DIVERSION: My OTHER Mercedes...

[mdsalemi]

Devoted MB Lovers,

...in a rare and peculiar confluence of celestial events, last Tuesday I was a guest of Mercedes-Benz USA at their table at the Automotive Hall of Fame Induction of Mr. Bruno Sacco...the following night I had the pleasure of being chauffeur to Mr. and Mrs. Sacco as I escorted them to dinner with the MBCA International Stars Board of Directors.

Bruno Sacco:

http://www.whnet.com/4x4/Bruno_Sacco.html
http://www.brophy.com/eodweb/htmls/designers/hd97_1.htm

I drove Mr. and Mrs. Sacco in a company-provided 2007 S550.  Holy Cow, Batman--forget everything you ever knew about car operation.  The Edmunds report says it all:

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articleId=108988

It was quite a trip.  Too bad Mr. Sacco was actually with me for the entire trip--I'd have loved to light it up on I-94, but didn't think he or MB would have approved...

I don't think I've actually driven a car before with an MSRP upwards of $100,000, but boy this was quite nice once I figured out how to get it into drive.  No, they have NOT been sleeping in Sindelfingen...

Oh yeah--these kinds of things are just one more reason to join the MBCA.

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[bpossel]

Hi Mike,

Pretty cool!  Agree, membership to MBCA provides for many unique and exiting opportunities!

Congrats!
Bob

bpossel  (Memphis, TN.)
'71 280SL  /  '97 E320

[keesing]

WOW... You sure seem to get the goodies! Envious!!![:p]

1967 250SL Signal Red
1969 280SL "Tweety Bird Yellow"
1987 260E Charcoal

[mdsalemi]

quote:Originally posted by keesing

WOW... You sure seem to get the goodies! Envious!!![:p]

1967 250SL Signal Red
1969 280SL "Tweety Bird Yellow"
1987 260E Charcoal

Location, location, location.  What did Curley of the Three Stooges used to say?  "I'm a victim of soicomstance"?  Decimated as the big three might be at the moment, I just happen to live in the world's center of automotive engineering, which is why we have places like the Automotive Hall of Fame, and why Bosch employs 10,000 engineers in Oakland County...Within walking distance of my house are Mahle (pistons) NA headquarters; about 4 Bosch facilities; an MB dealer; Harman/Becker's facility, etc.  The list goes on.

Also, as the local joke goes, "How to pronounce DaimlerChrysler in German?"  D A I M L E R.  The Chrysler is silent.  Not since Werner VonBraun and his rocketeers invaded Huntsville have we seen such an influx of German engineers to the USA, and most of them work in Auburn Hills.  Not in walking distance, but close nonetheless. Almost all of these engineers have Mercedes experience.

So while I watch the Michigan economy crash and burn, our jobless rate go up every day, at least we have the occasional fun here with our Mercedes Club!  Come for a visit John, and we just might throw you a party too!

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[Ben]

quote:Also, as the local joke goes, "How to pronounce DaimlerChrysler in German?" D A I M L E R. The Chrysler is silent

...........funny you should mention that ! Some of the products I sell are used by DC for the robots in the manufacturing plant. During a recent visit to the product plant ( not the DC plant unfortunately) the engineers and staff always refered to the Daimler Chrysler company as just that........ Daimler, only occasionally Daimler Benz !

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

[rhersberger]

Pretty neat.  I think we are all envious!


Rod Hersberger

Santa Barbara

'68 280 SL, red, tan, 4sp, two tops
'01 Jag S Type brg
'07 Cayman S Carmona red, sand beige (on order)

[Nate]

Mike,

Congrats on getting the "nod" for this prestigious event.  Was the driving experience for driver and passengers anything like this one???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syYmvUXyhcM

Granted Mercedes are a bit more civilized than the "Ultimate Driving Machine..."

[mdsalemi]

quote:Originally posted by nate

Mike,

Congrats on getting the "nod" for this prestigious event.  Was the driving experience for driver and passengers anything like this one???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syYmvUXyhcM

Granted Mercedes are a bit more civilized than the "Ultimate Driving Machine..."

Well, Nate--that was pretty funny...but as you might have suspected the Sacco's were the picture of mature style and grace.  Our lovely weather for our guests to Michigan was drizzle, wind and below normal temps.  I simply went with the flow, never exceeding 65 MPH and taking time to get there, just kind of keeping with the flow of traffic.  I'm sorry to say that aside from the company in the car, the driving was uneventful--which is why in retrospect I'd have loved to have the car empty for a while.

I've seen an E500 smoke them on an acceleration run, and I have no doubt that a 2007 S550 with a 7-speed automatic, when pushed, would deliver...don't you think?

I'm an old BMW guy myself (1979 320i) and used to enjoy the TV commercials for them which featured such wild driving with the voiceover that said "BMW 320i.  A humble, family sedan."

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[AGT]

Michael

Sounds like a good day out.

The S550 (S500 to us in Europe in case the tree huggers find out about the increased engine capacity) is quite a car and in the right colour with decent sized wheels looks pretty good. Sadly, the rumour here is of a first recall for electrical gremlins.

If things don't pick up for DC on the quality front it is the Chrysler name that they are going to have to start using.

Regards
Andrew

[TR]

Michael -- Must have been great meeting & spending time with Mr & Mrs Sacco.

Re an M-B that delivers, I can stronly recommend the SL65.

Tom in Boise
'71 280SL 4-spd, signal red w/lt. tan interior, restored/enhanced

[Bob G ✝︎]

One suggestion I would not be intimated to recommend to MR. Bruno Sacco the location of another Mercedes-Benz factory building cars along side the big three and providing jobs for USA citizens instead of out sourcing to Germany for labor .

Second. Did you get MR. Sacco to sign the glove box on your 280SL?

Bob Geco

[mdsalemi]

quote:Originally posted by Bob G

One suggestion I would not be intimated to recommend to MR. Bruno Sacco the location of another Mercedes-Benz factory building cars along side the big three and providing jobs for USA citizens instead of out sourcing to Germany for labor .

Second. Did you get MR. Sacco to sign the glove box on your 280SL?

Bob Geco

1)  Mr. Sacco retired in 1999.  As a stylist, the business of the business was not his concern, and certainly wasn't today.

2)  Mr. Sacco's self-proclaimed credit for styling began in the mid 1970's; knowing the product design cycle it was some time before his designs--the ones he takes credit for--were in the hands of the public.

Mr. Sacco found it curious, and perhaps a bit annoying, that many people were asking him to sign all kinds of things.  Perhaps it is an American phenomena. There were posters of early cars (not his) and brochures of late cars (also not his); but he signed some things with "This isn't my design!  Bruno Sacco"

So, no he didn't sign my car or anything for me as I didn't ask.

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored