On to Miami

Mercedes as one of the sponsors.

The 19-game winning run of Sharapova was cut short, Nadal’s bid for another Pacific Life Open title was demolished and Federer’s losing streak for 2008 was extended by Mardy Fish. These are just some of the sub-plots that have been underscored at the recently concluded Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells. These are may favorites and they lost. I’m over it and now looking forward to Miami for the Sony Ericsson Open.

After skipping the Pacific Life Open, Justine Henin is set to compete again as the number 1 seed and she will have a first-round bye. Serena and Venus Williams entered the competition, together with Davenport, Jelena Jankovic and Amelie Mauresmo. My fave Sharapova did not enter and cited an injured shoulder (again?). Serena is the defending champion here.

The men’s side on the other hand will feature Federer, Roddick, Davydenko, Nadal, Blake and the Pacific Life Open Champion, Novak Djokovic. Federer will need to reassure his fans now that everything is still in order.

The said event will be played March 26-April 6 at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park in Miami. Though Sony Ericsson is the leading sponsor of the said event, a number of well-known brands act as sponsors as well. Mercedes-Benz is one of the well-known sponsors of the event. Perhaps this is Mercedes’ last year of sponsorship for the Sony Ericsson Open since I read last time that the brand is intent on diversifying its sponsorship to exclude tennis and to include other sports such as golf. If I remember it correctly Mercedes-Benz will only finish the 2008 season before wrapping things up with tennis.

Since Sharapova will not be competing, I’d rather stick with Justine Henin to win the title and on the men’s side, as much as I like Rafa, his chances is slim. Federer will finally win his title, and I will be happy to see Rafa in the semis.

McLaren+Mercedes Benz= A Legend.

Donald Trump owns one. I’m dreaming of one. That’s how rare and special this Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is. Okay, my intro is lame.Haha. Now back to this amazing car coming from Mercedes-Benz.

This collaboration coming from a known and respected car manufacturer and an equally-reknowned racing participant has produced a top super car. From the engine, to the looks and to the overall construction and materials used- this super car is a league in itself.

The SLR Mclaren is classified as as sports car and this model is compared to the Porsche Carrera GT and the Enzo Ferrari. But thanks to the ride’s automatic gearbox, the front mid-engined arrangement and its driving characteristics, this car is often classified as a Super GT just like the Aston Martin V12 vanquish and the Ferrari 599 GTB. To further underscore the superioriority of the car, this Super GT is considered as the fastest automatic transmission car in the world.

So what makes the SLR different from the other cars out there? The difference lies in its engine, the construction and its engineering. At the center of the performance of the SLR is a 232 kilogram hand built, 5.4 liter supercharged all-aluminum SOHC V8 engine. With regards to the performance of the SLR, actual figures may vary, but is performance is rock-solid. This model can zoom from 0 to 100 km/h in about 3.1 seconds, from 0 to 200 km/h in 9.5 seconds and can race to 300 km/h in roughly 24.4 seconds. The car’s top speed of 360 km/h is nothing to sneeze at. Such power is well complimented by the presence of ultra-stylish and sporty looks and design that could make the SLR a stand-out in any gathering.

For 2006 a new version was introduced in the market, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition. The magic number 722 actually refers to the victory by Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson in a Mercedes-Benz SLR 300 with a starting number of 722 at the Mille Miglia in 1955. This is a better version of the SLR and this can race to 100 km/h in just 2.8 seconds! A tuned version of the 722 is also available, the 722 GT.