the latest news from Lookers Mercedes-Benz

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AUTUMN/WINTER
Latest news from Lookers Mercedes-Benz
2012
THE NEW A-CLASS IS HERE
#Newgeneration
SERVICE CARE Save money on servicing
CHIP AND PIN MercedesTrophy golf tournament
EVENTS ROUND-UP Out and about with Lookers Mercedes-Benz

F O R E W O R D
N E W M O D E L S
Welcome to
our latest
newsletter,
which brings
you up-to-date
with news
from our eight
Retailers.
It has been an immensely
exciting year for everyone
involved with Lookers
Mercedes-Benz and this
momentum shows no signs of
slowing. In fact, the euphoria
that surrounds Mercedes-Benz
is now at fever pitch with the
arrival of our first new A-Class
demonstrators and the launch of
the striking CLS Shooting Brake.
These models have certainly
played a major part in
Mercedes-Benz making its debut
at number 16 in the CoolBrands ®
listing of over 10,000 brands –
the manufacturer being voted
the ‘coolest’ non-UK automotive
manufacturer by the public and
39 key influencers – and we’re
certain that you will find our
Retailer-specific developments
are pretty cool too!
Notably, these include the
build of the new Mercedes-Benz
of Gatwick, the creation of our
fleet PDI centre, our awardwinning
group website and a
whole host of events and trips
that we have hosted to make
customers’ experiences even
more enjoyable. While we’re sure
you will find plenty of information
in this newsletter, please call
or pop into our Retailers if you
would like further details on
anything relating to
Mercedes-Benz.
Iain MacMahon
Brand Director
Shooting star
The stunning CLS Shooting
Brake has been unveiled
by our Retailers and you’re
invited to experience a car
that has rewritten the rules
of car design and pioneers an
exciting new vehicle sector.
Blending the practicality
of a five-door design with
the elegant sporting style
of a classic coupé, the new
model is now available to test
drive and is launched with
two powerful and efficient
engines.
Whilst the beautiful,
flowing lines of the CLS
Shooting Brake and its
sizeable and luxurious
interior are sure to impress,
the new model really needs
to be experienced out on the
road where its exhilarating
and efficient performance
can be enjoyed to the full.
To arrange your CLS
Shooting Brake test drive,
please contact the sales
team at your nearest
Retailer.
Mercedes-Benz of Ashford
Monument Way, Orbital Park, Ashford, Kent TN24 0HB
Mercedes-Benz of Brighton
Victoria Road, Portslade, Brighton, East Sussex BN41 1DY
Mercedes-Benz of Canterbury
Broad Oak Road, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7PX
Mercedes-Benz of Eastbourne
Eastbourne Road, Westham, East Sussex BN24 5NH
Mercedes-Benz of Gatwick
County Oak Way, Crawley, West Sussex RH11 7ST
Mercedes-Benz of Maidstone
Bircholt Road, Parkwood, Maidstone, Kent ME15 9YN
Mercedes-Benz of Redhill
12 Brighton Road, Redhill, Surrey RH1 6QL
Mercedes-Benz of Tonbridge
12 Vale Rise, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1TB
Sales: 0844 947 3727 After Sales: 0844 947 3728
www.lookers.co.uk/mercedes-benz
2

JOIN THE A-LIST
After months of anticipation, the sensational new Mercedes-Benz A-Class is here!
Left-hand drive demonstrator
versions are now available
to test drive at each of
our Retailers and those
customers wanting to
be amongst the first to
experience it are sure
to be won over by its
sporty styling, athletic
performance and superb
specifications.
The striking hatchback is very
different from its popular predecessor
and seems assured of appealing to an even
broader cross-section of drivers, thanks to its
enhanced efficiency and extensive choice of
model lines. Indeed the A-Class is the first
Mercedes-Benz to achieve CO 2 emissions
of less than 100g/km – the A 180 CDI
BlueEFFICIENCY returning 98g/km and an
impressive 74.3mpg (combined). The ECO
start/stop function, which cuts the engine to
save fuel when the car’s speed drops below
5mph and then re-starts it again automatically,
is a standard feature across the range.
Priced at £18,945 on-the-road, the entrylevel
A 180 BlueEFFICIENCY petrol boasts
MP3 and Bluetooth compatibility but would-be
owners can choose to upgrade their A-Class
via a quartet of trim packages – the SE, Sport
and the AMG-inspired, AMG Sport and the
flagship ‘Engineered by AMG’. New levels of
connectivity are available across the range and,
for the first time, Mercedes-Benz has integrated
the Apple iPhone comprehensively.
For full details on the A-Class, please visit
www.lookers.co.uk/mercedes-benz
Hybrid highlight
The E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid, the most efficient
E-Class ever, is available to order now and is
capable of returning 65.7mpg (combined), emitting
just 109g/km of CO 2 and boasts a Benefit in Kind
(BIK) rating that starts from 12 per cent.
Developing 204hp and 500Nm of torque, the
model’s powerful yet highly efficient 2,143cc,
four-cylinder diesel engine is linked to a 20kW
electric motor mounted within the 7G-Tronic
Plus automatic transmission powered by a 19kW
Lithium-ion battery.
Standard equipment includes 17-inch alloy
wheels – 16-inch wheels can be fitted as a no-cost
option to achieve the optimum low emissions and
economy – leather upholstery, Becker ® MAP PILOT
Sat Nav and LED daytime running lights. The
E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid arrives in December.
3

S E R V I C E C A R E
Save money on your servicing
Customers are invited to discover that it
literally does pay to take ‘Care’ when it
comes to servicing.
By taking out a Service Care plan,
owners can enjoy significant savings when
compared to paying for separate services
as highlighted below. Indeed there is the
potential to save even more as the prices
below are based on today’s parts and labour
costs.
As well as representing excellent value
Here are some examples of Service Care savings:
for money, Service Care makes your
servicing more convenient, takes away the
worry of any unexpected bills and provides
you with the peace-of-mind that it is being
looked after by a Mercedes-Benz Official
Workshop for up to four years.
Talk to one of our Service Departments
for full details about Service Care, which
is available on new and Approved Used
Mercedes-Benz and smart cars aged up to
seven-years-old.
New A-Class (Auto) or
Approved Used B-Class
36-month plan at £31 per month: £1,116.00
Three individual services at £1,296.13
today’s prices
Service Care saving: £180.13
Approved Used C-Class
36-month plan at £31 per month: £1,116.00
Three individual services at £1,479.07
today’s prices
Service Care saving: £363.07
One good turn deserves another
Recommend a friend, family member or
colleague to buy a new or Approved Used
Mercedes-Benz from us and there is a special
treat coming your way.
As a thank-you for your recommendation,
it will be our pleasure to present you with a
Mercedes-Benz gift card to the value of £100 to
spend on accessories at any of our Retailers.
4

C O M M U N I C A T I O N
WEB WINNER
As we look to extend our awardwinning
customer service from
our showrooms to the web, it
would appear that it is not only
our customers who are getting
their ‘clicks’ from our everincreasing
online presence.
The group’s website – www.
lookers.co.uk – has been selected
by industry experts as the UK’s
best car dealership website in the
annual Motor Trader awards.
Judges were impressed by its
extensive range of stock, intuitive
design and powerful vehicle
locator as well as its fast, simple
and flexible search engine. Praise
was also given for the excellent
level of customer service offered
to web and telephone customers
through the site.
Customers can now use their
local Mercedes-Benz Retailer’s
website for booking a service,
discovering about the latest
models or perusing our huge
selection of more than 500
Approved Used Cars. There is also
a link to the popular ‘live’ chat
service, which enables customers
to communicate with members
of staff through the text-based
system if they want to make a
servicing or MoT appointment or
have a sales or servicing enquiry.
SOCIAL CLIMBERS
Don’t forget that you can find
out all about our latest news as it
happens by liking us on facebook
or following us on twitter.
There are now almost 1,000
people connected to us via social
media and the numbers are
growing day-by-day. You can join
us by using the links below.
In the meantime, here are a
few of our past ‘tweets’ that our
followers have posted:
“Just popped into
@LookersMercedes
Eastbourne. Just too
many tempting toys
#mustresisttemptation.”
Peter Prior
“@LookersMercedes: Two
very cool things come
together in this photo! Ice
and a #SLS… in love with
Mercedes SLS AMG.”
Mariam
“@LookersMercedes: Not
bad at all Simply doesn’t
have a bad angle

G O L F
Pictured with professional lady golfers, Heather MacRae and Lynn Kenny, following their triumph at the New
Zealand Golf Club are our MercedesTrophy UK Final team (left to right): Malcolm Wager, Martin Derrick and
Malcolm Cowlard
GOLFERS SHOW PLENTY OF DRIVE
This year’s MercedesTrophy
competition has been a ‘foremidable’
success with one of the
group’s teams reaching the UK
Final at the home of golf –
St Andrews in Scotland.
Eighty customers from Kent,
Sussex and Surrey teed off
our participation in the 2012
tournament in July at Lingfield
Park Golf Club, where their aim
was to qualify for the regional
final.
After an enjoyable and closelyfought
day’s play, two pairs
of threesomes won through.
Representing our Sussex and
Surrey Retailers were Malcolm
Cowlard, Martin Derrick and
Malcolm Wager, with Mark Ward,
Paul McBride and Alexej Ignatow
going forward from our Kent
sites.
Ladies European Tour
Professional Rebecca Artis
enjoyed a practice round with
customers and was then on
hand to present the prizes. The
Australian, who finished third in
the British Masters, handed out
several trophies including one to
the best lady golfer – Roseanne
Rees.
At the beginning of August,
the two teams then made the
short journey to the New Zealand
Golf Club in Surrey to contest
the regional final against golfers
representing other
Mercedes-Benz Retailers from
across the UK.
Topping the leaderboard at
the end of the competition and
winning the memorable trip to
St Andrews was our Sussex and
Surrey team, who report on their
experience right.
Tee-rific!
A cheque for £1,035 has
been presented to the NSPCC
courtesy of the customers
who played in our golf day at
Lingfield Park.
Many thanks to everyone
for their generosity.
6

The Lookers team takes a break from the action at St Andrews
with Rob Hilton, from Luna Golf, the company which organises
the competition
NOTHING ON A PAR WITH TRIP
With 58,000 players from
34 nations taking part, the
MercedesTrophy is reputed
to be the largest amateur golf
competition in the world and
the tournament certainly left
a big impression on our three
customers who qualified for the
UK Final.
Malcolm Cowlard, Martin
Derrick and Malcolm Wager spent
four nights at St Andrews in
Scotland, where they played two
competitive rounds at St Andrews
on The Dukes and Kingsbarns
courses and were treated to some
fantastic hospitality by
Mercedes-Benz UK. Highlights
included a champagne reception
on the balcony of the famous Old
Course Hotel, where the finalists
stayed, and a gala dinner on the
final evening at Glamis Castle.
“The ‘home of golf’’ was
somewhere I always wanted to
visit, but to do it in such a manner
and style was unbelievable,” said
Martin, who is a member of Dyke
Golf Club near Brighton. “The
whole event was truly memorable
and so well organised that, apart
from my golf scores, I cannot
think how it could have been
improved on.
“When you can play in
surroundings like we did, not even
a bad shot or inclement weather
could spoil a most enjoyable time
had by all.”
Similar sentiments were
echoed by eight-handicapper
Malcolm Wager, who like his
team-mates, was not deflated by
not tasting victory.
“The hotel was first-class, the
restaurant choices were excellent
The Mercedes-Benz flag flies
above Glamis Castle
and the courses we played were
beautiful, challenging and in
superb condition,” explained
the SL 55 AMG and SLS AMG
owner. “The spirit of the event
was perfect. Players tried their
very best and yet there was
an atmosphere of sporting
camaraderie throughout.”
He added: “My disappointment
at performing poorly was greatly
tempered by the realisation that
by not winning, I was going to be
eligible to return and try again!”
“It did not matter about
winning as my prize was going
to St Andrews,” continued
Malcolm Cowlard, who plays off
22 at Cooden Beach Golf Club.
“At the end of the trip, we were
given a tick box questionnaire by
Mercedes-Benz to complete for
which ‘excellent’ was the best
response that you could give
but that really did not do the
experience justice as it was so
much better than that.”
If you would to take part in the 2013 MercedesTrophy tournament, you can register your interest now
by e-mailing Mercedes-BenzMarketing@lookers.co.uk
7

N E W S
HOME VISIT
A group of customers enjoyed a
different kind of stargazing after
Lookers Mercedes-Benz organised
an exclusive visit to the Stuttgart
home of Mercedes-Benz.
Eleven customers attended
the two-day trip in October
and were able to take a rarelyavailable
opportunity to see
behind-the-scenes of one of
the world’s greatest automotive
manufacturers.
Lookers Mercedes-Benz
compiled an exciting and unique
itinerary for those who travelled to
Stuttgart, combining a plethora of
‘must see’ sights with time to relax
and eat in fantastic surroundings.
As well as a private tour of the
state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz
production hub and the
Mercedes-Benz museum, the
trip also saw customers stay
at a 4-star hotel in Stuttgart’s
NeckarPark region and dine at
renowned eatery, Alte Kanzlie,
next to the castle of Werttemberg
Dukes. The trip culminated with a
Mercedes-Benz focused, private
visit to Meilenwerk – a unique
facility where enthusiasts and
experts display their treasures.
Did you know?
Mercedes-Benz recently
swung into action to set a
new Guinness World Record
for the furthest golf shot
caught in a moving car.
The immense skill of
Formula 1 legend and
DTM driver David Coulthard
and professional golfer Jake
Shepherd ensured that the
existing record was broken
on only the second attempt at
Dunsfold Aerodrome, Surrey.
David drove a 571hp
SLS AMG at 120mph to catch
the ball in the car’s cockpit
at a distance of 275 metres
from the tee, the ball having
been struck by Jake at an
astonishing 178mph.
8

F A C I L I T I E S
Flying start for Gatwick development
The build of the new Mercedes-Benz of Gatwick is
now underway and the sky’s the limit when it comes
to the site’s innovative facilities.
On target to open next Spring, the new three-acre
site represents a multi-million pound investment and
boasts an array of unique features.
Built over three storeys and located at Manor
Royal just off Junction 10 of the M23 motorway, the
imposing showroom will complement its cutting-edge
18-ramp Official Workshop with a ‘Drive-Through’
reception for service customers. This facility will
see service customers drop off and collect their
car in a special undercover area, which will speed
up their visit and be especially beneficial for when
weather conditions can make a vehicle handover
uncomfortable.
Roof-mounted solar panels will help power the site
and the cutting-edge development will also utilise
a system that recycles rainwater for use in areas of
the business. Customers will also benefit from larger
new and Approved Used Cars sales facilities and
improved parking.
“The new Mercedes-Benz of Gatwick is shaping
up to be something special and the site is destined
to be one of the most impressive in the nationwide
Mercedes-Benz UK Retail network – offering local
customers world-class facilities on their doorstep,”
said Iain MacMahon, Brand Director.
FLEET FIRST
Fleet customers can rest assured that their vehicles
will look the absolute business following the creation
of a dedicated PDI (Pre Delivery Inspection) Centre.
The bespoke facility has been created due to the
ever-increasing success of the Lookers
Mercedes-Benz Fleet Sales department and enables
the group to efficiently and meticulously prepare
customers’ vehicles in one central location.
Located in East Grinstead, the new Fleet PDI Centre
is capable of holding 200 vehicles and its considerable
size means that the group can keep an impressive
stock of vehicles available for immediate delivery.
Although focused solely on the requirements of
business customers, the new fleet PDI Centre has
benefits for private drivers too. The move of corporate
vehicles to the new facility will increase customer
parking at both Mercedes-Benz of Brighton and
Mercedes-Benz of Maidstone.
“This standalone facility really does make great
business sense,” said Nigel Barber, Fleet Sales
Director. “Its creation makes our award-winning Fleet
Sales division even stronger and means that not only
can we comfortably keep up with demand, but also
have the capability of meeting large corporate orders
in very little time.”
9

N E W S
SL’s ‘Grand’ entrance
Sporting performance was the theme when a
trio of Lookers Mercedes-Benz Retailers held
special parties to celebrate the launch of the
stunning new SL-Class.
Coinciding with the screening of the F1
British Grand Prix in their showrooms, the
group’s Retailers in Tonbridge, Maidstone and
Brighton invited customers to be the first to see
the wraps pulled off the SL and also enjoy a
barbecue, refreshments, prize draws and motor
racing video games as part of their visit.
Teaming the SL’s arrival with the highlight of
the British sporting calendar proved particularly
fitting as the legendary model first came to light
through its outstanding success in motorsport,
the original 1963 SL race car scoring victories
and one-two finishes at the Le Mans 24 Hours
and the demanding Carrera Panamericana in
Mexico.
Although the F1 British Grand Prix proved
slightly disappointing for those supporting the
MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS team, visitors
were in no doubt that the SL was an absolute
winner! A number of SL test drives were booked
and customers were impressed with its array of
features that include a lightweight aluminium
construction, BlueDIRECT engines, three
options of vario-roof and a choice of suspension.
F1 TEAM VISIT IS A TOTAL ‘ONE’ OFF
Five customers were in pole
position to get a rare glimpse of
the workings of a top-flight F1
team after Lookers Mercedes-Benz
12
organised an exclusive visit to
the home of the Mercedes AMG
Petronas Formula One team.
The lucky customers enjoyed
a guided tour of the facility at
Brackley, Northamptonshire in
September and now rank amongst
the select few who have seen
behind its doors.
Mercedes-Benz of Brighton
customer and C 55 AMG and C
43 AMG owner Peter Downie was
thrilled with the unique tour.
“The visit was a great insight
into the life of an F1 team and
I was gobsmacked to witness
that every last nut and bolt was
non-destructively tested not only
before it went on the car but also
after it had been used in a race,”
explained Mr Downie.
“To be honest, the detail that
goes into producing the Mercedes
AMG Petronas F1 car is quite
unbelievable! The amount of
people and level of investment
required to make the cars perform
on the F1 circuit 20 times in a
year is an incredible eye-opener. I
have raced and I am still involved
in international level racing, but the
Mercedes AMG Petronas F1
set-up is vastly different to
anything I have ever witnessed.”

Circuit training
Power-packed performance
and finely honed driving skills
were the order of the day when
Lookers hosted its now annual
Motor Circuit Experience day at
the prestigious Goodwood Motor
Circuit.
One of the most popular
customer activities organised
by the group, each year’s track
day builds on the success of the
previous and this year’s fourth
running of the event proved no
exception. Dry, cool weather
provided the perfect driving
conditions for 24 customers
to explore the limits of their
Mercedes-Benz on the same
2.4-mile track as some of motor
racing’s all-time greats – all
under the expert guidance of the
legendary venue’s ace driving
instructors.
Limiting the number of
vehicles to five per driving
session ensured that everyone
enjoyed plenty of quality track
time, while customers also had
the opportunity to test drive the
latest AMG models, including the
phenomenal SLS AMG Coupé and
Roadster, out on the surrounding
roads of West Sussex.
The AMG Performance Centre
team of Mercedes-Benz of
Brighton was on hand to answer
any queries on the amazing AMG
Performance Fleet and attendees
also enjoyed a full buffet lunch
and access to Goodwood’s
impressive Jackie Stewart Centre.
Those who wish to ‘get on
track’ at next year’s Motor Circuit
Experience day are invited to
contact Andy Melbert, General
Sales Manager, at Mercedes-Benz
of Brighton on 01273 707070 or
via email at
andrewmelbert@lookers.co.uk.
SPEED-ING AHEAD
Lookers Mercedes-Benz sped into action
when it came to treating customers to a
bird’s eye view of this year’s Goodwood
Festival of Speed.
Twenty guests enjoyed full hospitality at
the Mercedes-Benz Pavilion, which overlooks
the startline and offers an unrivalled view
of the Festival’s magnificent spread of
motorsport. As well as seeing
Mercedes-Benz racing cars of past and
present, customers were also amongst the
first to see the new CLS Shooting Brake in
the metal, the striking model making its
official world debut at the event.
13

A C C E S S O R I E S
Get to grips with winter
Make tracks to us now for your Mercedes-Benz Cold Weather
Tyres before winter’s icy grip really does take hold and stocks
diminish.
Specifically designed for Mercedes-Benz models, the tyres
are not just beneficial in the snow as they offer improved safety
and performance when the temperature drops below 7°C.
According to tests, they can dramatically help to cut braking
distances by 50 per cent in icy or snowy conditions and 10 per
cent on cold, wet surfaces.
What’s more, there are economic benefits too as Cold Weather Tyres
can last up to 20 per cent longer than their standard counterparts during
the winter. Storage is made simple too as we will provide you with a special bag
in which your standard tyres can be kept until the spring.
Please talk to one of our parts departments to check availability and pricing for your particular model.
We’ve got Christmas wrapped up
14
With Christmas fast approaching, you may be pleased to learn that help is at
hand if you’re facing that annual dilemma of what presents to buy for any
Mercedes-Benz or smart fans in your life.
Whether you’re looking for a
significant gift or just a stocking filler,
our Retailers can make your shopping
simple and without the hassle of those
High Street crowds.
Each of our Parts Departments
stock a huge selection of accessories,
including clothing, watches and
luggage, to suit all budgets and all
tastes. There are hundreds of items
to choose from and any that are not
instantly available on-site can be
ordered and delivered within days.
There are various catalogues that
can be perused at leisure over a coffee
in our customer reception areas or
online.
And don’t worry if you can’t decide
because we also offer gift cards,
which can be acquired in various
denominations from our Retailers
or via our online shop at www.
lookersshop.mercedes-benz.co.uk,
where the latest accessories can be
viewed.
Memory Game
AMG carbon fibre
black cap
Becker ® MAP
PILOT Sat Nav
£29 inc VAT (B66955498) £500.00 inc VAT (A1669009508)
Carre chronograph
watch
£21.00 inc VAT (B66957772) £133.00 inc VAT (B66043422)

N E W S
PURCHASE GOES SWIMMINGLY
The service provided by Mercedes-Benz of Maidstone
made a real splash with one of the most successful
British swimmers of all time, Mark Foster.
Fresh from his appearances as part of the BBC
team covering the Olympics, Mark accompanied his
mum, Sheila, to the Retailer where she bought an
A-Class.
Mark, who carried the Union Jack at the 2008
Games in Beijing, was so impressed with the way
that his mum had been looked after that he tweeted:
‘Thanks for looking after my Mum. Think she picks up
her A-Class on Saturday... #happylady’.
Mark Foster with David Currin, Mercedes-Benz of
Maidstone’s General Sales Manager
Check this out
A little forward thinking could ensure that you
don’t get caught in the cold this winter.
The chilly weather ahead can be demanding
on any vehicle, from the increased battery
power required to start the engine, to the
extra strain on the tyres. Without the correct
levels of antifreeze in the cooling system, it
could damage your engine too.
As preventative maintenance is the key to
avoiding any potential problems, it could be
an opportune time to book a 17-point Winter
Safety Check at any of our Retailers.
Available for just £19.99, this
comprehensive inspection will provide you
with peace-of-mind that your car is prepared
for the cold. We’ll also present you with a
complimentary essential winter kit containing
our WinterFit Windscreen Wash, which works
in temperatures as low as -18 degrees, our
window defrosting agent and a branded ice
scraper.
FAIR PLAY
Lookers Mercedes-Benz gave new meaning to the
term ‘fund-raising drive’ when it supported the New
Horizons Appeal Autumn Gift Fair in aid of
St Catherine’s Hospice.
The group donated a Mercedes-Benz Driving
Experience for a raffle at the event at Knepp Castle,
Shipley, where it also displayed a selection of cars.
This year’s fair featured 84 stalls and attracted
a record attendance of 1,200 people. Proceeds
are expected to top £20,000, which will provide
12 months’ funding for a community nurse for the
Crawley-based hospice.
“We would like to thank local businesses for their
support this year and in particular to Lookers for their
continued help with our efforts to raise money for
such a worthy local cause,” said Sally Pavey, one of
the fair’s volunteer organisers.
Sales Director Christina Ewbank with Ben Pulham (left)
and Daniel Read, Sales Executives for Mercedes-Benz
and smart of Brighton
15