Most people already know that Mercedes-Benz is known as the world’s most valuable premium auto brand.  However, some of you may be surprised to hear that not only are they one of the top luxury car brands, but they also are ranked 12th among Best Global Brands in 2011.  Mercedes-Benz is considered to be the most valuable European brand and 12th worldwide across all global brands.  Their brand equity rose 9% this year over 2010 and has continuously increased since 2009.  Mercedes-Benz has the highest customer satisfaction score compared to all other auto brands, which attributes to most of their success.

Ray Catena Motor Car is a MBUSA franchised dealer and we maintain the area’s largest inventory of new and used Mercedes-Benz cars and genuine Mercedes-Benz parts. See why everyone loves Mercedes-Benz by checking out our Ray Catena Motor Car website or stop by our NJ Mercedes showroom for an up close, in-depth experience.

Source: eMercedesBenz

The 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show is right around the corner and we here at Ray Catena of Union are anxiously awaiting the debut of several new Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The experts in our NJ Mercedes-Benz dealership are sure this new generation of Mercedes-Benz models will have something for everyone. Take a look below for info on the Frankfurt Motor Show and some great photos, courtesy of Benzinsider.com!

Most of the new generation Mercedes-Benz vehicles will be having their world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show. For 10 days, from September 15-25, several of the brand’s model will be showcased.

The models to be shown at the event are: New Generation B-Class, SLK 55 AMG, SLS AMG Roadster, SLK 250 CDI Diesel, C63 AMG Black Series, Pearl Vision Viano and the F125 research vehicle. Meanwhile, tweaked vehicles can also be seen besides the new models. The R-Class leads that pack followed by the C-class coupes and other AMG vehicles.

We’ve been getting pumped up for the Frankfurt Motor Show for quite some time, but the wait will be over starting September 15th! Until then, enjoy these photos from Benzinsider and stop by our NJ Mercedes-Benz dealership in Union to browse new and used Mercedes-Benz models!

Mercedes-Benz has had a great year thus far and it looks like the momentum will continue!  Mercedes-Benz believes that it will become the nation’s best-selling luxury brand, beating out German rival BMW.

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is the German luxury brand’s secret weapon because it is becoming the preferred vehicle for plumbers and other businesses.  The Sprinter is an extremely practical vehicle that can serve many purposes.

As of last month Mercedes-Benz has sold 138,759 vehicles for the year, while BMW has sold 135,114.  Over the weekend, Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Ernst Lieb predicted to reporters during the Quail motorsports gathering that the German luxury brand will finish first and have a double-digit sales increase.  Last month Mercedes sales were up 9.8% over last year, so Lieb’s prediction is going to be on target or very close to it.

Source: USA Today

You can depend on Ray Catena Motor Car to provide you with useful information you need to buy a new or used Mercedes-Benz, and deliver exceptional service throughout the life of your vehicle.

The figures are in and Mercedes-Benz is breaking records with their latest sales figures. They have had their best July ever in 2011, with sales up 2.7% from last years numbers. It appears as if the Mercedes-Benz name carries a reputation of quality and performance regardless of where in the world you travel. China’s sales figures rose 41.7% in only a year, and Mercedes-Benz doubled their sales in South Korea and Taiwan! “Demand for our products is higher than ever before. We expect strong sales for the second half of the year and we want to continue to grow. Overall, we are in an excellent position and are set to sell more than 1.35 million Mercedes Benz passenger cars and Smarts in 2011, which would make it our all-time best year”, said Executive Vice-President, Sales and Marketing, Dr. Joachim Schmidt. Curious as to what makes a Mercedes-Benz such a remarkable automobile? Come check out the new and pre-owned models we have at our NJ Mercedes-Benz dealership such as the new C-Class and S-Class models which have been helping Mercedes-Benz propel its way to the top!

Source: NitroBahn

Mercedes-Benz is the official vehicle of the US open and we here at Ray Catena Motor Car are pleased to announce the Mercedes-Benz Tweet Rally to the US Open promotional event!

Sometime between August 22 and September 5, 2011, an all-new 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class will visit our NJ Mercedes-Benz dealership with an incredible prize to give away: a pair of premium loge-level tickets – including hospitality – to one of two dates at this year’s US Open. Once the specially wrapped M-Class arrives on our lot, Mercedes-Benz USA will Tweet about it to anyone following the @MBUSA Twitter handle. The first fans to arrive and find the M-Class will get the tickets. It’s as simple as that. Tickets will be in short supply and once they’re gone, that’s it, so be prepared to act fast! Make sure you follow @MBUSA on Twitter for your chance to grab these incredible tickets!

Also be sure to follow us on Twitter and become a fan of Ray Catena Motor Car on Facebook for the latest news and information surrounding the Tweet Rally to the 2011 US Open!

If you have any questions about the Mercedes-Benz Tweet Rally to the 2011 US Open or the 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class, give us a call at 732-549-6600 or click here to contact us!

That’s right! If you didn’t already realize it, the Popes (past and present) have been big Mercedes-Benz fans. Rumor has it that Pope Benedict XVI will be getting a new plug-in hybrid Mercedes-Benz M-Class. The popemobile has been based off of the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, as well as the G-Class in the past, and it looks like this time around, His Holiness is ready to go green! But will he? Read on for more details, courtesy of The New York Times.

Never mind the fact that Mercedes-Benz spokesman, Dan Barile declined to comment about the Pope’s recent special order; if history repeats itself, we’re sure the popemobile will be a Mercedes-Benz! But will it be an M-Class hybrid? Reports are saying that the vehicle’s powertrain will be similar to the Mercedes-Benz Vision S500 plug-in hybrid concept that was on display at the 2009 Frankfurt auto show. That means the new popemobile would be packin’ a 10-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, 60-horsepower electric motor and a V-6 gasoline engine to boot.

Ever since the 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II, Popes have had to travel in more secure vehicles. The current popemobile features a tall, bullet-proof glass cabin. The Pope enters at ground level and is then raised by hydraulic lift into the secure cabin.

We here at Ray Catena of Union sure hope the Pope’s next ride is, in fact, a Mercedes-Benz M-Class hybrid. If you’re interested in riding in style like the Pope (well, sort of), visit our NJ Mercedes-Benz dealership and test drive a Mercedes-Benz M-Class today!

For the full article, click here.

For 2012 the Mercedes-Benz M-Class looks a lot like the old ML, but with significant upgrades in efficiency and style. The exterior is sleeker and more sculpted, and the most noticeable difference inside the M-Class is rectangular air vents as opposed to the round vents in prior models. The new M-Class interior brings a big increase in both quality and design with wood or metal-like plastic set in front of the passenger, along with a meaty steering wheel.  As for the mechanical side of things we decided to let the Car and Driver article speak for itself:

“At launch, Mercedes will offer two familiar six-cylinders, while the company’s new twin-turbo 4.7-liter V-8 will follow later. (We’re also told to expect another AMG version soon, as well as a gas-electric and possibly a diesel-electric hybrid.) Both V-6 models will be badged ML350. The direct-injection 3.5-liter gas engine produces 302 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, increases of 34 and 15 over the outgoing port-injection gas V-6, and should see economy increase 2 mpg in both the EPA city and highway cycle for estimated ratings of 17/22; the 3.0-liter turbo-diesel in the BlueTec is now good for 240 hp and 455 lb-ft of torque, up 30 hp and 55 lb-ft, and will get an estimated 2-mpg city mpg bump for ratings of 20/25. A switch from pressed-in cylinder liners to a spray-on coating in the diesel reduces both weight and friction. Either engine comes coupled to a seven-speed automatic transmission and 4MATIC all-wheel drive. Mercedes claims curb weights for the new model will be comparable to those of the outgoing ML, despite added content.”

Can’t wait for the 2012 M-Class to arrive later this year? While you can order a new Mercedes to your specifications, Ray Catena Motor Car also offers a selection of M-Class models in stock. If a model with the specific features you require is not shown, please Contact Us.

For the full article click here.

Three Mercedes-Benz vehicles on the occasion of the 125th birthday of the automobile have crossed through 14 countries on four different continents on a World Drive. After 70 days of driving and more than 18,000 miles, the B-Class F-Cell’s have circled the globe and returned home to Stuttgart becoming the first round-the-world drive with fuel-cell vehicles.  The three hydrogen powered Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL vehicles with zero local emissions drive-lines crossed the finish line on June 1, 2011 in front of the Mercedes-Benz Museum.

Source: eMercedesBenz

The purpose of the World Drive was to establish a comprehensive network of hydrogen fueling stations – a crucial factor for the market success of this technology. So far, there are only approximately 200 fuel stations worldwide at which fuel cell vehicles can be refueled. A primary focus of Mercedes-Benz is to see to it that, in future, drivers all over the world will be able to refuel with hydrogen – just as they do today with gasoline and diesel fuel.

The exclusive partner for hydrogen supply on the F-CELL World Drive was the Linde Group. Thanks to its hydrogen knowledge and global presence, it was able to guarantee fuel supply throughout the entire trip. A jointly developed mobile refueling unit based on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter accompanied the tour – the only way to ensure fuel supply even on the most remote stretches.

After 70 days of driving, participants in the F-CELL World Drive collected an abundance of travel notes documenting the multi-faceted aspects of the tour and, at the same time, underscoring the everyday usability of the fuel cell technology on board the B-Class F-CELL. The record distance of 648 kilometers was split between two stretches of more than 300 kilometers each.

The F-CELL World Drive has a direct connection to the world’s very first long-distance drive – the pioneering endeavor of Bertha Benz, who, in 1888, completed the first cross-country drive with the Benz Patent-Motorwagen from Mannheim to Pforzheim. She faced in principle a similar challenge as her successors with the B-Class F-CELL – she, too, could not exactly roll into the next fuel station and top up.

Ray Catena Motor Cars sells Mercedes-Benz in Edison and Union, NJ.

For the full article click here.

Ray Catena Motor Car is proud to be the Northeast’s largest, authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership and we maintain the area’s largest inventory of new and used Mercedes-Benz cars and genuine Mercedes-Benz parts.  Our award winning service center is backed by a team of knowledgeable technicians who are dedicated to keeping your Mercedes-Benz looking great and in top running condition.  If you’ve never been to our NJ Mercedes dealership before, get a glimpse by checking out the photos below!

Ray Catena Motor Car Service Center | Mercedes-Benz

Our state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz service center is legendary in Central New Jersey. Set within our 90,000 square foot facility are 72 bays, and 40 Mercedes-Benz Master technicians. Our service consultants will work with you to ensure your Mercedes gets everything it needs, including OEM parts and a complete cleaning in our on-site car care facility. You can choose to wait in the comfort of our facility – with complete concession area, Wi-Fi access, shoe shine services, and even a pool table – or choose a loaner vehicle. It’s luxurious and efficient – and just the attention you and your Mercedes-Benz deserve. Check out some photos of our service center below!

On May 14, 2011 some of the most thrilling, high-performance vehicles in the world will descend on New York as part of the AMG PERFORMANCE DRIVE. Mercedes-Benz USA would like to invite our NJ Mercedes Ray Catena AMG and Mercedes-Benz customers/prospects to drive them–at no cost–on a simulated road course specifically designed to demonstrate their full capabilities.

The New York area AMG PERFORMANCE DRIVE will take place at the following location:

Monticello Motor Club
67 Cantrell Road
Monticello, NY 12701

This exclusive event will put you behind the wheel of the latest Mercedes-Benz and AMG models, such as the SL63 AMG, E63 AMG, and C63 AMG.  Guided by knowledgeable Product Specialists, you’ll learn about the sophisticated performance technology behind these vehicles.  You’ll get up close and personal with the SLS AMG, among other models on display. Additionally, you’ll enjoy free refreshments as you mingle with select Mercedes-Benz partners.

18 spaces (or 9 couples) are being reserved just for Ray Catena Motor Car on Saturday, May 14th!

To register access the link below and use the following VIP Code when registering: 63MCT7

http://dialog.mbusa.com/hm?g=1.iv996.d7p.rs.1&h=1

Guests will receive a confirmation email immediately after completing their registration.  In addition, guests will receive a reminder email 3 days prior to the event.

Please register by Friday May, 6th as these spaces will be released to wait-listed consumers!