Last night, Mercedes-Benz Manhattan hosted an event for their top clients in the luxurious Robert A.M. Stern-designed 20 East End Avenue’s motor court. Patricia von Karkoch, Master Certified Sales Specialist at Mercedes-Benz Manhattan, said, “We feel luxury goes hand-in-hand with luxury, which is why it made perfect sense to host this event here.”
Edward Baquero, President of Corigin Real Estate, the developer of the property, commented, "there are very few brands that are consistent with our values and what we have tried to accomplish here at 20 East End. Mercedes-Benz has a long legacy of incredible details and fine craftsmanship and we felt it was a great partner to tie in to our motor court launch."
20 East End’s motor court is planned to perfection. The paparazzi-proof custom gate leads cars into the circular drive. The hand-laid stones in a Tuscan-inspired scalloped design were placed to audibly replicate the sound of tires driving on a European driveway. In ground fixtures and chandeliers, which match the gate, light the way to a manned lobby entrance.
The crowning glory is the custom-made three-tiered Italian fountain, which stands at the end of the motor court. The fountain spent months with aeronautical sound engineers being tested to make sure the water flowed at the perfect zen pitch. It does.
On display were four AMG models, the top performance vehicles from Mercedes-Benz. They all oozed elegance. As described on the Mercedes site, “Fitted with numerous AMG enhancements, every vehicle screams "Drive me," because in the AMG family, performance is king. From coupes and sedans to SUVs and roadsters, the power and handling of the 43 lineup beckon to the world's most passionate drivers. All that's left to do is grip the wheel and press the accelerator.”
The 2018 AMG G wagon was a popular attraction. Starting at $142,800, the G wagon was originally designed for the military in 1945 and it is now designed in Austria with pure luxury and performance in mind. Weighing over 6000 pounds with a 7,700-pound towing capacity, the G wagon has three drive options, rear wheel, front wheel and all wheel. The double exhaust on the sides hints at the top tier of vehicle.
This G wagon was suited in a beautiful cranberry red quilted leather with black trim.
The AMG GLE 63S is the perfect family car with a lot of space and three climate zones but don’t be fooled von Karkoch says, “it may look like the soccer mom car but it’s ferocious. You can get whiplash by tapping the accelerator.” It’s described as having, “the usual luxury appointments, but with a hot-rod flavor.” The starting price is $109,700.
The AMG S63 Cabriolet with a V8 engine with 603 horsepower is Mercedes’ flagship model. It comes with the finest Napa leather, a chair massage feature and, if the weather is a tad cold with the top down, neck warmers to take the chill off. It retails for $175,500.
There was also the AMG C63 Cabriolet with 469 horsepower and starting at $73,500.
After touring the cars, guests were led up to the top floor Penthouse A, the true pinnacle of the building. With sweeping 360 degree views of Manhattan and the East River, this 5-bedroom, 5.5-bathroom residence has an art gallery, library and family room, formal dining room, living room, and exclusive rooftop terrace in addition to access to all of the building’s incredible amenities. Spanning approximately 6,050 interior square feet, and 4,542 exterior square feet, this palatial residence features up to 12-foot ceiling heights, three wood burning fireplaces, an outdoor wood burning fireplace and so much more.
It was a night of beauty and elegance. Guests mingled, enjoyed a harp performance and sipped champagne while soaking in the view and contemplating which AMG they would prefer to drive home into the motor court at the end of each day.
