Southwest Star Magazine Volume 13 Issue 3

The Southwest Star COVERING THE SOUTHWEST REGION OF THE MERCEDES-BENZ CLUB OF AMERICA VOLUME 1, NUMBER 3

730 Horsepower – the “other” AMG V12 The 2014 E-Class refresh Power Steering Pump Rebuild Upcoming Events

Deer Park Winery & Auto Museum  Chaparral visits INDE Motorsports Ranch  SL Appreciation Day California Coast Carfest  Mara Hoffman  Amerind Museum and Café Roka  Havasupai Rallye  Mount Lemmon  and much more

Page 1 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Page 2 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Page 3 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The Regional Director’s Corner Communiqués from the section presidents

8 12 - 15 16

AMG’s “other” V12

27

Chaparral visits INDE Motorsports SL Appreciation Day

29 31 34

Chaparral Section’s Balloon Fiesta Power Steering Pump Rebuild California Coast Carfest

43 45

Mara Hoffman receives the title of “Mercedes-Benz Presents” Deer Park Winery and Auto Museum Tour

48

Page 4 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

56

Safe in a silver lining

Sales are up at our favorite manufacturer A Tour of the Amerind Museum & Dinner at Café Roka

60 61

64

Desert Stars’ Havasupai Rallye

Chaparral Section’s Run to Mount Lemmon The E-Class Refresh

68

DM50 Picnic and 5th Annual Car Show Desert Stars’ Speed Fest MBCA News

67

72

74

76

Upcoming Events

77

Page 5 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The Southwest Star

"Is Club Membership Worth It?"

Covering the Southwest Region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

If You Own a Mercedes-Benz, You Can't Afford NOT to Belong!

November 2013 Channel Islands Section Dieter Schaltinat, President mbcachannelislands.org ◊ Ventura-Santa Barbara Counties, California Chaparral Section Mike Zonnefeld, President www.tucsonsmercedesclub.org ◊ Tucson, Arizona Desert Stars Section Bud Cloninger, President desertstars.mbca.org ◊ Phoenix, Arizona Las Vegas Section Tommy Alvarado, President www.mbca-lasvegas.org Las Vegas, Nevada Long Beach - South Bay Geoffrey Bolt, President www.mbcalb-sb.com ◊ Long Beach and the South Bay area of Los Angeles County, California Los Angeles Section Paul Bergstrom, President www.la-mbca.com ◊ Los Angeles, California Orange County Section Lynn Hern, President www.mboc.info Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and Orange, California San Diego Section Michael Cooper, President sandiego.mbca.org ◊ San Diego, California Southwest Region

Steve Ross, President

CONTRIBUTORS Mercedes-Benz USA, Mike Zonnefeld, Lynn Hern, Steve Ross, Paul Bergstrom, Geoff Bolt, Jocelyn Salisbury, Judy Caruso, Shirley Hern, Bud Cloninger, Chuck Stanford, Jr., Debbie Ichiyama, John & Roberta Phin, Matthew Crawford, Rich Shulte, Roberta Phin, Beverly A. Maddalone, Fred Finney, Ken George, Lynn Davison, Michael Cooper, Albert Garcia, Michael Turner, Phoenix New Times, Roaring Fork, Talking Stick Resort, Universal Studios

Published by Fitzhugh Media Marcus Blair Fitzhugh, Editor in Chief VeeAnn Hegreberg, Managing Editor Karcy Bowles, Creative Director The Southwest Star Magazine is a trademark of Fitzhugh Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or in full is strictly prohibited. The Southwest Star Magazine is a quarterly publication and welcomes all contributions. The Southwest Star Magazine assumes no responsibility for content of advertisement. No representation is made as to the accuracy hereof and The Southwest Star is produced subject to errors and omissions.

Five-Star Member Benefits       

The Star® Magazine Discounts on Parts, Service & Accessories at Participating MercedesBenz Dealers 2013 Loyalty Rewards Program (U.S.) 2013 Loyalty Rewards Program (Canada) 15% Discount on Parts from the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center Over 85 Club Sections in the U.S. and Canada Shop, Style & Save at the Club Store

Events From national events, car shows and Concours -- to driving schools, rallies and back road barbecues -- we have fun and festivities for every age, gender and Mercedes-Benz aficionado in the U.S. and Canada Info Stay in-the-know. Our forums, interest groups and online discussions will keep you up-to-date on all things Mercedes-Benz. Find it here.

Whether you own or lease (or aspire to own or lease) a Mercedes-Benz, your membership with the Mercedes-Benz Club of America will be rewarded ten-fold.

New Members: Save money with your Mercedes-Benz Club of America membership.

Annual fees are less than 14 cents a day (U.S.); less than 17 cents a day for Canadian & International Members. Enjoy instant savings on parts & service at participating MercedesBenz dealers: discounts on one-of-a-kind accessories and apparel from our Club Store; free classified advertising in The Star magazine and on www.mbca.org; free technical advice from automotive experts; (up to) $1,500 off the price of a NEW Mercedes-Benz, and more.

Contact Fitzhugh Media at Info@FitzhughMedia.com

Page 6 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

From the editor’s desk

Events and the summer of 2013.

The summer of 2013 has been a whirlwind.

The calendar shows MBCA events were held

throughout the southwest region all summer long. Covering and writing about an event takes effort, but putting on the event itself is real work.

During an event, nothing takes care of itself. If something isn’t arranged in advance, it simply won’t get done. That takes preparation. I’m somewhat familiar with the planning behind one event that took place earlier this year, and I’ll share some details. The event coordinator found the venues (there were two for this single event), contacted the representatives of both sites, checked their availability, made sure the date was open on the section calendar, confirmed the event didn’t occur during a holiday weekend, brought it to a board meeting, solicited and confirmed which section officers would be in attendance, and that was just to get the ball rolling.

From there, the website had to be updated, as was the newsletter, club membership was notified, follow up emails/reminders were sent when the date got closer, and presto, a wonderfully attended event took place.

Event coordinators work tirelessly to plan the activities that we, the membership, enjoy. They take ideas and make them a reality. The next time you see an event coordinator, let them know they’re appreciated and their hard work has made a difference.

If you have an idea for an

event, consider taking the reins and making it happen. If it’s too big for one person, ask for help. There is one thing far worse than failing, that’s having never tried.

Marcus Blair Fitzhugh

Page 7 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The Regional Director’s Corner I had the pleasure of attending the California Coast CarFest event hosted by the Long BeachSouth Bay Section on September 27 and 28. It was a splendid weekend with the great people of the Mercedes-Benz Club and their one "of a kind" Mercedes-Benz automobiles. There were eighteen “Star Cars” there along with thirty five very nice ladies and gentlemen. The Long Beach-South Bay, Las Vegas, Channel Islands, Orange County and San Diego Sections were represented. If memory serves me almost every Section won an award except the San Diego Section! Perhaps they need a bit more practice. Awards were given for the Rallye, Car Show, Auto Memorabilia and the “Surprise” fun events. The auto memorabilia event consists of a member bringing their Mercedes-Benz historical or other significant items for the attendees to judge. Our event chairman Geoff Bolt was the winner of this event. The surprise fun event was identifying Mercedes-Benz parts, pinning a star on the Mercedes-Benz photo in the correct position, getting the highest three card poker hand, and tossing a ping pong ball into a cup of water from several feet away. Florintino and Marlyn Ortiz of Orange County won this event.

Thomas Leeds of Las Vegas won the Car Show with his 1958 190SL. Rich Leamon and his wife Yvonne won the Rallye.

The Southwest Regional Event was started through the efforts of Geoff Bolt, President of the Long Beach-South Bay Section, seven years ago and has been a great success every year. The event has been hosted by the Long Beach-South Bay, Las Vegas, Orange County and San Diego Sections.

It is with great regret and sadness that I must report that Geoff Bolt has stepped down as the chair of this annual event due to his retirement and relocating to the Republic of the Philippines with his family. To say that Geoff will be missed is a gigantic understate-ment. His departure is leaving a huge gap to fill. If we are to continue with this success-ful, fun filled event for us MBCA Southwest Region folks, we must have someone step up and take the helm in the next few months. I am ready to assist in any way I can to help ensure that we continue with our Southwest Regional Event. Please contact me or Geoff with your questions.

Page 8 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

I and the Southwest Region thank Geoff for his dedication to our Club and our Region. In addition we thank Geoff and Gerhard Fehrmann of the Long Beach-South Bay Section for doing ALL the organizing and implementation for the 2013 CarFest event.

Remember; If you are not having fun you ain’t doing it right.

- Steve Ross

Page 9 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Page 10 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Page 11 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The Desert Stars Section’s President’s Desk I find this a very exciting time for Mercedes- Benz and enthusiasts. Mercedes has plans for 11 new models over the next seven years, from an all-electric B-Class, a new smart model and a replacement for the SLS AMG supercar.

For 2014, we have the all-new S Class and the CLA250 arriving in local showrooms, soon to be followed by AMG versions. The new 2015 C-Class will debut at the International Auto Show in Detroit next January.

New and old customers have shown their appreciation by setting company sales records for September 2013 with over 1,062,638 units delivered world-wide so far this year! Helping to boost sales records this year was China. One in six cars sold were delivered there, as are nearly half of all new S-Class sales.

It’s hard to believe that the M-Class is celebrating its 20th birthday, just as we are about to see the newest model GLA make its debut. That will bring to four, the number of models in the SUV class for North America.

Now as Mercedes is doing well this year, so are The Desert Stars. With many great things going on this fall, I am really happy to see many new members turn out and attend our events. As this continues I believe we will break some new records of our own!

I invite more new members to just stop by and say hello at any of our next outings, and I guarantee you will be warmly welcomed. I invite all members new and old to get off the sofa, and get into their cars and have some fun!

Hope to see you at an event soon,

New Star Dust Section Members, “Welcome!”

August: Ron Adams, Donald Bodnar, Larry Bryson, Kim Dolan, John Finton, Patrice Leone, Fawn Medesha, Vincent Muscat, Phil Neri, Carl Richardson, and Isabelle Tait September: Xavier Cody, Charles Dickens, Ina Langley, Garvin Malow, Thomas Plimpton, and Raymond Ramirez

Page 12 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The Orange County Sections’s President’s Desk The election of officers and board members for 2013-2014 was completed at our dinner meeting at the Vintage Steakhouse on September 19, 2013.

Since none of the positions were contested and all those nominated were currently serving as officers or board members, the election was rather anticlimactic. As President of the OC Section I am truly grateful for the continued support our officers and board members are providing.

Even

before the elections were over, they were busy planning events for 2014.

There is a four day cruise on the Sapphire Princess planned for January 20-24, 2014 and a three day weekend in Death Valley planned for March 28-30,2014.

Check the newsletter for details.

The OC section has had a long and enviable history and we all would like to continue that tradition. However the same handful of members will not continue being responsible for managing this section forever. Unless more members start taking an active part in doing the work required to keep this section viable, there will be drastic changes (sooner rather than later) Mala Tempora Currunt

- Lynn Hern We welcome our newest Orange County Section members Robert Dewar  Darren McKendry  Rexford Parker  Michael Rohan  Reonel Saddul

Page 13 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The Los Angeles Section President’s desk Hello club members. How the time seems to just get away from me. I have started this several times and each time something comes up. Now hello to all of the Internet friends from Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Germany, Japan, Indonesia, and Netherlands, and United States. I thank you and our editor thanks you for visiting our online magazine and our club newsletter. These venues allow you to enjoy the great content our Los Angeles Section Club has to offer.

We’ve had a great time this year with the club, meeting members old and new at some great events.

As the year winds down, we have two more events - so check your calendar and join us in November and December.

Saturday November 2nd, there will be a joint rally with the San Gabriel Valley Region of the Porsche Club of America. We’re starting at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena and finishing at Golden Road Brewing in Glendale. Driving events are always a fun day.

Sunday December 15th is our annual holiday party. We hope to close out the year with bang!

For the past several years we've had our annual holiday gathering at Lawry's in Beverly Hills.

This year we're changing things up a bit. We've rented The Automobile Driving Museum and our meal will be catered by Critics Choice.

As I look back on this year, I think about the great times we’ve had as a club. We’ve had a number of events and they have been well attended.

I believe our Internet presence has

helped us get the word out about our club and what we have to offer.

I would love interested club members to get more involved. There is an opening for two posts the Vice President, and the Secretary. If you’re interested in either position, shoot me an email at Paul.Bergstrom@la-mbca.com

I look forward to seeing you at future events.

Paul Bergstrom, President

Page 14 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The President’s Desk It‛s Driving Time!

After our normal hot summer, a wonderful fall season is here. Our hard working air conditioning and cooling systems finally get a seasonal break once again. You can tell by how many automobile tops are down around our area. Isn’t that how cars are supposed to be operated? Wind in your hair, sights and sounds enjoyed in their natural environment? Sure is fun in our fall weather.

Our section keeps adding members as they learn of the benefits of belonging to Chaparral Section, MBCA. Just the Star magazine alone, an excellent automotive magazine, always is a delight to read. Advertising for members is free.

(some limitations apply) Want national

attention when selling your pride and joy? This is the way to appeal to a very qualified and knowledgeable audience.

Want to meet with other Mercedes owners and fans? Chaparral Section is a great way to do it.

Our events, which can be seen both in this newsletter and on line, are always interesting and fun. Your Board of Directors are constantly working at putting together outstanding events for our club.

Driving events in this kind of weather is especially enjoyable.

Tech sessions

sponsored by various experts and local businesses are always a learning experience for all of us.

Enjoy this wonderful end of year driving weather, come to the excellent events, and if you have a friend that enjoys Mercedes-Benz, ask them to join and be part of the fun. Here too you benefit by adding another month to your MBCA membership.

Looking forward to seeing each of you at either our Board meeting, held the second Thursday of the month at Mercedes-Benz of Tucson, or at one of the events.

An early Happy Holiday greeting as well.

For the Chaparral Section, MBCA

Mike Zonnefeld

President

Page 15 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The other V12

Y

By Marcus Blair Fitzhugh

ears ago it was rumored that Mercedes-Benz was phasing out V12 engine production.

The twelve is still with us, is still the smoothest running production engine available, and yes, it still produces staggering levels of power. The current “standard” V12 is a

5.5 liter with dual turbochargers that produces 510 horsepower and 612 pound-feet of torque.

For those who require their 12 with a bit more oomph, AMG produces a 6 liter twin turbocharged beast that generates 621 horsepower and an earth shaking 738 pound-feet of torque.

Both

versions of the twelve are available in the S, CL, and SL.

It’s not widely known, but AMG also builds another V12. This one produces seven-hundred and thirty horsepower. This “other 12” is used in a production car, but the car is not available at a Mercedes-Benz dealer. That’s because Mercedes-Benz is the engine supplier for Italian supercar manufacturer Pagani Automobili S.p.A.

Page 16 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Some background Horacio Pagani is an Argentinian with a rich history in the automobile business. He founded a number of research, design, and prototyping companies, worked with auto manufacturers on a number of performance car projects, and later formed Pagani Automobili S.p.A. Before forming Pagani Automobili, Pagani collaborated with Lamborghini on a number of large projects. Having worked on the Countach, LM002, P140, and Diablo projects, it would be normal to assume that Pagani would choose Lamborghini as his engine supplier.

Argentinian,

five-time

However Pagani’s friend and fellow

F1

champion Juan Manuel Fangio pointed him in another direction – Mercedes-Benz.

Although they have a very close working relationship with Mercedes-Benz, Pagani Automobili is an independent company.

Early in the

relationship, Mercedes supplied the engines for Pagani’s first car - the Zonda. The Zonda used the ‘then current’ Mercedes Benz M120 V12. The M120 is a 60-degree, dual overhead cam, four valve per cylinder V12.

Mercedes provided three

Page 17 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

variations of that engine; a 6-liter that produced 389 horsepower, a 7-liter with 540 horsepower, and a 7.3 liter with 547 horsepower.

Although it’s clear what Pagani gains from this partnership, some may wonder why MercedesBenz agreed to work with Pagani.

Mercedes agreed because although Pagani is a small

manufacturer, they are brilliant. The Pagani Zonda won “Car of the Year” from Evo magazine, “Performance Car of the Year” from Car magazine, the “Specialist Manufacturer” award from AutoCar and Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear crowned the Zonda R as the 2010 “Jeremy Car of the Year”. Partnering with the best is typically a good move.

The Zonda was originally designed in the early 90s.

It’s a beautiful car, but Pagani felt the

project had run its course and decided something new was needed. That next car is the Huayra.

The Huayra

The Huayra – it’s so beautiful, even store manikins stare

Huayra, pronounced “why rah”, is Argentinian for wind.

It took seven years to design the

Huayra, and it is an upper echelon, “best of the best” type vehicle.

The attention to detail,

expertise at every level, and the workmanship clearly demonstrate that cost was a secondary thought. Although cost was secondary for Pagani, that may not be the case with customers; the Huayra costs in the neighborhood of 1.5 million dollars.

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The powertrain Why did Juan Manuel Fangio recommend Mercedes-Benz rather than a well-known manufacturer in which Pagani already had a relationship? Pagani’s goal was to build the world’s best car in a certain segment. Building the best anything requires the best ingredients. Mercedes-Benz is the largest V12 engine manufacturer in the world. In addition, the AMG division is recognized as having some of the best engine builders in the world. The question wasn’t “why”. If anything, it was “why not?”

Like the Zonda, the Huayra has a Mercedes V12, but this wasn’t a simple choice. Pagani didn't like the idea of turbos, and he didn't like the naturally aspirated 6.3 liter V8 AMG first proposed as a replacement for the Zonda's 7.3 liter V12. Horacio Pagani wanted a naturally aspirated V-12. The problem was, AMG engineers knew that the only way to meet emissions and fuel consumption standards through the next decade AND use a V12 meant forced induction.

AMG engineers eventually convinced Pagani that a dual turbo V12 would meet his

needs.

The current engine produced for Pagani is internally called the M158. It is similar to the M285, which was used in the Maybach.

They are both hand assembled by AMG, but the M158 is

heavily modified to meet Pagani specifications.

The differences are significant enough to

warrant its unique internal engine designation, and this is the first time Mercedes-AMG has used

Page 19 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

a unique internal engine code for an outside for a customer. Some of the M158’s unique parts include pistons, smaller turbos, the intake manifold, headers, and a reprogrammed ECU. The Huayra has two coolant radiators in the nose, and intercoolers have been placed over the cylinder heads.

Dry sump lubrication was selected due to the car’s extreme acceleration and cornering capabilities. The G-forces could have allowed the oil to be pulled to either the rear, front or sides of the oil pan. This could have resulted in the oil pump ingesting air.

The dry sump system eliminates this problem.

The dry sump

also reduces engine height. The lower height has the additional benefit of reducing the car’s center of gravity. The engine uses a specialized oil pumping system that performs similarly to the design used in the SLR. It regulates oil flow and ensures only the required amount of oil is actually pumped into the engine from the external oil tank. This reduces friction and guards against oil aeration. Like all AMG engines, the M158 has an AMG emblem on the intake manifold which has been signed by the technician who assembled it by hand at Mercedes-AMG in Affalterbach, Germany.

Page 20 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The Huayra has a titanium exhaust system that weighs less than 22 pounds. The exhaust has hydroformed junctions, which reduce backpressure.

Hydroforming allows for the creation of

long, complex shapes without the need to weld or bolt shorter exhaust sections together.

Reducing the number of welds cuts down resistance and improves air- flow efficiency. Careful attention was paid to exhaust tuning, especially in the area of sound.

The Huayra has a

harmonic rumble at idle, with a hint of the 700+ horses on tap at low speeds.

As midrange

changes to wide open throttle, this changes to a deep thunderous howl from both the intake and exhaust.

The M158 has a power delivery that is more in tune with that of a naturally aspirated car. It’s linear, without a hint of turbo lag. It was designed this way to improve drivability.

This is

important because at 3,000 pounds, the Huayra is a relatively light vehicle for the amount of power available. If the power came on like a light switch, traction would become a very serious issue - especially while cornering.

The power generated by the Mercedes-Benz V12 is transferred to the rear wheels through a transverse sequential seven speed transmission.

The Huayra has a dual plate clutch. A dual clutch system was considered, but Pagani decided against it. Although a dual clutch system would have produced a minor improvement in shift-time, it would have increased weight by approximately 155 pounds. Considering the entire transmission weighs less than 215 pounds, that would have been a substantial increase. This is especially important when we consider where the weight would have

Page 21 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

been located – behind the rear axle line.

This would have increased overhang, which would

have impacted handling. Some consider the gearbox to be the low point of the car. Both Ferrari and Lamborghini have superior transmissions. In comparison, the Huayra shifts are slower and they can be pretty brutal under wide open throttle. Of course, some prefer the rush of being pinned in the seat with each shift.

Suspension The Huayra suspension is all-new.

Pagani took the best design elements of the Zonda, and

applied the subsequent technical advancements. The Huayra suspension is a pushrod design with forged double wishbones and adjustable Ohlins shocks. In a pushrod design, the shocks and springs are inboard toward the center of the car.

When a wheel encounters a bump,

pothole, or any other irregularity, an a-arm pushes a pushrod, the pushrod pushes a rocker, which transmits the forces to compress diagonal springs and shocks.

This suspension design

provides precise handling with more responsive control and a comfortable ride.

Pushrod

suspensions are used in Formula-1, but due to expense and space requirements, they are found

Page 22 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

in very few road cars.

The structural skin of the Huayra is a mixture of titanium alloy and advanced carbon composites.

This carbon-titanium composition is both light weight and incredibly strong.

Those are two

things required of a car with a top speed of 230 MPH and whose cornering ability can build lateral forces that exceed 1G. The structure’s weak link would appear to be the gull-wing door design. The doors are stylish and beautifully crafted, but if something were to go amiss at triple digit speeds, one would expect the roof to be suspect. As with the SLS, those concerns can be tossed aside. Knowing the gull wing door design cuts deep into the roof, Pagani focused a great deal of research in maintaining the roof’s rigidity.

This is one of the reasons carbon-titanium

was used.

Aerodynamics In a car this powerful, aerodynamics are crucial. The aerodynamic properties of the Huayra are dynamic. They are modified by altering the 4 control flaps in each of the four corners of the car.

The goal is to have a neutral vehicle under all conditions and to control body roll by aerodynamics. The flaps are controlled programmatically by a dedicated computer that receives input about the car's speed, yaw rate, lateral acceleration, steering angle and throttle position.

Page 23 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The system improves aerodynamic efficiency in a variety of driving conditions where a low drag coefficient is not the determining factor. For example, during braking the rear flaps and the front suspension are raised to counteract the weight transfer and balance the weight distribution between front and rear axles. This allows the rear brakes to be more effective.

Another

goal

was

to

ensure clean airflow over the body of the car.

The

shape of the two engine air intakes on top of the two rear fenders are a visual

tribute

to

the

supersonic aircraft of the late

1950s

and

1960s.

Functionally,

they

the

to

motor

allow

breathe

without disrupting airflow.

The

air

intake

for

the

transmission radiator is located between the engine bay window and the rear carbon clamshell.

This allows cooling air to flow to the radiator without having a substantial impact on aerodynamic drag. You’ll also notice the Huayra doesn’t have a rear wing. This is a rarity for a car capable of over 200 MPH. The wing isn’t needed because there is enough clean air that the movable flaps supply enough down force to hold the car in place.

Air flow through the car was also carefully studied. The radiators are angled in such a way to contribute down force and provide the best flow for hot air to be extracted. Air from the central radiator is extracted by vents on the hood and through the front wheel housings. Air from the side radiators is channeled to ducts to assist cooling the brake discs and wheel hubs. This air blows onto the brakes at a temperature of approximately 50°C warming the ceramic discs when cold and significantly improving the first bite. The air opening behind the front wheels generate negative pressure inside the wheel well, lowering the drag coefficient and generating down force.

In addition to the down force generated by the flaps and body, two high negative pressure areas were designed into the shape of the underbody and the diffuser at the rear.

This enhances

aerodynamic stability and creates down force whenever the car is in motion.

Page 24 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Comforts As soon as the gullwing doors are closed, the Huayra’s occupants are enclosed in a lush Italian leather and carbon fiber cocoon. For the driver, everything at arm's length and all the primary functions are on the steering wheel.

The seats are comfortable enough to make

long

trips

enjoyable,

yet

provide the lateral support required when high g-forces are encountered.

Everything from the leather latches, to

the

toggle

mechanical

switches,

aluminum

to

the

gearlever

assembly are all top shelf.

The

aluminum dashboard has a complex Swiss watch design and has a central multi-function display that presents performance related information when SPORT mode is engaged and a trip computer when the COMFORT mode is activated. The aluminum center console is machined from a single 15 pound block

of

solid

aluminum.

It

features a clarinet style array of mechanical

switches

that

are

used to control the HVAC system.

A

high

definition

central

touchscreen is the heart of the vehicle infotainment system. controls navigation, functions

audio secondary and

the

It

functions, vehicle Bluetooth

phone.

Performance How does the car perform? I can only quote the numbers as no one, especially my insurer, is letting me anywhere near $1.5M in “performance car” to determine “how it handles at speed”.

Page 25 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

En route from zero to its 230 MPH top speed, it reaches sixty MPH in 3.5 seconds. seconds later it will pass the quarter mile mark at over 130 MPH.

Seven

While either braking or

cornering it’s capable of G forces that are common in NASA rocket simulators. When driven in a more sedate fashion, Jay Leno says it is very comfortable. It’s also very efficient. I wouldn’t call it “green”, but the Huayra gets 21 mpg on the Euro highway cycle

Although this has been a fantastic year for the stock market, I’m still a bit shy of the funds required to park one of these in my garage. For those whose investments have placed them in a better position, there are three Pagani dealers in the U.S. and two are on the west coast; The Auto Gallery in Beverly Hills and BMC on Van Ness in San Francisco.

THE MERCEDES-BENZ CREDIT CARDFROM AMERICAN-EXPRESS

Apply at www.americanexpress.com

Page 26 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

by Fred Finney and Ken George

L

ocated 75 miles east of Tucson on 1700 acres northwest of Willcox, the Inde Motorsports Ranch is a private motorsports club featuring a 2.75 mile, 21 turn highspeed technical track.

Normally open to members only, on Saturday, September 28th, the course was made available to car clubs and others in the area for a nominal $50 per driver fee (lunch included), and four Chaparral members took advantage of this to experience the facility first hand.

After attending a driver instructional meeting, and getting fitted with a helmet if you did not have your own, each participant was able to run their car around the track for four 20 minute sessions during the day.

And as an option to fully experience what your own car was capable of, you could elect to have one of the on-site pros drive your car with you as a passenger and put it through its paces.

Fortunately the weather was perfect, given the record amounts of rain the area experienced during the 2013 monsoon season.

Everyone had a major front grill and bumper cleanup awaiting them after the drive home because the big Lubber grasshoppers were out in abundance.

Page 27 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Read The Southwest Star Magazine.

We cover your cars, your events, and we’re free.

Page 28 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Orange County Section

SL Appreciation on July 28, 2013

by Lynn Hern

Our club has just concluded one of the more well attended events of the last few years. Fifty members attended this “over the top” activity in Laguna Beach with old and new SLs parked all over the streets and properties in North Laguna. How could you not like the lite refreshments and mimosas to start the day. The surprise of the morning was the distribution of long stemmed red roses to each lady in attendance. The rose was right in line with the theme of our arty drive, which was “Drive slow and Smell the Roses”.

Page 29 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The drive ended at the Ruby’s Dinner with all you could eat buffet breakfast. Our speaker was Andreas Belgardt from Fletcher Jones Motorcars who did a splendid job with the topic AMG history and R&D. We need to take this opportunity to thank Rich & Polly Dix for organizing and hosting this memory maker, along with the helpers Lynn & Shirley Hern and Dottie & John Lindeman.

Page 30 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The Chaparral Section’s

Balloon Fiesta 2013 (“I knew I shoulda turned left at Albuquerque!”) **

T

by Beverly A. Maddalone

welve members of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America, Chaparral Section, teamed up for a road trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico to take in the 42nd Annual International Balloon Fiesta. Two couples took the northern scenic route and drove from Tucson to

Globe then through Pine Top and Show Low into New Mexico, while the rest of the group chose the southern route to Deming and Las Cruces, New Mexico then north through Hatch to Albuquerque. Both routes travel through some of the most spectacular mountain ranges and high desert to be seen in the southwest. The group reunited for dinner hosted by Jo Chase, President of the New Mexico Section, MBCA, and received a warm welcome to town from members of the New Mexico Section.

Just before dawn on Saturday morning, our group

boarded

the

shuttle

bus

our

at

hotel for a short trip to Balloon Fiesta Park for

the

Ascension

dawn

Mass

balloon

launch. As we passed the long line of cars stuck on the freeway waiting to get into the Park, we were all very glad we chose to ride rather than drive to the park. The shuttle service uses a special, designated route and back entrance into Fiesta Park. This year’s Fiesta brought more than 560 balloons from all over the world to the park. Within an hour, the sky above the city of Albuquerque, which sits at 5,000 feet above sea

Page 31 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

level, was filled with an amazing array of colors, patterns, and shapes just floating in the clear, crisp 34- degree mountain air.

The rest of the day was devoted to shopping the many vendors assembled along the midway of Balloon Fiesta Park and to exploring Old Town and downtown Albuquerque. A section of old Route 66 (now Central Ave.) which runs through the center of town is alive and doing well. As dusk rolled across Albuquerque, our group once again caught the shuttle bus from our hotel over to the Park to witness the Twilight Twinkle Glow as hundreds of tethered balloons were fi red up to light Fiesta Park. The night was topped off by a splendid fi reworks show.

Following

Sunday

morning breakfast, we

watched

balloons

for

the one

last time as they sailed across the city

and

guided

our way out onto the

freeway

for

our return trip to Tucson via a scenic route filled with history and more fantastic vistas through Emory Pass and Silver City.

Many thanks to Beverly for her untiring efforts in coordinating the Balloon Fiesta event.

The Chaparral Section welcomes the following new members Jack Breese, David Davenport, Robert Haley, Raymond Kanoza, Howard Lapidow, Peter Martin, Peter Novak, and Chuck Shenk

Page 32 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Page 33 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Power Steering Pump Rebuild

By Albert Garcia

My power steering pump had been leaking for a few months. Fortunately, I managed to get by as long as I continued to work as long as I topped off my fluid.

I did some research and with the help of a friend, I was able to locate and experiment with a spare pump. I also came across the part number for a power steering pump rebuild kit, which is sold by parts.com. The part number was 000 460 47 80 and it came out to be $11.21.

This is what I did, the parts I used, and tools that I needed: 

Mercedes-Benz Gasket kit 000 460 47 80



A pulley puller with a center portion that expands



A tap that is similar to the size of the main seal



A small mallet



Pick



Alcohol to clean the pump



Power Steering Fluid (Pentosin)



Rags and paper My tools and prepped work area

Page 34 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Mercedes-Benz gasket kit

Pump held together with four bolts separated

Pulley portion of pump with pulley removed held together with 3 bolts

Page 35 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The upper left photo of the pump shows it had a lot of buildup. I cleaned the pump with alcohol so as not to contaminate the internals during the rebuild. This was the most time consuming portion of the job. The other photos are after the cleanup work was complete.

Page 36 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Here is where I started to take apart the pump. Everything just slides out at this point. I began by taking out the gaskets. You'll notice there are groves that allow you to get to the gaskets easier

The top portion with odd shaped gasket comes off. I was able to pry it up by using the pick.

Again, there are openings around that part which allow it to come off easier.

Note

the position of this piece.

I

made it a point to keep it the same.

Here is the piece

removed, front and back

This shows the pump with the upper piece removed

Page 37 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Next you can remove the round portion that surrounds what I believe to be the impeller (I got that term from an Internet thread). Make sure to note the direction that it comes out in order to reinstall in the same order. I was able to pry this portion up also with my trusty pick.

Again there are grooves below the piece that allow you to get a little leverage. The little bolt like pieces come right off after you take it off, so make sure not to lose them.

Removing the ring

Next I removed the small blades in the impeller. My pump had ten, and kept track of the way they came out in order to put them back in their same slots with the same side facing up.

A small retainer clip holds the impeller in place. After the clip is removed the impeller sides out and the pulley portion with the shaft will slide off. Note the differences in the front and back side of the impeller. It should be reassembled with the same orientation as it was removed.

Page 38 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The pump with the impeller removed and the pulley with the shaft.

The main seal, which was probably leaking

To remove this seal, use a seal puller. If you elect to pry it out, be careful. If you scar the housing, it will leak - even with a new seal.

After removing all the parts, clean everything. I bathed the pump internals in alcohol in order to get all the grime out. Next, I blew out the pump with compressed air and then let it dry. Lastly, I ran a bit of P/S fluid through the various openings of the pump.

Page 39 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

After everything was dry, I lubed the main seal and tapped it in.

Next I installed the large

gasket on the pump, and lubed it with P/S fluid. Then I installed the odd shaped gasket with its retainer clip.

Using P/S fluid to lube everything, I reassembled the impeller and put the pulley back on the pump

It’s not obvious in the photo to the left, but I mistakenly installed the impeller backwards. You’ll notice in the previous pictures that the smooth side should go up. After spotting the mistake, I reinstalled it the proper way. I don't think it would affect the way it works, but I wanted it done properly. The middle photo shows the plate being slid on, and the photo to the right shows the assembly just before the retaining clip was reinstalled. Reinstalling the clip was no day in the park, but it went back on easier than it came off.

Page 40 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

These photos show the fully assembled pump. Before mounting the pump on the car, I installed the four bolts that hold it together finger-tight. The bolts were torqued to spec after the pump was mounted on the engine. The alternative would have been to either use a bench vice or have someone attempt to hold it.

The pump is very basic and there really isn’t much to it. The work was straightforward, making the choice between an $11 kit and a few hours work, versus $600+ for a pump from a supplier – an easy decision.

Page 41 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Page 42 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

CALIFORNIA COAST CARFEST Photos and text courtesy of the Orange County Section

Eleven OC members attended this regional event organized by the Long Beach Section. We, along with another 25 members from various southwest sections, spent the weekend relaxing in the gardens and enjoying the beach at the Pierpont Inn in Ventura. There was a cocktail reception on Friday evening and most of Saturday was spent participating in some car related games and a rally. On Saturday evening there was a banquet and an awards ceremony for those who participated in the events.

Page 43 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Page 44 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Mara Hoffman Receives the “Mercedes-Benz Presents� Title

Mara Hoffman, the designer known for her originality and fearless approach to print and color, received the distinguished title of "Mercedes-Benz Presents" designer this past season.

- Stephanie Zimmer manager of brand experience marketing for Mercedes-Benz USA.

Page 45 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Mara Hoffman showcased her collection alongside over thirty of the industry's most influential swimwear designers during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim.

The "Mercedes-Benz Presents" program recognizes one designer each season showing at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim that demonstrates dedication to the use of quality materials, unique style and innovative design.

Mara Hoffman joins a prestigious list of past "Mercedes-

Benz Presents" designers including: Vitamin A, Red Carter, Trina Turk, and LUXE by Lisa Vogel.

Mara Hoffman unveiled a print design from her runway collection as the paint finish on a 2014 EClass Cabriolet during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim. The wrapped E-Class Cabriolet was taken to several South Beach hot spots, where invitations to runway shows at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim were given away.

- Mara Hoffman Mara Hoffman is a New York-based fashion designer who began designing her namesake label in 2000. She is a graduate of Parsons School of Design in New York City, and studied at Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design in London.

Hoffman has developed a recognizable

style, and as you can see from the E-Class coupe, it focuses heavily on prints.

The Mara Hoffman line encompasses both Ready-to-Wear and Swimwear. Her swim collections include bikinis, one-pieces, dashiki cover-ups and casual, multi-functional dresses - all in Hoffman's signature prints and often featuring unique detailing such as beading or embroidery.

The Ready-to-Wear collections include everything from flowing dresses to cashmere coats, often incorporating intricate details such as beading and embroidery.

Mara Hoffman's Ready-to-Wear collection is shown at Lincoln Center during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week and her swim collections headline during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim in Miami.

Page 46 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Page 47 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The Deer Park Winery and Auto Museum Tour Photos and text courtesy of the Los Angeles Section

In September we paid a visit to the Deer Park Winery and Auto Museum. Deer Park annually produces and releases award-winning estate wines and their weekend wine tasting has been rated one of the top things to do in San Diego County.

Page 48 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Deer Park's Auto Museum tells the story of Americana, centered around a century of automobile production. The collection begins with the carriages of the 1800's and flows through the muscle cars of the 1970's. Featured across more than three buildings are a collection that includes Studebakers, Packards, Pierce Arrow, the 3-wheeled Messershmitz auto, the "Mad Man Muntz"

Page 49 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

mobile, the "unsafe at any speed" Corvair, and countless others. They also have the ads. Not just magazine ads, but huge 3 by 4 foot (and larger) banners that describe what was new for the upcoming year. For example, the '49 Buicks had 22% more glass. Not to be left out, '49 Fords offered 'sofa wide seats' and 100 HP V8s. The '57 Chrysler 300C offered "sports car thrills and living room comfort".

Page 50 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

In addition to cars, Deer Park has Coca-Cola memorabilia, vintage radios, TVs, bicycles, household appliances, a Barbie doll collection, motorcycles, a Wurlitzer, pedal cars, gas pumps, . . . . the list just doesn't end. Remember computers that needed stacks of punch cards or phonographs that spun at 78 rpm?

Page 51 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Page 52 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Page 53 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The Los Angeles Section covered the museum entrance fee and brought cheese and crackers.

Special thanks to our Deer Park host team of Clark, Phil, Ben and his teenage daughter Tiffany.

They were quite hospitable and very informative.

Page 54 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Page 55 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Safe in a Silver Lining

by V. Hegreberg

Jane Lukic was on a nostalgic journey.

Although she lives in Wisconsin, Jane was born in

England. At the tender age of one, she and her family boarded the Queen Mary and moved to the U.S. Jane had recently celebrated her 60th birthday, and planned this trip back to England as a tribute to her family’s heritage. Aboard the Queen Mary 2, Jane crossed the Atlantic again for what was to be a memorable vacation visiting family, friends and seeing the sights.

Planning ahead, Jane reserved a rental car in Edinburgh before she left home. She’d rented Mercedes Benz twice before while visiting England, and remembered how much she enjoyed driving them. Based on her previous positive experiences, she chose a 2013 silver Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

Jane recalls this as

the first decision in an unexpected chain of events that probably saved her life.

As Jane began describing her drive down the Wrynose Pass in Cumbria UK, it sounded almost idyllic.

The stretch of road, known for its

stunning views, is one of Britain’s steepest passes. The name, Wrynose, comes from ‘pass of the stallion’ and referred to the fact that the steep gradients required a well-muscled horse to get to the top. The high elevation and low lying clouds made for a misty drive that August afternoon.

While Jane was descending that steep, one lane gradient full of hairpin turns, a tire blew out.

Without warning, she lost control of the car. Faced with no good options, her impulse was to

Page 56 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

smash into the side of the mountain. She felt this would stop the car from careening down the hill.

The airbags deployed on impact and there was a brief moment of stillness where she

described the sensation of being in the car perched precariously on its side. Mercedes-Benz has an ad that reads, “For well over half a century, Mercedes-Benz engineers have been devoted to preparing for a moment they hope never occurs.” For Jane, this was that moment.

And somersaulted until it stopped here

The car left the road about here

The car started rolling down the steep embankment. It’s hard to imagine the thunderous noise and crushing impact of what she described as: “hit and flip, hit and flip…” Buckled in Jane was conscious the whole way down. She wondered which hit was going to crush her to death. At one point the thought flashed through her mind that she had come back to England to die – then she decided that was not an option. Then amazingly, she resolved to try to relax her body and just breathe into it as the car summersaulted approximately 500 feet down the hill. When the vehicle came to a stop Jane was hanging upside down, strapped to the seat, surrounded by broken glass and bleeding from a gash to her head. The police told her later they estimate the car probably rolled over 20 times.

Page 57 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

A popular Mercedes-Benz ad reads

“For well over half a century, Mercedes-Benz engineers have been devoted to preparing for a moment they hope never occurs.”

For Jane, this was that moment.

At some point during this horrific ordeal,

the

repeatedly.

car

horn

honked

Thankfully,

this

caught the attention of a father and son who were hiking nearby.

The father and son investigated the blaring noise and realized what

had

happened.

They

immediately alerted emergency personal and headed down the embankment to offer assistance.

Once they reached the wreckage, the hikers stayed,

reassuring Jane while waiting for rescue crews to arrive. Jane was in and out of consciousness from that point on. It took an hour and fifteen minutes for fire crews to cut her free from the wreckage. Jane was airlifted to a nearby hospital and treated for a slight concussion, a gash to

Page 58 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

the head and a broken elbow. She was banged up pretty badly, but miraculously, Jane had no major injuries.

Recovering

back

home

in

Mequon Wisconsin, Jane is thankful to be alive and was kind enough to share story

with

The

her

Southwest

Star. She was in good spirits, and surrounded by family and friends who made sure her fridge was overflowing with food.

She

extreme everyone

expressed gratitude

who

had

her for been

involved in her rescue and recovery.

Reflecting on what she’d been through

Jane

said

“My

decision to rent the Mercedes was the best decision I could have made. If it were not for the engineering of that car and its safety features I most likely would not have survived the accident”.

Jane was delightful to speak with and mentioned she plans to reschedule her trip back to England for the vacation that had been cut short.

I’m guessing there’s

little question as to the rental car.

Jane and her daughter

Page 59 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

MBUSA reported total October sales of 32,620 units. This total includes Mercedes-Benz, Sprinter and smart vehicles and is a 22.4% increase from the 26,642 vehicles sold in the same period last year. Retail sales for just Mercedes-Benz vehicles totaled 30,069 vehicles. This is up 25.4% from last year. Year-to-date sales rose 13.7% to 245,125 units. Adding year-to-date totals of 16,978 Sprinter Vans and 7,450 smart vehicles brings the year-to-date total to 269,553 units, which is the best October in MBUSA's history.

- Steve Cannon, president and CEO of MBUSA. Mercedes-Benz October sales were led by the C, E, and CLA-Class models. The C-Class came in first at 6,548 units, followed close behind by the redesigned E-Class with sales of 6,456—an increase of 22.6% from October 2012. Sales of the new CLA-Class rounded out the top three at 4,895.

BlueTEC diesel sales were 1,536 for the month, up 60% from October of 2012 (960) and up 10.1% for the year at 13,368. AMG models finished the month with sales of 729, an increase of 49.4% from last October.

7,612 Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned, CPO, vehicles were sold in October, an increase of 13.1% compared to October of 2012 (6,732 vehicles). CPO sales are up 21.4% year to date 80,502 vehicles versus 66,318 vehicles for the same period in 2012.

Page 60 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The Chaparral Section of Southern Arizona’s Drive and a Tour of the Amerind Museum and Dinner at Café Roka

By Lynn Davison

The Chaparral Section had another great outing on the 21st of September 2013, to the Amerind Foundation in Dragoon, Arizona, followed by a drive to Bisbee, Arizona, and dinner at Café Roka.

Late Arrivals…

Our gorgeous sunny blue skies set the tone for our drive along I-10 to Dragoon. Four cars met at Exit 281 before the 30 minute convoy to the Amerind Foundation, an old ranch property converted to an archaeology and anthropology museum of American Indian art and artifacts from mostly the American southwest and northern Mexico.

After a short photo op, our guide Dr. Eric Kaldahl, Museum Director and Curator, gave a short intro to the museum and our plan for the visit. We admired some original western art in the lobby before a presentation on Mata Ortiz pottery from the town of the same

Page 61 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

name in Mexico. Luckily (or not, depending on your purse’s outlook!) some potters from Mata Ortiz were in residence demonstrating a pottery firing and, of course, selling their wares. Yes, a few of us left a few dollars lighter….

The Amerind provided us with a catered lunch, then Eric gave us a tour of the “stacks” where artifacts not on display were held. What a fascinating treasure of textiles, pottery, furniture, weapons, and everyday utensils were there. We all admired the old Spanish portable desk with ornate inlays of ivory.

Soon we were on the one hour plus drive to Bisbee, where we could shop for a while in the galleries and boutiques of Bisbee, which at one time was the largest city in the West, excluding San Francisco. Café Roka, named after its owner and chef Rod Kass, provided a wonderful repast of courses varying from seafood, pasta, lamb, and short ribs to soups, salads, and desserts.

Everyone must have loved their entrees because there were few takers for dessert! Delicious food and great company were a fitting end to the day.

Most folks drove home to Tucson, but a few stayed in the little town’s B&B’s, some to enjoy the Queen Mine tour the next day before rolling home to Tucson. We had yet another fine day of interesting activities and enjoying the German engineering of our favorite marque’s cars.

Page 62 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Page 63 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Desert Stars Havasupai Rallye Havasupai 2013 Produced Some Memorable Quotes If you weren’t there, you missed a beautiful trip

Don:

“The secret of being a good Rallyemaster is to be as tricky as you can without being labeled ‘devious’… No one got lost, so I guess I did OK….”

Ava:

“It was so picturesque; I couldn’t believe we had those beautiful roads all to ourselves!”

Harmon to Chuck:

“You owe me big! We counted 76 bugs on our windshield cutting a path for you!”

By Chuck Stanford, Jr.

Joe:

What incredible value; you really negotiated a deal! We’ll have to get more involved in the

Desert Stars!

Brynn, regarding the girls on their own adventure: “I thought the sun should have been on the right… I guess it was on the left.”

Steve:

“I’m so glad I finally made it to Havasupai! I’ve been waiting for years… We finished fourth. I finally won a Kachina!”

Page 64 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Sandy:

“This was our first event ever! It was worth finishing last to get this cool turtle!”

Roberta:

“Excellent event; really great value!”

Bud:

“For those who couldn’t come, it was their loss!”

Don:

“Don’t kid yourself, the delicious food and the spectacular venue made the weekend.”

Dee:

“I’m not leaving; I’m just going to move in here.”

In the end, Chuck and Ava christened their new SL with a first place win and took home a Kachina.

John and Roberta finished second, much to their surprise. The pick-up team of Bud Cloninger and Dick Sharp were an impressive 90-minutes late for lunch, yet managed to snare a third place finish in the rallye.

Chuck:

“Thanks for the memories! Glad you enjoyed it… See you next year!”

Page 65 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Above: John Phin, Harmon Cadis and Bud Cloninger sharing lies at Saturday’s Awards Banquet.

Above: Harmon and Susan Cadis show off their Havasupai Award

Right: Rallyemaster Don Burton tallying up the results. No bribes were visible at the time…

Right: Sandy Alston shows off her trophy

Page 66 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The Chaparral Section of Southern Arizona’s Run to Mount Lemmon

By Ken George

On Saturday, June 8, 2013, nineteen intrepid Chaparral Section members saddled up their eleven gorgeous Mercedes-Benz automobiles, and another German Marque automobile, and drove up the scenic roads to Mount Lemmon.

The meet and greet in the Safeway parking lot at the northeast corner of Catalina Highway and Tanque Verde

Road

for

introductions

and

general

get

reacquainted talk, was such a pleasure. But, the fun started with the drive.

Once you start the climb up the beautiful winding

roads

of

the

Highway, you know you

Mount

Lemmon

are on your way

when you have passed Windy Pointe. We continued on to our first rest and photo opportunity stop at Geology Vista Point, to enjoy the views and cooler weather.

The run continued up the mountain to the midpoint of our outing for lunch at the Sawmill Run Restaurant. 2013 marks the second time the Sawmill Run Restaurant has been our “destination” for the Mount Lemmon drive and dine. Some members enjoyed a great lunch indoors, while others wanted to experience the beautiful weather and views offered in Summerhaven on the outside patio.

Everyone had a grand time, eating and socializing,

or

was

that

socializing

and

eating, and having fun. Let’s do this again next year; this is the best way to start summer by doing the annual Mount Lemmon run. Happy summer everyone; see you in the fall.

Page 67 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The 2014 E-Class Refresh

By Marcus B Fitzhugh Photos courtesy of Mercedes-Benz USA

I

t’s hard to believe we’re in the fifth year of the current generation E-Class, but the 2014 models have arrived and the E has received its mid-model refresh. In the US, the E-Class is

Mercedes-Benz’ second largest selling vehicle, so this is a critical change for Mercedes Benz USA. The E is sold as a sedan, wagon, coupe, and convertible. In addition, it’s sold in luxury, sport, and AMG models, which all differ. What they all have in common are new lights. Since the 1996 model, all E-Class models have had four headlamps.

For 2014, the front end has been

completely revised with new single lens headlamps. The internal lighting elements retain the EClass’ classic "four-eyed" appearance, but the look is all new.

The low beam and daytime

running lights both come with partial LED as standard, while full-LED headlamps are available as an option.

The 2014 E-Class is also available with two different front-end designs.

The Luxury version

comes with the classic sedan grill that incorporates three louvers and a hood mounted star. The Sport version features a two louver grill with an integrated star and a flat hood. Both the hood and front bumper have been completely redesigned. The new bumper has a more contemporary styling with a sporty lower edge. Sport models have an AMG styling package that features

Page 68 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

larger air intakes and aluminum trim along the entire lower rim of the front bumper.

Along the rear sides, the sedan and wagon have a new feature line and a repositioned trim line. The feature line runs below the structure line from the rear door to the tail light. This accentuates the car’s length. The line is reinforced by the side trim, which is now much lower.

This clean linear crease makes the new four door E appear longer. The coupe and convertible models retain the “ponton” style lines in the rear fenders.

All models have upgraded tail sections with modified lights and a new bumper.

The new LED tail lamps have a horizontal design that emphasizes the width of the vehicle. The Sport models feature exposed dual exhaust.

The sport (upper) and luxury (lower) models

The interiors have also been revised. The dashboard itself is new. The instrument cluster, head unit display, air vent design, and analogue clock are all new.

As expected, the new bits are all

made of premium materials, with clearly defined surfaces that have a stylish look and feel.

Page 69 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

A wide range of drivetrain choices are available. The gasoline powered models come standard with ECO start/stop systems. For those who prefer to keep their engines running, the system can be deactivated with a dash mounted switch.

The standard sixes and eights have

outstanding power levels (300 and 400 horsepower, respectively) with excellent efficiency. The economical E400 HYBRID is also available.

The E400 supplements the 3.5 liter V6 with an

electric motor, producing an EPA estimated fuel economy of 24 in the city and 30 on the highway.

A new diesel is also available. The E250 BlueTEC replaces the E350 BlueTEC. The new diesel is a 2.5 liter in-line four cylinder. This is opposed to the outgoing model’s 3.0 liter vee-six. Both the new and old engines are all-aluminum, have dual overhead cams, and four valves per cylinder. Being larger, the outgoing six produced more power; 210 horsepower and 400 poundfeet of torque, versus the new engine’s 195 horsepower and 369 pound feet of torque.

The

biggest difference is in fuel economy. The previous generation vee-six was rated at 21 MPG in the city and 32 on the highway.

The new diesel ratings are 27 in the city and 42 on the

highway. These are EPA estimates, so don’t be surprised to see 45 or more MPG in real world conditions. The new BlueTEC is also available with 4MATIC. The E63 AMG 4MATIC and E63 AMG 4MATIC S are also available. They both feature an AMG 5.5 liter biturbo. The standard E63 produces 550 horsepower and 531 pound feet of torque. The S model increases those figures to 577 horsepower and 590 pound feet of torque. The differences in zero to sixty are minimal, 3.6 seconds versus 3.5, but the S model has a higher (electronically limited) top speed – 186 MPH versus 155 for the standard E63.

The new E is fantastic. It’s got great looks, has high end materials, Mercedes-Benz quality, and can be personalized like a custom home.

Which will it be; a four-door, a wagon, coupe, or

convertible? Then there’s the decision as to which of the six powertrains; diesel, hybrid, or one of four gasoline engines. And will that be two wheel drive, or the 4MATIC? There are eleven standard exterior colors, eight interior colors and three choices of wood trim.

Selecting the

designo option adds five other exterior colors, seven varieties of interior leather, and yes, three other choices of wood trim. After the basic decisions have been made, it’s on to packages and whether to schedule European delivery.

The new E has something for everyone and like a certain dealer’s ad says, “If the car in your dreams is not the car in your garage . . . . .”

Page 70 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Page 71 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The Chaparral Section of Southern Arizona’s DM50 Picnic and 5th Annual Casual Car Show

By Michael Turner

On Saturday morning April 6, 2013, 7 immaculately prepared Mercedes-Benz automobiles set off from the parking lot of Bull Basin Archery on South Craycroft road for entrance to DavisMonthan Air Force Base, Tucson, AZ to support the DM50 Picnic and 5th Annual Casual Car Show. 2013 marks the 4th year that the Chaparral Section has participated in this very worthwhile car show.

This year, we were once again placed on the large soccer field, and up against the west fence. It is very nice of Ron Sable and his crew to allow us the extra room to setup up our MBCA Chaparral Section tent.

Also, being able to setup in one continuous line, instead of being broken into 2 or more lines, make it very nice for presentation of our vehicles.

Page 72 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Every penny of our entry fee goes to the help support the Kachina fund which supports the young enlisted families at Davis-Monthan in areas the government does not provide funding. I want to thank everyone that participated in today’s event. It is gatherings like this that mean a lot to the airmen and their families.

You never know what or who you will run into at the DM50 Picnic...

Page 73 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Desert Stars Speed Fest

By John and Roberta Phin

Roberta and John Phin had the pleasure of representing Desert Stars at the Speed Fest on beautiful Coronado Island, San Diego this September. San Diego Region and Southwest MBCA Director Steve Ross were our hosts. Speed Fest is organized by the Historic Motor Sports Association for the benefit of military families and their dependents. Interesting to note, there were more black S Class sedans parked at the drivers’ motor homes and race car transporters in the paddock than there were Mercedes-Benz autos in the car club corral. However, we did enjoy watching a street-registered 300SL (from Scottsdale) chase down and pass two race-prepared 190 SLs on the track! Other highlights included seeing several generations of Arcieros in competition. One was driving the very same Lotus entered by Frank Arciero on behalf of one Daniel Sexton Gurney before he became so famous as to nearly be drafted for the office of U.S. President! The 50th anniversary of the Porsche 911 was also celebrated. The price of admission to the annual Speed Fest is modest in comparison to other historic sports car racing venues such as Laguna Seca and the Navy puts on a fine show for families in attendance. We recommend it heartily!

Page 74 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Page 75 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

What’s Happening Around the MBCA...

By Steve Ross

reetings; we are once again coming into the election season that should be a time of change and rejuvenation for our club and especially our sections.

Far too often it is a time of stress and anguish with cajoling, arm, twisting and downright begging. We become comfortable with things as they are and besides that it is to “hard” to pitch in and help put. I know every excuse, I think, and have used all of them myself probably more than once.

Having said all that I am asking you as a personal favor to become involved in your section in helping the directors and officers who work so hard to organize events that are FUN to attend and further our enjoyment of the Mercedes-Benz automobile and the people we meet at the club functions. If you are asked to serve as a director it is because your section leadership believes that you have some valuable talent or capability to make your section and the MBCA a fun place to be.

If you do nothing else please vote. When you get your ballot check the box and send it in, even if there is only one candidate. By doing this you at least give the candidate your OK or vote of confidence. It shows you care. If a person is willing to serve your section isn’t it worth 46 cents to say “I care”. You could even write a short note saying such. If the new director learns that out of a membership of 80 to 400 depending, on section size, that only 6 members even voted he or she may wonder what is going on. It can be discouraging and even hurtful.

National elections are very important but not as important as the section election (my opinion).

At the national level the odds of you not knowing the candidate are high. I recommend carefully reading the candidates statement and make the best decision possible. If you want you may call the candidate for further clarification about their position on club issues.

You may call your

regional director or “phone a friend”. In our national MBCA elections less than ten percent of the members bother to vote.

REMEMBER IF YOUR AIN’T HAVIN FUN YOU AIN’T DOIN IT RIGHT

Page 76 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Upcoming Events If you would like to attend an event listed here, please be sure to contact the event coordinator of the hosting section.

This is important as many events

require an RSVP so we can know how many people to expect. Also, additional details may be available at the hosting section’s website.

Sunday, November 17 - San Diego Section Temecula Winery Tour November is here and once again it’s time to hang out with your Mercedes-Benz Club buddies, dust off your car, eat some great food and enjoy a few of the area’s finest wineries.

We are going to start our day by meeting at the Lawrence Welk Resort for Sunday Brunch. We have a reserved section at the Lawrence Welk Canyon Grill at 10:00 AM. Lawrence Welk Resort  8860 Lawrence Welk Drive  Escondido, CA 92026 From here we will take a short drive to our first winery. We should arrive at the Brier Rose Winery at about 12 Noon.

Brier Rose Winery  41720 Calle Cabrillo  Temecula, CA 92592

Our second winery will be: South Coast Winery  34843 Rancho California  Temecula, CA 92591 We ask that you RSVP for this event as we have secured a specific number of seats.

Please RSVP to: Michael Cooper.

We look forward to a fun day with you.

Page 77 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Friday, November 22 – Desert Stars Section Star Night 2.0 Reminder!! Rancho Pinot Restaurant is a Scottsdale jewel in a town of many restaurants.

Robertson the

Chef has

received

2011

‘Chef

Extraordinaire Award’ of the Arizona Culinary Hall of

Fame,

and

the

restaurant was recognized by

Arizona

Highways

magazine as a top 25 restaurant of Arizona. This restaurant,

located

at

6208 N. Scottsdale Rd, has been successful for many years and as is our custom, we will order off the menu with separate checks. Call or email John Phin at 480-272-8851 or jgphin@cox.net by November 15th to sign up. Please do not call the restaurant as John will handle the reservation.

Wednesday, December 11–Las Vegas Section Holiday Party At the Spanish Trail Country Club in Las Vegas. Cocktail hour is from 6pm until 7pm (no host bar) and dinner will be served at 7. Entertainment and dancing from 8-10pm

Saturday, December 7 – Chaparral Section Holiday Party at the Mountain Oyster Club “The Best Holiday Party ever” was how one Chapparal Section member described the Annual Holiday Party at the Mountain Oyster Club. Join us again on December 2, 2013 for a memorable evening of fun, socializing and entertainment. The Chaparral Section will again present a local husband-wife duo of Jose “Chach” Snook, tenor, and Jodi Darling, soprano, as they sing a medley of our favorite hits from Broadway musicals. Ed Gladish e.gladish@comcast.net or Fred Finney fvfinney@comcast.net

Page 78 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Sunday, December 8–Desert Stars Section Holiday Party Can you believe it is that time of year again?

The weather is not only tolerable but it is beautiful! This is also the season where the social calendar fills up quite quickly. Fortunately we had booked our “usual” banquet room at Talking Stick Resort immediately following our successful Holiday Party last year. We didn’t want to let this gem of a location slip away. If you haven’t registered to attend yet this is the time to act!

After dropping off your car with the resorts complimentary valet you can head down to our private banquet room. This special room also opens onto the resort’s patio area where we can enjoy the beauty of a December day in Arizona.

If it’s not too cool, we will have tables outside (and heaters if necessary) so we may mingle with club members and enjoy cocktails before and during the party at the cash bar.

The fun social time we always enjoy starts off with a cash-bar cocktail hour up front and an awards ceremony including membership anniversary recognitions and Member of the Year award on the back end. In between, the master chefs at Talking Stick Resort prepare what will surely be a fantastic meal for all to enjoy. You will have your choice of either a gorgonzola herb crusted New York strip steak, or perhaps the pan seared Dungeness crab cakes are more your thing. If not you will love the portabella mushroom ravioli. Around the room our holiday décor will delight your eyes while the tunes of the season set the mood.

As mentioned, eligible members will receive anniversary recognition pins for their club membership. These are awarded in five-year increments. Come applaud our long time members or collect what is yours and feel like a celebrity! See who’s-who in our elite membership. Come and see who the Member of the Year will be!

Page 79 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

As in the past we are also collecting for the ‘Toys for Tots’ foundation. Please bring a toy (or more!) with you for the luncheon. ‘Toys for Tots’ collects and distributes those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community. If you cannot attend, you can still offer a toy!

Maybe another member can help you get it to us at the luncheon. Please know only unwrapped toys may be donated.

Meal selections must be made upon registration. The form for this can’t miss-event is on page 7 in this issue of The StarDust. The cost to attend is a mere $45 per person. The party will start at 12 PM, Lunch being served at 1 PM. If you have any questions, please just contact Debbie Ichiyama or Matt Crawford.

Sunday, December 8 - San Diego Section Toys For Tots Charity Fundraiser & Antique Vehicle Show

10:30 AM – 4:30 PM A donation of a NEW, UNWRAPPED toy valued at $20 or more (please NO stuffed animals, as the Foundation cannot accept them), or a $20 cash donation per guest is requested. Children under 5 are admitted at no charge. Additional donations are always welcome. Checks should be made out to: “Marine Toys for Tots Foundation” www.toysfortots.org Your donation will entitle you to delicious German food, including Gulasch and Sauerkraut, prepared and served from our famous WW2 Gulaschkanone, Bratwurst, rolls, sweets and beverages, as well as rides in antique cars and motorcycles and live music.

Page 80 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Since this is a "By Invitation Only" event, we kindly request that you register online or contact us by e-mail: fundraiser@schnuerercarbarn.org or toydrive@pcsctoydrive.org, specifying the number of guests and their names in your party by the deadline. Please feel free to extend invitations to your friends and ask that they register personally.

We hope to see you at the Barn.

- Gerhard and Rosemarie Schnuerer RSVP no later than November 25, 2013 by following the link: http://SchnuererCarBarn.pingg.com/2013TFT-Fundraiser Schnuerer CarBarn  21562 Surveyor Circle  Huntington Beach, CA 92646

Sunday, December 8 – Orange County Section’s Holiday Brunch at the Alta Vista Country Club.

Join us at the Alta Vista country club for our annual holiday gathering and a delicious champagne brunch. The menu will be a delectable variety of food selections that includes waffle and omelet stations, a variety of salads, prime rib, ham and turkey carving stations, chicken, fish, fresh fruit, and a selection of desserts. All this and champagne, too, to keep everyone in the holiday spirit. Additional details are at the website and please RSVP with Jocelyn Salisbury Alta Vista Country Club  777 E. Alta Vista Street  Placentia, CA 92870

Sunday, December 15 – Los Angeles Section Holiday Party We hear it all the time; "Save the date". The Los Angeles Section is putting something together this year, and you really do want to "save the date". For the past several years we've had our annual holiday gathering at Lawry's in Beverly Hills. This year we're changing things up a bit.

We've rented out a The Automobile Driving Museum and lunch will be catered by Critic's Choice.

The Automobile Driving Museum was founded in 2001 by Earl Rubenstein and Stanley Zimmerman. It has a rotating collection of 130 classic, antique and vintage automobiles on display. For our event, in addition to the fine selection of cars the museum offers us rides in museum cars. They also have a research library and a museum store on the premises. During our event, we are able to enjoy the exhibit floor.

The Automobile Driving Museum is in the South Bay, five minutes south of LAX, right off the 405 and 105 Freeways, at 610 Lairport Street, El Segundo, 90245

Page 81 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Critic's Choice is a full-service catering and event planning company that has served the South Bay and greater Los Angeles area since 1984. In each of the past three years, Critic's Choice has been both a Brides Choice Awards winner and been voted "South Bay's Best" by the Daily Breeze. We are looking forward to a fabulous event.

The event includes admission to the museum to view their vehicles, lunch, and rides in museum cars in the afternoon.

Come and celebrate with us and if possible, bring an unwrapped toy for a local charity serving our community. Thanks to your generosity, the children receiving our gift donations truly enjoy the holidays.

We have planned lunch for 50, so please RSVP with Tina.Wright@la-mbca.com by December 10th

Sunday, December 15 - San Diego Section Holiday Party Please join us at The Country Club of

Rancho

Bernardo

for

our

keystone event of the year. This is the time of year when we pull out “all the stops” to have a gala Holiday/Christmas/End of year/or just a celebration party. Many of you may remember this country club as we had our party there a few times a few years back. It is a beautiful setting and the ambience is breath taking. This is the time of year when our section awards those distinguished members who have dedicated their time in making our Club a great organization. The particulars are:

Page 82 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Place:

The Country Club of Rancho Bernardo.

12280 Greens East Rd, Rancho Bernardo, CA 92128

When: December 15, 2013 (Sunday) Time:

6 P.M. cocktails / 6:30 P.M. Dinner

Cost:

$55.00 per person. No Host Bar

Menu:

Steak or Salmon, veggies, rosemary potatoes, dessert, tea, lemonade or water

Levis or denims are not acceptable attire at the Country Club for dinner events.

We are donating to the Bells of Freedom again this year.

A donation for this charity which

benefits

military

families at Camp Pendleton is requested when sending in your reservation or you may donate at the party.

Please RSVP with Steve Ross Beginning January 20, 2014 - The Orange County Section Cruise Relax and unwind from the holiday tension and join Orange County section members for a cruise to Catalina and Ensenada. The OC Section has reserved a limited number of berths on the Sapphire Princess for a four day cruise starting January 20, 2014.

PORTS OF CALL: Los Angles, Catalina, Ensenada, Los Angles For reservations or questions contact Pat York at Signature Travel (714.672-9150) or Pyork@sbcglobal.net. Tell Pat you are a member of MBCA-OC to get the guaranteed rates listed above. Space is limited and early reservations are a must.

Page 83 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Sunday, January 18–Desert Stars Section Enthusiast Dinner Traditionally, Desert Stars members have joined

other

Section

members,

industry

representatives and classic and collector car experts for dinner following the auctions in January. For example in the past Bob Yoder arranged for a Tesla to be shown to us, and we heard about the collector car market place and

legislative

initiatives

affecting

car

enthusiasts. This year, the dinner venue will be the Roaring Fork restaurant at 4800 N. Scottsdale Road just north of Goldwater Boulevard. You may recall we had a Star Night 2.0 Happy Hour at Roaring Fork and it was such a brilliant experience that we decided to hold the auction dinner there as well. There will be three entree choices, a starter and dessert, as well as non-alcoholic beverages included in the all-inclusive price of $55 per person. Make your selection on the reservation form on page 8. There will be space at the restaurant entrance to display select autos. This should be a great time so plan to attend the dinner even if you pass on the auction.

The event starts at 5:30 PM on Saturday, January 18. Call John and Roberta Phin at 480-2728851 for more information and send in your registration form and payment. John and Roberta will make the arrangements at the Roaring Fork; please do not call the restaurant. We look forward to seeing you there.

Desert Stars Section 2014 Trip to Germany Rich Schulte is coordinating a Desert Stars group this MBCA trip to Germany in July, 2014. The Club offers these popular trips including guided tours of multiple Mercedes-Benz facilities.

Several non-Mercedes venues and are also included. The $2500 fee per person trip is allinclusive except for airfare. Six nights in a five-star hotel, all breakfasts, lunches, dinners, transportation, admissions, tour guides, and a full-time escort are included. Contact Rich Schulte for additional details.

Page 84 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

MBCA Members: We’re more than half-way to meeting our Raffle Ticket sales goal. Buy your tickets SOON before they sell out!

On December 17, 2013 (just before the holidays), the MBCA will select one Grand Prize winner to receive a Mercedes-Benz 2013 SL550 PLUS $26,000 cash in the “Make Mine a Mercedes-Benz” Fall Raffle. But the ONLY way we can award this prize is if we sell a minimum of 4,500 tickets.

As of November 5, Members purchased 2,416 Raffle tickets leaving 2,084 ticket sales needed to reach our 4,500 goal.

Hurry! Last day to buy tickets is Monday, December 2.

(Raffle void in Washington State and where prohibited by law).

Thank you for supporting MBCA’s Fall Fundraiser.

Or purchase tickets by phone: Call 800.637.2360 (Monday-Thursday 8am-4:30pm or Friday 8am-4:00pm Mountain Time) GOOD LUCK! From Your Friends at the National Business Office Mercedes-Benz Club of America http://www.mbca.org | 800.637.2360 | More Than a Car. We’re a Communitysm

Page 85 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

If you would like to see your ad here, send us an email at info@FitzhughMedia.com

Page 86 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Page 87 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

I blinked, and it was over

Marcus Blair Fitzhugh

he 2014 model year is the final year for the SLS and Mercedes-Benz will bid adieu with a special edition; the SLS AMG GT Final Edition.

350 Final

Edition models will be built and that will be the last opportunity to order a new SLS AMG. Like its gullwinged predecessor, the SLS will always be available, but it’s only new once.

Before anyone goes into a panic, liquidates $200K work of stock, and makes a mad dash to their dealer - the SLS isn’t gone yet. In addition to the Final Edition, 2014 SLS GT Coupes, Roadsters, and Black Series are available at dealers. Still, I wonder if this is what it was like in the 1950’s when the original gullwing coupe was discontinued.

Let’s not get too teary eyed. Steve Cannon, President and CEO of MB USA, was at the LA Auto Show.

Steve told those of us in the standing room only crowd that we can expect 30 new

products over the next seven years. Steve didn’t say it, but the C190 is rumored to be one of those cars. No one who knows details about the C190 is allowed to talk, but they smile broadly when the subject is brought up. Until then, if you want a new SLS, now is the time.

Page 88 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Essential Watches of Beverly Hills 310.601.7264 | 877.750.3940

Page 89 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Page 90 The Southwest Star Magazine – covering the southwest region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America