R is For Roady - Mercedes-Benz R to Roll With The Stones - Well Mick Is a Senior Now Isn't He?

Before this story; Snide's Remarks: Who ever would have thunk it, the Mick still going strong as a senior citizen and old and established and main stream enough for staid old M-B to want to get up close and very personal with the once bad boy of rock...so what does this all mean? If you know tell me msnide@theautochannel.com.

Montvale, N.J. – At Mercedes-Benz USA, the “R” in the new R-Class could stand for “Rock-and-Roll” as the company’s newest vehicle introduces a new sports tourer segment by going on tour with the Rolling Stones. As the official automobile partner of the Rolling Stones’ A Bigger Bang concert tour in the U.S. and Canada, the Mercedes-Benz R-Class is being featured on-location at each concert arena from the tour’s launch at Fenway Park in Boston on August 21 through the Fall for over 60 subsequent concert dates.

“This is a dynamic opportunity to showcase the all-new, breakthrough R-Class vehicle and its state-of-art harman/kardon sound system, with a band that has likewise been a lighting rod to rock-and-roll,” says Carol Goll, general manager of brand experience marketing at MBUSA. “This initiative partners the energy and creativity of the world’s most legendary band with the automotive industry’s most legendary brand,” Goll continues.

As part of its support of A Bigger Bang tour, Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) will commission a one –off “signature” edition of the new R-Class which will be signed by each member of the Rolling Stones and later auctioned to raise money for charity.

In addition, Mercedes’ sponsorship of the tour will include the “Rock the R” online sweepstakes (www.rocktheR.com) where entrants will have the chance to win two first-class roundtrip airline tickets and accommodations to see the Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang concert during the European leg of the A Bigger Bang tour. Second Prize is a $20,000 home theater system by harman/kardon; and Third Prize is a harman/kardon mini home theater system, of which five will be awarded.

On October 26, participating Mercedes-Benz dealerships will celebrate the launch of the highly-anticipated introduction of the R-Class sports tourer nationwide with the Rolling Stones through a fully integrated marketing campaign.

Joe Pullin states, “Harman/kardon is absolutely thrilled to be part of this groundbreaking launch of the new Mercedes-Benz R-Class and historic concert tour with the Rolling Stones. When you consider the Stones legendary status as the greatest rock n’ roll band in the world, the superior engineering and quality of Mercedes- Benz, and harman/kardon’s reputation as a true innovator and music perfectionist, this concert tour provides the best of all worlds.”

CONCERT PRESENCE

Mercedes-Benz R-Class vehicles will be displayed at each concert venue, showcasing the vehicle’s harman/kardon LOGIC 7® sound system. LOGIC 7® is a new standard in acoustic realism that offers a powerful solution to the problem of making a truly universal multi-channel playback system. The unique harman/kardon LOGIC 7® multi-channel audio system has been jointly engineered by our car audio specialists and the Mercedes-Benz vehicle design teams to create a true masterpiece. A print ad for the R-Class will be featured in the tour program, and a 60-second R-Class promotional spot will play on the Jumbotron monitors before the band hits the stage. Each concert goer will receive a souvenir card from Mercedes-Benz encouraging them to log on to www.RockTheR.com to register for the nationwide “Rock the R” sweepstakes.

THE SPORTS TOURER

Coming to dealerships nationwide this Fall, the highly-acclaimed Mercedes-Benz R-Class is the all-new, all wheel drive, six passenger sports touring vehicle from Mercedes-Benz which provides a brand new way for six adults to travel. Combining the practicality and utility of an SUV with the performance, style and luxury of Mercedes-Benz, the R-Class is unlike any other vehicle on the market. With a sharp focus on design, comfort, space and performance, the new R-Class is designed as a roomy vehicle with space for six adults – three pairs of comfortable single seats in a spacious interior.

Pricing for the R-Class starts under $50,000. Featuring the R350, powered by a 3.5-liter, 268-horsepower V6 engine, and the R500, which is fitted with a 5.0-liter, 302-horsepower V8 engine, all R-Class models come with a seven-speed automatic transmission and full-time 4MATIC four-wheel drive. The basic vehicle is loaded with standard equipment such as eight-way power front seats, leather seat inserts, birds-eye maple interior trim, split 2nd and 3rd row seats, load-leveling suspension and rain sensing wipers.

About Mercedes-Benz USA

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the United States. In 2004, MBUSA achieved an all-time sales record of 221,610 new vehicles, setting the highest sales volume ever in its history and achieving 11 consecutive years of sales growth. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found on the Internet at www.mbusa.com and www.maybachusa.com.

About Harman International

Harman International (www.harman.com) is a leading manufacturer of high-quality, high-fidelity audio products and electronic systems for consumer and professional markets, including the harmon/kardon LOGIC7® brand – the audiophiles’ choice for high end sound reproduction. The company’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “HAR.”

With over 2 million vehicles on the road, Harman has become the acknowledged leader in the field of Automotive Infotainment technology integration. Harman/kardon, JBL, Infinity, Revel, Audioaccess, Lexicon, Mark Levinson, Madrigal Imaging and Proceed names are all brands under the Harman Consumer Systems Group.