Mercedes-Benz Thailand Magazine 2/2013 (Eng)

Issue 02·2013

Mercedes-Benz

mercedes-benz.com

is s n

1617–6677

02·2013

Chengdu: China’s fast-paced metropolis Bionics: technology inspired by nature

Intelligent Luxury The S-Class reinvents the automotive future

astute STr Ategist Adam Scott creates a stir among the golfing elite

the ideal line Three laps with Lewis Hamilton and the A 45 AMG

photos cover : Anatol Kot te, Steve Read, Thorsten Rother ; this page: Anatol Kot te her_ dress: HermèS, br acelet: Pomell ato, Pumps: Jimmy Choo him_SUIT, SHIRT, SHOES: PRada chair Chair One courtesy of Ambientedirect.com

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Peak performance D U RI N G PRO D U CTIO N O F

the cover photo, our two models and robot doll Lucy were granted a rare privilege: they were permitted a future glimpse of the best car in the world. This issue of Mercedes-Benz magazine turns the spotlight on the new S-Class. We talk to the people who developed it (p.16), recall its rich heritage (p.26) and explain some of its technical features (p.48). Bottom line: the S-Class has never been better.

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phOTOS Anatol Kotte, Thorsten Rother, vanessa Maas/PhotoselEction, Mauritius Images, Jasper James, Wolfgang Wilhelm

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Check-in Mobility and innovation: the smart takes on wings, game designer Paul Rustchynsky gets realistic

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An interview with golfing pro Adam Scott, who talks about some heart-stopping moments

We caught up with Nico Rosberg ahead of the Melbourne Grand Prix

Nicolaus and Sophia test the B-Class in Madrid

Golf as box-office thriller

The longest hour

He says, she says

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Emotion

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Engineers and architects take a leaf out of nature’s book

Design, art, fashion: great art in Brescia, an unconventional bar in London, overnighting in Helsinki

Energy flow: hot tips on how to recharge your body’s batteries

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Don’t walk: double-spread infographic on international stoplight symbols

The Laureus Foundation sponsors sports projects worldwide to help disadvantaged young people

The perfect shape

Icons

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In full bloom Blogs and social networks: the best from and about Mercedes-Benz

Light work

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Mission: perfection

Young winners

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Interview in the fast lane

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Teatime in boom city

003 Intro

Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton puts the A 45 AMG through its paces on the Silverstone track

Dropping by on the world’s fastestgrowing city: Chengdu in China

074 f yi Technical specifications

A legend

048

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07 5 p u b licati o n d etails

What do Adenauer, Elvis and the Pope have in common? Answer: the S-Class and its illustrious heritage

The new S-Class bristles with innovations – e.g. in its seats

The lives of others: do we really need a home of our own these days?

0 8 0 M o me n ts

The S-Class is the world’s best automobile – and the new generation resoundingly lives up to that epithet 0 26

Take a seat

P.S.

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f a s h i o n

s p e c i a l

Flight of fancy

the wings

of the show car (with J. Scott, below) have been “clipped” for the production version.

For further technical specifications and fuel consumption figures go to page 74.

THERE ARE NO LI M ITS to what star designer Jeremy Scott is willing to try out in the name of style. Wings are a trademark of his often rather eccentric fashion creations, for which he is worshiped by pop stars like Lady Gaga and Rihanna – and respected by fellow-designers like Karl Lagerfeld. Now this fashion rebel has turned his hand to the smart: eye-catching rear wings mark out this special version, which Scott initially created as the “smart forjeremy” show car but is now destined for production in a limited edition.

Available in both petrol and electric versions, the smart fortwo edition by Jeremy Scott comes in polar white with a pair of wings above the rear lights, while leather lends the interior a touch of haute couture. Virtually tailor-made. s m a r t . c o m

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Driving force Paul Rustchynsky is a racing games specialist. As the design director at Evolution Studios, his mission is to make the Play­ station4 game Driveclub (out late 2013) as realistic as possible.

D e s i g n

Hot on the scent

PER F U M IER Gérald Ghislain was looking for a way to combine his two passions – traveling and scents – which was what prompted him to create his “The Scent of Departure”series: 20 perfumes for 20 cities from New York to Budapest. The idea is that the aromas capture the atmosphere of each city – and help combat homesickness, too. The scent of tiare blossom and coconut transports you to Bali, whereas bergamot and amber whisk you off to Abu Dhabi.

How authentic a feel does driving have in your game?

Driveclub isn’t a simulator – but we’re definitely edging closer and closer to reality.

photos Daimler AG (3 ) illustr ation Lyndon Hayes/Dutchuncle

How do you achieve that? And how do you incorporate the CLA 45 AMG into the game in a realistic way?

With a lot of hard work! We start by reproducing the vehicle ­using original CAD data. Then we take thousands of photos to record every detail of the exterior and interior. And we incorporate all the technical data we can to capture the essence of the car.

Several AMGs feature in Driveclub, so we also visited their HQ in Affalterbach to experience the feel of actually driving an AMG. What role does the sound of a car play in your work?

An important one, because it reinforces the feeling of sitting in a car. Our audio team visited the race track and used dozens of internal and external mikes to record all the sounds, which they then reproduced in 3-D. What is still needed to create a perfect simulation?

Television sets don’t normally allow any peripheral sight, which increases the sensation of speed and makes it easier to think ahead while driving. We’re working on solving this.

t h e s c e n t o f d e pa r t u r e . c o m

A u t o m o t i v e d i c t i o n a r y

Mo|tion cap|ture, noun; a tracking process that turns human movement into computer data.

Daimler uses special suits fitted with sensors, which record a test person’s every movement in real time. Exact analysis of the data can be used, for example, to optimize the design of a future vehicle’s interior.

i n n o v a t i o n

Get the doodle bug t h e 3 D o o d l e r is a pen that frees you from the

surface of the paper and enables you to continue sketching in any direction you want – a sort of handoperated 3-D printer. Instead of ink, it uses plastic.

This is first heated and then, with the help of an integrated fan, rapidly cools and hardens. You can use it to make three-dimensional sketches, or to ­create jewelry and accessories by hand. The clever little hand-printer from Wobble Works is expected to be available by autumn. th e 3 doodler . com 7

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N O W

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A U D I 0 . . .

MIDDLE-CLASS BOY

The Other

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Neil gets to know John, the son of rich parents, at school and the two become friends. But whereas Neil opts for an average existence with a job, a wife and two kids, John breaks off all contact and withdraws into Nature. David Guterson (Snow Falling on Cedars) recounts the tale of an unusual friendship that ends in mysterious circumstances.

p e o p le work in the so-called “Square Mile”,

the center of London’s financial services industry and one of the biggest concentrations of finance companies in the world. Things don’t come cheap here. But at least Europe’s biggest gigabit WLAN network ensures that anyone can gain free access to the Internet. The network is open for unlimited use and covers 95 percent of the City of London.

Other cities have similar plans: in Berlin, for example, a network of 100 hotspots is currently being set up in the Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg districts.

But in this case free surfing will only be permitted for a maximum of 30 minutes.

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d i s tan c e 24 kilometers (15 miles) d u r at i o n 32 minutes H I G H E ST PO I N T 1,219 meters (4,000 ft) J E B E L H A F E E T M O U N T A I N straddles the border between the United Arab Emirates and Oman. The road winds its way around 21 bends as it climbs the barren ridge. At the top there is a spectacular view – particularly at sunset – across the empty desert. Along the way you pass a hotel, a radar station and a number of small palaces.

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HOW DO YOU DO IT? Take a daring leap from a cliff more than ten meters (33 ft) above the sea. You will attain a velocity of 50 km/h (over 30 mph); if you jump from 28 meters (90 ft), you reach more than 90 km/h (56 mph).

O N C E

I N

A

L I F E T I M E . . .

WHAT DOES IT TAKE? Train beforehand by jumping from the five- and tenmeter (16 and 32 ft) diving boards; then start with low, safe cliffs. And no – Acapulco is not an option.

WHERE CAN YOU LEARN TO DO IT? At a swimming club that ­offers dive training. You can find a list of clubs in your country on the Web.

“AN AUTOMOBILE represents your own personality and is an exact reflection of your taste. It is an object of desire, just like toy cars when you are a child.”

… Jumping off a cliff Propeller

Helium balloon and a propeller provide lift.

cable

The cable structure distributes the skyscraper’s weight evenly.

PLATFORMS

Adjustable slabs regulate the overall balance.

usher, musician

photos Get t yimages (1) , Daimler AG (1) , Corbis (1) , Evolo (1)

Usher on the hood of the A 45 AMG

green areas

Plants cleanse the air.

Hanging gardens t h e L i g h t Park is a

concept for architecture magazine eVolo, which holds an annual competition to design a skyscraper. The hovering tower is intended to reduce the strain on the infrastructure of the city of Beijing. The fan-like platforms could carry parks, restaurants and greenhouses, while solar panels on the helium balloon provide the structure with energy. evolo . us 9

Original and fake t h e C o n c e p t G L A shows what a compact premium SUV from Mercedes-Benz might look like. The coupe-like concept car includes groundbreaking technologies such as laser projectors in the headlights that can project pictures or films onto screens and other surfaces. Which of these two examples in matte Alubeam Silver is the original?

four mistakes can be found in the right-hand photo when viewed the right way up. The brand emblem is missing, as are the nearside mirror, the rear door handle and one of the daytime headlights.

all-embracing The Up wristband from Jawbone tracks how much ground you cover, checks how much energy you consume – and monitors your sleep. A special app analyses your profile and shows how you can improve it. . a p p Y

v a c a t i o n

Downloads for travelers

Freshly printed

H o t e l T o n i g h t enables you to book a

hotel room for the coming night at last-minute prices – with guaranteed discounts of up to 70 percent. Ideal for spontaneous trips in Europe and America. Other countries are set to follow.

Escape the hall: maneuver an A-Class around an obstacle course 10

Peak Scanner identifies mountains and tells you their name, height and distance

Paris for Parents offers travel tips and tells you about things to do with kids in Paris

h o w d o y o u c o m b i n e modernity with

tradition? In the Dutch village of Schijndel, the roof and façade of a high-tech glass palace have been covered with a picture of a traditional farmhouse.

Inside, there are restaurants, shops and a wellness center. mvrdv.nl

photos Daimler Ag, Fotolia ; Apps: apple App Store for iphone,ipod touch and ipad

jawbone com

Electric cruiser q uestion : What links Miami and Affalterbach? The answer is the Concept Cigarette AMG Electric Drive that AMG and boat-builders Cigarette Racing presented at the International Boat Show in Florida.

Performance data: output 1,656 kW, top speed 160 km/h (100 mph).

A triumph of technology transfer from road to water.

Not to be missed j u ly 4 –7, 2013

S i lv r e t ta R a l ly e The race for classic sports cars.

Mercedes-Benz will be the main sponsor in 2013, and that calls for something new: electric cars will be taking part for the first time ever. j u ly 11–14 , 2013

G o o dwo o d F e s t i va l A heady mixture of festival and motorsports ritual that takes place on the estate of the Earl of March in southern England.

A u g u s t 9 –11, 2013

N i t r o ly m p x

A U C T I O N H O U S E B O N H A M S normally sells Ming vases and old masters – objects that have an

immaterial as well as a material value. So one of the world’s most important historic racing cars fits well into their catalog: when Juan Manuel Fangio won two grands prix in this 1954 W 196, it marked Mercedes-Benz’ triumphant return to racing. On July 12, the bidding for this model opens at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. bon h a ms . com

S e p t e m b e r 12–22 , 2013

IAA

The Frankfurt International Auto Show – the world’s biggest – is always worth a visit.

POWERPACK They look like V-12 engines, but are in fact handcrafted espresso machines from Espresso Veloce. Instead of a turbocharger, they have a Grappa reservoir for making caffè corretto. espr essov eloce . com

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PERFUME, 3-D PRINTING OR cliff jumping? We have put together further information on the Check-in topics for you on the Web. Simply use your smartphone app to scan in the QR-Code.

phOTOS Mauritius Images (1), cigaretteracing.com (1), Espressoveloce.com (1)

Going, going – mine!

A quarter mile and 15,000 hp packed into two vehicles are the ingredients for dragster races. The NitrOlympx at the Hockenheimring is one of the biggest events of its type in Europe.

Mercedes-Benz network: six digital summer destinations in the internet jungle

CL ASSIC CARS Fans of traditional and modern classics can browse through the latest edition of the magazine on the website, read a selection of articles, and either check out the classified ads or post their own. m ercedes - benz - cl assic . com

GOLF Some 40,000 golf fans follow this Facebook page to keep up to date with the major tournaments and the achievements of Mercedes-Benz ambassadors such as Adam Scott and Bernhard Langer. facebook.com /mercedesbenzgolf

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Alle Bilder richtig einbauen

illustration Mathis Rekowski photos Daimler Ag

In full bloom

d i g i t a l

BIG CIT Y LIFE The online magazine from smart revolves around urban life.

It is packed with interviews and image galleries showcasing the people, ideas and places that are changing life in our urban metropolises for the better. betterymagazine .com

annel Yo u t u b e c h s, ver assistance system The role played by dri er oth d an gy olo hn tec g the latest LED lightin overall concept of ed safety firsts within the gent Drive” is explain elli Int nz Be “Mercedesimler’s Da on me na e sam by the video of the clips sides this, over 200 YouTube channel. Be cts du pro ns, tio ova r’s inn about the automake also be found can ies ivit act rts and motorspo m / da im ler here. yo ut ub e . co

NEWS BLOG From the A-Class to Formula 1 to the latest technological developments, the “benzinsider” independent English news blog for Mercedes-Benz fans covers a broad spectrum of topics. The blog is generally updated with new articles or videos at least once a day. benzinsider . com

Bitte Typo raus retuschieren Use a QR app to access all the digital offerings from your smartphone, too.

S - CLA S S W EB S P EC I AL The desktop, tablet and smartphone versions of the web special present the highlights of the new S-Class, from its design and comfort functions to safety and communications technology. All key information can also be downloaded as a “Management Summary”. mercedes - benz . com /s - class

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w o r d s M I C H A e l M o o r s t e dt

p h o t o s a n at o l ko t t e

leather coat: Belstaff

THE WORLD’S BEST automobile: this title has stuck to the flagship model since its

d r i v e

inception. And the new generation lives up to that billing more impressively than ever.

Mission: perfection

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Vision of the automotive future

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left page SUIT: ETRO, SHIRT AND SHOES: Boss this page THREE- PIECE SUIT: BOSS, SHIRT: BOSS

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squeaky clean The optional Air-Balance package ionizes the air and filters out dust particles and germs.

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After all, the nose is directly linked to the limbic system. “That’s the oldest area of the brain, the part responsible for the emotions,” explains Sabine Engelhardt. She should know.

She developed the Active Perfuming System for the new S-Class and came up with olfactory translations for concepts such as familiarity and comfort, progress and luxury. Working in tandem with a renowned perfumer, Sabine Engelhardt’s team created four different fragrances – ranging from a Sports mood, which has the freshness of bright green foliage, to Nightlife, with luxurious wood and ambergris notes. Of course, the fragrances have to be just right in intensity, not overpowering, but instead “like taking a sniff from a perfume bot> tle,” she stresses.

JACKET, VEST: L AGERFELD ; TIE, SHIRT: HACKET T; GL ASSES: PRIVATE

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hat exactly is the “smell of success”? Is it that heady aroma of fireworks and champagne, the rich scent of rose petals as they flutter to the ground around the feet of the champion? If you’re talking about a one-off triumph, perhaps; celebrating a promotion in the workplace or winning an award, for example. But what if success has become the norm, if setting the benchmark is no longer exceptional but routine, and the one to beat is always yourself? These are circumstances that call for a certain understatement.

So how do you go about molding an idea that is already tough to define into microscopically small scent molecules that give the uninitiated nose only a vague sensation of what it feels like?

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c l a s s i c a l ly m o d e r n The two-spoke steering wheel is a hangover from the S-Class legacy.

Intelligent controls A wide range of assistance systems support the driver.

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COAT, SHIRT, PANTS: JIL SANDER, GLASSES: BOTTEGA VENETA, LOAFERS: GUCCI

A monument to what is technologically feasible

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Sabine Engelhardt speaks eloquently and at length about vertical-axis flows and optimum air distribution in enclosed spaces; to talk to her is to recognize the enthusiasm the new S-Class triggers in those who helped create this car, even those focusing – like Engelhardt – on what you might class as small details. Development has involved dozens of experts, people willing to look beyond their specialist areas and embrace a role as part of something bigger.

The S-Class has always been more than just a car. It is a monument to what is technically feasible and a vision of our automotive future.

The meticulous work of people like Sabine Engelhardt has had its intended effect: journalists at the influential U.S. technology magazine WIRED enthusiastically proposed taking up immediate residence in the new Mercedes flagship. Seriously. The verb they used was not “drive”, “cruise” or “floor the gas pedal”, but “move in” – pack your belongings, ditch the apartment and, if necessary, recruit a few roommates. After all, the car comfortably accommodates four.

100 motors – in the interior

t h e L O N G V e r s i on For the first time, the focus of development was on the long-wheelbase sedan.

But even leaving size out of the equation, it is no surprise that the new S-Class has grabbed the attention of the U.S. technology and IT fraternity. More than 30 million lines of programming code are at work in a car like this – though the driver would never know it. That’s just a little less code than is used in a modern passenger aircraft. The perfect symbiosis of software and hardware.

The list of technological innovations developed by Mercedes-Benz for this S-Class is as long as it is impressive. There are over 100 actuators and electric motors in the interior of the new S-Class alone – although naturally the main act remains the assembly under the hood. But the string of new developments and technological world premieres is endless.

They include intelligent driver assistance technology such as Distronic Plus with Steering Assist or BAS Plus with Cross-Traffic Assist, systems which recognize pedestrians and potential hazards at road junctions or help the driver maintain the correct lane position and distance to the car in front.

Then there is the multimedia system, which gives each of the four vehicle occupants dedicated access to the entertainment package.

Or a suspension system which enlists the > aid of a stereo camera mounted behind 23

p e r f e c t ly p i t c h e d The Burmester surround sound system with front bass provides a 3-D sound experience.

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top DRESS, BAG: Prada BOTTOM, HER _ JACKET, BELT, PANTS: Burberry London; DIAMOND BRACELET: Pomellato HIM_ JACKET, PANTS, SHIRT: Emporio Armani; GLASSES: Bottega veneta

M ORE TH A N J U S T A C A R Fragrances and hot-stone-effect massage turn the S-Class into a mobile wellness center.

HER_ Burberry Prorsum, EARRINGS: Pomellato HIM_ JACKET: Boss, SHIRT: Brioni st yling Lynn SchmiDt/Schierke HAIR AND make- up Fee Romero/Kult Artists Models Robertas Aukstuolis /Select, Jay Shin/MD Management

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the windshield to scan the surface of the road ahead so it can iron out any flaws or unevenness in a fraction of a second.

Mercedes-Benz calls this development Magic Body Control. That immediately brings to mind a quotation from science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic,” he opined. Except that Clarke could never have dreamed that the spirit of human engineering would get us to this point as early as 2013 – and certainly not manifested in such a prosaic object as a car.

Indistinguishable from magic Despite everything, throughout its long history the S-Class has never been just a simple – if high-tech – means of getting about. Indeed, it has morphed into a moving office, prestigious lounge and mobile wellness center in one. Martin Bremer and his team were responsible for ensuring that the latest reincarnation of the flagship model from Mercedes-Benz continues to meet these requirements. As Head of the Color & Trim department, the 50-year-old’s job is to equip the entire interior. As Bremer puts it: “We’re responsible for everything you can see and touch inside.”

This is a man who knows the S-Class like the back of his hand, having worked on both predecessor series and undertaken a lengthy journey with the new model: “From coming up with the initial idea it takes 60 months to produce the first customer-ready vehicle,” he says. Bremer and his team were there at the start. “Visual serenity” was the goal with the new car, he explains. “Our view is that you shouldn’t be aware of the complexity of the various mechanical systems and technology.”

So while they worked, the designers focused on creating an interior that would not alienate the occupant – despite the built-in technology, the large-format screens, the many buttons and switches – and instead would communicate craftsmanship and bear the hallmarks of handmade exclusivity.

But that in turn meant using only materials suitable for processing and crafting by hand.

Bremer and his team took two years just to select the leathers and fine woods for the interior. Only then did they start looking for the best suppliers and processing methods in order to be certain that these natural materials would maintain their original form and color even after years of use.

That is not something you learn by spending a couple of days at Milan Fashion Week, notes Bremer, adding – with barely concealed pride – that his lead designer also possesses a background in haute couture. “The most

F ir s t c l a s s Unprecedented luxury awaits rearseat passengers.

i S 350 BlueTec Engine / Output 3.0-liter six-cylinder, 190 kW at 3,600 rpm; max. torque 620 Nm (457 lb-ft) at 1,600 – 2,400 rpm

Transmission 7G-Tronic Plus seven-speed automatic

Safety The beltbag protects rear-seat passengers in a crash. An airbag ­inside the seatbelt strap inflates it to almost three times its normal size.

This additional inflated surface mitigates the impact of an accident.

Mood Ambient lighting – in the form of a wrap-around band of light – uses seven different colors to enhance the feeling of onboard comfort.

important aspect,” explains Martin Bremer, “is that there is harmony between the various elements.” But isn’t there one feature of which he is particularly proud? Yes, he suggests. The seats. Or to be more precise, the way in which the seams of the optional perforated leather upholstery have been stitched.

Bremer calls it “stagecraft”, explaining how it evokes associations with designer footwear and luxury handbags.

And while you’re still musing over the significance of such fine details, the realization suddenly hits you: that is precisely what makes the new S-Class so unique. When you take a good long look around the outside, inspect the interior, try out the seats for the first time, at every turn you come face to face with new masterstrokes and superlatives. And yet none of them appear to stand out on their own to claim the limelight for themselves.

The S-Class is the sum of its parts. And so < much more besides.

Further technical specifications and fuel consumption figures can be found on page 74.

m b - q r . com /08 x

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W 10 8 / W 109 Thanks to its V-8 engine, the topof-the-range 300 SEL 6.3 combines luxury with sports car performance.

1972–1980

w 111 / w 112 Premiere: the 220, 220 S and 220 SE “Fintails” boast a safety body.

1965–1972

W 1 8 0 / W 12 8 The “Ponton” becomes the first Mercedes-Benz car with a self-supporting body.

1959–1968

1954–1959

Stately, sophisticated, superior W 11 6 The first “S-Class” series brings ABS to the road and diesel to the USA’s luxury class.

THE ANCESTORS OF THE S-CLASS have always been highly prized by statesmen and celebrities keen on creature comforts. Thanks largely to its ongoing technological advances, the top Mercedes-Benz model earned a reputation as the doyen of every class and the epitome of exclusivity.

A legend

w h ene v e r the paparazzi snap stars like Celine Dion, an S-Class is rarely far away.

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photos Spl ashnews, Daimler Ag (9) , celebriycarsblog.com words christoph henn

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L.a. style Actor Gerard Butler also appreciates the comfort that comes with an S-Class.

lthough the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany had no driving license, he enjoyed riding in style. In 1951, Konrad Adenauer decided on the Mercedes 300 as his official car, but discreetly suggested his ministers should opt for something a little smaller in scale. The Chancellor himself, however, was reluctant to go anywhere without his luxury limo – and when he flew to Moscow at the height of the Cold War in 1955, his Mercedes was sent ahead in a freight car specially converted for the purpose by the German Federal Railway.

The largest and fastest German production vehicle of its day impressed not only the Chancellor and many other heads of state, it also established the basis for the traditional high regard in which Mercedes-Benz prestige vehicles were held. This explains why the sedan, known popularly as the “Adenauer”, is part of a special exhibition featuring the S-Class and its forerunners, which runs until November at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart. The model series was only officially given the S-Class designation in 1972, but its earliest direct ancestor, also introduced in 1951, was the 220 model (W 187). Then, in 1954, Mercedes introduced a new premium-class generation. With its self-supporting body, the 220a (W 180) offered hitherto unknown levels of interior comfort. And the successor series of subsequent decades boasted features which today read like a catalog of automotive firsts: safety body, ABS, driver and front pas-

w 220 With the top-of-the-range S 600, the S-Class reaches the 500 hp (368 kW) mark for the first time.

2005-2013

W 14 0 Noise insulation and extra space enhance comfort, the revolutionary ESP system improves safety.

1998–2005

W 12 6 World first in this generation for airbags, and a Mercedes premiere for plastic bumpers.

1991–1998

1979–1991

l egen d s

w 2 21 Night vision, distance control, braking: assistance systems are a real boon to drivers.

s tat e ly Konrad Adenauer always rolled up in his Mercedes 300.

> Favored by international VIPs from Elvis Presley to the Pope – as a state limousine or status symbol

senger airbags, electronic stability program – all these made their debut in the S-Class. Innovations such as these would help steer the luxury class as a whole to a new world record: with sales totaling over 3.5 million, the S-Class and its predecessor models became the most successful model series in its vehicle segment.

In no small measure, this success was helped by countless VIP fans – from popes and politicians to stars like Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. And once won over, many of them became regular customers. Perhaps the most unusual multiple purchase, however, was that of Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan al Nahyan, who ordered six sedans from the W 126 series to match his family coat-of-arms, each in a different color of the rainbow. This best-selling S-Class series was also hugely popular among the racing fraternity. According to the motorsports press of the day, 20 out of 35 Formula 1 drivers in 1983 privately owned either an S-Class or one of the SEC coupes – including, of course, many who represent< ed rival constructors on the race track.

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One man, one b Adam Scott is t a box-office thri

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I N T E R v ie w P e t r a H i m m e l

P H o t o s S TE V E REA D

c h a r a c t e r s

all, high drama: urning golf into ller.

interview Petr a Himmel

fotos ste ve re ad

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AFTER SURVIVING a two-hole play-off, it was finally time to celebrate: Adam Scott claimed his maiden major at the US Masters in Augusta. He is now among the favorites to win the British Open in July, the event at which he let slip through his grasp what seemed like certain victory over the final few holes last year. Here the Australian talks about the course and his preparations for this year’s tournament.

The countdown to The Open Championship, a.k.a. the British Open, is underway. When do you start your preparations for the event?

As soon as the US Open was over, I began preparing mentally for the Open at Muirfield. I’ll be heading to Scotland a week before the tournament starts to play the course as much as I can and get a proper feel for it.

FOCUSED Adam Scott, aged 32, turned professional 12 years ago.

You’ve played Muirfield before, at the 2002 Open.

On that occasion you missed the cut into both final

Scott dons the winner’s green jacket after victory at Augusta

rounds. How well do you remember the course from 11 years ago?

I’m really starting from scratch. I remember it as an outstanding golf course, but I just haven’t played it often enough. So I’m pretty excited at the prospect.

Like all Open courses, Muirfield is a coastal links course with lots of very deep bunkers. How much does that affect your game?

You’ve got to hit the ball a lot lower and play closer to the ground. On a conventional parkland course, you tend to hit the ball with a high trajectory.

Links golf is a completely different story. You need a wider range of shots than on other courses. And

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where links bunkers are concerned, the general rule is: stay out of them at all costs. You treat them as you would a water hazard on a parkland course.

The simplest strategy is to play around the bunkers. Since most of us don’t play links courses all that often, I definitely need the week before to adapt.

Can you give us an insight into your preparation?

Do you watch old videos, do you send your caddie out to recce the course, do you talk with other players?

My caddie has a yardage book, which contains details of every single feature on the course. Unlike with other majors, however, that’s not so critical for a links course like Muirfield, because when the ball hits the ground it can bounce and roll on a lot further. So you have to develop a whole new feeling for how far the ball can travel. The wind also plays a significant role up there.

How long does it take to really get to know the course?

You can’t play it often enough, I guess. In an ideal world I would like to spend six months there prior to the tournament. So that’s why I try to get in as many practice rounds as I can.

ca r e e r l a n dm a r k s 198 0 Adam Scott is born in Adelaide, Australia.

2 0 01 First full season as a professional on the European Tour.

2004 Wins The Players Championship, seen by many as the Fifth Major.

2006 Wins the season-ending US Tour Championship.

2008 Sets a new personal best at the Qatar Open with a round of 61.

2 011 Steve Williams, long-serving caddie of Tiger Woods, takes over as Scott’s bagman. Scott wins his first World Golf Championship.

2 012 Finishes runner-up at the British Open.

2 013 Scott wins his first major, The Masters at Augusta.

photos Steve Read ; Picture Press ; Actionpress ; Muirfield.org.UK; GEtt y Images

You’re renowned for your iron play. Does that make you predestined for success on links courses, where pinpoint accuracy with the irons is paramount?

I would like to think that my game has developed in such a way over the years that it’s well suited to various types of course. Recent results would seem to stand that up. But I’ve gained a great deal of self-confidence from the way I played this past year, that’s for sure.

long did it take to get over finishing the tournament as runner-up?

Three or four days, I guess.

Despite seeing victory slip away like that, you seemed incredibly composed at the end. What did you learn from that experience?

That I have what it takes to win an Open Championship. I was just four holes away from taking the title. Knowing that I can win an Open Championship is an enormous boost for my self-confidence. But what I learned above all is that it’s never over until it’s over – and that’s true of any tournament. You have to maintain intensity right to the very end.

For me, it wasn’t the first time I had failed to win a tournament when leading the field. That’s golf!

Did you change your mental approach to tournament play after that final round?

To be honest, I changed my approach before the tournament started. I tried to play the first hole as if it were the 72nd. Sometimes you try to stay so calm in the run-up to a tournament that you get off to a slow start. In a major, that can be very difficult to make up again.

Apart from the fact that it is played on a links course, what else makes the British Open so special?

The atmosphere is totally different compared to the U.S. There’s a greater appreciation of golf, and that shows in the spectators.

Like the other British Open courses, Muirfield can also be played by paying visitors. What advice would you give to an ordinary golfer to get the best out of a round there?

When you play a course like Muirfield, you should have no expectations about your game; you should simply enjoy the fact that you’re outdoors in such < magnificent surroundings.

Four holes before the end of The Open Championship in 2012, you seemed certain of victory. How

Upcoming majors v i c t o r y at t h e u s Masters has turned Adam Scott into a serious contender for the season’s remaining majors: he is now among the favorites to win both the British Open, this year held at Muirfield in Scotland from July 18 - 21, and the PGA Championship at the Oak Hill Country Club near Rochester, State of New York.

But the last two ­majors of the

Muirfield, Scotland

season, which in common with The Masters at Augusta have Mercedes-Benz as official sponsor, present two very different golfing challenges. In contrast to the traditional Scottish links course at Muirfield, in the U.S. Scott will face a classic parkland course, its fairways lined with countless trees. Precision driving and outstanding course management will prove decisive here.

Oak Hill Country Club, Rochester

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BIONICS refers to the art of basing technological applications on natural phenomena. Below: an artificial recreation of a gullâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flight. Right page: the interior structure of a pavilion, modeled after a sea urchin.

t h e

s h a p e 32

w o r d s fa b r i c e b r a u n

photos Festo (2) , ICD/ITKE

p e r f e c t

c h a r a c t e r S

Architects, researchers and engineers often look to the plant and animal kingdoms for inspiration in their quest for the ideal shape. Nature frequently provides the best ideas for making fuel-stingy aircraft, energy-efficient buildings and faster swimsuits.

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t

he huge dragonfly lifts gingerly off its perch, beating all four of its wings, slowly at first, then faster and faster. Hovering in place for a few seconds, it suddenly darts forward, flies a few bold curves, descends almost to the ground, then climbs steeply upward again, its twin pairs of transparent wings beating so quickly as to be a nearly invisible blur. One could easily imagine that a prehistoric dragonfly has actually been restored to life – were it not for the hum of the servomotors.

In fact, this 44-centimeter-long (17-inch) flying machine is not a living, breathing animal, but a high-tech creation made of aluminum, carbon fiber and polyamide. Constructed by Festo, an engineering firm in southwestern Germany, the faux dragonfly is dubbed “BionicOpter” and can even fly backwards. Weighing in at just 175 grams (6 oz), the minuscule flier is controlled by – what else – a smartphone. The man-made insect’s wings can beat up to 1,200 times per second, and it boasts a repertoire of 13 different maneuvers. “We view this project like automakers do a concept car. We want to demonstrate what is technologically possible,” explains project manager Heinrich Frontzek.

Lab with a view Although the concept of bionics has only existed since the mid-20th century, nature has always been a source of inspiration for scientists and inventors. In 1505, Leonardo da Vinci composed his famous study, Codex on the Flight of Birds, and subsequently tried to build flying machines based on the knowledge he gained. All he lacked was the technological means to realize his visions. Since then, researchers in various disciplines have repeatedly looked to the natural world outside their laboratory windows whenever they felt short on inspiration. Swiss engineer Georges de Mestral, for example, based his invention of Velcro in the 1940s 34

C O P Y C AT The BionicOpter imitates a dragonfly.

Its twin pairs of wings operate independently of each other, enabling it to fly backwards.

on the hooked seeds of the burdock plant. In the 1980s, Dietrich Bechert designed a specialized type of foil that imitated the hydrodynamic properties of sharkskin. Aircraft covered with this foil consume four percent less fuel than normal. The upwardly bent wingtips found on modern aircraft are also a fuel-saving measure; by minimizing turbulence, they reduce air resistance. The naturally-occurring counterpart of these winglets, which are also found on Formula 1 race cars, are the wingtips of large birds with their maneuverable feathers. Tire manufacturers have also modeled their tread profiles on natural phenomena, such as bee honeycomb or the feet of tree frogs and geckos.

Mercedes-Benz also has a hand in bionics research.

In 2005, the company unveiled the “bionic car”, a concept vehicle based the principles of bionics.

The car’s extremely low drag coefficient of 0.19 is a direct result of its aerodynamic shape, inspired by the tropical boxfish.

Just how efficiently nature optimizes certain shapes via the process of evolution is clearly illustrated by a wind tunnel experiment conducted >

by Mercedes-Benz engineers: an anatomically

photos Soma , Festo

modeled on a tropical flower: the flexible lamellae can be cambered to align with the sun’s rays.

THE LOTUS E F F E C T used in roof tiles and windows helps create self-cleansing surfaces. The flower is also a template for architecture.

accurate model of the boxfish recorded a drag coefficient of just 0.06. “Mother Nature has had millions of years to hone her designs,” is how Werner Nachtigall explains these near-perfect aerodynamics. Nachtigall is one of the world’s most renowned bionics pioneers. For over 50 years, the retired professor has been researching how and what technology can glean from biology. “Nature’s work is unfocused, but it occurs on a massive scale. In Europe, for example, there are billions of bluebottle flies, and each one is slightly different.”

Through experimentation, mistakes and natural selection, forms of life emerge with characteristics that are often astounding: “The whirligig beetle, when swimming, exhibits a 93% efficiency rate in energy consumption,” he notes. Achieving this sort of perfection in energy usage is something engineers can only dream of.

Beauty vs. functionality But the field of bionics isn’t about simply aping nature in all its detail. The key is staying faithful to the overarching principle. A few years ago, Festo engineer Frontzek and his team developed a highly responsive grappling arm using an elephant’s trunk as their real-world model. The arm could be used to sort vegetables that bruise easily: “A real elephant’s trunk has 40,000 muscles, but we were able to make do with 11.”

Soma, a Viennese architectural firm, also employs bionics. “Nature is our main source of inspiration, especially in the conceptualization phase,” says Stefan Rutzinger, one of the company’s founders.

At the 2012 World Expo in South Korea, its spectacular One Ocean pavilion raised eyebrows. The hightech structure’s organic lines and surfaces were especially impressive. But beauty – at least in terms of bionic structures – is considered a coincidental, albeit pleasing, byproduct which takes a back seat to the main goal of functionality. The building’s highlight is its 140-meter-long (450-ft) façade consisting of huge lamellae – up to 13 meters (40 ft) high – that can be cambered. In addition to its biomimetic qualities, this façade also 36

sh a r k e y es on endless vigil: the fish’s skin is also hydrodynamically perfect. An elephant’s trunk was the model for a highly responsive grappling arm.

photos Mauritius Images, Gett y Images, F1 online

fulfills an architectonic function by controlling the influx of light and the interior temperature.

The Soma team went a step further in its design for a Salzburg art pavilion: using a computer to calculate the optimal position of 1,500 aluminum struts with a random number generator, the team essentially created a time-lapse version of the natural process of evolution. The architects inputted certain parameters, but they had no idea how the final product would turn out once the computer began its calculations. Nonetheless, Rutzinger is conscious of his inherent limitations: “We can try to approach nature’s complexity, but nature will always be more complex by a huge margin.”

Attempting to imitate nature can be fraught with difficulty, as biologist Wilhelm Barthlott learned.

In the 1970s, the German professor discovered the “lotus effect”. He noticed that the Indian lotus flower is always immaculately clean, even though it grows in filthy water. Considered a Buddhist symbol of purity, the flower has the unique ability to self-cleanse. Examining it under an electron microscope, Barthlott discovered the reason: the surface of the flower’s petals only appears smooth to the naked eye, while in reality it is covered with microscopic waxy nubs. This covering makes water bead, taking dirt particles along with it. The biologist quickly saw the potential for applying the lotus principle to the manufacture of self-cleansing materials. But the road to an actual manufacturing process was filled with obstacles: “It took us ten years just to acknowledge we could actually make something.” It took another decade to get a real product onto the market. Today, we have selfcleansing roof tiles, window glass and auto care products all incorporating the lotus effect.

Adopting a long-term perspective, as did Barthlott, is essential when working with bionics. After all, what are 20 years of intensive research compared > to millions of years of evolution?

the first pedestrian light

exploded due to a gas leak shortly after it was installed in London in 1869. The stoplight men escaped injury, however, as they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t arrive on the world scene until the mid-20th century.

Most were on foot, some on horseback, some pushing a bicycle. Frequently they strode with intent, sometimes they flashed, occasionally they appeared in mid-sprint. But for all the progress on the gender equality front, the stoplight woman remains remarkably elusive.

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A nice chat in the fast lane WHO BETTER THAN world champion lewis Hamilton to take AMGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new compact super sports car for a test drive. We volunteered to ride shotgun â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and learned a few surprising things along the way.

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w o r d s t o b i a s m o o r s t e dt

photos thorsten rother

d r i v e the smile of a champion: Hamilton in the A 45 AMG.

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m e ta l s c u l p t u r e A high-performance machine for the compact car segment, the A 45 AMG heralds the dawn of a new era.

LET â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S D R I V E The scenery streaks by in a blur of green. It takes a few corners to get used to the immense centrifugal forces.

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t’s spring. Just a few weeks to go before the start of the new Formula 1 season, and Lewis Hamilton has been out practicing pit stops with his crew at Silverstone. We catch him at a calmer moment, gazing over a metallic gray automobile with the look of a man struck by “car love” at first sight.

He circles the metallic sculpture in deliberate paces, runs a finger over its razor-sharp lines, opens a door and lets it fall back into its lock, checks the size of the trunk, takes a few photos on his BlackBerry and posts them on Twitter for the wider world to admire: “It’s a seriously cool car.

Really young and fresh,” says Hamilton.

This is an athlete with an incredible passion for cars and engines, someone who has devoted his entire life to the pursuit of speed, fractions of seconds, the ideal racing line and the perfect harmony of mind, body and machine. So perhaps it is a touch naïve to think he might want to use his lunch break to get away from the gasoline fumes and finer points of gearbox wizardry for a moment.

Indeed, when Lewis Hamilton claps eyes on the new Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG for the first time, his eyes instantly light up.

How do you build a compact super sports car? Mario spitzner, Head of Branding and Marketing, talks about the challenges AMG had to overcome to clear the way for series production.

Mr. Spitzner, the A 45 AMG is the company’s first compact car. What was the background behind the decision to target this particular market?

Up to now the AMG brand has always been associated primarily with V-8 engines, both naturally aspirated and with all sorts of forced induction – from superchargers to twin turbos.

But the downsizing trend is also affecting the performance segment, of course, in terms of engine capacity and the size of the car.

No time to waste This year sees the 2008 Formula 1 world champion marking his first season with the Mercedes AMG Petronas team. The Briton is charged with powering the Silver Arrows into a new era of victory and success. But he is not about to turn down the chance to rack up a few laps of the legendary Silverstone circuit in the Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG. After all, here too is the dawn of a new era – that of the A 45 AMG compact model developed by Mercedes-AMG for the high-performance segment. A glance at the performance data reveals evidence of a balancing act well resolved.

Hamilton is pleased to see such promising power stats, but is soon moving on: “Enough talking, let’s drive,” he urges, sliding into the driver’s seat, thumbing the starter button, and tilting his head to soak up the brawny rumble of the 2.0-liter turbocharged AMG engine.

Warm-up over, the real action can commence.

What happens over that first lap, all 60 seconds or so of it, is a mystery to us; you’d have to be an astronaut or rollercoaster test driver to think beyond the speed and the noise. The scenery streaks past in a blur of green. It takes a few corners to get used to the speed, the immense centrifugal forces – and the wild grin painted across the face of the driver.

So another lap would be nice, Mr. Hamilton, if you’d be so kind. And what was that you were saying when the noise drowned you out? “It’s a lot of fun,” he sniggers. Hamilton goes on to explain what he looks for most during a first drive with a new car. “I pay less attention to figures and > technical data,” he says. “I want to feel if a

AFTER THE test drive with Lewis Hamilton, we met up with Mario Spitzner for an interview. It was clear we had another serial winner on our hands.

“Racing is in all of our blood,” explains Spitzner. “In racing and product development alike, if you think you’re already good or fast enough, you’ll soon be left trailing. If you’re happy to stand still, you’ve already lost.”

Were you concerned that AMG’s discerning clientele would reject the car?

Our models cover a very wide market spectrum, from the SLS AMG Coupe Black Series to the A 45 AMG. A concept like this only works if each of our now 26 models is a full-blooded, authentic AMG. Our aim was to develop the world’s most powerful four-cylinder engine, and that’s what we’ve done. Yet it burns just 6.9 liters of fuel per 100 km [34.1 mpg]. That’s what AMG is all about: combining extraordinary performance with everyday usability.

The Formula 1 team is called Mercedes AMG Petronas. How deep is the cooperation between your engineers and their F1 counterparts?

The inclusion of AMG as part of the team name is not an accident. AMG and the F1 engineers have enjoyed a working relationship for a number of years now. Part of our strategy involves tapping into that know-how and bringing F1 technology into road car production with as little compromise as possible.

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Professionals unite: the sports machine hits the pit lane 44

d r i v e

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car possesses that inherent balance. A machine is never more impressive than when it makes difficult tasks look like a walk in the park.” It is an observation that could be made about Hamilton himself.

Lewis is normally alone in his cockpit, but for the A 45 AMG test he shows himself to be a charming high-speed chauffeur when the occasion demands. “Silverstone is my living room,” he says, with a flick of the wrists to keep the car on the racing line through famous corners like Maggotts, Copse and Stowe. “You could drive a lot more dramatically with this car. It has more grip than my F1 racer.” And as he chats away, taking a hand off the wheel now and again to illustrate his point with an explanatory gesture and a wink to his co-driver, there is nothing to indicate you’re being hustled into a hairpin at 190 km/h (118 mph).

i A 45 AMG Engine / Output 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo, 265 kW at 6,000 rpm; max. torque 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) at 2,250–5,000 rpm

Transmission AMG Speedshift DCT seven-speed dual clutch

Acceleration The Race Start function allows the driver to call up maximum acceleration off the start line.

Steady on the tinsel

Traction

Hamilton’s initial verdict is in: “It’s not a Formula 1 car, of course,” he concedes, “but it seems to be very much at ease at Silverstone.” And that’s not altogether surprising, the AMG brand having been born into the racing circus. It is a tradition that lives on in 2013 – and may be one reason why, posing in the F1 pit lane, the A 45 AMG does not look like its driver has taken a wrong turn on his way to the parking lot. “The A 45 AMG is a full-blooded AMG and has the technology to prove it,” emphasizes AMG’s Head of Branding and Marketing, Mario Spitzner. For example, the car contains components originally developed for the SLS. “It’s an authentic embodiment of our brand values,” says Spitzner (see interview on page 49). Lewis Hamilton, who has various AMG cars in his garage at home, sums up these values neatly and succinctly: “Elegance, aggression, dynamism, sportiness.

And, most importantly, a nice sound.” The Formula 1 star could almost be a company spokesman – but really, he’s just a fan.

It is not only his driving skill that makes the choice of Lewis Hamilton for the A 45 AMG test driving gig a no-brainer; he takes a hands-on approach to the interior design of all the cars in his personal collection. “If there’s something I can’t stand it’s tinselly effects and design overkill.” The A 45 AMG, it is safe to assume, suits his tastes.

The instrument panel catches the eye with its carbon fiber look, while the red trim suggests a fire smoldering beneath the dark surface.

Hamilton is particularly impressed by the plate on every AMG engine block bearing the name of the technician who assembled it. “One man, one engine” sums up this company philosophy, the fusion of high technology and handcraftsmanship.

During a visit to AMG headquarters in Affalterbach, Hamilton expressed a desire to put together an engine himself and inscribe his name on the finished product – if possible before the year is

In normal driving conditions, the A 45 AMG sends its power through the front wheels. But if the driver reveals a more dynamic mode, the AMG 4Matic all-wheel-drive system diverts up to 50 percent of the engine’s drive to the rear axle.

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Further technical specifications and fuel consumption figures can be found on page 74.

m b - q r . com /08 z

out. First, though, he is insisting on one last lap to set the seal on this hour-long test. “This time,” he announces with a faintly sinister air, “let’s do it with a little more speed.” Mario Spitzner explains how to engage the Race Start function; press two buttons, pull the selector lever of the AMG Speedshift seven-speed sports transmission, and enjoy the sound of screeching tires as you slingshot away. Hamilton blasts out of the pit lane and is through the first combination of turns before he lifts his foot from the gas.

The A 45 AMG is something of a chameleon. Press a few buttons, adjust the brakes and transmission responses to your vigorous intentions and the car switches from cruise mode to a Silverstone state of mind. Not surprisingly, that’s just how Hamilton likes it. “Hold on tight, we’re going to have some fun,” he says, switching off the ESP as another corner disappears beneath us. The centrifugal forces are immense, but the car holds its line. “I really wanted to slide through the corner,” he admits, but the huge grip generated by the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system nipped that in the bud. For a moment Hamilton appears not to know whether he’s pleased, impressed or just a bit disappointed.

An hour has passed, but it is with some reluctance that Hamilton climbs out of the car; another pit stop practice session is planned for the afternoon. He has one last question: “Can I buy it right now? It’s my brother’s birthday next week and it would make a great present.” The AMG crew break the unhappy news: the car still has a busy appointments book to honor, so won’t be available for some time. And that’s somehow reassuring. Even a world champion can’t get his hands on < every car he wants.

Sit back…

…and relax: the new S-Class turns the humble driver’s seat into a Human Machine Interface – hot stone massage included.

w

hen it comes to the necessity of sitting down to drive from A to B, little has changed since the automobile was invented. However, the seat behind the steering wheel is an altogether different beast nowadays. In fact, it is no longer just a seat but a Human Machine Interface, if you please – a key factor in maximizing comfort for those on board, one that plays an active role in keeping the driver and passengers fresh during the journey.

From four-way power lumbar support to head restraints that can be electrically adjusted both horizontally and vertically, those traveling in the new S-Class (see page 16) will want for nothing. Indeed, once you’ve sampled the delights of the energizing massage function and seat climatization, you’ll never want to get out.

STARS B E H IND T H E S C ENES The position, length, height and angle of the seat, even the depth of the seat cushion, the height of the head restraints and the four-way power lumbar support, can be adjusted electrically as standard. But the really spectacular stuff takes place within the side bolsters: the optionally available dynamic variant of the multicontour seat inflates the bolsters individually – and in a matter of seconds – in response to the car’s steering movement, to provide even better lateral support for the driver and front passenger.

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w o r d s t o b i a s n e b l i l l u s t r at i o n 5 0 0 g l s

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H I G H - T E C H I N L AY E R S Comfort and lightweight design shared ­center stage in the development process for the new front seats. Their structure weighs under 20 kilograms (44 lb) – around 20 percent less than a conventional design – thanks, among other factors, to a sandwich construction based around steel shells with integrated plastic inlays.

photo Daimler Ag

S E AT C L I M AT I Z AT I O N At the touch of a button, four electric fans in the seat surface and two in the backrest suck cooler ambient air onto the seat’s perforated leather surface. After four minutes, the fans automatically invert their direction of rotation to prevent drafts over longer journeys. The fans’ intensity can be adjusted through three stages.

VISIBLE R E L A X AT I O N The engineers also had something of a brainwave when it came to operating the energizing function. The central, 12.3-inch display of the Comand Online infotainment system shows the individual massage zones in the seats. In addition, a rotary knob graphic appears on the screen displaying the desired program as a number. The menu for the seat functions can be called up directly using a button on the center console.

HOT STONE MASSAGE The energizing function of the seats is a world first, using the hot stone principle to deliver active relaxation. Six programs are available, two of them heat-assisted. Each program separately controls the 14 air chambers in each seat, some of which benefit from quick-responding seat heating. Heat and pressure are used to simulate the effect of traditionally applied hot stones, massaging and mobilizing the shoulder area, back and hips.

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The longest hour 52

words Hartmut LEhBRINK

p h o t o s W O L F G A N G wilhel m

S p o r t s

t h e a r r i va l of the high-speed gladiator: Nico Rosberg strides from paddock to garage ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.

the 60 Minutes before the start of a Formula 1 grand prix pull the teams this way and that; gone in a flash one moment, the time passes at a snailâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pace the next. The prerace ritual follows a cleverly-devised choreography.

M u lt i ta s k i n g 90 minutes before the race, the drivers head out to greet the spectators. Time to turn on the charm.

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60 minutes to go: The team run an engine test on one Mercedes F1 W04, then the other, using an external starter motor. This allows them to fix the revs and oil pressure they want before the ignition spark is released. The V-8 machines let out a potent baritone bellow, then a few angry barks, before dying away again as if nothing had happened.

Undeniable calm

RELAXED Stage fright is not an issue for Nico Rosberg.

T

ime is actually a relatively exact science, and nowhere is that more keenly felt than on a race track. Fractions of seconds, discernible only with the help of high-tech gadgetry, draw the line between victory and defeat, triumph and disaster.

Start the clock But what precisely happens in that hour before the lights above the grid go out? The final 60 minutes leading up to a race are something of a paradox – not enough time and yet too much. The seconds can pass at a tortuous plod but equally run through your hands like water. The meticulously measured world of Formula 1 appears to keep a different time to our internal clocks.

The minutes are ticking down to this year’s Australian Grand Prix, but there’s no sign of stage fright on the face of Nico Rosberg. “Not after 128 F1 races,” says the Mercedes man with a shrug of the shoulders.

Right now there are 80 minutes to go before the race, and Rosberg has just made his way back from the drivers’ parade, which sees the Formula 1 stars greet the “ordinary mortals” in the stands. He’s deep into the relaxation zone now, chatting to girlfriend Vivian on his cell phone and resting up. Not that there’s time for any restorative shut-eye; Rosberg has yet to crack the crucial “power nap to order” skill mastered by such illustrious F1 predecessors as Nelson Piquet and Gerhard Berger.

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a key skill for a Formula 1 driver: power napping on demand

57 minutes to go: Warm-up time. For Nico Rosberg this means a kick-about with physiotherapist Daniel Schlösser – juggling the ball, not letting it touch the ground; “keepy-uppies” in soccer parlance. “It’s been years since anyone beat me in a keepy-uppy contest,” smiles Rosberg. In the meantime, the mechanics have pulled on their flameretardant suits and wired themselves up to their radios. Sporting Director Ron Meadows is focusing on the team’s race strategy. The fuel tanks of the two Mercedes have been filled to brimming, the fuel coolers removed. The temperature of the gasoline rises to as high as 60°C (140°F) during a race, expanding as it heats up. The cooler it is at the start of the race, the more you can fit in the tank. “The fuel can be chilled to a maximum 10°C [18°F] below air temperature,” explains Meadows.

42 minutes to go: “Around this time I walk or jog to the garage – it all helps the warming-up process,” says Rosberg. He shares a joke with his mechanics in a show of calm. Then it’s down to business with race engineer Tony Ross. Rosberg analyses the start of last year’s GP, the way the race panned out, the areas of concern. Even professional racing drivers never stop learning.

The German driver pushes in his ear plugs, pulls the fireproof balaclava over his head, presses on his helmet and lowers himself into the cockpit.

The eight-cylinder engine lurking behind his neck bursts noisily into life. The top brass on the pit wall have been topped up with drinks, and team boss Ross Brawn has stocked up on bananas.

Things are rather less luxurious – and a whole lot more cloak-and-dagger – in Rosberg’s world.

A chilled drinks bottle holds 1.5 liters (3 pints) of the top-secret “special mixture” he sips on inside the cockpit. That’s the maximum amount of liquid permitted by the regulations (to prevent it being used as movable ballast). Rosberg will need to have emptied the bottle by the halfway point of the race to avoid it getting too hot in the stuffy carbon confines of the cockpit.

36 minutes to go: The weather is holding, the rain staying away, so the mechanics send the car out onto the grid shod with Pirelli’s slick tires. Once there, a new set of slicks will be fitted. If there’s a threat of rain, the teams can change their choice of tires up to three minutes before the start.

32 minutes to go: The pit lane is open. Nico takes > the car for a couple of warm-up laps, during

S p o r t s

tire gamble The decision on which tire to fit can be delayed until three minutes before a race.

t e s t r un Engine check in the pit garage – the infernal roar of the V-8 powerplant has some blocking their ears.

KE E PY- UPPY KING Keeping the ball in the air is part of the Mercedes driver’s warm-up routine. Rosberg says it’s years since anyone last got the better of him.

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which radio exchanges with Tony Ross come thick and fast. If something’s not right with the balance of the car, the driver will have to come in briefly for front wing adjustments to dial out some understeer or oversteer. Those are the only interventions allowed by the F1 rules at this stage. Ross urges his driver to go easy on the engine “so that it doesn’t rev too high but still gets enough cooling air.”

Vanity fair

slim fit Rosberg worms his way into the confined carbon monocoque of his Silver Arrow.

QUIET PLEASE Bonding time for man and machine.

The mechanics escort the Mercedes into its starting position.

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Nico Rosberg’s V-8 falls silent 100 meters (approx. 330 ft) before he reaches the end of the grid.

The Mercedes mechanics wave the W04 towards its slot on the third row and push it into position.

The Silver Arrow drills its way through the carnival-like throng. The cars are arranged according to their starting place, an archipelago of 22 small islands held in check by narrow markings on the track surface.

And all around them whirs the glitz of F1’s own vanity fair. The grid girls wheel out their best smiles. Bernie Ecclestone, flanked by local dignitaries, laps up the limelight. Look one way and you’ll find billionaire businessman James Parker, the other a former mayor of Melbourne. It’s all about seeing and being seen. The photographers creep backwards, bending as they must to snare their shot, flashbulbs probing for signs of emotion in the Formula 1 ringmaster’s features. In the background, Australian pop star Guy Sebastian belts out his country’s national anthem.

Nico Rosberg creates his own island of concentration amid the hubbub. He climbs out of the car one last time, swaps a few final words with his engineers, and does the honors for the TV crews.

14 minutes to go: Nico sinks into the cockpit, sealing the bond between man and machine. He checks the radio link with the pit crew and tickles the brakes to allow the wheels to be correctly mounted. Finally, the jacked up single-seater is lowered onto the track; bring on the racing.

12 minutes to go: Only the key personnel are allowed onto the grid now.

Six minutes: The cooling fans are taken out of the car.

Four minutes: The engines roar thunderously into action. The noise is unbearable.

Three minutes: Off come the covers keeping the tires warm. Without them, the Pirellis would bring next to no grip to the track in the early stages of the race. The tires have reached 80°C (176°F), but the cool of an Australian autumn afternoon is already drifting over them.

Two-and-a-half minutes: Nobody is allowed near the cars now.

Two minutes: Green light for the formation lap.

Rosberg nails a practice start and takes his place in the flinching, twisting line of 22 race cars; during the formation lap there is strictly no overtak-

S ports

GREEN LIGHT for the formation lap.

22 racing cars wind their way around the circuit.

No overtaking is permitted.

> Rosberg may be driving a single-seater, but with his engineer’s voice in his ear – urging him to get heat into the brakes and keep the engine cool – he is not alone.

ing. The Mercedes may be a single-seater, but the driver is never alone. “My engineer is constantly chattering in my ear, always the same things: keep the brakes and tires warm, the engine cool and an eye on the clutch and gearbox settings. Get the car how you need it for the start.”

The crews, meanwhile, are rushing back to the pits in a multicolored swarm. When they get there, they reach straight for their helmets and fireproof gloves: “One of the cars might get tagged on the opening lap and need a new nosecone, for example,” explains Ron Meadows, speaking from unfortunate experience. Under these conditions, the dash back to the garage is hard work, and nowhere does it take longer than at the Malaysian Grand Prix, which is next up in a week’s time. “A couple of years ago we had a number of restarts there,” recalls Meadows, shivering at the memory.

“And a few of the guys just keeled over.”

60 minutes are up: The five red lights on the gantry above the grid light up at one-second intervals, then disappear in a single jolt. The neat rows of cars explode into a sea of chaos, and Nico Rosberg is in the middle of it all. At last, the race for victory in the Australian Grand Prix is underway. > But that’s a story for another day.

AND IT’S GO !

The tension that has been building over the hour before the race explodes into speed.

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The invisible man

b e i j i n g Liu Bolin likes nothing more than to blend into the background – whether it is the façade of a building, an array of flags, some vegetable racks or graffiti on a wall. And he does so without resorting to computer tricks. His assistants spend hours painting him, regularly showing him photographs so that he can check their progress. It can take up to five days before he starts to merge with his background and literally lose himself in his work. Liu Bolin’s detailed “spot the artist” pictures are not just meant to entertain – they also contain an element of a social criticism. In his “Hiding in the City” project, he is making the case for individual freedom and against the danger of becoming invisible. l i u b o l i n a r t . c o m 58

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Claudette Didul The U.S. TV series Mad Men is set in the 1960s, and every detail is authentic – right down to the door handles. The set designer describes where she drew her inspiration from – and how she sources the furniture.

Perpetuum mobile P A r i s This Atmos table clock shouldn’t really work – it operates without a battery or winding mechanism.

The secret lies inside the crystal ball in a capsule containing a mixture of gases that expands or contracts according to the ambient temperature. Even a change of just one degree Celsius (1.8°F) generates enough energy to run the clock for two days. This work of art was partly developed by the traditional fashion houses Hermès and Jaeger LeCoultre and is available in a limited edition of 176. It could well be a valuable heirloom for future generations as well, being designed to have a working life of 600 years. j a e g e r - l e c o u l t r e . c o m

d r i n k

photos Liu Bolin (1); Hermes (2); Palm-PR (3); Illustration Lyndon Hayes/Dutchuncle

M Y fat h e r WA S A M A D m a n . He worked in an ad

agency in the 1960s, and I can remember my mother and I used to visit him there when I was about three. We would go out for coffee and donuts – yes, I started young – and visit the furniture department at Bloomingdales. In other words, I learned a lot about 1960s interior decoration at an early age and have been a fan of Betty Pepis, Andrée Putman and Dorothy Draper’s designs ­ever since. 1950s and 1960s furniture is very much the rage nowadays. People can’t believe that back then you could find Eames chairs in schools and ­insurance company offices, and people would throw them out when they no longer needed them.

I still keep an eye on online shops and exchange websites because people often want to get rid of things that would be perfect for our sets. I ­also regularly visit antique shops.

And sometimes I get help from unexpected quarters – recently a fan of the series offered us a 1967 television set. We snapped it up immediately!

Mixing it

cheers Bar owner Dan Thomson (left) gets his supplies from guests.

L O N D O N BYOC is hidden away in a cellar in Covent Garden. At first

sight it seems a perfectly ordinary bar, with candlelight and background jazz. But it doesn’t have an alcohol license! BYOC stands for “Bring your own cocktail”, and guests are expected to arrive with their own bottle of whisky or tequila. The mixologists will then add fresh ingredients and juices to conjure up a cocktail for you. The bar takes just 18 people, so you have to book weeks in advance or hope you strike it lucky – spaces that become free at short notice are advertised on Twitter. byoc.co.uk 59

All in one T H E S O F A is the center point of any living room – a place for conversation, reading, television viewing, and sometimes even snoozing. Such an important focal point is not a place for compromises. But if you are wavering, perhaps these Mah Jong sofa modules from Roche Bobois will help. They can be extended at will according to your taste and the space available – and the colors and shapes are interchangeable. There are many different covers available, from monochrome to vivid collections specially designed by Kenzo und Missoni. roch e - bobois . com

F o o d

Tasteful art P A R I S The charming “L‘Eclair de

Génie” boutique in the Paris district of Marais offers éclairs and cream-filled pastries to meet all possible tastes – including that of art collectors: the éclairs are decorated with motifs from art history. lecl a i r degen i e . com

“style is about matching your clothes and your behaviour. Anyone intending to infringe etiquette should study it beforehand.” vivienne west wood, fashion designer

Home service

Men only

A short history of art B R E S C I A Until the end of July, the Daimler Art Collection in the Museo di Santa Giulia in the

north Italian town of Brescia is housing an exhibition entitled “Novecento Mai Visto: From Albers to Warhol to (now)”. In the former monastery, some 230 works created between 1909 and 2013 are on display. They take you on a tour through the history of modern art, from abstract works via constructivism to contemporary video art. 110 international artists are represented, ranging from Oskar Schlemmer via Andy Warhol to Martin Boyce. sammlung . daimler . com 60

New York Mantry is a home delivery

service that offers six exclusive delicatessen products every month – from chorizo to vodka sauce. Every delivery from this “Modern Man’s Pantry” comes with the recipe. mantry.com

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the Klaus K hotel in Helsinki let its guests decide how they wanted to live. The answer was: comfortably and stylishly

Epic overnight accommodation

phOTOS Jürgen Altmann / Daimler AG (1), VG Bildkunst Bonn 2013

h e l s i n k i There are good

L i v i n g r o o m A glass staircase links the lobby with the bar area. The artwork in the background depicts an egg – a reference to the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala.

reasons why hotel owners bring in professionals to design their interiors. But ultimately it is the guests who have to live there, so the creators of Finnish hotel Klaus K decided to let their customers submit ­suggestions for the design of the ­Living Room. The result is not so much chaotic as a stylish but eclectic mixture of various ­elements ranging from herringbone parquet floors to freestanding pillars and rustic wood paneling, from traditional chandeliers to indirect wall lighting.

The lobby has velvet and leather-covered armchairs in muted colors, and an illuminated glass staircase leads down to the bar. The inspiration for the rest of the interior came from the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala. Carpets and walls carry egg-shaped motifs, as the saga recounts that the universe was created from seven eggs.

Each of the 139 bedrooms reflects one of the main themes of the Kalevala, and a work of art evokes the particular

h o m e ly The Toscanini Restaurant (above) is furnished in the style of an Italian trattoria. poetic Rooms reflect the various atmospheres of the Kalevala.

The Nostalgia Room (below) is decorated in melancholy shades of blue and beige.

atmosphere – yearning, passion, mysticism and jealousy.

But two rooms are rather different: the Urban Nature Room features light wood and colors ranging from brown to green to conjure up the peaceful atmosphere of a forest, while the Movie Room has a bed that converts at the flick of a switch into a cinema seat, with decor dominated by heavy red ­velvet.

Guests can plunge into the world of the Kalevala legends or any other realm of their choice. klauskhotel.com

ART OR DELICATESSEN You can call up all the topics introduced above via the QR app on your smartphone. mb - qr . com /08 y

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THE LAUREUS FOUNDATION supports sports projects around the world that help improve the lives of disadvantaged boys and girls. Here we highlight seven success stories.

FO R M O ST BOX E R S , the chance of landing a punch on a Klitschko remains no more than a dream. Not for young participants in the Berlinbased “Kick im Boxring” project, where Vladimir and his brother Vitali, both Laureus ambassadors, drop in on a regular basis for a spot of sparring. But the project’s goal is not to find the next generation of boxing world champions.

“Sport has the power to create hope where once there was only despair,” said Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nelson Mandela at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco in 2000. With those words he established the credo of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, founded that same year. The Foundation today promotes more than 140 social sports projects across five continents. The objective of each is to help young ­people between the ages of eight and 18 to come to terms with difficult issues, including poverty, discrimination, war, violence, drug abuse and HIV/AIDS, and to improve their lives. The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which has nine subsidiary national foundations and is supported by Mercedes-Benz as a ­global partner, has a twofold involvement in these projects.

First, it has raised over €60 million euros (around 80 million dollars) in donations, which has been used to fund projects that so far have benefited 1.5 million children and young people worldwide. Secondly, the projects are regularly visited by the 46 sporting ­legends from the Laureus World Sports Academy, such as Edwin Moses and Cathy Freeman, or one of over 120 Laureus ambassadors. The aim of such visits is to give a higher profile to individual problems and to impress upon disadvantaged children that they, < too, have grounds for hope.

WORLDWIDE INVOLVEMENT For further information about the many Laureus projects visit:

T R A C K A C A D E M Y, UNITED KINGDOM Gangs, drugs and crime are part of everyday life in the London Borough of Brent.

As well as athletics coaching, this project also offers extra tutoring and mentoring by role models, with the aim of showing youngsters how to take control of their own destinies.

spirit of soccer , cambodia Knowing not to play with landmines is life-saving knowledge in northern Cambodia. This project teaches kids to identify booby-trapped mines and unexploded shells – as well as offering them a chance to improve their skills with an object that really was made for play: the soccer ball.

P la y R u g b y, U S a The message put across by the coaches at this New York project is that trying hard – whether at sport or at school – has its reward. Run by coaches who have themselves experienced deprivation, the PRUSA program targets youngsters trapped in socially difficult circumstances and combines rugby with academic development and health education.

bola pra frente , B ra z il Jorginho, a World Cup winner from 1994, is the inspiration behind this soccer project in one of the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. Street children between the ages of six and 17 learn how to set targets, overcome personal setbacks and work as a team. The project also offers an educational program designed to improve their prospects of finding an apprenticeship or employment.

mb - qr . com /098

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w ords chr i st o ph h e nn photo chr i sto ph r ü ttg e r

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1 st yling Lynn SchmiDt

Young winners

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wav e s f o r c h a n g e , s o u t h a f r i c a The project in Cape Town uses young peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passion for surfing to provide them with information on HIV/AIDS. Participants are encouraged to take an HIV test and to train as group leaders for a range of courses, including surfing and IT. This then qualifies them to act as surfing instructors and mentors for younger project participants.

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Orphan Aid, ghana Many of the orphans supported by this project previously had little emotional attachment to anyone, let alone a family.

Through team sports such as basketball they are now getting to experience a close sense of belonging for the first time. By providing information on healthy eating and courses in reading, writing and AIDS awareness, the project also helps them cope with everyday life and prepares them for the future.

Kick im Boxring, germany Encouraging youngsters to let out their aggression in training rather than by fighting on the streets is the aim of a Berlinbased project which was set up to provide free boxing coaching to socially deprived girls and boys aged ten and over. It also offers support and counseling on topics such as domestic violence, school problems, debt and drugs.

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Tea time in boom city

Chengdu may be the fastest growing city in all of China, but the metropolis situated in the province of Sichuan carefully preserves its traditions.

The people here love progress, but they also know how to maintain a laid-back attitude.

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words bernhard bartsch

photos Jasper James

C O N TR A STS View of Chengdu, population 14 million. Not visible here are the traditional townhouses, which nestle persistently against the skyscrapers in defiance of the economic boom.

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a

typical day in Chengdu starts slowly. Early in the morning, tai-chi practitioners gather beneath the trees of Wenhua Park to perform slow-motion shadow boxing. Old men appear carrying birdcages, hang their feathered friends on tree branches and sit down on stone benches for games of Chinese chess. A group of women does fan gymnastics to the upbeat sounds of pop music. Couples dance Viennese waltzes. Inside a gazebo, a small choir enthusiastically belts out folk songs.

The becoming capital Chen Shuwei has settled down at a stone ­table with a notepad, ready to write poetry. That is, unless he once again whiles away the entire morning in conversation. “Nobody likes discussing things more than we Chengduese,” the retiree explains. “In our dialect, we call it ‘making battle plans’.” Chen, who used to work in the administrative office of a state-run factory, has been 66

to change and yet stay true to oneself.

That’s Chengdu. su qian, e n tre p re n e u r

“making battle plans” for nearly 70 years, and even though the city around him has changed dramatically since his youth, Chen is still his old loquacious self. “We’re not your usual sort of folk,” he grins. “We stay the way we are.”

It is exactly this characteristic which makes the Chengduese the envy of many of their countrymen: the residents of the capital of the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan are considered the happiest people in China. Though the city of some 14 million is the fastest growing in the People’s Republic, the pace of life here is more relaxed than in other Chinese megacities.

Glittering skyscrapers brush up against classical courtyard houses, mighty highways abut ancient alleys, modern lifestyle exists next to traditional culture. “Develop quickly, live slowly,” is Mayor Ge Honglin’s motto.

Like Chen, Su Qian also starts her day with tea.

Ensconced in a teahouse in Kuanzhai Alley, the

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31-year-old entrepreneur is awaiting the arrival of a business partner as the tea ceremony is being prepared in the background. “Teahouses are the locus of social life in Chengdu,” explains Su, who studied economics in Britain and now runs a wine business. “Just like Europeans meet up in a cafe, we get together for tea.” Over tea, business deals get negotiated, contracts signed, and intellectuals and artists debate the issues of the day. No subject is too small or too weighty to be hashed out over tea. Chengdu’s teahouse culture may have given the city’s residents a reputation for not taking their work too seriously, but Su doesn’t consider this a problem: “Why not have a good time while you’re working?”

Things operate a bit differently in Chengdu than in the rest of the country, and this has traditionally been the case. The city has played a unique role in Chinese history. Long before the first camels inched their way to China along the Silk Road, Chengdu – which literally translates as “becoming the capital” – was China’s gateway to the rest of the world. The city supplied fine fabrics to destinations as far flung as the Roman Empire. During the Mao era, Chengdu became the vanguard of the new China: situated deep in the country’s interior, its geographical placement made it the ideal strategic location for industry and research.

According to Chen, it was hardly a coincidence that the great reformer Deng Xiaoping, who put China on the path towards a free market economy, hailed from this region. “Deng had his own head on his shoulders,” says Chen. “That’s typical of us Sichuanese.” Today, Chengdu is the economic hub of western China. Over 200 international corporations have built factories in the industrial parks surrounding the city. Apple’s

chengdu successfully balances progress with the past.

Left page: the recently completed Raffles Mall and the entrance to a restaurant in the Old Chengdu Club Hotel.

This page: a traditional “face changer” (above) and high-end shops on People South Road.

iPad is made here. During the last few decades, the city’s population has more than doubled.

Chengdu is the fastest growing city on the planet.

“Not everything the boom has brought to Chengdu is good,” notes Su. Returning home after three years abroad, she hardly recognized parts of the city, so quickly do new streets, apartment houses and shopping malls spring up. Nevertheless, Chengdu’s urban planners grasped much faster than their colleagues in other Chinese cities that modernization isn’t worth much unless it can incorporate historical elements. Green parks and restored alleyways preserve the city’s traditional character – a cherished commodity among older and younger generations alike: many of the upscale restaurants which Su supplies with wine are tucked inside the red gates of the old city. “We like the mix of old and new,” she says.

Among her favorite locales is White Nights, an establishment which stubbornly refuses to decide whether it would rather be a teahouse or a bar.

History meets modernity So where do the Chenduese get their balance?

“From the Tao,” says Chen. The philosophy of the “way” teaches the importance of recognizing connections, going along with life’s flow, and not allowing oneself to be blinded by false appearances. “To change and yet stay true to oneself – that’s Chengdu,” agrees Su Qian. A little panda dangles from her handbag. No wonder the endangered bears, who have found their last remaining refuge in the nature preserves surrounding the city, are the favorite animals of Chengdu’s residents.

Pandas, so the saying goes, are true Sichuanese: unhurried, pleasant, idiosyncratic – but not to be > underestimated.

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Even better than home cooking C H E N G D U ’ S RE s tau r an t s are

A r o m at i c f e a s t In his trendy restaurant, up-and-coming young chef Zhou Shicheng cooks with locally-grown ingredients.

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famous across China, and Zhou Shicheng is its young culinary shooting star. The 27-year-old is head chef at the popular restaurant Zheng Qifu, which specializes in Sichuan cuisine with a modern twist.

“A hundred aromas” is how he describes his philosophy of cooking: no other province offers a wider variety of ingredients than fertile Sichuan. “For us, natural flavors are key,” says the son of a farmer who inherited his love of cooking from his mother. She constantly found ways to recombine the abundant harvest from her garden. At 16, Zhou began an apprenticeship with a chef in Chengdu. It was a very traditional

education: he spent a year slicing vegetables and observing the master at work before being allowed near a stove. But Zhou’s talents were soon obvious. Following stints in several restaurants, he took over the kitchen of the small, but elegant Zheng Qifu in 2010. He gets his produce from small local farmers and his wild herbs from the mountains.

His parents raise the pigs for the cured ham which he puts inside dumplings.

“The salty pickled tofu we serve as an appetizer is prepared by one of my aunts,” explains Zhou. “Some dishes simply can’t be improved upon.”

Restaurant Zheng Qifu, Kuangxiang Street 2, tel. +86 28 8626 8777.

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Some like it (very) hot

In t h e e arly morning, calm reigns on Jinli Street. Later it bursts into life with tourists, traders and performers.

J U S T L IKE THE I N U IT have a plethora of words for “white”, the Sichuanese scrupulously differentiate between varying degrees of spice-hot. The word “ma”, for instance, specifically refers to the flavor of the Sichuan pepper, which technically isn’t a pepper at all but rather a citrus fruit like the lemon.

Tasting faintly of anise, when bitten it leaves a numbing sensation on the tongue. “La” by contrast, is the Sichuan term for the piquancy of dried red chilis, which tend to appear on tables here en masse. Many recipes unite “ma” and “la”, like the famed “Huoguo”, or hot pot. But be careful: the dish didn’t acquire its name by accident!

i Zhou Shicheng’s early summer menu Dried yak meat with pepper Pork in spicy Xiangchun sauce Beans with wild vegetables Hot pot with tofu Homemade cured ham in spinach dumplings

kitchen heat: Westerners may find the culinary offerings in Chengdu a bit on the spicy side.

Braised carp Stir-fried pickled cabbage with red beans Beet stew Baked Suining sweet potatoes Stir-fried spring bamboo shoots Shangri-La pears with lotus seeds

the GARDENS in Sichuan offer an abundant selection of ingredients. Here, sweet potatoes roast atop a mini-oven.

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Look, relax and marvel EXEMPL ARY ART Just an hour away from Chengdu, the Jianchuan Museum is recognized even beyond China’s borders for its exemplary work in the area of historical reinterpretation. The museum’s grounds are enormous, containing among other things a group of 200 sculptures dedicated to the resistance against Japanese occupation.

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W H I T E N I GH T S In Chengdu, everyone knows where to go for a little enjoyment – to the teahouse. People chat, play mahjong, or simply relax while savoring a fragrant green blend or a smoky Pu’Erh. The White Nights teahouse run by renowned poet Zhai Yongmin enjoys cult status – in the evenings, it turns into a bar.

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( N O T S O ) g oo d mat e s Chengdu is home to the panda. Nowadays, most of these endangered bears reside in Sichuan’s nature preserves. At a dedicated research facility, scientists seek to understand the bear’s idiosyncracies, including its rather lethargic reproductive habits. The highlight of any visit are the baby pandas, of course.

Chengdu is a modern

K itsc h or tradition?

Classical door knocker.

J I N L I S T R EE T is especially popular among the young.

The street of caramel animals 70

metropolis that never forgets its past. Nowhere else in the city is this more apparent than on Jinli Street. Just 350 meters (1,150 ft) long, the historic promenade transports visitors back to an earlier era: street musicians play traditional songs, while classical handicrafts such as 17th-century embroidery abound. Some cynics condemn the street as nothing but a tourist trap; nevertheless, plenty of locals can be found here as well. Above all, Chengdu’s children love Jinli Street – not least because of the caramel artists who fashion three-dimensional animals from the hot sugary confection. Those with a taste for more sophisticated cultural offerings need only turn their heads for a great view of a stage on which a Sichuanese opera is being presented, with highlights including the “face changers” who swap masks with breathtaking rapidity.

photo Interfoto (1) illustration anna linder

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Need to know T I P P I NG In restaurants, hotels and taxis, leaving a tip isn’t the norm. Feel free to give your tour guide a gratuity, though, unless he or she has taken you to a shop where you’ve purchased something. In that case, you can rest assured a tip has already been collected there.

The aristocratic life at t h e o l d c h e n g d u c l u b , residents can sleep like ancient Chinese royalty. Situated in a traditional courtyard complex once home to an aristocratic family, the boutique hotel’s spacious rooms boast antique wooden furniture and four-poster beds with yellow curtains – a color long associated with imperial royalty. Though possibly out of place in terms of period authenticity, after a long day out in steamy Sichuan, guests are extremely grateful for the swimming pool.

BEAT THE HEAT Chengdu is among the hottest cities in China.

Local residents like to combat the external heat using heat from within: warm tea is a more effective coolant than cold water, so they say. t e a d r o ppi n g s Chengdu loves its pandas, its tea – and especially panda tea. Leaves from tea shrubs grown in panda dung cost on average over 1,000 euros (approx. 1,300 dollars) per pound.

“The city is defined by its teahouse culture. People love to converse.

And they’re extremely idiosyncratic.”

TABLE M ANNERS Making a mess is okay. But don’t ever stick your chopsticks upright into the rice bowl.

This reminds the Chinese of the twin incense sticks which are placed upright in the shrine for the deceased.

li a o y i w u

,

w ri t e r

! Go, go, go !

W ONDER W OR M S Sichuan is a gold mine for remedies from traditional Chinese medicine. One such miracle cure is the caterpillar fungus, which looks like dried worms.

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TRAV EL I N F OR M AT I ON Important recommendations from this article can be found at:

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SECRET TONGUE The Sichuan dialect with its harsh vowels is unintelligible for many Chinese. In government offices, conversing in high Chinese is required.

JIN

Further technical specifications and fuel consumption figures can be found on page 75.

ROO M A P LENT Y The ML 350 4Matic outside the Old Chengdu Club.

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Jiuyan Bridge makes a good starting point for a picturesque evening stroll. Amble your way upstream past small restaurants offering grilled meat skewers or spicy river crabs, and take in the bars with live music. At the fifth bridge, after roughly four kilometers (2½ miles), turn left and in ten minutes you’ll arrive on Jinli Street, where a nightcap in the Lotus Palace garden awaits.

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P.S.

THE LIVES OF OTHERS

Do we really feel most at home inside our own four walls?

Not necessarily, argues Meike Winnemuth.

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Meike Winnemuth spent a year in 12 cities on five continents. She describes her experience of living out of a suitcase in her book Das große Los (Knaus).

Here she talks about her experiences of sharing, lending and relinquishing possession. This time: why it can sometimes be very pleasant living in the homes of others.

“Real” homes were the most exciting, of course, lived-in surroundings rather than apartments specifically furnished as short-term rentals. For these are where you learn most about the lives of others – and even more about yourself. In the Copenhagen apartment let by one young man, for example, I spent a month delving into the male psyche and acquiring an in-depth knowledge of action films and comics.

In the ideal scenario, a home is like a good teacher: in San Francisco I wound up by chance in the guest apartment of Carl Djerassi, creator of the oral contraceptive pill and a leading collector of the works of Paul Klee – and for the first time in my life I developed an intense interest in art.

The apartment as teacher In other words, other people’s homes can bring about a wonderful transmogrification as the new environment gets under your skin and into your bones. Never before has it been easier to try out new lifestyles. Unfamiliar surroundings are very good at throwing up ideas and putting new opportunities your way. We could actually be saving years of expensive and time-consuming psychotherapy if only we would swap apartments every so often and come to the realization that – contrary to conventional beliefs – we demonstrably are not hostage to our own decisions. Instead, a new door key can provide us with a pass< port into another life.

Illustration jörn kaspuhl

Just for fun (well, okay, for this column) I decided to tot up how many apartments I had lived in over the past five years. When I ran out of fingers, I resorted to toes. And even then there were not enough digits. 23.

Could that be right? I held a recount.

No mistake: 23 it is. A rent nomad, I hear you say. Well, I guess that fits to some extent. After all, I traveled the world for a year and lived in a different major city every month.

The other moves are also relatively easy to explain: a little project work for the most part, involving temping jobs in other cities, coupled with the occasional problematic love affair and obligatory escape to another continent.

But every once in a while it was the sheer desire to experiment that drove me from one apartment to another.

Once I posed myself the hypothetical question: might I not feel better living in a different part of Hamburg? And it was no big deal to put it to the test on the spot: I moved for four weeks to a furnished apartment on the other side of town – a holiday from my own en-

trenched routine that didn’t even involve boarding an airplane. Never has it been easier to change our place of abode, to find a temporary new existence. Web-based lettings agencies such as Airbnb and 9flats advertise short-term accommodations ranging from flat shares in Berlin to luxury villas in Barbados – for many already a preferred alternative to the uniformity offered by the hotel industry. And oftentimes more effective than therapy. For, just as we adopt a different personality by donning a new set of clothes, a change of living quarters can – for a while, at least – influence our entire outlook on life.

We slip into someone else’s rooms, try them for size and weigh up whether this alien existence might perhaps be just the tonic we need. For it isn’t merely about the living, it’s also about the lifestyle: the Portuguese bakery next door that changes our breakfast routine, a nearby bookstore that awakens a new passion for literature. One of my former temporary apartments had an old piano in the hallway; it encouraged me to take up piano lessons at the age of 48. I have tested waterbeds and futons, surround showers and ice-cream makers. On occasions it seemed like a grown-up game of dolls’ houses played out in real life – and was undoubtedly far more enjoyable than a Saturday spent schlepping around Ikea.

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edition by Jeremy Scott (page 6)

S 350 BlueTec (from page 16)

Engine / Output

Engine / Output

two electric drive models (55/60 kW); Brabus version (see following information) with 1.0-liter three-cylinder, 75 kW at 6,000 rpm; max. torque 147 Nm at 2,500–3,600 rpm

3.0-liter six-cylinder, 190 kW at 3,600 rpm; max. torque 620 Nm at 1,600–2,400 rpm

Transmission 5-speed manual (automated)

Acceleration 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.9 s

Top speed 155 km/h (96 mph)

Fuel consumption

Transmission 7G Tronic Plus 7-speed automatic

Acceleration 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.8 s

Top speed 250 km/h (155 mph)

Fuel consumption

T h e va lu e s stated were calculated according to the measuring methods specified in the currently applicable version of Directive 80/1268/EWG. The data do not relate to a specific vehicle and are not part of the specification, but are merely for the purpose of comparing different vehicle types. The figures are provided in accordance with the German regulation “PKW-EnVKV” and apply to the German market only.

A 45 AMG (from page 40)

Engine / Output 2.0-liter four-cylinder, 265 kW at 6,000 rpm, max. torque 450 Nm at 2,250–5,000 rpm

Transmission AMG Speedshift DTC 7-speed sports transmission

Acceleration 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.6 s

Top speed 250 km/h (155 mph)

Fuel consumption

urban: 6.4 l super plus/ 100 km (36.7 mpg) inter-urban: 4.4 l super plus/ 100 km (53.4 mpg) combined: 5.2 l super plus/ 100 km (45.2 mpg)

urban: 7.3–7.0 l diesel/100 km (32.2–33.6 mpg) inter-urban: 5.1–4.7 l diesel/100 km (46.1–50 mpg) combined: 5.9–5.5 l diesel/100 km (39.8–42.7 mpg)

urban: 9.1–8.8 l super plus/ 100 km (25.8–26.7 mpg) inter-urban: 5.9–5.8 l super plus/ 100 km (39.8–40.4 mpg) combined: 7.1–6.9 l super plus/ 100 km (33.1–34.1 mpg)

CO2 emissions (combined)

CO2 emissions (combined)

119 g/km (191 g/mi)

156–146 g/km (251–235 g/mi)

CO2 emissions (combined) 165–161 g/km (265–259 g/mi)

Energy category E

Energy category A

Energy category D

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phOTOS Anatol Kotte, Marc Trautmann, Daimler Ag

smart fortwo

drive

ML 350 4Matic BlueEfficiency (page 71)

Engine / Output 3.5-liter six-cylinder, 225 kW at 6,500 rpm; max. torque 370 Nm (273 lb-ft) at 3,500–5,250 rpm

c o m p a c t at h l e t e The A 45 AMG is driven by the the most powerful production four-cylinder in the world.

Responsible on behalf of the publishers Thomas Fröhlich · Mirjam Bendak

7G Tronic Plus 7-speed automatic

Publications Manager Dr. Denise Heinermann-Bieler

Acceleration

Publisher’s Council Dr. Joachim Schmidt (Chairman) · Daniel Bartos · Thomas Fröhlich Lüder Fromm · Julia Hofmann · Christoph Horn · Jörg Howe · Anders Sundt Jensen

0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.6 s

Top speed

Concept and Editing Condé Nast Verlag GmbH · Karlstrasse 23 · D-80333 München

235 km/h (146 mph)

Fuel consumption

Managing Director Moritz von Laffert

urban: 11.3–10.9 l super/ 100 km (20.8–21.6 mpg) inter-urban: 7.4–7.1 l super/ 100 km (31.8–33.1 mpg) combined: 8.8–8.5 l super/ 100 km (26.7–27.6 mpg)

Energy category C

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B 180 CDI (from page 76)

Engine / Output 1.5-liter four-cylinder, 80 kW at 4,000 rpm; max. torque 260 Nm (191 lb-ft) at 1,750–2,500 rpm

Transmission 6-speed manual

Acceleration on the wing The latest special edition of the smart fortwo bears the signature of star designer Jeremy Scott.

Published by Daimler AG · Mercedesstraße 137 · D-70327 Stuttgart Mailing address Daimler AG · HPC E402 · D-70546 Stuttgart

Transmission

CO2 emissions (combined) 206–199 g/km (331–320 g/mi)

pu bl icat ion de ta i l s

0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 11.6 s

Top speed 190 km/h (118 mph)

Fuel consumption urban: 5.2–4.9 l diesel/100 km (45.2–48 mpg) inter-urban: 4.1–3.7 l diesel/100 km (57.3–63.5 mpg) combined: 4.5–4.1 l diesel/100 km (52.2–57.3 mpg)

CO2 emissions (combined) 117–108 g/km (188–173 g/mi) Energy category A

Editor at Large Philip Reichardt (responsible for editorial content) Art Director Markus Rindermann Managing Editor Tobias Nebl Chief Copy Editor Michael Moorstedt Editorial Contributors Bernhard Bartsch, Jenny Buchholz, Fabrice Braun, Christoph Henn, Petra Himmel, Sunny Kröger, Aldona Kwiatkowski, Hartmut Lehbrink, Tobias Moorstedt, Meike Winnemuth Deputy Art Director Dirk Meycke Picture Editor Bele Engels Final Editing Edda Benedikt Final Graphics Stefanie Ferstl Advertising Daimler AG Tanja Oder Distribution Daimler AG Uwe Haspel Mercedes-Benz magazine reader service Zenit Pressevertrieb GmbH · Postfach 810580 · D-70552 Stuttgart Tel. 0800 0010001 · leserservice @ zenit-presse.de Annual subscription EUR 22 · CHF 34 · Free of charge for MercedesCard holders.

Production Daimler AG Jennifer Helke Pre Media Solutions Meyle + Müller GmbH+Co. KG Maximilianstrasse 104 · D-75172 Pforzheim Printing Stark Druck GmbH + Co. KG Im Altgefäll 9 · D-75181 Pforzheim

Rights Reprints and use, as a whole or in part, only with the express written permission of Daimler AG. No responsibility can be taken for unsolicited texts and photographs. Signed articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher or the editors. No guarantee is given for information on vehicle equipment and accessories. For binding information and prices please refer to the official Daimler AG sales documentation. All other content in this magazine has been compiled to the best of our knowledge, but no guarantee is given.

Mercedes-Benz magazine appears quarterly, with editions published under cooperation or license in 40 languages.

Number 329, 59th year of publication

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Printed on chlorine-free paper · Printed in Germany 6720032902 ISSN 1617-6677

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FOR HEr, all that matters is the interior. For him, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about engine performance.

Or is it the other way round? Women and men have different priorities â&#x20AC;&#x201C; especially when it comes to cars. Here we ask two siblings about their experience with the family sports tourer.

he says , she says 76

words Jenny buchhol z

photos pe ter l anger

d r i v e

QUICK POSE Smile, click, drive off – organizing a photoshoot in Madrid’s hectic traffic.

ophia and Nicolaus Forster both live in Munich.

While Sophia likes to take the car for a spin at weekends to get out of the city, her brother Nicolaus regularly sets off on surfing trips to the Atlantic coast. The couple spent a weekend in Madrid testing the new B-Class on our behalf.

With a photographer in tow, they soon got to grips with the Spanish capital’s chaotic traffic.

“We were cautious to begin with,” says Nicolaus, “and kept a lookout for official parking spots where we could stop to take photos. But we would have been looking forever. So then we stopped at bus stops or cabstands, jumped out, posed for a snap, and then drove off again before anyone > could say anything.”

S

R E LA X E D even after a lap of the ten-lane roundabout – no sweat for the B-Class.

modern e l e g a n ce Our testers particularly liked the design of the onboard computer and center console.

i

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Sophia, 27

Nicolaus, 25

Profession

Profession Online marketing manager

HR advisor, headhunter

Kilometers per week 200 (124 miles)

Kilometers per week 150 (93 miles)

Status Master navigator

Status Coastal driver 77

SUMMER BREEZE With the panoramic roof open, the car provides that cabriolet feeling.

n icol aus I T W A S 11 O ’ C L O C K in the evening when we finally ar-

rived in Madrid, so a night porter took us to the car. There it stood, our B-Class, all alone and gleaming white in this enormous unlit underground parking garage – like a scene from a spy movie. From the moment we got in, I was struck by the interior equipment and fittings. The cool design of the onboard computer stood out without being obtrusive. I particularly liked the air vents, shaped like futuristic jet turbines, suggesting the car not only had forwards and backwards mode but could also become airborne if necessary. When I drove out of the parking garage, it felt like I was sitting on a raised platform with fantastic all-round visibility – thanks also to the huge rear window. It was already late, so the city had relatively little traffic on the streets – a gentle initiation, thankfully. Because the next day we soon realized that when it comes to driving, the Spaniards have rather a fiery temperament, which you have to match if you want to get anywhere. Particularly if you have to thread your way through a busy ten-lane roundabout with no lane markings. Here the B-Class proved a great partner: not only do you sit slightly higher, it can also wriggle through the dense traffic like any small car. In fact, from the outside it looks really compact, even though there is lots of space inside. Back home I have a van that allows me just to throw my surfboard in the back and set off. But when I see how much room the B-Class offers, I can imagine it making a great surfmobile.

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COMPACT EXTERIOR, but lots of space on the inside. The B-Class would make a great surfmobile. n i c o la u s

d r i v e

soph i a F I R S T I M P R E S S I O N S count: when we pressed

the radio transmitter on the car key we were greeted with a mini light show – a nice touch. I had seen photos of the B-Class, but I liked it even more face-to-face.

It was sportier than I expected and the interior also had a more contemporary look to it. I had never driven a six-speed car before, and I was surprised both by the smoothness of the transmission and the flexibility of the engine. It is more relaxed than aggressive or vicious, but there is plenty of power when you need it. I also enjoyed the panoramic roof. When the satnav lost its signal, I just used the sun for orientation.

And with the roof open we got that summer feeling you only otherwise get with a cabriolet. What came to my rescue the most, however, was the car’s unbelievable maneuverability. Madrid is full of narrow one-way streets lined with bollards outside the tall old buildings. We set off early on the Sunday morning, when most Madrileños were still asleep. That was a good move, for by the afternoon the squares and one-way streets were so full it made us wonder if the whole city < wasn’t just a huge pedestrian precinct.

THE ENGINE is easygoing.

Not at all aggressive, but with plenty of power when needed. sop hia

i B 180 CDI Engine / Output 1.5-liter four-cylinder diesel, 80 kW at 4,000 rpm; max. torque 260 Nm (191 lb-ft) at 1,750-2,500 rpm

Transmission 6-speed manual

Space gain The optional Easy-Vario-Plus system turns the sports tourer into a loadcarrying champion. The package includes fore/aft adjustable rear seats and a passenger seat with backrest that can be folded completely forwards.

Safety as standard Collision Prevention ­Assist warns of a collision hazard and prepares the Brake Assist for the most precise braking response possible.

Further technical specifications and fuel consumption figures can be found on page 75.

M A D R I D ’ S streets are like one big pedestrian precinct, says Sophia. The car’s maneuverability came to her rescue. mb - qr . com /099

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Night of heroes

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t was the night of the Olympic and Paralympic stars. Among the seven winners of the Laureus World Sports Awards, five were gold medalists in the 2013 London Olympics: sprinter Usain Bolt (Sportsman of the Year), heptathlete Jessica Ennis (Sportswoman of the Year), hurdler Felix Sanchez (Comeback of the Year), tennis player Andy Murray (Breakthrough of the Year) and swimmer Daniel Dias (Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability). The remaining awards went to the golf players of the European Ryder Cup Team and to extreme sportsman Felix Baumgartner. Notwithstanding all the glitz and glamour, the gala in Rio de Janeiro also turned the spotlight on the situation of disadvantaged children. The proceeds of the World Sports Award, supported by Mercedes-Benz, go to the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which backs more than 140 sports projects around the world â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including three in Rio. laureus . com

photos Get t y Images (2) , Actionpress (4) , People Picture (1) , ATP Bruno Jordao/DJV_ Bildportal (1) , Br auer Photos (2) , DPA/Picture Alliance (1)

WINNERS ALL ROUND at the Laureus World Sports Awards below Sugar Loaf Mountain: the world of sports honors its top achievers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and helps the cause of disadvantaged young people.

M O M E N T S

this is really the crème de la crème of sport. e dw in m ose s

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1. Elegant setting for the 2013 gala: the Theatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro 2. Laureus President Edwin Moses with wife Michelle 3. ­Skydiver Felix Baumgartner, World Action Sportsperson of the Year 4. Neymar, Brazilian soccer star 5. Paternal love: Olympic swimming champion Chad le Clos (right) with his father, Bert 6. The pose: Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world and World Sportsman of the Year 7. Actor Ricardo Pereira with wife Francisca Pinto 8. Winning smile: Olympic sprint champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce 9. Larking around: boxing world champion Vitali Klitschko (right) with former boxer Axel Schulz 10. Rower Filip Adamski (left) and golfer Martin Kaymer 11. Hollywood star and­ Laureus host Eva Longoria (center).

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ICONS ENERGY FLOW

Energy flow

P ower N apping is something you can do anywhere and increases alertness by up to 100%.

An ideal power nap lasts around 20 minutes and takes place after lunch.

Clutch a bunch of keys tightly in your hand to help you wake up.

C R O SS O V E R E X E R C I S E S synchronize the two halves of the brain and boost concentration. A simple standing exercise is to pull your right knee up to your stomach with your left hand, hold it there for ten seconds and repeat the other way round.

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li q ui d s oun d is a further development of floating.

While you are drifting off in your salt water tank you listen to special underwater music. Apparently 45 minutes in a floatarium have as relax­ ing an effect as several hours’ sleep.

THE ENERGY FLOW in Mercedes hybrid models can be monitored in the cockpit. But to ensure your own body receives enough energy, you have to take action yourself.

Here’s how to get a rapid boost.

T H E TA R Z A N B E AT is a technique for activating the thymus gland situated just under the V formed by your collarbones. If you gently hit this spot with your fist for a minute and take intermittent deep breaths, they say you will feel new strength and any feelings of stress will disappear.

A CHEWING GUM called “Pilot Chews” was developed specially for pilots and uses caffeine, herbs and vitamins to improve con­­ centration, memory and reflexes within 20 minutes.

Available from amazon.com.

Illustration Leandro Castelao/Dutchuncle phOTOS Fotolia words Christoph Henn

E Y E PA LM IN G helps combat tiredness and burning eyes from too much staring at the screen, according to Chinese medical lore. Just rub your hands to warm them and press them gently against your closed eyes for a few minutes.

FORGET COFFEE – hot water and ginger is a much healthier power drink. The volatile oils in ginger root act as a stimu­ lant and get both the circulation and the digestion going.