Mercedes has opened Mercedes-AMG performance centers in top Mercedes dealerships across the country. Mercedes-Benz and AMG have a long history deeply rooted in high-speed performance racing cars. The AMG brand, “Designed for the racetrack, Ready for the roadway,” still is the performance division for Mercedes, and raises the bar on luxury vehicle standards.
Recently, the exhibit and retail experience company MC2, Inc., (www.mc-2online.com), headquartered in Chestnut Ridge, NY, was tasked by Mercedes-Benz to design, fabricate, and install 30 state-of-the-art performance centers at high-end Mercedes dealerships throughout the U.S. The goal was to provide each client with a customized retail experience reflective of the luxury brand.
To achieve a unique, individual sales experience, MC2 created separate platform displays for each car model so as to achieve a one-on-one, uninterrupted time between the sales representative and customer. To
engage customers and convey the luxury brands' high-speed performance attributes before stepping into the car, MC2 integrated modern design elements with new technology such as LCD screens placed within sleek, branded panels accented with large graphics of AMG vehicles as racing cars on the road. The result is a hands-on experience where customers have the luxury of an undivided sales experience.
Element Hotels Installs Electric Car Charging Station
Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ eco-chic Element Hotels brand has formed a partnership with Carbon Day Automotive to install a ChargePoint™ Networked Charging Station at its Element Lexington hotel.
Both guests and travelers in the area can simply swipe a keyfob, plug in and charge up their electric vehicles at the station. A first in the hotel industry, travelers will be able to locate the charging station and even determine whether it is currently unoccupied by using Google™ maps. The ChargePoint Networked Charging Station is the most recent in a series of green initiatives implemented at Element Hotels, Starwood's working laboratory for green design, practices and operations. The hotels also provide preferred parking for drivers of hybrid or electric cars and “bikes to borrow” for guests. Element mandates that its properties pursue the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
“By offering a charging station for electric vehicles, we are deepening our commitment to greener travel as a key part of an environmentally responsible lifestyle,” said Brian McGuinness, Sr. V.P., Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
Burger King Testing Electricity Generating Device For Drive-Thrus
A Burger King franchise in Hillside, NJ is testing a MotionPower™ prototype from New Energy Technologies for generating electricity from the movement of cars and light trucks at its drive-thru.
New Energy engineers have developed MotionPower™ technologies, designed to generate ‘clean’ electricity by harnessing the kinetic energy of the estimated 250 million registered vehicles which drive more than 6 billion miles on America’s roadways every day.
GRAFT created this exhibit for Volkswagen of America. The exhibit offered an advanced look at themes of growing importance in the coming decade. The life settings in the exhibit are a powerful tool to support and inspire a multitude of projects. Four futuristic scenarios illustrate a broad spectrum of user types, interests and aesthetics. The installation can be modified to suit a variety of foreseeable scenarios and uses. For more information, contact GRAFT, 3200 N. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90065; (Tel) 323-441-9610; (Web site) www.graftlab.com
Industrial Image Inc. offers a touch option with its FlashView Ad Players which adds touch screens to point of purchase displays to customize the message. FlashView displays are industrial quality LCDs with flash memory in secure metal chassis to mount in POP displays. Open frame or with a variety of options, this digital signage solution is available at an economical price. For more information, contact Industrial Image Inc., 2665 Pine Grove Rd., Suite 400, Cumming, GA 30042.
