You mention the word "chedeng," and there’s proof positive that we Filipinos have even coined a word that is intimately connected to the Mercedes-Benz brand. Even if "chedeng" has evolved to generically mean a luxury car in much the same way that Colgate equates to toothpaste, the origin of the word "chedeng" points specifically to Mercedes. An accepted nickname for a woman named Mercedes here in the Philippines would be Chedeng, and sure enough, it is believed that from as far back as the late 1950s, car owners would lovingly refer to their three-pointed star vehicles as "chedengs."
When Felix Ang of CATS pitched to be the exclusive distributor of Mercedes-Benz in the Philippines, he knew that unlike that other German car manufacturer that made the commitment and set up its own office here, he would be doing so with no direct financial assistance or support from Stuttgart. While Daimler-Chrysler does set up its own offices in other major Asian cities, it obviously still felt the numbers did not justify anything beyond appointing a distributor here in the Philippines. The only other major Asian country with a distributor set-up would be Brunei, and it’s the Prince himself who owns the rights. Undaunted, and even if part of the deal forged means having to set up a distributorship for Chrysler here in the Philippines (set to unveil late April), Felix brought together a crack team of marketing and sales people, and organized a modern, streamlined service center which would meet the standards set by Stuttgart. Located on EDSA, this gleaming testament to the technological wonder that is Mercedes-Benz, has become a beacon for Mercedes car owners all over the country.
While a number of owners probably "swing" their cars through the "grey market," the advent of Felix’s venture significantly brings back to Manila (and the Philippines) a truly authorized distributor, ready to offer warranties and state-of-the-art servicing. And in these days of on-board computerized technology, this can’t be coming too soon. While the significant number of MB’s in this country has convinced some car repair centers to invest in the equipment necessary for properly servicing "chedengs," it’s still a boon to have someone that’s directly supervised by Stuttgart,
Along for the ride in Singapore was car-junkie Cito Beltran; and I had the chance to sit in while he interviewed the event’s special guest, Jutta Benz, the last living direct descendant of the man who started it all, Karl Benz. Unmarried and an only child, Jutta explained how after her, no other person will be carrying the Benz surname as a direct descendant of Karl Benz. When asked what was the first motor vehicle she ever owned, Jutta laughingly and with some embarrassment recalled that it was a Volkswagen! Having to buy the car with her own money, it was not a given that she would find herself behind the wheel of a car that would be her namesake.
As part of the day’s activities, Jutta gamely mounted a replica of the first patent motor car that Karl Benz invented back in 1886. Fueled by kerosene (well? what did you expect, a Shell or Petron station back in 1886?), it packed a good speed even if it looked like the unsafest, unstable thing on wheels. While Jutta professed it was a breeze to maneuver, I distinctly recall the veins that were etched on her throat as she drove over the bridge behind the Fullerton.
You may have seen by now the TV commercial that was, in its Asian edition, shown for the first time during the event. A timely reminder of the emotional resonance ownership of a car can create – especially if a Mercedes-Benz – the commercial hinged on the message that a car owner is faithful to a car, if the car is faithful to its owner. And in this regard, there was a wealth of stories from all over the world which exemplified how comfort, reliability, safety and sheer visual appreciation are time and again linked up between a Mercedes-Benz car and its owner.
For the Asian edition, a segment featured the Khoo family from Singapore. Along with his son, Mr. Khoo represents 19 Mercedes-Benz cars over 50 years. Naturally, Mr. Khoo and his family were present for the event. And from Manila, Frank Koh, relating his hundreds of scale model MB’s, was a guest speaker during the launch. Manny Dimaculangan had his 1956 190SL specially shipped in for the event, and it proudly stood beside other vintage MB’s from all over Asia.
Truly then, when automotive excellence and tradition is the subject, one can’t help but have three-pointed stars floating in front of one’s eyes.