All-New 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK

Introducing the all-new 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK, a small-sized luxury SUV with full-sized performance.

The 2010 GLK350 4MATIC SUVLease it now for $499 per month*Great engineering is great engineering at any size. A compact Luxury SUV that's small on footprint and big on attitude, powered by a 3.5L V-6 engine and 7-speed automatic transmission.

3.5L 268-horsepower 24-valve V-6
7-speed automatic transmission with 4MATIC 4-wheel drive
19" aluminum wheels with all-season tires

*Based on 39 month closed end lease. Tax, Title and Registration additional. MSRP of $40,665 with $5,044 down payment, $499 first month payment and acquisition fee of $795. Total payments of $24,006. 10,000 annual mileage allowance. $0.25 per mile thereafter. Residual value at lease end of $21,959.10. Available to qualified buyers through Mercedes-Benz Financial. Lessee responsible for excess wear and tear. Not responsible for typographical errors. pictures are for illustrative use only. Offer expires January 31, 2009.

Meet the Keeler Employees

Meet the Keeler Employees
Andy Rainone
Honda Sales Manager


What is your position at Keeler Motor Car Company?
I am the New Car Sales Manager at Keeler Honda.

How long have your worked at Keeler Motor Car Company?
I've been working at the Honda store for 9 months now.

What part of the Capital District do you live in?
I have lived in North Greenbush my whole life. North Greenbush is about 10 minutes from Albany.

How long have your worked in the automotive industry?
I've been working in the car business for 8 years now.

What are some of your hobbies?
When I get some free time I love to golf and I also love landscaping.

What's your favorite restaurant?
That one is easy...D'Raymond's Restaurant. Best Italian food in the Albany area!

Do you have any pets?
My wife and I have a 3 year old Miniature Pinscher named Lexi.

What's one invention you could not live without?
After the ice storm in December I would have to say that electricity is something I don't ever want to live without.

What's the one thing that people would be surprised to know about you?
I think that people would be surprised that I once owned a Harley Davidson motorcycle.

What's the best thing about working for Keeler Motor Car Company?
The best thing about working at Keeler is the strong level of teamwork and working for a company that emphasizes high customer satisfaction - it's great to be a part of the Keeler Honda team!

New Mercedes-Benz E-Class Notes Highest Resale Value In Residual Value Forecast

If you're the type of person that enjoys spending your time reading residual value forecasts for various automotive segments, you'll be absolutely delighted to learn that the new Mercedes E-Class will in the next three years note the highest resale value of any vehicle in the luxury segment. According to calculations by the market research institute Bähr & Fess Forecast, the new E250 CDI will retain up to 62.5 percent of its current new price – placing it atop the luxury heap. Furthermore, as a result of its performance, the Mercedes E250 CDI has also been bestowed with the "2009 value retention champion" award, an accolade given every year by the German publication Auto-Bild.

In addition to the new E-Class, Mercedes-Benz passenger cars also managed to occupy the peak positions in eight of the market segments analyzed. Notable performers include the C220 CDI Estate, the S320 CDI, the ML280 CDI MATIC and the R280 CDI 4MATIC, all of which noted the highest residuals in their respective classes.

For more info regarding the Bähr & Fess Forecast, you can find the full details of the research institute's findings in the press release below. Enjoy ladies and gentlemen.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
Residual value forecast for Mercedes-Benz: New E-Class with the lowest depreciation

Stuttgart - In three years time, the new E-Class will be the car with the highest resale value in the entire luxury segment. According to calculations by the market research institute Bähr & Fess Forecast in Saarbrücken, the new E 250 CDI will then realise up to 62.5 percent of its current new price, and it has therefore received the accolade of "2009 value retention champion" awarded every year by the motoring magazine Auto-Bild. Mercedes passenger cars occupy the peak positions in eight of the market segments analysed, and are therefore generally regarded as the cars with the highest value retention in Germany.With the CLS 320 CDI Mercedes-Benz also occupies the second position in the luxury segment, as the specialists calculated a residual value of 61 percent for the four-door Coupé.

In both the medium and luxury class, Mercedes-Benz takes first place with the C 220 CDI Estate and the S 320 CDIrespectively. The specialists estimate that in three years time, these Mercedes models will achieve residual values of 64 and 57 percent.

As a newcomer to the "value retention hitlist", the GLK 220 CDI 4MATIC immediately went to place place in the compact off-roader category. In three years time, GLKbuyers can expect to realise up to 66.5 percent of the current new vehicle price. The residual value specialists also have a very high opinion of the Mercedes models ML 280 CDI 4MATIC and R 280 CDI 4MATIC, which each achieved the peak position in their market segment.

Last not least, the Mercedes-Benz range also has the convertible with the highest value retention: the SLK 200 KOMPRESSOR. According to "Auto-Bild", this exciting two-seater will still retain up to 66 percent of its current new value when resold in three years time.

The "value retention champion" among minivans also bears the Mercedes star on its bonnet: the B 150 takes first place in this market segment, and is forecast to achieve a value of 64.5 percent after three years.Copyright © 2008, Daimler AG

Jaguar Land Rover opens green academy

Where can an automaker make a difference? Just by building greener cars? By having green dealerships? Wait, it can also have green training facilities! That's the tack that Jaguar Land Rover, not known for fuel efficient vehicles, is taking. Jaguar Land Rover's new training facilities in Warwick, England occupy over 4,000 m2, including a workshop for all hands-on training. There are also 16 classrooms, which are large enough to house a vehicle for better training. The green part comes from the building itself, which has been refurbished to include an array of energy efficient solutions. For instance, a special wax polymer that absorbs heat in summer and prevents heat from escaping in winter to save on the heating/cooling bill. There is also an array of additional measures such as rainwater harvesting tanks, solar/thermal heating and water heating, high efficiency lighting and spray foam insulation. All this to save an estimated 275 tons of CO2 per year (about 2 million km on the Land Rover Freelander 2 TD4_e).[Source: Jaguar]

2010 MINI E

Here in the United States, the Mini Cooper comes with a 1.6-liter gasoline engine or the turbocharged 1.6-liter engine in the Cooper S and John Cooper Works versions. In markets outside the U.S., Mini offers a version with a tiny 1.4-liter gasoline engine as well as a version with a diesel engine.

All that is about to change with the introduction of the Mini E, E for electric. It's the first all-electric production car offered to the American buying public by a major manufacturer, beating the rest to the market.

However, it isn't going to be widely available to the public for some time yet. The fast-charging all-electric Mini E is initially only going to be built in a batch of 500 cars, 250 for greater Los Angeles, and 250 for greater New York, so that the company can do a proper job of charging equipment installation and keeping up good communications between the users and the company over time. All of the Mini E cars will be built in Munich, rather than the main plant in Oxford, England.

We say "users" rather than owners because the company will not actually sell the Mini E. Each of the 500 units will be leased to customers, along with the special charging equipment it will require, for a hefty lease payment of $850 a month, about $500 a month more than a conventional Mini lease price, for a 12-month lease, not subject to renewal. Customers will be selected from interested parties living in New York and Los Angeles who have registered on the Mini website. Interested? Read on.

BMW and Mini officials have said that the all-electric Mini E will come with insurance, road service and a free replacement vehicle baked into the monthly lease price. Each car will come with a special wall-mounted 240-volt, 50-amp charging unit that can bring the 570-pound, 35 kilowatt-hour battery in the Mini E up to full charge in about two hours, depending on the type of electric service available at the house, condo or apartment. If the customer uses a charging system away from home, using a typical 110-volt outlet for charging, a full charge may take up to 24 hours, say BMW and Mini officials.

Initially, the Mini E will be offered only in the Mini sedan body style, no Clubman or convertible models. The American-made AC Propulsion system uses 5088 lithium-ion cells in the space normally filled by the rear seats. The 201 horsepower electric motor, which makes 143 foot-pounds of torque, the power control electronics, and the inverter, which turns DC current into AC and back again are under the hood.

BMW says a fully charged Mini E has a driving range of about 160 miles, well within the round-trip commuting range of many American drivers. Top speed is said to be governed to 95 mph and 0-60 acceleration is electronically limited to about eight seconds, to preserve battery power. Regenerative braking charges the battery every time the brakes are applied.

The Mini E dashboard has a battery-charge meter in place of the tachometer and a power meter in the speedometer. There is no conventional transmission in the car, because the torque provided by the electric motor is sufficient without multiplication through a transmission, but there is a conventional reverse-neutral-drive shifter on the floor. The air conditioning system is electric, and all the standard Mini chassis systems, electronic traction and stability control, are included. The 600-pound-heavier Mini E uses a modified Cooper S suspension to cope with the extra weight.
Deliveries to customers should start in the spring of 2009.
www.keelermini.com or www.mini.com

Next Jaguar sedan looks like stretch XK, with four-door "coupe" overtones

Is Jaguar planning a Panamera and Rapide challenger? Until now we've had speculation and spy pics, but Channel 4 is reporting that Jaguar officials have confirmed plans to "introduce a new saloon" later this year, that "takes the luxury saloon to new heights in terms of its technical enhancements." Although this new sedan will eventually replace the XJ in the company's lineup, it is said to be radically different from the traditional sedan. Imagine XF detailing on a four-door XK and you won't be far off from the vehicle that's due to show up later this year. No official details have been reported, but Jaguar officials are apparently mentioning the Porsche Panamera, Maserati Quattroporte, Aston Martin Rapide and Mercedes-Benz CLS as competition. Engine options will likely include Jaguar's new 3.0L V6 diesel as well as the new direct-injection, 5.0L gas V8s in naturally aspirated or supercharged form. The car should be revealed later this year, making 2009 a very busy year for the company. Jaguar is already set to unveil the supercharged XF-R, as well as updated XJ, XK and XKR models, along with its new V8 and V6 diesel engines at the Detroit Auto Show next week. We can hardly wait.[Source: Channel 4]

The New Honda Insight Debuts at the North American International Auto Show

We here at Keeler Motor Car Company already know that Honda is no slouch when it comes to producing environmentally friendly cars. Between fuel stingy vehicles like the fuel efficient Honda Fit, and the innovative gasoline-electric Honda Civic Hybrid, they've got you pretty well covered.

Not content to sit on their laurels, however, Honda introduced the latest in its line of Hybrid and Alternative Fuel vehicles at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 11th - the New Honda Insight.

The 2010 Honda Insight utilizes the latest generation of Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist hybrid technology and new, more cost-efficient production methods. This means the Insight will be more affordable, fun to drive and a fuel-economy rating of 40/43 miles per gallon (city/highway).

On top of that, Honda plans to introduce a third hybrid car within the next couple of years. It will be based on the Honda CR-Z concept vehicle. The future's looking very green!

BMW Sensors Calculate chances of injury in a crash

By Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY

Automaker BMW will announce this weekend a new direction in car safety protection with a system that calculates for emergency responders the likelihood of severe injuries in a crash.
Sensors in all 2009 BMWs except the M3 now can assess car damage and other factors, data that experts say can be crucial to letting arriving firefighters and paramedics know what to expect and where they should be prepared to take the injured.

"This could save thousands of lives," says Jeffrey Augenstein, a physician who is director of the William Lehman Injury Research Center that worked with BMW.

Part of the next wave of safety technology from automakers, this system is aimed at a relatively recent problem: Because of today's air bags and other passive safety systems, victims may not have the obvious external signs of major injuries.

If the car can tell rescuers how bad the crash was, they can better assess whether someone might have major, but less obvious, internal injuries.

Systems such as General Motors' OnStar already can sense a crash and its site, and report it to authorities. BMW's system uses sensors and an algorithm to determine crash severity on a 1-to-100 scale. Factors include deceleration level, seat belt use, impact direction and whether the crash involved multiple objects. A rating above 20 signals the call center that potential injuries should be considered major. An unbelted driver who hits one object at 27 mph has a 20% chance of injury. Hitting more than one object raises odds to 56%, the Lehman center estimates.
The new system also is important because the BMW Assist response center cannot reach the driver over the two-way talk system in up to 14% of accidents, says Peter Baur, BMW's product analysis manager.

Since 2006, OnStar has been able to give its operators data on accident force and angle and whether the vehicle rolled over, among other things, OnStar President Chet Huber says. While he thinks BMW's system is different, but not necessarily better than OnStar, he welcomes all efforts to create safer cars.

It's a step "toward every vehicle being able to help" in a serious accident, Huber says.
The system is in keeping with a study group by the Centers for Disease Control's Injury Center to see how rescuers can take advantage of the advanced telemetry being built into cars.
The goal is to "make sure the (victim) gets to the right place in the right amount of time," says Dr. Richard Hunt, director of the Division of Injury Response.

smart aims to repeat sales in 2009

Automotive News Europe January 8, 2009 06:01 CET
As far as sales go, there weren't many success stories in 2008. Subaru eked out a small year-over-year gain. And Daimler's Smart unit racked up sales of 24,622 in its first year in the United States.

Smart is turning into an improbable success here. Americans have never before bought into the idea of microcars. All the tiny cars that came here in years past -- the Subaru 360, the BMW Isetta, the Crosley and others -- failed. Even the original Mini Cooper never sold well in the United States and was pulled in 1967.

With Smart now heading into its second year, President David Schembri said Smart USA aims to maintain its momentum, add a few dealers, keep volume about the same and improve customer satisfaction. He recently spoke with Automotive News reporter Richard Truett.

Have Smart customers complained about the crudeness of the ForTwo's automated manual transmission?
You might call it crude; most people call it fun. That's one of defining differences of this vehicle that makes it the unique car that it is. It takes some getting used to, but what we've found is that once our owners get used to it, they love it. They would not trade it for a standard automatic transmission. About 95 percent of the cars are being bought with paddle shifters, so you are able to transition between driving in straight automatic mode or paddle shifters. That's a heck of a lot of fun, and it adds a different dimension to driving.

How soon before Smart gets some competition?
Well, there is a clear expectation that based on the acceptance of the microcar concept in the United States, there will be competitors that come into the market. And we welcome that. That means there is a viable segment there. We think our car is different enough to set itself apart from any competitors.

What has Smart USA learned about how consumers are using the ForTwo?
For the most part, it is a second or third vehicle. What we anticipated is exactly what we are finding. This car appeals to four distinct groups of people. First-time buyers use it as their primary vehicle. They'll buy it mainly because of its value. Urban dwellers will use it as their primary vehicle because of its maneuverability. Baby boomers, one of our largest segments of buyers, will have it as second or third car and use it as their commuter car. And then empty-nesters will have it as a second or third car. They are also using it to commute.

What volume are you expecting in 2009? Will it drop now that early demand has been filled?
The most optimistic forecast for 2009 indicates that the entire market could be off by about 25 percent over 2008. For us to be able to duplicate what we did in 2008 would be a huge success. We'd be very happy at 25,000.

Will Smart USA be profitable at that level?
Our business plan is very solid, and we are optimistic at those kinds of volumes that our business plan works for both us and our dealer organization.

From our vantage point, Smart's U.S. launch seemed to go very smoothly -- no recalls or other glitches.
It's one of those moments in your career that you hope for, that you have an opportunity to launch a car in the manner that we did. But that's not to say that we aren't trying to get better. Every day we are trying to improve every aspect of our business.

What do dealers want from Smart USA? Are they asking for different body styles or a diesel engine?
I think the dealers would like us to sustain the momentum we have created. If we can do that, they'll be very happy. The diesel engine for the U.S. market would be too expensive to homologate.

What will we see on the Smart stand at the Detroit auto show next week?
We will be presenting the Brabus model, which is an appearance package with side skirts, front and rear aprons, dual chrome-tipped exhaust, different wheels and suspension. In addition to that, you'll see an electric-drive Smart that is part of our future.

What are Smart's marketing plans for 2009?
This brand was founded on below-the-line marketing, doing things in nontraditional ways. And we'll continue to look at ways to do things in that same spirit.

Will Smart USA be adding dealers in 2009?
There may be two or three dealers added in markets that we are not in.

click the following link for more information on the smart car at the smart center of Latham website: http://www.smartcenterlatham.com/

Congratulations!!!

Congratulations to Keeler BMW Salesperson Joe Marcil!!

2008 was a HUGE year for Keeler BMW's Joe Marcil. Joe sold a total of 258 BMW's which made him the #1 Salesperson in this region. That's a 13% increase from 2007.

He ranked 28th in the entire country for BMW which is an incredible feat! Everyone at Keeler Motor Car Company is extremely proud of Joe. Way to go!!!!

Honda unveils 2009 Tokyo Auto Salon lineup

Detroit's not the only auto show kicking off on January 11. The annual Tokyo Auto Salon (think "Japanese SEMA") also kicks off this Sunday, and Honda has announced the vehicle lineup it'll display at Makuhari Messe. The two headliners are the Sports Modulo S2000 and Fit concepts. The former is a somewhat ghastly take on Honda's two-seat sports car, with a face that belongs in an aquarium and side cladding straight from a '90s Pontiac stylist's wildest fantasies. Inside, the Sports Modulo S2000 Concept is actually very nice, with swanky brown leather adorning a variety of surfaces. It still doesn't atone for that clock-stoppingly ugly body kit, though. Read on for some brief commentary on a pair of other concepts headed to the show, and check out the gallery below for the complete model rundown.

Gallery: Honda at Tokyo Auto Salon 2009

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The Sports Modulo Fit Concept is so orange, all that's missing is a Fanta logo on the doors. Not even the wheels are left untouched -- one spoke on each of the gunmetal grey Modulo rims gets the Sunkist treatment. Inside, it looks as if Halloween exploded all over the cabin. What isn't black is orange, and you'll find sport seats, a sport steering wheel, supplemental gauges, etc. Did we mention that there's orange?



The last ride we'll touch on before sending you to the gallery to check out the rest is the Honda Life Style Study. This is a girl's car. Period. It's got pink paint, pink wheels, patterned pink seat covers, and appears to have been set upon -- inside and out, mind you -- by a horde of Bedazzler-wielding Japanese schoolgirls. There are rhinestones everywhere. This is not something Steve McQueen would have driven.



As for the rest, it's a mix of new cars like the Honda Zest Spark, tricked production vehicles such as the Sports Modulo Civic Type R and Touring Modulo Accord Tourer (winner in the 'Best Name" category), and a smattering of other design studies.

Meet the Keeler Employees

Meet the Keeler Employees

Frank Paturzo
Sales Manager, Jaguar/Land Rover


What is your position at Keeler Motor Car Company?
Sales Manager for Keeler Jaguar and Land Rover

How long have you worked at Keeler Motor Car Company?
I started at Keeler Motor Car in October 1995.

What part of the Capital District do you live in?
I live in Latham, NY about 5 minutes from the Albany Airport.

How long have you worked in the automotive industry?
I've been in the automotive business for 27 years starting in 1981.

What are some of your hobbies?
I am an avid golfer and of course, automobiles!

What’s your favorite restaurant?
I have a few. Deacon Blue's in Watervliet, Man of Kent in Hoosick Falls, Salty's in Clifton Park and Chianti's in Saratoga Springs

Do you have any pets?
Yes, well kind of...we have a surrogate cat named Sparky that visits us 2-3 times a day most days. He has his own cat house built by a former Keeler Motor Car employee. Sparky has visited us since the summer of 2001. he will not come in our house or let us get too close but he likes the cuisine.

What the one invention you couldn’t live without?
Electricity

What’s the one thing that people would be surprised to know about you?
I met my wife at the March 1984 Auto Show at the Empire State Plaza.

What’s the best thing about working for Keeler Motor Car Company?
The people; both the employees who work here and the clients!

Keeler BMW and Keeler MINI Food Drive

Keeler BMW and Keeler MINI are sponsoring a food drive for the month of January.

All food items are appreciated but some items are scarce at the food pantries in the Albany area and are therefore deemed more valuable. Donations of non-perishable food items such as protein items (tuna, canned mean, peanut butter), prepared foods (canned stews, chili, ravioli, hearty soups, etc.) and cereal are currently high demand items.

To make a donation please go to the Keeler BMW or Keeler MINI showrooms or the BMW Parts Department and look for the collection boxes. Keeler Motor Car Company is located at 1111 Troy-Schenectady Rd., Latham, New York, or you can call for more information at 518-785-4197 or email customersupport@keeler.com.

Let's all step up and help this very worthwhile cause.

All donations go to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York.