Spark a New Love Affair at the LoveMercedes Tour
Premier Experiential Marketing Event Celebrates Consumers' Love of Mercedes While Raising Scholarships for Local Students
MONTVALE, N.J., July 22 -- Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) will be hitting the road this summer with its largest ever experiential marketing event called the "LoveMercedes Tour." MBUSA will take all nine of its model lines to 12 cities across the U.S. allowing current and potential owners to experience new Mercedes models and in the process will raise money for scholarships in each of the cities it visits.
According to Michelle Cervantez, vice president of marketing for MBUSA, "Programs like the LoveMercedes Tour have been an extraordinary success for us for over 15 years, and we're always looking for ways to infuse our events with activities that have meaning for customers and prospective buyers. We know from our experience over the years that people attending these events are significantly more likely to buy a Mercedes once they've had the opportunity to get behind the wheel. It's what convinces people that a Mercedes is 'unlike any other.' With the help of our partners on the tour, we're able to build the relationship and establish the connection with the brand in a way that's relevant, non-intrusive and, let's not forget, fun."
Each weekend event offers attendees an opportunity to get to know a wide range of Mercedes-Benz models, including the recently launched E320 CDI diesel, the legendary SL convertible, and the all new SLK roadster which arrives at Mercedes-Benz dealerships this autumn. The event consists of track events showcasing the prowess of the model lines and an indoor component that allows visitors to experience the Mercedes-Benz brand in an engaging partnership with other products that are representative of four areas of the brand lifestyle: Living Well (home design), Innovation (cutting edge technologies), Relax and Recharge (spa and beauty) and Style and Leisure (fashion and travel).
Beyond the sheer fun of driving, each mile driven at the event will go toward a scholarship for a local student as part of the company's recently launched DRIVE YOUR FUTURE: The Mercedes-Benz USA Scholarship Program which benefits students who will be the first generation in their families to attend college. The company expects that driving enthusiasm will result in an average of two scholarships per market. The initiative is part of the national DRIVE YOUR FUTURE scholarship program which will award over $500,000 this year to hundreds of students across the country who demonstrate exemplary academic achievement, financial need, leadership and participation in school and community activities.
The LoveMercedes Tour kicks off in San Francisco on July 30th. When it culminates in Dallas on October 24th, MBUSA estimates that it will have raised more than $50,000 in scholarships in the process of introducing 30,000 people to Mercedes-Benz and its products. Beyond the prospective buyers and owners that Mercedes-Benz is inviting, the event is free to the public on a first- come, first-served basis, but pre-event registration through the event's web site at http://www.lovemercedestour.com/ is required.
The following cities and dates are on the LoveMercedes Tour event roster.
Location City Date
Alameda Point San Francisco, CA July 30 - August 1
Qualcomm Stadium San Diego, CA August 6 - 8
Hollywood Park Los Angeles, CA August 13 - 15
Gulfstream Park Miami, FL August 27 - 29
Atlanta Motor Speedway Atlanta, GA September 3 - 6
International Expo Center Cleveland, OH September 10 - 12
Fed-Ex Field Washington, DC September 17 - 19
Nassau Coliseum Long Island, NY September 24 - 26
Six Flags Great Adventure Central New Jersey October 1 - 3
South Weymouth Air Station Boston, MA October 8 - 10
Arlington International Raceway Chicago, IL October 15 - 17
Texas Motor Speedway Dallas, TX October 22 - 24
THE LOVEMERCEDES EXPERIENCE
The LoveMercedes driving course events feature a wide range of Mercedes- Benz model lines -- from coupes and convertibles to sedans and SUVs. Attendees will be invited to experience test drives on a variety of challenging courses that simulate real-world driving conditions. The courses were designed to demonstrate the unparalleled combination of performance, handling and safety available throughout Mercedes-Benz model lines.
The "Fun in the Sun" course focuses on the enduring allure of convertibles which Mercedes has offered for five decades in the U.S. Featured at the event are the legendary SL roadster model line which boasts timeless style with a retractable hardtop that combines the open-air fun of a convertible with the quiet comfort and security of a coupe. The four-seat CLK cabriolet features a fully automatic soft top designed to create open-air driving at the touch of a button while also ensuring year-round comfort and low interior news. The CLK coupes and cabriolets start in the mid-$40,000 range, and the V8-powered SL500 starts at $89,520. On this course, attendees will also have a chance to drive the recently launched E320 CDI diesel sedan which starts at $49,795. Not only highly fuel-efficient, the E320 CDI also achieves lower exhaust emissions than previous diesels and has a high-torque diesel engine more powerful than conventional engines.
The "4MATIC Experience" course demonstrates the all-season capability of the company's 4MATIC all-wheel drive models. Real-world winter and bad- weather conditions are handled with dispatch by E-Class and S-Class all-wheel- drive 4MATIC sedans. Mercedes-Benz offers a full-time all-wheel-drive system on all of its four-door vehicles. The starting price for the E-Class sedans and wagons is $48,795. The exclusive S-Class line offers an unprecedented all-new standard automatic seven-speed transmission, standard DVD navigation system, MP3 play capability, and an award-winning safety system called PRE- SAFE. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan is $74,970.
The third course, "The Off-Road Adventure," invites attendees to a thrilling all-terrain experience with a professional driver in the M-Class and G-Class SUVs. Both the M-Class and the G-Class offer rugged but refined styling as well as practicality and safety. Starting at $38,670 and $77,620 respectively, both models offer full-time four-wheel drive for off-road excellence.
According to Cervantez, the partners on the tour are an important part of the experience because they offer lifestyle elements that intersect with prospective Mercedes buyers. "Think of it as a 'first date' with the sophisticated, fun, lifestyle that our brand represents."
At each LoveMercedes Tour event, attendees will preview state-of-the-art technologies, as well as cutting-edge design and fashion from participating corporations. Corporations partnering with MBUSA for the LoveMercedes Tour include Benjamin Moore Paints, Boylan Bottling Company, Canon Power Shot, EVIAN Natural Spring Water, Flexform, Harman/Kardon, Karastan, Kuppersbusch, Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned, Mercedes-Benz Credit, Mercedes-Benz European Delivery, Michelin, MSN Direct, Poliform, POM Wonderful, Saks Fifth Avenue, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, Sub-Zero, The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Tommy Bahama, Varenna Kitchens, and Wilson Sporting Goods.
DRIVE YOUR FUTURE SCHOLARSHIPS
For every mile that event attendees put on a Mercedes test drive vehicle in each market, MBUSA will donate a dollar toward scholarships for students in that city as part of the company's DRIVE YOUR FUTURE: The Mercedes-Benz USA Scholarship Program. The scholarships funded through the LoveMercedes Tour will be awarded in 2005 to students who will be the first in their families to attend college. Launched in May 2004, the DRIVE YOUR FUTURE program will award over 250 scholarships this year to students across the country. The scholarships created through the LoveMercedes Tour will be above and beyond those already committed for each state. Detailed information regarding the DRIVE YOUR FUTURE program may be downloaded by visiting http://www.mbusa.com/drivefuture.
MERCEDES-BENZ USA
Mercedes-Benz USA 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 2003, MBUSA achieved an all-time sales record of 218,717 new vehicles, setting the highest sales volume ever in its history and achieving ten consecutive years of sales growth. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found at http://www.mbusa.com/.
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