2011 Kansas City International Auto Show

It's finally that time of year again: the KC Auto Show is upon us. From Wednesday, March 2nd to Sunday, March 6th the cars will be the stars at Bartle Hall. This year, Aristocrat Motors is going to have more than ever to offer. We will have on hand a 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, the new Jaguar XJ, and the Porsche 911 GT2, one of only 36 in existence. On top of that, we will be giving you more insight into this auto show than ever before, offering live blogging from the show, photos, and video. We will be speaking with Mercedes-Benz product specialists who have flown in just for the show, giving you more in-depth information about the manufacturers themselves. Additionally we will be giving away tickets to The Midland Theater for our Auto Show Facebook contest. Follow us all week at : www.facebook.com/aristocratmotors and www.twitter.com/AristocratKC .

Facebook Photo Contest: Auto Show 2011

Example Contest Submission

Here at Aristocrat Motors, we take care of some of the happiest customers in the world. This year we will be hosting our inaugural Facebook photo hunt in timing with the 2011 Kansas City Auto Show. We will be giving 2 tickets to The Midland Theater away to whoever can post the most sad, upset, and defeated photo of themselves with a competitor's vehicle. Winners will be able to choose between two tickets to Kevin Smith's political thriller Red State,  or Disney's Imagination Movers Live!. Photos must be posted to www.Facebook.com/Aristocrat Motors by noon on Monday, March 7th. Please note this is all in good fun and we do not encourage vandalism to other vehicle makes. Happy (sad) photo hunting!

World of Wheels Day 2: Q&A with Ken Lee

Ken Lee and his 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28

When I sat down with Ken Lee, a charter member of the Kansas City Corvette Association, I expected the talk to be all about horsepower, performance numbers, and general Corvette FAQ’s. Interestingly enough, one of the first things he said to me was on the contrary. “Performance is irrelevant, you can talk about on the new (Corvettes) that they go 0-60 in 4.5 seconds, or they have 500 horsepower, but when you can meet with guys that share your passion for cars, and can go on a long weekend cruise, that’s what it’s all about.”  Ken is here at World of Wheels showing his 1969 Z28 Camaro. This car, all original is competing in the un-restored classics class. Rather than being brought back from the dead, his yellow vehicle has been meticulously maintained throughout its lifetime. Ken is also a member of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA). When I talked to Ken about what he thought would be classics 50 years from now, he replied “The new Camaro, and Corvette,” I thought he was perhaps showing a little bias, but he informed me further: “Those vehicles are getting the kids excited today about cars,” and “that’s why they will be classics.” Ken is a Kansas City, MO. resident, and served in Vietnam.

Interview with AACA Chapter President Bob Lowden

Bob Lowden in his 1936 Dodge Rumble Seat Coupe

I am sitting across from Robert (Bob) Lowden, President of the Kansas City Chapter of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA), a group that represents over 60,000 classic car owners across the country. Bob had been a member since 1966, when he was 29 years old. He is here at the World of Wheels competition showing his 1936 Dodge Rumble seat coupe, a pristine all-original beauty with only 58,000 original miles. As we sit at the AACA’s booth, we gaze around at all of the adjacent exhibitor displays. Some have all original vehicles, others have cars rebuilt from the ground up. At the other end of Bartle Hall the” Rat Rod” section has dozens of vehicles that started life as scrap metal and a dream. With all of these different types of car enthusiasts, I asked Bob what was the thing they all had in common. “Everybody has their own individual tastes,” he tells me, elaborating that even though their own style is different, they all share a love of cars. “People today buy cars to get them from point a to b, and don’t view them as an extension of their personality” assuring me that he was not referring to any of the 1300 plus car enthusiasts in this room. Bob’s passion for cars has extended through his twenty years in the Army, where he served two tours in Vietnam. After leaving the military in 1980, Bob has been a pastor for two churches, and eventually retired in 2004. Over the course of his car collecting, he has owned close to 25-30 classic cars. “When did the car bug bite you?” I asked. “The 50’s is when I really became interested,” he says, coinciding with the golden era of classics. We chat on about classics and certain makes and models for a while, and we land on the subject of what modern cars will be classics fifty years from now. “Probably that Cadillac convertible,” he says, referring to the XLR. “Also, that T-Bird that Ford made a few years back will also probably be one.” Its tough figuring out what will be collector items down the road, but one thing is sure: The amount of people, young and old, in this convention center is a reassuring image, guaranteeing that cars will continue to be extensions of individual personalities for years to come.   Bob currently resides in Blue Springs, MO. For more information on the AACA please visit www.aaca.org .

World of Wheels is underway here at Bartle Hall

The 51^st annual World of Wheels car show is underway here at Bartle Hall. With over 1300 enthusiast vehicles here, there is definitely something for everyone! We’ve so far seen untouched all original historic vehicles, customized newer vehicle, hot rods, and even a few of our own vehicles. In partnership with smart center merriam and smart center kansas city, there are 5 custom smart vehicles here from the MO-KAN smart club. We even had a chance to sit down with Bob Lowden, the President of the Antique Automobiles Club of America (AACA) Kansas City Chapter. Also, we spoke with Ken Lee, one of the founding members of the Kansas City Corvette Club. Look for those stories to be posted shortly!

Mercedes Benz kicks of New York Fashion Week 2011

Starting today, Mercedes-Benz is kicking off it's 2011 New York Fashion Week. Since 2009, Mercedes Benz has hosted the biannual fashion week every February and September. One of four international fashion weeks including Milan, Paris, and London, Mercedes-Benz plays host to the new seasonal fashion collections This represents the commitment as a brand to being at the cutting edge of style and design, a phrase repeated in our mantra, "The Best or Nothing." More information can be located at http://www.mbfashionweek.com/ or on twitter at @MBFashionWeek.