Welcome new members! Inside this issue: View From the Peak 2 Mercedes News 2 Membership Meeting 3 An SLK Delivery 3 Wine Ctry Weekend 4 VMCCA Car Show 4 June Fun Run 5 Joint Section Picnic 5 Mile High Events 5 StarTech 2013 6 VLA Tour 6 Der Marktplatz 7 Click 7 Tech Tips 8 Illuminated Star 8 Meet the Board 9 Party Recap 9 SLC Sports Car 10 CLA45 AMG 10 Parker Curry Amy Thornton Jennifer Zimmerman Newsletter of the PIKES PEAK SECTION APRIL 2013 ‘ROUND THE BENZ D-I-Y Tech Session Sunday, 14 April 2013 10:00 a.m. Dave Williamson has scheduled another Do-It-Yourself Tech Session at Mercedes- Benz of Colorado Springs. It will be held on Sunday, 14 April at 10:00 a.m. This is becoming a very popular event as our members have discov- ered that they enjoy tinkering with their beau- tiful Benzes and saving some significant money in the process. As usual, Dave, Andy, and Tim will be on hand to walk us through whatever repair or procedure we choose. Replacing brake pads? Changing oil? It’s all much easier with access to the lifts and equipment at Mercedes-Benz of Colorado Springs. The Parts Department will be open and extend the usual 20 percent discount to Pikes Peak Section members. The cost for this session is $10. Last time we filled all the bays, so get your reservation in early. RSVP to Dave at 719-575-7976. Put this date on your calendar, folks; you and your Mer- cedes will be glad you did. Sunday Brunch Sunday, 21 April 2013 11:00 a.m. The Pikes Peak Section will gather at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort at 3225 Broad- moor Valley Rd., for their sumptuous Sunday Brunch. We’ll have an area reserved for the Section in the din- ing area. If you’ve not had an oppor- tunity to experience the resort’s brunch, you’re in for a treat. The Sunday Brunch is fit for the most discerning palate and biggest appetite combined with the best view in Colorado Springs. You’ll enjoy waffles and omelets on the hearth, made to order from their chefs. There is also a cheese and salad bar filled with delectable flavors from around the world. Several main dishes such as prime rib, grilled salmon, crepes and much more are included, as well as a very well-rounded dessert bar with special recipe vanilla bean ice cream. The cost for the Brunch is $39 per person; taxes and gratuity are included in this price. After brunch, a trip to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, weather permitting, will be organized as an ad-hoc event so we can walk off the great meal. Zoo information will be provided at brunch. RSVP to Gary Gagnon NLT 14 April 2013, (719) 332-7501, gagnong4@msn. com. Attendees plan to meet at the Chey- enne Mountain Resort at 11:00 a.m.
Transcript
Welcome new members!
Inside this issue:
View From the Peak 2
Mercedes News 2
Membership Meeting 3
An SLK Delivery 3
Wine Ctry Weekend 4
VMCCA Car Show 4
June Fun Run 5 Joint Section Picnic 5
Mile High Events 5
StarTech 2013 6
VLA Tour 6
Der Marktplatz 7
Click 7
Tech Tips 8
Illuminated Star 8
Meet the Board 9
Party Recap 9
SLC Sports Car 10
CLA45 AMG 10
Parker Curry
Amy Thornton
Jennifer Zimmerman
Newsletter of the PIKES PEAK SECTION
APRIL 2013
‘ROUND THE BENZ
D-I-Y Tech SessionSunday, 14 April 2013
10:00 a.m.Dave Williamson has scheduled another Do-It-Yourself Tech Session at Mercedes-Benz of Colorado Springs. It will be held on Sunday, 14 April at 10:00 a.m.
This is becoming a very popular event as our members have discov-ered that they enjoy tinkering with their beau-tiful Benzes and saving some significant money in the process.
As usual, Dave, Andy, and Tim will be on
hand to walk us through whatever repair or procedure we choose. Replacing brake pads? Changing oil? It’s all much easier with access to the lifts and equipment at Mercedes-Benz of Colorado Springs. The
Parts Department will be open and extend the usual 20 percent discount to Pikes Peak Section members.
The cost for this session is $10. Last time we filled all the bays, so get your reservation in early. RSVP
to Dave at 719-575-7976. Put this date on your calendar, folks; you and your Mer-cedes will be glad you did.
Sunday BrunchSunday, 21 April 2013
11:00 a.m.The Pikes Peak Section will gather at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort at 3225 Broad-moor Valley Rd., for their sumptuous Sunday Brunch. We’ll have an area reserved for the Section in the din-ing area. If you’ve not had an oppor-tunity to experience the resort’s brunch, you’re in for a treat.
The Sunday Brunch is fit for the most discerning palate and biggest appetite combined with the best view in Colorado Springs. You’ll enjoy waffles and omelets on the hearth, made to order from their chefs. There is also a cheese and salad bar filled with delectable flavors from
around the world. Several main dishes such as prime rib, grilled salmon, crepes and much more are included, as well as a very well-rounded dessert bar with special recipe vanilla bean ice cream. The cost for
the Brunch is $39 per person; taxes and gratuity are included in this price.
After brunch, a trip to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo,
weather permitting, will be organized as an ad-hoc event so we can walk off the great meal. Zoo information will be provided at brunch.
RSVP to Gary Gagnon NLT 14 April 2013, (719) 332-7501, [email protected]. Attendees plan to meet at the Chey-enne Mountain Resort at 11:00 a.m.
View From the Peak by Andrew NelsonSection OfficersPresident:Andrew [email protected]
‘Round the BENZ is published monthly by the Pikes Peak Section of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America (MBCA), Inc. Articles and ideas are the opinions of the writers and no authentication is implied as to the validity of any infor-mation contained therein. Explicit permission to republish any article with proper attribution is given to all sections of MBCA, Inc. Articles for publication consideration should be mailed to Pikes Peak Section, MBCA, Attn: Editor, 4335 Penhurst Place, Colorado Springs, CO 80906 or, whenever possible, emailed to: [email protected]. Deadline for receipt is the 18th of the month prior to the month of issue.
Pikes Peak Section members are encouraged to support the advertisers in our newsletter. They help to make this publication possible.
Having recently stepped down from Formula One racing, Michael Schumach-er is reportedly set to play a role in the development of road cars for his former employer.
Schumacher was replaced at the Mer-cedes AMG F1 team late last year by Lewis Hamilton, but according to com-ments from team principal Ross Brawn, the seven-time world champion is keen to stay on and help develop road cars for the Mercedes-Benz brand.
“The development of models, particularly high-performance cars, is something he enjoys very much,” Brawn said.
Schumacher has already been signed up as an ambassador of AMG, just like fel-low F1 ace David Coulthard. And he has appeared at a number of recent launch-es, including that of the SL63 AMG.
Additionally, Schumacher already has a lot of experience helping fine-tune road cars. He helped with the development of several Ferrari models during his time with the Prancing Horse, including the Enzo-based FXX, 458 Italia.
Let’s hope the first port of call for Schumi is the upcoming Mercedes-Benz SLC sports car.
‘ROUND THE BENZ
Mercedes News
April is here, it’s springtime, and to me that means the For-mula One season is underway. After spending hun-dreds of millions of dollars over the last several years with only one victory (last year) to show for its
investment, the Mercedes F1 racing team is hoping the addition of Lewis Hamilton from McClaren, along with a racing team management shakeup, will produce bet-ter results this year.
Winter testing of the 2013 cars in Spain did not start out well, however. In an early test lap, Hamilton’s car had a complete brake failure that resulted in a rather harsh “shunt” into the tire-wall. The team did get the cars sorted out, and by the
end of winter testing, teammates Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton both were at the top of the time charts.
If you need to get your own Mercedes-Benz in racing form, don’t miss out on our D-I-Y Tech Session at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, April 14, held at Mercedes-Benz of Colorado Springs. Contact Dave WIl-liamson to reserve a lift. Dealership techs will be on hand to advise, but you will need to bring your own tools. The Parts Department will be open and extend the usual 20 percent discount to Pikes Peak Section members. This is a great oppor-tunity to learn about and service your car, meet fellow members, and support our dealership.
As always, drive safe, and I will see you down the road.
Andrew
-
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‘ROUND THE BENZ
“If you plan
to attend,
bring a folding
chair....”
Tuesday, 7 May 20136:00 p.m.
The Pikes Peak Section Board of Direc-tors has completed a periodic review of the Section Bylaws in accordance with the MBCA Standard Operating Procedures and has voted to amend the Bylaws.
The Bylaws are written rules for conduct, established by the Pikes Peak Section to regulate itself, as allowed by MBCA. In effect, these bylaws are a contract among members and must be formally amended.
In addition, the Board of Directors has created a Section constitution as required by the National Bylaws. The constitution prescribes the nature, functions, and limits of the Section. This document must be approved by the membership. Both the new Bylaws and constitution are available
for review on the Section website at http://mbca.org/pikes_peak
There will be a vote of our membership on Tuesday, 7 May 2013 at Mercedes-Benz of Colorado Springs, 730 Automotive Drive, Colorado Springs at 6:00 p.m. during our regular monthly meeting. At that time, revisions to the Bylaws will be approved and the constitution adopted by a two-thirds majority of all Active members present at the meeting. All members are invited to at-tend. If you plan to attend, please bring a folding chair, as seats are limited in our meeting room. Those who are unable to attend may mail completed original ballots to the address indicated. Please direct any questions to Judy Bennett at 719-576-9737 or [email protected]
Membership Meeting
Official Pikes Peak Section Ballot Member Name:_________________________________________________
Mail ballot to Charlie Bennett, Rocky Mountain Regional Director 4335 Penhurst Place, Colorado Springs 80906
Ballots must be received not later than Tuesday, 7 May 2013
An SLK DeliveryCharlie Bennett fulfilled the dream of a lifetime when he and Judy took delivery of his brand-new, shiny-red SLK on 26 February. It was another great champagne delivery celebration at Mercedes-Benz of Colorado Springs, courtesy of Dave Wil-liamson (he provided the car and the food) and Andrea Hansen (she provided the recipe for the meatballs).
We had a great turn out, with many prior new car delivery inductees.
Page 4
.
‘ROUND THE BENZ
Wine Country Weekend - 10-12 May 2013We plan to kick off the spring and sum-mer driving seasons with a bang - well not really. But we are planning an overnight trip to Grand Junction, located in the heart
of Colorado’s wine country.
The Grand Junction area is home to some of Colorado’s best wineries and vine-yards. Visit the tasting rooms at Desert Sun, Whitewater Hill, Two Rivers, or Ptarmigan Vineyards. If you prefer hops to grapes, be
sure to check out local brewpubs Kannah Creek or Rockslide, where each serves up a selection of its own special beers.
If you prefer other activities, visit the color-ful red rock formations, gravity-defying boulders and sheer-walled canyons of
the Colorado National Monument. Or try guided whitewater rafting trips through the magnificent canyons in the area.
We’ll be staying at the Fairfield Inn, where our hospitality suite will be up and run-ning. We have contracted for deluxe queen rooms and king suites for $99.95 and $125.95, respectively. Contact Cheryl Kerbs to reserve your room at [email protected] or call 800-878-2929 x 177. The hotel will hold rooms at these prices only until 10 April, so make your reservations today! There will be an event fee of $25 per person.
We will rendezvous in the Safeway park-ing lot at 3275 W Colorado Ave. at 9:00 a.m. on Friday. Then we’ll head up Hwy 24 toward Breckenridge and Frisco and a lunch stop, before taking I-70 west to Grand Junction.
Any questions? Give Judy Bennett a call at 719-576-9737.
The Pikes Peak Section plans to make our presence known at the Veteran Motor Car Club of America (VMCCA) Car Show at Holy Cross Abbey in Canon City on 18 May. We’re putting together a contingent of beautiful Benzes to show those muscle cars and classics that we can compete on any field.
We’ve done this car show in the past and had a great time, relaxing and talking to anybody who will listen about our babies - not our grand-babies, but our cars! So bring a cooler of frosty drinks, some camp chairs, and your California dusters, and kick back with us. You can also check out the car corral, flea market, swap meet, or craft show.
We will pre-register so we can be parked together on the grass. Pre-registration is $20 per car and includes admission for
the driver and a passenger. Deadline to pre-register is 1 May. After the show, we’ll get together for a scenic drive and a celebratory meal.
This is the first Fun Run of the spring, and it looks to be great. If you would like to
join us, call Charlie Bennett at 719-576-9737 to let him know what car you want to show.
Show cars will gather at the Denny’s Restaurant on the north side of Hwy 50 just as you enter Canon City from the east. Plan to be there by 9:00 a.m. so we can all drive to the Abbey together. Remember,
those who arrive together, are parked together on the show field.
Those who only want to spectate will meet at the Golden Corral Restaurant at 9:00 a.m. for our usual monthly breakfast and then convoy down to Canon City for the show. Hope to see you there!
VMCCA Car Show - Saturday, 18 May 2013
“So bring
a cooler of
frosty drinks,
some camp
chairs, and
your California
dusters....”
Page 5
PREVIEW OF COMING ATTRACTIONS!
‘ROUND THE BENZ
Anschutz Medical Campus TourDate: 6 April 2013; 10:00 a.m.Location: Anschutz Medical Center, AuroraCost: $5 per person plus cost of lunch at the Islamorada RestaurantContact: Michael Davidson at [email protected]
Money Museum TourDate: 4 May 2013; 10:00 a.m.Location: 818 N. Cascade Ave, Colo Spgs
Cost: $10 per person plus cost of lunchContact: Michael Davidson, [email protected]
Luxury Car Detail Tech SessionDate: 11 May 2013; time TBDLocation: Adams Premium Car Care, 87 S. Taylor Ave, Louisville Cost: TBDContact: TBD
Mile High Section EventsFor more information, visit the MHS website at http: www.milehighmbca.org
June Fun Run - 15 June 2013Join the Pikes Peak Section for breakfast at the Golden Corral Restaurant at 5410 E. Woodmen Rd at 9:00 a.m. on 15 June. After a leisurely breakfast, President An-drew Nelson will entertain ideas for a Fun Run to follow.
The possibilities are endless - head south to Bishop’s Castle, head west to the Pikes Peak Heritage Center, or head north to blow out some carbon on County Line Rd. Feel free to add your own ideas to the mix. See you at breakfast!
Joint Section Picnic - 29 June 2013Clark and Karen Absher cordially invite you to attend the Joint Section Picnic and Rally at Absher Acres on Saturday, June 29, 2013. Lunch will begin promptly at noon, followed by a short rally and then dessert, trophy presentations, and social hour.
There is nothing for you to bring other than yourselves, a Mercedes, and $10 per person to cover the cost of the catered lunch and dessert. If you would enjoy an
adult beverage during the social hour, it will be on a “BYO” basis.
The rally will take place mostly on hard surfaced roads. The rally winners (first, second and third) will be determined by accumulating the fewest penalty points
with penalty points assigned for traffic violations, failures to fully complete challenges at the various check points, and missing the pre-established time to complete the rally.
If the spirit moves you, horse shoes, badminton, volleyball, chicken watching, and garden visiting will be available dur-ing the social hour. In order to properly determine the quan-tity of food, please RSVP to
Clark or Karen by June 21, 2013 at 719- 749-2621 (home phone), 719-332-5334 (Clark’s cell phone) or [email protected].
“Lunch will
begin promptly
at noon,
followed by a
short rally and
then dessert....”
Page 6
‘ROUND THE BENZ
Birmingham, AlabamaMay 18-22, 2013
Come for the Tech!• Factory Tours of Mercedes-Benz U.S. International (MBUSI)• MBUSA and MBUSI Speakers• Touring Laps – Barber Motorsports Road Course• Technical Seminars
Come for the Fun!• Vintage Races at Barber Motorsports• U.S. Space & Rocket Center and NASA Tour• Shopping• Garden & Museum Tours• Something for everyone...
StarTech 2013
For information and registration package contact Liz Robersonat [email protected] | 205.822.8460
Mercedes-Benz Club of America | Alabama Sectionwww.StarTech2013.org
®
– Maintenance– Repairs– Restoration
– Modification– Manufacturing
Aldridge Gardens U.S Space & Rocket CenterMBUSI Welcome Center Title TBD Barber Motorsports Park
Birmingham, AlabamaMay 18-22, 2013
Come for the Tech!• Factory Tours of Mercedes-Benz U.S. International (MBUSI)• MBUSA and MBUSI Speakers• Touring Laps – Barber Motorsports Road Course• Technical Seminars
Come for the Fun!• Vintage Races at Barber Motorsports• U.S. Space & Rocket Center and NASA Tour• Shopping• Garden & Museum Tours• Something for everyone...
StarTech 2013
For information and registration package contact Liz Robersonat [email protected] | 205.822.8460
Mercedes-Benz Club of America | Alabama Sectionwww.StarTech2013.org
®
– Maintenance– Repairs– Restoration
– Modification– Manufacturing
Aldridge Gardens U.S Space & Rocket CenterMBUSI Welcome Center Title TBD Barber Motorsports Park
Saturday, 15 June 2013The NM Section would like to invite you to join us for a tour of the VLA (Very Large Array) in the plains of San Agustin near Socorro, NM, on Saturday, June 15, 2013.
On Saturday morning, June 15, we will depart from Albuquerque at 8:00 AM and drive directly to the VLA where we will enjoy a gourmet box lunch before we start our 1.5- to 2-hour tour of the VLA facility. After the tour you may enjoy shopping at the gift shop before starting your drive back to Albuquerque by one of two routes, a direct route up the Interstate or a scenic route through the mountains and National Forest which is being planned with the assistance of the Mile-High Section. Stops along the way include a 500-year-old Mission in Socorro and the Abo-Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monu-ment.
Social events and dinner gatherings are planned for Friday evening and Saturday after the drive back to Albuquerque. Dinner will be on your own. Pikes Peak Section members plan to return to Colorado on
Sunday, June 16.
Arrangements have been made for a special nightly rate at the Embassy Suites in Albuquerque for $114 per night. Mention the Mercedes Club event for this rate. The Embassy Suites also honors various dis-count programs such as senior, AAA and AARP so you may be able to negotiate a better discount rate when you call to make your room reservation. Em-
bassy Suites, 1000 Wood-ward Pl. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87102. Call (505) 245-7100 for reservations.
The deadline for reservations is May 25; however, the New Mexico Section asks that out of state MBCA members get their reservations in early, by May 1, if possible, to help them plan their welcome events, socials and prizes,
etc. Pikes Peak Section members who are inter-ested in caravanning down to Albuquerque on Friday June 14 should contact Harvey LeCato at [email protected].
Cost is $20.00 per person (includes box lunch). Mail your check and contact information to Jo Chase, 6338 Antares Road NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111 or contact her at 505-717-1270 for more information.
VLA Tour by Jo Chase, President, NM Section
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‘ROUND THE BENZ
Der Marktplatz“Love the Drive” Wind-screen. Fits Model R107 (380SL, 450SL, 560SL). A must for a quiet, top-down drive. Perfect condition. New $395. Asking $200. Call Char-lie at 719-576-9737.
1981 Mercedes 300 SD. Single owner, 80,000 miles, Chinese red with tan leather upholstery. Excellent condition, runs like new. $8500 OBO. Contact Tom at (719) 633-5185; [email protected]
2000 SL-500 hardtop (black and perfect) with stor-age stand for $1,000. Plus I’m interested in purchas-ing a ‘04 or ‘05 SL-500, black-on-black or black- on-gray, the usual stuff perfect and low mileage for around $20,000 - $25,000. Rick Palmer 597-5241.
Mercedes Benz 300 CD, 5-cylinder Turbo Diesel. Sun roof, dark blue/beige interior. New tires, hoses, belts and Bilstein shocks. Mercedes serviced with abundant mechanical records. Third owner, with 236,000 miles. It was displayed at concours/charity shows. Needs nothing. $5,300 OBO. David Hester, 303-933-7610.
This just in from the latest edition of the MBCA e-newsletter, Click, a quick wrap-up of news, dis-counts & special events:
New Loyalty Reward Program for U.S. Members of the MBCA.
What’s Changed? Instead of receiving a (maxi-mum) Loyalty Reward discount of $1,000 off the purchase or lease price of a NEW 2013 or 2014 Mercedes-Benz, Members can now take $500 off a NEW 2013 or 2014 Mercedes-Benz and combine that discount with a second MBUSA Dealer incentive — including guest appreciation certificates, seasonal event discounts like Summer and Winter Clearance sales and other Dealer offers. In some cases, you may actually SAVE MORE THAN $1,000 when you combine discounts. This new Program takes effect April 1, 2013.
What’s The Same? You must be a “Member in
Good Standing” of the MBCA to qualify for the Loy-alty Reward discount. If you have been a Club Mem-ber for 12 consecutive months or longer, and are still a Member today, a Member in Good Standing symbol will appear at the bottom left of your person-al profile page. From your profile page, go to ‘click here’ for time-sensitive terms and conditions and to print an official Loyalty Reward Certificate redeem-able only at U.S. Mercedes-Benz Dealerships.
Next, go to your local Mercedes-Benz Dealership and negotiate the best price for your new 2013 or 2014 Mercedes. Be sure to ask if your Dealer is of-fering special price discounts; like a guest apprecia-tion offer or a Summer or Winter Clearance. On the day of your purchase, present your Certificate to the Dealer to receive an additional $500 off the price of your new vehicle.
Which Vehicles Are Eligible? You may apply your $500 discount toward the purchase or lease of any new 2013 or 2014 Mercedes-Benz vehicle except: Sprinter Vans, smart, SLS AMG Coupes and SLS AMG Roadsters.
Look for more details in the May/June 2013 issue of The Star®.
Page 8
‘ROUND THE BENZ
There is an area of car maintenance that most people tend to overlook - the rub-ber seals around the doors and windows. Often the door seals are taken for granted until they begin to
leak. Then people think it’s time to do something. By then about all you can do is replace them. The rubber door seals, if not cleaned and lubricated, dry out, causing them to shrink and leak.
In our area the sun can be brutal on such items. Each time you wash your car, take a little time to clean the rubber door seals. After you clean them, let them dry. Take a clean cloth and some silicone oil (comes in a spray container). You can find this product at most hardware stores and your local auto parts store. Spray the oil on a clean dry cloth, then wipe the rubber seals with the cloth.
The first time you treat the rubber seals, you may need to repeat the procedure a couple of times to insure the rubber has a good coat of silicone. You can also spray the window channels. This will help a sticking window go up and down. In both cases a small amount goes a long way. If you spray too much silicone in the win-dow channels, you’ll make a mess on the window glass (you’ll need to clean up the excess). Too much oil will also attract dirt. Cleaning and lubricating the rubber seals will resolve problems with air leaks.
I also recommend you purchase a pack-age of micro cloths. Costco sells them in packages of 36 for around $15 (very good buy). These micro cloths are great for cleaning and waxing your car. They also work well for cleaning the windows. These cloths can also be used to clean your flat screen TV and computer monitors.
If anyone has had good experience with a car care product, please pass the informa-tion to me at [email protected]. With money becoming scarce, there is no sense in purchasing products that don’t work.
Until next month.
Ken Illuminated Star by Viknesh Vijayenthiran
Tech Tips by Ken Sheehan
Mercedes-Benz owners can now jazz up their cars with an illuminated version of the star on the center grille.
Available through Mer-cedes’ official accessories division, the lit star only works at certain times, and never when the car is being driven. It’s designed to illuminate when the car is unlocked, its doors or trunk opened, or when the
engine is turned off. It then stays on for 15 seconds unless triggered again.
Check out the video showing the system in action at http://www.you-tube.com/watch?feature=player_
embedded&v=BjofICMUZTA#!
Currently, the special star is only avail-able for the M-Class and GL-Class SUVs, though Mercedes plans to launch versions for the C Class, E Class and CLS Class models at a later date. Note, if your car is equipped with Distronic or Distronic Plus cruise control, it can’t be fitted with the il-luminated star feature.
Mercedes joins one of the most prestigious companies in the auto industry, Rolls-Royce, to offer an illuminated version of its famous hood ornament. Hopefully the $400 price of the illuminated star won’t serve as a deterrent. Order yours today at the Parts Department of Mercedes-Benz of Colorado Springs.
“Often the door
seals are taken
for granted
until they begin
to leak.”
Page 9
‘ROUND THE BENZ
“We’ve had
more fun with
this club than
any other
organization
to which
we’ve ever
belonged.”
New Member Party Recap
It’s hard to believe that I’ve been asso-ciated with MBCA for 12 years, but the calendar, unfortunately, never lies. In that 12-year period, Charlie and I have owned four MLs, a 380 SL, an E300, a G-Wagen, and an SLK (our new baby). But even more importantly, we’ve been members of the Pikes Peak Section of MBCA, where I’ve been the newsletter editor for the last three years and currently serve as Vice President. We’ve had more fun with this club than any other organization to which we’ve ever belonged.
With the Pikes Peak Section, we’ve been to every corner of Colorado, from the Paint Mines to Serenity Springs to Bent’s Old Fort and Bishop’s Castle; from Palisade to Estes Park. We’ve toured every type of museum imaginable - railroad, money, mining, rodeo, airplane, and even a ghost town. We’ve gone off-roading near Moab, Crested Butte, Buena Vista, Cripple Creek, and Keystone. We’ve visited Mile High Stadium and Coors Field as well as Pueblo’s Riverwalk and count-less vineyards and breweries from Denver to Grand Junction. We’ve been on picnics and gourmet dinners and every type of dining in between. We’ve visited the butter-flies, picked apples, starred in a Fourth of
July parade, and collected food for charity. We’ve looked for rally clues in cemeteries, ice cream parlors, and photographs. All of these events were courtesy of the dedi-cated members of your board of directors and their wonderful imaginations.
This year we’re finally empty nesters, and we’re expecting a new granddaughter in August. That will make 2 granddaughters and 4 grandsons! With our new-found freedom, we’ve got the 2013 driving season all planned and can’t wait to get going, just as soon as Old Man Winter heads for South America. We’re starting off with the Wine Coun-try Weekend where we’ll stock up on Carlson wines and check out the sights in Grand Junction. When we get back, we’ll head
to the VMCCA Car Show where Charlie will show off his pride and joy, aka Flash Junior. Then it’s a trip to Albuquerque to see the Very Large Array as seen in the movie “Contact.” In June, we’re headed to Absher Acres for the Joint Section Picnic and Rally. And that’s just the first half of the summer. Whew! It’s gonna be great!
I can’t wait to see what new drives the board comes up with in the future. But you can be sure that Charlie and I will be along for the ride. We hope all of you will join us.
With a St. Patrick’s Day theme the New Member Party was held on Saturday, March 16, at Mimi’s Cafe. We had an hour to mingle before dinner in which time our current members had the opportunity to meet our Section’s new members. We were pleased to welcome David Simmons and fiancee Gretchen, Robert Brandon and Clarice Gunther, John and Denise Haven, and Paul and Lori Howell.
Not surprisingly, most of the men talked about their cars. At 6:30, we entered the dining room where dinners were chosen from a special menu which offered Oven
Pot Roast, Chicken Madeira, Grilled Salmon Florentine, Pasta Jambalaya, Filet of “Soul,”or a Petite Filet. It sounded as though the salmon dish was a favorite. And, as we’ve come to expect, the wait staff was efficient and obliging
After the meal, President Andrew pre-viewed upcoming events, which were greeted with enthusiasm by our newest members. Everyone appeared to have a good time enjoying their meals and swap-ping stories, thus making the evening another pleasant club experience.
Meet the Board by Judy Bennett
“Not
surprisingly,
most of the
men talked
about their
cars.”
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While the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is, by anyone’s definition of the concept, a superb automobile, it’s much more of a grand-tourer than it is a sports car. Its price further excludes it from consideration by those shopping for, say, a Porsche 911.
Enter the upcoming Mercedes-Benz SLC sport coupe, a car that’s been rumored to exist for the past few years. We’ve reported on it in the past and we’ve even
delivered spy shots of the car testing at the Nür-burgring, but details on the car have been in short supply.
Now, Brit-ain’s Car magazine is serving up some in-side information on powertrains, pricing (in Britain, obviously) and even variants of the SLC to be built. As we previously reported, the SLC will share a platform with the SLS, but will be a bit more agile thanks to a shortened wheelbase and a lighter weight.
Part of that weight savings involves the use of conventional (as opposed to gull-wing) doors. Conventional doors also enhance body stiffness, and Mercedes is reportedly building this car to go head-to-head with the Porsche 911 on the track.
Under the SLS-styled hood, buyers will be able to choose from a base V-6 engine (meant to keep cost low) and a pair of V-8 engines. The V-6 model is expected to pack some 333 horsepower, but it won’t hit the market until after the V-8 models are launched.
The mid-range, twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 should deliver a rumored 485 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque, but an even faster SLC S version is planned. Its stron-ger V-8 will serve up 585 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque, which should position it nicely against Porsche’s next 911 Turbo.
While overseas pricing doesn’t often translate into U.S. pricing, Car speculates that the base SLC model will be priced from 70,000 pounds ($110,474) when it hits British dealers in 2016. The mid-range V-8 will likely be the first to market (as a 2015 model), with a base price of 80,000 pounds ($126,256).
If you want the über-coupe, the SLC S variant is expected to run $181,493, and should come to market soon after the first V-8 SLC coupe launches.
If you’re holding out for the roadster ver-sion of the SLC, prepare to be patient. Of-ficially, Mercedes-Benz denies that such a car exists, which likely means that it wants to recoup the SLC’s development costs before pondering an open-air version.
SLC Sports Car by Kurt Ernst
The CLA45 AMG will arrive in the U.S. this November. The price likely will come in under $50,000, which would make it
a bit of an intriguing performance bargain con-sidering the usual luxury add-ons, and the lack of a direct competitor.
The CLA45 AMG has its powertrain in common with the A45 AMG. It’s a 360-horsepower, 332-pound-feet turbo-charged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and all-wheel drive. Output will probably end up at about 355 hp.
At those levels, the CLA45 AMG offers a big performance jump over the CLA 250. The entry-level car is said to be capable of zero-to-60 mph runs of under 7.0 seconds; for the CLA45 AMG, it’s 4.6 seconds.
CLA45 AMG by Nelson Ireson
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‘ROUND THE BENZ
2 April 2013Monthly Meeting - 6:00 p.m.Andrew Nelson 719-634-7522
14 April 2013D-I-Y Tech Session - 10:00 a.m.Dave Williamson 719-575-7976
21 April 2013*Sunday Brunch - 11:00 a.m.Gary Gagnon 719-282-9313*Monthly breakfast moved to Sunday
7 May 2013Membership Meeting - 6:00 p.m.Andrew Nelson 719-634-7522
10-12 May 2013Wine Country Weekend
Judy Bennett 719-576-9737
18 May 2013Monthly Breakfast - 9:00 a.m.VMCCA Car Show & Fun RunCharlie Bennett 719-576-9737
4 June 2013Membership Meeting - 6:00 p.m.Andrew Nelson 719-634-7522
15 June 2013Monthly Breakfast - 9:00 a.m.Fun Run Andrew Nelson 719-634-7522
29 June 2013Joint Section Picnic - 11:30 a.m.Clark Absher 719-749-2621
Calendar of Upcoming Events
The Pikes Peak Section Board of Directors meets the First Tuesday of Each Month at Mercedes-Benz of Colorado Springs, 730 Automotive Drive. Meetings start at 6:00 p.m.
All Section members are welcome and encouraged to attend.
