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AMG Mercedes has a special forum for owners at the AMG Private Lounge. For example, on March 26 a team of AMG specialists will answer questions during a live forum event. You can register for the site using your VIN. Once registered, you can participate in the discussions and/or read the posts if you missed the event.

Here is the info for those interested: 

AMG ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS
With a team of MBUSA AMG Specialist on hand, bring on your questions! On Wednesday, March 26th from 9:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST AMG Product Management will join us for this unique opportunity to have your questions answered in our third chat session of 2008. The session will be located in the "Chat Section of the Private Lounge.

AMG AT THE NY AUTO SHOW
With an opportunity to host more than 100 Private Lounge members and guests at the AMG NY Auto Show Preview Night, the event was a full success. We are also happy to report that a Private Lounge member’s guest was also the winner of the IWC watch given away at the event. Details and images of the event can be found on the Private Lounge.

In other news, a date has been added to the AMG Challenge Graduate Program: 

FOR THE AMG PRIVATE LOUNGE
DATE ADDED - 2008 AMG CHALLENGE PRIVATE LOUNGE GRADUATE PROGRAM, APRIL 25, 2008 AND OCTOBER 5, 2008
We still have a small number of spots open for the Las Vegas date in April and we are now registering for the Miami date in October. The AMG Private Lounge is pleased to offer a 2008 AMG Graduate Challenge program to our members on Friday, April 25th in Las Vegas and Sunday, October 5th in Miami. These Private Lounge Graduate Challenge events will follow the same format as our standard Graduate Program with the addition of a few AMG surprises. Registration is first-come first-serve and is limited to 45 participants. Registration will fill up quickly so sign up now if you are interested. Visit the Private Lounge and look for the discussion boards.

Mercedes-Benz is the Marque of the Year for the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, which is a vintage race and an extensive car show in Pennsylvania. This year, the Mercedes-Benz Club is hosting StarTrack 2007:

Pittsburgh Section

Pittsburgh Section of Mercedes-Benz Club of America is pleased to host StarTrack 2007. In addition to StarTrack 2007, Mercedes-Benz is also the Marque of the Year for the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. Please read the explanation of fees below. We expect a strong showing from the 190SL Group, Gullwing Group and Pagoda Group as we celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the 300SL Roadster. Pittsburgh Section has planned a full four days of events for concours and driving. Please join us as we celebrate and raise money for the PVGP charities!

 

Basic Schedule

The StarTrack Concours d’Elegance will be held in Schenley Park on Sunday July 15 as part of the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. Vintage racecars race through the park as we watch them from our show area. Sunday night we will enjoy the StarTrack Black Tie Banquet (black tie is optional) at the Embassy Suites. Monday and Tuesday we move to BeaveRun Motorsports Park for time trials, defensive driving, autocross, and acceleration run. Experienced driving instructors will be available to assist you and help you in all driving events. We will have classes for all levels of abilities and vehicles so you can drive at your comfort level.  Please see the details on technical inspection and helmet requirements on the MBCA website under Rulebook.

StarTrack Sunday participants are welcome and encouraged to attend the Saturday PVGP Marque of the Year Show at no additional charge.

 

Please note that the parade lap scheduled for Sunday morning by the PVGP is subject to time change based on racetrack availability. We will get the lap on Sunday morning but what time is beyond the control of Pittsburgh Section. Therefore we may not be able to accommodate concours cars on the parade lap. Those who place their cars early for concours are encouraged to ride along with other members in this unique MBCA parade.

 

Please register as soon as possible. On-site registration will be accepted, but not all participation options and meals may be available to late registrations.  Your early registration will be appreciated. Please note that your MBCA membership must be current at the time of registration.

 

MERCEDES-BENZ CLUB STARTRACK

Pittsburgh Section Officers, directors, and members are excited to host StarTrack 2007 and are ready to assure that you will enjoy the event. Please contact us with any questions.

 

Bob Speer                 412-848-1149             respeer@comcast.net

Dave Fabyonic        724-327-7361             davidfab@usa.net

 

Please check the Pittsburgh Section Website for updates: www.mbcapitt.org

New York, NY – Mercedes-Benz presents a unique exhibition of rare pieces by Andy Warhol at Drive-In Studios’ Lott Gallery, located at 443 West 18th Street from April 6th – May 4th, 2007 (Monday - Friday, 10 am – 5 pm).

The show's centerpiece is a series of 17 vivid, original pieces by Warhol commissioned by and of Mercedes-Benz, and subjects include classics such as:

• The 1886 three wheeler, widely recognized as the first automobile;
• The 1955 W196 streamliner race car, the celebrated 1954 300 SL Gullwing, and
• The 1969 C111 concept car. 

In celebration of the marque’s 100th anniversary, Warhol was originally commissioned to complete 80 canvasses representing multiple periods of Mercedes-Benz history, though his passing in 1987 left just a fraction of the works completed.

The Warhols, featuring some of Mercedes-Benz’s most celebrated vehicles as subjects. Many of the iconic cars represented in his work have been embedded in America’s pop-culture consciousness. The Mercedes-Benz sponsored event is an exceptional opportunity to view how Andy Warhol immortalized these classics in his own work.

UPDATE: A few days after we posted this story, the NY Times Blog "Wheels" picked up our post from a feed and added more info on the Warhol display. For a little more info on the display, visit their blog post here.

The painting, “Green Car Crash (Green Burning Car I),” is being sold at a Christie’s auction according to the NY Times' post, Fasten Seat Belts for Warhol at Auction. It is a rare Warhol that is expected to topple previous sales records according to Carol Vogel of the NY Times.

Besides the autobahn, where can you drive a variety of AMGs to the limit without getting arrested? How about at the California Speedway or Lime Rock Park? Mercedes-Benz offers an event for AMG enthusiasts branded "The AMG Challenge." For a couple of grand you can experience the power of AMG on the track and learn professional skills to tame the track.

NOTE: Since we published this post the dates and locations have changed. You can find all of the updated info for the AMG Mercedes-Benz Challenge here on our new blog (subscribe and you'll receive updates when new info is added). 

Here's the description of the event provided by Mercedes-Benz and the dates/locations: 

Your day at the AMG Challenge will give you an adrenaline rush…unlike any other. You'll learn high-performance driving skills from racing greats including Le Mans and World Challenge champions. You'll experience the twists and turns of a first-class race track driving a range of Mercedes-Benz AMG vehicles including the E55, C55, CLK55, CL55, SLK55 and the S55. And you'll power through esses with the SL55 AMG and thunder down the high-speed stretches with the all new CLS55 AMG.

It will be a full day packed with excitement including:

• On-track driving clinics
• Timed competition on an autocross track
• Performance driving exercises highlighting car positioning, steering method, throttle control, racing line theory and much more
• Open lapping on the main track
• Hot laps with top-name professional drivers
• At the conclusion of the event, there will be a celebratory champagne toast including a certificate, trophy and awards presentation

It all adds up to an unforgettable experience that you won’t want to miss. The event admission fee is $1,195. If you haven’t registered yet, sign up now. These limited spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis only.

Updated 2007 AMG Challenge Dates Link

Visit one of the following links or call the phone number provided below if you want more info:

• Phone numbers for Mercedes-AMG: 201-802-7891 or 201-802-7892
  (9:00AM-6:00PM EST)

Other Resources

• Brief video of 2006 AMG Challenge on photobucket
• Collection of photos from 2003 AMG Challenge at Lime Rock, CT

Editors Note: Sorry, you can't drive you own car. Several cars are provided.

Schedule, hotel and registration information is provided below. Additional information concerning the event can be found on the MB World Discussion Forum. The event contact email address is: AtlantaAMGmeet@hotmail.com

Southeast AMG Enthusiasts Meeting
Atlanta, GA - November 4-5, 2006

Do you own a Mercedes-Benz AMG? If so, we would like to extend an invitation to join your fellow AMG enthusiasts for a fun-filled weekend of cars and camaraderie! We anticipate AMG owners from over 10 states to participate and others will be flying in from the Midwest, as well as the Northeast.

Hotel Information: Group rate at the Hilton Atlanta Northeast; $74/night (plus tax). Contact the hotel directly to make your reservation. Hotel phone: 770-447-4747, mention you are with the Atlanta AMG Meet.

Registration: If you plan to attend (even if only for the photo shoot), you must request a registration packet (free) by e-mailing your request to AtlantaAMGmeet@hotmail.com. You will be promptly e-mailed registration forms that will need to be completed and returned.

Here’s the link to last year’s AMG gathering in Atlanta.