The Star®-January/February 2018

Mercedes-Benz Club of America

The Star® (ISSN 0744-155X) is published bimonthly by the Mercedes-Benz Club of America, Inc.

Mike Regennitter

Executive Director and Publisher

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Arti

Images from the Daimler Archives

PPaul O’Shea was in the top rank of sportscar drivers in the 1950s. He counted Phil Hill, Zora Arkus-Duntov and Pedro Rodríguez among his co-drivers and teammates for endurance races at such memorable tracks as Sebring, Watkins Glen and Riverside. He

racing department; the company wanted to gain victories and loyal customers in the

of a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Coupe in 1955 and 1956, O’Shea won the unofficial title of National Sports Car Champion, scoring the most points in a race series sanctioned by

In October 1956, O’Shea visited Stuttgart as a guest of the company, meeting racing manager Alfred Neubauer and receiving a championship pin from technical director Fritz Nallinger. The ace also took part in a sneak preview of the glamorous new W198 300SL Roadster, due to be launched in 1957. That fall, Mercedes-Benz built two 300SLS

the new roadster to contest the upcoming American sports car season. The cars were almost 900 pounds lighter than a production roadster, with 20 extra horsepower, custom fuel tanks and a chassis optimized for racing. A distinctive cockpit cover with integrated air vent, low acrylic windscreen, racing seats and a roll bar further stamped the SLS as a

After initial testing at the Hockenheimring, in April 1957 the machines were shipped to New York. Mercedes-Benz rented nearby Lime Rock Park circuit for final adjustments and so O’Shea could practice in the new cars. Paul O’Shea – seen here in one of the 300SLS

for the third time in a row competing in a Mercedes-Benz, scoring the highest number championship. He was also voted U.S. sports car champion for the third consecutive year.

the close of the season, ending the SLS era. Now, 60 years later, this tradition thrives yet again, typified by the successful customer motorsports machines of Mercedes-AMG. The 2011 SLS AMG GT3 (C197), the 2015 GT3 (C190) now carry the three-pointed star into competition on racetracks around the world

Gene Jurick AT THE WHEEL

The Road Ahead

This past fall I was elected as a director at large of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America and subsequently elected as the club’s president at the national board meeting in November. To introduce myself, I have been a member of the MBCA for just over 40 years, belonging to three different sections and active in virtually all leadership positions during those years. I am one of the founders of the Peachtree Section in Atlanta, Georgia, and later became a member of the North Texas Section, where I am currently a member. Between those periods, I was part of the Orange County Section in California for 18 years. For the past five years I have been the regional director of the South Central Region, which includes most of five states with 10 sections. During those years, I gained a wealth of knowledge and expertise in all aspects of club operations. I attribute my efforts to take a visionary approach to leadership rather than a business-as-usual approach to the accomplishments I’ve achieved.

I follow a very skilled and successful Executive Committee and National Board of Directors into my new position; this will make the transition easier and make it possible to move forward with little loss of momentum. However, to ensure continued growth and well-being for our club and all its members, we have to meet several strategic challenges.

First, after growing slowly for nearly 10 years, our membership base is beginning to decline. Without a solid and growing membership base, we don’t really have a club. We need to retain our long-term members, convert new members to active long-term members and continuously attract new members. Long-term members are among our most loyal; as long as we address their desires by providing the activities and events that meet their needs, they will continue to be loyal. Meeting the interests of newer members with activities and benefits that interest them plays an even larger role. Attracting more prospects to join the club will require effective marketing strategies at both the local and national levels. Strategic goals and follow-up plans will be required to attract and retain our members.

Second, we are seeing a shift in the demographics of our membership and vehicles that they drive, and this change has only just begun. In earlier years, most of our members owned older Mercedes-Benz vehicles and many of them cared for and worked on them regularly. Today, the majority of cars at a club event are new or nearly new; few owners work on their own cars. However, whether our members work on their cars or simply drive them, their enthusiasm for the cars and the camaraderie at club events is what keeps them as members in the MBCA. To be responsive to the desires of all our members, we must be strategic in selecting, planning and presenting both local and national activities.

Third, the automobile industry is experiencing cataclysmic technological change in areas such as electrification, autonomous driving and connectivity. This change is happening rapidly, and it will affect us and our club. Even though some of these changes seem far off, they are taking place; the club should help our members understand and adapt to them. I’m told that when Bertha Benz took her historic 106-kilometer crosscountry drive in 1888, she had to go to the drugstore to buy fuel; look where we are now.

My point is that our members are the core of our club and the reason that it exists. To maintain our membership, we need to implement short- and long-term strategies to meet the interests of both current and future members.

I am looking forward to my term as National President of MBCA and to the challenges of meeting the responsibilities of the job. Many of my very best friends were made in the MBCA and I welcome the opportunity to make many new friends around the country during my term of office.

The Star ® is the official magazine of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America, Inc. 1907 Lelaray Street Colorado Springs, CO 80909-2872 800.637.2360, 719.633.6427, www.mbca.org

President Gene Jurick, gjurick@tx.rr.com

Executive Director and Publisher Mike Regennitter, mike@mbca.org

BUSINESS STAFF

Administrative Services Manager Cindy Tumbleson, cindy@mbca.org

Administrative Assistant and Bookkeeper Geni Wallen, geni@mbca.org

Membership Event Coordinator Annaliesa McBride, Annaliesa@mbca.org

Membership Specialist Ryanne Dias, Ryanne@mbca.org

Web Project Manager Marcus Norwood, Marcus@mbca.org

EDITORIAL STAFF

Editor in Chief Gary Anderson, editor@mbca.org

Creative Director & Associate Editor Stephan McKeown

Technical & Editorial Adviser Richard Simonds, rsimonds@pacbell.net

Associate Editor Genie Anderson, cfogenie@aol.com

European Editors

Axel Catton, Graham Robson, Simon Strang

Technical Editor

Daniel Stahl

Copy Editor Mary Beth Hislop

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Jason Burton, David Gooley, Pierre Hedary, Graeme Morpeth, Michael Salemi, Robert Taylor, Denis L. Tanney, Vicki H. Wilson

CONTRIBUTORS

Dave Abrams, Scott Brinkley, Lee Elwick, Gary Horstkorta, Terry Kiwala, Nate Lander, Melody Matulewic, Roy Spencer

SUBMITTING EDITORIAL MATERIAL Gary Anderson

361 North San Antonio Road, Los Altos, CA 94022-2248 editor@mbca.org, 650.949.9680

Please query first regarding possible editorial interest. We regret that we cannot always acknowledge or return submitted materials.

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ADDRESS CHANGES & MISSING ISSUES Ryanne Dias, Ryanne@mbca.org

FROM LEFT: President Gene Jurick and outgoing President Terry Kiwala, 2017 Fall Board Meeting.

Gary Anderson THE STAR

Changing Times

Two weeks ago – on the eve of the L.A. Auto Show – I was with a group of 15 journalists test-driving the new S-Class coupes and cabriolets on the canyon and coastal back roads west of Los Angeles (pages 54-59). I’ve been driving those roads in my Austin-Healey and modern

high-performance automobiles for the past 30 years; I know the area so well, I hardly needed a map.

But today, I pause a moment to look at a map on the www.ca.gov website – the Statewide Fire Map – and several of the roads we drove above Santa Barbara are now covered by an ugly brown blotch on the map labeled “Thomas Fire,” where 260,000 acres tragically have already burned – and the fire is only 25 percent contained. It could be as much as a decade before the scenery we enjoyed has recovered from the damage.

Similarly, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, Sonoma County roads that have been our section’s automotive playground for so many years, were also affected by fires. I can only be grateful that we took part in as many First Sunday Drives and weekend car tours as we

did before the foliage and many roadside attractions we enjoyed were burned.

Fortunately, there are still thousands of miles of similar roads across the country that are as yet unspoiled and can still be driven and enjoyed. There are uncounted automobiles, such as the three-generation Adenauer Cabriolet we profile on pages 46-53 and the replica of a 1956 300SLS racecar that the Classic Center has built for one of its customers (pages 32-39) as well as our new cars, that can be used for a Sunday drive or a thousand-mile tour.

Sure, automotive technology is changing, and many of our readers will live to see the day when Sunday drives and tours may be as unusual as driving a horse and buggy is today. But we still have time and places to enjoy our hobby. I’m already looking forward to driving the Smoky Mountains again during StarFest® and the Rocky Mountains on the Silver Stars & Golden Aspens tour. Will I see you on one of those roads?

Contributors

New club members Dave Abrams wife Amanda became proud caregivers to her father’s 1956 Mercedes 300c in 1996 when they moved to their first house, which had a three-car garage. Amanda has many fond memories of adventures with her father in “The Old Car,” as it is affectionately known; it has been part of the family longer than their children! manages the newsletter and social media as New Mexico’s Section’s president.

Gary Horstkorta is always looking for stories to write, especially if they combine unique cars and interesting people. Having come across the Mercedes SLS Special at the racetrack, he was surprised to learn of the car’s backstory. Additional research proved this special car and its owners were very much worth writing about.

I took this shot of the S-Class Coupe beside a Southern California country road I‘ve driven on for years, little realizing this pretty landscape would soon be devastated by fire.

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Fast Forward

Mercedes-Benz looks toward the future at the 2017 L.A. Auto Show

Four new Mercedes-Benz cars were featured at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show, each the halo car for a specific segment of the company’s future markets. We couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the company’s continued commitment to speed, styling and excitement.

The newest version of the S-Class, the 2018 cabriolet, updated with significant new power trains, safety features and cosmetic touches, was pre-positioned on stage as the press conference got underway. A fortunate few journalists in the audience had already experienced this impressive model and its sibling coupe along the California coast in the previous few days (see pages 54-59).

The real headliner of the event was the world premiere of the third-generation CLS, an example of the continuing evolution of the company’s new understated “sensual purity” design idiom, but even more interesting for the new engine that will be under the hood when it comes to the United States

next year (see page 14 for a more detailed walk-around).

Lest we forget the source for much of the inspiration for Mercedes-Benz performance, the covers were then removed from two sleek competition-bred cars behind us on a banked plinth that echoed the competitions gallery of the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart.

With the introduction of the SLS chassis, Mercedes-Benz re-entered GT sports car racing, supporting customer teams around the world, but not until 2017 did we see these cars on the track in the United States (see page 24). Proving its commitment to the sport, the company has built the new Mercedes-AMG GT4, which will race for the first time at the Rolex 24 at Daytona this January. The company promises improvement in “every area where production specifications could mean a compromise for racing purposes.”

The final sweet icing on the MercedesBenz cake was the first full unveiling in the

ARTICLE GARY ANDERSON IMAGES MBUSA

United States of the Mercedes-AMG Project One hypercar. This limited edition dream machine, already sold out two years before it goes into production, was a visual treat for those of us who had seen the power train and chassis at Pebble Beach in August, after having been teased by the Frankfurt Auto Show pictures in September. We found ourselves returning to the curving platform throughout the rest of the day to take in both the overall proportions of the car and the exciting details of its design, something that’s only possible when one is actually in the presence of a new car.

Under the rubric “Sportiness into the Future,” Mercedes-Benz showed four new cars for driving enthusiasts at the Los Angeles Auto Show. CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: World premiere of the new CLS. Mercedes-AMG Project One hypercar in front of Mercedes-AMG GT4. North American premiere of the S-Class cabriolet.

We couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the company’s continued commitment to speed, styling and excitement.

2018 CLS: A sleek exterior, elegant interior, athletic power and self-assured handling.

STYLE & TECHNOLOGY

Introducing the third generation Mercedes-Benz CLS

Seeing the third-generation CLS at the Los Angeles Auto Show – with its sleek, understated styling bringing coupe-like lines to a four-door, five-passenger car built on the E-Class platform, accented by a shark-like nose, menacing headlamps and AMG trim – one might assume that the restyling is the headline.

But that would be wrong. In an exclusive walk-around with product manager Jennifer Schefczik, we learned that the headline is the ground-breaking engine. The 3-liter inline 6-cylinder engine with single turbocharger, producing 362 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, is a completely new design. In addition, similar to Formula 1 technology, the engine recovers kinetic energy to provide bursts of additional power on command. The EQ Boost electric motor in the drivetrain functions as the engine starter as well as generating electricity for the 48-volt electrical system, which also powers ancillary devices like the water pump. (see also The Star Nov-Dec 2017 for more information.)

When the car is coasting or decelerating, the extended Eco start-stop function shuts off the engine, and the EQ Boost motor recharges the battery by means of highefficiency energy recuperation. When extra power is required for passing or cresting steep grades, the EQ Boost provides up

to 184 pound-feet of additional torque (21 horsepower) for short bursts of acceleration. This combination of energy recovery and boosted power enables fuel savings only previously possible with high-voltage hybrid technology. The new engine delivers the performance of an 8-cylinder engine with significantly lower fuel consumption.

Inside, designers have emulated the fine new E-Class coupe dashboard and controls, with a 12.3-inch Comand display built into the center console with analog gauges in front of the driver. An optional 12.3-inch screen can replace the gauges with a choice of three different information displays. The steering wheel, with spoke-mounted controls, is adapted from the new S-Class.

Similarly, the CLS shares many S-Class safety, comfort and convenience features. The optional Driver Assistance Package has a full range of safety systems that mitigate collisions, as well as providing semi-autonomous assistance using advanced sensors and GPS references for information on the outside environment. The six-program Energizing Comfort system from the S-Class – combining lighting, aroma, music and narrative with seat massage – is also available.

Prices are yet to be announced, but the new CLS will be available at North American dealers in the second half of this year.

2019 Mercedes-Benz CLS450

TYPE: Four-door, five-passenger coupe

ENGINE: 2,999cc inline 6-cylinder with EQ Boost 48-volt electric motor

HORSEPOWER: 362 at 5,500-6,100 TORQUE: 369 lb-ft at 1,600-4,000 rpm

ADDED OUTPUT FROM EQ Boost: 21 hp, 184 lb-ft TRANSMISSION: 9G-Tronic automatic transmission with paddle shift controls WHEELBASE: 113.1 in LENGTH: 191 in PERFORMANCE: 0-60 4.8 sec TOP SPEED: 130 mpg (elec. limited) FUEL EFFICIENCY: TBA U.S. SALES: Fall 2018

The

STARTALK

The ‘AMG Ghost’ revisited

What a joy to see our 560SEC AMG featured in the November-December issue’s Legends of The Autobahn® coverage. This was the icing on the cake after an unforgettable week in California where we met many old friends, made new ones and enjoyed all the wonderful three-pointed star machinery. To be able to reunite a pre-merger AMG with its builder and former head of AMG of Canada, Mr. Eddy Lai, will remain a highlight of my career. That said, we would like to correct one point: Our SEC is not powered by a 6.0L engine, but the 5.6L with AMG Tuning Kit. This kit offered up to 285 horsepower at 5,250 rpm in lieu of the stock 235 horsepower at 4,800 rpm. Also, the factory color of our car was Arctic White (Code 147) before AMG sprayed it in Pearl White in 1988.

A huge “Thank You” to The Star, MBCA‘s chairman of Legends, and all the MercedesBenz fans we met in Monterey for helping us share this small piece of AMG history.

Mario A. Puente Southwest Florida Section

Your Letters

We want to hear from you. Email editor@mbca.org, or write to Star Editor, 361 North San Antonio Road, Los Altos, CA 94022. All letters received are assumed to be for publication and may be edited.

Experts a bit biased?

While I have great respect for the experts who wrote the article in the November-December 2017 issue praising the 124 series, I think their love of the marque has skewed their judgment a bit. They suggest in their “reasons not to buy” section that quickly worn out (60,000-80,000 miles) suspension “bits” are the unavoidable price of good handling. That sounds like an excuse for inadequate design. They also note that “some interior components ... are not nearly as robust as those on older M-Bs. …” That statement seems at odds with their assertion that the 124 Series is the “Best of the Best.” Lastly, the authors note, “All 6-cylinder gasoline cars … had issues with expensive-to-replace valve guides and head gaskets.” These components weren’t exactly cutting-edge technology in 1986-1995. The fact that Mercedes was having issues with them on 6-cylinder engines is evidence of an engineering failure, probably induced by an attempt to save a few pennies.

These things would never have happened on Rudolf Ulenhaut’s watch. As has been noted about his remarkable career, there was no individual after him with either the power or the will to uphold his uncompromising standards. I submit that the Best-of-theBest Mercedes is pretty much any one of the vehicles made when Ulenhaut was chief of passenger car development from 1956-1972.

James Royster Connecticut/Westchester Section

The W124 is my favorite

The November-December issue was another absolute gem! Mario Puente is a friend and a genuine person. It’s wonderful to see him featured in The Star again. Regarding the “Best of the Best” Buyers Guide: Of the 17 Mercedes vehicles that I’ve owned over the past 25 years, the 124 series is still my favorite.

My first Mercedes was a 1986 sedan with the SOHC 3.0L inline-six. The second was a 1993 sedan with the DOHC 3.2L engine. I have had nine other cars; except for my current W204 C63 AMG with performance package, the W124s are more drivers’ cars. New cars are too gimmicky and dangerous. Talking on a cell phone is against the law in most areas. A 2017 E-Class courtesy car I had a few months back was full of distractions far beyond a cell phone, and dangerous, because you can play with the toys while moving. Yes, the old C63 sucks gas, but my attitude is gas is the cheapest thing I put into it, so I should enjoy it.

Alex Currie Vancouver Island Section

The history of engines?

My father will thank you

I wanted to bring to your attention a small error in Robert Taylor’s column in the November-December issue. My father and I were honored to receive the first-place trophy for Hagerty Insurance Youth Judging from Robert at the 2017 Northern New Jersey June Jamboree. The article should read 1973 280 instead of 230. This was a celebration for us and we were really looking forward to this article. I know your team will correct this. Thanks for your time!

Anthony J. Fiocco Northern New Jersey Section

We apologize for not catching the error and are pleased to include a picture of you and your dad receiving the trophy. – Editor

I owned a 1992 CE, a 1993 CE cabriolet, a 1994 E320 and a 1995 E300 (the only Mercedes I ever bought new; after 172,000 miles, I sold it to my nephew). Which brings me to why I’m writing. Page 72 shows a photo of an E300 identified as a turbodiesel. These were 6-cylinder, normally aspirated engines.

Dick Davis Southwest Florida Section

You’re correct about the E300 as sold in the United States, but the picture was of the European model, which was a turbodiesel. We should have been more clear – Editor

New cars too gimmicky?

I enjoyed the article on the W124 E-Class in the November-December issue of The Star.

I have enjoyed the magazine for 15 years and have been an admirer of Mercedes-Benzes since my grandfather owned a dark-brown 220 in the 1960s. I have owned at least one since 1979 and now have a gray-market 1985 5-cylinder turbo G-Wagen and a 2002 G500. My interest was piqued when you published an article about the evolution of the V-8 engine. It would be nice to have articles about the historical development of the gasoline and diesel engines, covering the historical basis of each technology. After that, maybe you could do an article about how transmissions have changed over time.

Fred A. Loe North Texas Section

Thanks for the suggestion, Fred. We’ll put it in our idea stack for later this year. – Editor

Kudos

Each time I get The Star, I want to say “Thank you“ for a great magazine. Each new issue is better than the previous one. There is really no part of the magazine that I don’t enjoy. I especially enjoyed “Chasing the Ghost” – with

Anthony Fiocco and his father with Robert Taylor

1954 brochure for Mercedes-Benz 180D. Should The Star have more coverage on the historic development of the diesel and gasoline engines?

the great picture on page 53 – and “The Long Goodbye.” The photography for both articles was excellent. I would love to have seen that E60 AMG. I promise myself I will attend the Legends event next year.

Tom Reedy Triangle Section

I just saw an issue of The Star published before you were the editor. While I think The Star has always been a good magazine, you’ve clearly taken it to the next level. It’s no wonder The Star has won so many awards. You’ve certainly earned them; great work.

Nancy Kuhn Desert Stars Section

I was pleasantly surprised at the quality and content of my first copy of The Star magazine. It certainly eclipses the Prancing Horse magazine I’ve been receiving for many years from the Ferrari Club of America. This is my first Mercedes-Benz car and I’m looking forward to this new experience. Keep up the fine work.

D. R. Lucy Mile-High Section

NOTED: Museum Quality

The Automotive Hall of Fame, Detroit, Michigan, is proud to present “Now on Display,” a showcase and blog series chronicling the museum’s collection of display vehicles and the inductees they represent. The first installment features this pristine Mercedes-Benz W113-series 280SL representing Béla Barényi, the legendary Mercedes-Benz engineer who almost single-handedly established the field of passive safety in the postwar automotive industry. The car is on loan

from MBCA International Stars Section member Michael Salemi.

One of Mercedes-Benz’s longestrunning models, the 280SL was part of the second generation of the SL line, making its debut in 1963 and shifting the vehicle’s focus from a toned-down racecar to a luxurious grand tourer. The car was extremely popular with U.S. buyers. More than half of the 23,885 280SLs made were sold in North America and Pagodas are still in demand with auto enthusiasts today.

Classic Auto

SERVICE & REPAIR

Over 10 years in restoring and delivering the finest Mercedes-Benz, Palm Beach Classics offers top quality work as well as thousands of parts, fast delivery and exceptional customer service.

Modern Luxury

Each year, Mercedes-Benz Cars hosts a small group of journalists at a “TecDay” event held in the research department in Stuttgart where new technologies are unveiled that will be folded into future production. Last November, the hint was of a major change in interior design to come for the A-, B- and C-Class compact car lines, as well as the energy-efficient EQ lineup.

The press release headline read: “The interior of the A-Class is a completely new departure, and revolutionizes the compact class from the inside with a new feeling of spaciousness. The unique architecture is particularly marked by the avant-garde design of the dashboard.”

Three features stood out to us in the pictures: the prominent dashmounted flat-screen display, the attractive steering wheel and the revised control pommel on the center console.

The flat-screen display seems to float above the fascia, extending more than 24 inches from side to side from behind the steering wheel across to the far edge of the console. The steering wheel has its cruise control – as well as infotainment controls and touch pads – on the spokes, rather than using a steering column stalk for the cruise control.

Neither the display screen nor the steering wheel is new to the brand. The steering wheel was introduced on the S-Class last year and is a feature on the newest CLS unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show last November.

The flat display screen is the same component as used on the S-Class models and optional on the E- and CLS-Class, though on those models it is neatly integrated under a cowl within the fascia design. On the A-Class concept, it is right up in front, but with a more integrated appearance than the previous flat-screen display, which many journalists commented looked like a computer tablet stuck to the dash as an afterthought.

The pommel is also interesting and a positive evolutionary change from the current design. Customers were complaining that the touch surface was right where they tended to rest their right hand, causing unexpected and unintended changes to pop up on the display screen. Now, the pommel is leather-covered, clearly intended to be a handrest. Where the circular control knob was located before – just in front of the pommel – there is now a convenient touchpad as large as that on a laptop computer.

Overall, we are very impressed. With this use of features and components taken from the top end of the brand, Mercedes-Benz clearly intends to produce luxury cars in a full range of model sizes, rather than downgrading design and quality in order to reduce prices on more compact models. Mercedes-Benz thinks that’s the appropriate response to product preferences now manifesting themselves among successful millennials.

The clean and spacious avantgarde interior of the new A-Class: A free-standing widescreen cockpit, sporty steering wheel and a new control pommel design.

ARTICLE GARY ANDERSON IMAGES DAIMLER GLOBAL MEDIA

Open-Air

Elegance

First drive of the 2018 E400 4Matic Cabriolet

& IMAGES A XEL C ATTON

The Star magazine editors recently had the opportunity to sample a niche offering in the E-Class range, the E400 4Matic Cabriolet. We couldn’t resist taking it out for a spin to see if it drives differently than the rear-wheel drive E-class soft top we previously drove.

Other than the badging, there are no visual clues to the different drivetrain. In the United States, 4Matic in the open E-Class is offered with one drivetrain, the 3-liter biturbo V-6. The 329-horsepower engine offers 354 pound-feet of torque and comes with the 9G-tronic transmission, the same combination that is also available in the rear-driven version. The engineers managed to keep the weight difference to only 150 pounds, so weight by itself doesn’t change the driving experience.

However, as soon as we were involved in the twists and turns of our upstate-New York test route, it became obvious that grip, while never obtrusive, is always present at the front, keeping the vehicle steady during even the most ambitious cornering maneuvers. We really enjoyed this sensation when pulling away from a T-stop or taking a corner from a standstill after a red light. The Cabriolet’s grip was instantaneous and sure, and with that transmission, there was never even the slightest wheel slip noticeable. Acceleration is impressive, underscored by the fact that at 5.3 seconds, the 4Matic beats the rear-wheel-drive variant by two-tenths of a second. All the while, the soundtrack of the sweet biturbo engine is even more intoxicating with the roof down. We didn’t notice any impact on the turning circle or

any scrubbing of the front tires when turning tightly at low speed.

According to Christian Früh, Daimler AG’s chief engineer for E-Class coupe and cabriolet, it’s not a question of inserting all-wheel drive into an open car, but rather designing the convertible version from the ground up with all-wheel-drive in mind.

“The clue is that the newest generation of the open E-Class is 38 percent more rigid than the outgoing one,” Früh explained. In real-life terms, you notice this in the absence of any scuttle shake and a general feeling of solidity and stiffness. Even in sharp turns and under heavy braking, there is no flexing of the chassis to detract from roadholding. All this adds only $2,500 to the base price of $68,800, with almost identical fuel efficiency. What’s not to like?

2018 Mercedes-Benz E400 Cabriolet

TYPE: Two-door, four-passenger Cabriolet

DRIVE: Rear-wheel drive or 4Matic AWD

ENGINE: 2,996cc biturbo V-6

HORSEPOWER: 329 at 5,250-6,000 TORQUE: 354 lb-ft at 1,600-4,000

TRANSMISSION: 9G-Tronic 9-speed automatic transmission with paddle shift controls

WHEELBASE: 113.1 in LENGTH: 190 in PERFORMANCE: 0-60 5.5 sec (4Matic 5.3 sec) TOP SPEED: 130 mph (limited)

FUEL EFFICIENCY: 20 city, 26 highway, 22 combined

ARTICLE

... the soundtrack of the sweet biturbo engine is even more intoxicating with the roof down.

Plowing Ahead

As a vivid example of the future of automated commercial vehicles, it is hard to ignore the sight of a quartet of gigantic articulated machines – choreographed to play identical roles in an intricate mechanical ballet – sweeping in perfect harmony down a runway in Germany. This is not a scene from a Hollywood science fiction film; rather, it is Daimler AG’s unprecedented proof-of-concept display of robotic snow removal at airports.

Unpredictable snowfall in winter makes airfield clearance difficult to plan for. Automated snow removal units that can function in a remote-controlled convoy with pinpoint precision under the guidance of a single human operator – needing no additional vehicle or staff –will offer airport operators a crucial advantage for safely clearing large areas when extreme winter weather strikes.

“This opens up new possibilities for our customers,” said Martin Zeilinger, head of advanced engineering at Daimler Trucks. “Highprecision maneuvering procedures of conventional trucks, remotely controlled by the driver outside the cab – for example, positioned at the rear of the vehicle with a perfect view of the maneuvers – are possible, as is unmanned driving in mines, at container terminals or other closed-off sites.”

With the success of first the Highway Pilot and then the Highway Pilot Connect system – which made automated truck platooning a reality – Mercedes-Benz partnered with Frankfurt/Main based Fraport AG, operator of one of the globe’s largest air traffic hubs, to implement this Automated Airfield Ground Maintenance (AAGM) project. Test vehicles are outfitted with the company’s new Remote Truck Interface (RTI) for remotely controlling vehicle functions and data exchange. The fully automated trucks are equipped with dual GPS tracking (DGPS) and state-of-the-art vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology. With fully interlinked telematics via the RTI, any vehicle is able to lead or follow in a convoy. An operator can choose any machine from those available, define it as the lead truck and, with onboard controls, choose the number and order of other convoy vehicles, as well as remotely conduct a complete systems inspection. An automated snow removal convoy can be expanded up to 14 units.

The enormous test vehicles – 70 feet long and weighing more than 27 tons – use Mercedes-Benz all-wheel drive Arocs 2045 AS tractors equipped with forward mounted, fully hydraulic, three-section snow plows over 27 feet in width. Final surface clearing is done by a towed sweeper powered independently of the Arocs tractor by a 6-cylinder Mercedes-Benz engine mounted at the rear of the semitrailer.

Four snowplow equipped Mercedes-Benz Arocs tractor units showcase the latest Mercedes-Benz “Remote Truck Interface” (RTI) technology by demonstrating automated airfield clearing in a remote-controlled convoy.

ARTICLE S TEPHAN MCKEOWN

I MAGE S DAIMLER GLOBAL MEDIA

Mercedes-Benz Arocs trucks pioneer automated snow removal on airfields

“This opens up new possibilities for our customers.”

Martin Zeilinger Daimler Trucks

If there’s one thing that ties Airstream and Mercedes-Benz together, it’s a relentless pursuit of the absolute best. And after leading the industry with the Interstate, the #1-selling Class B Diesel Touring Coach for six years, we went even further. The new Atlas boasts more than 50 best-in-class features, including bespoke materials, luxurious finishes, air suspension, and a diesel generator. Step inside at airstreamatlas.com

The best is not a destination. It’s a pursuit.

A Fine First Year

Mercedes-AMG in the 2017 IMSA WeatherTech Series

Mercedes-AMG shot out of the box last January to a flying start in their first IMSA season; success continued during the early part of the season and then hit a few rough patches. At times, one of the two AMG teams would fall short while the other would finish the race, but not necessarily in a podium place. Yet as you have read in this column before, there was podium success for Mercedes-AMG at several races.

A RTICLE & I MAGES D E NIS L . TA NNEY

By the final race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series, Mercedes was ready to show all its steam. And there was no better place than the Petit Le Mans, a 10-hour race held at the legendary Road Atlanta course in Braselton, Georgia. This 2.54 mile, 12-turn race track is among the most challenging courses in the country and demands full respect and attention from the drivers; its steep elevation changes and sharp corners necessitate focus. This track has always been a challenge for cars, drivers and crew members.

The event saw three Mercedes-AMG teams entered in this endurance finale, with the results outlined here in numerical order.

Car No. 33: Riley Motorsports with drivers Jeroen Bleekemolen, Ben Keating and Mario Farnbacher came home in 4th place overall, completing 381 laps. The big result was a huge lift for their efforts clinching them second place in the 2017 WeatherTech series. In addition, they won the driver, team and manufacturer titles in the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup, a four-race series within a series comprised of the Rolex 24, 12 Hours of Sebring, 6 Hours of Watkins Glen and the Petit LeMans that rewards reliable cars and well-organized teams capable of winning the long races.

Car No. 50: The WeatherTech Mercedes-AMG car with drivers Cooper MacNeil, Gunnar Jeannette and Patrick Long suffered terminal problems with an overheating transmission only 15 laps into the race. That was a huge disappointment for the team as they looked strong during practice and qualifying; they had been psyched to finish the season on a high note.

Car No. 75: The Sun Energy 1 Mercedes-AMG team with drivers Tristan Vautier, Dion von Moltke and team owner/driver Kenny Habul lasted only 210 laps, when their water pump gave out and forced them out a little less than half-way through the race. The livery on this car was special for this event as it was designed by Linkin Park in memory of their late singer, Chester Bennington, to celebrate his enthusiasm for fast cars and racing. Band members Mike Shinoda and Joe Hahn were guests of Mercedes-AMG for this race, adding some additional gusto to the already-exuberant crowd of fans.

Competing for the first year in the most competitive sports car racing series in America, Mercedes-AMG can proudly pack up their gear and look forward to the 2018 season. The Rolex 24 comes at the end of January and promises to be another exciting, demanding, and entertaining as well as hard-fought battle for podium position and awards. We all wish them good luck and safe racing.

The 2017 IMSA teams (from the top): car #33, the Riley Motorsports AMG GT3, car #50- The WeatherTech AMG GT3, and car # 75, The Sun Energy AMG GT3.

Simon Strang

For a remarkable fourth year in a row, Mercedes-AMG Petronas has won both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ FIA Formula 1 world championship titles. The team achieved this historic result despite a major shift in chassis regulations for the 2017 racing season – something that had never been done before. It also had to survive a season-long assault from a resurgent Ferrari, propelled by the Scuderia’s gifted lead driver, Sebastian Vettel. The Drivers’ title wasn’t settled until near the end of the season in Mexico, where Vettel’s fourth place finish mathematically ended the German’s challenge to Lewis Hamilton for the crown. That the team managed to prevail against such unrelenting odds and a wave of change inside and outside Brackley may go down as its greatest achievement yet.

Not only did departing champ Nico Rosberg quit the sport before Christmas 2016 – leading to promising Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas joining the team – but Technical Director Paddy Lowe moved to rival Williams. Before the beginning of the season, the team filled that crucial slot by signing James Allison, who had completed his stint with Ferrari as technical director in the summer of 2016.

By the time Allison was on board, the new W08 chassis was already testing. And while there is no doubt that he played a crucial part in turning the W08 EQ Power+ from a “diva” into a “dolly” in the second half of the season, the Brackley squad was already a honed group of brilliant individuals sailing harmoniously through an ocean of 20-foot swells. Mercedes-AMG went from a team that was perhaps underperforming against rival Ferrari in the first half the year into one that took six victories from the last nine races, once again becoming invincible.

Wrapping up the season

At the middle of the season, the outcome still hung in the balance. Ferrari presented a continued threat to Mercedes supremacy. It wasn’t until just before the summer break that Hamilton finally gained the points lead from Vettel. But once he did, the Briton could not be caught. When it was all over in Mexico, Hamilton was the most successful world champion that Great Britain has ever produced – this from a nation that has won more titles than any other.

When Hamilton looks back on his career, 2017 will stand out as a watershed year. He reached 72 pole positions – a record. He secured his 62nd win in Austin, twice as many as the next most successful Briton, Nigel Mansell, and second only to Michael Schumacher. And along with Alain Prost and Vettel, he now has four titles, behind Schumacher’s seven and Juan Manuel Fangio’s five. Every single one of those Hamilton accolades has been achieved using Mercedes power.

Somewhat anticlimactically, Hamilton clinched his title with an unremarkable drive to a ninth-place finish in Mexico that came off the back of a first-corner skirmish (not of his making) that ended Vettel’s dream of taking a fifth title in 2017. In fact, the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin that preceded Mexico would represent Hamilton’s ninth and final victory of the season; the 32-year-old has never won a grand prix after securing a title in the same year.

He might have won – no, should have won – in Brazil, but comprehensively threw his chances away at the fast-entry Ferradura right-hand turn during qualifying. Demoted to start the race after every other car, he still raced through to fourth position. Starting from pole, Bottas should have been able to bring home first-place points for the team, but once he was beaten by Vettel going into the Senna “S” at the start, he could not find a way to get past the Ferrari.

The Finn made up for it a week later, notching up a second straight pole position in the Abu Dhabi season finale, then beating world champion Hamilton with an inch-perfect third race victory. Hamilton said afterward that he’d fought hard to beat his teammate: If that’s the

case, it seems Bottas may have finally overcome the tire-heating issues that so blighted the earlier part of the season.

James Allison looks back

Once the victorious team was back home at its headquarters in Brackley, England, The Star had an exclusive opportunity to discuss its accomplishments and prospects for next year with Allison.

The Star: How easy have you found it to slip into the synergies of Brackley? What has been unique about this team?

JA: It was quite daunting on arrival, but the people couldn’t have made it a more pleasurable experience. I have hopefully contributed over these first few months, but I’m very much looking forward to the coming years. What made it very easy is the kind way in which people treated me; what made it harder is that it is a team with a very unusual structure where decision-making is encouraged at all levels.

In more traditional organizations, many decisions find their way up the food chain to the technical director, so it was a little unusual at the start to realize many things that would previously have come across my desk were being dealt with at a lower level. But if you believe in actually getting the most out of your people and like the idea that all the people are empowered, it’s an exhilarating place to be.

The Star: Of the eight world titles that Mercedes has won in the past four seasons, were the two it won this year the hardest fought?

JA: Clearly I was only here for this one, but just as a fan of the sport, the points difference in the championships will tell you that this was the most competitive of the years since 2014.

All the way through the season we believed we could do it; but believing you could do it and doing it are two different things and we knew that we were up against it for the vast majority of the year. It felt very tight, so on a Constructors’ Championship level and a Drivers’ Championship level, this was the hardest fought against our external competitors. I suspect from a driver’s perspective, this one probably felt no less intense than the last few when the two Mercedes drivers were at one another hammer and tongs, as opposed to this year, which was Lewis [Hamilton] versus Sebastian [Vettel].

The Star: Did the team have to take a different approach to racing, strategy and mindset fighting against an external opponent, given the close nature of the battle with Ferrari?

JA: I think it is just a much easier thing for a team to handle when you’re fighting an external opponent than trying to manage an internal battle. We’re a team and we exist to beat other teams and it’s much harder to manage the chess game against yourself. I don’t know whether it required a different mindset, but it certainly is a very healthy and clean thing to fight an external foe.

“All the way through the season we believed we could do it; but believing you could do it and doing it are two different things and we knew that we were up against it for the vast majority of the year.“

James Allison

A Convesation with

James Allison

Technical director, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport

INSIDE LINE

The Star: In simple terms, the trend this year seemed to be that Ferrari worked better on low-speed circuits with a high demand on mechanical grip, whereas medium-to-high speed, downforce-dependent circuits worked better for Mercedes. Why was that?

JA: It is accurate to say that Ferrari went better on low-speed circuits, but not for the reasons you state. I don’t think that’s a simple tradeoff between mechanical grip at the low-speed circuits and an aerodynamic efficiency at the high-speed circuits. You can find many points in the season that run contrary to that contention. For example, that narrative would have seen Red Bull and Ferrari trouncing Mercedes in the final sector at Abu Dhabi, and yet we were comfortably the quickest car through those very low-speed, twisty, requiring-agility turns. It was much more subtle than just a downforce/mechanical grip tradeoff and everything to do with making sure that you got the tires working in their optimum window at each track.

The Star: Toto Wolff called the AMG F1 WO8 EQ Power+ a “diva,” given its testy temperament from track to track. Why was the operating window so slim and how are you remedying this for 2018?

JA: It was a tricky car. But I think that was mainly because it wasn’t easy for the drivers to feel where and why it was letting them down and so then not easy for the engineers to take the right steps to feed the drivers with the improvements they needed. As the year went on we got better at understanding it, but it was never an easy car to read. When we talk about the car being a diva, we mean our ability to get the tires to work at a given track. The W08 did not always send us the most helpful cues to assist us in making the right moves, so we have needed through the year to understand as much through simulation as traditional driver feedback, what was going on with the car and we will attempt to apply those lessons to the design of next year’s car to make it an easier machine to manage.

The Star: You've worked at both Mercedes and Ferrari. What is different about the two teams’ cultures and what do you think ultimately made the difference in the outcome of this year’s championship?

JA: I think anyone who came in from Mars and was parachuted into a Formula 1 team would notice the similarities long before they noticed the differences. There is a reason why the products of two completely different organizations – with hundreds of people working in them and a lot of investment being made, working flat-out on a given set of rules – end up within a second of each other. The reason is that both organizations are extremely impressive and effective.

But there are differences. The main one is the way in which Mercedes is structured organizationally to try to challenge all employees to take responsibility for their own decisions. And to not rely on being told what to do, so the bosses at all levels of the company try to set out the intent and then the employees will try to use their skills to match that intent. Ferrari is a slightly more traditional, hierarchical organization where there is more top-down decision making. But both organizations are pretty effective and over the course of a long and hard-fought season, it was just tiny edges that we were bringing to bear that managed to tell over the course of the season.

The Star: You have worked with several multiple world champions (Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher). What do these great drivers have in common?

JA: To be a driver in Formula 1, you have to be an unusual person. None of the drivers come out of a regular-person drawer. And then within that cadre of already extraordinary people, the ones that become world champions are much more remarkable. The ones that become multiple world champions – because sometimes the stars can align for a single season, but they don’t for multiple seasons – those are truly, truly gifted. You end with people that are as far removed from you and me as are Pelé and Novak Djokovic and Lionel Messi and

“When we talk about the car being a diva, we mean our ability to get the tires to work at a given track.”

James Allison

INSIDE LINE

all those others that we know we would never, even if we tried as hard as we could, be able to achieve their level.

So all four men have those remarkable characteristics; a Godgiven skill and feeling for a car that their fellow professionals don’t possess in the same measure. They are noticeably more driven, even amongst a cohort that is extraordinarily driven; they are the ones who have more fire under them than their colleagues. That’s what unites them. That God-given gift, coupled with an utter refusal to be beaten and extreme discomfort whenever they are found wanting, even in the most trivial fashion. They simply won’t tolerate that in their lives.

From what I have seen this year, the way Lewis handles himself with the team has been both a surprise and a pleasure. He handles the pressure of being this global megastar, an external pressure that he chooses to put on his shoulders in a way that doesn’t leak out through his treatment of the guys in the factory. He treats everyone inside the team with good grace. He only blames himself when he makes a mistake, he doesn’t look to try and put that on other people’s shoulders, and yet he is very quick to share out the praise when things have gone well. And very often they have gone well as a result of what he has brought to the party.

And I would add one final point, which is that quite often, those extremes of personality that are necessary to conjure up a multiple world champion can sometimes make them lose a little bit of perspective on where to draw the line in terms of ruthlessness. Lewis is as hard a competitor as you could possibly wish for, and certainly a person you would want in your car every Sunday for as long as any championship were running. But when this year presented him with difficult choices, he always managed to conduct himself in a sportsmanlike fashion and choose the right path to deliver results we can all be proud of when we look back on them. I am referring to things like the way he was willing to give back the place to Valtteri in Hungary under difficult circumstances. He always sticks to the right side of the line, being competitive without straying over into something that is unattractive and difficult to justify.

The Star: Valtteri Bottas has been hard on himself about his own results in 2017. Has he performed as well as could be expected and does he have the potential to challenge for world championships in the future?

JA: I think he has had an excellent first season. Yes, there have been races where he would like to have done better, but they are pretty few and far between and if you look at the points tally, that tells you the story you need to know. He was extremely close to Sebastian at the end of the season. Without the DNF that was our fault in Barcelona, he would have been ahead of Vettel for second place in the championship. He has won three races, earned three pole positions and along with Lewis has helped us find our way through a very, very competitive season with a car that didn’t always make our lives easy.

When he has had difficult races, he has not let that break him. He would always come back to the next race with a positive understanding about where it was that he needed to do things better; I think the consistent run of form he showed at the end of the season reveals all you need to know about the nature of his character.

I am sure that he will be only a stronger competitor next year from a very high base. So I think we are very, very lucky to enjoy the driver partnership we have. These are two guys that treat each other well, who are very respectful towards one another on and off the track and a pairing that is just a points-gaining machine and something we can be very pleased with.

True teamates: Lewis Hamilton (gold helmet) and Valtteri Bottas embrace under the lights in Abu Dhabi, after the young Finn won the final race of the 2017 Formula 1 season to end his first year with the team on a high note.

“So I think we are very, very lucky to enjoy the driver partnership we have.”

James Allison

Return of a

CHAMPION

Where better to test and tune a stunning tribute to a famed 1957 300SLS than on a historic circuit where it competed during its championship-winning season?

One day late last September, as a busy crew of automotive roustabouts set up portable facilities for an upcoming AMG Driving Academy event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, a giant car transporter pulled slowly into the sleeping paddock, attended by a small swarm of support vehicles. With a hydraulic whine, the transporter’s tail ramp lowered, and a distinctive green 300SL Roadster with a stubby racing windscreen and chrome rollover bar was unloaded, checked, and rolled into pit lane.

Someone with a good eye for vintage racing cars might have noticed that – except for the color – the vehicle appeared to be a perfect replica of a MercedesBenz that was raced at Laguna Seca and other U.S. tracks in 1957 by esteemed sports car ace Paul O’Shea.

The story behind the story

Two men standing nearby as the car was carefully unloaded from the bright orange transporter –Michael Kunz, director of the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Irvine, California, and well-known classiccar enthusiast Bruce Ianelli – could easily explain the resemblance to the O’Shea roadster and the reason it was at Laguna Seca on that otherwise-quiet Friday.

The story began several years earlier during the Colorado Grand classic car tour, when the two men shared the cockpit of a well-tuned 300SL Roadster from the Classic Center’s collection. Over the course of the five-day event, Ianelli became intoxicated by the epic song of the roadster’s full-throated roar at high speed and the purring lullaby of the 6-cylinder engine idling through little towns along the route. He wondered if the Classic Center might build him a roadster with the performance of their current car, but made somehow more distinctive and unique.

Kunz told Ianelli how in 1955 and 1956, Paul O’Shea had scored more points than any other driver in SCCA races behind the wheel of a C-Production 300SL Gullwing. Both years he had been named U.S. Sports Car Champion by the motorsports writers association. In 1957, Mercedes-Benz, looking for publicity in the United States for its growing brand, had supported O’Shea in Sports Car Club of America competition by building a racing version of the new 300SL roadster for him (see Artifact, page 6).

Kunz then proposed that the Classic Center undertake technical and historical research into the long-lost Mercedes-Benz built for O’Shea. The team in Irvine would then find a suitable 300SL Roadster donor vehicle and restore it as closely as possible to the appearance and performance of the O’Shea car as a tribute to the original. Ianelli agreed immediately.

Researching the O’Shea car

Project director Nate Lander soon began digging into the background of the O’Shea car, exploring the Daimler Archives, and an extensive set of photographs

PRIDE

artic L e gary anderson • nate lander image S m ercedes-benz classic c en ter daimler

A 1957 photograph of Paul O’Shea with his new 300SLS. Michael Kunz (on left), director of the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center, Irvine, with Bruce Ianelli, who commissioned the 300SLS tribute. Unloading the car at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on test day morning.

archives richard simonds gary anderson

at the online Revs Institute gallery of the Collier Collection in Florida. One fact quickly became clear: The two cars constructed by the Mercedes-Benz racing department had been incredible sleepers. There were only minor differences from the production model on the outside – of the sort that might be true of any roadster prepped for weekend races – but under the hood and beneath the DB180 silver-grey metallic paint, the changes were significant.

A low racing windscreen was substituted for production glass, while a distinctive cooling duct was added to the cockpit cowl, and a neat tonneau covered the passenger seat, with matching trim enclosing the cockpit. Lightweight racing seats replaced the leathertrimmed originals. A roll-over bar and racing seatbelts were installed, and a detachable wood-rimmed racing steering wheel replaced the stock Mercedes-Benz part. Almost everything that wasn’t necessary was removed from the exterior as well. Obviously, the soft top and frame were gone, as were door handles, fuelfiller door, trunk and glove-box lock. The trunk and hood were now secured by quick-release race fittings. Front and rear bumpers had disappeared, as had all related brackets and hardware; the mounting holes had been filled and painted. Blank aluminum discs replaced the headlamps; with all SCCA races held during daytime, headlights were deemed superfluous.

Exterior body alterations ranged from the subtle to the imperceptible. The lower rear body panels were integrated into the main body – as on the Gullwing coupe – eliminating trim moldings at the rear of the car. Instead of a mix of steel and aluminum panels, all body panels were aluminum. The pair of cars had individual custom-fabricated aerodynamic belly pans extending from front to rear. Peeking inside the cockpit, it was obvious that the door glass – as well as all related guides, regulators and mechanisms to operate the side windows – had vanished.

All was not stock in the engine compartment, either. As soon as the roadster was fired up, the exhaust tips extending out from the rocker panels on the left side of the body announced loudly that this special machine was running open pipes without mufflers. For increased cooling, the front inner grille mesh resembled that of the Gullwings.

Opening the hood, anyone used to seeing a castaluminum intake manifold would have been surprised to find a sheet-aluminum intake manifold – reducing engine weight by 10 pounds – though the fuel injection fitting was still at the front of the manifold. According to the plans, the intake manifold throats were 70mm longer than stock.

The cast-iron engine block was replaced with an aluminum block, resulting in a dramatic reduction in weight. Within the engine, everything had been built to racing tolerances, with custom weight-matched pistons and connecting rods fitted, and all passages tested and ground to optimize air flow.

Period photographs of the 300SLS provided key guidance during the planning and construction of the Paul O’Shea tribute car. Nate Lander assesses the roadster’s handling o ut on track. The Classic Center’s traveling workshop van offered support from pit lane.

The two cars constructed by the Mercedes-Benz racing department had been incredible sleepers.

The tribute car’s engine was rebuilt to closely match the appearance and performance of the competition original. Shakedown laps offered a unique chance to test the roadster in track conditions, make minor adjustments on the fly and highlight desired refinements.

]According to the final build sheet, the aluminum engine would produce 235 horsepower, 20 more than the stock engine’s 215. The finished vehicle weighed in at a mere 1,985 pounds compared with the production car’s 2,932 pounds, offering a dramatic power-toweight ratio improvement. It was no wonder that the factory identified the special roadster as the 300SLS, for “Super-light Sport.”

Only two cars were ever built to these specifications, rather than the 150 units required by the SCCA for homologation as a production car. This meant that O’Shea had to race in the D-Modified sports-car class for the 1957 season. Mercedes-Benz did not view this as an issue; most other marques, such as Jaguar, were running modified versions of their production cars, so the advertising impact would still be considerable.

Creating the tribute car

Research in hand, the Classic Center soon located an early production roadster, hidden away on a North Carolina farm and not driven for over 30 years. Company records indicated it was the 44th car built during the first year of 300SL Roadster production. Over a period of 18 months at the Classic Center, the roadster was disassembled and then restored back to the appearance of the O’Shea car.

The original steel body was retained, as well as the donor car’s aluminum doors, hood and trunk. Reproducing the distinctive belly pans remains a project for the future. Although aluminum blanking plates cover the headlights, there are in fact operational headlamps under the easily removable covers. Turn signals and warning lights remain functional for night driving.

On the other hand, just as with the original machine, there is no weatherproofing – no windows and no soft top – so foul-weather gear will be the order of the day on long-distance tours.

In a major departure from the original objective of visually duplicating the O’Shea car, Ianelli and the restoration team made the deliberate decision to paint the roadster in very attractive production-correct Tundra Green (DB178) instead of the original silvergrey; thus there could never be any confusion that this is a restoration of the actual Paul O’Shea car.

A great deal of labor was expended rebuilding the engine to closely match the original power unit’s character and ability. In addition to fabricating the distinctive intake manifold, the Classic Center team completely balanced and blueprinted the engine and installed higher compression pistons.

When all the work was completed, the tribute car weighed in 325 pounds less than a production roadster, or about half of the weight reduction of the O’Shea original. Nevertheless, that was sufficient that lowering springs and mounts had to be installed to bring the car back into engineering spec for alignment and suspension settings.

Company records indicated the donor was the 44th car built during the first year of 300SL Roadster production.

Superb interior details of the newly built roadster closely follow the cockpit appointments of the 1957 racecar. A camera truck recorded the car’s hot laps. The 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SLS Paul O’Shea Tribute salutes a colorful period of American racing.

]Track testing in 1957

As soon as Mercedes-Benz completed construction of the two 300SLS racing specials in early April 1957, the machines were taken to the Hockenheimring for testing and final tuning under racing manager Alfred Neubauer’s supervision. After Neubauer’s approval, the vehicles were shipped by sea to New York, then immediately transported to Lime Rock racetrack in Connecticut so that O’Shea could familiarize himself with the SLS’s handling and performance. Though the Mercedes-Benz service engineer assigned to tend the roadsters stated, “the car was not fully driven to the limit,” O’Shea was easily able to better the practice times of the competing Jaguars.

Track testing 60 years later

Finally, the Classic Center’s work was finished. In preparation for a poetic rendezvous with the past, the tribute roadster was trucked from Irvine to Laguna Seca, familiar stomping ground of the O’Shea car 60 years earlier. The visit – timed to coincide with an empty track while preparations were underway for a forthcoming AMG Driving Academy event – would allow project leader Nate Lander to put the Tundra Green machine through its high-speed paces on the historic track to expose any hidden mechanical issues cloaked during static checks back in the Classic Center shop and test runs on a dynamometer.

By the end of the day, with a camera truck following the roadster to record the occasion, Lander had made some changes – such as rejetting the fuel injection – and put together a punch list of items to resolve before delivering the car to Ianelli. These included altering the rear-end gearing to allow lower engine rpm when cruising at highway speeds, and additional refinement of the ignition system. Overall, Lander reported that the car was remarkably agile on the track. The power-to-weight ratio increased the roadster’s response when accelerating out of corners, and the weight and suspension changes made a big difference to handling and stability on acceleration.

Then and now O’Shea competed in 22 SCCA races during 1957. He dominated the D-modified class, earning an overwhelming 11,400 points, more than any other SCCA driver that season, and – for the third year in a row – was voted U.S. Sports Car Champion by the North American motorsport media. However, back in Stuttgart, Mercedes-Benz withdrew from racing at the end of that season. The SLS disappeared.

Ianelli says the Paul O’Shea Tribute car will next be used in a business course at his daughter’s college, rekindling the memory of those exciting postwar entrepreneurial years at Mercedes-Benz, when the company supported customer racing cars to promote the marque, just as it is now doing again with GT4s at tracks around the world.

In preparation for a poetic rendezvous with the past, the tribute roadster was trucked from Irvine to Laguna Seca.

1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SLS Paul O’Shea Tribute

TYPE: Two-door, two-passenger track-prepared roadster ENGINE: M198 2,996cc, Inline 6-cylinder, Bosch fuel injection, dry-sump lubrication

TRANSMISSION: 4-speed manual

HORSEPOWER: 260 at 4,500 rpm (SAE) TORQUE: 275 lb-ft at 2,600 rpm (Estimates) WHEELBASE: 94.5in CURB WEIGHT: 2,812 lb

FUEL EFFICIENCY: 10 mpg (est)

PERFORMANCE: Zero-60 mph 7.5 sec TOP SPEED: 135 mph (4.11:1) 160 mph (3.25:1)

During the early 1950s, sports car racing in the United States was in its infancy – an amateur sport for gentlemen. Race grids were packed with British, German, and Italian performance machinery. Soon, a few homegrown “specials” – racecars built by enthusiasts unable or unwilling to buy a factory-made vehicle – began to appear among the European exotics.

One of the most compelling accounts from this colorful period of motorsports weaves together the lives of remarkable men and a unique hand-built racing special, the Porter Mercedes-Benz SLS. It is a story of creativity, victory, loss, and rediscovery that spans generations and stretches all the way from prewar Kansas to the 21st-century’s famed Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Goodwood Revival, and beyond.

Chuck Porter

Born in 1915, Chuck Porter grew up in the Kansas City area. Mechanically gifted, Porter was passionate about cars. In 1937, he moved to Southern California, a hotbed for hot rods, custom cars, and racing, where he continued to hone his metalworking and customization skills.

During the Second World War, Porter flew missions over Europe and Japan, was shot down, and spent time in a Japanese prison camp. With peace, he returned to California, and in 1950 opened Chuck Porter’s Body Shop in Hollywood.

His superb automotive craftsmanship soon brought Porter business success; his customized vehicles won awards at car shows and graced the covers of car magazines. The growing popularity of sports-car racing reignited Porter’s old interest in motorsports and his thoughts turned to building a racing special.

The car of tomorrow

The talk of car enthusiasts everywhere, the 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Coupe was a futuristic engineering marvel. The sleek gullwing sports car had a tubeframe chassis, independent suspension, dry-sump lubrication, fuel injection and a 3-liter straight-6 engine. With a top speed of over 150 mph, it was the fastest production automobile of its day.

As Gullwings began to arrive in the United States, they were snapped up by

One for the

both Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts and amateur racers looking for a competitive edge. The elegant sports cars soon began to win races in the hands of such talented drivers as Paul O’Shea (see Artifact, page 6), Tony Settember, and Dean Mears.

Around the time that Chuck Porter was thinking about building a racing special, a wealthy resident of Palm Springs, California, was eagerly awaiting the arrival of a factory-fresh 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL. The new vehicle was being driven to the excited owner’s home from a Los Angeles dealership.

On an open stretch of desert highway, the dealer’s driver – no doubt tempted by all the power under his right foot –opened up the throttle. At approximately 100 mph, he lost control; the car flipped and slid 1,200 feet on its roof. The lucky

driver emerged unhurt; the unlucky car burst into flames. The exotic 300SL was a write-off. The crumpled carcass was hauled off to a junkyard and abandoned.

From scrap to track

At the same junkyard some six months later, Porter was looking for a donor vehicle for his special when he spied some twisted debris. He recognized the charred hulk as a rare 300SL, and bought it on the spot for $500.

Back at his shop, Porter removed the crushed body from the wreck, only to find that the space-frame chassis was badly bent, support tubes were broken and special alloy components had melted in the heat. He straightened the frame, replaced broken tubes, and salvaged and cleaned what he could from the ruin.

a storied mercedes- benz racing special and the men who built and drove it

The walls of Porter’s workshop were hung with racing posters of that powerful and glamorous automotive sensation, the Mercedes Benz 300 SLR. Porter had keenly followed the SLR’s engineering and racing success. Inspired by his 300SLR posters, Porter designed a new body for his special. He then had his friend, Jack Sutton, one of Southern California’s premiere metal shapers, create a streamlined all-aluminum shell. Meanwhile, he spent long hours after work slowly rebuilding the chassis, engine and other components.

Off to the races

While it was being built, the car had everyone in Southern California racing circles buzzing. A steady flow of racing fans came by the shop to see the

skeletal vehicle, many mistaking it for a near-mythic SLR. The herculean task of fabrication was finally completed in early 1956, having consumed nearly 5,000 hours of Porter’s labor.

The result was a lightweight (1750 pounds) and potent 240-horsepower racecar, ready to contest Southern California’s Cal Club D-Modified class.

In honor of the inspirational 300SLR, Porter dubbed his new racecar the 300SLS. The second S stood for “Scrap.”

All the publicity surrounding the striking race car heightened interest in the car’s racing debut on June 6, 1956, at the fairgrounds in Pomona. The SLS ran well, taking third in class and eighth overall. Porter entered three more events that year, running two races at each for a total of six races. He chalked up two

firsts and two seconds in class, great results for a car built basically of scrap.

The SLS’s acclaim continued to grow. The special was featured in glowing articles and on the covers of magazines (see below, and StarryEyed, page 112). In March 1957, the car was repainted white for a starring role in the racing movie “The Devil’s Hairpin,” starring Cornell Wilde and Jean Wallace.

Porter ran the SLS in 1957, notching up several top-10 finishes. He updated the special to stay competitive, and added a supercharger for more power. Still on the hunt for more performance, Porter turned to fellow driver and noted constructor Max Balchowsky, creator of the famed “Ol-Yeller” racing special; Balchowsky built Porter a Buick V-8 to replace the Mercedes-Benz engine. His appetite for power still not sated, Porter eventually swapped out the Buick for a lighter and even more powerful Corvette V-8 with Hillborn Fuel Injection.

With his body shop and custom-car business keeping him on the go, Porter put his driving helmet aside until August of 1958, when he ran the SLS at Santa Barbara, but did not finish (DNF). The one-off vehicle raced once more that year at Riverside with Johnny Parsons driving, again suffering a DNF. During 1959 and the first half of 1960, Porter loaned the car to several drivers for nine different races; the best result was a first overall at Riverside won by Billy Krause.

New owners

Later in 1960, Chuck Porter decided to sell the SLS to fellow racing enthusiast Richard Becker. Becker entered the handbuilt racecar in three events for drivers Chuck Stevenson and previous Riverside winner Billy Krause. After Krause took a first in the SLS at Riverside in March of 1961, Becker put the SLS up for sale.

LEFT: The rolling chassis at Chuck Porter’s Hollywood shop, January 1956. ABOVE, CLOCKWISE: That summer, Porter sits in the beautiful SLS, a definitive example of the racing special. The car was featured on period magazine covers. A race at Santa Barbara, August 1957: Porter leads a C-Type Jaguar.

While it was being built, the car had everyone in Southern California racing circles buzzing.

Racing driver Mike Koslosky was a regular customer of engine builder Keith Black. Black’s shop maintained the SLS for Becker, a task performed by Louie Unser, one of the famous Unser brothers. Koslosky knew of the car’s recent races, including Billy Krause’s big win at Riverside. He was interested in buying the vehicle and had a talk with Krause about the car. A short time later, Louie Unser contacted Koslosky.

“I bought the car through Louie and I never did talk to Richard Becker, the actual owner,” Koslosky recalled. “The car was in need of a complete overhaul so I spent the next four months updating the engine, rebuilding the front suspension, installed a Halibrand quick-change rear end and repainted the car from brown, back to Porter’s Goldenrod-yellow color.”

After the rebuild, the SLS ran three times in 1961 with Bob Edmison at the wheel. Edmison liked the SLS’s Corvette power and scored second overall at Pomona. “I could hit 150 mph down the straight at Pomona, which allowed me to pass several cars in the early stages of the race,” Edmison said of the SLS.

With Koslosky due to join the Marine Corps after the 1961 racing season, he placed a for-sale ad in Competition Press, ending the SLS’s Southern California racing career. It would soon reappear in the northern part of the Golden State.

A racer is born

Peter Culkin was a very successful businessman and motorsports enthusiast in Northern California. In the late 1950s, Culkin owned and managed a winning oval-track racing team, with his cars cared for by Bing’s Speed Shop in Santa Rosa. Culkin also enjoyed watching his friend Dan Herman race a Porsche 356.

In 1956, Culkin bought a new 300SL as a daily driver. Having seen both his

team and his friend race, Culkin decided to try it himself. Why not use his 300SL?

In mid-1958, the car was prepped at Bing’s, and he went to racing school. Graduating with flying colors, Culkin soon placed 14th at the Nevada Road Races in Minden. Then at Palm Springs, he took first in class and third overall. A week later, he won at Laguna Seca. Peter Culkin was a quick learner, and his 300SL was reliable and fast. In 1959, Culkin earned enough Pacific Coast Championship points to finish third in CProduction class, a fine showing for his first full season. Still, no one could have foreseen what would happen next.

Championship years

Culkin’s ambitious goal for 1960 was to win the Pacific Coast C-Production

class. His quest began at Stockton in March, where he won both his races. Then followed an almost unbelievable 22-race win streak, right through the final race at Laguna Seca in October. Culkin led his class by a wide margin over the second place driver, won the Pacific Coast Championship and both San Francisco Region and Cal Club (S. CA.) class championships. To say Culkin’s 300SL ran well would be an understatement: he had no DNFs all season. To top it all off, Culkin won his class in three drag race events and Best of Show at a concours. The 1960 season was one to remember.

In 1961, an unstoppable Culkin reeled off 10 wins in the first 11 races. He then won four of his last seven races, to repeat as Pacific Coast C-Production

CLOCKWISE: Peter Culkin (with his daughter) owned an oval-track race team in the 1950s. Culkin preps his 300SL for a club race, 1958. Culkin leads a Porsche Speedster at Riverside, December 1959. At Santa Barbara in 1960, Culkin’s Gullwing shows battle scars both front and rear. RIGHT: In November 1961, Culkin’s 300SL is featured on racing program cover for the Cotati Raceway, in Cotati, California.

Peter Culkin was a quick learner, and his 300SL was reliable and fast.

champion and Cal Club C-Production champion. During two magical seasons, he won 38 out of 44 races. Culkin’s house was overflowing with racing trophies.

Culkin and the SLS Culkin, now ready for the challenge of a faster car and tougher competition, noticed the Porter Mercedes SLS Special advertised for sale in Competition Press. He bought the car, and took it to Bing’s Speed Shop, asking owner Ed Binggeli to coax more power out of the brawny 410-horsepower fuel-injected V-8 engine.

Binggeli found about 50 more horses, and managed to reduce the car’s weight as well. Culkin was ready to go racing.

However, as the 1962 racing season unfolded, two things became clear: The car was very fast – topping 150 mph in the Oakland Airport race – but the brakes

were simply not up to the task of slowing the beast down. The SLS ran in six races: The best showing was third, with three DNFs and two finishes outside the top 10– not the results Culkin had hoped for.

The end of an era

After the disappointing 1962 season, Culkin worked diligently to improve the SLS’s reliability, but never had a chance to fully test the results. In March of 1963, just before the first race of the new season, his wife was killed in a tragic auto accident. Suddenly a single parent responsible for a daughter and son, Culkin abandoned racing, stored the SLS and 300SL and focused on his family.

In 1969 Culkin sold the SLS – after removing the Corvette engine – to a San Francisco man who had vague plans to rebuild and race it. The SLS disappeared.

Culkin held on to his 300SL for a time before selling it locally. The car’s buyer kept the car hidden and never drove it. Over time, Culkin’s son, William, made many fruitless attempts to contact the reclusive owner, then heard an unverified rumor that the 300SL had been sold to a Japanese collector. The trail went cold. Both of the Mercedes-Benz racecars owned by Culkin had simply vanished.

Search and rescue

Aficionados kept hunting for any trace of Porter’s renowned SLS; in the 1980s, former owner Mike Koslosky spent two years looking for the car. “I heard several different stories about what had happened to the car, including that it was destroyed in a fire or had been sold to someone in Japan,” he recalled. “With no concrete leads, I finally gave up.”

Then, late in the 1990s, Hans Kleissl, a well-known Mercedes-Benz restorer and owner of HK-Engineering GmbH, took up the search. In 1999 he unearthed the elusive vehicle, right where it had been hiding in plain sight for decades: San Francisco. The car was engineless, just as when Culkin had sold it in 1969. Kleissl purchased the SLS, and had it shipped back to his shop in Germany. There he refurbished the one-of-a-kind racecar to Porter’s 1956 specification, complete with a correct 3-liter straight-6 Mercedes-Benz engine.

The restored Porter Mercedes-Benz SLS special was reunited with Porter’s daughters at the 2003 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, raced at famed Goodwood Revival in 2003, 2004, and 2006, and has since appeared at other European events. Resplendent in all its original glory, the SLS honors the memory of the gifted man who built it, and the skilled competitors who raced it in an illustrious era.

LEFT: The SLS on the cover of the race program, Cotati Raceway, 1962. ABOVE, CLOCKWISE: In 1962, the SLS in the inaugural race at the new Oakland Airport. The Corvette V-8 engine. Peter Culkin at Cotati, 1962. Chuck Porter’s daughters in the restored SLS at the 2003 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.

Resplendent in all its original glory, the SLS honors the memory of the man who built it.

The Old CAR

this 1956 mercedes-benz 300c cabriolet d has spent 60 years in a family’s loving care

i m age S david g o oley • s usan m o rehouse a rtic L e dave a brams

At some point during 1957, Bill Zimmerman acquired a rare 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300c Cabriolet D in Los Angeles; Bill is the father of my wife, Amanda. The original owner had purchased the car new at a dealership the previous year, but then had run into some financial difficulties and was forced to sell the stately automobile. The 300c has remained in my wife’s family ever since.

Bill Zimmerman

The story told by the family is that Bill bought this elegant machine for about $10,000, a significant discount off the original sticker price of almost $15,000, but still a handsome sum in those days. On the other hand, the Mercedes-Benz 300 – the Adenauer –was the finest and most advanced luxury automobile available in the 1950s.

Bill was 30 years old when he bought the 300c. He had recently moved out to sunny Pasadena from the Cleveland, Ohio, area to take an executive role with Avery Label Corporation, the predecessor of the company known today as Avery Dennison. Bill really enjoyed driving his Mercedes-Benz; he used the Cabriolet D as his daily driver for many years. In fact, when he later became president and CEO of Monogram Industries, he continued to take the car on an even longer commute to Santa Monica.

In the early 1980s, Bill had the fourdoor convertible repainted from the factory-applied light blue to the vehicle’s current yellow tan, an original color. At the same time, he had the car’s interior refreshed with front seats reupholstered in red leather matching the existing hides, and new carpeting. Otherwise, the 300c remains completely original.

ABOVE: Owner’s manuals, like the rest of the 300c, are seasoned by decades of use and care. RIGHT: The 300c is defined by gentle curves and subtle lines.

in an era fast succumbing to

into a cohesive, sweeping

300c

Amanda has many fond childhood memories of family trips in the 300c, including an unforgettable ride with the top down to famous old Twohey’s drive-in restaurant in Pasadena. Once at Twohey’s, everyone ordered hamburgers and milkshakes from the carhop, and ate an open-air meal sitting in the dignified automobile with the serving trays hanging off the side.

I first met Amanda in 1991; not long afterwards, Bill took me out to the garage and showed me his prized Mercedes-Benz, which was carefully covered with a tarp. It obviously had not been getting much exercise of late.

‘The Old Car’

In 1996, Amanda and I purchased a new house with a larger garage in the San Diego area. Bill asked if we would

like to take the 300c along with us when we moved. Of course, we said “yes!” We loaded the old Mercedes-Benz onto a trailer and towed it down to our new home. Once settled in, we drove the car on weekends and explored the area around our neighborhood, Scripps Ranch. But we stayed close to home; the Cabriolet D was sadly less than fully reliable in those days.

In 2003, we returned to the Pasadena area and brought the elderly 300c back with us. However, raising kids, growing businesses and tending to other hobbies limited the number of outings we took in what we affectionately began calling “The Old Car.” Once again, the 300c sat for many years, getting little regular use other than an annual check up and the occasional guest appearance in a local parade or charity event.

Bill asked if we would like to take the 300c along when we moved. Of course, we said “yes!”

Built

gaudy automotive excess, the dignified Cabriolet D exhibits understated, beautifully proportioned details seamlessly integrated

design. The Abrams’s

came equipped with an optional Borg-Warner automatic transmission, first offered in 1956.

In 2014, Amanda and I decided that we finally needed to give The Old Car some care and attention. We determined to look for a skilled mechanic who could properly care for our aging automobile. After all, the old Cabriolet D was practically a member of the family.

A thorough inspection

As a first step, we asked the helpful staff at the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Irvine to perform a thorough inspection of the 300c. After they were finished evaluating the car from top to bottom, the Classic Center team generated a daunting to-do list of mechanical issues that needed attention.

We realized that we did not want to put the 300c through a complete restoration; that would only make the car

too perfect, and then we wouldn’t want to drive it anywhere. So, we redoubled our efforts to find an expert mechanic who understood vintage Mercedes-Benz vehicles, someone who could repair and maintain our car and make it a reliable driver once again.

Rehabilitation by Rene

Then a local friend of ours, Aaron Weiss, introduced us to Van Nuys Sports Cars Inc., where we met master mechanic Rene Luteraan. During the next six months, Rene worked his way through all of the car’s mechanical systems –fuel, electrical, drivetrain, exhaust – in fine detail. He repaired and rebuilt components as he proceeded, sometimes having to machine replacement parts for originals that were no longer available.

We realized that we did not want to put the 300c through a complete restoration.

Despite the patina of time, the Cabriolet D’s evocative interior of wood, chrome and leather still appears ready to convey statesmen and diplomats on matters of great importance. Konrad Adenauer, first chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (1949-1963) used six custom 300 models over the years.

Sure, the car has a few dings, scratches and rust spots; we view these as badges of honor attesting to its long service.

When we retrieved the Cabriolet D in June 2016 – just in time for the San Marino Motor Classic – The Old Car was running like a Swiss watch.

Coming full circle

Confident that it will take us where we want to go and get us home again, we now take the trusty 300c regularly on jaunts and make it available for parades and shows in our community. It is not fully restored – we’ve done nothing to the Cabriolet D cosmetically other than wash and wax it. Sure, the car has a few dings, scratches and rust spots; we view these as badges of honor attesting to its long service. The good news is we’re not

years old. Unfortunately, he suffers from dementia. But when I showed him one of the beautiful pictures of his old Mercedes-Benz photographed in preparation for this article, Bill’s eyes lit up. He pointed to the picture and exclaimed, “That’s my car!”

I am looking forward to Bill seeing the finished article – I know it will really make his day. And, thank you for the opportunity to share the story of The Old Car with other members of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America.

The graceful rear of the 300c hides a spacious trunk capable of swallowing enough luggage to satisfy an entire family. The car’s advanced engine was designed to provide effortless performance and durability at a wide range of speeds and loads. Amanda and her father, Bill Zimmerman, with “The Old Car”.

FIRST DRIVE

Developing an aspirational automobile that is meant not only to transport passengers to high-fashion restaurants and resorts, but also to excite and entertain a skilled driver on twisting coastal back-roads, is a welcome challenge to designers and engineers.

With that customer in mind, Mercedes-Benz has found an exclusive niche market. Two-door versions of its top-of-the-line S-Class vehicles are perfect for influential individuals who spend much of the year in locations like Malibu, Miami, Monte Carlo and Dubai and expect the absolute finest in their preferred mode of personal transportation.

We recently drove the 2018 updates of the S-Class coupes and cabriolets on the roads between Beverly Hills,

Santa Barbara and Malibu. We were exhilarated and impressed by how well the developers succeeded at their task.

Designing the dream

Arrayed for our review were S-Class Coupes and Cabriolets in each of the three engine variants: The S560 with 4-liter biturbo V-8 producing a satisfying 463 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, the S63 AMG with hand-built 4-liter biturbo V-8 producing an impressive 603 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque, and the S65 AMG with handbuilt 12-cylinder engine producing a mind-bending 621 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque.

Dr. Hermann-Joseph Storp, the chief engineer for the S-Class line and almost a living legend at Mercedes-Benz Cars because of his extraordinary engineering proficiency combined with a markedly

poetic approach to his job, described the way he sees his task.

“A luxury automobile should have a distinct character, a specific feeling,” he said. “With the S-Class coupe and cabriolet, I wanted that character to combine luxury and performance.

“For example, the car should be comfortable, with isolation from any harshness and unpleasant noise, but should still have a pleasing performance sound. But each model should have its own distinctive character, so I worked with the engine designers to achieve a specific sound that would suit the driver of that particular car.”

The driving experience

With temps in the mid-60s and the sky a patchwork of clouds, we knew that our first drive had to be a cabriolet. When we saw the S65 AMG across the

circular driveway in front of the new Waldorf-Astoria Beverly Hills with its top already down, we knew we would be starting from the very top of the stack. Because of the mind-blowing 738 pound-feet of torque, it is rear-wheel drive only, with a 7G-Tronic AMG Speedshift Plus transmission. The engine fired up with a combination of the almost-trademark AMG bark, then settled into the ultra-smooth rhythm only available in a 12-cylinder car. With the Distronic Plus active cruise control set at the speed limit and the improved Active Steering Assist with GPS curve mapping enabled, we were just one step away from chauffeur-driven limousine comfort. On the freeways, the car took over the driving, adjusting to the road direction and traffic speed, asking us only to keep our hands lightly resting on the steering wheel.

Multitalented

t h e 2018 S- cl ass S560, S63 and S65 co upe and c a briolet are perfect for a day at the beach or a night on the town

The active suspension with hydraulicplunger shock-absorbers, standard on the S65, not only reduced tilt on corners but also smoothed out bumps and potholes.

But on the last part of the drive, down Topanga Canyon from U.S. 101 to the Pacific Coast Highway, this car showed off what the awesome torque and active suspension could really do. Yes, the car weighs nearly 1,300 pounds more than the GT S we drove recently in Arizona, but it took very little more effort in this luxurious four-passenger cabriolet to carve the curves at a breath-taking pace.

According to the specs, the S65 is actually a tick slower than the less

expensive S63 AMG 4Matic. However, the incomparable sound, and the sensation of the suspension taking care of any imperfections in either road surface or driver skill would help to justify the cost differential of a more powerful traditional rear-drive V-12.

On the Pacific Coast Highway up to Santa Barbara late in the afternoon, as the sun set over the ocean, we opted for an S63 AMG Coupe. The new 4-liter turbo-charged V-8 engine offered a more muted, but still estimable exhaust growl. With its 4Matic electronically controlling front-to-rear distribution of the 664 pound-feet of torque, coupled through

a 9G-Tronic multi-clutch transmission, and AMG Ride Control+ with Active Damping Adjustment – a mouthful, to be sure – we were very impressed with the car’s handling.

We think this powertrain is a perfect match for the look and feel of this personal luxury car. It just feels like more of a driver’s car, capable of keeping an enthusiastic novice out of trouble, but ready to reward the competent driver with fantastic feedback on a curvy road or a closed road course.

Heading back towards Los Angeles early the next morning, in spite of a chill off the ocean, we took the keyfob

2018 Mercedes-Benz S63

TYPE: Two-door, four-passenger Coupe or Cabriolet

DRIVE: AMG Performance 4Matic all-wheel drive with fully variable F/R torque split ENGINE: 3,982cc AMG-built biturbo V-8

HORSEPOWER: 603 at 5,500-6,000 rpm TORQUE: 664 lb-ft at 2,750-4,500 rpm TRANSMISSION: 9-speed AMG Speedshift MCT automatic

WHEELBASE: 115.9 in LENGTH: 198.9 in WIDTH: 75.3 in HEIGHT: 55.6 in

PERFORMANCE: Zero-60 mph 3.4 sec TOP SPEED: 186 mph (electronically limited) q

to an S560 Cabriolet. With the heated seats on, windows up, and front and rear wind deflectors deployed, we were not only perfectly comfortable with the top down, but could carry on a conversation without shouting, even in morning Pacific Coast Highway traffic. We did put up the top at one of the first stoplights in Ventura; with the redesigned three-layer soft-top in place, the cabriolet was as comfortable and quiet as the coupe.

After the experience of the two AMG versions, we wondered if the S560 would feel like a step down. Instead, we think that the owner who calculates costs and benefits in monetary terms, rather than in status and impressions, will find this relatively benign model to be a very good choice. With a still-impressive torque of more than 500 pound-feet, and with all

the features available on the S63 and S65, it may not provide the same power or speed bragging rights as the AMGs but there’s no question it will provide great driving satisfaction to its owner and luxurious comfort to passengers.

Pleasing, impressive styling

Designers have subtly refreshed the sporty exterior styling of the current S-Class Coupe and Cabriolet. To ensure there’s no confusion at the valet stand, the S560 has the traditional Mercedes-Benz star held in place by strakes across the diamond-patterned sport grille. Move up to the S63 and, as on the GTs, the face harks back to the Panamericana cars of the 1950s, with vertical bars and the star set in the oval grille. And for those who accept nothing but the very best,

the S65 also has bright chrome accents on the intake ducts and side moldings to distinguish it from the V-8s.

A new tail-lamp technology – organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) consisting of inch-square wafer-thin pieces of light-emitting material that form a fishscale-like lighting surface – is used on all three models. With each individual wafer capable of producing white, yellow and red light at several levels of intensity, the taillights can produce patterns that conveyed information in a manner guaranteed to catch the eye of pedestrians and rear traffic.

But as understated as the exterior is, the interior might be termed almost baroque, in the sense that exaggerated curves and careful detailing produce drama, grandeur and exuberance. The

new double-screen driver gauges and infotainment display system may be the only flat surface in the entire interior. The remainder of the dashboard and door treatments is a symphony of concave and convex curves clothed in the best of textured wood, satin chrome and beautifully sewn leathers.

While the knobs and touch-surface pommel on the console that control the infotainment system and drive dynamics are unchanged from the previous S-Class models, the steering wheel design and controls have changed significantly. Now the cruise control and entertainment controls are mounted on the spokes with tiny touch pads controlling the display screens. Because these controls and the screen information take a bit of practice to master, owners seasoned by

interacting with Siri and Alexa will likely use voice commands for most interaction. An upscale improvement in-seat massage has been added to the S-Class to take the edge off that long boring drive from Palm Springs to Phoenix. Select one of five relaxation modes or three exercise modes and the car responds with suitable ambient lighting, aroma, music and narrative to suit 10-minute driver and/or passenger seat-massage sequences.

The bottom line

After two days of driving each of the three powertrains in both body styles, we came away with one overall impression. As Dr. Storp emphasized, the 2018 S-Class in its two-door personal format has a distinctive character that provides a satisfying feeling of traditional luxury

and modern technology. Any version should admirably suit the driving enthusiast with occasional passengers to convey, who expects nothing but the very best in automotive transportation.

Should you be in the market, deliveries will begin this summer. Prices, which have yet to announced, are expected to closely track the 2017 models, ranging from $150,000 to $250,000, depending on powertrain and options.

Just before The Star went to press, several of the marvelous scenic areas of Southern California through which we drove were overtaken by wild fires, exacerbated by lack of rain and fierce Santa Ana winds. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to all those who have suffered unprecedented loss during these tragic events.

S560

S63

q

2018 Mercedes-Benz S65

TYPE: Two-door, four-passenger Coupe or Cabriolet

DRIVE: Rear-wheel drive ENGINE: 5,980cc AMG-built biturbo V-12

HORSEPOWER: 621 at 4,800-5,400 rpm

TORQUE: 738 lb-ft at 2,300-4,300 rpm TRANSMISSION: 7G-Tronic AMG Speedshift Plus WHEELBASE: 115.9 in LENGTH: 198.9 in WIDTH: 75.3 in HEIGHT: 56.2 in PERFORMANCE: Zero-60 mph 4.0 sec TOP SPEED: 186 mph (electronically limited)

BENZES

Are Built

Where PART III: Bremen

The history of the automobile factories of Mercedes-Benz

So, which is currently the largest and most productive assembly facility in the world wide MercedesBenz factory constellation? No, it is not located in Untertürkheim or even Sindelfingen, both plants sited near downtown Stuttgart. Instead, the answer lies far to the north of Germany, close to the North Sea, where the colossal Bremen manufacturing complex can be found.

Apart from its most important contribution – the MercedesBenz complex in Bremen is now the center of global C-Class assembly – there are two additional factors that help explain why it has grown to be such a vital part of overall production. One is that it is only 40 miles from Bremerhaven, the seaport from which many Mercedes-Benz exports – particularly to North America – begin their long delivery journeys. And the second reason? Bremen is some 400 miles distant (seven hours’ driving time on high-speed German autobahns) from Stuttgart. It is therefore as close to being as independent as possible.

A brief tour of today’s Bremen complex reveals rank after rank of ultra-modern facilities, but it hides the fact that the ground itself, and a portion of the facilities, were not originally owned by the three-pointed star, but by a rambling and rather chaotically developing series of automotive brands by the names of Hanomag, Hansa and – laterally – Borgward. None of those marques ever had any commercial links to Daimler AG, nor used any Mercedes-Benz components in their products.

Borgward in Bremen

The story begins in 1906 with Lloyd, which then partnered with Hansa in 1914. Hanomag started making cars of its own in Hanover beginning in 1924; soon afterward, Carl Borgward came on the scene and acquired the surviving business, somehow outlasting Germany’s financial traumas of that dark period, and started out yet again in Bremen, in 1929. The first Borgward-branded car followed in 1939, just in time for the company to be caught up in the Second World War.

Bremen was an obvious target for attack by the AngloAmerican air campaign – for not only was a Focke-Wulfe aircraft plant located in the city, but the downstream port of Bremerhaven was hugely important to Germany’s naval war

effort. Between 1941 and 1944, the city was repeatedly bombed. One of these massive aerial assaults decimated the Borgward facility – buildings, cars, equipment and all the administrative records – leaving nothing but a smoking ruin.

Repair, restoration and reconstruction followed in the years after the great conflict. The old Borgward concern in Bremen had vanished; a new Borgward company had to be created out of the rubble and new automobiles designed, tested and put on sale. Gradually, Borgward (along with its other brands, Lloyd and Hansa) become a recognized postwar manufacturer of respectable middle-class cars.

But the news was not all good. Although Borgward’s 1950s products – headlined by the original Isabella – were authentic head-to-head competitors with the Mercedes-Benz Ponton range, Borgward could not match the Stuttgart rival’s sales volume. A larger P100 limousine-type car, which first appeared in 1960, did little to increase the company’s market share. Although Borgward automobiles were well engineered and the firm also built powerful and successful racing engines, the company found it increasingly difficult to turn a profit. The financial stress cracks soon began to widen. Harassed by its many creditors, Borgward was forced into liquidation in September 1961, disappearing forever from Bremen.

Bremen under new management

Once the last rites had been read over the remains of Borgward, the manufacturing site remained in limbo. Then, Mercedes-Benz took an interest. The Stuttgart firm had no intention of reviving the Borgward name or model range, but found the existing buildings, the space at hand for expansion and the availability of a skilled labor force most attractive.

At the time, Mercedes-Benz was enjoying – or suffering, as insiders of the day termed it – an unstoppable surge in demand for its cars and commercial-vehicle range. As already noted in previous surveys of the Sindelfingen and Untertürkheim operations (see The Star, May-June and September-October 2017), by the late 1960s, the company’s existing assembly plants were bursting at the seams, leading Mercedes-Benz to acquire the old Borgward facilities.

ABOVE: In April 1978, production of the Mercedes-Benz T-Wagen – the W123 station wagon – started on a new assembly line in the old Bremen plant. LEFT: Massive new facilities were built in the early 1980s.

The company then set about reviving, modernizing and ultimately expanding Bremen beyond all recognition. Originally, the ex-Borgward Bremen facility was used for the manufacture of small Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles, but by the mid-1970s, a new imperative emerged. Announced in 1976, the ultra-successful W123 range, which included sedans and coupes with a choice of 4-, and 5-cylinder diesel engines, was selling at the rate of more than 300,000 units each year. The Sindelfingen plant, it seemed, could simply make no more.

Early expansion

Because Mercedes-Benz was about to launch its very first station wagon – built on the W123 platform and engines – the firm took a deep breath and installed new assembly lines at Bremen alongside those already in use for commercial vehicles to handle assembly of the multi-choice “T” (T for Tourer) range.

Launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1977, this new Bremen-built vehicle went into production in spring 1978. Demand was brisk. Fortunately, the company had been prudent enough to plan to move van production to another plant at Düsseldorf, for although a mere 10,581 T-Wagens were built in Bremen in 1978, that figure rocketed to approximately 30,000 by 1982. Many more were soon to come.

The next big boost came in the early 1980s when MercedesBenz began building a large new assembly plant on available land some distance away from the original Borgward buildings. As part of long-term expansion plans in the 1980s, the firm had intended to announce and then build a new model – the W201 (see Buyers Guide, page 66).

This new vehicle – christened the “small Mercedes-Benz” by casual pundits – was both smaller and lighter than the existing W123. This new machine would use an entirely fresh platform and a new range of 4-cylinder engines. In marketing terms, it would fit below – and be cheaper than – existing models.

Company directors determined that this new model would become the cornerstone of a much-expanded Bremen complex. However, many issues remained to be settled with trade unions and local authorities before production could begin. With a

Expansion at the Bremen plant was steady, and endless, with the company investing almost uncountable amounts of capital to make this the largest of all Mercedes-Benz automobile manufacturing plants.

ABOVE, LEFT: Production of the Mercedes-Benz W201 compact sedan begins, 1984. ABOVE, RIGHT: The last Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 (with laurel wreath, right) comes off the assembly line attended by (from left) Bremen factory Director Dr. Dietrich Zeyfang, 1992 German Touring Car Championship winner Klaus Ludwig, and

head

of automotive assembly Herbert Lueck (with flowers). Ludwig’s race version of the 190E 2.5-16 is at left. OPPOSITE: Aerial view of the Bremen complex, after 1983. The former Borgward plant is in the foreground; newer production facilities are in the middle distance and background.

launch date for the W201 scheduled for late 1982 – well before production facilities at Bremen had been installed or even agreed upon – the first year’s production of about 100,000 cars had to be built at the overburdened Sindelfingen plant.

After this, with agreements finally struck with the local factions and van production now banished, W201s in everincreasing numbers were assembled – with tooling and tracks transferred in double-quick time from Sindelfingen – alongside the line for the original T-Wagen, which would be built until 1985. The Cosworth-engined 16-valve 190E 2.3-16 sedan, a very specialized high-performance derivative of the W201, was at first built at Sindelfingen as well, but was transferred to Bremen beginning in 1984.

Late in 1985, production of the original W123 T-Wagen, built at Bremen for eight years, finally came to an end after more than 200,000 examples had been produced. The station wagon model of the W124 range – known internally as the S124 – then immediately replaced the venerable W123 T-Wagen on Bremen’s assembly lines.

Growing into the future

Expansion at the Bremen plant was steady and endless, with the company investing almost uncountable amounts of capital to make this the largest of all Mercedes-Benz automobilemanufacturing plants. As this writer saw in an ultra-brief visit during 2016, Bremen’s expanded facilities now include a compact test track, incorporating near-vertically banked hairpin corners (rather like those to be seen at Untertürkheim), and a modern, lavishly equipped – and unceasingly busy –customer-collection center.

Recent development has been even more persistent – and impressive. W201 assembly blossomed for years, to be eventually replaced by the first of the C-Class range. Sporty SL and SLK models (later rebadged the SLC) have been built in Bremen for many years, occupying the much-modernized ex-Borgward block; from the mid-2010s, the new generation of the bestselling C-Class was installed there as well, manufactured in sedan, estate, coupe and cabriolet forms. Not only that, but recently the GLC SUV model has also been added to the plant’s product range. As icing on the ever-larger cake – and a real

testament to the skill and commitment to quality of the entire workforce – Bremen is also now home for the assembly of the stylish up-market E-Class coupe and cabriolet models.

Worth a visit

Every week, thousands of sparkling new Mercedes-Benz vehicles depart the bustling Bremen facility in seemingly endless streams for the thriving nearby port of Bremerhaven, thence to be exported to markets everywhere around the world. Are you perhaps thinking about purchasing a new MercedesBenz in the near future? If you are looking at one of the models built in Bremen, it might be worthwhile to consider flying into the city to enjoy a fascinating plant tour of this massive modern manufacturing complex before taking European delivery of your gleaming new Mercedes-Benz.

Made In Bremen

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•

•

•

Mercedes-Benz models built at Bremen as of mid-2017:

c- c l ass: s e dan/ s t ation Wagon/ c o upe/ c abriolet

glc suv/ c o upe

sl and slc

e - c l ass c ou pe/ c a briolet

FROM LEFT: Production of the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Bremen plant, 2014. Roadster production. The new E-Class cabriolet is now “Made in Bremen.”

The Best of the Best: The U.S. Market

W201 C-Class • 1984-1993

The compact “Baby Benz” range was designed to be modern, light, and economical, without compromising hallmark Mercedes-Benz handling, performance, safety and reliability

WWhen the proposal was made in 1975 to extend the portfolio of the mid-size W123 models and full-size W116 already in the worldwide market by adding a compact series, the board of management in stuttgart was very cautious. however, thoughts of the success of the 170 series (W136) in the 1930s to 1950s and the Ponton series (W120 and W121) in the 1950s-1960s, and a desire to have deeper market penetration, led the board to approve development of the W201 series of compact sedans. having smaller sedans that provided the luxury and amenities of its stablemates did not dilute the brand’s image. in fact, they were a raging success! the addition of the 16-valve models enhanced the range, adding performance to the luxury. over a 10-year production run, nearly two million of the W201 series were produced, meaning that an enthusiast has the opportunity to find one in good to excellent condition. today, a W201 can be an exciting or economical choice as a practical sedan. a s when looking for any vehicle of this age, just follow daimler’s motto, “ the best or nothing,” when making your decision.

Background

When the automotive press first saw the W201 in spain in december 1982, journalists recalled seeing models running on the company’s test tracks in 1979. the long development and testing time was not surprising; the W201 body design and the five-link rear suspension were entirely new. the m102 engine and transmission, however, were adapted from the W123 chassis.

head of styling bruno sacco described the W201 body style as “diamond cut” because of the angular lines compared with the more rounded style of the sedans from the 1960s and 1970s. based on the c111 prototype vehicles, the forward-sloped profile and the short rear deck were breaks from tradition, but would influence mercedes- benz styling for another decade.

the initial 2-liter carbureted 4-cylinder engine could not meet stringent u s. emissions regulations, but the m102 fuel-injected (einspritz) engine in the 190e 2.3 did; in 1984, u s. car buyers eagerly began purchasing the W201 “baby benz.” a diesel version with the 2.2-liter m601 engine was also available. these two engines were considered under-powered for the u s market, even though the W201 weighed only 2,500 pounds and had a remarkably low coefficient of drag for the time of 0.33.

Faced with increasing competition from bmW, product planners in 1983 introduced the 190e 2.3-16, with a 4-valve per cylinder head developed by cosworth, for enthusiasts with a passion for track-day events, bringing the sport sedan to the mercedes- benz portfolio. (a full review of this model appeared in the star’s march-april 2010 issue, pages 55-57.) this model remains the most desirable of the W201 series, although finding one that has not been badly beaten or severely modified can be a challenge. in 1988, the 2.3-16 was replaced with the 2.5-16 , but that model is rarely seen in the united states.

in 1984, the gas engine was re-engineered to produce 121 horsepower, replacing the 113-horsepower original. the 2.2-liter diesel engine was replaced in 1985 with a 2.5-liter version with 93 horsepower compared with the original 72-horsepower engine. both versions offered the choice of a 4-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual with overdrive transmission. this was in response to the perception of the original 190e 2.3 models being underpowered. in 1987, the company introduced the 6-cylinder 190e 2.6 with 158 horsepower and the smoothness of an inline-six, though the united states didn’t see this model until 1988. today, it is a desirable example of the gas-powered range. also, 1987 was the only year of the 2.5-liter turbodiesel – the 190d 2.5 turbo – a 5-cylinder engine producing 123 horsepower, now a highly desirable model for diesel enthusiasts. in 1991 the 4-cylinder engine returned with a new cylinder head and improved fuel-injection as the 190e 2.3 with 130 horsepower. it was marketed along with the 6-cylinder 190e 2.6 at 158 horsepower. a sportline version was introduced in 1992 for enthusiasts looking for better handling. this option had stiffer springs and shocks and it rode lower; it had more supportive seats and a smaller-diameter steering wheel. With performance tires, the 6-cylinder sportline can match the lap times of the 190e 2.3-16. toward the end of production in 1992, road & track magazine surveyed 339 190e owners, who reported only two problems: longevity of the brake pads and rotors, and efficiency of the air-conditioning system. the brake pads and rotors may have a lot to do with how the cars were driven. the a/c system is typical of mercedes- benz models of that time. it took the company nearly three decades to create air-conditioning that worked well for all passengers. the W201 was replaced with the W202 sedans – the c220 (4-cylinder) and c280 (6-cylinder) – in 1993, an auspicious beginning for the modern compact mercedes- benz c- class sedans. amg also began working its magic with the W202 series as the company continues to do on many mercedes- benz models to the present day.

Reasons to Buy

the W201s were among the last mercedes- benz models built before cost accounting started to compromise engineering-driven, no-compromise quality. a s the least expensive series from this period, they can be excellent bargains for collectors, enthusiasts or the owner wanting a practical daily driver. the bodies are noted for their generally rust-free nature, the result of good design and more effective rust-proofing practices. all engines are considered to be durable and reliable, with the strongest ratings in the last several years of production. all are comfortable cruisers at highway speeds and are acceptable in urban and suburban driving. the suspension (gas-filled struts in front, multilink in rear and coil springs all around) contributes to excellent handling and smooth riding. the antilock braking system (abs) acting on four-wheel disc brakes is more than adequate for all models. Finally, highway fuel

economy is excellent with more than 25 mpg for the 2.3-liter 4-cylinder gas engines and 38 mpg for the 2.2-liter diesel engines – favorably comparable with models today.

Reasons Not to Buy

the earlier models were considered to be under-powered with 0-60 mph times of 11.2 seconds (gasoline) and 18.6 seconds (diesel). the 2.6 models were in the 8-9 second range for 0-60 mph, with the 190e 2.3-16 taking 7.1 seconds.

legroom in the back seats is quite limited, especially if the frontseat passengers have their seats moved back. however, this may not be a serious problem; the W201s had front-seat legroom comparable to the s - class sedans at the time. Finally, the standard recommendation is to “buy the best one you can afford.” be diligent in scanning the market, have a professional inspection by a mechanic experienced with these cars, and look for the improved later models in the series.

Checkpoints

get all the service records that you can, preferably from when the car was new. this will identify any deferred or ignored maintenance and repairs. also, the records show where the car was during its life – a good clue about risks of rust from salt on roads.

the climate-control systems proved to be troublesome, particularly due to the plastic valves that control air distribution. replacement parts (made of aluminum) are available, but labor is the big expense because most of the dash must be removed to get to the a/c components.

Power-operated windows, sunroof, radio antenna and seats should all be checked for proper operation. automatic transmissions should shift smoothly and without noticeable bearing noises. manual transmissions should have working synchromesh on all forward gears and have no noticeable bearing noises; the clutch should engage and disengage smoothly with no chatter and correct pedal travel.

check for leaks from the cooling system, engine, transmission and differential. an inspection by a mechanic knowledgeable about cars of this period can distinguish between leaks that can be fixed simply and inexpensively and those that indicate a major systems problem.

engines should be checked for smooth operation from startup, through warm-up, and on to road performance. there are known issues with these early fuel-injection systems controlled by vacuum and temperature sensors, requiring repairs from simple adjustments to major rebuilds.

diesel engines relied on vacuum pumps to operate many systems (because the diesel system does not create manifold vacuum) and the

vacuum pumps are prone to bearing failure, leading to more serious problems with the engine. early engines had problems with valve guides and seals; watch for excessive oil consumption and blue smoke while decelerating.

leaking head gaskets may show up as a coolant leak outside the engine or white foam on the dipstick, indicating coolant in the crankcase causing oil frothing that may lead to engine failure from diluted oil. regular coolant changes – at least every two years from the time these models were made – should be recorded on the service records. Without coolant changes, the alloy heads and cast-iron blocks are subject to electrolysis and damage to the heads, an expensive replacement and repair.

the abs antilock braking system on later models can be tested for proper operation on a street or large parking lot with no traffic by driving at 30-35 mph and stomping the brake pedal until the car comes to a complete stop. the pedal should pulsate; there will probably be some knocking sounds as the brakes pulse. the car should come to a straight stop without swerving and there should be no lockup or skid marks on the pavement. brakes on earlier models that do not have abs can be tested by pressing firmly on the brake pedal to come to a stop as quickly and smoothly as possible. the car should stop smoothly without pulling to either side. look for an interior that is in good condition. the mb -tex (bonded vinyl) is nearly indestructible but can crack from sun damage. aftermarket seat covers may hide a multitude of problems. check that

leather and mb -tex show evidence of regular conditioning, with wear limited to nothing more than some rippling – especially on the seat bottoms. Fabric upholstery is highly unlikely to be present in u s -spec cars but should be checked for condition nonetheless. seats should be well sprung, should not sag and should provide good support. mercedes- benz has had orthopedically designed seats since the 1960s, but they will wear with heavy use. carpets may be worn on the driver’s side; full carpeting kits are available for under $1,000.

there was a recall on the 1983 models for defective 14-inch alloy wheels (date codes 3583-4983, weeks 35 to 49, 1983) that had cracking problems. these should have been replaced under warranty at the time, but check the date codes on the alloy wheels to be sure that the wheels on the car you are considering do not have these date codes.

Finally

as with any purchase of a classic car, be sure to budget 20-30 percent more than the purchase price to cover maintenance and repairs to correct problems that went undiscovered during your initial inspection. Finally, two maxims to consider when buying mercedesbenz cars: First, we would rather buy a car with high mileage that has been driven regularly and been well maintained than to be seduced by a car with very low mileage that has sat unused and not maintained. second, a car being sold by the first or second owner – with a known service history – will always be more reliable than one from a dealer with unknown provenance. caveat emptor.

FROM TOP: Cutaway drawing of compact W201, designed by Bruno Sacco to bring Mercedes-Benz quality and safety to a new segment of the automotive market. Export models for the United States: a red 1983 190D 2.2 and a dark blue 1991 190E 2.3. The original Mercedes-Benz sport sedan: From any angle, the 190E 2.3-16 with manual transmission, hound’s-tooth upholstery, and a 4-valve per cylinder Cosworth head remains the most desirable W201 model.

Specifications: Mercedes-Benz

Chronology: Mercedes-Benz W201 • 1984-1993 1982 190 & 190E presented to automotive press, Spain • Production starts Sindelfingen, October 1983 190D & 190E 2.3 16 launched Frankfurt Auto Show, September • Production begins, with deliveries by December • Parallel production starts Bremen, November 1984 190E 2.3 engine upgraded from 113 to 121 horsepower for 1985 model 1985 190D 2.5 & 190E 2.6 launched Frankfurt Auto Show, September • Power steering, heated door mirrors standard, November • 1986 190E 2.3-16 on sale U.S.(2 years only) 1986 190E 2.6 production begins April; sales begin September • U.S. model 2.3 & 2.6 equipped with three-way catalytic converter 1987 190D 2.5 Turbo launched Frankfurt Auto Show, September • 190E 2.3 horsepower increased from 122 to 130 for 1987 1988 O ne millionth W201 manufactured, Bremen, June • W201 facelift shown Paris Auto Show, September • 190E 2.5-16 introduced 1989 Diesel engines upgraded for lower emissions, February • Sportline model introduced, June • 190E 2.5-16 Evolution launched, March (racing version with 315-320 hp) 1990 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II launched, March 1991 Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) standard on most W201s 1993 Production ends at Sindelfingen in February and at Bremen in August

AUCTIONREPORT

Lot 6938 – 1971 m e rcedes- b e nz 280 s l was sold new in a l bany, n e w yo rk, at ke eler m o tor c a r co. June 26, 1971. t h e current owners purchased the car in 2006 and have since used it as a summer driver in the a dirondack region of n e w yo rk. t h e body was repainted about 10 years ago and is believed to be unmodified aside from a set of non-original front fenders. t h e car was used regularly in the summer months by the current owners and stored in a climate-controlled garage when not in use. Power comes from a 2.8 l inline-six that the seller states has been consistently maintained; the transmission is an automatic. This 1971 280SL sold in Mayfield, New York, November 20, 2017, for $41,000.

Lot 6632 – 2001 m e rcedes- b e nz cl 6 00 is finished in g l acier White over Java e xclusive leather with a naturally aspirated 5.8 l v-12 and 5-speed automatic transmission. t h e car was sold new in m i ami b e ach and remained in Florida with two prior owners until being acquired by the selling dealer in 2016. a n ei senmann exhaust system was installed, and other recent work includes a new alternator, inner tie rods and front abc struts. n o w showing just under 52,000 miles. t h is W215 coupe was sold with owner’s literature, a window sticker and a clean c a rfax report. Sold from Evanston, Illinois, November 1, 2017, for $19,259.

Lot 6948 – 1988 m e rcedes- b e nz 300 t e in d e sert ta upe m e tallic shows just under 70,000 miles and is powered by a 3.0 l m103 inline-six backed by an automatic transmission. t h e car reportedly remained in the s a n a n tonio, te xas, area until 2013 when it was relocated to s a n Francisco. a fter recently acquiring the car from the previous owner’s parents, the seller installed new tires, a new serpentine belt and pulley, rear brake pads, and performed an oil service and tune-up. t h is W124 touring car is now being offered for sale at no reserve with service records beginning in 2008, a toolkit and first-aid kit, and owner’s manual. This 300TE was sold in Portland, Oregon, November 20, 2017, for $10,250.

Lot No. 7113 – a matching-numbers 1960 m e rcedes- b e nz 190 s l , with original 1.9-liter inline-4 and 4-speed manual transmission showing 61,000 miles. b o ught new by the owner’s father in 1960 from the to ronto dealer and passed on to the daughter, the current owner, in 1977. s h e reupholstered the car in 1979 in tan leather, as original, did a bare-metal original color repaint in 1987, and installed a new soft top. co mplete maintenance records date back 42 years. r e ported to have been garage kept since new and driven sparingly by three family members throughout its life . s o ld with original books and manuals, tool kit, and removable large-window hardtop. This 1960 190SL was sold November 30, 2017, from Toronto, Ontario, for $87,600.

Lot 6958 – 1971 m e rcedes- b e nz 300 s el 3.5 was purchased new in c a lifornia and has been kept in the l o s a n geles area from new. t h e original owner kept the car until 1992, when it was passed to his son. s ince 1992, the car has been kept as part of the owner’s collection and used sparingly. t h e car has been repainted in its original color and the current owner had the cylinder heads gone through in 2006. i n p reparation for sale, the seller drained and refilled the gas, and refilled other fluids as needed. t h e original books and manuals are included, and the original service booklet is stamped through 63,000 miles. Sold in Los Angeles, California, November 21, 2017, for $24,000.

The first words out of the mouths of my friends when i told them i was buying a 15-year-old mercedes- benz s - class were, “are you nuts?” When i told my enthusiast friends in the mercedes- benz club of america the s500 i was buying was equipped with ac tive body control, they said almost the same thing: “are you crazy?” i understand why people shy away from older luxury cars. they aren’t for everyone. if you are uncomfortable opening the hood of your car, let alone changing its oil, just buy a new toyota and trade it in after 100,000 miles. but i wanted something special for my money, so i looked at used mercedes- benzes on the internet. i strictly follow a set of personal rules and i’ve never been disappointed. as an example, consider this W220-chassis 2002 s500.

I did my research

When buying an out-of-warranty car, i find out about the model’s idiosyncrasies. looking for a luxury car, it took six months to determine a 2002 s500 was the best value for my $20,000 budget. i learned everything i could about the vehicle’s systems and what questions to ask. in this case, i learned that the abc system can be a marvelous feature provided it’s been rebuilt and properly maintained.

I talked to the owner before bidding

ownership, mileage and the way the car was used are important in determining reliability. the car i was interested in was being offered by its second owner, who told me that the first owner was a former u s. ambassador to austria, by the name of david F. girard-dicarlo. girard-dicarlo paid roughly $114,000 back in 2002 by the time he stopped checking the option boxes. he had the car monogrammed and pinstriped by hand and used it in scottsdale, arizona, to drive back and forth between his home and his country club. When girard-dicarlo and his wife retired to santa Fe in 2008, he sold the vehicle, having driven only 30,000 miles. the second owner only used it for local car events. i even knew a new mexico section member who had photographs of the car.

I asked for the service records

if i they hadn’t been available, i would have moved on. the two owners of the s500 were meticulous, with all service done at the dealers. asking about that critical abc system, i learned the seller had purchased an extended warranty that he recently used to have the abc system rebuilt – typically a $7,000 job – at almost no cost.

I carefully checked pictures of the car

if headlamp lenses are cloudy or wheel rims are scuffed, chances are that crucial things like transmission and brake-fluid service have been neglected. the pictures i received of the s500 showed a car that had been pampered since new.

With all my considerations addressed, i made an offer of $15,000. even though that’s an incredible value considering the original cost, it was well above the typical prices these cars – with all their uncertainties – fetch in the market. but i was certain: i made my offer, it was accepted and i couldn’t be happier. every time i drive my s500, i feel as if i’m on my way to the embassy or golf course.

OPPOSITE AND ABOVE: My beautiful 2002 S500V. If you do your homework, have decent mechanical skills and invest the time to make it happen, an 8-10-year-old Mercedes-Benz might be a good choice for you. It was for me: I paid over market for my car, but think I got a good bargain once the big-ticket maintenance items that had already been carried out were factored in.

a r tic L e & image S scott brinkley

OLD

& NEW

&LOST F UND

As a buyer and seller of classic m ercedes- b enz automobiles, i received an intriguing telephone call last fall. t h e caller asked if i might be interested in buying an old sports car and a sedan located in the foothills above yountville in n o rthern c alifornia’s wine country. it might have been a depositmoney scam, but the seller sent copies of the title and other documents, confirming the authenticity of the cars. h owever, the property was being sold, so a deal needed to happen quickly. i decided to follow up.

When i got to the property at the end of a badly rutted dirt road, about a quarter mile off the highway, i found a 1957 190sl and a 1954 220s b oth were black-plated cars that had been parked 33 years ago. o utside. in the rain and sun. t hree decades.

d espite the extended exposure, the 190sl was in remarkable shape. t h e seller, daughter of the the recently deceased owner, said her father bought the car new and drove it frequently, but one day just parked it, complaining about some issue.

Cast Aside Classic

t h e sl was still generally solid; the doors opened and closed easily. even the hood opened, exposing a large community of critters in a debris condo. t h e ignition key was still in its slot. it was a fabulous – if not motley – find. t h e 220 was nothing more than a parts car, however.

after a reconnaissance trip to figure out how to remove the cars, i devised exit plans that included a tow truck, a flatbed, four people, an air source for the tires, and a handful of rakes and shovels.

t h e sl required half an hour of digging to free it for the pull. t h e tires were shot, so we mounted a spare set of wheels. o n the way up the hill to the main road, the tow truck repeatedly lost traction in the mud, threatening to slide backward down the hill.

in the end, we saved a classic car from the further ravages of nature. b e cause the 190sl is completely intact, it will go to a restorer in eastern europe, to emerge in time as a perfect, two-top show car.

once-proud mercedes- benz 190sl unearthed in nor thern california a r tic L e & image S roy s P en cer

Exhumation: The earth finally gives up its grasp on the 1957 190SL, 33 years after it was last parked.

Neglected • Abandoned • Forgotten

I devised exit plans that included a tow truck, a flatbed, four people, and a handful of rakes and shovels.

TECH Classic

Let the Sparks Fly

Last time (see the star, november- december, 2017), we explored the first electrical system in the automobile – the ignition system developed by bosch and used in mercedes racing cars in 1905 – to generate and control the timing of the sparks that ignited the fuel/air mixture in the cylinders.

the next major innovation in electrical systems was the introduction of the practical electric self-starter by charles kettering, who adapted it from an electric motor he had developed for cash registers. the electric self-starter, used in combination with a generator and battery, was first installed on the 1912 cadillac and was rapidly adopted by nearly all other automobile manufacturers, replacing the quirky and dangerous crank starter employed on earlier cars. this single innovation is credited as the major reason that the gasolinepowered automobile replaced the horse and buggy.

With a reliable supply of electricity available, automobile engineers soon started adding other electrical components for safety, reliability, comfort and convenience, including lights, windscreen wipers, heaters, radios, and gauges to monitor car speed and engine condition. by 1955, automobile wiring diagrams – the W198 300sl gullwing’s is shown here (Figure 1) – had become a complex maze of multicolored wires and connections sufficient to cause the layman to stare in disbelief.

Wiring systems became more complex with the addition of other conveniences: air-conditioning systems, as introduced in the W100 600 grosser mercedes in 1963, for example, needed their own separate wiring circuit and electrical system (Figure 2) the entire climate control and comfort systems were all electronically controlled, even offering separate controls for each position in the cabin.

similarly, the radios that were once considered luxury options gave way to audio systems that are today considered a necessity: current models have the comand system that integrates entertainment, communication and navigation systems with one – or two, depending upon the model – display screens for both information and control.

in the late 1960s, the entry of semiconductor electronics into the automotive-engineering world changed everything. the electronic circuits, computer sensing and control systems made possible using integrated circuits spawned a whole new world of development. Fuel-injection systems, previously mechanically operated, were now computer controlled, first as single-point injection, then multipoint, then direct injection into individual cylinders, combined with multiple injections and multiple sparks per ignition stroke.

anti-lock braking systems, which used sensors on each wheel to monitor individual wheel rotation, could be used to actuate the brakes on specific wheels to control skidding and loss of control. based on these systems, a plethora of driving aids became possible, including electronic stability control, early tire-pressure monitoring systems, brake-assist and traction-control systems.

From an owner’s perspective, these systems are a joy to behold and use; from an engineer’s perspective, they are a nightmare, requiring complicated and heavy wiring. Part of the solution has come from the introduction of controller area network (can) database systems, robust vehicle “bus” systems that allow all the micro-processors and other electronic control devices on a vehicle to communicate without the need for a central host computer (Figure 3). originally developed by robert bosch gmbh, the can bus was formally introduced at the

1986 society of automotive engineers conference in detroit, michigan. the can bus is message-based, with small-wattage multiplex fiber-optic signal systems controlling components and just the power circuits using larger and heavier cables, thus saving on materials, complexity and weight. the latest “d2b” (domestic digital bus) transmission can transmit data at the speed of light (3 x 105 km/sec) at a rate of 5.6 x 10 6 bips, up to 60 times faster than the equivalent copper-cable system. a modern automobile may have as many as 70 interlinked and interrelated systems that communicate with each other to control engine output, suspension, brakes and steering, as well as comfort, convenience, information and entertainment. but there is more to come. in our next installment, we’ll discuss 48-volt direct-current systems, which are now being introduced on advanced hybrid and fully electric vehicles, such as the nextgeneration cls to be launched in 2018.

Tech &Q A

Tires: Tubed & tubeless

QLast year I purchased a 1958 220S that had a tire with a slow leak. The tire-repair shop dismounted it only to discover that it was tubed. The repairman removed the old tube and remounted the tire on the wheel with a new stem, but without the tube. For more than a year, it has held its bead and not leaked at all, but another mechanic recently said that the wheels on that year car required tubes. Is that true? And if so, what is the risk of operating tubeless?

Athe rims on wheels designed for tubeless tires have a slightly different shape to better grip the bead of the tire to retain air, especially while cornering. Pre-1964 cars all had tube-type tires, but by 1964 virtually all cars had converted to tubeless tires, frequently radial-ply design, and used wheels designed for them. all bias-ply tires required tubes, so if you have replaced a bias-ply tire with a radial, there should be no problem. mercedes- benz has always had very high engineering standards; if you are using a tubeless tire with no issues, there are advantages to keeping them.

tubes in tires generate more heat because of friction between tube and the tire. tubetype tires were bias-ply (pre-radials), and they, too, generated more heat (affecting tread life and risking blowout – especially on long trips). the biggest concern that i know of is that a tubeless tire on an older rim should be kept at recommended pressure to avoid the tire rolling off the rim while cornering. early radials used a lower pressure than was typical for bias-ply tires to give a more comfortable ride, but that could cause the outer edges of the tread to wear rapidly. so, if you are using radial tires, be sure to keep the pressure up to a modern level (e.g., 32-36 psi rather than 24-28 psi); you can use the "maximum t ire Pressure" text molded into the sidewall and drop down a few pounds to assure a good bead and good wear.

For more information, the coker t ire website has good information about using tubes – or not – with your classic vehicle. the site also has a very useful radial crossreference guide to tire sizes and their equivalents over the years. the links are www. cokertire.com/blog/tube-tech and www. cokertire.com/blog/tire-size-cross-reference.

Finally, both tires on the same axle (front left/front right and rear left/rear right) should have the same brand and model of tire to avoid control problems due to different tire diameter, traction, rolling resistance and other driving characteristics. ideally, all

four tires should be identical except when staggered sizes are called for on newer, higher-performance vehicles.

A key issue for R129s

QI recently purchased a 2000 500SL in pristine condition from a local Mercedes-Benz dealer. It had only one smart key; the dealer ordered a second key from Mercedes-Benz at my request. Several weeks later, Mercedes-Benz advised the dealer that it no longer could supply replacement keys and offered no help in finding an alternative. Several subsequent attempts by the dealer to get a new key from other sources have ended in failure, as have my independent attempts.

Because I cannot be the only owner and club member with this issue, I am hoping that someone has had more success than I have. Obviously, losing the key – or its failure – would be problematic, to say the least. Second, the lack of information at the dealer level about this issue makes me wonder about Mercedes-Benz support and commitment to owners of older cars.

Aaccording to our sources at mbusa and the classic center (which now supplies parts for the r129 models) replacement keys for the r129s, W140s and W163 ml s are not presently available “due to current constraints in our global supply chain.” however, they promise they are making every effort to locate a new supplier and hope to have the problem solved in the near future. they encourage customers to “call the customer a ssistance center at 800.367.6372 to report this and other vehicle concerns. the c ac’s role is to address and assist customer concerns and utilize all available resources to help meet those objectives.”

Timing chain and guide wear

QI’d like guidance on evaluating timing chain stretch and chainguides wear. I have seen horror videos on YouTube of M119 and other Mercedes-Benz vehicles with badly worn, timing chains. I have also read stories of bad M119 experiences on marque forums. Since my 1999 CL500 has reached 165K miles, I am concerned about the condition of the timing chain and its guides, especially because there are reported issues once a vehicle passes 125K miles (200,000 kilometers).

Athe inevitable stretching of the timing chain over time is not in itself bad; the timing chain tensioner is

designed to compensate for chain stretch. rather, timing chain failure starts when the tensioner does not maintain tension when the engine is shut off: the piston of the tensioner backs off and the chain can then jump off due to lack of sufficient oil pressure in the piston. the chain almost always breaks during a cold start: the slack in the chain prior to the oil pressure pushing the piston back to tighten the tensioner allows the chain to slap the guide and break off a portion of the brittle chain guide rail. the broken piece can then move upward and jam between the cam sprocket and the chain, helping the chain jump off the gear. the delay is the point of destruction. then it’s over for the engine the wear doesn't just occur with the chain. over the years, the five sprockets on a v- 8 all open up/spread open to match the chain’s wearing dimensions. When you install a new chain, the conflict between the new chain and the worn sprockets is significant. this means that when the timing chain is replaced, the gears and guides should also be replaced and the tensioner should be updated to the ratcheting model that maintains pressure on the chain even when the engine is not running. the nylon guides and clamping rail can become deeply grooved, lose flexibility, and the chain can jam in the wear groove. to access the chain guides, you need to take off the front cover, which is not a diy job for sure. When inspecting v- 8s or during valve-cover replacement, it's not unusual to see the top half of the upper chain guides gone/missing and it usually breaks at the steel pin that holds the guide in place. it ends up in the pan if you are lucky; if not, it ends up between the cam sprocket and chain. the broken pieces can also pierce the steel oil pump pickup screen and then create other damage related to blocked oil passages. to correct this, mercedes- benz slowly integrated ratcheting tensioner pistons that stopped the chain backing off on m110, m102, m103, m104 and most diesel engines. however, m119, m116 and m117 engines do not have them; (Thanks to Fred Hanson at Hanson Mercedes Technology in San Mateo, California, for this information.)

most mechanics find that catastrophic engine damage from a timing chain jumping its gear sprockets doesn’t occur until after the vehicle has traveled 200,000 miles. but this varies depending upon maintenance over the years. if you are not sure about how your vehicle was maintained before its purchase, our specialists advise having the full chain, gears and guides replaced.

If

The Loyalty Rewards Certificate can only be printed once and will expire 60 days from the day the certificate is printed. The Loyalty Rewards program cannot be combined with, but not limited to, the following: DE1, DE1+, MBDEAL, Diplomat, and any Fleet Program. Offer excludes Commercial Vans, smart, SLS AMG Coupes or Roadsters, and AMG GT Coupe or Roadster. The Loyalty Rewards program may be combined with other discounts. Check with your dealer for further details.

Photo

2017 National Board Meeting

CLUB

Mike Regennitter

Turn Four

Happy New year and welcome to 2018. This year marks my fourth year serving the members of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America.

The past three years have been incredible. I have the privilege of working with many amazing volunteers and team members every day. I also enjoy the opportunity to meet our members at various events.

This year at the National Board meeting, we welcomed some new leaders that joined the board, as well as those who finished serving their terms. A shout out of thanks to our (now) past directors: Director at Large Jim Luikens; Western Regional Director Allen Wrenn; and Northwest Regional Director Barry Patchett, for serving on the board.

A special thank you goes out to Past National President Terry Kiwala. His efforts have positioned the club well for the future. Terry put in a tremendous amount of time and heart into the MBCA, and his efforts are to be applauded. Terry, thank you for your years of service and the positive impact you made on the future of the club.

As we enter the New year, the new Executive Committee and National Board is positioned well to set the tone for the future. As the automotive and membership organization industries shift, car clubs will be obligated to adapt to meet member expectations. As our new National President Gene Jurick wrote in his column, the club will be working to implement short- and long-term strategies

to build on past successes. I look forward to working with leadership, volunteers and members as we navigate and shape the future.

StarFest 2018

Mark your calendars for May 14-21 for attending StarFest® 2018. Hosted by the Alabama Section, StarFest is on track in setting the stage for an unforgettable and legendary experience. There is everything for every member to enjoy.

Various track events – including the 17-turn road course and the proving ground and off-road course at Barber Motorsports Park and high-speed oval at Talladega Superspeedway – and the StarFest Concours d’Elegance will take place at the heart of Alabama’s racing heritage, settled in the state’s beautiful countryside. Every participant will be able to enjoy an enhanced tour of the Mercedes-Benz U.S. International factory and witness C-Class vehicle production.

A scenic road rally will take you through the landmarks surrounded by beautiful views of the countryside. There also will be various tech sessions held at the beginning of the week.

StarFest is certainly an event that you won’t want to miss. Be sure to visit www.starfest2018.mbca.org to learn more and to register.

Don’t forget to plan the rest of your year with other events. Visit www.mbca.org to look for future events that may interest you.

I look forward to another successful year and the opportunity to see you at events throughout 2018.

2017 National Board Meeting

Congratulations to Mercedes-Benz Club of America’s new national board of directors, which was seated Saturday, November 11, at the 2017 Fall Board Meeting at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, near Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Elected to serve in leadership positions were Gene Jurick , newly elected director at large, as president; Steve ross, re-elected for another term as director at large to continue as vice-president; Julie Bruggner, in the second year of her first term as director at large, continuing as treasurer; and Dr. Jim roberts, also newly elected as director at large, as secretary.

Re-elected to regional director positions were Jason Burton, Midwest; r ick Siefert , Central; and m ichael Davison, Rocky Mountain. David Brittain was elected to his first term as Western Region director, replacing outgoing allen Wrenn. In a first for the MBCA board, there is now a father

and son on the board, as Gene Jurick’s son, Brett Jurick, was appointed by the board to replace Gene as South-Central Region director. Doug Geganto was appointed to replace Jim Roberts as Eastern Region director. Ernie Fancy was appointed to continue as Northeast Region director. Jeff Shindler was appointed to replace outgoing Barry Patchett as the new Northwestern Region director.

Outgoing President Terry Kiwala and outgoing Director at Large Jim Luikens were recognized for their long service to the MBCA; Luikens was also recognized for recently being awarded the MercedesBenz Silver Star by Daimler AG for lifetime contribution to the marque.

Hosted by Western Michigan section, the fall board meetings took place in and around Kalamazoo. In addition to the opportunity to tour Gilmore’s extensive collection of historic automobiles during breaks in the Saturday meeting, the board and guests were given

To

Michigan, and attended a convivial reception held at the Orrin B. Hayes Mercedes-Benz dealership on Friday night.

PAGE 81: Newly elected MBCA national board of directors and regional directors during a break at the 2017 Fall Board Meeting at Gilmore Car Museum near Kalamazoo, Michigan. ABOVE, FROM LEFT: Gene Jurick, president; Dr. Jim Roberts, secretary; Julie Bruggner, treasurer; Steve Ross, vice-president.

ar T i c LE & imaG ES

GARy ANDERSON

Honoring Frank & Mary Alice Cozza

On several occasions, a few of us have had the pleasure of gathering in the lower level of Frank and Mary Alice Cozza’s home in Ohio. At one of those recent gatherings continued, I quickly lost focus of the conversation; I was quite distracted by a truly impressive display of trophies and photographs from decades of MBCA events – events which come to life when Frank and Mary Alice share their stories. The couple’s incredibly sharp specifics about each event – including track and concours challenges and triumphs, the friends and club members that organized and ran each event – are engaging. Listening to Frank and Mary Alice reminisce, it becomes very clear that each Mercedes-Benz Club of America event forms an important piece of what is a mosaic of their MBCA experience, which has been quite an adventure.

For nearly 30 years, Frank and Mary Alice have spent an incredible amount of their time shaping the MBCA experience for the benefit of fellow members. Both have served at the National level for very long tenures, always advocating for benefits that encourage participation at club functions of all sizes. Together with their friends from the Western Reserve Section, the Cozzas have organized numerous Regional and National events; as the National Events Committee Chairman, Frank has ensured safe and on-schedule track activities that allow members ample time on the circuit to explore the capabilities of their Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Many others have recognized this remarkable commitment to the club, and in 2004, Frank was awarded the Daimler Silver Star Award, which commemorates a lifetime of achievement of advocacy and enthusiasm for the Mercedes-Benz brand. And amidst all this activity, Frank and Mary Alice have managed to remain integral in the lives of their three sons’ families and doting grandparents to seven grandchildren.

And for their Mercedes-Benz family, the Cozzas have traveled the country, always together – with a trusty kit of foam boards of race courses, timing equipment, chalk and a measuring wheel in hand –delighting hundreds of section members with their Defensive Driving Program. This presentation and hands-on instruction teaches drivers the fundamentals of maintaining control and composure in adverse driving situations, with lasting takeaways that have saved many lives. And as participants apply the lessons together in a timed autocross, the smiles are wide – and widespread – as many students race home (literally, despite Mary Alice urging everyone to drive the speed limit) to sign up for the next National event.

In watching the positive effects that Frank and Mary Alice’s efforts have had on the MBCA over the years, I don’t think it’s possible to say “Thank you” enough to recognize the amazing dedication the Cozzas have shared with our members and organization. For a few of us die-hard track enthusiasts, I also don’t think it is possible to quantify how much time Frank and Mary Alice have spurred us to spend on checking tires, rotors and brakes – but that’s another story. Please join me in thanking Frank and Mary Alice Cozza for being Stars among MBCA members. And to Mary Alice and Frank, I send my personal thanks for over two decades of sharing driving fun together – here’s to continued good times.

For nearly 30 years, Frank and Mary Alice have spent an incredible amount of their time shaping the MBCA experience for the benefit of fellow members.

FROM THE TOP: Frank and Mary Alice Cozza hard at work during a recent driver education event. The Cozza’s red SLK. At the StarFest® 2012 awards banquet, the Cozzas present the MBUSA overall event trophy to Terry Kiwala.

Section Events

Driving Tours & Events

Twenty-one Oz A r k S E CT i O N members traveled to Morrilton August 19 to visit Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas’s first state park. Mather Lodge holds the distinction of being the only lodge built in Arkansas by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s . Kathy Menold

On August 26, Mi SS i SS ippi and M EM p hi S section members joined forces for an excursion to Tupelo, Mississippi, for lunch and a tour of the Tupelo Automobile Museum. Daniel Hughes

N O r T h E r N N E w E N g l A ND S TA r S S E CT i ON members enjoyed a September 15 weekend along coastal Maine with an overnight at Boothbay Harbor Oceanside Golf Resort and two days of touring that included a visit to the Owls Head Transportation Museum, which has a 1904 Mercedes Simplex Tourer on display. Drew Webb

D E SE r T S TA r S S E CT i ON held the Havasupai Rallye September 16 with 17 members in eight premium Mercedes-Benz automobiles exploring little-known areas of Greater Phoenix. Mark Ichiyama

E A STE r N O kl A h O MA S E CT i O N members enjoyed a busy September 23 weekend. We toured to Little Rock via Arkansas’s Pig Trail Scenic Byway, lunched at Wiederkehr Wine Cellars and later went to a dinner theater production of “The Sunshine Boys.” On Sunday we visited Marlsgate Plantation before heading home. Ben Cunningham

Twelve cars from TA M pA B Ay S E CT i O N competed in the September 23 Drive for Hope – a challenging navigation rally fundraiser from Tarpon Springs to The German Restaurant in Holiday. Scott Suits

Thirty-two Ci N C i N NAT i S E CT i O N members took part in our Fall Road Rallye September 23, traveling 15 miles to an outlet mall to search for rally clues. Dinner included an awards presentation. Peter Emslander

S A N Fr A NC i S CO B Ay A r E A S E CT i O N ’S October First Sunday Drive was to Los Vaqueros Reservoir and Del Valle Regional Park near Livermore, courtesy of new members Rico Bautista and Mikey Vasquez. The Rico family provided a delicious barbecue. Lou Piccinini

Members of the S T. lO u i S gATE wAy S E CT i O N caravanned October 7 to Springfield, Illinois, for an overnight event that included a visit to Isringhausen Imports for a tour of the facility and a visit to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Aaron Hible

On an overcast October 7, 27 cars and 57 members from the h u D SON - M O h Aw k and CO NNECT i C u T/ w ESTC h E STE r sections participated in Hudson-Mohawk’s annual Fall Foliage Rally through spectacular scenery and over a challenging route. Rod Tanner

Mi N u TEMAN S E CT i O N members gathered the weekend of October 13 at Southbridge Hotel & Conference Center in Massachusetts for Farberallye XL. The welcome reception Friday night was followed by a two-part rally on Saturday and a museum tour Sunday. Ernie Fancy

On October 14, 40-plus D E SE r T S TA r S S E CT i ON members drove to Cornville, Arizona, for lunch and a wine tasting at Up The Creek Bistro Wine Bar’s private room overlooking Oak Creek. Mark Ichiyama

Your Club – Your Events

ED i TO r GENIE ANDERSON

FROM THE TOP: Hudson-Mohawk Section’s annual Fall Foliage Rally. Members of St. Louis Gateway Section get close to history on a visit to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois.

Section Events

T wO r T h S E CT i ON took a country drive to Comanche for lunch at the Harvest Restaurant and wine tasting at the Brennan Vineyards October 21. DJ DeJesus

embers, with MBCA Regional Director Jason Burton, enjoyed the Fall Color Tour and Gimmick Rallye in scenic Door County over the October 20 weekend. Jim Loseke

rive October 22 to Canandaigua ended with dinner at the Rheinblick German Restaurant. Deborah Boehm

Fourteen Mercedes-Benz vehicles from the N O r T h T E x A S S E CT i O N gathered in Greenville October 28 for the 50-plus-mile drive to see Winnsboro’s 59th annual Autumn Trails Antique Car Parade. Lunch Ron Seifert

N members toured Best Place at the historic Pabst Brewery in Milwaukee. Jim Loseke Fall foliage in Jemez Pueblo, a fire-breathing AMG G-wagon, and a fine supper at El Nido highlighted the November 4 autumn drive for eight N Forrest Scott Brinkley

A h O MA S E CT i O N ’S November 10 weekend road trip to Bentonville, Arkansas, was well planned, but we still didn’t have time to take in all the sights, which included the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Chilhuly Garden and Glass exhibit, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian house and Civil War battlefields. Bill Nash

F O r T wO r T h S E CT i ON members gathered November 11 to take a country drive for lunch at the original – and the best – Hard-Eight Barbecue in Stephenville, and then tour the Veldhuizen Cheese Shoppe in Dublin. DJ DeJesus

Twenty-nine members of h O u ST ON S E CT i O N caravanned to Montgomery to tour the Old Iron Works November 28. The shop performs world-class restorations on a wide variety of vintage vehicles. After the tour, we enjoyed a catered lunch at the facility. Ali Durvesh

Restaurant. A mighty AMG G-wagon on New Mexico Section’s foliage drive.

Section Events

Meetings

& Social g atherings

Oz A r k S E CT i O N ’S annual membership party was held July 19 in a private restaurant room. Thirty-two members socialized and lunched before moving on to club anniversary recognitions awards and bidding on silent-auction items. Kathy Menold

S T. lO u i S gATE wAy S E CT i O N had a fine turnout for the September 23 annual Fall Picnic Show & Shine in Kirkwood Park. There were 90 members and guests, and 35 cars competing for awards. Aaron Hible

p O r T l A ND S E CT i ON had a light turnout for Jacksonville Oktoberfest September 30 due to last-minute changes; those who were there had a great time and signed up a new member. James Hendershot

Ci N C i N NAT i S E CT i O N celebrated being Section of the year with events at Full Throttle – go-karting, a car show and a barbecue lunch October 7. More than 40 members attended. Peter Emslander

T E x A S h i ll CO u NT ry S E CT i O N members had a monthly dinner at Saltgrass Steak House in North San Antonio October 26. Charles Dove

Eighteen Thr E E r i v E r S S E CT i O N members celebrated Halloween at Triangle Park Bar & Grille October 28. While there, we learned that it was National Chocolate Day, so after dinner we headed to DeBrand Chocolatier to end the evening on a very sweet note. Jason Bogart

h O u ST ON S E CT i O N held its annual election meeting at Gateway Classic Cars of Houston. October 28. Joe Middleton

The Thr E E r i v E r S S E CT i O N held a breakfast meeting November 11 at Moe’s Restaurant in Huntington, Indiana. Jason Bogart

Members of w i C h i TA S E CT i O N attended the November 12 Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix Watch Party at Mercedes-Benz of Wichita. Mercedes-Benz driver Valtteri Bottas took second. Robert Filbey

More that 125 members of the S A N Fr A NC i S CO B Ay A r E A S E CT i O N celebrated the holidays and recognized long-term members with a gala car show, brunch and museum tour December 3 at the Blackhawk Museum in Danville, California. Incoming president Lou Piccinini, with assistance from former national officers Richard and Laura Simonds, recognized the many years of contributions to the section of memberof-the-year Sandor Drobilisch. Gary Anderson

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: San Francisco Bay Area Section holiday party, Blackhawk Museum, Danville. Ozark Section’s annual membership party. Three Rivers Section’s breakfast meeting at Moe’s restaurant, Huntington. St. Louis Gateway Section’s annual Fall Picnic Show & Shine, Kirkwood Park.

Section Events

Car Shows

Members of vANCO uv E r iS l A ND S E CT i O N at tended the annual Gain Group Motor Gathering August 28. Our cars were in a prime spot in front of the circuit’s clubhouse on the main straight. Robert Wilson

Eight cars from the k ANSAS Ci T y S E CT i O N convoyed up from Wichita to Salina September 23 to spend the day at the 10th annual Das Sonnenblumen Autofest, an all-German car show. Robert Filbey

The T E x A S h i ll CO u NT ry SECT i O N had a great turnout for the Mercedes+Porsche Meet and Show September 23. Congratulations to the Rascos for winning the People’s Choice award with their 1989 560SL, and to Joseph Aaron for receiving the Silver Star Certificate for his 1983 300D. Martin Rios

On September 30, members from the E A STE r N Okl A h O MA S E CT i O N participated in the Classics on the River Mercedes-Benz and Porsche car show for the benefit of Sunbeam Family Services. Forty Mercedes-Benz vehicles were in the show. The People’s Choice award went to John Dyer’s 1952 220. John Kushnerick

Members of the Mi SS i SS ippi S E CT i O N participated in the 9th annual Renaissance Euro Fest in Ridgeland October 7 – despite the pending appearance of Hurricane Nate. Daniel Hughes

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey’s effects on the Greater Houston area, h O u ST ON S E CT i O N members joined forces with the Audi and Porsche clubs and held a German car show October 7 to raise money for the Houston Food Bank. Ali Durvesh

Tech Sessions

w i SCONS i N S E CT i O N members participated in a tech session hosted by Umansky Motor Cars. Scott Vandekerckhove, Mercedes-AMG retail training specialist, gave a presentation on the history of the AMG –from the “Red Pig” to the new 2018 GTC Roadster. Jim Loeske

On October 28, 20 Ci N C i N NAT i S E CT i O N members visited Eurocharged Performance for a technical session including a dynamometer test of a 2005 SL55 with 423 horsepower. Peter Emslander

i NTE r N AT i O NA l S TA r S S E CT i O N held a technical session November 5 at Motor City Auto Spa in Royal Oak. The staff covered exterior and interior detailing, paint correction, ceramic-paint protection and XPEL paint protection film. Don MacDonald

More than 70 h O u ST ON S E CT i O N members attended a technical event at Mercedes-Benz of West Houston September 23. Members of our new AMG Club, spearheaded by new club member Andy Dermawan, also attended the event. John V. Stone IV

The Section Event r e ports in The Star are based on materials uploaded to the MBCA website. Deadline for the next issue is February 1. Visit mbca.org, Star Magazine tab and click on Submit Event Notice or Submit Event r e port to publicize your section’s upcoming events, submit reports and pictures from your events, and learn what other sections are doing.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Kansas City Section at 10th annual Das Sonnenblumen Autofest. Wisconsin Section members at Umansky Motor Cars. Mississippi Section took part in the 9th annual Renaissance Euro Fest, Ridgeland. International Stars Section held a tech session at Motor City Auto Spa in Royal Oak.

Section Event Reports seen here are compiled from

and pictures submitted to the mBca club website, www. mbca.org, which features an improved system for submitting and displaying reports. Visit the Star Magazine area of the club website to publicize your upcoming events, post event reports with pictures, and learn what other sections of mBca are doing. Be sure to check it out today!

mercedes-Benz of Wichita

Although Kansas may be known for Dorothy and her ruby red slippers in “The Wizard of Oz,” today she might prefer a red SLC from Mercedes-Benz of Wichita to get back home. Now located on the east side of Wichita since establishing its new stateof-the-art facility in 2013, this dealership has experienced a growing base of fans throughout the Wichita area for more than 50 years. Previously owned and operated by the Scholfield Automotive Group, the dealership was acquired by Minneapolisbased Walser Automotive Group in fall 2016 and has seen significant changes with an increase in personnel, facilities and a customer-focused experience like no other for luxury brands.

Walser’s customer-centered culture strives to provide a hassle- and hagglefree experience with the goal of setting itself apart from traditional car dealerships. Mercedes-Benz of Wichita has shifted to a single price-point model – better known as the “Upfront Pricing Philosophy” – for all new and pre-owned vehicles, which provides each guest with a fast, fair and negotiation-free experience. The upfront price for the vehicles is based on current market conditions, availability, color and

age in inventory. Wichita customers have embraced this concept and the dealership has enjoyed providing an experience that is tailored around the customer’s experience, not the price.

Core values

From the leadership team of CEO Andrew Walser and his brother Paul Walser to the 1,700 employees, Andrew Walser believes in a culture based on four core values that create a unified mission that all employees

believe in and work toward. These values are: Do the right thing – nothing is worth compromising a relationship; Lead by example – be willing to help no matter how difficult the challenge; Display positive energy – a good attitude is highly contagious; and Be open minded – the only thing that is constant is change.

The walser Foundation

With the goal of giving back to both the local and headquarters communities, Walser

a r T i c LE M E LODy M ATULEWIC • L E E E L RICK i m aGES M ER CEDES- B EN z OF W I CHITA

T OP AND ABOVE: Mercedes-Benz of Wichita’s new state-of-the-art facility attracts a growing fan base.

Automotive Group donates 5 percent of pre-tax earnings to the Walser Foundation. The Walser Foundation invests in the people and organizations in Wichita and in their corporate headquarters city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, through charitable giving and support for volunteerism.

The mission and focus of the Walser Foundation is based on the belief that every child deserves a bright future and every person should have the opportunity to reach his or her full potential. Access to education and career training make this possible.

The Walser Foundation provides grants to organizations that benefit education at all levels, as well as those organizations that help build a strong workforce for the future. The foundation’s mission is to increase access to high-quality education programs – from pre-K to post-secondary – in the Twin Cities and Wichita communities.

Supporting the MBCA

With each purchase of a new or preowned vehicle, Mercedes-Benz of Wichita provides a complimentary one-year membership to the Mercedes-Benz Club of America. The dealership maintains a strong partnership with the Wichita Section, hosting the club for various gatherings, including new-product demonstrations and the holiday member gathering.

This past September, the dealership hosted a group of members and MercedesBenz customers to a Formula 1 watch party. Big-screen TVs, race décor and a complimentary breakfast complete with omelet station were a big hit with the guests, but watching the Mercedes-Benz F1 team win first and second place was a true winner’s-circle moment!

More information about the dealership can be found on social media websites from Facebook to Google+, from the five-star reviews of the everyday sales and service Mercedes-Benz of Wichita provides to the extraordinary events that create customers’ exciting experiences. No longer treading the yellow-brick road, Mercedes-Benz of Wichita now paves an even brighter path toward the goal of being the best dealership possible for its customers.

Mercedes-Benz of Wichita

1545 N. Greenwich Road

Wichita, KS 67206

Sales: 833.744.3217 Service/Parts: 833.700-7870 www.wichita.mercedesdealer.com

Upcoming Special Events

Scottsdale Dinner

As Arizona becomes the center of the automobile universe this month, we are again celebrating the Arizona Car Week with the Mercedes-Benz Enthusiast Dinner at Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona, Saturday, January 20.

Event activities at the restauran, located at 16405 N. Scottsdale Road, start at 5:30 p.m. with the viewing and judging of the People’s Choice contest, which features MBCA members’ personal cars in a reserved parking area. After the voting, guests can gather on Maggiano’s patio to mingle around some new Mercedes-Benz vehicles on display courtesy of Schumacher European.

The party then moves inside to the private dining room for a family-style dinner service of Maggiano’s classic Italian dishes. We guarantee no one will leave hungry. Last, but not least, the after-dinner program will feature industry experts offering their perspectives on the past week’s auctions and the current state of the classic-car market. Bring your questions and join the discussion.

While the dinner caps off the week of auctions, we are planning guided tours to several of the auctions during the week. These tours offer up-close-and-personal viewing of some of the exemplary cars being offered. Tour-group sizes are limited; we’ll provide updates on how to register as the information becomes available.

Club members from other regions who are planning to be in town for the auctions, or just visiting at this beautiful time of year, are encouraged to participate in the events we have planned during the week and on Saturday evening. Please make hotel reservations soon, as the auctions draw an international crowd and accommodations are best reserved early. Call if you need help.

Debbie Ichiyama, Event Chair Dichiyama@me.com

New Starfest Events

As StarFest©2018, May 14-21, gets closer, some of the factory tour times are already full, and many of the events are starting to fill. We have added three new events that have never been staged at a StarFest before.

The Performance Driving Experience. This is a great introduction to driving the dramatic Barber Motorsports Park road course at highway speeds, but well under the limits of your car’s capabilities. you will have the same two classroom sessions as the Performance Driving novice and intermediate students to go over the techniques of performance driving. In the

first on-track session, you will ride with an instructor at highway speeds (i.e. 70-75 mph on the straights, gentle braking and 7/10 speed through the turns). After the second classroom session, you will drive your car with the instructor beside you – at the same rate of speed. Because you won’t be driving any harder than you would on the road, you won’t need a special technical inspection or a helmet. We recommend that you increase tire pressure 5-7 psi and remove loose items. The cost is only $100, but we are warning you: This may be habit forming. Almost all those who participate in this experience go on to full-performance driving.

The autobahn Driving Experience. Held on Talladega Superspeedway’s 33-degree banked racetrack, we’ll still be driving at highway speeds, but the speedway officials seem to be thinking of the German Autobahn. The banking is so steep that your car will maintain its lane at 110 mph with only a light touch on the wheel. If you have never done this before, the banking is a unique experience: Don’t miss it. Again, at $100, the price is right and you don’t need a special inspection or helmet.

Off-road and forest-road driving Production of the MLs began at the Mercedes-Benz U.S. International factory in Alabama in February 1997 as 1998 models. Because they were supposed to replace the Geländewagen, they were designed to be off-road capable. Every successor, as well as every GLE and GLS, is also off-road capable. Celebrating 20 years of production, the engineers have designed them to drive as well as the G-wagen. We will offer instruction and driving routes on the forest roads in the Talladega National Forest near the speedway and on the challenging Barber off-road course at $100. This is also a great experience and will not be dangerous for your car.

So, the only question is: Which MercedesBenz do you bring? May we suggest you tow your classic with your SUV!

For more information, visit www. starfest2018.mbca.org. Register at www. msreg.com/starfest2018.

Jim Roberts, StarFest 2018 Chair jertoothsaver@gmail.com

2018 german Trips

in response to sold-out demand for our two tours in 2017, the MBCA is proud to announce that three German Trips have been scheduled for 2018. These back-to-the-roots trips to various Daimler and other venues in and around Stuttgart are very popular

and always fill up fast. The 2018 dates are June 18-24, July 16-22 and September 24-30. Optional river cruises will again be offered in conjunction with the German tours. For more information on the river cruises, contact Randy Norris at Frosch Travel at 800.878.2929, extension 7105. He will also have information about a Vietnam tour and Mekong River cruise he is organizing for March 27-April 10. Past National President Jim O’Sullivan osullivanj55@gmail.com 843.671.2079

Colorado Driving Tour

Silver Stars & g olden Aspens, an exciting new National Special Event, will be presented by the Pikes Peak Section, September 25-28.

During this multi-day driving event, our members will experience incomparable drives available only in the Rocky Mountains. Highlights include Trail Ridge Road “Highway to the Sky,” which ascends to treeline near 11,500 feet and offers thrilling views and wildlife sightings. Then we will drive through Glenwood Canyon, 12 miles of rugged scenery with walls climbing up to 1300 feet, considered one of the most scenic natural features of the Interstate Highway System. The next highlight is the Blue Mesa Reservoir and the strikingly beautiful Black Canyon of the Gunnison, a U.S. National Park. From there we’ll travel through the picturesque mountain towns of Ouray and Silverton via the San Juan Scenic Byway to the Million Dollar Highway. Star Trails 2011 alumni will remember the challenging steep cliffs, narrow lanes, and no guardrails. Legend has it that the road cost a million dollars a mile to build and that its fill dirt contains a million dollars in gold ore.

We finish in Telluride, the quaint mountain town that is home in the fall to the Telluride Festival of Cars & Colors. With MercedesBenz as the featured marque this year, we’ll have the opportunity to participate in the concours and static displays of this premier automotive event. Silver Stars & Golden Aspens will cover 620 miles of gorgeous scenery and exhilarating driving on the three-day tour.

Steve Dierks, Event Chair steve.dierks@gmail.com 719-576-9737

Further details on these events and more event listings are available at: mbca.org/upcoming-events

STAR DATES

Special Events

January 14

2018 Mercedes-Benz Enthusiast Dinner

Hosted by Desert Stars

Deborah Ichiyama: dichiyama@me.com

March 22

Southwest Region – Tequila Rose Regional Event

Hosted by San Diego Section

Steve Ross: 619.508.3925, inews@sbcglobal.net

May 14-21

National Event – StarFest 2018, Birmingham, AL

Hosted by Alabama Section and Eastern Region Register at www.msreg.com/starfest2018 More details at starfest2018.mbca.org

September 15

Eastern Regional event – Mercedes & Muskets

Colonial Williamsburg, Hosted by Carolinas Section

Nick Pasquine: 803.283.3144, NickPasq@aol.com

September 25-29

National Event – Silver Stars & Golden Aspens

Colorado driving tour, Hosted by Pikes Peak Section

Steve Dierks: 719.576.9737, steve.dierks@gmail.com

Section Events

January 18

Eastern Oklahoma – Membership Meeting

John Kushnerick: jkushnerick@zebco.com

January 20

Cincinnati – New Member Luncheon

Peter Emslander: mbcacincinnati@gmail.com

Ozark– Lunch at San Miquel’s Mexican Bar and Grill

Linda Harrell: 479.644.8087, linda.harrell@sbcglobal.net

January 27

Houston – Visit to the 2018 Houston Auto Show

Joseph Middleton: editorjoseph@gmail.com

February 3

North Texas – February Membership Meeting

Events Calendar

February 6

Eastern Oklahoma – Behind the Scenes at Cooper Imports

John Kushnerick: 918.527.8121, jkushnerick@zebco.com

February 10

Southwest Florida – Cars on 5th Ave Car Show Tom Riordan: 609.440.9020, toriordan@accessorybrands.net

February 11

Wisconsin – 2018 Chicago auto show trip

Bob Turznik: 414.416.3375, bobturznik@gmail.com

February 15

Eastern Oklahoma – February Membership Meeting

John Kushnerick: 918.527.8121, jkushnerick@zebco.com

February 18

Cincinnati – Bowling and Billiards

David Hagood: mbcacincinnati@gmail.com

February 24

Ozark – Crystal Bridges Museum & Flying Fish Restaurant Linda Harrell: 479.644.8087, linda.harrell@sbcglobal.net

March 15

Eastern Oklahoma – March Membership Meeting

John Kushnerick: 918.527.8121, jkushnerick@zebco.com

March 24

CIncinnati – Cincinnati Golf and Grub

Peter Emslander: peter.emslander@gmail.com

April 13

CIncinnati – Horse Farm Adventure Peter Emslander: peter.emslander@gmail.com

April 14

New Mexico – Tech Session

Scott Brinkley: fsb1284@gmail.comm

April 21

Cincinnati – Garage Tour Peter Emslander: peter.emslander@gmail.com

April 28

North Texas – Spring Day at the Range

Back i ssu es

Selected issues of The Star magazine for the years 1999 to 2010 are available from the MBCA National Business Office. please contact the office to find out if your requested issue is still in stock. Call: 800.637.2360

All issues of The Star are available for the years 2011-2016. Consult the online index for contents before ordering. •

Easy Buying Tips:

Mail your order with payment to: MBCA-Store 1907 lelaray Street Colorado Springs CO 80909-9283 or call 800.637.2360 or order online at mbca.org

Mercedes-Benz Club of America

This image from StarTech 2013 hints at the fun to be had on the Barber off-road course, StarFest 2018.

President (2017)

Gene Jurick

North Texas Section 6008 Bracknell Drive Parker, TX 75002 972.461.1981 gjurick@tx.rr.com

Vice President (2017)

Steve Ross San Diego Section 16151 Fruitvale Road Valley Center, CA 92082 619.508.3925 (c) inewsx@sbcglobal.net

Secretary (2018)

James E. Roberts, DMD 2301 Arlington Avenue S #200 Birmingham, AL 35205 20w5.529.0071 (c) jertoothsaver@gmail.com

Treasurer (2018)

Julie Bruggner 5526 Thornbriar Lane Fort Wayne, IN 46835 260.348.1369 (h) julesslb@msn.com

National Board

More than a car club, we are a community. Through camaraderie, education, and social responsibility, we strive to provide our members the complete Mercedes-Benz experience.

NATIONAL BUSINESS OFFICE

Director at Large (2018) Scott Suits, Sr 795 CR 1 Lot #2015 Palm Harbor, FL 727.460.5739 (c) suits@frontier. com

PAST MBCA PRESIDENTS

1955-1957 Dr. Milton Allen = 1957-1959 Dr. Ken Bartlett, Jr.= 1959-1960 L. B. Kirkendall = 1960-1961 Arthur G. Rippey= 1961-1962 Allen G. Bishop = 1962-1964 John W. Burnside = 1964-1966 Walter G. Vartan 1966-1968 Frank S. Baker= 1968-1970 Harger W. Dodge = 1970-1972 J. Chadwick Hunt 1972-1974 Otto Saborsky= 1974-1976 Allen Funkhouser= 1976-1977 Tracy Williams= 1977-1978 Thomas Doherty= 1978-1979 Fred Lustig = 1979-1981 Phil Parrino = 1981-1982 Ferne Gardner= 1982-1984 Grant Elford = 1984-1986 Hyatt Cheek 1986-1988 Murdoch Campbell 1988-1990 Virginia Turner 1990-1992 Robert Beltz 1992-1994 Robert A. Martin = 1994-1996 Kathy Kennel = 1996-1998 Walt Anderson 1998-1999 W. Robert Nitske = 1999-2001 H. Peter Watson 2001-2003 Donald Leap 2003-2005 Richard Simonds 2005-2007 Jim O’Sullivan 2007-2009 Peter Lesler 2009-2011 Rodger Van Ness 2011-2013 Steve Dierks 2014-2017 Terry Kiwala

Director at Large (2018)

Cliff Reyle Memphis Section 9658 Dove Meadow Cove East Germantown, TN 38139 901.754.8574 (h) 901.251.4808 (o) cliff.reyle@youthvillages.org

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Awards

Rick Siefert 367 West Manor Drive Chesterfield, MO 63017 314.435.1903 (c) rick.siefert @att.net

Budget

Julie Bruggner 5526 Thornbriar Lane Fort Wayne, IN 46835 260.348.1369 (h) julesslb@msn.com

Election

Steve Ross San Diego Section 16151 Fruitvale Road Valley Center, CA 92082 619.508.3925 (c) inewsx@sbcglobal.net

Enthusiasts

Josie Lesler

Southwest Florida Section PO Box 636 Put-in-Bay, OH 43456 216.403.2216 (c) jqlesler@aol.com

Director at Large (2018)

Frank Cozza Western Reserve Section 32312 South Lane Guilford Lake Hanoverton, OH 44423-9728 330.222.1106 fcozza@neo.rr.com

Leadership

Steve Ross

San Diego Section 16151 Fruitvale Road Valley Center, CA 92082 619.508.3925 (c) inewsx@sbcglobal.net

National Concours

Peter Lesler

Southwest Florida Section PO Box 636 Put-in-Bay, OH 43456 216.403.2951 (c) w113sl@aol.com

National Events

Frank Cozza

Western Reserve Section 32312 South Lane Guilford Lake Hanoverton, OH 44423-9728 330.222.1106 fcozza@neo.rr.com

Personnel

Cliff Reyle Memphis Section 2263 Glenbar Drive Germantown, TN 38139 901.754.8574 (h) 901.251.4808 (o) cliff.reyle@youthvillages.org

Ex-Officio Member

Terry Kiwala Chicagoland Section 175 E Delaware Place, #8406 Chicago, IL 60611 312.286.0532 tkiwalajr@aol.com

Performance Driving

Terry Kiwala

Chicagoland Section 175 E Delaware Place, #8406 Chicago, IL 60611 312.286.0532 tkiwalajr@aol.com StarFest James E. Roberts, DMD 2301 Arlington Avenue S #200 Birmingham, AL 35205 205.529.0071 (c) jertoothsaver@gmail.com

Technical Information

George Murphy

Smoky Mountain Section 233 Briarcliff Avenue Oakridge, TN 37830 865.482.9175 perfanalysis@comcast.net

Technology

Jason Burton Chicago Section 175 E Delaware Pl #4925 Chicago, IL 60611 312.224.1787 jasonburton@thejohnhancock.com

Executive Director

Mike Regennitter Pikes Peak Section 1907 Lelaray Street Colorado Springs, CO 80909 800.637.2360 mike@mbca.org

EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

Administrative Services Manager

Cindy Tumbleson

Pikes Peak Section

1907 Lelaray Street Colorado Springs, CO 80909 800.637.2360 cindy@mbca.org

, Gary Anderson 361 North San Antonio Road Los Altos, CA 94022 650.949.9680 editor@mbca.org Legal Counsel Thomas James Raffle Legal Counsel C. Robert Beltz International Stars Section 810.908.1979

MERCEDES-BENZ USA Customer Assistance 800.367.6372 (U.S.) 800.387.0100 (CANADA) Classic Parts & Information 866.622.5277 classicparts@mbusa.com

NORTHEAST REGION

NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND STAR

Drew Webb

25 Howard Street Salem, NH 03079 603.898.6235 rdswebb@gmail.com

HUDSON-MOHAWK

FINGER LAKES

Robert Handzo

5195 Canadice Lake Road Hemlock, NY 14466 585.367.2815 handzo912@twc.com

OTTAWA

SOUTHEAST REGION

SOUTHERN STARS

Herbert Gregory

2182 Salt Myrtle Lane Fleming Island, FL 32003 904.579.3177(h) hd4ever@comcast.net

CENTRAL FLORIDA

ROAD STAR

Barry Paraizo

11758 Lake Shore Place North Palm Beach, FL 33408 561.310.8957 ferrbp@bellsouth.net

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Ernie Fancy

1 Butterworth Road Holland, MA 01521 508.377.8286 (c) fancyer@cox.net

ATLANTIC CANADA

Contact Regional Director

MINUTEMAN

Edward Owen 1486 Main St. Waltham, MA 02453 978.771.4568 (h) ed@virtualeas.com

James R. Wright 26 Crystal Lane Delmar, NY 12054 518.281.3406 hudsonmohawkmbca @gmail.com

NIAGARA

William Fix

2374 Parker Blvd Tonawanda, NY 14150 716.695.2582 (h) wllfx@aol.com

MID-ATLANTIC REGION

NORTHERN NEW JERSEY

Matt Huda 973.941.3285 (c) mercedesmattnnj@gmail.com

SOUTH JERSEY

Carl Janson 123 Crestview Drive Willingboro, NJ 08046 609.877.2360 carlejanson@gmail.com

Lawrence Lomas 209 Ave Des Explorateurs Gatineau, QC, J9J IM8 ,CA 819.684.2469(h) 613.720.3847 (c) lomas@videotron.ca

MONTREAL

Contact Regional Director

TORONTO

Harald von Langsdorff 14145 Kennedy Road Caledon, ON L7C 2H4 CANADA 905.838.1980 (h) 416.838.6857 (c) mbca@langsdorff.com

REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Daniel Cabrera 3016 Leila Estelle Dr Plant City, FL 33565 813.759.0776 cabrerad1313@hotmail.com

CENTRAL GEORGIA

Alan Akin 891 Burrus Rd Macon, GA 31204-1440 478.741.9681 (h) allenman@earthlink.net

CENTRAL REGION

Robert Hartmann 781 Summer Oaks Court Oviedo, FL 32765 407.366.7632(h) hartmann.r@att.net

SOUTH FLORIDA

Michael J. Chrusch 10945 Ravel Court Boca Raton, FL 33498-6761 561.990.7886 (h) 954.260.6466 (c) michaelchrusch@hotmail.com

Ron Cordeau 12969 Turtle Cove Trail North Ft. Myers, FL 33903 239.322.8817 (h) roncor@hotmail.com

TAMPA BAY Lynn Hutchinson 2104 Flamingo Pl Safety Harbor, FL 34695 727.726.6711(h) 727.420.0424(c) dhutch@verizon.net

REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Joe Grattan

84 Susquehanna Avenue Lincoln Park, NJ 07035 973.628.1781 josephgrattan@aol.com

CONNECTICUT

& WESTCHESTER

Richard Jordan 8 Knollwood Drive Vernon, CT 06066 860.896.0034 jordanrichard@hotmail.com

NEW YORK CITY & LONG ISLAND Oliver Seligman 760 Holden Avenue Ext Cutchogue, NY 11935 917.763.0178 (c) 212.510.8293 (h) mogs05@aol.com

KEYSTONE

Marty Rexroth 1060 Detwiler Dr York, PA 17404 717.764.0624 marstang@aol.com

NORTHEASTERN

PENNSYLVANIA

Mike Ziegler 437 Auburn Street Allentown, PA 18103 610.504.5370 (c) mikez@zieglersrv.com

DELAWARE VALLEY

Michael Parlato 113 Blackwell Road Pennington, NJ 08534 609.577.5931 m300cab@gmail.com

CAROLINAS

Nick Pasquine 1584 Grey Fox Estates Rd. Lancaster, SC 29720 803.283.3144 (H) nickpasq@aol.com

PEACHTREE Diana L. Quinn 442 Chowning Place NW Marietta , GA 30064 707.635.8112 dianaquinn@me.com

ALABAMA

Mason Beale 1398 Chapel Street Hoover, AL 35226-1401 205.822.3814 (h) 205.837.7003 (c) masonbeale@msn.com

SMOKY MOUNTAIN Dr. William S. Lenihan 235 Briarcliff Avenue Oak Ridge, TN 37830-7618 865.482.7325 wlenihan@comcast.net

MEMPHIS

Bill Sudekum 561 Long Street Southaven, MS 38672 662.429.3407 (h) sudekumwa@msn.com

CINCINNATI

Peter Emslander 8360 Shadowpoint Ct Montgomery, OH 45242 513.226.4579 (h) peter.emslander@gmail.com

ST. LOUIS GATEWAY Steve Jacquemin 1716 Folkstone Drive St. Louis, MO 63131 314.406.6981 (h) sjacquemin@ccim.net MISSISSIPPI Mike Marsh 533 Madeleine Court Brandon, MS 39047 601.992.1506 (h) 601.946.1950 (c) mike_marsh@bellsouth.net

MIDWEST REGION

SOUTHWEST REGION

CHICAGOLAND

Ron Roush

15700 S. Sunset Ridge Court Orland Park, IL 60462 708.989.8130

Ron.roush@comcast.net

CENTRAL ILLINOIS

IOWA HAWKEYE

Sylvia Banes 19 Madison Circle Davenport, IA 52742 563.438.1030(h)

KANSAS CITY

REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Jason Burton

175 E Delaware Pl #4925 Chicago, IL 60611 312.224.1787 jasonburton@thejohnhancock com

WISCONSIN

Bruce Hamilton 4225 Southwyck Drive Janesville, WI 53546-2120 608.754.6066 n12em@sbcglobal.net

Patricia D. Kellogg 4607 Thornhill Dr Peoria, IL 61615 309.688.8000 (h)

M I NNESOTA

Christopher Haas 5353 Wayzata Blvd, Suite 400 Minneapolis, MN 55416 612.810.4227(h) chaasamg@gmail.com

Ian Harns 11612 Summit St Kansas City, MO 64114 816-812-9495 ian.harns@cerner.com

REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Bud Cloninger 6413 E Wilshire Dr Scottsdale, AZ 85257 602.326.6210 scottsdale3@mac.com

DESERT STARS

Debbie Ichiyama 6502 E. Evans Drive Scottsdale, AZ 85254 480.268.9535 (h) dichiyama@me.com

CHAPARRAL

Contact RD

LAS VEGAS

Brigitte Sutherly 233 Marks Street Henderson, NV 89074 702.617.9366(h) bsuth2007@gmail.com

LOS ANGELES

Amir Rudyan 28051 Balkins Dr Agoura Hills, CA 91301 818.707.3518 amir@avmindustries.com

LONG BEACH-SOUTH BAY George Wang 947 6th Street Apt J Santa Monica, CA 90403 310.395.3644 (h) geojwang@aol.com

ORANGE COUNTY

Lynn Hern 5213 E Gatewood Ln Anaheim, CA 92807 714.998.1684 lynn.hern@sbcglobal.net

SAN DIEGO

Michael Cooper 2410 Links Way Vista, CA 92081 760.599.0629 michaeldenise@roadrunner.com

CHANNEL ISLANDS

Peter Samaha 1600 Hobart Street Camarillo, CA 93010 805.389.1259 psamaha@msn.com

SOUTH-CENTRAL REGION

CENTRAL OKLA HOM A

Charles B. Woods

3708 Bonaire Place

Edmond, OK 73013 405.359.2821 (h) 405.640.9500 (c) charles.wood@sonicdrivein.com

EASTERN OKLAHOMA

HOUSTON

Erroll Hines 5919 Royal Hill Ct Kingwood, TX 77345 eahines@aol.com

LONE STAR

REGIONAL DIRECTO R

Brett Jurick

2024 Palace Way Allen, TX 75013 214.773.7820 bjurick@tx.rr.com

NEW ORLEANS

Sandy Downing 219 Garden Road River Ridge, LA 70123 504.813.3086 sandown60@aol.com

OZARK

Kathleen Menold 4026 Jessica Lane Springdale, AR 72764 479.756.6798 (h) menold1@cox.net

John Kushnerick 5525 East 108th St Tulsa, OK 74137 918.527.8121 jkushnerick@zebco.com

NORTH TEXAS

Craig Halverson 17202 Hidden Glen Dr Dallas, TX 75248-1336 972.931.3459 craighalverson@yahoo.com

FORT WORTH

DJ de Jesus 4159 Charron Lane Fort Worth , TX 76116-8160 817.732.8773 (h) djdejesus@charter.net

Rick Everett 136 Fox Home Lane Georgetown, TX 78633 503.702.2985(h) rdeverett79@yahoo.com

TEXAS HILL COUNTRY

Don Dionisi 1503 Wild Peak San Antonio, TX 78258 830.438.5539 don.dionisi@yahoo.com

RIO GRANDE VALLEY

Richard Irizarry 161 Mimosa Street Rio Grande City, TX 78582 956.735.0363 richardirizarry@hotmail.com

WESTERN REGION

CENTRAL COAST

Bob Stanger 641 Shelter Ridge Pl Nipomo, CA 93444 805.929.2901(h) mbstanger@att.net

CENTRAL CALIFORNIA

SACRAMENTO

REGIONAL DIRECTOR

David Brittain

1252 Albrighton Drive Folsom, CA 95630 mbcardwest@gmail.com

HAWAII

Eugene Villaluz 2860 Waialae Avenue Ph 1 Honolulu, HI 96826 808.735.0402 (h) 808.550.8554 (w) evillaluz@tapa.com

Kathryn Splivalo 4800 N Van Ness Boulevard Fresno, CA 93704 559.289.0578 kaspliv@gmail.com

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA Lou Piccinini 870 Tioga Dr. Millbrae, CA 94030 650.697.1618 (h) mercedesocd@yahoo.com

Rhonda Harrigan 519 Schuyler Dr Carmichael, CA 95608 916.670.8684 (h) rhonda.harrigan@gmail.com SIERRA NEVADA Bill Shepherd 3850 Plumas St Reno, NV 89509 775.826.0388 billshep@sbcglobal.net

SLs for Sale

1967 250SL Blue / Blue. 48,400 miles. Black Soft top, Blue interior. Automatic, Power Steering, Disc Brakes, A/C, 1-owner 35 years ,Paint and interior good after older restoration. $69,000, David Neal 480-415-1055, customleasing@qwestoffice.net (AZ)

1979 450SL Yellow / Brown. 71,000 miles. Excellent condition. New Michelin tires>200 miles. A/C conversion. Both tops+ rack and cover. Garaged, no rust, and well maintained. Looks, runs, and drives great! $14,900. Steve Stanley: 956-239-1402 stanleysl@aol.com (TX)

1986

Schmidtcd@ymail.com (OK)

1967

1983

Raymond

1971

1984 380SL

/

93,000 miles.

(843) 422-0827. Patcheshol@aol.com (SC)

1987

great.

1987

230SL Red / Black. 70,200 miles. Family Owned Since New. American version, 4spd, Power Steering, 2 Tops. All Original invoices, repair orders, with manuals. Garage kept. $125,000. John Kamerrer: (509) 758-4363 www.jkam@cableone.net (WA)

280SL Sandy Beige / Golden Brown. 82,000 miles. A beautiful California Coupe. All records. Beautiful, good running condition, garaged, well maintained. Consigned to Jem Motors, Hollywood, CA. 323-962-9696, jim@jemmotors.com. Sheri Alto: 818.429.8163; shericaroll@gmail.com (OR)

380SL Navy / Gray. Newer radio, newer tires, A/C, recent valve job with timing chain, rebuilt transmission, needs soft top. A beautiful, rust-free, Texas car. Always garage kept. $8,500

Swannie: 214.695.3703, rayandcheri@yahoo.com (TX)

Burgundy

Tan.

Runs

All new interior, new battery, new brakes Cold air. Recently serviced, always garaged. $10,000 OBO. ($15K invested). Edna Holland:

560SL Astral silver / Gray. 78,000 miles. MB preservation badge, Bilsteins,17in Pilot Sport AMG wheels. This car now handles, updated Becker sound, 17MPG, owned since 2008. All original parts available, excellent condition throughout. $19,000. C Schmidt: 405-833-2367

1988

1992

1998

1999 SL500 40,000 miles. Indoor stored Nov-Aprl Paint, leather flawless. New tires at 32,000 mi. New LED bright white headlamps. Roof rack, cover. $15,000 James E McHutchison: (410) 310.3194 jemchutch@aol.com (ME)

How to Submit Trading Post Ads

To submit a Trading Post Ad, upload you r ad, with a good quality image if desired, to: www.mbca.org/create-classified-ad

To appear in the March-April 2018 issue of The Star, ads must be active on the website at the end of the day January 31, 2018. Submitted ads are posted immediately.

1999

Each club member may post one MercedesBenz related ad of up to 250 characters (approximately 35 words) and one photo on the website free of charge, space permitting. Members are charged for additional words and pictures. The online ad may be edited or removed by the member.

All ads are automatically removed after 60 days online unless renewed

The Star only accepts ads for Mercedes-Benz vehicles, parts, literature, and related services.

Non-members or commercial enterprises may post text ads for Mercedes-Benz related vehicles, parts, goods, and services on the website. Ads up to 300 characters $30 per issue with 60 days on the website. Fees must be paid in advance and are non-refundable. Please submit commercial ads to Ryanne@mbca.org or call 800.637.2360.

Terms of sale, payment, shipping, and other affairs related to Trading Post ads are the sole responsibility of buyer and seller. However, if issues arise, write editor@mbca.org with details.

MBCA and the Editor of The Star reserve the right to edit or remove any advertisement without recourse, justification, refund, or compensation.

Club members without internet access may submit ads by mail to:

MBCA National Business Office 1907 Lelaray Street Colorado Springs, CO 80909-2872

Please follow correct ad format if submitting by mail. Ad must be typed or clearly printed, and include name, address, phone and credit card information or check. Always include member number. Photographs submitted by mail will not be returned. Ads automatically expire after 60 days unless renewed.

No inference should be made that the goods and services advertised herein have the endorsement of Daimler AG, MBUSA, or MBCA.

see appreciate. $35,000. Leonard Barbato: 954-304-6421 (FL)

500SL Signal Red/Saddle. 11,000 miles. Perfect original paint/Interior. Handbooks, window sticker. Show quality: potential MBCA show winner. Just serviced. New tires. Visit MercedesHeritage.com: full description, 50 images. $29,750. Roy Spencer: 650-343-7980 roy@mercedesheritage.com (CA)

1997 SL500 Silver. AC Radio & Tape Player not working. New Tires. Runs, drive excellent. $7,400 or best offer. Joseph Raquiza: (916) 878-1164 (CA)

SL500 Bright silver metallic/black. 75,350 miles. Full records, garaged, upgrades. New German soft top, hydraulics, Mandrus wheels, Michelin Pilots, custom grille, original hardtop headliner. Recent new water pump, $9,500. Leigh Bohne: 813961-0774 leigh@leighbohne.com (FL)

SL500 Magma Red / Black. 88,200 miles. Dealer maintained, records available. Top condition, maintained regularly. New tires, recently serviced. Garaged, driven lightly. Inc. hard top with carrier. $19,000. Edgar Vivanco: 760.990.3575, evivanco@mac.com (CA)

1999 230SLK Kompressor Bermuda Blue / Black. 99,000 miles. Well maintained summer car, shows minimal wear, price reduced prior to storage, Appraised value $14,300. Documented receipts, photos. Jeff Nitchman: 717-812-0145, nitchman2@ verizon.net (PA)

2000 SL500 Brilliant silver / Ash Grey. 52,000 miles. All maintenance current. Garaged. New front and rear OEM shocks. Both Convertible and climate controls work. Factory CD changer, heated seats, hard top. $10,950. Aaron Licursi: (415) 254-2270, aaron.licursi@yahoo.com (CA)

2001 SL500 Travertine Beige Metallic / Saffron/Java. 47,400 miles. With AMG package, beige metallic with java leather interior, garage kept, nice condition Ted Ursich: (310) 291-9172 (CA)

More SLs for Sale

www.mbca.org/create-classified-ad

Other Mercedes-Benz Vehicles for Sale

blue / Light grey leather. 84,187 miles. Purchased May 2017. Major league performance and luxury. Inc $2,530 transfer 3-year extended engine & powertrain warranty. $25,900. Donald Snodgrass: 618-5247590, don@k4qky.com (MS)

2006 SL55 AMG Kompressor

1958 220S Burgundy & White / Burgundy. 114,000 miles. Ponton Survivor - new interior, bench seat, refinished wood, body excellent. Driving project, no time for restoration. FL car, used on TV Series. $19,500. John Rocco: 412-468-0391 (PA)

1964

2012

1959

(NC)

2016

1962 220

-

Aegean

SLS AMG Roadster Sapphire Red / Black. 417 miles. One of only 884 Roadsters produced in 2012. Carbon fiber details, black interior, hand-built AMG 6.3L V8 engine. Rare. Emily Dahl: (773) 616-3712, angelakdahl@keyoutdoor.com (IL)

SLK300 Roadster Cardinal Red / Red Leather. 27,000 miles. All road miles, no city driven. Incredibly stable at high speeds, pampered and all maintenance done, nearly mint cond. $40,000. Michael D Wagnon: (828) 360-2290 yjustiniano91@ gmail.com (NC)

220S Cabriolet Beige / Cream. 101,000 miles. Beautiful car, great, solid driver. Matching numbers. New clutch. Multiple award winner, movie credits. One of 2178. Owned for 20 years. Meticulous service records. $87,500 Len Sokoloff: 910.575.7161, len@sokoloff.com

SEb Coupe Cream / Tan. 63,000 miles. Nice looking

with lots of restoration. Glass, Chrome, Interior, engine work. Manual transmission. AZ car now based in Mass. Stored indoors. $38,500. John Jenkins: 617.851.6280 johnj@oemtools.com (MA)

220 SE Tan / Dark Green. 67,167 miles. 4 on the column, factory AC, Becker with power antenna, refurbishment by Bud’s Benz. Nothing needs to be done. Enjoy and drive as the Fintail appreciates. Mike Marsh: (601) 946-1950, Mike_Marsh@bellsouth.net (MS)

1964 300SE Lang Blue / Blue . 88,000 miles. Extremely rare model with electric center divider. One of only 5 built in 1964, displayed as the MB factory Show Car for 1964. Documented. Later owned by Dutch Royal Family. Excellent condition. P. Huber Hanes III: 910.619.1138, finegreatsmoke@aol.com (NC)

1966 250S Persian Grey / Black. 52,000 original miles. Very good condition, Very clean, 4 speed manual transmission on the floor, no winter drives. Second owner. Many manuals, Original cloth tool kit and tools, No mechanical issues.

Other Mercedes-Benz Vehicles for Sale

1974

1984 500SEL White / Blue. 30,230 miles. Everything works, seat heaters front and rear, rear seats recline, fully equipped. All maint. docs. A classic with low miles this perfect is rare. $20,000 Paul Welton: (541) 808-1284 boomer150@gmail.com (OR)

1984 190D Black / Light Brown. 123,484 miles. Runs well, but has been idle for a few years. Has a few internal cosmetic issues. Pictures in a few days. $3900. In zip code 93252 north of Los Angeles. Christopher Sherman: 661.617.9523 (CA) NO PHOTO

1987

1976

1985 500SEL Champagne / Brown. 210,000 miles. Original flagship M-B. Passed VA inspection 10/17. New brakes. Most things work. Excellent CD stereo. $3,200.Trade or offer. Brewster Thackeray: 703.508.4418

gmail.com (NC)

1989 560SEL Desert Taupe / Brown. 37,000 miles. Perfect condition. New owner, drove it 1000 miles. It was checked by Mercedes-Benz of NYC. Needs nothing. I upgraded the radio at Becker to Bluetooth. Michael Siegel: 917.406.7204 michael@ stone-search.com (NY)

1989 300SE Grey / Pearl Grey. 78,000 miles. My 92 year-old Dad’s beloved Mercedes for sale to pay for his nursing home costs. Routine oil changes, records, no rust, dents, accidents. $4000. firm. Peter Duryea: 402-708-0405, pduryea@cox.net (Nebraska)

1991

1994

1996 300D Brilliant Silver Metallic / Leather Grey. 138,212 miles. 6 cyl. diesel. A 1-owner Texas car garage kept. Mostly local M-B dlr maintained. Inch-thick file of receipts. $6,995. Don Boland: 817-498-0075 (TX)

2001

2001 CLK55 Silver / Charcoal. 58,000 miles. Full handbooks. Just serviced. Restored alloys.

1995 E320 White / Navy Blue. 77,281 miles. Beautifully maintained classic, low mileage with original navy blue top. $11,500. Raymond Klein: 650.455.7800, ray@rklein.com (CA)

C240 White / Tan Leather. 33,800 miles. Looks, feels and even smells new. Garaged. Three keys, all books, MercedesBenz all weather mats and original carpet mats. Santa Cruz, CA. $8950. Kevin Kingston: 831-295-3316 (CA)

2012

Vehicles Wanted

E-Class Cabriolet Quartz Blue exterior, almond mocha interior, blue top. I am not interested in any other exterior, interior, or convertible top colors. Please, no sedans or roadsters. Located in CA. David Katz: (408) 741-0799 (CA)

1989 560SL Low mileage 1989 560SL Midnight Blue with either black, dark blue, or red interior. Must have less than 30,000 miles and be in mint condition. Jeff Kann: 412-527-6677 (PA)

Wanted: 190SL, 230SL, 250SL, 280SL Collector seeking 190SL, 230SL, 250SL, 280sl and other classic coupes and convertibles. Any condition, anywhere, cash, quick transaction. Drew Schneider: 440-781-3036, dicschneider@aol.com (OH)

Parts & Misc Wanted

Wanted: Tow Hook Cover Need tow hook cover for passenger side on 2001 SL500 AMG Sport. Located near the bottom of the bumper near fog light and more like air vent or air scoop than a cover. John Dearinger: 520.568.8235, jjd1934@gmail.com (AZ.

Wanted: rear bumper for W126 US spec rear bumper for 1987 560 SEL. Minor scratches on plastic are acceptable, but the chrome trim on top must be excellent. Prefer within 100 miles of Dallas, TX. Chris Flaugh: 214-288-5300 214cars@gmail.com (TX)

Wanted: MBCA Grille Badge I’m looking for an original MBCA grille badge. The older the better as long as it is in good condition. Ted Zombek: 614-204-0961 TZombek@aol.com (OH)

Wanted: W212 Wagon Car Cover Looking for a car cover for a W212 Wagon. OEM preferred, but will consider a quality aftermarket product. Call, text, or e/mail: Steve Stephen Dolak: 704-956-4749, svd@brownbuddy.com (NC)

Wanted: Key & Tumbler for 1980 450SEL Workshop version. Part# 1164620279. David Hester: 719.395.9156

Parts & Miscellaneous for Sale

Mercedes Spare Wheel and Tire New. Carried in the wheel well of a CLS63. Wheel: Verde Replicas V1174 CL65, 19x8.5, 5x112

ET35. Tire: Sumitomo HTR A/S PO2, 245/40R19. Includes 10 lug bolts. $100 + shipping. Gordon Haines: 435-668-6864 genericinfo1@earthlink.net (UT)

License Plate and Frame A large 3-D chrome star firmly attached to a satin brushed stainless steel plate; also included: chrome frame, clear protective cover, mounting hardware. $49.95 + sh. Gianfranco Pigoni: 786.535.5624 (FL)

SLK Door Sills Can supply the back buttons for a 230 SLK door sills. Will trade for a front fender

cover to the opening behind the parking light. David Lucy: (303) 637-0238 112460@ centurylink.net (CO)

2018 S63 AMG Black Rims

Available in DFW area. Pick up only. Available now. $4,999

Patrick Osweiler: 817-919-4864 trident@1scom.net (TX)

Brand-new 240 Diesel Short Block With crankshaft,new Mahle pistons, connecting rods, bearings, oiled and airtight wrapped, engine #616.916-12-001541. Heinz Langeneckert: 201-475-0700 (NJ)

Steel wheel 108 400 08 07 Mercedes 6 1/2 J x 14 H2 ( also marked 577 2A). Used but straight. Photo is of the inside of the wheel. May be from 1972 R107 450SL that I put alloy wheels on. $200. Bill Burkhardt: 913-648-1835 wburkhardt@kc.rr.com (KS)

1983 300SD parts Truckload of parts, 40K engine, transmission, hood, windshield and windows, elec. modules, diff, buckets of bolts etc. Free, but must take everything. William Wayman: 315.524.3788. WHWayman@gmail.com (NY 14519)

Mercedes-Benz Shop Closed All left over assorted manuals, parts and tools are for sale. Owners manuals, Service manuals and Assorted parts for most models from 1960-1990. Mostly used, some new. Jeffrey Pritchett: (410)-526-4495 (MD

Vintage

1989

in 95% condition. Not currently running. Henry Keiser: 434.233.1059 louisekeiser@juno.com (VA)

CLA250 Wheels and Tires Four wheels and two tires from a 2014 CLA250, wheels have some scrapes, TWO tires are run flats and have 70 percent of tread. Bill Houser: 215.666.8181 (PA)

1993-1997 6-Cylinder Distributor Cover part number 104 150 00 66. This is the suppressor housing or engine cover for 1993 through 1997 I6 cylinder engines. www.carpartsdiscount. com/distributor-cap-suppressor-housing. Just pay postage. Alexander Currie: 778.402.9089, alexshep344@shaw.ca (BC)

NEW European Headlight Washer/Wiper Systems Upgrade 123, 116, 107 chassis Complete all new OEM/BOSCH parts including wiring harness. germanclassicautoparts.com Werner Wellmann: 207.7258219 info@germanclassicautoparts.com

W210 Leather Seat Back Cover OE leather seat back cover for the 1999-2002 W210 E55 AMG sedan MB part 210 910 3747 9B87. Part NLA. Replace worn seat cover and restore car’s beauty. New in unopened original wrapper, all charcoal. David Pienkowski: 859.230.0870, pieknow@uky.edu (KY)

Parts Early W107 grille: Barrel & Star are all chrome, (not just leading edges). ‘70s Steering Wheel removed from car 30 yrs ago-exc. cond., Ponton Cpe/Cab. Tail light lens excl. cond., Washer resr v.g. cond., Larry Ledbetter: 703.780.1505 (VA

liner

1958 190SL hardtop – Original black paint and headliner in very good condition. 1958 is last year for this style but fits all 190SLs. These go for $5K; asking $4,500. Rodney Johnson: 920388-6388 (WI)

420 SEL Parts Car Best offer or free to a good home. Located in south-central Virginia. Body and black leather Interior

Starry Eyed

The December 1957 cover of Sports Cars Illustrated features a composite image of well-known racing driver Ken Miles behind the wheel of a Porsche 550 Spyder, being chased down by Chuck Porter in his famous handbuilt Mercedes-Benz SLS special, number 181. The story of the SLS begins on page 40. Image Horstkorta Collection

Introducing the new 2018 S-Class. Never before has an S-Class existed in more complete harmony with both its driver and its surroundings. With a single selection, you can adjust the 64-color ambient lighting, cabin climate, fragrance intensity and Burmester® Surround Sound System to match your mood. All while an advanced suite of driver assistance systems intelligently monitors the road ahead and micro-adjusts the drive—reenergizing the driver and an industry. MBUSA.com/S-Class HEADLINE: 26 pt. • BODY COPY: 9.5 pt.

It soothes the five senses. It drives with a sixth.