Interesting to see the new Benz 'theme park' that has gone up in Surrey, next to the Brooklands museum. It opens to the public in October and is all about taking the Mercedes-Benz brand to a bigger audience, as well as creating an 'attraction' for customers and potential customers. I was talking to my colleague Graeme Roberts about this subject earlier and we both recalled the entertainment centres pioneered by the Japanese in Tokyo in the early-1990s.

How successful will this Brooklands venture - Mercedes-Benz World - be? Well, it was probably a smart move to site it next to the Brooklands museum and redevelop a part of the Brooklands site, for starters. The association is a good one and has some historical foundation (see this short film).

Will arch-rival BMW want something similar in Britain? BMW dealers will no doubt be noting the support that Mercedes is offering its UK dealer network with this venture.