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Indonesia is one of the last places I’d expect to see a Mercedes-Benz Golf Tournament. But next month, some of the best Southeast Asian golfers are displaying their skills for everybody who wants to watch.

The site of the tournament is Emeralda Golf and Country Club in Bogor. The event takes place from May 14 to 17.

If you’re familiar with the Southeast Asian golf circuit, you might recognize some of the names competing in the tournament for $50,000 US. Have you heard of Angelo Que or Danny Chia? Both are recognized players that you’ll see if you watch the upcoming Mercedes-Benz tournament. They placed first and second respectively earlier this month in the Philippine Open.

Other top players include Maan Nasim, Denny Supriadi, Ilyasak and Suprapto, just to name a few.

Mercedes-Benz now sponsors the entire tour throughout the region. The automaker just started doing that this year and officials are excited to see the outcome once it’s all over. The Indonesian Professional Golfers Association has sanctioned the upcoming tournament. Participants will represent several countries, inclduing Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines.

The tournament might not be as exciting as a round of golf featuring Tiger Woods or Phil Mikelson, but it can still be fun to watch. Some of these players could very well be the next big thing in the golfing world. Stop by your local Mercedes-Benz dealer for more information about the tour and how you can be a part of it.

With today’s gas prices, some drivers are turning to bikes and other alternate forms of transportation for some of their daily errands. As experts are expecting prices to exceed $4 a gallon by summertime, who can blame people for riding bikes?

But did you know that Mercedes-Benz sells quality bikes, too?

Beginning next month, the brand that brought you some of the most luxurious and comfortable vehicles in the industry is also bringing you the Trailblazer, a mountain bike that the automaker is adding to its exclusive bike collection.

This isn’t your grandpa’s bike, either. Mercedes created it specifically to handle some serious off-road adventures. It has a state-of-the-art rear suspension system that provides great traction and comfort on even the bumpiest terrains. And just like the automaker’s vehicles, these bikes are available in either a Sport Edition or a Comfort Edition.

Mercedes-Benz uses the same modern designs and craftsmanship that have made it the auto industry’s leader. For maximum comfort, the bikes also come in men’s and women’s styles. Each style has unique features designed for the smoothest rides and luxury.

If you want to save gas or just go on those mountain adventures with a durable bike, you can get the Trailblazer at many of your local Mercedes-Benz dealer facilities. Call one today and see what the automaker can do for you!

Every company is looking for ways to expand its profits and marketability. Mercedes-Benz is no different. According to a German automobile publication, Dieter Zetsche formed a group of Daimler “higher-ups” to find options to increase the company’s overall income.

One suggestion was to get more involved in the used and certified car industry. But another idea the German automaker is seriously considering is getting into the limousine service.

Imagine seeing the prom kids riding around town in an extended black Mercedes-Benz limousine. As the vehicle pulls up to the restaurant for dinner, you see 40 nicely dressed teenagers with three dollars apiece piling out of the back of the limo. Or how about a wedding party with the words “Just Married” scribbled on the back window and the iconic Mercedes-Benz hood ornament decorating the front of the vehicle? You just can’t get more luxurious than that!

Limos even offer a great way to have a fun night out with the guys or the gals. Instead of naming somebody  as the designated driver for a fun event, everybody can chip in for a Mercedes limo. That way, everybody can have fun and get hammered without worrying about driving later that night. Limos are also great for corporate employees who want to make an impression when arriving at those all-important meetings.

You might not find a limo for sale at your local Mercedes-Benz dealer any time soon. But you can still find the best luxury and comfort in one of the vehicles there. Visit one today and start riding in luxury tonight!

Reports are buzzing that two of the biggest Ms in the luxury auto industry, Mercedes-Benz and Aston Martin, could be forming a partnership in the coming months. Each company is looking to own a stake in the other’s business. Currently, officials are saying that Aston Martin will own an impressive seven percent of the interest in Daimler AG, but they haven’t released the number for MB’s investment yet.

This is shaping up to be a “meeting of the automotive minds,” too. Each company has something that the other one wants. Mercedes-Benz, for instance, is creating a lightweight aluminum platform for its upcoming SL lineup, and Aston Martin has the technology needed to complete this project. For Aston Martin, forging a relationship with MB will help the English manufacturer increase its production and popularity in the world market. So the partnership isn’t completely about helping each other out. Both companies have a motive for cementing the relationship.

But hey, that’s business.

Aston Martin has been around since 1913 when Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford partnered first to sell cars and then soon afterward to make their own vehicles. They created the first Aston Martin in 1915, but World War I halted production.  Mercedes-Benz has been around since the late 19th century and continues to be the leader in innovation and luxury. Each name, however, enjoys recognition as a leader in its respective market. The new partnership will only strengthen that recognition and quality.

Hilton Head, South Carolina is probably one of the most beautiful places to live along the East Coast. With spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean and Savannah, Georgia only about ten minutes away, people flock to the area to live and to visit during the summer. Hilton Head also has a slower lifestyle because of its beach atmosphere and all-around laid-back surroundings. That’s probably why car dealers are moving their facilities to the mainland, where people are more interested in “the finer things in life.”

Those dealers moving inland include the Modern Classic Motors Mercedes-Benz dealer currently situated on the island. The plans for the new facility include a single-story building with a state-of-the-art showroom and service center on more than two acres of land. With the new location, the dealer will enjoy better visibility and customers will have easier access to purchasing their  dream cars.

With the many natural beaches and other areas of Hilton Head, moving the dealerships to the mainland will also help preserve the beauty of the area. Some of the more luxurious parks include the Islanders Beach Park, Hilton Head Park and the Coligny Beach Park. Many famous celebrities also own homes in Hilton Head, including John Cougar Mellencamp, Edwin McCain, Jayson Williams, Patricia Cornwell and others. It’s the ideal place for those who enjoy the island lifestyle.

Dale Warner loves his donuts, but not only because of the way they taste. While you’re spending 30 or 40 bucks filling up your fuel tank at the gas station, he’s using donut and chicken grease to fill up his 1983 Mercedes-Benz.

And he loves it.

He doesn’t need to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year putting gas in his car. But he also loves fueling his car with waste vegetable oil because it runs much quieter than it did before. As a bonus, it smells like French fries all the time. That might not be a bonus for him, but I know I would love it.

But it’s not all fun and games for this inventor. In cold weather, he sometimes has to supplement his alternative fuel with standard diesel fuel. With the gas mileage he gets, he figures he pays nearly a dollar per gallon! Poor guy! (That’s sarcasm, in case you couldn’t tell.)

Restaurant folks love him, too. They gladly unload their grease when he comes by. It creates less hassle for them and provides Mr. Warner with a few thousand more miles of fuel. And as he invested about $1000 into the vehicle altogether, he’s really saved a lot of money over the years.

You won’t find a car that runs on donut grease at your local Mercedes-Benz dealer. But with recent advancements and technologies, you can find new vehicles that are better for the environment. Stop in today and become part of the solution right away.

Have you ever needed to drive across the barren desert, leaving a dust cloud in your trail? Have you ever needed to use your windshield wipers at speeds upwards of 100 mph? Have you ever needed to rescue someone at the top of a mountain or climb hills that incline nearly 90 degrees? Probably not, but Mercedes-Benz has something for you just in case you do.

The commercial for the M-Class SUV-type vehicle has been out for a while and gives people the idea that they can do just about anything with this vehicle. And MB customers already expect quality products that reflect their needs. But leave it to the German automaker’s advertising agency to base the marketing of a product in a commercial solely on “just in case” instances that could arise.

If you’re anything like me, you enjoy having things around “just in case.” I have two bookcases of books I’ve never read, but I like having them around “just in case” I want to read them one day. When notebooks go on sale during the school season, I buy a couple dozen of them each year. I have a stack of notebooks I’ll probably never fill up, but they’re there “just in case.” It’s nice to prepare yourself because you never know what’s going to happen.

So why not stop in and get an M-Class SUV at your local Mercedes-Benz dealer? Who knows? You may find yourself in a situation that calls upon you to drive across the desert at high speeds to rescue somebody from the mountain on the other side. With one of these vehicles, you’ll always be prepared . . . just in case.

Overall, consumers recognize the Mercedes-Benz brand as the leading luxury automaker in the industry. But that doesn’t stop MB in its efforts to reach new customers.

That’s why Mercedes-Benz has partnered with ASmallWorld, an exclusive online community that is “invitation only” and has over 300,000 members spread out across more than 200 countries.

To reach out to more potential customers, the site offers  a new automotive forum to attract Mercedes-Benz members. It also has blogs and an event calendar. Mercedes-Benz already has its own social networking sites and Internet TV, but the new partnership with ASmallWorld combines several features into one to give customers a centralized place for a plethora of networking opportunities and information.

Unfortunately, the site only accepts members who have already received invitations to join. That means you can’t join if you don’t already “know somebody.” Although that gives members the feeling of being exclusive and special, it does limit the number of people who can participate in the social networking site.

Erik Wachtmeister founded ASmallWorld in 2004 as a retreat from the other social networking sites that are open to everybody. He wanted an online place where like-minded individuals could gather to enjoy similar interests. Since its founding, it has grown exponentially and continues to attract new members every day.

The difference between ASmallWorld and your local Mercedes-Benz dealer is that you don’t need an invitation for the latter. You can stop in any time you want and take a luxurious Benz for a test drive. Find one today and feel the comfort you’ve been missing.

Did you know car dealerships can be a strain on the environment? Me neither. But Mercedes-Benz is looking to change that by creating the first “environmentally sustainable” dealership in Peoria.

The grand opening of the Arrowhead facility in Arizona is a prototype that will serve as a model for future MB dealerships. The whole idea behind the new dealership is to conserve as many resources as possible while changing the way employees work so they don’t have as much impact on the environment as other dealers.

Here are some of the features to look for in this new Mercedes-Benz dealer facility:

• The car wash only uses six gallons of water for each vehicle. That’s less than one-third the amount typically used to wash a car at most facilities.

• A state-of-the-art solar panel in the roof creates about 35 percent of the facility’s power during the slower times of the day.

• Building engineering improves overall energy efficiency.

• Nearly every aspect of the construction of the facility uses recycled materias, including recycled asphalt, steel and concrete.

• A venting system reduces carbon dioxide.

The cost to build the new facility was $13 million. It has also earned the silver certification in the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. Hopefully, the trend will continue and more dealerships will take notice.

Mercedes-Benz knows how to throw a party. And the automaker proved it last month when it threw a bash in the middle of New York City.

The day before the party, Mercedes-Benz held a pre-party to generate a buzz about the next day’s opening of the huge event. The partygoers were also reminding anybody who would listen that Mercedes-Benz was releasing the 50-state Bluetec engine that meets emissions standards all over the country (yes, even California).

Officials dubbed the party “The House of Bluetec.” That’s pretty clever if you ask me. The waiters wore black, and attendees had their fill of drinks and finger foods while people from the Mercedes-Benz company greeted them. Would you believe that many of the drinks were blue, too? When MB has a theme, they stick with it, don’t they?

To entertain the fans, the environmentally-outspoken Sheryl Crow performed some fan favorites, even though some people weren’t pleased with her singing. I guess the Blue Man Group wasn’t available to continue the theme of “blue.” Some other ideas that could’ve been used to further the Bluetec include:

The Smurfs
Asking the wait staff to wear blue suede shoes
Having Sheryl Crow sing “Blue Christmas,” even though it was three months after Christmas
An appearance by the Toronto Blue Jays

You can show your “blue” side by stopping at your local Mercedes-Benz dealer and getting a model equipped with an eco-friendly Bluetec engine. Actually, that’s more of a “green” side, but who’s keeping score anyway?