January 2020
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GazetteJanuary 2020 CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW 40 YEARS OF THE G-WAGEN B220d AMG LINE W124 DOOR MIRROR REMOVAL THE OFFICIAL MERCEDES-BENZ CLUB FOUNDED 1952 What’s inside... Regulars 4 CLUBINFORMATION 4 CLUBPUBMEETINGS 5 DIARYDATES 5 FORTHCOMINGEVENTS 8 INVITATIONSRECEIVED 9 NEWS&VIEWS 24 YOURLETTERS 30 CLUBSHOP 63 REGIONALREPORTS 32 79 BACKNUMBERS FEATURES 51 B220d AMG Line 80 NEWMEMBERS 31 Rob writes... 57 F1 news 81 2019INDEX 32 A very busy weekend TECHNICAL CORNER 81 SPECIALNOTICES 39 40 years of the G-Wagen 58 Spares register 85 CARSFORSALE 42 Car of the month 59 Removal of a W124 43 Racing icons door mirror 49 From deep in the Archive 43 39 59 Gazette Membership benefits First ever Mercedes-Benz Club Members’ website forum Published by The Mercedes-Benz Club Ltd – founded 1952 Free subscription to Mercedes-Benz Gazette copy dates Only UK club recognised by Classic magazine March January 10 April February 14 Mercedes-Benz Discounts from parts suppliers Monthly Gazette Discounts from hotels Editorial Office: Chris Bass, Tel: 01483 481836. Technical support 30 Scotgate, Stamford PE9 2YQ Unique archive of photos, brochures E-mail: [email protected] Discounted insurance and technical literature Advertising, Design and Production: Hine Marketing, Club shop Tel: 01452 730770 MercedesBenzClubUK Hill Farm Studios, Wainlodes Lane, Bishops Norton Local, national and international events Gloucestershire GL2 9LN Discounts from many MB dealers themercedesbenzclub/ E-mail: [email protected] Gazette distribution queries: Catherine Barlow, For membership and general enquiries Tel: 01780 482111 (9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday) telephone 01780 482111, 0345 6032660 (9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday) 30 Scotgate, Stamford PE9 2YQ E-mail: [email protected] or see www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk NEWS&VIEWS NEW W126 MODEL REGISTER CAPTAIN APPEAL FOR ARCHIVE INPUT FROM THE FORUM Avid Club Forum users will have noticed a growing amount of photographic material being posted by Bryan Allman, the Club Archive’s photographic expert. Alongside its vast range of printed material, the Archive has hundreds of very old photographic negatives and prints which Bryan is in the process of restoring and Richard Mason’s 560SEC (right) with Ian Paice’s Neville Brown’s SGS 500 SEL – adding to the Club’s on-line library for the supercharged 500SEL AMG. complete with TV. benefit of Members. Unfortunately many of Now it’s my turn to take on the Model Register Captain baton for the W126 and these photos have little background detail indeed the V126, the long wheelbase version. I’m well acquainted with these and this is where the Forum can help. Bryan exquisite cars from articles I’ve written for various magazines. Some of you met would really like to hear from any Members me in 2017 when I was smoking around in the ex- George Harrison 500SEL AMG. who might be able to provide any additional The Beatle provenance really made that car for me, but it wasn’t a great drive, information about the images that he is although now, £10,000 later, I hear it’s in better shape. posting. Ian Paice, drummer in Deep Purple, heard of my SEL exploits and it wasn’t John Wallis, Archive Team and Internet long before I was hammering round the Oxfordshire lanes in his supercharged Services Director, comments, “The Archive 500SEL AMG. I took my 560SEC along to give me a benchmark of performance is committed to being the automatic, first against Ian’s blown five-litre. Ian, inspecting my SEC, said “Ah yes I remember port of call for Members requiring Mercedes- Ringo coming round in a black one of those.” Benz information. To do this it is working to My love affair with these great cars continues and recently I was sharing drinks build its profile across all Club media and the in the back of a 500SEL SGS with a red leather and suede interior belonging to Forum is an important point of contact for Club Member Neville Brown. Some of you will know this is no ordinary car, with a Members to be able to add to the knowledge massive make over inside and out, including a fridge and a TV. already held”. And the beat goes on. I think Paul McCartney still owns his 560SEL, with If you have not registered to use the 156,000 miles on the clock. Now if I could only get my hands on that. Don’t hold Archive, to access this material and the many your breath. thousands of other items in the Archive, I hope we can have a couple of the cars I’ve shared with you at next year’s please go to http://archive.mercedes- Club W126 event. I’m just planning it. Meanwhile I’ll give my all to be at your benz-club.co.uk and follow the on-screen service as MRC. instructions. Richard Mason The Archive Team MERCEDES-MAYBACH GLS600 AND MERCEDES-AMG GLS63 4-MATIC+ The body and technology of the GLS with Maybach luxury... ...or Mercedes-AMG ‘serenity at the highest level’. The Mercedes-Maybach GLS600 4-Matic has been announced. The V8 four-litre engine develops maximums of 558hp and 730 It aims to combine ‘the body design and technical basis of the GLS Nm of torque and is a variant developed exclusively for Maybach. It with the luxury of a top-class saloon’. Its spacious interior with the incorporates the 48-volt EQ Boost system. highest-grade materials and extremely effective noise insulation The Mercedes-Benz star is mounted on the bonnet in the classic is said to create ‘a stylish, cocoon-like feel-good atmosphere’ way and there is further chrome trim and a choice of 22 or 23-inch and ‘from their pleasantly elevated seating position, thanks to wheels developed exclusively for this model. A Mercedes-Maybach electrically operated roller sun blinds on the two rear side windows, emblem is positioned at various points such as on the D-pillar and as the passengers can decide for themselves how much of their a special Maybach-specific feature, two-tone paintwork is available in surroundings they want to see’. eight colour combinations. Unlike Mercedes-Benz versions of the GLS Airmatic suspension is standard with fully-active E-Active Body which can be ordered with three rows of seats, the Mercedes-Maybach Control available as an option. For the first time there is a dedicated will only be available with two rows. The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 Maybach drive programme that ‘ensures even more comfort in the 4MATIC will be available in the second half of 2020. rear’. Access and egress are also highly convenient – when the doors If you don’t need quite as much luxury as the Maybach, the are opened the vehicle is lowered slightly and illuminated, anodised Mercedes-AMG GLS63 4-Matic+ offers 612hp and ‘serenity at the aluminium running boards quickly and silently emerge. highest level’. www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk • JANUARY 2020 • 9 NEWS&VIEWS OFFICIALS’ CHRISTMAS PARTY Clive Henderson receiving the Scott-Moncrieff Trophy from Rob Halloway. Rosemarie Maslin addressing the party. Mercedes-Benz UK once again generously hosted the Club’s Officials’ Christmas Party – on December 6. As usual the food was of the highest, Michelin star, quality, even though it is served in what is normally the staff restaurant – the chefs and their team were to be congratulated and were warmly thanked. Senior Press Officer Rachel Goodwin introduced the evening and Club Member Malcolm Franks then adeptly auctioned for charity some items Mercedes-Benz UK Marketing Director and Honorary Simon Harrison – Michael Daniels Trophy. Bob Coxshall – 50th Anniversary Trophy. Club President Rob Halloway had kindly donated. These raised £190 for the RNLI and the evening’s raffle contributed a further £625. Rob then gave his customary informal and entertaining review of Mercedes- Benz’s year, pointing out how successful the marque’s sales have been in the UK despite the depressed nature of the market – the A-Class is now the fifth best-selling car, on its own accounting for more registrations than Jaguar, Volvo or Citroen. Club Chairman Rosemarie Maslin then started the presentation of Club awards. Peter Grunert – 40th Anniversary Trophy. Naser Sharifi – Brooklands Trophy. The Scott-Moncrieff Trophy went to Clive Henderson in recognition of all the events model days for coupés, V-engined models he has organised, as both a Regional Officer and the R129 SL. and a Model Register Captain – including Rosemarie presented the Michael Mercedes on the Prom in Llandudno and Daniels Trophy to Simon Harrison for hosting the Surfleet Selection event at his home. The 40th Anniversary Trophy went to Peter Grunert for his 1975 280SE and the 50th Anniversary Bowl to Bob Coxshall for his 1958 220S Ponton. The Brooklands Trophy was awarded to Naser Sharifi for organising the Simply Mercedes event at Beaulieu and the Spirit of the Club award went to Mic Bennett for his support at so many Club events. Mic Bennett – Spirit of the Club Trophy. Gazette Editor Chris Bass presented the Gazette Trophy to Charles Murray for which went to Linda De Frates for all her his numerous well written and illustrated work on the Club stand at the Classic Motor regional reports, covering virtually the Show. Unfortunately Linda was unable whole of Scotland. to be present on the day, but this stunning Rob Halloway then announced a new new trophy was presented to her recently at award he has introduced – the President’s Mercedes-Benz World. Trophy for the Club Woman of the Year – Chris Bass, photos by Paul Kelly Charles Murray – Gazette Award.