AC Dealers

If you’re like me, your mind occasionally wonders about some very odd things. How did somebody create the first video game? Why do we park in a driveway and drive on a parkway? Where did the German automaker get the name “Mercedes”?

As for the first two questions, I have no idea. But I can answer that last question for you right now.

Mercedes was the nickname of a young Austrian girl born in 1889. Her real name was Adriana Manuela Ramona Jellinek, and she was the daughter of automobile entrepreneur Emil Jellinek and Rachel Goggman Cenrobert. She lived her entire life in Vienna and married twice throughout her lifetime. According to Wikipedia.com, both marriages were scandalous. Unfortunately, she died of tuberculosis before the age of 40, never sharing her father’s passion for the automobile industry that now immortalizes her name.

In 1901, the Daimler Company named an entire line of vehicles after her when Jellinek commissioned a vehicle to be built. The Mercedes 35 hp was the first to have the name Mercedes bestowed upon it. It was the design brainchild of Wilhelm Maybach, an engine designer and developer of the first internal combustion engines used on the world’s first motorboat and motorcycle. This particular vehicle was created for racing, but it was also suitable for everyday road use as well.

Emil Jellinek didn’t stop at naming cars after his daughter, though. He also named his mansions and car racing team after her. To him, it was a way to commemorate his wife’s Sephardi Jewish background.

Sometimes, knowing the background of a product gives you a new appreciation for it. With Mercedes, it started with just one lonely vehicle and one loving father at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, though, you can find thousands of cars on the road with the Mercedes-Benz trademark. You can expect the same quality from the brand that made it a household name more than a century ago.

Technorati Tags: mercedes benz, philadelphia benz dealer, delaware cars, mercedes, mercedes 35 hp, emil jellinek, german automaker, Wilhelm maybach

If you’re like most parents, you want to make sure the vehicle you drive has every possible safety feature to help keep your children safe.

According to a press release from the Ford Motor Company, a new prototype is being designed to make crash dummies more realistic in crash situations. This will help Ford create even better vehicle restraints for those smaller passengers that are near and dear to your heart.

Ford is working with several organizations to ensure the best possible prototype. Because engineers aren’t biology or anatomy experts, the automaker has asked professionals from Detroit’s Wayne State University, the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia and the Takata Corporation to help in the process. Ford has also enlisted the help of the University of Virginia and another Dearborn-based company–STR systems– which specializes in safety technology and research.

This new technology focuses on the abdomen in small children and how this particular area of the body reacts in a crash. Until now, all of the focus for vehicle restraints had been placed on the head and chest areas. The companies mentioned have been working on new child safety restraints since 2003. According to a senior leader in Ford’s Safety Research Department, the technology to measure the abdomen’s response during a crash was simply unavailable until recently.

The new silicone prototype has several layers and is about the size of the abdomen of a six-year-old. It has a silicone shell with multiple layers of liquid silicone and optical sensors inside. The sensors measure the amount of penetration in the event of a crash. The research companies are also using data from incidents in which six-year-old children were the victims in real-life car crashes. This helps to ensure accurate readings when conducting the crash tests.

This is just the latest improvement that Ford is working on for its upcoming models. Over the years, the Dearborn-based automaker has been a pioneer in safety features that help protect all of the passengers. Stop in and see your local Ford dealer today and discover what the company is doing to make your family safer on the road.

Technorati Tags: ford dealer, missouri ford, st louis dealership, ford safety, child safety, crash test, child restraints, six year old, silicone abdomen, car crash safety, ford safety features

Sirius and XM Radio are discussing the details of a merger deal, a move that will benefit most of the big automakers in the world. As many of the new vehicle models have pre-installed satellite radio from one of these companies, the merger could affect future models and make the existing ones even better.

In fact, the major auto manufacturers are expressing their delight in the merger. They feel that both companies combined will create even more benefits for their car buyers because of the extended choices they’ll have in programming and service packages.

The Vice President of Engineering and Product Development at the Ford Motor Company also issued a statement expressing his company’s positive view on the merger. Not only will their customers have more programs and choices, but the merger will also create a more cost-efficient product. With both companies working together, the combined company will create more competition with terrestrial radio and other providers. As a result, more innovations and greater programming options will emerge.

Automakers aren’t the only ones expressing their hopes for a satellite radio merger. There is a long list of distinguished organizations hoping this happens, too. Some of those organizations include the NAACP, the LULAC, Independent Women’s Forum, American Trucking Associations and Radio Shack, among many others.

Currently, the Sirius service includes more than 130 channels of programming, with 69 of those dedicated to music. It’s also the exclusive partner of the NFL, NASCAR and NBA. XM Radio has 170 channels, also with its own exclusive programming that is unavailable to Sirius subscribers at a comparable price.

If the merger goes through, you’ll be able to find vehicles with the new combined service at your local Ford dealer in the next few years. With all of the support and encouragement that it’s receiving, the merger is likely to happen pretty soon.

Technorati Tags: ford vehicles, ford dealership, missouri cars, mo ford, sirius, xm, satellite radio, radio merger, xm radio, terrestrial radio

With synthetic oil and other advancements in newer engines, many car owners are able to go from 5,000 to 7,500 miles between oil changes.

That’s right. Instead of the 3,000-mile intervals that most drivers are accustomed to, 7,500-mile intervals are quickly becoming the new standard for oil changes. With synthetic oils, there isn’t as much thermal breakdown and evaporation over time. As a result, oil changes aren’t necessary as often as they once were.

Also, drivers don’t even need to get under the hoods to check their oil levels. Instead of risking oil stains on their ties on the way to work, motorists can simply check the in-dash monitors on new models that indicate the oil quality and level in engines. The indicator works in real time according to your driving conditions so you can adjust your driving pattern for optimum efficiency.

Although drivers are excited about the new oil change intervals, dealerships aren’t as thrilled. With fewer oil changes each year, they get less service business. Whereas dealers once had their customers coming in for oil changes about three times a year, they might only see them once a year now. Some companies fear a loss of loyalty and customer retention bbecause the customers are not exposed to the dealer’s services as often.

One way that dealers can keep their customers coming in is to offer prepaid service contracts or service packages. But they can always count on the car owners that are reluctant to wait 5,000 miles before getting their oil changed. There will also always be the ones who simply don’t trust electronic sensors.

Your local Mercedes-Benz dealer has a wide selection of new vehicles with electronic sensors and other features. Stop in and get one today!

Technorati Tags: mercedes benz, mercedes dealer, oil change, 7500 mile oil change, car maintenance, automotive maintenance, engine oil service, 5000 mile oil change, pennsylvania mercedes dealer, delaware cars, oil sensor, oil change intervals

The new Group Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the Ford Motor Company wants to improve the company’s reputation after its reported record losses in 2006. According to Jim Farley, the new executive, consumers already feel goodwill toward the company, but it just takes somebody to “turn the key.” Hopefully, he is just the person to do that.

Farley recently “jumped” from the Toyota Motor Corporation to take the position at Ford. His grandfather was one of the first Ford employees at the Rouge location. Farley came to the company after it reported a record $12.6 billion loss in 2006. His main focus is to reinvent the company’s failing image and stabilize its reputation and sales in the new-car market.

One of the ways that Farley hopes to revive the 104-year-old company’s reputation is with its new testing center for the 2009 F150 truck. The center is in the historic Dearborn Glass Plant, a building that has been around since 1922. At the time it was built, it was a leader in industrial innovation because of its use of natural light. Using the building for a testing center reiterates Ford’s dedication to both history and innovation.

But Farley also wants consumers to recognize some of the qualities for which Ford has always been recognized. Quality is one of the major attributes that the auto company has earned. Farley pointed this out by referring to a recent evaluation by Consumer Reports. He also noted the company’s populist persona, or Ford’s willingness to make its latest improvements and technologies available to everyone.  Finally, he mentioned the company’s dedication to the future and the new energy, stating that Ford is “hungry, focused and lean.”

If you check out your local Ford dealer today, you’ll see these qualities and more. Start the new year off right with a new vehicle from a company committed to satisfying its customers.

Technorati Tags: missouri ford, ford dealers, st louis ford, sunset ford, dearborn glass plant, ford quality, 2009 f150, f150 truck, ford trucks, ford motor company

One decade ago, Mercedes-Benz changed the way automakers think about diesel engines and the environment.

The technology that Mercedes created ten years ago introduced a new age of diesel engines. Its “common rail direct injection” or CDI technology was the first of its kind. Mercedes used it in its C-Class models and continues to use it in several models today.

The CDI engines differ from most other engines in that they have a fuel line that comprises the central pressure reservoir. As needed, fuel travels into the cylinders through solenoid valves. With the CDI technology, it’s possible to build engines that run smoothly while emitting fewer particles into the air than normal engines. CDI engines also have high torque capabilities. As a result of the Mercedes design and innovations, the CDI engines soon became the forerunner and the new standard for passenger cars with diesel engines.

Recently, Mercedes made even more advancements in the CDI technology. The automaker has been putting it in some of the more popular passenger models for this season and the upcoming car season as well. Mercedes introduced this innovation, BLUETEC, in North America in 2006. Engines with this technology use the CDI, but they burn fuel more efficiently and with fewer emissions as well. As a result, the Mercedes-Benz E 320 BLUETEC won “World Green Car of the Year” shortly after its introduction

Europe will see its first BLUETEC passenger vehicle at the end of 2007 in the E 300 model. These engines already meet and exceed the EURO V standards for pollution control, and the new regulations don’t even go into effect until September 2009.

With the number of innovations and technologies that the engineers at Mercedes-Benz continue to create, it is no wonder htat the German automaker is the leader in eco-friendly vehicles. Stop in at your local Mercedes-Benz dealer today and see the many pioneering improvements that this company has created.

Technorati Tags: mercedes benz dealer, benz dealer, mercedes technology, cdi technology, diesel engines, bluetec, delaware cars, pennsylvania, west chester mercedes, green car

Recently, the Ford Motor Company introduced soy-based foam used to make environmentally friendly seats in some of its new models.

The Mustang was the first Ford vehicle to include soy-based foam seating instead of the petroleum-based alternative. Since their introduction in July, though, the seats have gone into production for the Ford F150s, Lincoln Navigator and Escape models, among others. Ford’s new licensing agreement with John Deere and Sears Manufacturing Company regarding the soy-based seats solidifies the auto company’s leadership in the “green” industry.

The new technology recently caught the attention of the leading farm equipment manufacturer in the world. Under the new agreement, John Deere will continue to develop the innovation and manufacture the new foam for the seats installed in tractors and other mechanical equipment. The company is no stranger to eco-friendly products, though. Deere has previously used soy-based materials on the panels and other areas of some of its farm equipment.

Ironically, Ford has been using soy in its vehicles for several decades. The automaker used this sustainable alternative in paint and plastic molded parts of the Model T. In 2003, Ford used the soy foam in its Model U concept cars. The company utilized soy in those vehicles not only to make seat cushions but also to manufacture the tailgates.

While other companies strive to help the environment with a variety of products in their vehicles, Ford continues to be a pioneer in creating renewable solutions in several aspects of its new models. The soy-based foam for the seats and the partnership with John Deere are just the latest innovations that it offers to eco-conscious customers.

The automaker won’t stop there, either. Currently, it has several more ideas that it hopes to license through Ford Global Technologies, LLC. With breakthroughs like these, we might soon be able to reduce our dependency on foreign petroleum.

Technorati Tags: ford dealers, missouri dealers, mo cars, st louis ford, ford, model u, edible seats, ford global technologies, model t, f150, lincoln navigator, escape hybrid

You might think that driving is a daily chore that causes stress and anxiety, but that’s not the case with some automakers.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute are studying driver emotions to discover what makes a driving experience either enjoyable or frustrating. The institute teamed with other organizations, including Mercedes Customer Research and the Munich Technical University, to conduct a number of tests. The study involved different methods for measuring a driver’s emotions in various situations behind the wheel.

The participants drove two Mercedes-Benz vehicles for the test: its new C-Class model and a 190 E model from 1983. Eight drivers between the ages of 33 and 53 drove the vehicles at a testing site and conducted several negotiating tactics typically used during a normal day of driving. The study involved different types of terrain to simulate a complete driving experience.

During the driving tests, a recorder logged the details of each individual, including speed, acceleration and positioning.

The researchers applied American psychologist Paul Elkman’s theory that facial expressions are ideal indications of a person’s emotions. They installed cameras in the vehicles to receive a constant feed of each driver’s facial expression. The cameras collected some 60,000 individual images from each driver. Researchers then entered this data into a computer for analysis. They also asked participants a series of questions before and after the test to get an indication of what drivers feel contributes to a pleasurable driving experience.

The main goal of the study was to match drivers’ facial expressions with their emotions. Because the researchers found a strong correlation between facial expressions and feelings, this interrelationship became a new criterion for testing driver satisfaction before a new model hits the market.

Mercedes-Benz plans to continue the research. In time, driver satisfaction will be just as important as safety and comfort. It’s just another way that Mercedes strives to please its customers in every way possible.

Technorati Tags: mercedes benz, mercedes benz vehicles, driver comfort, pa, pennsylvania car dealers, delaware, fort washington, driver emotions, mercedes customer research, mercedes c class

The Ford Motor Company may have reported record losses of more than $12 billion for 2006, but the market in Russia is helping to make up for the loss. New York Motors, a dealership just south of downtown Moscow, is Ford’s busiest dealership in the world.

Through the end of October 2007, the New York Motors dealership enjoyed sales up 70 percent from those of last year.  In 2006, the dealership sold 10,000 vehicles but projected sales through the end of 2007 are 13,000.

The dealership’s director, Andrey Pavlovich, said that the facility is working at “full power.” It resembles a factory rather than a car lot because of its 24-hour service area and the number of staff on hand to take care of the growing number of customers. In a typical day, dealers at this site sell about 30 Ford cars. And the Ford Focus is their best seller.

Ford attributes some of its success in the Russian market to its 1998 decision to open a factory in St. Petersburg. When the rouble crisis reached its height, Ford became the first foreign automaker to build a full-scale plant in the nation while it recovered financially.

Since then, the Russian economy has continued to flourish. Car loans are more readily available. This prompted many Russians to trade in their older cars for foreign ones, namely Fords. As a result of the growing market, Ford wants to release its upcoming Kuga crossover model in Russian before introducing it anywhere else. Nigel Brackenbury, the head of Ford Russia, says the company brings it latest models to the nation because the “customers here expect it.”

Even though competition is increasing in the Russian market, the average Ford prices are still rising. The company has increased its prices twice in this past year alone. As long as Ford quality and popularity continue to increase, Russian dealers continue to sell these vehicles like hotcakes.

Technorati Tags: ford dealers, ford motor company, ford prices, ford russia, st petersburg, ford focus, new york motors, russian car market, kuga crossover

After producing models that meet the nation’s emissions standards, Mercedes-Benz may double the number of vehicles with diesel engines distributed to the United States

If you’re searching for a luxury vehicle with a fuel-efficient and eco-friendly diesel engine, your options may soon increase. Because the new Mercedes-Benz Bluetec technology complies with California emission standards–the toughest in the nation–the German automaker can increase its distribution for consumers in the United States.

Mercedes-Benz’s Chief Executive Officer for the U.S., Ernst Lieb, made this announcement in an interview in New York. When the increased distribution begins, the models will include the M-Class, GL-Class and R-Class.

The new announcement comes at a time when the United States (as well as the world) is trying to increase fuel efficiency through diesel engines and hybrid vehicles. The diesel share of the U.S. market will quadruple in the next ten years because automakers are responding to the demands for a cleaner environment and cars that get more miles for each gallon of fuel.

The United States, however, is trying to catch up to the increasing number of diesel engines already available on the market. The industry must first make drivers rethink the reputation of the diesel engines. They’re no longer the gas-guzzling, noisemaking engines that they once were. Carmakers must also overcome the fact that diesel fuel is not as readily available as regular fuel, another factor for its fledgling popularity in America.

Currently, five states in the nation restrict the sale of vehicles with new diesel engines because of their emissions. The Mercedes-Benz Bluetec diesel engine, however, meets and even exceeds the standards of these states, making the country an open market for the newer and cleaner technology.

You can get a luxury vehicle with one of these Bluetec diesel engines now at your local Mercedes-Benz dealer. Test-drive one today and see the difference this engine makes.

Technorati Tags: mercedes benz vehicles, mercedes benz, bluetec, mbusa, mb website, philadelphia benz, delaware, pa, diesel emissions, mercedes diesel, diesel engines