Dealership – Page 18 – Park Place Dealerships

July 1, 2015July 1, 2015

Porsche Ranks Highest in J.D. Power Study

Porsche is dominating the competition for the third year in a row. The brand achieved top rating in the 2015 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study. Several of its models also won top honors in their vehicle segments. This is the first time that five Porsche models ranked in the top 3 in their respective segments.

The Porsche 911 ranked highest for the fourth consecutive year in the Midsize Premium Sporty Car segment.

The Porsche Boxster and Cayman swept the first two places in the Compact Premium Sporty Car segment.

In its first year of production, the Porsche Macan was awarded the highest rank in the Compact Premium SUV segment.
“The success of Porsche is primarily dependent on the satisfaction of our customers,” said Matthias Müller, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG. “We see these awards as confirmation of our strategy for high quality standards in design, development and production and in continuously offering Porsche customers a unique purchase and ownership experience.”

Porsche Cayenne and Panamera achieved third place in the Midsize Premium SUV and Large Premium Car categories.

The J.D. Power Initial Quality Study measures the number of problems experienced by U.S. customers during the first 90 days of ownership. Initial quality is determined by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles, with a lower score meaning higher quality.

Porsche scored only 80 points on the problems per 100 scale, compared to the premium industry average of 110. The overall industry average was 112.

June 29, 2015

Local Organizations Benefitting from Park Place Dealerships – Texas Rangers Fundraiser

Texas Rangers baseball players put on quite the show off the field. The 15th annual Park Place Dealerships – Texas Rangers Triple Play Game Show Spectacular, held recently at the Hilton Anatole Dallas, gave fans a chance to get up close and personal with their favorite players and coaches.

The annual event is the Foundation’s largest fundraiser, raising more than $610,000 for the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation this year. “Park Place Dealerships is proud to be part of this worthy endeavor,” said Jordan Case, president of Park Place Lexus. “The Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation touches the lives of thousands of kids across our community, and that’s the real reason behind this fun evening.”

The “Big Top Bash” theme featured circus acts and carnival games such as the strongest man, ring toss, and a fire breather. The Triple Play event also featured live and silent auctions, giving fans opportunities to get unique sports and entertainment memorabilia or even secure a seat on the Rangers team plane to Seattle in August, or a trip on the owner’s private jet to Los Angeles to see the Rangers face the Dodgers.

The highlight of the evening was players going head to head in game show-style competitions. You’d think a championship series was on the line the way these guys battle each other in the fun games.

The fan favorite Fielders Feud pitted infielders Elvis Andrus, Adrian Beltre, Adam Rosales and Prince Fielder against outfielders Shin-Soo Choo, Leonys Martin, Carlos Peguero, and Mitch Moreland. The Outfielders were victorious this year.

The Rangers added Win Lose, or Draw to the lineup with hilarious interactions between Anthony Bass, Robinson Chirinos, Carlos Corporan, Ross Detwiler, Derek Holland, Colby Lewis, Nick Martinez, and Shawn Tolleson.

The entire Texas Rangers roster attends the event to chat with guests, sign autographs, and take pictures with fans. Each year, guests remark how much they enjoyed the personal interaction with players and coaches.

The Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of children in need and provides funding for youth in crisis, youth health initiatives, youth baseball programs, and youth education. Celebrating its 24th year, the Foundation has given back more than $13 million to help area children.

Following are some of the organizations that benefited over the past year:

o Constructed a custom-designed ball field for the Southlake Miracle League for children with special needs.

o Provided equipment and uniforms for more than 3,000 kids to play baseball in the Rangers RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) programs in Dallas, Arlington, Lancaster, Austin, and Fort Worth McKinney Little League Baseball program.

o Keller Sports Park after vandals damaged the ball fields by driving vehicles across the park.

o Donated $10,000 to Celeste High School to help install lights on the baseball field.

o The Globe Life Texas Rangers Baseball and Softball grant program.

Ken Schnitzer founded Park Place Dealerships in 1987 with a single Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn. Today, Park Place Dealerships employs more than 1,700 people and operates 17 full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Infiniti, Volvo, smart, Jaguar, Lotus, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, McLaren, and Maserati. Park Place is currently building a new Mercedes-Benz dealership in Arlington, scheduled to open fall 2015. For more information about Park Place Dealerships, visit parkplace.com.

June 26, 2015July 8, 2015

Behind the Badge: Lexus

Lexus’ relentless pursuit of perfection started years before it launched its first luxury sedan in 1989.Toyota’s newly-formed luxury division needed a brand name and a logo that would evoke images of luxury. Over two-hundred names were suggested, including Verone, Chaparel, Vectre, Calibre, and Alexis.

“Finding an appropriate name proved to be a difficult exercise. It had to be elegant, but not effeminate; classy, but not prissy; bold, but not brazen. And it had to be unique.” (Lexus: The Relentless Pursuit by: Chester Dawson)

Alexis was the frontrunner, but there were a few hesitations. “The chief argument against this appellation [Alexis] was that it sounded like the name of a person, not a car.” (Lexus: The Relentless Pursuit by: Chester Dawson)

Eventually “Alexis” was shortened to “Lexis” which evolved into “Lexus” and Lexus’ identity started taking shape.

With a brand name in place, Lexus needed a logo. How do you convey luxury and sophistication of Lexus so it’s recognized with a single glance?

The Lexus logo is simple yet symbolic. The letter “L” surrounded by an oval border portrays Lexus’ timeless elegance and sophistication. The smooth, oval shape resembles the aerodynamic quality of Lexus vehicles.

Celebrity Lexus owners include Robert DeNiro, Dustin Hoffman, Cameron Diaz, and Christie Brinkley.

Experience the luxury and beauty of Lexus at Park Place Lexus Grapevine and Park Place Lexus Plano.

June 24, 2015

Park Place Motorsports- Pursuit of Victory in a Porsche

Following an impressive run that has seen the team earn a victory and a top-five in successive races, Park Place Motorsports drivers Patrick Lindsey and Spencer Pumpelly will head to this weekend’s Sahlen’s Six Hours at the Glen in pursuit of victory in their sleek Porsche 911 GT3. Currently sitting sixth in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship GT Daytona standings, the team knows it must achieve maximum points as the season nears its halfway mark.

“The Six Hours of the Glen is always a big challenge. With such a high speed circuit you’re pushing at the absolute maximum the whole time, but we feel as prepared as ever,” stated Park Place Motorsport driver and team principal Patrick Lindsey. “At Laguna Seca we proved that we had an unbeatable pace, and this track should reward a similar setup and approach. With Spencer on board we have a great shot at it, I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

While many teams will run a three-driver line up for the six-hour event, Lindsey and Pumpelly have elected to keep the lineup to just them.

Spencer Pumpelly, a former winner of this event, looks forward to the challenge ahead.

“A two-driver lineup should hopefully give us an advantage this weekend,” stated Pumpelly. “Each practice session is only an hour, and with Patrick being as quick and as fit as he is, there’s no need for us to add to the mix. Anything can happen, but we’re well prepared and this has historically been a good Porsche track, so we’ll see what happens come Sunday.”

Porsche 911 GT3

Practice for the race begins this coming Friday, June 26, with the race going green at 10:10 AM ET on Sunday, and finishing six hours later. The first four hours will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1 beginning at 10:00 AM ET, with FOX Sports 2 broadcasting the remainder of the race beginning at 2:00 PM ET.

Photo credit: Sideline Sports Photography

June 19, 2015

Behind the Badge: Bentley

The story of Bentley begins high in the sky in the early 1900s. The now world-renowned British maker of luxurious cars started out designing and manufacturing rotary engines that were used on airplanes during World War 1.

Bentley rose to fame in the aviation industry with the Bentley BR1 aero-engine. Shortly thereafter, the company branched out into the automotive industry and Bentley Motors was born in 1919.

Bentley factory in Cricklewood, outside London in early 1920’s

Bentley showroom in Central London in 1920

Founder Walter Owen Bentley, known to everyone as W.O., was known in the automobile industry. Prior to finding success with plane engines, he worked with his brother selling cars before launching the brand bearing his name.

W.O. Bentley with his car

The Bentley logo has 2 versions – a “Winged B” and the flat “B” logo with wings on either side.

The letter B simply stands for Bentley while the wings on either side symbolize speed, as if to say the car can fly.

What’s interesting is the badge colors and the number of feathers in the wings on either side of the “B” varies depending on the type of car.

Vintage cars typically have 13 feathers on the left and 14 on the right.

Crewe cars have 10 feathers on each side.

Derby cars have 10 feathers on the left and 11 on the right, which is the most commonly used logo today.

The red Bentley logo is used to identify V8 models while the 12-cylinder models are adorned with the black Bentley badge.

The Bentley logo is made up of three main colors: white, black, and silver.

The white symbolizes charm and purity, black stands for elegance and superiority of the luxury cars, and silver is the overall sheer sophistication of the brand and the detail that goes into a Bentley.

Check out the full Bentley line-up at Park Place Bentley Dallas.

June 15, 2015

Summer in a Lexus: Teacher of the Year Winner Shares Her Adventure

Park Place Lexus Plano is also a proud supporter of Allen and Plano Independent School Districts. Each year, two lucky Teacher of the Year winners from each district get to spend a summer in a Lexus, attend a Texas Rangers game, and spend the day at the Dallas Arboretum all courtesy of Park Place Lexus Plano.

Jamee Little, Allen ISD 2015 Elementary Teacher of the Year winner shares her adventures in a Lexus from Park Place Lexus Plano.

Her journey starts here:

“What an amazing day to get an amazing car! The people at Park Place Lexus Plano were phenomenal and their customer service was the highest of quality. They answered every question with a genuine smile and were truly happy to help me through this process. Take it from someone who doesn’t own a Lexus, YET…you can see why customers come here and keeping coming back! Thanks Park Place Lexus Plano !!

Driving my Lexus home for the first time was….AWESOME! There is nothing like the smell of a NEW car! My sweet little 2015 Lexus RX 350 is so fun to drive! The ride is smooth and the car handles like a dream. (I swear I am a different driver in this thing!)

Good Morning Beautiful…..I love waking up and walking out to a new car!

She might look small but she is mighty!! Went on a quick shopping trip and there is room to spare!

Took the 2015 Lexus RX350 out to the Rolling Stones concert with some great friends. Love this car!”

Check back for more of Jamee’s Summer in a Lexus adventures.

June 15, 2015June 15, 2015

Park Place Recognizes Teachers of the Year with a Summer in a Mercedes-Benz

Park Place Motorcars Grapevine is proud to support the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District. Each year, two lucky Teacher of the Year winners get to spend a summer in a Mercedes-Benz. This year, Julee Vorachard of Cannon Elementary and Kristinia Haney were named 2015 Elementary & Secondary Teachers of the Year.

Julee Vorachard (middle) Kristinia Haney (2nd from right)

Kristinia Haney, a teacher at Collegiate Academy picked out a shiny red Mercedes-Benz GLK350 to drive for the summer.

On top of spending the summer in a Mercedes-Benz, the winners get tickets to a Texas Rangers game, passes to the Dallas Arboretum, and cool Mercedes-Benz grab bag with other goodies all courtesy of Park Place Motorcars Grapevine.

June 15, 2015

Park Place Lexus Plano supports University of North Texas

We are proud to support the UNT Coaches Caravan as well as the Mean Green Club, Mean Green Sports, and Mean Green Football! The Coaches Caravan arrived in style to Park Place Lexus Plano to meet and spend time with UNT Alums and fans.

Coaches, cheerleaders and UNT’s mascot Scrappy the Eagle mingled with the crowd.

The coaches shared their stories and got the crowd excited for what’s to come from UNT Athletics this fall.

Thank you to Rudy’s BBQ for the amazing BBQ!

Thank you to everyone for coming out!

June 12, 2015June 19, 2015

The Art of Cars, Curves, and Colors

What is it about a certain color that captures our attention or even affects our moods? Color has a huge effect on our daily life. From the clothes and shoes we pick-out each day, to bright-colored handbags, even the color of the cars we drive, we all have a color-palette we gravitate to.

Think about a pair of shoes or a suit you bought. Did you try one on just like it in another color and it just didn’t look right? Either the color didn’t accent the elaborate curvature and character of the high-heeled pump or the suit didn’t look as sharp or powerful in a lighter color.

Outside of fashion, color is just as important in the automotive world.

Lexus pulled back the curtain ever so slightly to show the science and the process that goes into choosing the best colors to suit its variety of models.

Color Meister (master) Yoichiro Kitamura runs Lexus’ Color Design Department and oversees the color selection process, which can take up to 3 years.

“Obviously I’d learned about color at school, but I quickly found the science of car color to be quite different. In simple terms, we use color to bring out and maximize a car’s character – but that takes us right into the psychology of color, and how we can use depth and clarity to accentuate the shape and size of a car.”

You can probably easily imagine a sporty Lexus in bright orange or yellow, but can you imagine those same colors on a Lexus RX or an ES?

2015 Lexus RC-F Color: Molten Pearl

The process of color development is truly a global collaboration, as the Lexus brand is sold in the U.S. and other parts of the world; it needs to appeal to all consumers.

Designers, engineers, sales associates, and Lexus customers from Japan, U.S., and Europe provide detailed input into the color selection process.

First order of business is the type of car: is it a sedan or a coupe, is it sporty or luxurious, is it a crossover SUV or a large SUV.

“We have 30 main choices of Lexus body colors,” says Mr. Nishimura, an engineer in the Material Engineering Department “but the LFA has unlimited options. Even so, around half of LFA customers choose white. Black and silver are very popular Lexus choices, so more effort is going into enriching and differentiating these colors with unique textures and depths.”

To provide different texture and depth, the Color Design Department creates new colors with the use of pearl, metal, and mineral textures. This creates a new spectrum of color choices that are far more advanced than most mass-market vehicles.

You can see the Lexus color-palette and the full model line-up at Park Place Lexus Grapevine and Park Place Lexus Plano.

2015 Lexus RC F Color: Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0

2015 Lexus IS 350C Color: Matador Red Mica

2015 Lexus LS 460 Color: Obsidian

2015 Lexus RX 350 Color: Fire Agate Pearl

2015 Lexus GS 450 Hybrid Color: Deep Sea Mica

2015 Lexus CT 200h F SPORT Color: Ultra White

2015 Lexus ES 350 Color: Nebula Gray Pearl

2015 Lexus GX 460 Color: Silver Lining Metallic

2015 Lexus NX 200t Color: Meteor Blue Mica

2015 Lexus LX 570 Color: Starfire Pearl

June 5, 2015June 9, 2015

Behind the Badge: Maserati Trident

Maserati logo is one of the most recognized around the world. The trident logo dates back to the days of Neptune, the Roman God of the sea. Upon launching the brand in 1914, the Maserati brothers incorporated the trident in their logo and badges on the cars to pay homage to their hometown of Bologna, Italy, which was also the first home of the Maserati factory before it moved to Modena.

Six of the seven Maserati brothers were involved in creating and building the brand, but it was their brother Mario, who was an artist, who came up with the logo for his brothers’ new automotive brand.

He drew his inspiration from a fountain in Bologna’s Piazza Netunno featuring a statue of Neptune holding his symbolic trident. Piazza Netunno was founded in 1565 to display the statue of Neptune.

Incorporating the trident into the Maserati logo, tied together the history of the city and the family that founded the brand.

The colors in the logo are also symbols in their own right. The blue symbolizes Maserati’s strength and ties back to Neptune- God of the sea. The white resembles purity and allure of the Maserati brand and its line-up.

Today, Maserati symbolizes luxury, power, elegance, and prestige.

Check out the Maserati line-up at Park Place Maserati Dallas & Fort Worth.