. That’s because the problem isn’t necessarily the intercooler itself.

It’s

commonly the bends required to get the intake

stream

to

and

from

the

intercooler.

The intake is a much easier mod.

Generally speaking, intakes that are shorter, have a larger diameter, with fewer bends and a freer flowing filter will allow the turbo to produce more boost while spinning slower. We reached out to a vendor to see what they had and were pleasantly surprised.

A company called ARMA Speed produces a carbon fiber cold air intake kit that produces the kind of results we’re looking for. When equipped with an ARMA Speed cold air intake,

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a W205 C250 makes more horsepower and torque across the entire rev range. We’ve attached a dyno sheet which verifies the results. This is a bolt on intake swap without any ECU changes. ARMA Speed also makes cold air intakes for the Mercedes E250, C63, C63S, CLS63, Porsche 991 GT3, 997 GT3, Macan 2.0 / 3.0 / 3.6, Panamera 3.6 / 4.8, and they ALL make more power across the entire rev range. When chipped, an ARMA Speed equipped Mercedes CLA 250 made over 30 HP more than stock.

The ARMA Speed products cover all the pre-purchase concerns: They increase HP and torque. It takes about 20 minutes for an experienced mechanic to install an ARMA Speed intake on any of the cars we listed. No special tools are needed. These are dry air filters, which eliminates the possibility of oil contaminating a MAF. ARMA Speed has been in business for almost 30 years and their distributers can supply replacement filters if needed. On top of all that, their intake kits are gorgeous.

ARMA Speed has 9 retailers across the US and Canada, as well as dealers in Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Check them out at armaspeed.com Page | 92

-+

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hirty years ago, in March of 1987, Mercedes-Benz introduced the W124 based E-Class coupé at the Geneva Motor Show. The early brochure described the new coupe as a “harmonious blend of form and performance, with ground breaking technology, safety, and technology.” Those are the same qualities that make the CE desirable today.

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The CE has a lot going for it. The car is immediately recognizable as a W124, but its elegant, distinctive roofline brought it to another level. An original design element that highlights the distinctiveness of the coupé, was the rub strip with its integral longitudinal door-sill panels. That style was quickly copied by other manufactures, but when we first saw them positioned between the CE’s wheel wells, it forced us to stop and take notice. The bodywork forms a visual link between the front and rear bumper covers,

and

they

contrasting colors.

were

painted

in

The CE also differed

from the sedan in that it had a shorter wheelbase, more steeply raked windshield with frameless glass, and it is a true two plus two. Unlike the sedan’s rear bench, the CE has two individual seats in the rear, and leather was standard.

The CE featured all the existing W124 technical highlights. They had the multilink independent

rear

suspension,

antilock

brakes, driver’s side airbags, headlamp wiper/washers, central locking, and an antitheft system. Much of this was cutting edge technology in the 1980’s.

by Marcus Blair Fitzhugh | photos courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

The coupés received the same upgrades as the other W124s. In 1989, the Sportline option was made available. The Sportline package included sport shocks and springs (which lowered the car), larger sway bars, a smaller steering wheel, quicker ratio steering, and Sportline badges.

The 217 horsepower, dual

overhead cam, four-valve per cylinder, M104 became standard in 1989. When introduced in The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

1987, the CE was originally available as a 230 and a 300.

The CE 230 was a 125 horsepower, 2.3-liter four cylinder, and it was never offered in the United States.

The CE 300 was a 185 horsepower, 3-liter inline six.

In 1993, the 300 CE Cabriolet was added. This was the first four-seat Mercedes-Benz convertible offered in 21 years. The 300 CE Cabriolet was a highly sought after model and very expensive. With an MSRP of $77,300, it cost 80% more than a standard 300 E 2.8.

In 1994 the CE received a refresh. The front end, trunk lid, and name were all changed. The engine was upgraded, making the 320 CE the standard model. The 320 also produced 217 horsepower, the same as the CE 300. AMG produced a 3.4 CE and a 3.6 CE. This was one of the first models produced as a joint development project by AMG and Mercedes-Benz. In total, 141,498 W124 coupĂŠs were produced between 1987 and 1996 at the Sindelfingen plant.

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

orsche recently introduced its newest Porsche Certified Classic Partner at Porsche South Bay in Hawthorne, California. The dealership held a grand opening to honor the addition of this new division. This is the fourth Porsche Certified Classic Partner in the U.S. The others are Gaudin Porsche in Vegas, Hennessey Porsche in Atlanta, and Porsche of Colorado Springs.

Like the MercedesBenz Classic Center in Irvine, a Porsche Certified Classic Partner can perform authorized Porsche restorations following Porsche factory procedures and using Porsche sanctioned components. Porsche’s current plans call for 100 Certified Classic Partners across the globe. This seems more convenient than the Ferrari program, which requires the car be shipped back to Ferrari’s Maranello factory.

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by Kenny Pi | photos courtesy of Porsche

The goal is to have classic Porsche maintenance, repairs, and/or restoration work done properly. Most dealerships aren’t equipped to handle specialized work on older Porsches.

That has opened the door for independent shops, but as any Porsche owner can tell you, The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

“Knowing where not to go is one of the more important aspects of classic Porsche ownership.” Anyone can advertise themselves as a Porsche restoration center, but having the factory perform the work instills an air of confidence. Receipts from a Porsche Certified Classic Partner may also help if the owner decides to sell the car.

As part of the grand opening, Porsche South Bay hosted a car meet. The meet included traditional German sausages, gymnasts, and had a carnival type atmosphere. entertainment was nice, but the cars were the real show.

The

There was no shortage of

classics in the Porsche South Bay showroom, including Jerry Seinfeld’s famous 901.

Seinfeld owns the very first 901, and it was on loan from his collection.

If you’re in SoCal and in need of classic repairs, you may want to check them out. Porsche South Bay is at 14610 Hindry Ave in Hawthorne, California 90250

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

In SoCal, winter is something we hear about, but never experience. Weather wise, it doesn’t get much better than this for a car enthusiast. In March, while the rest of the country is hoping the snow eventually stops, we were looking at 70 degrees. Our winter weather entices people from around the world to fly in and host car events. This past March was no exception. This year, XS Car Night and AutoCon came to town.

XS World has huge European car following, and for the third year in a row they flew in to SoCal and hosted a winter party. XS Car Night is held at ShoreLine Aquatic Park in Long Beach, California.

ShoreLine Aquatic Park is a scenic venue with a lighthouse at its

highpoint, a marina on one side, and a view of the Queen Mary on the other.

ShoreLine Aquatic Park in Long Beach, California

Hundreds of European cars and scores of vendors were featured at this outdoor soirée.

As a result, it attracted thousands of attendees. XS World is based in Germany and their country’s cars were prominently displayed. Although I didn’t see any Bugattis or Bentleys, most of Volkswagen’s remaining portfolio was in attendance.

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In addition to VW Golfs,

by Marcus Blair Fitzhugh Bugs and Buses, Porsche, Audi, and Lamborghini were all well represented.

Porsches were everywhere, but a row of RWB Porsches really stood out. For those who’ve never seen an RWB, they’re even wider in person.

A few Aventadors, a Huracan from Boden Autohaus, and a Gallardo were all parked on Rabbits on the green The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

the grass.

Volkswagen owns Lamborghini, but you can’t have a Lambo at the party without a Ferrari. Since they’re always willing to help, Ghost Motorsports brought a white 488 GTB.

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As expected, the Mercedes-Benz vehicles were amazing. How could they not be? We had custom Mercedes parked on the grass overlooking the Pacific with luxury liners in the distance.

Among the Mercedes, a quartet was parked on the service road by the

lighthouse. They were all in pristine condition and what stood out, was the newest of these cars was 45 years old.

The only other place I can envision seeing four similar

Mercedes parked next to each other is at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany. Put XS on your SoCal event calendar for next year. You won’t regret it.

The Four Kings

Before we dive in, let’s go over the history of AutoCon. Back in 2010, the idea of an Automotive Connection emerged. It would encompass the best parts of both a meet and a car show.

It would allow people to gather, learn, and share their automotive

experiences. None of us is born with expertise in whatever motorized contraption we’re interested in. We acquire it. Rather than each of us reinventing the wheel, AutoCon provides a platform for you and I to share our knowledge.

AutoCon isn’t four guys in a mall parking lot with a Hibachi. These shows are immensely popular. AutoCon shows are held in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Miami and New

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

Jersey/New York.

Over 10,000

people attended AutoCon 2017 at the

Los

Angeles

Convention

Center, where they got to meet over 50 vendors and see 300+ vehicles.

If what I’m describing sounds like a meet with vendors, it gets better. In the rear of AutoCon is a stage.

During the event, the

best cars are selected and driven on stage one at a time in front of the attendees. owner

is

While there, the

interviewed

loudspeaker.

on

the

The same thing

happened this year, but they added a twist. stage

to

Honda used the

introduce

the

2017

Honda Civic Type R. This was a big change. As a journalist, I’m used

to

manufacturers

introducing their new models to the

press.

Honda

decided

AutoCon was a huge enthusiast meet and the Type R should make its debut there. I’m not a Honda Civic

Type

R

guy,

but

the

unveiling shows just how big AutoCon is.

That wasn’t the only big news to come out of AutoCon this year; members of SEMA attended.

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SEMA

and

AutoCon

banded

together and awarded the best build from the LA Show with an all-expenses paid trip to SEMA in the fall.

This trip will include

transportation for the car and a display spot at SEMA. AutoCon is doing the same thing at the New York show in June.

AutoCon is expanding their SoCal presence on a yearly basis.

In

addition to the show at the LA Convention Center, they helped kick off Round 1 of the Formula Drift Pro Championship with a car

show

in

Long

Beach.

AutoCon is scheduled to host another car show in Irwindale California for Round 8 of Formula Drift.

For two weeks, SoCal’s had March Madness in full swing.

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

THE FIRST ANNUAL

by Jay Pill

erks Reunion was created by the Porsche Club of America and it’s an event with no airs. It simply celebrates the Porsche marque and the camaraderie of being an enthusiast. The show is judged, but rather than awarding cars that appear to have never been driven, awards go to cars that have been reasonably maintained and look good. Yes, it Amelia Island and the Concours follows, but there’s something nice about the lack of score sheets and bypassing protest committees.

There was also an area for owners who didn’t want their cars judged. Those folks parked in model specific corrals like it was a regular meet.

It was a laid-back gathering of

enthusiasts who were more focused on having fun than taking home “best of” awards.

The event was held on March 10th, and Porsche Club of America opened it to everyone.

That included other Porsche clubs, owners who weren’t affiliated with any club, and nonowners. Ten thousand people visited Amelia Island for the Concours, and they were able to see over six hundred Porsches parked at Florida’s Amelia Island Golf Course.

The

Porsches in attendance covered the entire spectrum; treasured classics, current models, and everything in between. The event was free for spectators and parking was only $20.

This wasn’t quite a large as the Werks Reunion in Monterey California, but it was well worth the trip.

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

by Karcy Bowles

he Southwest is an area filled with

vast and varied

opportunities for week long adventures in the numerous National Parks like Zion, getaways to the California wine country, long weekends in Vegas, day trips to the Long Beach Grand Prix, and the list goes on. The main requirement for them all is a safe road-ready vehicle. When I had my first car, road trips were usually out of the question. Without naming names, I’ll say that my first car was far from a Mercedes, looked like weary mess by the time I sold it, had no pick-up power for driving up hill, was not a sight for sore eyes, and wasn’t exactly luxurious to sit in for several hours at a time. It’s safe to say that now, with my C300, road trips have become a much more common occurrence.

Road trips usually involve plenty of photo worthy moments, it’s one of the reasons I love them so much. If not for the eye-catching scenery then for the people you’re with. I’ve always loved nature photography and I’ll admit to spending hours on the road in the hopes of one good shot. Know what kind of photography my dad has an affinity for? Car photography. His car, other people’s cars, old ones and new ones, car shows, and more, he’ll photograph them all. You can probably guess which car he never felt compelled to photograph. That’s right, my first car. In fact, I think it still bothers him that on Google Maps the photo of our house shows it in the driveway. [On a side note, if anybody knows who I can contact at Google to get our house photo updated with my current car in the driveway please let me know. It would make a great Father’s Day present.] But I should get back to the point, which is that photographing your beloved Benz can get repetitive if you rely on the same shoot locations time after time. Chances are that on your next vacation you’ll remember to take photos of your family and the scenery. Why not take a couple minutes Page | 110

to capture your car in a new place? Will it be pristine? Probably not. Will you have an incredible backdrop? Probably so!

Here at The Southwest Star, we want to see where you've been in our new series, #BenzThereDoneThat. There are plenty of articles out there that talk about the professional way to photograph your car with tips and tricks to getting a great photo. High quality images with great composition are nothing to balk at, but this article isn’t that. You can follow the rule of thirds and learn to photograph like a pro or throw it out the window and focus your energy on getting an incredible backdrop.

Wondering what to send?

Pull onto the shoulder for a minute to stretch your legs and while you're at it, take a snapshot of your car on a lone two-lane highway at sunset. Or, before unpacking your camping cargo, lift the hatch, step back, and get a photo of your gear before it's unleashed in the wild. If you spent eight hours driving a long windy highway and never appreciated your curve sensing headlights more, send us a photo of your headlights and the story. Does your panoramic roof give your kids hours of amusement naming clouds while driving through the cacti lined highways in Southern Arizona? Give them more to do on the road by challenging them to get a great shot to send us. Was the reflection of El Cap in Yosemite Valley crystal clear on the back of your shiny jet-black paint? Send it! Be creative and break the rules (of photography that is, not of the road).

If you’d like to be featured in The Southwest Star, submit your photos and captions by tagging @TheSouthwestStarMagazine on Instagram and use the hashtag #BenzThereDoneThat or email them to kbowles@fitzhughmedia.com for consideration. Show the world that Mercedes enthusiasts are also adventure enthusiasts. Have fun. Drive safely. And remember to turn your wheels slightly, it just looks cool.

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

By Belinda Sarooei

wenty years ago, here in Los Angeles, Blue Nelson started shuttling vintage VW parts to swap meets in his 1982 Mercedes 300TD. In an age where we covet the low-mile, perfect classic car, his particular wagon has a different story. In May, his trusted diesel rolled over the 500,000-mile mark, of which he drove 400,000+ miles of it.

True, many a modern car surpasses this benchmark and even the occasional classic car as well, but what makes this effort so unique is the variety in which the wagon has been used. He has driven this wagon as a daily commuter for many years- however, it has also moonlighted as a limo, parts and engine hauler, dating wagon, camping car, Bonneville push car, Death Valley exploring car, camera platform and insert film car, vintage motorcycle hauler, stump remover, apartment mover and even a motion picture car.

Additionally, Blue found himself driving it to Key West just so that he could go and sit in Ernest Hemmingway's seat and then return to California. Out of his collection, this car is by far his favorite Mercedes tow car. In its usage as a tow car, Blue has logged 100,000 miles flat-bar towing only Mercedes Benzes- mostly W123s. In fact, probably some of the cars belonging to very people reading this article.

The 3 Point Social Club celebrated this milestone at the Pelican Parts Cars & Coffee event at the Palos Verdes Peninsula (SoCal) and again on the following day at Super Car Sunday at Topanga Canyon.

Next page: Jay Leno and Blue celebrating 500k

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Blue’s 123 is a dark blue (naturally) turbo diesel wagon with a handmade custom wood roof rack, signature hub caps, white walls and an odometer that reads 500K. How far is 500K miles? Imagine waking up every day . . . driving from SoCal to Las Vegas . . . . . without a single day off . . . . . for four and a half years. Those who know our dear friend Blue, know that every single one of those miles has been enjoyed with a half a million smiles.

Blue is a noted expert in the Porsche and Mercedes world and one of the most humble human beings anyone has ever met.

Very few cars make it to this point and this is

something very special indeed.

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

A few photos from the road with Blue.

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

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By Marcus Blair Fitzhugh

e voiced concerns about this in our last issue, and in the short term, things have taken a turn for the worse. For the 2017 model year, Mercedes has abandoned plans to seek EPA certification for the four diesel models. Reuters reported part of the problem is the significant delays in the certification process. If this reeks of the Volkswagen fiasco, it’s because the EPA and the U.S. Department of Justice are looking at diesels with a fine tooth comb.

The good news is, Mercedes has only given up attempting to certify 2017 diesels. U.S. diesels accounted for less than 2 percent of annual sales over the past several years and the 2017 model year will be coming to a close in a few months, so waiting makes sense.

In April, Daimler AG expressed concerns about offering diesel vehicles in the U.S. because it was hard to predict which system could be labeled an "undisclosed Auxiliary Emission Control Device" by regulators. If the EPA determined that label fit any device they could issue orders for Mercedes-Benz to stop diesel sales, require sanctions, and a recall.

"In light of the recent notices of violation that were issued by U.S. environmental authorities to another vehicle manufacturer in January 2017, identifying functionalities -- apparently including functionalities that are common in diesel vehicles -- as undisclosed Auxiliary Emission Control Devices and potentially impermissible, and in light of the ongoing

governmental

information

requests,

inquiries

and

investigations and our own internal investigation, it cannot be ruled out that the authorities might reach the conclusion that MercedesBenz diesel vehicles have similar functionalities," Stated in the quarterly Daimler report report Waiting is a smart move. It allows the EPA to finish their probe before Mercedes-Benz has to decide.

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

If you would like to attend an event listed here, please contact the event coordinator. The Southwest Star is posting the events. We are neither hosting nor organizing them The MBCA Southwest Regional June 2nd through 4th

Mercedes Benz Club of America Southwest Regional Event June 2 - 4, 2017

Hosted by the Orange County Section ACT NOW ON THE BEST BARGAIN WEEKEND GET AWAY IN OC There are still a few rooms left at the Embassy Suites and as of May 3 the rates were still only $117/ night.

Drive you

Mercedes to OC and for less than $500/couple all participants staying at the Embassy Suites receive can receive: •

Welcome package with commemorative wine glass Friday afternoon

•

Meet & greet cocktail reception on Friday evening

•

Hosted pizza party Friday Evening (or dinner on your own)

•

Cooked to order breakfast Saturday morning

•

Poker rally through OC canyon country Saturday morning

•

Lunch at one of OC’s best car collections Saturday noon

•

Free time Saturday afternoon to visit OC attractions (list to be provided) Embassy Suites Hotel Santa Ana,

•

Cocktail reception Saturday evening 1325 East Dyer Road, Santa Ana, CA 92705

•

Awards banquet Saturday evening with raffle & door prizes

• Cooked to order breakfast Sunday morning.

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

Turbonetics & PTE Present Boosted Bash 2017 Saturday, June 10th 10am - 4pm

Precision Turbo & Engine (PTE) is teaming up with Turbonetics this year at their annual product discount warehouse sale event.

Help celebrate the grand opening of PTE's

extended west coast location. The Turbonetics and PTE professional sales team will be ready to answer questions and offer PTE & TNX products. They will have show special pricing on select products, as well as PTE Gear and accessories available for purchase.

This event is held at 14399 Princeton Avenue, Moorpark, CA 93021 Boosted Bash 2017 is completely FREE and attendees will enjoy all kinds of other FREEBIES: FREE lunch ◊ FREE music from DJ R Mora ◊ FREE shaved ice courtesy of Shave It ◊ FREE raffle prizes every hour ◊ FREE shop tours of the Turbonetics facility (first tour begins at 10:45am/last tour at 1:00pm).

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PLEASE RSVP / REGISTER HERE. Registering allows them to know how much free food to supply

BONUS: Various industry vendors will be displaying & selling their products too! Vendors include: Fast Intentions, Bisimoto Engineering, Heat Shield Products, Purol, Wilwood Brakes, 5523 Motorsports, Granatelli Motorsports, Lavaggio “Car Wash”, D3 and SS Motorsports.

IT ONLY HAPPENS ONCE A YEAR, SO DON’T MISS IT!

Be sure to register so they know how much In-N-Out to bring.

YES, they’re feeding us for free!

Come see the Turbonetics boosted car from "The Fate of the Furious" movie! They will also have well known race cars and high performance boosted rides on site. Think your car has what it takes to win a prize? The car show will commence at 10AM with a celebrity guest judge! Prizes will be given to the best import, best domestic and best diesel vehicles in attendance! (Please arrive between 7:00am - 9:00am to participate.) Car show judging will be from 10:15am – 11:15am.

TURBO TECH SEMINAR: Don’t miss out on our Turbo Tech Seminars hosted by TNX & PTE’s head engineers from 10:45am-11:45am and second talk taking place from 1:15pm-2:15pm. They will give a glimpse into the future of high-performance parts, and answer questions about turbos.

AGAIN Please RSVP so they can properly cater to your needs

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

Fountain Valley Car Show Saturday, June 24th

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

We’ll say this once; the 3 Point Social Club is planning an event at the Mercedes-Benz Vehicle Prep Center in July. If you follow Instagram or Facebook, watch for this event. If you don’t follow social media, find someone who does. You DO NOT want to miss this event.

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

The Petersen Museum After Hours and Vault Tours Friday, July 21st 6:30 PM until 10 PM

Join the Petersen for their Museum After Hours where they will be offering guided tours of their famous vault and opening up the William E. Connor Penthouse with guest DJ Sam Kofa and complimentary cocktails presented by Dulce Vida Spirits and Peroni. Participants can select a tour at 7pm or 8pm and are invited to stay and enjoy the festivities before and after their tour.

Tickets are $40 and include a vault tour and complimentary drinks. If you want to skip the vault tour purchase a ticket to our William E Connor Penthouse for $20. Event does not include full museum gallery access or parking. Parking in our garage is $12 for public and $10 for members with member validation.

Petersen Automotive Museum 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

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info@petersen.org 323.930.2277

The Downtown Burbank Car Classic Saturday, August 5th 3 until 9 PM

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

The 6th Downtown Burbank Car Classic will roll into Downtown Burbank with celebrity, custom, and exotic vehicles from the Petersen Automotive Museum, the Television Motion Picture Car Club, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood, and more. It’s happening on Saturday, August 5, 2017 from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM. In addition, there will be restored cars and hot rods spanning four blocks. DJs spinning tunes, chalk artists, automotive-related vendors, and more than 400 shops and restaurants ready to explore round off activities at this outdoor street festival. The Downtown Burbank Car Classic is free and open to the public.

The Downtown Burbank Car Classic is presented by Downtown Burbank Partnership, a non-profit organization. The event is an exciting showcase for custom, celebrity, exotics, and classic cars, and motorcycles.

In tune with Downtown Burbank’s location in the heart of the entertainment industry, vehicles with a “Hollywood” twist are especially welcome — such as those appearing in film or television, or having a distinguished history of celebrity ownership.

The show will stretch along San Fernando Boulevard and adjacent streets in Downtown Burbank’s outdoor shopping-dining and entertainment district.

Included will be family entertainment, music, vendor-booths and prizes.

The event will happen rain or shine.

The MBCA San Diego Section Buttonwillow Driving Event Saturday August 12 from 8:30 AM until 4 PM

Buttonwillow Raceway Park is a motorsports park in Kern County, California, 10 miles (16 km) north of the town of Buttonwillow and 28 miles (45 km) northwest of Bakersfield.

Constructed during World War 1 by world famous racing driver Dario Resta, it is now owned and operated by the California Sports Car Club, a region of SCCA, Buttonwillow is the "flagship" track of Cal Club, and is also the location of the Club's administrative offices.

(Courtesy

of

Wikipedia)

You

can

visit

the

buttonwillowraceway.com.

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Buttonwillow

Raceway

website

:

Although this event is being held at a racetrack and is referred to as performance driving this not what our primary reason for going to Buttonwillow is about. We will be given the opportunity to learn to drive our Mercedes-Benz more safely and competently by being taught by a professional driver. We will learn about speed, cornering, braking, and more importantly the capability of our Mercedes-Benz or other automobile as well as our own driving capabilities. After instruction, you may if you want take to the track solo and see how you do.

THE POINT IS DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY THE TERMS RACE TRACK, PERFORMANCE DRIVING ETC. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFE TIME TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR CARS PERFORMACE, SAFETY FEATURES AND HOW TO USE THEM SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY. ANYONE WHO HAS PARTICIPATED IN THESE EVENTS HAS LEFT A MUCH BETTER DRIVER AND HAD A BARRELL OF FUN LEARNING ABOUT THE SAFETY FEATURES OF THEIR CAR. LADIES HAVE ALWYS DONE VERY WELL IN THESE EVENTS AND WE HOPE TO SEE ALL OF YOU THERE WITH US HAVING SOME FUN! The first time I went to one of these events I was very apprehensive but after 2 laps I was hooked. OH, and I learned I was NOT nearly as good a driver as I thought I was.

Since the event is a one day event, a suggested schedule would be to arrive by Friday late afternoon, plan on staying overnight Saturday at one of the local motels, and leaving Sunday morning at your leisure. Lodging is available about 10 miles away at Motel 6.

Phone 661/764-5121.

Reservations for these events can fill quickly. Please feel free to contact Rudy Hradecky by e-mail (sdrudy@earthlink.net) or by phone (619/246-2094) as early as possible so that we could reserve some slots. The cost is $195.00 for the one day, and helmets can be rented at the track for $15.00. Rag top convertibles are not allowed, but SL models with the roll bar are allowed.

The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

AUTOCON at Irwindale October 13th and 14th

Round 8 of Formula Drift – details to follow.

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The Southwest Star Magazine – your cars & your events

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