[rubicon]

Just came back from the MB STARDRIVE Experience held here at chennai and it was one memorable Sunday at the Madras Motor Spors Club!

Here is a brief note on the wonderful event organised by Mercedes-Benz!

Entry / Reception:
Registration's were checked and a declaration on the risks involved had to be self-attested. (Maybe despite all the innovations, it just takes 1 sensor failure for an M-class to topple)

First :
Enter the Briefing Zone - Not one of those presentations on a projector/plasma TVs. Instead, everyone snaps on those cool Video Goggles pre-loaded with a fantastic video of MB history, safety features and performance vehicles.

Second :
Pre-Safe demonstration area using E & C-Class vehicles. The c63 AMG did a very few laps and retired under the shades.

Was driven (ripped) around the track in an E-class by a MB professional driver who explained all the safety systems with a demonstration. Hard to explain, but that was one amazing exhilarating thrill. After seeing E-classes being elegantly rolled in the city roads, and then to be in it performing drifts and some insane driving to activate the pre-safe features like auto-tightening of seat belts and auto-rollup of windows & sunroof (few of the several never ending list) was just awesome!

Third :
SUV demonstration area using ML & GL vehicles.

Another professional driver took us on a GL and demonstrated its fantastic features like Hill Hold Assist & Downhill Speed Regulation.

Last :
StarLounge - A visit to an air conditioned lounge. This place was a welcome and they were handing out ice-cold juices of all kinds with some starters too. Everyone was treated like a potential MB customer.

Final Surprise :
When we were about to exit the venue, we were handed over a DVD. This was a crystal clear complete In-Car video recording of our passenger experience that was recorded earlier from my Pre-Safe demonstration ride using a dash-mounted camera. Wow!

Other Cars that were on display : SLS AMG , G-Wagen (with a chipped windshield) , S300 , E350 Cabriolet and R350.

Surprisingly, all the cars on display except the SLS were locked. The SLS was not barricaded and was infact left open for everyone to try getting in and pose for some cool snaps

[Sivasankar]

Low activity on the Chennai thread?

Spotted this car on ECR and followed it down the Sholinganallur link and on to OMR. Spirited point and squirt driving. Had fun trailing it on my T-Jet. This Panamera shares space with a Phantom, Ghost, Bentley CFS, Jaguar XJ and the usual Mercs

[//M]

Saw the PY registered BMW M3 convertible at the BMW showroom yesterday early morning.

[//M]

Spotted these two at the airport parking lot last saturday early morning.

Toyota Cygnus (clone of Land Cruiser/Lexus LX470)




Audi A7

[nickatnite]

i wish i had come across this car in daylight.

[Unknownsatan]

Originally Posted by nickatnite

i wish i had come across this car in daylight.

Is this KA reg? no 1? Looks like the same Bangalore car.

[nickatnite]

Originally Posted by Unknownsatan

Is this KA reg? no 1? Looks like the same Bangalore car.

definitely not a 'KA' car.

[Unknownsatan]

Originally Posted by nickatnite

definitely not a 'KA' car.

Oh okie, my bad. Thought its the same.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by //M

Saw the PY registered BMW M3 convertible at the BMW showroom yesterday early morning.

Seems like registering your super car in PY is the norm these days just like it was in the 80s and the 90s (for all cars). I see a lot of expensive cars (read between 30L to 5 Cr) being regd here to save quite a few lakhs in road tax.

[//M]

Saw this Cayenne Turbo in Kodaikanal some days back. Sorry for the crappy pics.

[ShortShifter]

Originally Posted by nickatnite

i wish i had come across this car in daylight.

Was it MH12 registered by any chance ? I Havn't come across a black M3 in town, till now.

[Sivasankar]

Director Shankar's Rolls Royce Ghost

[Sivasankar]

Originally Posted by ShortShifter

Was it MH12 registered by any chance ? I Havn't come across a black M3 in town, till now.

I've seen the MH registered M3 near Boat Club Area. Chennai's first Mini Cooper S is here. Its red and shares space with a White Bentley CFS.

[ecclipse78]

Chennai's first M5 (F10) just got delivered. Keep an eye for her on the city roads.

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by Sivasankar

Director Shankar's Rolls Royce Ghost

Nice Catch... first pics after so long since the car landed around last week of April.

I have been trying to spot it around the same location (on the way to his office) that u have pictured it but in vain.