The Brand New Mercedes-Benz 2015 GLA-Class

2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA at Park Place Motorcars Dallas

The Mercedes-Benz 2015 GLA-Class

When your looking to go some where with both luxury and utility in mind then the multi-talented all-new 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class is meant for you.

With its progressive design, serene day-to-day driving and off-road capability: easily handling various automotive applications, the all-new Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class reinterprets the compact SUV segment. It effortlessly masters day-to-day driving and is also robust enough for off-road excursions.

The first Mercedes-Benz in the fast-growing compact SUV segment is highly maneuverable around town, lively on country roads and athletic and efficient on the highway. The high quality appointments, developed with much attention to detail, and the versatile interior clearly position the GLA-Class as a premium compact SUV. The 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA even made an appearance earlier this month in the new Mario Kart 8 video game for the Nintendo Wii as the feature Kart. The GLA is a small SUV – not a crossover – which is capable of urban commuting and any other adventure you have been itching to go on lately.

2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA at Park Place Motorcars Dallas

Highlights

  • 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine.
  • 208 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque.
  • Seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission.
  • Electromechanical power steering.
  • COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST.
  • ATTENTION ASSIST®.
  • 18-inch 5-twin spoke wheels.
  • Chrome roof rail.
  • New-generation 4MATIC® all-wheel drive (optional).
  • Panorama sunroof (optional).

More Grip

It’s also the first Mercedes-Benz SUV to be available with the new-generation permanent 4MATIC® all-wheel drive system, with fully variable torque distribution. This all-wheel drive system excels with even more grip and outstanding agility while also enhancing driving safety and energy efficiency. Additional benefits of this design are a lower weight than is available from the competition, and high efficiency.

Self-Assured Exterior

Providing the impressive front face are the headlamps and available LED daytime running lamps. This iconic Mercedes-Benz design feature was developed further using tri-functional fiber-optics to create the vehicle’s characteristic light signature. The front bumper features diamond-pattern grilles in front of the cooling air intakes. The standard fog lamps are integrated into the front bumper.

A simulated skid plate and contrasting dark-grey sill panels all-around emphasize the compact SUV’s characteristics. The panels begin low down at the front bumper and provide protection against stone impact.

Attractive, High Quality Interior

The muscular and imposing appearance of the exterior is systematically continued into the interior. This has a high-quality feel resulting from the contours, choice and combinations of high-grade materials. A three-spoke steering wheel with 12 function keys and a galvanized chrome clasp is standard equipment. The choice of seat upholsteries (standard MB-Tex or optional leather) and color combinations allows plenty of scope for personalization.

Its flexible and variable interior includes rear seat backrests that fold down completely. The well laid-out generous luggage compartment can be loaded without difficulty thanks to the low loading sill and the wide tailgate, which can open automatically as an option. The rigid body structure provides a reliable basis for the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with 208 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque.

Off-road Functions

2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA Park Place Motorcars Dallas

Models with 4MATIC® are equipped with DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation) and an off-road transmission mode as standard. DSR is activated by a control button in the center console, and assists the driver on demanding downhill stretches by maintaining a slow, manually selected vehicle speed within the physical limits when negotiating downhill gradients. This is done with the help of the engine and transmission control systems, and by specific braking intervention.

When the off-road transmission mode is selected using the transmission mode switch, the gearshift points and accelerator characteristics are modified to meet the requirements for driving on light off-road terrain and especially loose surfaces. In combination with the standard single-disc CD audio system with USB Port, Bluetooth® connectivity and HD Radio or optional COMAND® system, the head unit can also be switched to an off-road display.

Safety and Technology

Many driving assistance systems offer support in the GLA-Class and reduce the driver’s workload. Standard features for the SUV include ATTENTION ASSIST® drowsiness detection and radar-based COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST with adaptive Brake Assist, which now helps to protect against collisions from a speed of only 4 mph.

This feature combines with DISTRONIC PLUS® (part of the Driver Assistance Package) to become COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS. This incorporates an additional function: If a danger of collision arises and the driver fails to respond, the system is able to carry out autonomous braking at speeds of up to 124 mph, thereby reducing the severity of collisions with slower or stopping vehicles. The system also brakes in response to stationary vehicles at a speed of up to 18 mph, and is able to prevent rear-end collisions at speeds of up to 12 mph.

Like all models in the Mercedes-Benz lineup, the GLA-Class comes with mbrace2™, which provides users with a range of online and concierge services and apps all linking seamlessly to smartphones for use inside and outside the car.

The new GLA-Class rounds off the Mercedes-Benz SUV portfolio, which has five model series (GLA-Class, GLK-Class, ML-Class, GL-Class and G-Class). Nimble on the road and capable off of it, the all-new 2015 GLA-Class is ready for every turn your life takes. A premium compact SUV with responsive handling and dramatic styling to match, the GLA-Class also offers an interior immersed in signature Mercedes-Benz quality. Arriving in fall 2014 at Park Place Motorcars Dallas, Grapevine and Fort Worth.

2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA Park Place Motorcars Dallas

Lexus Wins its 17th JD Power Award

When you buy a car you want to trust that everything’s going to run smoothly, the way it is meant to be. And there’s one manufacturer that has been doing it the “way it is meant to be” for almost the past two decades. This standalone manufacturer in the dependability category is Lexus.

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When it comes to dependability, the world knows that winning the JD Power award is the apex. This year Lexus again took the top spot in J.D. Power’s 2014 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study – now three straight years. The Japanese auto maker has averaged 40 fewer problems per 100 vehicles than the second closest manufacturer, and that’s a lot. The 2014 Lexus ES, LS, GS, GX and RX won individual awards as well, each coming in top of their class. Although Lexus lost the top ranking in 2009-11, it had been on top of the survey for 14 years before that. All this being said, the Lexus brand stands as the cornerstone of quality and dependability in the automotive industry. Lexus’ constant “Pursuit of Perfection”, partnered with its penchant for innovation, has helped this automaker establish itself as quality manufacturer. Their vehicles exude class, comfort, efficiency and most of all dependability.

If you are looking for a car that is made to be more reliable than any other on the road, then you should check-out the impressive inventory of new and pre-owned Lexus vehicles at  Lexus Plano or Lexus Grapevine.

Bugatti Vitesse Makes Appearance In Dallas After Filming For Transformers 4: Age Of Extinction

If you follow Park Place on Facebook and are a fan of the Autobots, then you just might recognize a familiar face(or grille) when Transformers 4 hits the big screen today. In a recent visit to the Park Place Premier Collection, Bugatti brought along a beautiful two-toned blue Bugatti Vitesse. We were surprised and excited to find out later that this was the exact vehicle that was used to film what we can assume will be some very intense movie magic!

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Transformers: Age of Extinction hits theaters today, June 27th, as the fourth installment of the epic saga with a lineup of cars and stars that could very well set the fourth film far apart from its predecessors. One major automotive addition that runs alongside Optimus Prime and Bumblebee is the beautiful two tone blue Bugatti Vitesse that made an appearance right here at the Park Place Premier Collections. In case you’ve forgotten your French 101, Vitesse means speed or velocity, and some of our clients had the exciting opportunity to test it out around Dallas. We are all excited to see what Michael Bay has in store for this forth movie and what he can do with the fastest production machine in the world. If you have the desire to build your own Bugatti Vitesse on the Park Place website, click here and let your imagination run wild. To learn more about the world’s finest automobile maker check out the Park Place Bugatti Dallas website.

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Mclaren Dallas Offers an Experience of a Life Time: The 2014 US Grand Prix in Austin, TX

Formula-One Grand Prix races are sporting events incomparable to any automotive event we praise this side of the Atlantic. With the finest machines on the globe hugging every corner and zooming through winding curves at speeds of up to 240mph, all while being surrounded by miles of adoring fans, Formula-One races are one extreme spectacle . They are events that very rarely make their way state side for the average American to experience in person. Now, with Circuit the of Americas, the first track in the United States ever built for the purpose of running these magnificent races, every American who finds themselves with a thirst for watching the world’s fastest and most talented drivers combat each other under the Texas sunshine has a chance to.

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This year the Circuit of the Americas will run the 2014 US Grand Prix on October 31- November 1. As if spending Halloween on Austin’s famous 6th street wasn’t excitement enough, then waking up and going to watching one of the premier sporting events in the world on top of that should seal the deal. The tickets for this event are available through your official Dallas McLaren Dealer with a wide range of packages and experiences available for any kind of race fan. McLaren looks to make quite a splash at this year’s F1 USGP, following up a win in Austin at the 2012 USGP and a solid showing in last year’s race. For a quick, all-inclusive run down of the Circuit of the Americas track, Formula-One cars and the McLaren team through the eyes of Jay Leno, watch the video below.

For those of you who are not as astute in the storied past of Formula-One racing, McLaren has a history in the sport that is almost second to none. They take this same lineage of excellence on the track and bring it to the street with every production car made entirely by hand – the McLaren 650S and 650S Spider. To experience these amazing cars up-close and in-person, come by McLaren Dallas, part of the Park Place Premier Collection. If you aren’t looking for a new set of wheels but are intrigued by the chance of a life time to experience Formula-One racing under the Texas sun, then check out the ticket options offered by McLaren through McLaren Dallas here.

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2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Receives IIHS Top Safety Pick+ Rating

After being tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class was added it to its relatively small list of cars that are rated as a Top Safety Pick+. Only one other Mercedes, ML-Class, has received the designation of being a Top Safety Pick+ designation. The IIHS points out that only cars built after January 2014 are considered a Top Safety Pick+ due to improvements made to better perform in the small overlap front test. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class earned a “Good” rating in the test, with the highest marks possible for head/neck, chest, and hip/thigh protection. To earn “+” designation, a car’s active front crash prevention system must also achieve a “basic,” “advanced,” or “superior” rating. With only a standard forward collision warning system, called Collision Prevention Assist, the E-Class earns a basic rating for front crash prevention. But, when equipped with the optional Pre-Safe Brake system, the E-Class earns a superior rating for front crash prevention. In the test the 2014 E-Class, when equipped with the optional Driver Assistance Package, grabbed the “superior” rating after earning the highest points possible for forward collision warning and low (12 mph) and high-speed (25 mph) auto brake. Mercedes-Benz E350 Park Place Dallas   The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is revising its collision avoidance system rating for model year 2015 cars, requiring an “advanced” rating or higher in order to be considered a Top Safety Pick+. The 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is the fourth large luxury car to earn the institute’s highest rating. To qualify for Top Safety Pick+ a vehicle must earn a good or acceptable rating for small overlap protection, a good rating in the Institute’s other four tests and a basic, advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention.

Maserati: A Sports Car Perfectly Crafted for Fort Worth

Do you ever wonder what it feels like to make it? It is that sudden sense that everything is in order, like all the stars aligned for you at that moment in time. Many people search all their life for that feeling. When you sit behind the wheel of the 2014 Maserati GranTurismo and you push “start”, the sudden purr of the hand crafted Italian V8 engine immediately summons the goose bumps to cover your skin. You get that feeling, that “wow, Mom, look I made it” feeling.

Maserati Fort Worth Exterior

I got the privilege to find myself behind the wheel of one the other day along with getting the chance to explore a city that was so close to home yet felt far away, Fort Worth. As I drove the new 2014 Maserati Ghibli through the streets of Fort Worth’s iconic stockyards while having longhorns and beautiful stallions prance beside me it felt oddly fitting. To have this masterpiece from the Mediterranean rolling around the streets of a place where the Wild West is forever incarnate from the millions of hoofs and horse shoes that have galloped along those very streets. Fort Worth is a city that’s not flashy, it isn’t a place that screams glamor but at the same time it has this wonderful nostalgia that roams the streets. From the Kimble to Will Rodgers hall to 7th street and the river everything about the city just seems to make you feel welcomed and warm.

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Maybe it’s the Texas charm and being born and raised in Dallas that is something I know quite a lot about but the charm coming from the people and places in Fort Worth has a different ring to it. It is almost as if the there is an extra added hint of humbleness to the already overstated Texas sized pride we all take on from being a part of this state.

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That same feeling of humble excellence is the feeling you get when you take a Maserati over the Trinity River Bridge. It gives you a soft simile like you are getting a pat on the back for a long day’s hard work .The Maserati and Fort Worth have an almost Yin-Yang way of meshing together perfectly. The combination together perfectly defines this image of cow town luxury and as you turn the corner to receive a gentle tip of the cowboy hat from the man on his horse toward you in the pearl white Italian sports car you just know that this is the place where an automobile like this belongs.

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Driving around a masterpiece of machinery like the 2014 Maserati GranTurismo or its four door counterparts the 2014 Quattroporte and the 2014 Ghibli is an experience that’s words sometimes fail to do justice to but I tried to do my best. Although if my words did not seem to be sufficient then I urge you to go check out the brand new Park Place Maserati Fort Worth and see what it feels like for yourself.

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Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive: The Future of the Super Car is Here and it Doesn’t Make a Sound.

Park Place Motorcars Dallas

Everyone always wonders what the future will be like, from small children drawing space ships to grown adults that construct Sci-Fi blockbusters, everyone wants to know what the future has in store. When it comes to modes of transportation in the future, the ideas of teleportation, personal space crafts or flying cars are always among the first to be thrown into the mix, but the visionaries at Mercedes-Benz seem to have a slightly different idea and for the much more immediate future.

Park Place Motorcars Dallas a Mercedes-Benz Dealer

With ground breaking technology that involves massive amounts of electrically generated torque by four contact permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors that spin to 13,000 rpm and through a axially arranged transmission, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric is the world’s first fully electric supercar.

 The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive turns out with 750 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque, with all the twist obtainable from a standstill. The super car manages to do it all while having zero carbon emissions at a sticker price of $538,000. In comparison, the new-for-2014 petroleum-powered SLS AMG GT churns out 583 hp and 489 lb-ft. Mercedes-Benz asserts that the electrified SLS will hit 62 mph in 3.9 seconds before topping out at an electronically limited 155. The vehicles might look the same on the outside but under their shells the cars are totally different animals.

 The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive set a new speed record for a production electric car at the Nurburgring; the electric AMG super sports car mastered the legendary track in under 8 minutes. “Mercedes-AMG is the first vehicle manufacturer which makes it possible to circle the Nordschleife in less than eight minutes with an electrically powered series production vehicle,” said the automaker in a statement.

With three driving modes: comfort, sport and sport plus the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive is a piece of technology that can satisfy any driver. At a top speed of 155 mph in sport plus mode the car is still as quiet as a collegiate library during the summer time. With the gas pedal on the floor-board, breaking records at the world’s trickiest race tracks, the loudest noises are the fans blowing cool air on your face as beads of adrenaline fueled sweat roll down your face from sitting in the driver seat of the car of the future. While emissions level requirements are being raised all around the globe and there being a global emphasis on protecting/preserving our environment, this rechargeable masterpiece is the perfect answer to the question of whether not the super car can survive in such conditions.

Park Place Motorcars Dallas a Mercedes-Benz Dealer

Park Place Bodywerks: Body Shop Now Open In Fort Worth

Park Place Bodywerks is proud to announce our newest full-service body shop in Fort Worth servicing all of the luxury brands Park Place represents.  Specializing in paintless dent repair, structural and mechanical repairs, painting, and refinishing, Bodywerks is staffed with factory-trained technicians and paint specialists working with state-of-the-art technology to ensure like-new results every time. We know that you have a choice when it comes to where you take your car for collision repair, so at Park Place Bodywerks, we promise to provide all our customers with the standard of excellence that has come to be synonymous with the Park Place name.  We repair all our cars with OEM parts specifically designed to your vehicle.

Park Place Bodywerks

Each repair is held to within a millimeter standard and run through a rigorous series of checks before we know it is ready to be returned to you as good as new. All production employees receive the highest levels of training and work with the latest equipment so that they can perform at the highest level of competence. Our technicians utilize the wireless network in the shops to access the information they need from laptops wherever they are, be it in their stalls or out in the lot inspecting accident repairs. At our auto repair and body shop we are constantly searching for the latest, most advanced equipment and software available to help our members be as informed, productive and proficient as possible.

With our online repair tracker, you can track the progress of your vehicle repair in real time. As your vehicle passes through each phase of the repair process, the status is updated in the system so you will always know what is going on with the repairs to your vehicle. It’s this level of service that makes Park Place Bodywerks unique.  Scheduling an appraisal appointment is quick and easy, you can use our convenient online form at bodyshop.parkplace.com or call us at 844-785-8481.

Park Place Bodywerks by the numbers:

•           One of only four certified Rolls-Royce repair, paint and body shop facilities in the country.

•           One of 10 certified Bentley body shop and repair facilities in the nation.

•           The largest Mercedes-Benz Tier 2 aluminum certified collision repair facility in the country.

•           Authorized Lexus dealer collision repair, body and paint facility.

•           Largest Certified Porsche collision repair and paint facility in the Southwest United States.

•           The only Jaguar Certified Dealer Collision Repair facility in DFW.

•           One of only seven certified McLaren body shops in the country; only one in the southwest.

•           Only authorized Maserati collision repair facility in North Texas.

•           The only Volvo Certified Dealer Collision Repair facility in Dallas/ Fort Worth.

•           Dallas / Ft. Worth only certified Land Rover collision repair facility.

•           Only Mercedes-Benz Sprinter certified body shop in Dallas/Fort Worth.

•           Only Authorized Lotus collision repair facility in North Texas.

•           One of only two Nissan GTR Certified facilities in over 1000 miles.

Vehicle Spotlight: Lexus LFA #193

This is the Lexus LFA #193. This beauty is metallic silver with light premium metallic wheels and powerful Brembo red calipers as an accent. The interior is a plush red with black accents. The look of this car is incomparable to any other vehicle and the technology beyond the surface is just the same; the LFA is one of a kind.

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The LFA adapted carbon fiber-reinforced polymer as its main source of rigidity, molding 65% of the body by weight with it leaving the last 35% to lightweight aluminum. This results in an incredibly stiff and well-balanced supercar that weighs less than 3500lbs. The 4.8L DOHC EFI 40-valve V10 engine is the highest revving V10 engine in a production car. The LFA’s V10 was co-developed with Yamaha (the same company who helped Toyota create the infamous 2000GT in 1965); engine size was restricted due to the mid-front positioning that Chief Engineer Haruhiko Tanahashi insisted on to keep the vehicle perfectly balanced. So Yamaha helped create a one-of-a-kind V10 that took up as much space as Lexus’ V8, while only weighing as much as their V6.

This V10 can rev up to 9000 rpm in nearly half a second with an exhaust note capable of shattering a champagne glass. The engine puts out 552hp (that’s 5.9lb/hp) giving this featherweight contender the power to fight well above its weight class. The LFA has a top speed of 203 mph and achieves 0-60mph in 3.6 seconds.

See More About This 2012 Lexus LFA Here

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See More About This 2012 Lexus LFA Here

Porsche’s Roaring Reemergence in the 82nd Le Mans after 16 years of Silence

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Porsche Le Mans 2014

After a 16 year hiatus, Porsche will once again compete in the top category of what is certainly the world’s toughest car race. In Le Mans, France starting at 3:00 pm on June 14, 2014 Porsche’s attempt to return to glory will begin. Le Mans is a 24 hour long race that consists of only the world’s finest and fastest car, drivers and teams. With 56 cars in the field and over a quarter million spectators in the grand stands Le Mans has been known around the globe by all speed enthusiasts as the premier race since 1923. When it comes to top class automotive engineering, performance and innovation there is no other race that comes close to Le Mans. This is the race where legends are made; the difference between agony and ecstasy is measured in millimeter and milliseconds.

Porsche is a record holder at Le Mans with 16 overall victories, the first in 1970 and the last in 1988 along with being the first to ever win with a turbo in 1976. Yet this year the legendary sports car manufacturer has no experience to benefit from due to its absence over the past 16 Le Mans. For the first year of the LMP1 project the target is to get one of the fast Porsche 919 Hybrids to the finish line at the marathon. The Porsche team consists of 86 members and each of them known the tradition of excellence that they place on their shoulders once they put on the Porsche crest.

Porsche is fielding its most innovative prototypes at the 82nd 24 hours of Le Mans. The two Porsche 919 Hybrid cars with start numbers 14 and 20 will be driven by two trios of drivers: Romain Dumas (France), Neel Jani (Switzerland), Marc Lieb (Germany) and Timo Bernhard (Germany), Brendon Hartley (New Zealand), Mark Webber (Australia). These six world-class drivers have between them a total of 37 appearances at Le Mans.

With Le Mans being the apex of automotive creativity and competition there are some new regulations this year. These new guidelines call for a totally new LMP1 car with an enclosed roof and increased visibility zones to improve the safety of the driver. Other new regulations aim to reduce fuel consumption by 30% in the last 21 years. They hope to accomplish this monumental feat by having all the manufactures utilize hybrid technology through both the recovery of kinetic energy through state of the art breaking systems and the reuse of exhaust from the turbo charger.

As the Porsche team hits the track in hope regain its status as a Le Mans powerhouse you can show your support for the team by putting the crest on your chest as well. Park Place Porsche has a huge selection of Porsche accessories and clothing items available to let every race fan show their support.

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