Motor Trend – Park Place Dealerships

September 29, 2014May 7, 2015

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.

Recently the Rolls-Royce Wraith Launch Film has been awarded a Gold Award at the 26^th 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.

August 7, 2014May 7, 2015

Lexus Unveils New Special Editions for 2015: The Crafted Line

To celebrate 25 years of luxury, Lexus showed off their new Crafted Line as a special edition arriving at Park Place and other dealerships this November. The Crafted Line offers customers exquisite style that is unprecedented in the 2015 model line. The beautiful cars feature an Ultra White and Obsidian exterior wrapped around a stunning two-tone black and red interior. As an exciting component of this exclusive line, Lexus is complementing each of The Crafted Line vehicles with a two-piece TUMI duffle bag set designed exclusively for these sporty and elegant cars.

The Crafted Line is comprised of the following models: LS 460 F Sport, GS 350 F Sport, and IS 250 F Sport (in all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive models); RX 350 AWD F Sport and ES 350. The Crafted Line and F Sport models feature such performance and appearance enhancements as a mesh grille and front and rear lower valences. The chart below offers more detail to each model in The Crafted Line.

For The Crafted Line, Lexus partnered with TUMI luggage, known for producing unparalleled premium travel, business, and lifestyle luggage accessories for over 35 years. Each Crafted Line vehicle comes with an exclusive luggage set to match the elegance of these beautiful cars. The TUMI luggage pieces offered with the cars feature the Lexus logo along with an interior to match the vehicle’s, including red stitching. Along with the two bags that come with the cars, TUMI also has designed larger bags to accompany The Crafted Line owners’ on a longer travel.*Delivery, handling and processing is an additional $925.

All Crafted Line models, along with the TUMI duffle bag set, will be on public display for the first time at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance August 15-17. For more information, check back with Park Place Dealerships, as pricing details are expected to be released closer to the launch of The Crafted Line.

July 30, 2014May 7, 2015

Lexus Wants You to Run With the Bulls

Let’s face it, who doesn’t like to go fast? Whether you are a CEO, soccer mom, college student or anything in-between most everyone loves the thrill of speed. As your pulse rate climbs, the hair on the back on your neck stands up right and that natural high of flying across asphalt courses through your veins all while a roaring machine serves as your chariot to this oasis of adrenaline. There is just something that the feeling of going fast gives off that infatuates us as human beings. It especially hooks the people at Lexus and for the first time ever they want to show the people just how much they like to go fast. For the first time in the company’s prestigious history they are releasing three of their new cars on the race track. Never before has Lexus released any of its vehicles on the track to dealers but these cars are different. Each new model Lexus is releasing is inspired from the asphalt up with speed at the fore front of each design.

The new 2015 NX is Lexus’ first ever compact crossover with a turbo charged engine. It is a car that takes everything Lexus is known for: quality, fuel efficiency, reliability, comfort, etc and adds a 2.0-liter, direct-injection, 235-hp, 258-lb-ft torque, 17-psi of boost. In America the 2015 Lexus NX will be available in a two variants, the Hybrid and the Turbo, with AWD available for both and the F-Sport package. Lexus is looking to make quite a slash with these new models and the NX is just where they are getting started when it comes to speed.

The 2015 RC F has a powerful and refined V8 that promises to take both the track and street with its own aggressive style. Under the hood that 5.0-liter V-8 is rated at 460 hp mated to an eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters and a special torque-vectoring differential. The chassis is specially tuned and wider 19-inch wheels are fitted to provide the car with tremendously precise handling. The interior on bot the 2015 RC and RC f models is impeccable with craftsmanship and materials that look just as this chic speed machine should. All three of these cars can run and run fast. The only thing Lexus doesn’t know is if you can handle it.

That is why Lexus is hosting its first ever “Running of the Bulls” starting off in Dallas, TX September 15-16 at Motorsport Ranch to give people a chance to feel the power behind all three of these new Lexus cars. Lexus will be traveling the country showing off these cars and for a full tour calendar of where and when Lexus will be click here.

If you want to see more Lexus vehicles or just want to check out more on these new models come by Park Place Lexus Plano or Park Place Lexus Grapevine to see the nation’s largest stock of new and used Lexus cars.

July 18, 2014May 7, 2015

McLaren MSO 650S Concept Moving To Production; Debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed

The McLaren MSO 650S was originally just a concept released in April, but after an overwhelming response McLaren has decided to produce a limited 50 Coupes and Spiders. The car debuted at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The Festival of Speed as it is referred to in the United Kingdom is an annual hill climb featuring historic motor racing vehicles that is held in the grounds of Goodwood House, West Sussex, England.

The production model of the MSO 650S carries over many of the elements found in the Concept. Frank Stephenson, McLaren’s Design Director, has made many more changes including a number of carbon fiber styling upgrades, a three-piece rear bumper with carbon fiber center section and a more aggressive rear diffuser.

The MSO Concept came in Agrigan Black, but the production version will be available in ‘Papaya Spark (a take on McLaren orange), Sarigan Quartz (new metallic silver with gold infusion) and the Agrigan Black of the concept.

The body upgrades and special paint finishes are set off with a set of Palladium 10-Spoke super lightweight alloys with a diamond cut effect on the inside edge of the spokes and kept in place with titanium wheel nuts.

Inside, the MSO 650S gets black leather and Alcantara, with carbon fiber accents gloss black vents, a carbon fiber ‘MSO’ sill panel and a dedication plaque noting the limited edition. Each example will ship with a Frank Stephenson-signed sketch and an MSO-branded “holdall,” similar to a leather dufflebag in the United States.

July 1, 2014May 7, 2015

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.

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

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.

June 30, 2014May 7, 2015

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.

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.

June 27, 2014May 7, 2015

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!

Transformers: Age of Extinction hits theaters today, June 27^th, 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.

June 23, 2014May 7, 2015

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.

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 7^th street and the river everything about the city just seems to make you feel welcomed and warm.

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.

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.

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.

June 19, 2014May 7, 2015

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

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.

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.

June 12, 2014May 7, 2015

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

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.