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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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

Porsche LMP1 2014

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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Mario in a Mercedes-Benz?

2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA Mario

It isn’t often that we get to see the playful side from the creators of the world’s first automobile, Mercedes-Benz. Lucky for us, the other day Mercedes-Benz joined forces with Nintendo. The partnership brings a bit of luxury to a video game that has been a cornerstone of childhoods around the globe for decades.

The newly downloadable Mercedes-Benz 2015 GLA is available as your preferred mode of transportation on the new Mario Kart 8 on the Nintendo Wii and other Nintendo devices. This is sadly not going to be available on all versions of Mario Kart 8. It is currently only available in Japan, but rumors of the GLA in other countries are swimming around. Once Nintendo’s new game, Mario Kart 8, is released in Japan it is said that the lead character (Mario) will be driving a 2015 Mercedes Benz GLA in the opening scenes of the game. The GLA will be able to be driven as the GLA SUV and also as the GLA Kart with your choice of any of Nintendo’s playful characters in the driver seat.

Along with the new pair of digital wheels this partnership grants us, it also points to an even bigger marketing movement inside Mercedes-Benz For decades Mercedes-Benz has been mostly perceived as a car brand for old money customers, not in the same light as most of its neighboring luxury British car manufacturers, but sporting a base of clients with a rather high median age nonetheless.  A clear shift in Mercedes-Benz marketing shows the brand taking a swing at a younger target audience. The shift started gradually in the 1980’s with lower price range vehicles and has progressed to having a car that could suit a new college graduate or even royalty. Brand and buyer intelligence like this is what makes Mercedes-Benz in combination with their illustrious history and reliability a leader in automotive excellence.

If you are trying to make a car investment that will last then look no further than Park Place Motorcars a Mercedes- Benz dealer. Each vehicle is refined and perfected in Stuttgart. Mercedes-Benz is the most reliable, elegant automobile on the road.

There is only one place you should trust to match the quality and care delivered with such a fine product – Park Place Motorcars a Mercedes-Benz dealership. With three convenient locations throughout the Metroplex Park Place Motorcars Dallas, Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth and Park Place Motorcars Grapevine all provide you with the quality of customer service that should come standard with a product like a Mercedes-Benz.

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The 2015 Jaguar F-Type Coupe: What It Feels like to be Alive

2015 Jaguar F-Type Coupe

How alive are you? That is the tag line for Jaguar’s new showcase of ludicrous performance and Jetson-esc technology that is encompassed inside all their new vehicles. The question is one that begs an answer yet the answer cannot be given properly until you find yourself behind the wheel of Jaguar’s newest fiend; The 2015 F-type coupe.

The Jaguar brand connotes picturesque images of James Bond villains and British royalty zooming through the long, windy roads that the Beatles sung about. The new F-Type coupe does not stray from those iconic imageries. It not only meets the top shelf criteria of Jaguar, but also takes the legendary brand to the next level. The 2015 F-type coupe is one of those machines that drives past you on the other side of the road and your car swerves into the next lane because the second you caught a sight of it your eyes instinctively had to follow it. As you attempt to get your head back on straight and cool off from the vision, you catch one last glimpse of the F-type as you glance into your rearview mirror but it is already gone. The 2015 F-type Coupe launches you from 0-60 in a mere 3.6 seconds. If that wasn’t enough to get your blood pumping then try one of these British beasts on a quarter mile track where your will  be pressed to the back of the seat because you will be flying down the track at a top speed of 122.3 MPH.

The design of the car exudes luxury and class while having that vibrant sprinkle of nostalgic charm flowing over each of its carefully crafted curves which only a Jaguar can deliver. When you strap in and find yourself at the helm of this speed demon you suddenly feel the need to loosen your tie, roll up your sleeves, throw your sunglasses on and press the gas pedal to the floor board.

The sound alone from the 2015 F-type coupe is enough to bring a grown man to his knees. Motor Trend said “The F-Type Coupe R sounds like an autopomorphic soccer hooligan. As if the big cat’s genetically predisposed to pelt the other cars with empty lager cans. And that’s just while cruising up and down the block. Open this monster up and boy howdy! The Coupe sounds good, incredibly, raucously, dirty, filthy double plus good. If you’re another car, you’ll be embarrassed that you almost certainly don’t sound anywhere near as sexy, as evocative, and as angrily hostile; you can’t compete with this mad Jag.”

If you are looking to walk around with the keys to what could be 2015’s most exhilarating new car or you simply want to experience the thrill of having your hands on the brink of automotive ecstasy then come by Jaguar of Plano or Jaguar Dallas to see for yourself the beauty that is the new 2015 Jaguar F-Type coupe.

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The 2015 Porsche Macan: Porsche’s Newest Animal is Finally Released

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If the sports car purist in you is screaming to get behind the wheel of a machine meant for speed and hugging curves, but your practical side says buying a two seated speed machine is just not a smart move – well then you are going to be just fine. With the release of Porsche’s newest vehicle, the Porsche Macan, your inner speed demon and responsible parent sides can find a common ground in the driver’s seat of this amazing new machine. The Macan is the new brother of its enormously successful predecessor the Cayenne. Although the Macan is the new kid on the block, and definitely the smaller member of the family when it comes to cabin size, it still packs a punch the way only a SUV by Porsche can.

The Macan S comes barreling in with a 340-hp, 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 with all-wheel drive and a seven-speed transmission to ensure that even though there might be a back seat full of happy meals and soccer equipment, you still feel the power of driving a Porsche. The Macan is the perfect fusion of performance and utility: it maintains the essence of a sport car while not skimping on the comfort or function of an SUV. And with a base asking price just south of $50,000, this perfect package is also surprisingly affordable.

Looking for even more power and performance? Come by Porsche Dallas and take a test drive the Macan Turbo  – a total track tempest that hauls tail and a couple of golf bags.. The Macan is available now at Park Place Porsche Dallas.

For more reviews and run downs of the Macan, check out these articles by some of the most trusted publications in the industry: Autoweek, Motor Trend and Car and Driver.

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Maserati Lithographs: Framed Automotive History Finally Avalible

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A brand new and important artistic project created to celebrate a century of Maserati victories, is available in the Maserati Store. The collection of 100 special-edition lithographs, inspired by vintage posters, will retrace the most important stages in Maserati’s sporting history. For those of you who are up to date on your fine art speak, lithography is a method of printing originally based on the principle that oil and water do not mix, making the textures and colors contrast while complimenting each other to provide an even more vivid image.

100 numbered prints of each individual lithograph will be produced, each signed by the artist, Enzo Naso. These exclusive prints have been created using high quality materials and techniques, reproducing the original poster, and featuring the Maserati model that starred in that particular competition.

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If you are a fan of nostalgic pieces of racing history, fine art, or simply see these Maserati special-edition lithographs to be pure eye candy, then you can make one yours at the official Maserati online store now.

The 100 Maserati lithographs will be released in five issues over the course of 2014, the Maserati Centennial year. Go to the online store now to get the first 20 prints from the collection!

Once you have one of these special edition lithographs, you might want to check out the vehicles that fueled the inspiration behind these works of art. If you do come by Park Place Maserati Fort Worth or Park Place Maserati Dallas and admire the large selection new and pre-owned Maserati vehicles in stock.

Arlington Chosen As Site For New Mercedes-Benz Dealership

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ARLINGTON, Texas (May 29, 2014) – Park Place Dealerships broke ground today on a two-story, 91,000 square foot Mercedes-Benz dealership in Arlington. The 16-acre site is located at Interstate 20 and Beltway Place. The project is expected to be completed in summer 2015 and will create more than 325 construction jobs and approximately 90 permanent jobs.

“Mercedes-Benz has one of the most exciting product lines in its history and there is a strong demand for the vehicles,” said Ken Schnitzer, chairman of Park Place Dealerships. “April sales for the brand were up more than 12 percent from a year ago. Arlington is a great market and with this new location, we will be able to better serve current clients in the area, as well as expand our client base.”

Mercedes-Benz of Arlington Rendering

Mercedes-Benz of Arlington, a Park Place Dealership, will feature a showroom that can showcase up to 16 new vehicles. The multi-million dollar project also willfeature a shop with 35 service bays and 10 make ready bays. Every area of the dealership has been designed to make the experience more efficient for the client.

Mercedes-Benz of Arlington will also handle sales and service for the line of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans. Three service bays in the shop will exclusively handle service for the vans. The Sprinter vans are available in cargo or passenger models.

Hesham Elgaghil, a Park Place member for nearly 14 years, has been named general manager of the dealership. Elgaghil has held several positions with the company including most recently, general sales manager at Park Place Motorcars Dallas.

“Park Place has consistently been recognized as one of the top places to work,” said Schnitzer. “Through Park Place University, we encourage members to continue to learn and as a result, we have a strong employee retention.  A significant number of our members have been with the company for more than 10 years.”

This will be the 18th dealership for Park Place Dealerships, which just opened a new Maserati store in Fort Worth earlier this month.

Good, Fulton & Farrell has been named the architectural firm for the project with Hill & Wilkinson handling the general contractor duties.

Ken Schnitzer founded Park Place Dealerships in 1987 with a single Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn. Today, Park Place Dealerships employs nearly 1,800 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. For more information about Park Place Dealerships and Maserati, visit www.parkplace.com.

Park Place Online Marketing Partner Appreciation Event 2013

Thank you to all of our vendor partners who attended the Park Place Partner Appreciation Event at the Texas Rough Riders game to recognize your efforts. In attendance were our partners from AutoTrader, Cars.com, Century Interactive, Cobalt, the Dallas Morning News, DealerTrack, Dynamic Dealer Services, Online Performance Marketing, On Target Digital, RankHammer, Kari Mitchell, and our content maven, Meryl Evans. “We are thankful for all of your contributions in 2012 and 2013 that have made the online efforts at Park Place Dealerships successful,” said Frank Sobyak, Director of Internet Business Development. “This success has been based on your expertise, personal commitment, and a true sense of partnership.” Below are some photographs from this memorable family event. ParkPlace-VendorEvent-Kids

The kids really enjoyed cheering on the Rough Riders.

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And, there were even two baseballs that were caught by the kids – what a treat!

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The lollipops were good, and the kids also enjoyed the endless soda-pop bar and the ice cream sandwiches.

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But with all that sugar, things sure got silly.

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Bryan Phillips is from the DealerTrack team and has been instrumental in helping us to implement some payment and financing tools to help clients find payments that meet their purchase goals.

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Dan Laube is from Dynamic Dealer Services and his team helps make sure our vehicles are photographed and well merchandised on the Internet. His company also helps the dealership post vehicle listings on Craigslist. Dan and his team are always there for Park Place and consistently go the extra mile to overachieve.

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Kari Mitchell of KCreative creates the fabulous graphics and vehicle banners that you’ll see across our multiple websites. She also helped create several sections of the Park Place website. Kari is creative, smart, and fast and efficient. She is an invaluable resource and basically operates as a true extension of our team.

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Meryl Evans is most probably the best copywriter in town, she helps keep our clients informed about every new model that comes out with her comprehensive model guide overviews. Plus, she manages the SEO, specials and content on our Porsche Dealer website. Meryl has a great attention to detail and is always punctual with her deliverables.

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Nicole is with Cobalt and her team helps us manage the SEO and content on our Lexus manufacturer sites. With their efforts we have reached our ranking goals for organic search.

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Tim Davis is with Online Performance Marketing and assists the Park Place Dealership group with SEM. His constant monitoring of our accounts helps ensure they are efficiently driving traffic to the Park Place website. Tim has won an award from Google in and international contest for his proficiency in paid search. Tim’s easy going yet persistent personality makes him a pleasure to work with while getting results.

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Cade Herzog from OnTargetDigital manages the Park Place banner/display advertising and retargeting efforts. Cade and his team show a true sense of personal commitment in everything they do. We appreciate Cade for the value he places on the long-term partnership with Park Place and can count on him to consistently lookout for our best interests.

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Jennifer Whaley with Century Interactive, we call her “Wonderful Whaley” because she has been so efficient in taking our call tracking capabilities to an unprecedented level. Jennifer is always positive, patient and helpful – traits we greatly appreciate. RickWesthoff-Carscom

Rick Westhoff is our Account Representative from Cars.com and one of our favorite vendor partners. We appreciate that Rick tries us first with new product introductions and the fact that we can always count on his honesty and sincere commitment to partnership.

NathanByloff-RankHammer

Nathan and Steve from RankHammer direct the Park Place SEO efforts and are invaluable for their insight, direction and in pushing us to be the best we can be. Their commitment to Park Place has been nothing short of phenomenal. They are always available and always willing to lend a hand.

Thanks again to everyone… not only for your partnership, but for your friendship as well.