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“Hare Raising” Mercedes-Benz Super Bowl Commercial Debuts

Mercedes-Benz The Big Race

In our previous blog post, we told you about the new Mercedes-Benz Super Bowl commercial featuring a new twist on the classic “The Tortoise and the Hare” fable. The spot made its debut on Ellen last night, and fans who guessed that the Tortoise would win “The Big Race” were right!

The Tortoise gets some help from the all-new high performance 2016 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT S to beat out the cocky Hare. Check out the spot below or when it airs again during the Super Bowl on February 1st and let us know what you think!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQvdIGeUUvo

If you’d like to experience your own “Big Race,” Mercedes-Benz is giving fans the opportunity to win a trip for two to an AMG Driving Academy experience. Visit www.bigrace.com and enter to win!

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All New Jaguar F-PACE to Debut in 2016

Jaguar F-PACE

The Detroit Auto Show usually provides a good look at what’s ahead for many major car retailers, and this year’s show is no exception. Jaguar has just announced their latest model, the F-PACE, will make its debut in 2016.

The F-PACE is based on the highly popular C-X17 concept car Jaguar introduced last year. Featuring five seats and the superior on-road performance for which Jaguar is known, the F-PACE is the brand’s first foray into crossover territory. The F-PACE will also include Jaguar’s Instinctive All Wheel Drive® system and All Surface Progress Control technology, improving both traction and all-weather driving capabilities.

Jaguar F-PACE

“In 2015 we will celebrate Jaguar’s 80th year,” says Andy Goss, Jaguar Land Rover Global Sales Director. “We will introduce our first performance crossover which we consider to be the ultimate practical sports car – a car that builds on the brand’s founding ideals of Grace, Pace and Space to become one of the most innovative Jaguar vehicles we’ve ever developed.”

The F-PACE has begun testing at Jaguar’s facilities in the UK, and more news about the vehicle will be released later this year by JaguarUSA and on the Park Place Jaguar Dallas and Plano pages of our website.  Please contact Steve Vankos at Jaguar Dallas or Jason Feuerberg at Jaguar Plano for more details.  It’s safe to say, in the words of Andy Goss, “2015 will most definitely be the year of the cat.”

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Volvo Art in Motion

Park Place Volvo Art in Motion

When you think Volvo brilliant pop art, graffiti-esc murals and spectacular cardboard sculptures might not be the first three images that drive off your tongue.  They are a brand that puts a heavy emphasis on their safely, reliability and quality. Volvo has rarely been flashy, nothing outrageous, just always good and always dependable. Yet with these Volvo Art Sessions takes a unique approach to the almost one dimensional world of automotive advertising. For a brand whose edgiest approach in the last few years was a product placement of a station wagon driven by a dreamy vampire, this is a huge step.  With the Volvo Art Sessions, the car is the canvas. Instead of emphasizing the vehicle itself Volvo gave artist from all around the globe the opportunity to create live works of art around, in and on its cars. This is a movement that the Swedish automakers have been pushing since 2011 but as of recent has gained my immense support for. The works of art that are created with these cars are spectacular and the way that the company captures it all in time-lapse fashion is brilliant. Take the Art, Form and Inspiration tag line for one of the projects in 2011 it took 10 days, 5 different artist on 1 car on 1 canvas to create the spectacular works of art.

After being constantly entertained by the creativity expressed by the Volvo brand, your image of the automaker is likely to change. Come by Park Place Volvo Dallas. We have one of the largest inventories of both new and used Volvo cars in Metroplex and our doors are wide open off at 3515 Inwood Rd.

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2015 CLA is Meant For Your Driveway

Park Place Dealerships

The 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA a car designed to tempt you to go faster with every touch of the pedal. This is the first front wheel drive that Mercedes-Benz will release in the United States. This cars uniquely sleek design combined with an on slot of new features make this automobile the envy of the whole neighborhood. The 2015 CLA-Class makes safety one of its top priorities with the addition of an autonomous partial braking system. Other aspects of the car that shine are the breath taking interior which follows the lead of the latest Mercedes-Benz models sporting a large touch screen panel. A freestanding 8-inch display will now be available as an option and “Mercedes connect me” standard services are provided as part of the basic specification and can be enhanced through the addition of further options. CLA will also be available with Convenience Telephony and able to connect in to high-speed LTE networks

The panel sits atop the futuristic looking consul wrapped with a number of new wood grain options. The 2015 CLA also boasts its 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that pushes out 208 horses and 258 lb-ft of torque regardless of whether it heads to the front or all four wheels. This is a car that fits into the model of any person’s lifestyle. Whether you are a new college grad or a 63-year-old doctor/dad the 2015 CLA has the type of charisma that is rarely seen from a vehicle at this price level. With a base price of $29,000 this car is one that you would love to walk into the garage and see in the morning. It gives off that “I am hot and I know it” vibe that everyone says they hate but in actually it is everyone favorite quality. It is a tempest of a car in the truest sense of the word. The headlights look like the eyes of a cheetah at night as they whined in and out of lanes. If this specimen of a sports sedan has enticed you enough already then find yourself behind the wheel of one at any of Park Place Motorcars DFW locations: Dallas, Grapevine and Fort Worth.

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Bentley Motorsport Grabs Victory At Pirelli World Challenge Race

For the first time in a long time, Bentley Motorsport grabbed a victory on American soil. The modern day Bentley Boys claimed the trophy in the race team’s ninth Pirelli World Challenge race of the year.  Driver Guy Smith was behind the wheel of the GT3, a race-bred version of the iconic Continental GT, powered by a 4.0 liter, twin-turbo V8 engine. This GT3 takes the essence of the Continental GT and pushes it to the brink. More than 1000 kg of weight has been eliminated on this racecar, enabling it to land Bentley Motorsports back on top of the podium.

Bentley Continental GT3 racing

On his 40th birthday, Guy Smith was able to get on the pole and continue his quality driving – ending the event with the victory for Bentley Motorsport at the Miller Motorsport Park. The Dyson Racing Bentley Team not only took home the top spot in the race but finished with an extremely impressive first, second and third place standing. This marks the new era of Bentley racing as the team looks to build off of their recent success in the coming 2015 season.  With this just being the first season back on the track for the one time legendary race team,  more successes look to be in their headlights. Bentley
Motorsport was once the cornerstone of the racing world and they have high hopes of returning to the automotive glory that their brand was built upon.

Bentley Racing Team Podium

To keep track of the North American Bentley Motorsport Dyson Racing you can follow them on Twitter https://twitter.com/DysonRacing.

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Rolls Royce Wraith: The Way a Gentleman Should Drive

The Rolls Royce Wraith is the fastest, most powerful car Rolls Royce has ever created. Under the hood is the same 6.6-liter twin-turbo V-12 as the Ghost, but power has been boosted from 563 hp at 5250 rpm to a healthy 624 hp at 5600 rpm, and torque increases from 575 lb-ft to 590. With more power and torque, the Wraith hits 60 mph in about 4.1 seconds, and runs the quarter mile in about 12.5 seconds. Another amazing feature the Wraith has is the Satellite aided transmission, which sees the road ahead that you can’t, and shifts the car’s gears properly just as a professional driver would. The Wraith never tries too hard to be a sports car. It is a gentleman’s touring car in the truest sense of the term. From the classic Rolls Royce grill with the signature Spirit of Ecstasy flying at the helm of the Wraith, to the tuned up engine that does sound much more sports car like than what we are used to from Rolls Royce, this car is a car meant for a man who is making moves in life.

Park Place Rolls Royce Dallas Wraith

Recently the Rolls-Royce Wraith Launch Film has been awarded a Gold Award at the 26th International Visual Communications Association (IVCA) Awards in London this year. The film, entitled ‘And the World Stood Still’, introduces Wraith as the most powerful and technologically-advanced Rolls-Royce in history. Filmed at a secret location near Barcelona, the shoot included a ‘Timeslice’ (frozen time) sequence created using 100 cameras, the longest purpose-built SLR camera rig in Europe, an award-winning film director, 36 computers, 1.5km of cables and one prototype Rolls-Royce Wraith. A ‘behind the scenes’ film was also launched after the Company was inundated with requests from fans across social media networks worldwide.  The almost haunted mist seen throughout the short film relays the combination of the visible ideological juxtaposition inside the Wraith. The glamorous mystique of the Rolls-Royce brand mixed with the powerful V-12 placed in a chassis where it can really show you what it is made of. Everything inside, outside and about this vehicle is made from the finest materials on the globe, and every piece of the car was built and put together by hand. There is no mistaking this car for anything but a masterpiece. It is a chariot fit for kings.

If feel the urge to see if the crown fits you as well, visit Park Place Rolls Royce Motor Cars Dallas to experience the power and elegance that comes standard with any of the Rolls Royce Motor Cars.

rolls-royce-wraith3

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Park Place Porsche Prepares for the Lone Star Le Mans September 19 – 20

Porsche 919 Hybrid Race Car

Circuit of the Americas in Austin to host the only U.S. race in the
FIA World Endurance Championship

Park Place Porsche held an open house Saturday, September 13, in their newly redesigned showroom on Lemmon Avenue. While the new space was impressive, the real stars were the 911 RSR and 919 Hybrid racecars. The 919 Hybrid will be making its North American track debut this weekend at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas (COTA), during the Lone Star Le Mans September 19 – 20.

As the United States’ only Grand Prix track, COTA will feature the fourth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) September 20th. The six-hour race will start at 5 p.m. with the sun scheduled to set at 7:43 p.m., making it the maiden night race for COTA. The six Porsche 919 Hybrid drivers will rely on their recent twilight and night racing experience at the 24-hour Le Mans.

Porsche Racecars at Porsche Dallas

“We are highly motivated going into Austin and want to benefit from everything we have learned so far, “ said Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1. “It is almost like the kick off of a second season, but under new conditions. For a long time the Le Mans preparations dominated everything. Then we had a strong performance there and emerged together from what was the harsh end of it. The Porsche 919 Hybrid’s new aero package was working straight out of the box. Now we have to transfer everything to racing. If we get that right, I have no doubts
we will be competitive and achieve the appropriate results.”

Porsche 919 Hybrid Race Car

With its hybrid powered Le Mans Prototype (LMP1), the Porsche Team enters the most innovative race car in the field and has set high goals for the remaining five rounds of the World Championship.

“Park Place Porsche is proud to have a team running in Austin this weekend,” said Patrick Huston, Park Place Porsche general manager. “Park Place Porsche has been active in racing for years. While we sponsor a professional team, we also work hand-in-hand with clients who have an interest in building a competitive car and learning how to handle it on the track.”

Park Place Motorsports Porsche Racecar

Following are some facts and figures about Porsche’s entries in the upcoming COTA race:

  • COTA’s length is 5.513 kilometers (3.427 miles.) One lap features nine right-hand turns and 11 left-handers. The circuit, designed by German architect Hermann Tilke, has 40 meters difference in altitude and is run counter-clockwise. The longest straight-away is 1.2 kilometers (about ¾ of one mile.)
  • In 2013, the race winner completed 187 laps (1,030.93 kilometers or 640.59 miles) in six hours. Over this distance each of the two Porsche 919 Hybrid cars would generate and utilize 195 kilowatt hours (kWh) – an amount of electrical power that would light a 60-Watt incandescent light bulb for almost 20 weeks.
  • In normal racing mode (without any safety car periods), the Porsche 919 Hybrid must refuel every 31 laps. This would mean five pit stops for refueling per car. Two fuel tank fills (62 laps) with one set of the Michelin race tires is the Porsche Team’s target for COTA.
  • 29 cars total are on the entry list for the fourth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. Nine of them compete in the LMP1 category alongside the Porsche 919 Hybrid cars. The Porsche car numbers, 20 and 14, stand for the year of Porsche’s return to top-level motorsport.
  • The Porsche Team shipped 35 tons of airfreight on the world tour. The majority of the freight travels from Austin straight to Fuji, to Shanghai, to Sakhir and then to the final race in Sao Paulo. The equipment includes two race cars, one spare chassis, four engines, four gearboxes, three suspension sets, 100 rims, 120 radios and headsets, about 400 meters of electric and IT cables, four tool cabinets and 30 fireproof overalls and helmets for the team.
  • In the WEC standings after three out of eight races, the Porsche Team with 60 points is currently third behind Toyota (115) and Audi (114). In Le Mans, double points were awarded.
  • With these two LMP1 cars, the Porsche 911 RSRs from the GT categories of the WEC and the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship (USCC), there are a total of seven Porsche racecars running in Austin.

Park Place Porsche is located at 5113 Lemmon Avenue, near Love Field Airport, in Dallas.

Porsche Lone Star Le Mans