ROUND THE BENZ. 5:00 p.m., Sunday, 27 January 2019

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1 January 2019 Welcome New Members! Ryan Boyle ROUND THE BENZ Newsletter of the Pikes Peak Section Pot Luck Dinner 5:00 p.m., Sunday, 27 January 2019 Break out those crockpots and favorite recipes, Pikes Peak Section. It s time for the 2019 Pot Luck Dinner. We ll be meeting at Mercedes-Benz of Colorado Springs, located at 730 Automotive Drive, at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, 27 January. We ll have main dishes, sides, salads, and desserts for our members to sample. The dealership is once again generously providing beverages, including soda, beer, and wine, as well as the auction items. Glenn Hamill is our auctioneer-extraordinaire and always manages to get top dollar for the items donated by the dealership. The proceeds from the auction are donated to the Section to defray costs for our 2019 events. Inside this issue: Jan Breakfast 3 Mercedes?? 3 Post-V-Day Dinner 4 Mercedes Pinz 4 So, please give Glenn a call at to let him know you plan to attend and what type of dish you will be bringing to share. It s a great opportunity to meet your fellow members. Date: Sunday, 27 January 2019 Time: 5:00 p.m. Place: Mercedes-Benz of Colorado Springs, 733 Automotive Way Cost: None Contact: Glenn Hamill, GLC F-Cell 5 Der Marktplatz 6 Click 6 Loyalty Rewards 6 Pueblo Air Museum 7 Auctioneer Glenn & Helper Hill Climb Museum 7 DIY Tech Session 7 MHS Events 7 Holiday Party Recap 8 Lights Drive Recap 9 Battery Factory 10 Serving Line Dining In Style

2 Section Officers: President: Steve Dierks Vice-President: Andrew Nelson Secretary: Judy Bennett Treasurer: Julie Nelson Directors: Karen Absher Wendy Adams Charlie Bennett Joyce Blutt Glenn Hamill Pete Kulzer Henry Russell Sylvia Russell Marla Wiseman Webmaster: Robert Boren Regional Director: Michael Davison View From the Peak by Steve Dierks some 2018 highlights. The Mercedes-Benz Club of America (MBCA) is an inclusive contemporary organization that focuses on the membership experience. The importance of having fun as a core element of membership at the Section level cannot be overstated. Your Pikes Peak Section Board fully supports this concept and has prepared an exceptional variety of 2019 participation opportunities. This is going to be a great year to be a member of MBCA. The Section s future is bright because, with your participation, your club continues to grow and improve. Before discussing what s on the horizon, it is proper to review The Pikes Peak Section hosted social, technical, driving, educational, celebratory, and just plain fun activities during The most notable event was the National Special Event called Silver Stars and Golden Aspens. This Rocky Mountain driving tour attracted MBCA members from 14 states and included 7 participants from our neighbor to the north, Canada. If you love to drive the Colorado Rockies with friends, there will be several opportunities this year. For example, we re driving to Frisco to learn about mountain photography from renowned photographer, John Fielder; we re driving to Grand Junction to explore Colorado s best orchards and vineyards; and we re driving to Marble for the Marble Fest. Other fun participation opportunities begin right away with our invariably popular Pot Luck Dinner at Mercedes-Benz of Colorado Springs in January. That s followed by Mercedes-Pinz, a fun-filled afternoon of bowling and whirly-ball in February. Keep reading for all the details. Looking further into 2019, your Section has planned a full schedule that includes Do-It- Yourself sessions, driving events, overnight tours, social events, car shows and, of course, the monthly third Saturday breakfast gathering with a guest presenter. There s a lot of enthusiasm for the 2019 Section calendar of events. I hope you will join in on the fun. Let s drive em, Steve Round the Benz is published monthly by the Pikes Peak Section of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America (MBCA). Articles and ideas are the opinions of the writers and no authentication is implied as to the validity of the information contained herein. Explicit permission to republish any article with proper attribution is given to all sections of MNCA. Articles for publication consideration should be mailed to Pikes Peak Section, MBCA, Attn: Editor, 4335 Penhurst Place, Colorado Spring, CO or, whenever possible, ed to: bennett912@ comcast.net. Deadline for receipt is the 18 th of the month prior to the month of issue. Please support our advertisers. They help to make this publication possible. 2

3 January Breakfast 9:00 a.m., Saturday, 19 January 2019 Join us for breakfast at The Egg & I Restaurant at Citadel Crossing on Saturday, 19 January at 9:00. Our guest speaker will be Mark Stolberg from MasterDrive and his topic will include driving skills and tips for all driving conditions. MasterDrive is the world s leading driver safety company with driving schools throughout Colorado and California. They have been recognized and featured nationally for their unique programs by AutoWeek Magazine, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal and national television networks. Their cutting-edge and comprehensive techniques and education set the standard for driver education. Mark is sure to have information we all can use. Their specialties are defensive driving and winter driving skills not just for teens but for drivers of all ages. Winter driving training at MasterDrive prepares drivers for driving in slick road conditions with actual practice on the skid pad for spin control and braking techniques. Given the everchangeable weather and road conditions in the Pikes Peak region, Mark is sure to have information we all can use, so please plan to join us. Contact Steve Dierks at or steve.dierks@gmail.com if you have any questions or need additional information. Mercedes Question of the Month Question: Making a wiring harness is too complicated for automated machines, so they are still made mostly by hand. A fully loaded E-Class contains over 1000 cables, stretching how far? Answer: a. 2 km b. 3 km c. 4 km d. 1/2 km Answer to Last Month s Question: a

4 Post-Valentine s Day Dinner 6:00 p.m., Friday, 15 February 2019 For those of you who can t get it together in time for Valentine s Day 2019, we re offering an opportunity to get back in your significant other s good graces. Join us for dinner at Marigold s Cafe and Bakery on Friday, 15 February. The restaurant is located at 4605 Centennial Blvd. Driving Quote of the Month: Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do. ~Jason Love offered on a first-come, first-served basis. We ll sit together and compare V-Day notes while we enjoy Marigold s fantastic menu. We re only reserving 18 seats, so this one is Contact Pete Kulzer to reserve your seats or to get more information wgfp@aol.com or Mercedes Pinz 9:00 a.m., Saturday, 16 February 2019 Join us for a unique afternoon of fun in one of Colorado Springs newest venues, Whirly Ball! No, we won t be actually playing whirly ball an action-packed combination of lacrosse, hockey, basketball, and bumper cars (unless you really want to), but we will be using their bowling lanes for a little friendly, yet competitive, 10-pin action. We ll meet for breakfast as usual at The Egg & I restaurant at Citadel Crossing at 9:00 a.m. and then take a drive to the middle of town where we ll unload our bowling balls, show off our bowling shirts, and get down to bowling business. After bowling, we ll adjourn for a late lunch in their spacious dining area. There is full dining and bar service; you can order pizza, entrees, salad, or whatever no host. Contact: Steve Dierks at or steve.dierks@gmail.com for more information. 4

5 GLC F-Cell Hydrogen-Electric by Sean Szymkowski Mercedes-Benz has delivered the first examples of its hydrogen-electric GLC F-Cell SUVs to customers in Germany. Those initial owners include German railway operator, Deutsche Bahn. Other companies that will soon take delivery of the SUV include Air Liquide, Shell, Linde AG, and the cities of Stuttgart and Hamburg. Mercedes- Benz has delivered the first examples of its hydrogenelectric GLC F- Cell SUVs.. The GLC F-Cell marries a hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain to a plug-in hybrid system. In this case, the fuel cell takes over for the internal-combustion engine, while the plug-in hybrid powertrain still provides a backup. Mercedes-Benz said the SUV will go 270 miles on a tank of hydrogen (on the now-defunct New European Driving Cycle), while a 13.8-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery provides about 30 miles of extra range. Although the GLC F-Cell can operate solely on electric power from the battery, drivers won't go very far. On the topic of operating modes, the hybrid SUV features four of them. Hybrid combines the fuel cell and battery's power. The battery handles peak power, while the fuel cell runs during optimal times for efficiency. F-Cell mode runs only hydrogen and keeps the battery charged. Battery runs the GLC F-Cell on pure electricity, and Charge prioritizes re-charging the onboard battery. Since hydrogen fuel infrastructure remains in its infancy, Mercedes-Benz plans to only market the GLC F-Cell in markets with some established infrastructure. Those interested in the fuel-cell hybrid will have a chance to rent one in spring No, Mercedes will not actually sell the SUV, but rather offer it via "a full-service rental model." Maintenance and all repairs will be covered through the rental period. In the U.S., we should see the GLC F-Cell arrive in late It's unclear if customers will be able to purchase one, or if the brand will institute a similar rental period. 5

6 Der Marktplatz Wanted: C36 or C43 sedan. 300 SEL 6.3 sedan. Call Pete at For Sale: SL. Black, 120,000 miles. Runs great; must see. Call Greg at , For Sale: Classic 1986 SL560 (rag and hard tops). Red with special order black interior; 68K+ miles. Show car, winner of many 1 st & 2 nd place ribbons. $25K or best reasonable offer Click German trips are very popular and fill up quickly.. This, just in from the latest edition of the MBCA e-newsletter, Click, a quick wrap-up of news, discounts, and special events: 2018 German Trips: Germany trips are very popular and fill up quickly. These member-only trips provide direct and personal access to Mercedes-Benz facilities and museums as well as many amazing European landmarks trips are: Summer: Stuttgart, June 2019 Fall: Stuttgart, 9-15 September 2019 Do not book your flight until your trip is confirmed. River cruises might be available. Please contact Randy Norris at Frosch Travel, ext 7105 for details. Visit mbca.org to download the registration form. To learn more, contact trip Leiter and past national MBCA president Jim O Sullivan at or osullivanj55@gmail.com. MBCA Loyalty Rewards The MBCA Loyalty Rewards Program offers US and Canadian members in good standing $500 discounts on the purchase or lease of a NEW Merceces-Benz. Some restrictions apply. Check out the MBCA website at for more information. 6

7 Preview of Coming Attractions Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum 16 March 2019 Join us for breakfast on Saturday, 16 March and then journey with us to Pueblo to visit the Weisbrod Aircraft Museum, a non-profit aviation museum in our sister city. The museum is made up of two hangers that were built in 2005 and 2011 respectively. They house several of the museum's aircraft along with thousands of artifacts dating from World War One, all the way up to modern day. PWAM is also home to the International B-24 Memorial Museum and the Southern Colorado Space Museum and Learning Center. Hill Climb Museum 20 April 2019 The highlight of our April breakfast will be a guest speaker who will talk to us about a Colorado Springs tradition, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. After the presentation, we ll travel to the Pikes Peak Hill Climb Museum, featuring artifacts and memorabilia from the history of The Broadmoor s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The design of the new wing was developed with the idea of the winding road and increasing elevation that the Hill Climb race is known for. guest speaker who will talk to us about a Colorado Springs tradition.. DIY Tech Session 21 April 2019 It s time to start thinking about giving Old Man Winter the heave-ho. Our tech session in November was scrubbed due to weather, but we don t think that will be a problem in April at least we hope not. We re thinking of shaking things up with this one, folks; so, stay tuned to see what Glenn and the guys in the maintenance department have in store for us. We ll be at Mercedes-Benz of Colorado Springs at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, 21 April. Call Glenn Hamill ( ) to reserve your spot. Cost is still only $10 and you get donuts! Mile High Section Events For more information, visit the MHS website at Wings Over the Rockies Date: 12 Jan 2019 Location: 7711 E Academy Blvd, Denver Cost: $8 (seniors), $10 (adults) Contact: Stan Rios, rican698@gmail.com Denver Aquarium Tour Date: 9 Feb 2019 Location: 700 Water St, Denver Cost: $22 (seniors), $23 (adults) Contact: Stan Rios, rican698@gmail.com 7

8 Holiday Party Recap The Pikes Peak Section pulled out all the stops for our annual Holiday Party extravaganza. The elegant El Paso Club was the scene for 60 Section members and guests to get together to share holiday spirit and camaraderie. The staff provided their usual impeccable service from the kitchen to the bar and the wait staff, we were treated like royalty. We welcomed 8 members from the Mile High Section, including our Regional Director, Michael Davison and his wife Connie. It was a magical night for all concerned. Everyone was excited about our famous raffle and we had quite an assortment of prizes, thanks to the generosity of Mercedes-Benz of Colorado Springs. We had logo d sunglasses, sweaters, headphones, jewelry, model cars, and copper mugs. We had Godiva chocolates donated by Russ & Judy Bonadonna and signed prints from Tom Croak. We also raffled off an MBCA tote bag and autographed John Fielder book of photos. Wendy and Chuck Adams donated a unique aircraft desk clock. It went well with the platters and martini glass on display. There was something to pique everyone s interest and the proceeds reflected that interest. We raised over $200 for our charity, Tessa. Steve was kept busy during dinner drawing winning tickets and awarding the prizes. After dinner, Steve recognized our Member of the Year, Wendy Adams, for her contribution to our National Special Event, Silver Stars & Golden Aspens. Our Bag Lady came through in spades with the best gift bag any participant had ever seen. Michael Davison presented the Rocky Mountain Region Officer of the Year Award to Judy Bennett, for her contribution as an organizer for Silver Stars & Golden Aspens. The evening culminated with the Donn & Dorit Wald Award, our section s highest honor. The recipient this year was Karen Absher. She was absolutely essential to the success of Silver Stars & Golden Aspens as the dining guide, reception planner, contest queen. That was just the cherry on top of her many years of exemplary service to the section as an event planner and picnic promoter extraordinaire. A well-deserved award that completed a sweep for the ladies! It was a magical night for all concerned and we look forward to doing it again next year. Please check out our Facebook page (MBCA Pikes Peak Section) for all the pictures. Steve & Wendy - MOY Steve & Karen Wald Award Michael & Judy - OOY 8

9 Top-Down Lights Recap On Saturday, 15 Dec, the skies were clear, and the temps were cool perfect conditions for our annual Top-Down Holiday Lights Tour. Twelve cars made their way to Charlie and Judy Bennett s house where they dropped off their goodies and enjoyed a cup of mulled cider before heading out with directions in hand to see the lights. They wended their way through the southern part of town, up towards NORAD and then to the Broadmoor area. The hotel put on its usual spectacular light show. The directions must have been pretty good since no one got irrevocably lost, or as Charlie says, momentarily spatially disoriented. GPS is getting better and better. Then it was time for some serious refreshments, so everyone headed back to the Bennett s where we feasted on canapes, meatballs, dips, sweets, and even baked ham sandwiches; all accompanied by high-test hot chocolate and other adult beverages. It was fun to see all the awfully cute Christmas sweaters and it was a great opportunity for us to have one last gettogether before the new year. Lights! Townsends Ready to Roll Chill-axin Desserts Galore! Comparing Notes 9 one last get-together before the new year.

10 US Mercedes Battery Plant by Viknesh Vijayenthiran Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler is following Tesla's lead by constructing a battery plant in the United States to supply its future fleet of locally made electric cars. The battery plant will be located seven miles from Mercedes' vehicle plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and is part of a $1 billion investment announced by Daimler a year ago during 20th anniversary celebrations for the vehicle plant which builds most of Mercedes' SUVs. Mercedes is committed to offering 10 electric cars by A groundbreaking ceremony for the battery plant took place on Friday, the same day the first customer example of the redesigned 2020 GLE rolled off the line at the nearby vehicle plant. Daimler said the first electric car to be built in Tuscaloosa will be a Mercedes EQ SUV. It's possible the model will be the 2020 EQC unveiled in September, which is due in showrooms in early 2020 and will offer more than 200 miles of range in base trim. The EQC so far has only been confirmed for production in Bremen, Germany. Daimler will eventually have six production sites for various EQ models which will be sold by the Mercedes and Smart brands. The German auto giant will also have eight battery plants, not only for vehicles but also energy storage solutions. Other locations for battery plants include Thailand, Germany and China. This worldwide network of battery plants will allow Mercedes to react flexibly and efficiently to market demands and requirements. The different sites will supply local vehicle production but will be able to export batteries, if required. "The widely export oriented Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa is a high-tech production facility with a successful history and an exciting future in terms of our brand in the United States, Mercedes production chief Markus Schäfer said. We aim to play a pioneering role in the development of e-mobility and are well prepared to accomplish this mission. Why such a rapid expansion of battery production? Mercedes is committed to offering 10 electric cars by 2025 and having an electrified option in each of its model lines by

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12 Round the Benz Editor 4335 Penhurst Pl Colorado Springs, CO Return Service Requested To: Happy New Year On the Web at: org MBCA Pikes Peak Section 8 January 2018 Board Meeting 6:00 p.m. Steve Dierks January 2019 Breakfast & MasterDrive Steve Dierks Calendar of Upcoming Events 27 January 2019 Annual Pot Luck Dinner 5:00 p.m. Glenn Hamill February 2018 Board Meeting 6:00 p.m. Steve Dierks February 2019 Post-Valentine s Day Dinner 6:00 p.m. Pete Kulzer February 2019 Breakfast & Mercedes-Pinz 9:00 a.m. Steve Dierks March 2018 Board Meeting 6:00 p.m. Steve Dierks March 2019 Breakfast & Pueblo Air Museum 9:00 a.m. Charlie Bennett April 2019 Board Meeting 6:00 p.m. Steve Dierks The Pikes Peak Section Board of Directors meets on the first Tuesday of each month at Mercedes-Benz of Colorado Springs, 730 Automotive Drive. Meetings start at 6:00 p.m. All Section members are welcome and encouraged to attend. 12