- Local Montreal youth were invited to enjoy an inspirational talk from Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula 1 driver George Russell, along with two local Quebec “track stars”: Mercedes-AMG Performance Driver, Mikaël Grenier and former Canadian international track & field athlete, Stevens Dorcelus.
- The event was an extension of Mercedes-Benz Canada’s Driving Your Future corporate citizenship initiative, which aims to empower the next generation of Canadians through a national partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters.
- It was the first event hosted at Mercedes-Benz Silver Star’s newly renovated facility, which represents the Mercedes-Benz vision for the future of automotive retail. Mercedes-Benz Silver Star will soon be home to an AMG Brand Centre; the second such facility in Canada, and only the eleventh in the world.
MONTREAL, June 7, 2024 /CNW/ – The best drivers in the world have descended upon Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix and George Russell, Formula 1 driver with Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS, spoke to local youth at an event hosted by Mercedes-Benz Canada, where he encouraged kids to get in the driver’s seat and steer their lives toward their goals.
The event, Driving Your Future at Mercedes-Benz Silver Star, was hosted at Mercedes-Benz Silver Star’s newly renovated facility, located at 7800 Decarie Blvd. The 36,000 square foot facility represents the Mercedes-Benz vision for the future of automotive retail and will soon be home to an AMG Brand Centre, a space that is specifically designed to immerse visitors in the track-bred world of Mercedes-AMG – Mercedes-Benz’s high-performance specialty brand. When the AMG Brand Centre opens later this year, it will be the second in Canada and only the eleventh in the world.
While Driving Your Future at Mercedes-Benz Silver Star featured a sneak peek of the AMG Brand Centre, the event was powered by track-tested inspirational stories from an impressive lineup of speakers. It was an extension of Mercedes-Benz Canada’s Driving Your Future corporate citizenship initiative, which aims to empower the next generation of Canadians through the company’s national partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters.
“We are proud to partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters on Driving Your Future and to support initiatives to ignite the potential of Canada’s young people,” says Andreas Tetzloff, CEO, Mercedes-Benz Canada. “It’s an honour to present such an inspiring, star-studded lineup. By sharing their stories and experiences, we hope to empower young people to set positive goals and work toward achieving even brighter futures.”
In addition to Russell, the event also featured Quebec “track stars” Mikaël Grenier and Stevens Dorcelus.
Mikaël Grenier is a Mercedes-AMG Performance Driver from Quebec City, Quebec, who overcame a variety of obstacles to become a professional race-car driver. In 2023, he was signed as a Mercedes-AMG driver, one of only two North Americans on the roster.
“Achieving my dream of being signed by Mercedes-AMG as a professional driver didn’t come easy. As a driver from Quebec without many connections in the world of motorsport, there wasn’t really an obvious path for me to follow to get here,” says Grenier. “I forged my own because I am truly passionate about racing. I hope sharing my story will encourage kids to identify what drives them. Success takes persistence, and that persistence comes more naturally when you care deeply about something.”
Stevens Dorcelus is a former track and field athlete who competed internationally for Canada. He retired from sport in 2021 after the global pandemic put a damper on his Olympic dreams, making an unexpected choice to appear on reality television. He went on to win Occupation Double and build a successful career as a content creator and influencer.
“I truly believe in the power of consistency. No matter what you want to achieve, it’s the small positive choices you make each day that will add up to big results. The earlier you embrace that, the better off you will be,” says Dorcelus. “Young people can make important choices today: how they take care of themselves, the habits they create, who they surround themselves with. These daily choices may not seem significant, but they can lead to very positive outcomes in the long-term.”
There is more information on Driving Your Future at mercedes-benz.ca/en/corporate-citizenship.
The newly renovated facility at Mercedes-Benz Silver Star represents the Mercedes-Benz vision for the future of automotive retail, where everything on the showroom floor is there to enhance the customer’s interactions with the vehicles and the brand. The retail concept combines personal connections and traditional services with digital touchpoints, creating an immersive brand experience and facilitating a smooth and efficient experience across all departments, from sales to financing and service.
When it opens later this year, the AMG Brand Centre at Mercedes-Benz Silver Star will be a 20,000 square foot dedicated showcase for Mercedes-Benz’s high-performance specialty brand, Mercedes-AMG. The Mercedes-AMG team in Affalterbach, Germany, developed the AMG Brand Centre’s exterior and interior design elements to reflect the bold, raw, and dynamic AMG ethos. Built with distinctive AMG architecture and a radiating LED façade, it will feature a private lounge, a delivery area exclusively for AMG vehicles, and specially trained AMG experts who are responsible for guiding customers through the experience.
Driving Your Future at Mercedes-Benz Silver Star offered a sneak preview of the AMG Brand Centre, along with a few examples of the impressive performance vehicles that will be displayed in that space, including the powerful and dynamic, Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Coupe and the iconic Mercedes-AMG SL 63 Roadster.
“At this cutting-edge new facility, customers at Mercedes-Benz Silver Star will experience the brand on a new level with every visit to the dealership,” says Tetzloff. “One in five Mercedes-Benz vehicles retailed in Canada is an AMG. There is a passion for our performance vehicles and the AMG Brand Centre at Mercedes-Benz Silver Star will be a space for enthusiasts to be immersed in the track-bred world of Mercedes-AMG. Thank you to the team at Mercedes-Benz Silver Star for investing in the customer experience with these exciting facility upgrades.”
“We have invested in significant upgrades to our facility, and we were thrilled to welcome young people to take part in such a unique and inspiring event, while showing off the new Mercedes-Benz showroom,” says Norman John Hébert, CEO of Groupe Park Avenue, which operates Mercedes-Benz Silver Star. “Our primary showroom is a beautiful space that immerses visitors in modern luxury, providing an experience to match the iconic vehicles we sell. When the AMG Brand Centre opens later this year, it will be a distinct space that engages visitors with – and demonstrates the power of – AMG performance luxury.”
Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. is responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service of Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Maybach, and G-Class, including combustion, plug-in hybrid, and all-electric models, as well as Mercedes-Benz Vans. Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Mercedes-Benz Canada employs approximately 250 people across Canada. Through a nationwide network of 58 authorized dealerships, Mercedes-Benz Canada sold 35,949 vehicles in 2023.
SOURCE Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc.
Featured image: Megapixl © Kurhan
