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September 04 News |
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new
look MBO website
The Mercedes-Benz Owners website (www.mercedesclub.org.uk)
has been updated and given a great new look. The comments and suggestions
you made in our recent survey have been taken on board and incorporated
to make the site even more useful for Mercedesı owners. The latest
news and events now appear, regularly updated, on the home page
and the membersı area has been given more substance. Additional
items have been added to the range of books and merchandise available
from the club shop and the forum maintains its place as an integral
part of the site. Please take a look at the revised Association
website and let us know what you think. We are always happy to listen
to and act on your good suggestions. |
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Goodwood
revival
The Goodwood Revival relives the glory days of Goodwood Motor Circuit,
which, along with Silverstone, was Britain's leading racing venue
during its active years between 1948 and 1966. From 3-5th September,
the circuit will once again echo to the spine-tingling bark of golden-age
Grand Prix cars from the Fifties and Sixties, thundering sports
and GT cars, as well as historic saloon cars and little-seen Formula
Juniors. Many of these important historic racing cars are driven
by famous faces from motor sport past and present. Sir Stirling
Moss, David Coulthard, and Damon Hill will take part at the Revival.
It is not just the circuit and the vehicles that have an authentic
period look. All circuit staff and competitors dress in appropriate
period clothing from the 1940s and 1950s, as do the majority of
visitors, who consider it all part of the fun. |
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HPI
check
The importance of consumers being aware of the dangers of used car
buying cannot be overestimated. One in three vehicles run through
the independent vehicle information provider HPI shows some discrepancy,
for example the car is highlighted to be a write-off, a cut nı
shut or stolen. For less than the cost of a tank of petrol, customers
can conduct an HPI Check by calling 01722 422 422 (or by logging
onto www.hpicheck.com). With an HPI check, consumers can be sure
the car they buy is legitimate. |
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New
child seat
Mercedes has unveiled the new TOPSAFE child seat, which is designed
for babies and small children up to approximately four years old
and can be mounted facing either rearwards or in the direction of
travel. The new seat has been put through its paces in numerous
crash tests conducted using child-type dummies. If the child seat
is mounted on the front-passenger seat, aerials in the seat padding
exchange data with transponders in the base of the child seat. This
allows the airbag electronics to identify if a child seat has been
fitted, in which case the front passenger airbag is automatically
deactivated. This is particularly important if the child seat has
been mounted in a rearwards-facing direction. As soon as the child
seat is removed, the airbag is primed for activation once again. |
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Team
tactics
Competition in the lively German DTM touring car series continues
to be red-hot with British ace Gary Paffett condemning Audi's blocking
tactics at the recent round at the Nurburgring. The Mercedes front-runner
hit out at Emanuele Pirro, who stayed out on his first set of tyres
and blocked Paffett, forcing him to make an early second stop and
lose time. Paffett claimed the Italianıs motive was to allow fellow
Audi driver Mattias Ekstrom to catch up. Pirro said he was going
slowly because he had sustained damage in a first-lap collision.
Despite the delay, Paffett went on to take his third win of the
season, but still trails Ekstrom in the championship. |
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Warranty
and the independent
Owners of new Mercedes cars may not realise that they can now have
servicing work carried out by an independent garage without compromising
their warranties. A Recent change in EU law has created a more open
market, and Harpenden Auto Services has seized the opportunity to
establish an independent service centre covering the Hertfordshire
and Bedfordshire areas. MD Peter Freeman commented: "With the
recent changes in legislation, the diagnostic equipment available
to the independent is of an equal specification and capability to
that used by the main dealer. This allows us to complete the work
to manufacturerıs guidelines and as we still use genuine Mercedes
parts, it will have no effect on your warranty". The company
offers collection/delivery and courtesy cars to keep you mobile
and has established a good relationship with an MB approved bodyshop
and a local recovery company. In effect, they offer the complete
package at a reasonable cost. For further information, please contact
01582 722445, or e-mail them on service@harpendenautos.co.uk |
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Delivering
Ontime
Ontime has won the distribution contract for the new Mercedes SLR
McLaren. The cars will be delivered in covered, two-car transporters
to destinations in the UK and continental Europe, and shipped in
sea freight containers to the rest of the world. Ontime, which provides
bespoke vehicle preparation and distribution services for the industryıs
prestige manufacturers, has already collected six of the carbon-fibre
bodied supercars from the Mclaren plant at Woking, Surrey. Prior
to despatch, the customer viewingı cars will be given final pre-delivery
checks at Ontimeıs facility in Warwickshire. Customer viewing takes
place in conjunction with a personal tour of the McLaren factory,
giving each customer from any part of the world the opportunity
to inspect his or her car before it is delivered. |
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Travelling
in style
Two charity workers were rewarded for years of duty to a hospice
with a visit to a Royal Garden Party - and were treated like royalty
themselves, travelling in a chauffeur driven Mercedes S-Class supplied
by Mercedes of Colchester. Having received their invitations from
the Lord Chamberlain on behalf of The Queen, Ruby Fenner and Herbie
Whalley were waved off by hospice colleagues as they set off in
the top-of-the-range Mercedes. Both Ruby and Herbie, so-called for
her love of herbal tea, agreed that the chauffeur-driven Mercedes
was the icing on the cake. "Although we didn't have an opportunity
to speak to The Queen, it was fabulous to see everyone in their
splendour, and of course we also had the trip home in our gorgeous
Mercedes to look forward to!" |
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Podium
position for winner
A customer of Rycroft Mercedes in Stockton took a racing line to
the German Grand Prix after scooping a 'money can't buy prize' in
a competition. Martyn Bell, a Logistics Manager from Barnard Castle,
said: "I've always been a keen follower of Formula One and having
never won anything in my entire life before I was amazed when I
was told I'd won". A flight to the home of Mercedes in Stuttgart,
a visit to the museum and an overnight stay in Heidelberg preceded
the weekend's track action. A Mercedes driver for the past 12 years,
Martyn currently drives a sporty SLK230. |
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New
touring class
British circuit owner Jonathan Palmer has outlined a new fan-friendly
touring car category for next season, and its saloon-based turbocharged
format could pitch it head to head with the existing British touring
Car Championship. Palmer has come up with a new series in an attempt
to boost crowds at his Motor Sport Vision circuits, Brands Hatch,
Oulton Park, Snetterton and Cadwell Park, and is planning a number
of technical features to distinguish it from the BTCC and to increase
overtaking. An artist's impression of a Mercedes C200 shows dramatic
wheelarch extensions and a rear wing. Given Palmer's experience
with overboost buttons in his single seater formula, it seems likely
that a similar system will be used in the touring cars. |
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Royal
visit
In a gesture that mirrors its own world premiere two years ago,
Maybach will be playing a supporting role during the first and,
for the time being at least, only visit to Germany of the Queen
Mary 2, the largest and most luxurious passenger liner in the world.
The QM2 will be calling in to the port of Hamburg for one day, during
which time VIP guests will be chauffeured in Maybach saloons to
the liner's berth at the new cruise terminal, where onlookers will
be gathering to celebrate the royal visit. Launched in December
2003, the new flagship of the Cunard Line fleet reigns supreme when
it comes to offering passengers a smooth form of travel combined
with the finest appointments and exquisite luxury, just as the Maybach
does on dry land. |
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Smart
thinking book
The first ever book charting the history of the smart, the iconic
vehicle, has gone on sale. Smart thinking traces the decade-long
history of the radical and exciting project that was so far ahead
of its time. It brings together the colourful personalities, brilliant
ideas and visionary leaders who were inspired to create the stylish
automotive brand. |
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Used
diesels so popular
Used diesel cars are likely to be in high demand over the coming
months with spiralling crude oil prices forcing up the cost of petrol.
Industry analysts believe that the recent oil price surge will make
motorists think very carefully about economy when the repercussions
begin to be felt at the pumps. A recent OPEC announcement stating
that current production cannot be increased, has only served to
back up this belief. In recent years the gap between the popularity
of diesel and petrol cars has narrowed dramatically, with almost
50 per cent of new cars sold now being of the oil burning variety.
This move towards diesel has also been aped in the second-hand market. |
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