2018 Mercedes- AMG GT Revamped

Transcription

1 Lr` January May, Newsletter of the Mile-High Section Mercedes-Benz Club of America OVER 500 COPIES DISTRIBUTED MONTHLY IN COLORADO, WYOMING, AND UTAH IN THIS ISSUE.. Subject Page(s) Letter from the President, Bob Mashburn 2 Board Officers Mercedes-Benz S MERCEDES-BENZ PRE-OWNED AUTOMOBILES Events Calendar 8 Event Information South Park Drive Mercedes- AMG GT Revamped Studebaker Mercedes-Benz Car Show Selfie Drive 12 Colorado Concours d Elegance & Exotic Joint Picnic 13 E National Event = Silver Stars & Golden Aspens 15 MAY EVENT - SOUTH PARK DRIVE If you have not received your New Member Packet or if you have questions about your membership, please contact MHS Membership Chair Person, Natalie Mashubrn, by phone at or by at: Dan Kerstein Alex Roberts Randy Treas & Brett Sneed 1

2 a) ` Letter From The President Bob Mashburn President, Mile-High Section May Behind the Wheel The old saying, April showers bring May flowers is true, it also brings the dandelions! We have some great events coming up. The South Park Drive on May 12th and the joint Mile- High Section and the Conestoga Chapter of the Studebaker Drive Club Champagne lunch and Car Show on May 20th. On June 9th is our Selfie Drive, we will start at Starbucks in Golden, drive into the hills, take some selfies along the way and stop for lunch at the Morrison Inn in Morrison. This drive will also be our welcome for new members and lunch is on the Mile-High Section for those who joined from September RSVP to Natalie Mashburn at nataliemashburn@yahoo.com by June 7th. Bob PS We have Posted a flyer in this Constellation for the Colorado Concours D Elegance car show at Arapahoe Community College June 10 th. We have no plans as a club to attend but would recommend this show to anyone who enjoys cars, it will be worth your time to visit. The proceeds benefit The Ability Connection of Colorado. Best Regards Mike Redel 2

3 Mile-High Section, Inc. of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America Executive Board Officers President: Bob Mashburn Vice President: Randy Williams Secretary: Mike Redel Treasurer: Max Townsend Mile-High Section Board Members Greg Birkett Michael Davison Natalie Mashburn Mike Redel Stan Rios Lou Rogers John Nordman Whitlow Wong Other Contracts Membership Chair Person: Natalie Mashburn Constellation Editor Mile High Section: Karen Redel Rocky Mountain Regional Director: Michael Davison MBCA For a List of all MBCA Board Members, Please Refer to the STAR Magazine The Constellation Newsletter of the Mile-High Section, Inc., Mercedes-Benz Club America, Inc. Mile-High Section, Inc. MBCA, Publisher KAREN REDEL, Editor Helena St., Brighton, CO Phone: or karenredel@outlook.com Readers please support the advertisers appearing in this publication. However, no inference should be made that advertising in The Constellation implies approval of products or services by the publisher, the Mile-High Section, its officers or members, or by the Mercedes- Benz Club of America. We encourage editors of other Mercedes-Benz Club newsletters to reprint articles that may be of interest to their Section s members. We appreciate credit being given to The Constellation. Those articles reprinted in The Constellation with permission from owners of copyrights on those articles may not be used without written permission from the original owners. Members are welcome to submit articles. Deadline for submission is the 10th of the month prior to the month the issue comes out. Articles should be relevant to the interests and activities of MBCA and its members. The Publisher reserves the right to edit or reject any article. Classified Advertising in The Constellation Members of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America, Inc. may advertise in The Constellation to buy, sell, or trade Mercedes-Benz automobiles and related items at no charge, provided no commercial venture is involved. Ads may include a photo. Copy for the classified advertising must be received in writing by the 10th of the month prior to the month of issue. Ads will be published one time. To re-run, the ad must be resubmitted. Current membership number must be included for free ads. LET US KNOW IF YOUR ITEM SELLS MAKE ROOM FOR ADS FOR OTHER MEMBERS. Non-member and commercial venture advertising will be published at the rate of $10.00 for 3 lines per issue, plus $10.00 for a picture. Advertising in this category may run one, two or three times as requested and paid for in advance by the advertiser. Copy for the ads must be received by the 10th of the month prior to the month of issue and must be paid in advance, payable to Mile High-MBCA. Mail ads to: MILE-HIGH SECTION MBCA, HELENA ST., BRIGHTON, CO or to: karenredel@outlook.com The publisher reserves the right to edit or reject any ad 3

4 2018 Mercedes-Benz S450 Finally, a V-6 worthy of the S-Class Starting a Mercedes-Benz S450 outside the Manhattan Four Seasons could be a letdown, if you re the type to make it one. Car-enthusiast wisdom says that once you ve played on the Palisades Parkway in an S65, the base model will forever disappoint. But while the S-class sedan caters to Benz s most badge-conscious customers, a downlevel numeral on the decklid no longer undermines this big sedan s reputation. Strong twin-turbo V-6, sublime driving experience, spacious comfort. The Key to a Better Six Life. We first drove the refreshed 2018 S-class months ago in Europe and came away impressed by the two V-8 versions available at that time, the S560 and the Mercedes-AMG S63. Now we ve driven the first U.S.-spec sedans (they re arriving at dealers now) and, in particular, this S450 4Matic, which shares its twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 with much of the current Mercedes lineup. thousand off the price of an S550 wasn t enough to change minds: The six-cylinder S was still too slow. In the last couple of years, though, Mercedes has kept pace with the industry-wide trend of downsizing and turbocharging engines, flooding them with the kind of torque needed to keep a big sedan on its toes and it is this strategy that finally aligns the S-class with six-cylinder versions of the Audi A8 and the BMW 7-series. 4

5 To be clear, the U.S. S450 does not yet pack the brand-new M256 inline-six as sold in Europe. America will have to wait until the next-gen CLS450 arrives to experience that engine, higher trims of which integrate an electrically driven supercharger and a 48-volt electrical system that can generate more than 430 horsepower and adds some basic hybrid functionality. For now, at least, the Yankee S450 carries the current M276 twin-turbo V-6, which generates its 362 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque the older-fashioned way. That s stronger than the 329 hp and 354 lb-ft ratings for the V-6 as used in the E400, although still down a notch from the Mercedes-AMG E43 s 396 horsepower and 384 lb-ft. What matters is that the S450 s torque curve is as wide and fat as back bacon, with the full allotment on tap from 1800 to 4500 rpm. On the road, this means the 4700-pound sedan is not the lug we ve come to expect of an S-class with anything less than eight cylinders. Accept the car s inability to vaporize slower drivers something the S560 and AMG models do effortlessly and then realize it still has verve. Mercedes estimates the S450 4Matic can reach 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. That s 0.8 second quicker than what C/D recorded in a naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V-8 S years ago, and we tend to beat Benz s claims. And by the seat of our heated, massaged, and automatically bolstered pants, the new S450 sure feels at least that quick. The Best at Doing. Nothing That s in Sport mode. Left in its default Comfort setting, the nine-speed automatic shifts lazily, and the S450 requires a heavy foot to drum up response. As with any softly tuned Benz, the S-class feeds off momentum. It s for drivers who prefer long, gentle cruises into the night, with the engine humming below 2000 rpm and the silky air-spring suspension and feathery steering gliding them to their destinations. You won t lust for eight or 12 cylinders while sustaining 100 mph, which the S450 does without strain. See the standing hood ornament? You ve made it. Relax. Nowhere is the debate over engine size more irrelevant than inside the S450 s lavish cabin. The standard Energizing Comfort system tailors music, lighting, massage, and cabinfragrance settings to a preselected mood. That comes across as gimmickry, but the real deal is Intelligent Drive version 4.5, the automaker s latest semi-self-driving system that we switched on and off during our 300-mile drive. The $2250 Driver Assistance package that brings these features is a steal next to the $5000 Premium package (which includes tech commonly found in fully loaded economy hatchbacks such as a 360-degree camera and proximity entry). When it works, Intelligent Drive is nearly flawless. It obeys dotted highway lines as well as double yellows on main roads, and the Active Lane Change Assist is straight-up freaky the first, second, and even the 15th time you try it by simply activating a turn signal. The S450 may take seven or eight turn-signal blinks before it recognizes nearby cars and slides its big tail into the adjacent lane, but in that time you ve swigged from a water bottle and changed the radio station. 5

6 A Savvy German Still Acclimating to America. Mercedes says its American customers told the company they hated the traditional but clunky cruise-control stalk, and Germany listened. As long as the driver keeps Active Steering Assist and Active Lane Keeping Assist enabled (via two buttons above the headlight dial), the system can be activated with two button taps on the left side of the steering wheel. While not the one-press simplicity of Volvo s Pilot Assist, this Intelligent Drive is much easier to deploy than the stalk-triggered adaptive cruise control in the 2017 S-class. A third switch engages Active Speed Limit Assist, but on Connecticut s outdated highways, which post 50-mph limits for no apparent reason, the S-class started to brake while everyone nearby wondered what invisible car had pulled in front of us. We turned it off. We left all assists off during the majority of our drive, however, because get this we like driving. Compared to our brief experience with Intelligent Drive on European roads, we found something was lost in translation while it piloted through urban and suburban routes back home. For every time that the S-class kept calm around a 70-mph highway curve, it would turn a gentle lane change into a game of Pong between the lines, or just plain give up in these more traffic-dense settings. The car would travel uncomfortably close to trucks in stop-and-go traffic and looked as if it might scrub the left side of the Holland Tunnel. Letting the S450 guide itself on the Bronx River Parkway an intensely narrow, winding two-lane with no shoulders soon felt suicidal. When traffic stopped for signals, the system wouldn t brake early enough. The big Benz preferred the Merritt Parkway s faster sweepers through Connecticut s Fairfield County part of a tri-state area that accounts for 20 percent of all S-class sales in the United States but only when driving slightly above the 55-mph limit. Even when it s working, you re always watching it work. So you might as well do something, like take full control. The irony isn t about smart cars being dumb. It s that the S-class has practically driven itself before self-driving cars became trendy. An S-class is among the most effortless and pampering of luxury cars because Mercedes has spent decades and tens of billions of dollars improving it. And now it has a great six-cylinder engine. 6

7 FOR SALE MERCEDES-BENZ PRE-OWNED AUTOMOBILES The Back Lot Sales and Services for MBCA Members by MBCA Members 2011 Mercedes-Benz 550ML with 60,500 miles. Black with black leather interior. All service is current (series B). The navigation was updated in December. The car is fully loaded. If interested, people can contact Roz directly at , or The Constellation Newsletter of the Mile-High Section, Inc., Mercedes-Benz Club America, Inc. Mile-High Section, Inc. MBCA, Publisher KAREN REDEL, Editor P.O. Box 16913, Golden, CO Phone: or Readers please support the advertisers appearing in this publication. However, no inference should be made that advertising in The Constellation implies approval of products or services by the publisher, the Mile-High Section, its officers or members, or by the Mercedes-Benz Club of America. We encourage editors of other Mercedes-Benz Club newsletters to reprint articles that may be of interest to their Section s members. We appreciate credit being given to The Constellation. Those articles reprinted in The Constellation with permission from owners of copyrights on those articles may not be used without written permission from the original owners. Members are welcome to submit articles. Deadline for submission is the 10th of the month prior to the month the issue comes out. Articles should be relevant to the interests and activities of MBCA and its members. The Publisher reserves the right to edit or reject any article. Classified Advertising in The Constellation Members of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America, Inc. may advertise in The Constellation to buy, sell, or trade Mercedes-Benz automobiles and related items at no charge, provided no commercial venture is involved. Ads may include a photo. Copy for the classified advertising must be received in writing by the 10th of the month prior to the month of issue. Ads will be published one time. To re-run, the ad must be resubmitted. Current membership number must be included for free ads. LET US KNOW IF YOUR ITEM SELLS MAKE ROOM FOR ADS FOR OTHER MEMBERS. Non-member and commercial venture advertising will be published at the rate of $10.00 for 3 lines per issue, plus $10.00 for a picture. Advertising in this category may run one, two or three times as requested and paid for in advance by the advertiser. Copy for the ads must be received by the 10th of the month prior to the month of issue and must be paid in advance, payable to Mile High- MBCA. Mail ads to: MILE-HIGH SECTION MBCA, HELENA ST., BRIGHTON, CO or to: constellation.mhs@comcast.net The publisher reserves the right to edit or reject any ad. 7

8 EVENT CALENDAR Event Contact Contact Information May May 3rd Board Meeting MB Denver Mercedes-Benz of Denver May 12th South Park Drive Michael Davison May 20 th Studebaker/Mercedes Car Show Mount Vernon Country Club Bob Mashburn June June 7th Board Meeting MB Denver Mercedes-Benz of Denver June 9th Selfie Drive Bob Mashburn July July 5th or 12th Board Meeting MB Denver Mercedes-Benz of Denver July 14th Joint Picnic Deb Hokanson August Aug 2nd Board Meeting MB Denver Mercedes-Benz of Denver August 11th Leadville Matchless Mine Tour & Museum Tour Karen Redel September Sept 6th Board Meeting MB Denver Mercedes-Benz of Denver Sept 15th Fort Collins Drive Michael Davison October 13-Oct Annual Meeting/ Dinner/ Location TBD Michael Davison Mercedes-Benz of Denver November Nov 3rd 2019 Planning meeting/ Board Meeting - TBD Bob Nashburn Bob_Mashburn78@yahoo.com 10-Nov Union Station Tour Max Townsend diandmaxt@aol.com December Dec 1st Annual Christmas Dinner - Columbine Country Club Michael Davison mhd539@msn.com 8

9 BRING IN THE SPRING WITH A SOUTH PARK AND HOOSIER FLING WHEN: SATURDAY, MAY 12, 2018 TIME: LOCATION: 8:45 am Meet at Starbucks inside King Soopers (next to Home Depot), northeast corner of South Sheridan Blvd and Highway 285 (Hampden) Leave at 9:00 for Fairplay, proceed southwest on Hwy 285 for 80 miles. Turn north on Hwy 9 toward Breckenridge (22 miles). We will cross Hoosier Pass (11,542 feet) and through some lovely country. Many restaurants in Breckenridge are closed at that time year or do not take reservations. Cb & Potts claimed that they can easily accommodate a group of a dozen or more people. So that s where we go. Confirm with Michael Davison, CB & Potts, 231 South Main Street (Hwy 9)Breckenridge, CO Phone: (970)

10 1958 Studebaker Corporation Brings Mercedes-Benz to America Mercedes-Benz had a very weak distribution system in the Unites States in the early to middle 1950 s. Except for a few racing SLs the mark was virtually invisible in the United States. In an attempt to expand sales in the US, Mercedes needed a partner with a large dealer network. Negotiations started in 1957 and a Distribution Alliance agreement was reached with the Studebaker-Packard Corporation. Beginning in 1958 Studebaker-Packard had exclusive rights to distribute Mercedes in the United States. The agreement also prohibited Studebaker- Packard from developing and selling their own luxury car which may have sped up the demise of Packard and then Studebaker. After 1958 the Packard line was discontinued but Studebaker retained distribution rights for Mercedes-Benz. A few executives from the Packard division formed a subsidiary within Studebaker Corp. named Mercedes-Benz Sales, Inc. with offices located in South Bend, Indiana. Dealerships had to promise to purchase $10,000 in tools, parts, supplies and provide floor space for 2 to 4 Mercedes vehicles to be able to offer Mercedes for sale in their dealership. By 1964 more than 150 Studebaker dealerships were also selling Mercedes with 20 now selling Mercedes exclusively. By the early 1960 s Mercedes was delivering more than 20,000 vehicles a year to customers in the United States. Mercedes decided they could go it alone without Studebaker and bought back the Mercedes-Benz Sales, Inc. contract for $9 million, more than 5 times the original value. Mercedes-Benz of North America was formed in 1963 and Studebaker produced it last vehicle some three years later. The Mile-High Section and the Conestoga Chapter of the Studebaker Drivers Club have had periodic reunions is the 60th anniversary of the Distribution Alliance between the two companies and the Conestoga Chapter is inviting Mercedes Club members to join them for a car show and Champaign Buffet Brunch at Mount Vernon Country Club, Sunday, May 20, Prepaid reservations are required using the form found in this newsletter. Deadline for reservations is May 10th. We would really like to see some Mercedes-Benz vehicles from the 1950 s and 1960 s display. 10

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12 SELFIE DRIVE WHEN: JUNE 9, 2018 WHERE: SELFIE DRIVE JUNE 9TH Join us for our first ever selfie drive. We will meet at the Starbucks, S. Golden Road, Golden, Colorado at 9:45am. From there we will hit various stops to take selfies and ending up in Morrison where we will share our selfies and have lunch at the Morrison Inn. Lunch will be complimentary for all new members that have joined since September Please RSVP to Natalie Mashburn at by June 7th. 12

13 Date: June 10, 2018 Time; 9:00 3:00 Location: Arapahoe Community College 5900 South Santa Fe Dr. Littleton, CO Adult: $10 ($9 advance) Youth: under 12 - free Website: 13

14 Joint Section Picnic Hiwan Homestead Museum, Saturday, July 14, 2018 at noon 4208 Timbervale Dr., Evergreen You won t want to miss this fun and fascinating historical tour. A cool, summer afternoon at this true hidden gem in Evergreen! We will meet at 11:45 am at the Museum for our special guided tour. In the 1890's, Mary Neosho Williams, a Civil War widow, and her daughter Josepha, part of the aristocratic society of Denver acquired a simple log structure and hired a Scottish carpenter to convert it into a summer cottage. In 1889, Josepha graduated from Medical School in Denver and became one of Colorado's first women doctors. Seven years later, Josepha married Canon Charles Winfred Douglas, an Episcopal clergyman who achieved world acclaim for his musical work. After Joespha s death in 1938 the house was sold to Tulsa oilman, Darst Buchanan and the property named Hiwan Ranch, after Buchanan's prize winning Hiwan Hereford cattle. Six generations of notable families lived in this rustic mountain lodge (each adding new rooms), before it was developed as a museum by Jefferson County in We will tour this wonderful home with one of the Hiwan s special tourguides. After our tour we will enjoy a picnic lunch at the Shelter in the Hiwan Heritage Park just adjacent to the Museum. This is one of Jay and my favorite places. The Museum and grounds are beautiful, with a rich history and peaceful mountain setting. We really are looking forward to hosting our joint picnic at this venue. Cost is $17.50 per person, which includes your admission to the museum and lunch. Please sign up using the reservation form below, and mail the form & payment to Jay Hokanson by July 7, Directions to the Hiwan Homestead Museum are: Exit I-70 at Exit 252 and follow signs for Evergreen Parkway (HWY 74), Drive on HWY 74 for 7.1 Miles and turn LEFT on Douglas Park Rd, Drive for 0.3 miles on Douglas Park Rd and turn LEFT on Meadow Dr, in 0.3 miles turn LEFT on Timbervale Dr., In 0.1 miles arrive at Hiwan Homestead Museum at 4208 Timbervale Dr., Evergreen, CO There are several alternate routes from C-470 via two lane canyon roads. Mile-High / Pikes Peak Joint Section Picnic RESERVATION FORM Hiwan Homestead Museum, July 14, :45 am Send form with Payment by July 7, 2018 Name: Phone: OR Number Attending: at $17.50 per person (includes Museum Tour) = $ Dietary Restrictions? Gluten Free Vegetarian Vegan Other: Total Enclosed: $ Send form & make check payable to Mile-High Section MBCA to Jay Hokanson by July 7, Mail to: Jay Hokanson, 6045 W. Evans Place; Lakewood, CO / jhokanso@comcast.net 14

15 Tuesday, September & GOLDEN 25, ASPENS 12:00pm EVENT to Saturday, Thru September 29, :00pm Telluride, CO SPECIAL NATIONAL SILVER STARS Contact: Judy Bennett or bennett91212@comcast.net For more information go to: silver stars 15