An Open Letter to Our Customers, Partners, and Supporters

We write this letter as a sincere thank you to all of our customers, partners, and supporters that have helped us in the last month.

At the beginning of September, we sat down with Monica Starr, a Fairway, KS native, who ran a very small but powerful organization called Sleepyhead Beds. Their purpose? To raise and deliver beds for the kids of Kansas City who don't have their own place to sleep at night, whether they are sleeping on the floor, a couch, or are sharing a bed with siblings.

Meeting Monica is a pretty powerful experience because she is so passionate about her cause. She started Sleepyhead Beds after working with several other charities and recognizing an enormous need in our area. Currently 1 in 42 kids in the KC area needs somewhere to sleep, and she has already helped thousands.

It just so happens that 2011 is the 125th anniversary of Mercedes-Benz, the world's oldest standing automobile manufacturer. Rather than hold a huge gala, or concert at the store, we asked ourselves how we could celebrate this achievement by helping others.

Mercedes-Benz has always prided itself to creating the best products in the world, and despite being the oldest manufacturer, it always seems to have the freshest products and innovations. With two Mercedes-Benz dealers in Kansas City, we decided to celebrate the oldest manufacturer by helping the youngest generation.

Instead of giving our customers and employees a big party for the milestone, we reached out and issued a challenge. We challenged them to help us raise 125 beds for Sleepyhead Beds at both of our stores. The outpouring of support from our employees and customers was so astonishing, that we accomplished this task in just two weeks.

We also wish to thank our advertising partners, the local media, and all of the vendors that came out, providing everything from signage to breakfast at the events. With support from so many, 250 kids in Kansas City will now have a place to sleep at night.

We aren't done yet.

When we held the two bed drives, there was a camera crew on site. They were filming a video for Sleepyhead Beds to enter a recently announced national contest from Mercedes-Benz USA, named the Community Stars Program. This competition was designed to award $25,000 in grant money to 5 charities in the United States.

Hundreds of charities across the country entered this contest, but only 15 finalists were chosen. We are happy to announce that Sleepyhead Beds is in the hunt.

So, once again, we need your help.

The 15 finalists are now listed on the Mercedes-Benz USA Facebook page, where anyone with a Facebook account can vote for their favorite charity. On October 21st, voting is over, and the top 5 with the most votes will win the grant. Simple as that.

We ask that you visit www.Facebook.com/MercedesBenzUSA and cast your vote for Sleepyhead Beds on the "Community Stars" tab on the left side of the screen.You may vote once a day, and we hope that you vote as often as possible.A grant of this magnitude would be a game-changer for this organization.

From all of us at Aristocrat Motors and Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City, we thank you.

Art of the Car Concours Featured on The Kansas City Star Website

Art of the Car Concours: Featured in The Kansas City Star

All of us at Aristocrat Motors and Mercedes Benz of Kansas City are proud to be the title sponsors for the 2011 Art of the Car Concours. This fantastic display of classic automobiles benefits the scholarship fund for The Kansas City Art Institute. Recently we were mentioned in The Kansas City Star as the title sponsor:

Kansas City Art Institute to host Fifth Annual Art of the Car Concours on June 26

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (May 31, 2011) - The fifth annual Art of the Car Concours®, featuring nearly 200 vintage, classic and special-interest vehicles, including cars, trucks, racing cars and vintage motorcycles belonging to collectors from eight states, will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 26 on the campus of the Kansas City Art Institute, 4415 Warwick Blvd. Vehicles from Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Colorado, Iowa, North Carolina and Oklahoma will be on view.

“This event, a benefit for the KCAI scholarship fund, has begun to develop a national reputation,” said Marshall Miller, a Kansas City attorney and vintage car aficionado who founded and serves as chairman of the event. “The Concours is unique for its size and scale in having no formal judging and no classes of vehicles. The intention is to provide a wide range of very high-quality, original, vintage vehicles in an eclectic, informal setting, without the pressure of traditional Concours events.”

Advance tickets may be purchased online for $12 at www.artofthecarconcours.com. The day of the event, tickets may be purchased for $15 at the gate. Children 10 years old and under, as well as active duty military (with identification), will be admitted free. In addition, early-bird tickets are available online and at the gate for anyone who would like to arrive between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. to see or document vintage cars arriving for the event. Those tickets cost $17 when purchased online and $20 at the gate. Anyone who purchases a $12 ticket online but who then comes early to the event may pay another $5 to enter the campus prior to 10 a.m. Proceeds from sponsorships and ticket sales will benefit KCAI’s scholarship fund.

Featured vehicles this year include a 1929 Duesenberg, a 1930 Rolls Royce Phantom, a 1936 Stout Scarab and a 1956 Nash Rambler.

“The 1929 Duesenberg Model J-129 Dual Cowl Phaeton, owned by John Groendyke of Enid, Okla., has been shown at Pebble Beach, Meadow Brook and Amelia Island,” Miller said, citing three of the nation’s premier concours venues. “The 1930 Rolls Royce Phantom II Cabriolet de Ville, owned by Lawrence Smith of Wichita, Kan., has never before been shown in public and has a special French custom body. The 1936 Stout Scarab, owned by Dick Taylor of Lumberton, N.C., is a Grand National Award-winner that has been shown at Amelia Island, as has the 1956 Nash Rambler Palm Beach Coupe, owned by Scott Morris of Kearney, Neb. The Nash Rambler also was the Pininfarina 1956 Paris Show car. The upcoming Concours in Kansas City will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view these very special cars.”

One of the most popular activities at the Concours is voting for “People’s Choice” awards. Ballots will be distributed to all who attend the event, and they will be invited to vote for their favorite cars. After the votes are counted, trophies created by a KCAI alumna will be presented to the top five vote-getters. Corporate sponsors, the president of KCAI and the chairman of the Concours also will be presenting trophies to the owners of special vehicles chosen as the best in categories that range from “best color” to “car we’d most like to insure.”

“In five years the Concours has grown to the largest in the Midwest for high-quality original vehicles of a wide variety,” Miller said. “There is no similar event in Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, St. Louis or Dallas. As a result, exhibitors, sponsors and visitors from around the country will be traveling to Kansas City for the Concours. This year we have many new vehicles that will delight our guests. We especially encourage multi-generations of families to attend, as that is how I started my interest.”

Miller said that he anticipates that from 180 to 200 vehicles, trucks and vintage motorcycles will be on display. Many of the local vehicles are in private collections and have not been publicly displayed. Amelia Island and Pebble Beach Concours winners also will be displayed.

The event has attracted both local and national sponsors. The Mercedes-Benz Dealerships of Kansas City, Aristocrat Motors/Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City are the presenting sponsors. Additional sponsors include Baron Automotive; The Branson Car Auction; Curves Ahead Transport; Grass Pad; Hagerty Insurance Agency Ltd.; Hyman Ltd.; Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp., U.S.A.; McPherson College; and Meguiar’s Inc. Community partners include DeLaSalle Education Center, McPherson College and Tivol.

The Kansas City Art Institute is a private, independent, four-year college of art and design, awarding the bachelor of fine arts degree with majors in animation, art history, ceramics, digital filmmaking, digital media, fiber, graphic design, illustration, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and studio art with an emphasis on creative writing. The college also offers evening, weekend and summer classes in art, design, multimedia studies and desktop publishing for children, youth and adults. Founded in 1885, KCAI is Kansas City's oldest arts organization. More information about the Art of the Car Concours is available at www.artofthecarconcours.com.

We hope to see you at this year’s Art of the Car Concours!

SLK Named As Germany's Most Beautiful Car

Posted By: Kris Nielsen & Valerie Jennings

The SLK was named Germany’s most beautiful car this week on the BenzInsider.com. Khral Prado, who wrote the post, said that this was no surprise, but rather an affirmation for Mercedes-Benz’s long list of achievements. 

According to the post, Mercedes-Benz is one of the most awarded premium vehicle manufacturers ever. The company’s latest in its long list of achievements is the awarding of AUTO BILD magazine’s Design Award to the Mercedes-Benz SLK. Following the tire tracks of the E-Class back in 2009 and the SLS AMG last year, the SLK makes the company proud by bagging the prize for 2011.

Read article: http://www.benzinsider.com/2011/05/slk-named-as-germany%E2%80%99s-most-beautiful-car/

Vehicle Review: smart fortwo coupe

As the national average for a gallon of gas approaches $4.00, with some markets already seeing it hit the $5.00 mark, the American consumer is trying to figure out ways to minimize the impact on their budgets. Some companies are looking at a 4-day work week in an effort to lower commuting costs. Others are driving less aggressively, which makes a commute safer and more efficient for everyone.

We submit the following idea: the smart fortwo, a vehicle that combines efficiency, practicality, and safety, without sacrificing the sporty nature that our customers demand.

Let’s start off with performance. The smart fortwo utilizes a 1.0 liter 3-cylinder engine. This gasoline fueled vehicle develops 70 horsepower, which powers the coupe to 60 mph in just 12.8 seconds, a very competitive number for the subcompact fuel-sipping class. Additionally the vehicle has a top speed of 90 mph, which means you can reach the speed limit in every state, including Texas, where 85mph is the nation’s fastest.

Safety is built in and exceptional. Utilizing a Trition Safety Cell, the smart fortwo is designed in a way that all of the forces in an accident are diverted around the occupants. With safety technology designed by Mercedes-Benz, a leader in the field, all smart coupes come standard with advanced air bags, ABS brakes, and electronic stability control, giving this car an impressive 4/5 stars in NHTSA impact testing.

Creature comforts and driving dynamics really hit home for this vehicle. From the outside, the fortwo looks small, giving the impression that the vehicle will have a cramped interior. Upon entering the coupe, one is amazed at the amount of headroom and legroom presented in the car. Being 6’0” tall, I was astounded at the feeling of being dwarfed by the cabin. The dimension of the seats and layout of the interior gives both passengers an abundance of space.  The car is also quite the sporty little coupe. With its dimensions, the vehicle can navigate the tightest of turns, giving the driver quite the go-anywhere, park-anywhere, do-anything attitude. 

Saving the best for last, the smart fortwo coupe gets an astounding 41mpg on the highway, and 33 mpg in the city, with a EPA estimated 36 mpg estimate overall. Driving style can yield significantly better or worse results, yet many of our customers have reported fuel economy in the 45-50 range on long trips.

After having been amazed by the EPA mileage estimates, I was even more surprised by the fact that the smart fortwo pure coupe starts at an unbelievable $12,490.00.  That’s half as much as some of the other vehicles in its class.

In conclusion, the smart fortwo provides one of the most relevant solutions available to combat high fuel prices, with efficiency, safety, and versatility all rolled into one affordable package. The smart fortwo can be viewed at smart center Merriam, or smart center Kansas City. Please contact Melinda Melton at 913.677.3300 for more information.

Kansas City Auto Show Wrap-Up

Well, another Auto Show has come and gone, but we would like to thank all of our fans and customers, as well as the people of Bartle Hall for putting on such a great show. This year's theme was "The Car is the Star", which was fitting, considering our display was packed with beautiful vehicles. Favorites this year included the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Porsche Panamera, and Jaguar XJ. Also, our display featured a show-stopping 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL, the original gullwing car from Mercedes-Benz.

This year we tried some new things, including giveaways at the show, a photo contest, as well as live content updated from our Facebook and Twitter pages. We even dabbled in some new technology, including QR codes, as well as providing on site assistance for customers with questions.

Please visit us on Facebook and Twitter to see all of our content from this year's show!