Mercedes-Benz Thailand Magazine 1/2014 (Eng)

Issue 01·2014

Mercedes-Benz

mercedes-benz.com

is s n

1617–6677

01·2014

silver arrow Happy birthday!

A legend turns 80

São Paulo Formula 1 2014 Spitsbergen’s plant treasury

Lisbon A trip for two with the E-Class Wagon

cutting-edge Luxury The new C-Class raises the bar

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To the back of beyond BETWEEN THE WORKPLACE AND THE GARAGE,

photos Cover : Y ves Borgwardt, Daimler AG, Marc Tr autmann, Martin Bauendahl/Folio - ID ; this page: Jan Friese, Postproduction : RGBerlin

the grocery store and weekend jaunts, there’s little chance of straying from familiar paths in our day-to-day lives. Reason enough to take some time out and venture well off the beaten track. We took the GLA across the Tunisian desert (see page 52), passing spectacular sand dunes and salt lakes.

Along the way we also discovered an intriguing site – the original Star Wars movie sets, preserved in the arid desert climate for over 30 years.

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052

028

076

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phOTOS marc trautmann, intertopics/eyevine/Dave Walsh, jan Friese, Yves Borgwardt, filippo bamberghi, daimler ag

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040

Time’s arrows

Art of revival

Mobility and innovation: asphalt of the future and modular smartphones

The latest social network and Internet offerings from Mercedes

80 years of the Silver Arrows, 80 years of motorsports triumphs

Exploring the creative side of São Paulo, South America’s largest city

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046

07 2

Marie Haga is Executive Director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust. She talks about our future global food supply

How the new regulations will impact on the Mercedes works race team

Julia Karnick writes about the toils and tribulations of modern-day consumers

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0 52

1982 saw the 190 models hit the market. What other significant things happened that year?

Off the beaten track with the GLA – visiting Berber villages and navigating the desert in southern Tunisia

Check-in

012

Timelessly elegant Our new column compares technology and design. First up: steering wheels 014

Eye in the sky The James Webb Space Telescope will peer far into the past and shed light on the secrets at the edge of our universe

Worth a visit

Seeds of the future

Revolution in Formula 1

064

P.S.

076

Watershed year

Desert chic

038

He says, she says Carsten and Christiana test the E-Class Wagon in Lisbon 0 82

Icons

016

Natural beauty

060

Language: a round-up of intriguing facts that could leave you speechless

More comfort, more dynamics – the new C-Class is redefining the mid-range class

Dropping by on designer Jesse Kamm, who is charming the fashion world with her recycled products

Design, art, fashion, nature: retro coffee in Cape Town and the British inventor of haute couture

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Upgraded

Emotion

I ntr o f y i Technical specifications pu b l icati o n detai l s M o ments 5

n e w

m o d e l

Lean machine A F E AST F OR TH E E Y E S awaits you should you happen to come across one

*Technical data and fuel economy figures were not available at the time of going to press.

of the first photos of the S-Class Coupe* over the next few weeks. The car unveiled in concept form at last year’s International Motor Show in Frankfurt (IAA) already caused quite a stir, but the finished article (available to admire at an initial selection of European dealers from June) looks even better. The Coupe’s sporting ambitions are highlighted by its pulse-quickening proportions, not least the striking form lines over the hood and the dominant air intakes below the front bumper.

New technologies add further finesse to its dynamic potential. For example, the Magic Body Control suspension system already familiar from the S-Class, which scans the road and adjusts the damper responses to surface inconsistencies, also comes with a cornering tilt function. This extra string to its bow angles the Coupe’s body into corners by up to two degrees, significantly reducing the lateral forces impacting on the driver – and enhancing driving pleasure in equal measure.

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C h e c k - i n

Erik Schlangen The Dutch civil engineer and his team at Delft Technical University have developed a new type of self-repairing asphalt.

I n t h e s e a s i d e t o w n of Margate in southern Eng-

land, the façade of this house looks as though it is going rapidly downhill. For his unusual art project entitled “From the knees of my nose to the belly of my toes”, British artist Alex Chinneck slid the front door down into the garden and created a gaping hole in the top floor which reveals a dilapidated interior that contrasts with the immaculate façade. The architectural installation at 1 Godwin Road was on display until the end of last year and is now being returned to its erstwhile state as a habitable home. a l e xch i n n eck .com

How do self-repairing road surfaces work?

We add steel wool to the bitumen that holds the asphalt together. A special machine then heats the damaged spots to around 85° Celsius (185°F), so that the steel fibers melt and any cracks in the surface close of their own accord.

illustration brian Taylor photos Daimler AG (2)

How did you hit on the idea?

In Holland we often use open-pore asphalt. The advantage is that water can drain away and noise is also reduced, making the surface much quieter. The downside is that, while normal asphalt has a life expectancy of around 50 years, in the case of this “whisper asphalt”, individual chippings start to come loose after five to seven years. The idea is to lengthen its life.

When will your asphalt be deployed?

Our test section has just gone through its fourth winter, and with luck it will have suffered enough damage for us to have to repair it over the next few weeks. That will show whether our experimental surface works on longer stretches of road.

D a t a

Smart view N i m b u s is a kind of dash-

board display for a range of digital data that can be controlled via a smartphone.

As well as showing the time, this multiple info panel can also display tweets, e-mails and Facebook likes – enabling you to keep up with with your social networks.

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

ImpAct, noun; technical term for an innovative process used

by Mercedes-Benz to permanently bond steel sheeting and aluminum body components using special pins.

qu i r ky. com

Has much interest been expressed in your invention?

You bet! Germany, Switzerland, South Africa, China, Australia, England… And the biggest U.S. insurance company is also interested in investing in it, as it will save considerable sums of money by cutting down on accidents.

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y o u

a r e

l i st e n i n g

t o . . .

The Goldfinch D o n n a Ta r t t ’ s third novel in as many decades is a brilliant account of how a boy called Theo loses his mother in a terrorist attack on a museum and takes a painting with him as he escapes. The picture reminds him of his mother, but over time leads him deeper and deeper into a tangle of deceit, unresolved mysteries and wrong decisions. amazon . com

J UST 3 5 0 MOR E , and then

Last chance

the legendary SLS AMG will be consigned to the history books. It would be a shame, though, if this limited edition of the 435 kW SLS AMG GT Final Edition*, with its many carbon-fiber body components, was condemned to spend its life sitting on its specially developed Cup tires in some collector’s garage. mercedes-amg.com

“I seek challenges that I am not quite prepared for.

That’s the way to develop.

The breakthrough comes when you get beyond that point of feeling you are not up to the task.”

o n c e

i n

a

l i f e t i m e . . .

1

2

3

… Travel to the center of the Earth 8

how do you do it?

Thrihnukagigur is a dormant volcano in Iceland. You can join a group, trek to the volcano and descend 120 meters (393 ft) into the crater in a cable car.

what are the requirements?

You should be physically fit, at least 12 years old and, above all, not suffer from claustrophobia. whe re is it ?

The volcano is situated some 30 minutes by road from Reykjavik.Tours are offered from May onwards by the organizers, insidethevolcano.com

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

m a r i s s a m ay e r , c e o o f ya h o o

C h e c k - i n

18°

29'

s,

70°

Arica Copiapó

from to

20'

W

Arica

Copiapó

d i s ta n ce 1,271 kilometers (790 miles) d u r at i o n approx. 23 hours h i g h l i g h t Pampa del Tamarugal Nature Reserve I n C H i l e , the legendary Panamericana Highway traverses the Atacama Desert. On one side are the mountains surrounding the volcano of Licancabur, and on the other, the desert meets the Pacific. In between lie endless miles of sand and salt fields. Other vehicles can be spotted as far as 50 kilometers (30 miles) away because of the horizontal tails of dust they generate. Vertical columns of sand indicate whirlwinds. At dusk, the sky begins to light up: the Atacama is one of the driest places on Earth and the stars appear incredibly close. ch i le . tr av el

a p p D a t e

Downloads for travelers

photos L aif (2), Daimler ag (1)

M o b i lyT r i p is a DIY travel diary. All you need is an Internet connection to share text and photos with friends. If you want, you can use the app to order your travel memories in photobook form.

Blinkist: Compact summaries of nonfiction works for travelers

fotopedia: 25,000 pictures of the most beautiful places in the world

GT Racing 2: A racing game with realistic handling and four possible perspectives

240

N a n o m e t e r s , or 240 billionths of a meter, is the height of the countless sharp needles that scientists found when they inspected the wings of the Diplacodes bipunctata dragonfly under a microscope. The fascinating thing is that the nanoneedles make the surface fatal for bacteria by slicing open the cell walls of a bacterium as soon as it comes into contact with them. A total of 450,000 bacteria per square centimeter (0.155 sq in) can be rendered harmless in this way.

Researchers are now working on developing an artificial surface that has the same qualities and could be used, for example, in hospitals.

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T e ch n o l o g y

Let there be light L i - f i is the name given by Professor Harald Haas of Edinburgh University to

DIY SMARTPHONES Now you can have a personalized cell phone rather than a massproduced one. The Phonebloks concept enables customers to design their own smartphone, adding a new camera or extra memory as required. . phon ebloks com

the technology he has developed for transferring data using light. The idea is to enable data to be communicated by means of normal LED lamps. The socalled “speaking light” actually works – even without a direct line of sight to the data receiver. So it is perhaps only a matter of time before we will be able to download e-mails and stream videos using a flashlight. pu r eli fi . co . u k

whether it’s self-repairing asphalt or a personalized smartphone, you can find more information about all these technological trends by using the smartphone QR app.

M e ta l f r am e s offer a solid foundation for walkways and buildings. m b - q r . c o m /0FJ

u n d e rwat e r constructions provide a foundation while functioning as swamp filters.

M i a m i is one of the five coastal cities worldwide with the greatest risk of being engulfed by the sea some time in the future. Architect Clara Tresgallo

was inspired by mangrove swamps to develop this new coastal protection concept based on their natural ability to absorb flood surges. A network of metal structures along the coast mimics the roots of the mangrove – and the underwater sections encourage the development of coral reefs. Above the water level, the structures can be configured to support hotels, shops or apartments. cl a r atr esga llo . com 10

Ponton Mercedes

1954

S-class

2014

Timelessly elegant

For more than 100 years, cars have been constantly reinventing themselves. Their interiors, too, have moved with the times and fresh design concepts have significantly enhanced comfort levels. Seats have become more ergonomic, the number of switches and levers has expanded, and digital technology has been making steady inroads. But one interior component has withstood the passage of time with relatively little outward sign of change – the steering wheel. Perhaps the name itself points to why this interface between man and machine, where the engine power is given meaning and direction, has had a less turbulent evolution. There’s no point in “reinventing the wheel”, after all. This has, of course, happened on the technical front with inventions such as the safety steering column, driver airbag and numerous other features. But its fundamental design has remained the same.

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The steering wheel in the new S-Class with its unusual twospoke design even displays an affinity with its counterpart in the Mercedes W 180 Ponton models. But that has nothing to do with nostalgia, explains Head of Interior Design Hartmut Sinkwitz: “One aim of this pared-down look was to produce a sense of airiness and transparency.” So while the proportions of the central boss and outer rim are dictated by safety requirements, the reduced number of spokes picks up on the S-Class theme of space as a genuine luxury: the reduced design conveys a sense of elegance. As for its 60-year-old predecessor, it followed the principle of “form follows function”: in the absence of power steering, the large outer rim reduced the effort needed to turn the wheel. The evolution of the steering wheel once again shows how similar results are > sometimes achieved out of completely different motives.

photos Daimler AG (2)

SIXTY YEARS separate the steering wheel in the new S-Class from that in the Mercedes W 180 Ponton – an eternity in the world of motoring.

Yet despite all technical advances, they are similar in design. How come?

Ponton Mercedes

1954

S-class

2014

Timelessly elegant

For more than 100 years, cars have been constantly reinventing themselves. Their interiors, too, have moved with the times and fresh design concepts have significantly enhanced comfort levels. Seats have become more ergonomic, the number of switches and levers has expanded, and digital technology has been making steady inroads. But one interior component has withstood the passage of time with relatively little outward sign of change – the steering wheel. Perhaps the name itself points to why this interface between man and machine, where the engine power is given meaning and direction, has had a less turbulent evolution. There’s no point in “reinventing the wheel”, after all. This has, of course, happened on the technical front with inventions such as the safety steering column, driver airbag and numerous other features. But its fundamental design has remained the same.

12

The steering wheel in the new S-Class with its unusual twospoke design even displays an affinity with its counterpart in the Mercedes W 180 Ponton models. But that has nothing to do with nostalgia, explains Head of Interior Design Hartmut Sinkwitz: “One aim of this pared-down look was to produce a sense of airiness and transparency.” So while the proportions of the central boss and outer rim are dictated by safety requirements, the reduced number of spokes picks up on the S-Class theme of space as a genuine luxury: the reduced design conveys a sense of elegance. As for its 60-year-old predecessor, it followed the principle of “form follows function”: in the absence of power steering, the large outer rim reduced the effort needed to turn the wheel. The evolution of the steering wheel once again shows how similar results are > sometimes achieved out of completely different motives.

photos Daimler AG (2)

SIXTY YEARS separate the steering wheel in the new S-Class from that in the Mercedes W 180 Ponton – an eternity in the world of motoring.

Yet despite all technical advances, they are similar in design. How come?

Eye in the sky

THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE is the best and most expensive telescope ever built. In a few years, it will be launched into space to investigate the very edge of the observable universe.

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inn o v ati o n

W

hen we look into space, we are always looking into the past. If we examine the Messier 15 star cluster, which is 30,000 light years away, we are effectively seeing it as it was 30,000 years ago – that is the amount of time its light requires to reach our eyes. The hot blue and cooler golden stars of Messier 15 can clearly be distinguished on the latest pictures transmitted by the Hubble Space Telescope (left, background). Hubble’s successor, the James Webb Space Telescope, will be able to look further and more clearly into the past – up to 200 million years after the Big Bang.

This joint project between NASA and the European and Canadian space agencies is due to start in 2018 at an estimated cost of around 8.8 billion dollars. Webb will be capable of looking into the dust clouds surrounding young stars and show how the first galaxies were formed. And perhaps it will even deliver pictures of phenomena for which as yet we have no name. jwst.nasa.gov

1

photos NASA/ESA , NASA/MSFC/david higginbotham (1)

s p a ce - s a v ing The telescope will be launched into space on an Ariane 5 rocket. During transportation, three segments of the mirror will be folded together and will only unfurl again in space. Fully extended, the mirror would be too big to be carried by any existing launch system.

3 K E E P I N G C OO L A sunshield will maintain the telescope at its operating temperature. It consists of five thin layers of a material called kapton, coated with aluminum on the sunny side and on the other side with silicon, which has a cooling effect in the case of infrared radiation.

2 C L E A R - S I G HT E D The telescope’s mirror (shown above during Nasa’s cold test) has a diameter of 6.5 meters (21.3 ft) and consists of 18 hexagonal segments, each 1.3 meters (4.2 ft) in diameter. It is made of ultra-lightweight but highly temperature-resistant beryllium and is coated with gold to improve its reflective qualities.

4 in v i s i b le The telescope’s instruments are specially designed to detect infrared light, as the light from the early years of the universe has been distorted by the expansion of space and cannot be detected by the human eye.

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Upgraded 16

Backdrops Christoph Koestlin/Folio-ID

d r i v e

MORE COMFORT AND MORE LUXURY, more vehicle dynamics and more superlatives – Mercedes-Benz is redefining the mid-range class.

The enhancements are in evidence both inside and out.

w o r d s M i c h a e l m o o r s t e dt

photos marc tr autmann

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Even when stationary, the car

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d r i v e

appears to be in full flight.

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Backdrops Greg Conr aux/Folio - ID

d r i v e

Larger but lighter

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Premiere Available for the first time in the C-Class, Airmatic air suspension guarantees both comfort and dynamic driving pleasure.

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Backdrops Greg Conr aux/Folio - ID

AT H L E T I C s ta n c e The long engine hood and shortened tail create an aerodynamic silhouette.

d r i v e

T

oday we are used to having the world – quite literally – at our fingertips. We use touchscreens and touchpads to operate smartphones, tablets, computers, drinks and cash dispensers, ticket machines and many other everyday conveniences. In recent years, moreover, the gestures required to control these devices – the swipe, the drag, the tap – have become such a regular feature of our everyday lives that young children now stare indignantly at the printed words in a book when they stubbornly refuse to move off the page.

Touchscreens have introduced a closer relationship between man and machine. But for many years, the car remained largely untouched by this revolution. Why? Perhaps because the raw power of the machine, the irresistible force of several hundred horsepower, never seemed to sit quite so well with the simplicity of touchscreen control.

Presented by Mercedes-Benz at the Detroit Autoshow in January, the new C-Class is about to change all that: the centerpiece of its center console is a silky-smooth touchpad. Just as with a smartphone, all vehicle functions – from ambient lighting to climate control and multimedia – can be operated by the driver with fingertip control. And the system is also hooked up to the navigation device, of course.

Using natural finger movements, the touchpad enables users to zoom in on a map; its handwriting recognition function identifies the individual letters of destinations “drawn” with the finger on the screen (the software can even interpret the most spidery of hands); and after just a brief familiarization period, users will be writing commands instinctively and unsighted. For drivers who feel uneasy with touch controls, however, there is always the familiar controller knob, now relocated to a new position just below the magical touchscreen.

Premiere of the head-up display

cut ting - edge luxury The large central display and three iconic air vents lend the cockpit an avant-garde look. The impact is further heightened by the head-up display.

Combining several functions in one device, the touchpad has a further positive spin-off, reducing the number of knobs and switches on the dominant center console. The cockpit seems somehow tidier – almost minimalist.

The effect achieved by the large, freestanding screen and the three air vents positioned below it is one of contemporary sportiness. And the look is underlined by the first-ever use in a Mercedes-Benz vehicle of a head-up display.

This projects important information about speed or route onto the front windscreen. To the driver’s eye, the virtual image appears to float in front of the C-Class.

Despite all such innovative additions, the inte> rior appears neither overly technical nor 23

p re m i u m q u a l i t y Tranquil surfaces and elegant, flowing lines dominate on the inside: the ultimate in automotive interior design.

BAND OF BROTHERS It’s hard to miss the family resemblance to the large luxury sedan.

Characteristic features include the many driver assistance systems.

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d r i v e

unwelcoming, thanks in no small part to the tranquil surfaces and elegant, flowing lines, which converge at the center console, holding passengers in their gentle embrace. With reference to the cockpit’s sculptural design, Hartmut Sinkwitz, Head of Interior Design at Mercedes-Benz, speaks of “sensual clarity”.

Highlights include solid metal and galvanized surfaces, intricate stitching and fine wood finishes – the ultimate in automotive interior design.

At its introduction over 30 years ago, the C-Class predecessor – the 190 (see page 34) – was teasingly and affectionately nicknamed the “Baby Benz”. Of course, even then the moniker seemed ill-fitting. Today it could not be any less apposite.

For the credo faithfully observed by the developers has been to “upgrade inside”. To sit aboard the new C-Class is to experience the joy of an airline passenger upgraded from economy to business class. For on discovering the new model for the first time, it is not immediately apparent that this is a car nominally ranked in the mid-range class. “The development came about at the time we were redefining our brand and establishing our slogan ‘The best or nothing’,” explains design chief Sinkwitz.

Unprecedented new highs Upon close inspection, it quickly becomes clear that this design credo has been implemented consistently throughout, right down to the bodywork. The car appears to have grown in size – and yet shed weight at the same time. A quick consultation of the data sheet confirms this initial overall impression. Thanks to intelligent lightweight design and the extensive use of aluminum parts, the current model tips the scales up to 100 kilograms (220 lb) lighter than predecessor generations. This also has an impact on fuel consumption, where the new C-Class has set unprecedented best marks for its segment.

Despite this, the new model line is around ten centimeters (4 in) longer. This not only benefits legroom in the rear, it also serves to enhance the aerodynamic silhouette and elongated engine hood, the arching roofline that falls away steeply towards the rear and the shortened tail end. Moreover, the distinctive side contours appear to generate additional momentum. The look is highly dynamic.

Even when standing still, the C-Class appears to be in full flight.

It is impossible to ignore a family resemblance to the S-Class. Indeed, many technical innovations and assistance systems have found their

i C 250 Engine / Output 2.0-liter four-cylinder, 155 kW; max. torque 350 Nm (258 lb-ft)

Transmission 7G-Tronic Plus seven-speed transmission

Star qualities The new C-Class has two faces: in the basic version, the Avantgarde and AMG lines, the three-pointed star is housed in the radiator grill; in the exclusive variant, it adorns the engine hood in classic style.

Help at hand Besides the familiar assistance systems, the car features an innovative air conditioning system, which uses GPS signals to automatically close the air recirculation flap in tunnels to prevent exhaust gases entering.

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

way into the new C-Class barely a year after they celebrated their world premiere in the Mercedes-Benz f lagship model. These include, for example, the onboard stereo camera, which provides a three-dimensional view of the area up to 50 meters (164 ft) in front of the vehicle and recognizes pedestrians, cyclists and cars approaching from the side. The camera also works in combination with many other sensors to provide allround visibility. The car’s arsenal of optional equipment features further includes the enhanced Driving Assistance package Plus, as well as the now individually available Distronic Plus and Active Parking Assist.

Technology transfer has also given rise to the Stop&Go Pilot, already familiar in the S-Class. This responds automatically to the f low in stop-and-go traffic and, as such, heralds hands-free driving in basic form.

As well as enhancing comfort and luxury, it also increases safety. The new C-Class is more than equipped to face the future.

In terms of suspension, too, it has taken an evolutionary step forwards. The new model features an all-new 4-link front axle, in which wheel suspension is fully decoupled from the spring strut for improved agility.

Alternatively, Airmatic air suspension is now also available in this segment. In combination with the aluminum hybrid body, this guarantees comfort and increased driving pleasure – and ensures that, along with all the interior upgrades, the focus remains < firmly on the car’s handling.

AN EYE ON THE ROAD Radar technology can see up to 200 meters (650 ft) ahead.

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Worth a visit

H A M I LTON C A L L S T H E T U NE Mercedes GP race driver Lewis Hamiltonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s official website features muc h more than just information and specta cular photos from the world of Formula 1. It also showcases a unique music ser vice: Hamilton has put together various playlists on his Spotify channel. Why not try listening to the sounds of the former world champion in the comfort of your own car? lew ish a m i lto n . com

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ne twor k m er ce de s- be nz : five fascinating of ferings from the digital cosmos for a springtime walk in the web.

d i g i t a l

NEW LOOK The recently revamped lifestyle magazine mb! by Mercedes-Benz appears in a fresh new design, and has a new music player as well as additional feature categories, including fashion, adventure and technology. The online magazine has also been optimized for smartphones and tablets. m b . m ercedes - benz . com

Illustration Cristiano Rinaldi photos DDP Images (1) , Daimler AG (3 )

GRAPEV INE Using the short video app Vine, Twitter users can share captivating six-second video clips – including #MercedesBenz. seen i v e . com / tag / m ercedesb enz

A

INSIDE VIEW The Daimler Blog invites “regular” employees from all parts of the group to have their say on their work, technical innovations and social projects. blog . da i m ler . de

......... | 5:51 ... | PATRICE ................................................

01 SMOKE & MIRRORS (SG LEWIS REMIX) ................. | 3:41 ........... | GHOST DUST ................................

02 PHANTOM TYPEWRITER ................ ........ | 3:46 ................ ................ ... | MADARA ................

03 BE STILL ................................................

JILL TURNER | 3:08 ........ | BLACKFIELD SESSIONS FEAT. 04 10 MIO DREAMS (MIXED TAPE MIX) ..................................... | 4:02 BATMAN T BASEMEN | .......

05 DARK SIDE OF THE STOOP ................ ........................ | 3:49 ...... | MR EART ................................

06 I LOVEHATE YOU ................................ ................... | 3:58 .. | THE HAGMAN GROUP ................

07 YOU MADE IT EASY ................................ .......................... | 3:03 ................

ATLANTIC HELLO | 08 THE LEAVING SONG ................................ ......... | 4:40 ................ ................ ........... | SOTHKO ................

09 PITCH BLACK ................................ ............................ | 3:06 ........... | COLD ATLANTIC ................

10 PERFECT WAY ................................

for private use and dissemination. of music protected by copyright, free Mixed Tape from Daimler AG, pieces des-benz.com/mixedtape. from 30.01.14 free of charge at www.merce The new Mixed Tape will be available

USE THE QR App to view all the digital offers on your smartphone.

COLLECTED WORKS This cool website hosts a collection of cutting-edge blogs on a variety of subjects – from the latest on Mercedes models to noteworthy events and technological developments. marks indicated cut the CD cover out along the cutting black and white or-colour, soci a lpu blish . min ercedes benz .CDcom whether it’s No matter sleeve. half. It should now fit in any standard Mercedes-Benz Music Compilation 54 www.mercedes-benz.com/mixedtape

and then fold it in

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photo intertopics/eyevine/Dave Walsh

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intervie w k erstin lรถffler

portr aits thomas Schweigert

C h a r a c t e r s

BETWEEN FASCINATION AND RESPONSIBILITY In a vault in the frozen Norwegian wilderness lies a collection of seeds for the world’s most important crops – a treasury intended to help us overcome the challenges the global food supply faces in tomorrow’s world, according to Marie Haga, Executive Director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust.

seeds of the future 29

Ms. Haga, why is it necessary for us to store staple agricultural crops such as rice, maize and wheat in a vault in the Arctic?

Agriculture is facing unprecedented challenges.

Firstly, we will have over a billion more mouths to feed in the next ten years. This means that food production will have to be increased by around 15 percent. Secondly, we know that, for instance, rice harvest yields go down by ten percent when the temperature on Earth increases by one degree Celsius. This is a dramatic situation, for we also know that the temperature won’t increase by just one degree Celsius, but by three or four degrees. These figures are from the World Bank, which is not known for being particularly radical. The effects this will have on rice production are unknown, but what is incontrovertibly clear is that we will have to produce more food on less land with less water and less energy.

What role does the seed vault on Spitsbergen play in all of this?

For agriculture to be able to adapt to the new conditions, we need biodiversity. We are aware of which crop varieties are important to us today. But what if a new disease were suddenly to appear and wipe out all our wheat fields?

We can only develop solutions to these sorts of problems if we have genetic diversity.

Let me illustrate this with an example. At the start of the 20th century, there were around 7,100 varieties of apple. Today, there are about 1,000 varieties. In other words, we have lost 6,100 apple varieties. Of course, it could be argued that 1,000 apple varieties are ample.

The problem is that one of these 6,100 varieties just might have had the traits that we need today to fight a new apple disease. Or to adapt the orchards to higher temperatures. If we lose diversity, we lose options for the future – that’s what it’s all about.

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PERMAFROST In the icy wilderness of Spitsbergen, the seed vault has its home. The ideal storage temperature is −18° Celsius (−0.4°F).

Should the cooling system ever fail, the samples will nevertheless remain safe in the permafrost.

And for that we need a high-security vault in the eternal ice?

The Spitsbergen vault is the final back-up copy for the whole system. There are 1,750 seed banks worldwide, many of which are in excellent condition, such as those in Germany and the USA. However, a large number of these seed banks are in a parlous state, for example because they are in an area plagued by political unrest. It isn’t complicated to manage these gene banks.

However, you do need electricity, and if there is a power outage, it is disastrous. Or take the Philippines. Their seed bank was destroyed by a devastating flood. When they were in the process of rebuilding the facility, a fire broke out, and extremely valuable genetic material was lost. Our

photo national geogr aphic creative

f

What happened to these 6,000 varieties? Why did they not survive?

Varieties die off throughout the world for all kinds of different reasons. There could be climatic factors behind it, but the most important component is the way we farm. The commercialization of agriculture has made farmers dependent on large harvests to survive financially.

They concentrate on a small number of varieties that produce a high yield. In Sri Lanka, for instance, there were about 2,000 varieties of rice in 1959. Today, the rice farmers use just five varieties. The FAO – the UN Food and Agriculture Organization – estimates that, since the start of the 20th century, we have lost almost 75 percent of crop varieties. While we can’t recreate what has disappeared, we can ensure that we hold on to what we have today – and keep it in readiness for the future.

or six years, surrounded by the Arctic Ocean and amid the permafrost of Norway’s Svalbard Archipelago, there has lain the vault that is intended to secure the survival of the human race: the Svalbard Global Seed Vault on the island of Spitsbergen. At temperatures of around −18 degrees Celsius (−0.4°F), and with a security system to match that of Fort Knox, some 800,000 seeds from the most important crops worldwide – above all rice, wheat and maize – are stored deep in the bowels of a mountain. Eventually, the number of seed samples will be increased to 4.5 million. The secure seed vault is a project run by the Global Crop Diversity Trust, which manages the seed storage facility in conjunction with the Norwegian government. Marie Haga has been Executive Director since 2013.

C h a r a c t e r s

goal is to develop a rational and cost-effective worldwide system in order to safeguard the most important crops globally for all time.

How do you plan to go about this?

By duplicating the seeds and storing a copy on another continent in case something goes wrong. At present there are, in addition to the 1,750 gene banks in various countries, 11 international collections that contain huge amounts of material. There are collections in Syria, Mexico and Nigeria. The Aleppo gene bank in Syria, for example, has the most valuable collection of wheat seeds in the entire world. With the country at war, however, no one knows what will become of this gene bank. Some of the people there have taken on the huge responsibility of maintaining the Icarda facility. They buy diesel fuel for the generators on the black market to keep the cooling system running. If anything were to happen to that gene bank, it would be a dramatic loss for the future of wheat production.

With this danger in mind, we started duplicating the seeds a few years ago and sending them to Spitsbergen. With the latest delivery, duplicates of almost the entire collection are now stored in the vault there.

How are the seed samples actually transported to Spitsbergen?

The seeds, perhaps a couple of hundred of them per accession, are packed and sealed in an airtight, aluminum-coated package, then placed in boxes and shipped. The Spitsbergen facility differs from the national and the international > gene banks in that it is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;black boxâ&#x20AC;?

in future, we will have to produce more food on less land, with less water and less energy.

31

arrangement, meaning that the material belongs to the country or organization that has deposited it. No one else is entitled to open it – neither the Norwegian government nor us, nor anybody else.

And what if somebody else does that nevertheless?

Well, there is a very tight security system in place. The vault has been built deep inside the mountain and it is protected by a whole array of alarm systems. It isn’t easy to get into the place. Its architecture is designed to withstand even the force of an atomic bomb. To protect it against rising sea levels, the facility was built in the mountain at an altitude of 130 meters (427 ft) above sea level. Should the sea ever reach that height, we’ll have big problems any way you care to look at it.

Who does the rice farmer turn to if he decides that, after a series of bad harvests, he wants to try out a new variety? Can he go shopping at your facility?

Samples are sent to the vault, not the other way round. Nothing leaves Spitsbergen. Farmers and breeders can contact the gene banks in their own country or the international seed collections to request samples. They don’t even have to pay for them. All they have to do is sign an agreement. We want breeders and farmers to work together and, for instance, try to achieve a better yield with less water in dry regions. We recently organized a conference for scientists specializing in wheat.

They were thrilled that, after 15 years and 3,170 attempts at crossing with genetic mate32

S E C UR I T Y Deep inside the mountain, 130 meters (427 ft) above sea level, lies the seed bank vault. It is believed that it would even survive an atomic bomb.

the future The majority of funding comes from governments. In future, there are plans to invite private individuals and institutions to help finance the vault.

rial from 26 countries, we finally succeeded in breeding a new variety of wheat in Canada that is more heat-resistant and at the same time less likely to snap in the field. This is a perfect example of the fruitful exchange of ideas, the worldwide cooperation that we are striving to achieve. What we need now is more intelligent ways of doing so. And time is of the essence.

What if a farmer, for instance after a natural catastrophe in the next millennium, should make his way to Spitsbergen in search of a particular variety of wheat: how would he know which of the 4.5 million seed samples in aluminum packages is the one he is looking for?

photos global diversit y trust (2) , bibby/financial times/rea/l aif

Isn’t it dangerous to put this vault into the hands of a single country?

Formally, the vault belongs to Norway. It’s on Norwegian soil – in a very stable region where there are no earthquakes, for example. The danger of a terrorist attack there is also on the low end of the scale. Spitsbergen is an island, and everything there is very contained and manageable. The democratic system in the whole of Europe would have to collapse before Norway would be unable to fulfill its obligations in this project. And don’t forget: Spitsbergen only has the back-up copy. All of the material that is deposited there also exists in the “real” world. It is not only stored in one place, but on two continents. For the system we are working on, it is the national and international gene banks all over the world that really matter.

Most of the material stored in Norway today, and which we hope we will never need to make use of, is derived from these international collections. If everything goes well on Earth, we won’t need to have recourse to this collection.

das alter spielt im Rennen überhaupt keine Rolle. Im End­effekt sind wir alle Gegner. Wert­ schätzung muss man sich überall erst erfahren.

Wild RELATIVES are what we call plants that in many cases have characteristics that make them extremely robust. We send out teams to look for such varieties.

TRUST It is the depositors alone who are responsible for the quality of the seed samples. The black box system means that no one examines them.

There are actually two different vaults: the “real” one in Spitsbergen, in which the seeds are stored, and a second one which contains all the relevant information.

As a farmer or breeder, you have no idea what is stored in Spitsbergen. The vault is of value only when it is combined with an information system. Our intention is not to create a museum but, rather, a resource that can be utilized.

The mission of your Trust is to preserve the diversity of the most important crop varieties “forever”. How is this to be financed?

To date, around 95 percent of donations are from governments. However, we are in the process of bringing wealthy individuals, institutions, and organizations on board. Every single dollar counts, for we are losing more biodiversity every day. The good thing is that we know how much it costs to keep the system up and running. We need 34 million dollars a year. In order to guarantee that the seed samples are safeguarded on a longterm basis, we need an endowment fund of 850 million dollars.

That’s a lot of money for frozen rice and maize seeds…

A couple of years ago we built an opera house in Norway. It cost 550 million dollars and isn’t even particularly attractive to look at.

So the fund would be around one-and-a-half opera houses. A single soccer stadium for the World Cup in Brazil – the national stadium in the capital Brasilia – is set to cost more than a billion dollars. And that’s only one of 12 stadiums for the event. So let’s not talk about this being a lot of money. As an insurance policy to secure the world’s food supply for all time, it’s excellent value for money.

And, by the way, there’s one thing we haven’t spoken about at all yet. There is something we call “wild relatives”, and it’s absolutely fascinating. There are still countless wild plant varieties, most of which have never been catalogued. These varieties are often extremely robust. Imagine a plant that has survived on a craggy cliff ledge or with very little moisture in the desert. These wild relatives could have characteristics that we now need.

This is why we are drawing up maps and sending out project teams to search for such varieties. They could have genes that are beneficial to our domestic varieties. If we are going to need 15 percent more food for the world over the next decade, then agricultural crops will have to adapt quickly. Biodiversity is the prerequisite for > this development.

T EC H N O L O G Y The Commodore 64 packs the power of gigantic computing centers into a desktop-sized unit.

Watershed year Lorem ipsum Der Nusdandi tatur, qui dunt imi, sequos dem exceatur simin etureiur, conectur,

1982, the year of bold ideas and technological revolutions. Personal computers and the CD player heralded the arrival of the future. And the Mercedes-Benz 190, predecessor to the C-Class, raised the bar among compact cars.

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photos Visum (1), bildarchiv preussischer kulturbesitz Š the metropolitan museum of art (1), getty images (1), Daimler AG (1)

music Michael Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Thriller becomes the best-selling album in the history of pop music.

lege n ds

T Design The Memphis Group’s new design principles rapidly find their way into most private homes.

he evolving contours of the future are always easier to recognize in hindsight. Those who were around in 1982 might remember the soccer World Cup in Spain (Italy beat Germany 3–1 in the final) or when Helmut Kohl was elected German chancellor. Looking back, 1982 appears to be one of those watershed years in which the future suddenly became reality. But as is so often the case, such large-scale trends only reveal themselves through isolated, mundane events.

One or other consumer who decided to buy a Mercedes-Benz 190 might well have realized that something unusual was happening. “Something’s coming at us – something new” was the apt catchphrase used in a promotional film about the compact series, which first rolled off the assembly line in 1982 and sold 1.8 million units worldwide by 1993. That phrase could hardly have been more apropos, even if it mainly addressed how the 190/190E marked the arrival of vehicles that combined qualities typically associated with Mercedes – high performance, solid engineering, luxury and innovative technology – with the experience of driving a compact car. With that initial roll-out, Mercedes-Benz effectively laid the groundwork for one of its best-selling vehicle series ever, of which the new C-Class represents the successful continuation (see page 16). But the automobile industry wasn’t the only place where brand new, unprecedented things were suddenly starting to happen.

Cyberspace only existed in films

<

soccer Germany reaches the World Cup final – and loses 3–1 to Italy.

Several movies offered competing visions of the future, and conflicting opinions as to whether humanity should prepare itself for lovable, quirky aliens like in E.T., or for the brooding androids in Blade Runner. But there was another film which may have been even more intelligent and visionary than these: the central premise of Tron – considered far-fetched at the time – was that people could get sucked inside a video game, after which they’d exist permanently in digital cyberspace. Which happens to be exactly how most of us live today.

Around the same time, Commodore introduced the C64. Seen from our perspective, the first personal computer is just a cute artifact, feeble in comparison to today’s smartphones. But back then it was an utterly revolutionary product. Digital technology, which had hitherto filled entire rooms in vast computing centers, was suddenly inside your house.

That same year ushered in the first CD player.

Entertainment technology not only revolutionized everyday life, it opened up unimagined avenues of economic growth, fueled by unprecedented popular participation: whereas until then technology had always been considered extremely complex, it now began to profoundly influence a generation of young people who would soon have difficulty even conceiving of a purely analog world.

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e x t r at e r r e s t r i a l 1982: E.T. arrives in U.S. movie theaters on July 11; on July 6, the longest lunar eclipse of the 20th century takes place – lasting nearly two hours.

Prince William and the “Baby Benz” (left) by designer Bruno Sacco, both born the same year.

car’s drag coefficient to a sensationally low 0.33, considered quite an achievement at the time.

Capturing the spirit of the times Automotive developments paralleled those in consumer electronics, with everything becoming more compact and efficient. An example was the multilink rear suspension, making its debut in the 190, which delivered precise wheel control while reducing vehicle weight. “A compact contribution to the future of the automobile,” was how Mercedes-Benz described it. Just how perfectly it captured the spirit of the times is again revealed in hindsight. For in 1982, the future – as Time Magazine clearly grasped – had already arrived. That year, for the very first time, the magazine opted not to select a human be< ing as “Person of the Year”. It chose the PC.

36

W 203 The second-generation C-Class had seven new engines and, for the first time, all-wheel drive.

2007–2014

W 202 The first model to carry the C-Class designation was available in four configurations.

2000–2007

1993–2000

A compact car with an outsized impact W 204 The C-Class now had two faces – the star could appear either in the radiator grille or atop the hood.

words Alex ander Runte photos daimler ag (5) , Action Press (1) , nordphoto/nph/pixsell (1)

pragmatic design allowed for the 190’s extremely low drag coefficient – a sensational achievement.

The prevailing attitude was “consistently, unmistakably modern”, according to contemporary historians. Those words were also used at the time to describe the angular athleticism of the Mercedes 190 – a synthesis of function and aesthetics, a study in surprising, chrome-free simplicity.

“The only way people will be able to recognize innovative technology is if it is melded with an equally innovative design,” contended Bruno Sacco, then head of design at Mercedes. The new pragmatism of the 190, its clearly defined wedgeshaped profile logically culminating in a high, truncated tail end, sparked many a heated discussion, as did the Italian design movement Memphis, which revolutionized product design at the time. But the 190’s characteristic shape was also intended to achieve a practical goal: reducing the

Natural beauty FAST, LOUD, CHALLENGING – three words that describe L.A. Designer Jesse Kamm has come up with her own answers to the city’s breathlessness; we stopped by to find out more.

c

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alifornia, home to the rich and the beautiful. Los Angeles, Hollywood country. It’s the show and the story that matter in this part of the world, and – whether you’re talking entertainment, luxury or fashion – the locals are always on the lookout for the “next big thing”. Standing out from the crowd, let alone challenging it, can be tricky.

Designer Jesse Kamm found what was actually a quite logical answer to the problem: naturalness.

Life in this city can leave an emptiness in its people, Kamm tells us when we stop by on a visit.

She finds the inspiration for her dresses in nature. Earthy colors, simple cuts and natural materials dominate.

Her simplicity-based strategy has come up trumps; the self-taught seamstress has long since relinquished her status as one of the industry’s “undiscovered” gems. w o r ds H a n n ah S a r t o r i u s

p hotos c la i r e c o t t r e ll

cha r act e r S

Her creations have earned the endorsement of every influential fashion magazine you care to mention – from Vogue to Elle to Harper’s Bazaar.

But her label remains very much a one-woman operation. Kamm juggles the roles of designer, buyer, rep and, oh yes, homemaker and mother.

We can hold off no longer: Just how is it that she manages to stay so wonderfully relaxed amid this vortex of success? “You just have to keep reminding yourself how you got to where you are – and what you had to do to make it happen.

It’s all about consciousness and awareness,” she tells us, inviting us in for a look around the family home. Jesse Kamm lives with her husband and son in the hills in the northeast of L.A., away from the city’s hurly-burly. The sun casts a gentle light into her studio, the furniture inside is hand-made. Surfboards stand easy in the garage, ready to grab. It’s a Californian idyll.

Stylish mover relaxed Despite her success, Jesse still has time to join her husband and son on a trip to L.A.’s Fashion District.

NAME CHECK A few years ago she was an unknown, but today Jesse Kamm’s label is hot property.

i

L .A . blue Jesse Kamm has converted her Mercedes 300 D – “Big Blue” – to run on biodiesel.

ALL SELF-MADE This feature was produced in a collaboration between digital magazine mb! By MercedesBenz and international online magazine Freunde von Freunden.

Further insights into the life and work of Jesse Kamm are available online at mb.mercedes-benz.com and at freundevonfreunden. com. Here, as well as an interview with the designer, you will also find a gallery of photos taken during the L.A. visit.

“I despise waste,” says Kamm, guiding us through L.A.’s Fashion District. It’s a statement that jars somewhat with her surroundings. “I still believe in darning holes in socks and replacing worn-out soles,” she adds. It’s unsurprising, then, to learn that her fashion is made not in some sweatshop in Asia but exclusively in California – largely from recycled materials. For the record, the designer also has an eye for style when it comes to her mode of transportation. Her first major investment post-breakthrough was a Mercedes-Benz.

For the last seven years, she has taken road trips across the California desert, which provides so much of her inspiration, in a navy-blue 300 D from the year 1985. The car is in its original condition, save for one key – and wholly predictable < – conversion: it runs on biodiesel.

m b - q r . c o m / 0g 0

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Timeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arrows 40

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

fotos Festo (2) , ICD/ITKE

EIGHTY YEARS AGO, the first Silver Arrow lined up for its debut race â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and promptly stormed to victory. Many great, dramatic moments were to follow. We look back on the making of a legend.

s p o r t s

WOR T H T H E W E IGH T

The Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows were born, so legend has it, on the night of June 2 – 3, 1934. The Stuttgartbased manufacturer had planned to line up at the Nürburgring on June 3 with its two freshly developed Mercedes W 25 racers (the W stood simply for “Wagen” – car). But machines in the newly created grand prix class were subject to a weight limit of 750 kilograms, and that meant there was an unpleasant surprise in store for the Mercedes team at the official weigh-in the afternoon before the race. The white-painted W 25s tipped the scales at 751 kilograms apiece – one kilo over the limit. What to do? It was Alfred Neubauer, Director of Motorsport at Mercedes since 1926, who came up with the plan that would save the day: the paint had to go! As darkness fell, the mechanics scrubbed away at the cars’ paintwork until their silvery aluminum skin was fully exposed. The plan worked, the two cars arriving at the start line plumb on the weight limit. And Manfred von Brauchitsch duly piloted the first “Silver Arrow” to race victory in a record time.

41

R I SK Y BUSI N E S S

Although racing cars were not designed specifically with safety in mind and death was an occupational hazard for competitors at the time, only one Silver Arrow pilot died at the wheel up to 1939: Britain’s Richard Seaman succumbed to injuries sustained in a crash at Spa-Francorchamps in June 1939.

Fellow Silver Arrow driver Hans Herrmann, now 85, survived several serious accidents: “We often asked ourselves on the start line: who’s it going to be today?” he recalls.

“I’m pleased to say that racing is a lot safer nowadays.”

Spain 1934: Luigi Fagioli takes the checkered flag in his Silver Arrow.

M A R AT HON M E N

SE R I A L W I N N E R

Silver paintwork soon became a regular feature of Mercedes-Benz racing cars. In more recent times, the Silver Arrows moniker has also been attached to the McLaren Mercedes MP 4/13 which took Mika Häkkinen to the 1998 Formula 1 world title and the 400 km/h-plus (approx. 250 mph) Mercedes-Benz C 11 Group C racer which Jean-Louis Schlesser drove to the 1990 sports car world championship crown.

The “real” era of the Silver Arrows, though, covered the years from 1934 to 1939 and from 1952, when competitive racing resumed after World War II, to Mercedes’ temporary withdrawal from motorsports in 1955.

It was a period that saw Silver Arrows win the European grand prix championship – the top category of motor racing at the time – three times. This run of success included victories in the Le Mans 24-hour race, the sports car world championship and the Carrera Panamericana in Mexico, not to mention the 1954 and 1955 Formula 1 world championships, which Juan Manuel Fangio collected in his silver W 196 R.

T H I R S T Y WOR K

In order to plunder maximum performance from their engines, almost all the Silver Arrow racing cars ran on a special methanol mix, burning one liter per kilometer (0.62 miles) of the fuel when running flat out. The W 154 from 1939, whose 3.0-liter V-12 supercharged engine developed 453 horsepower, carried some 400 liters of this highly flammable mixture on board. Between 2.5 and 12 liters of oil were required per 100 kilometers (62 miles) to ensure the engine was sufficiently lubricated at all times.

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SL I PPE RY C US T OM E R

The Silver Arrows proved themselves to be technical pioneers on a variety of levels. For example, in 1936 Mercedes-Benz sent out a W 25 in pursuit of new world speed records. The streamlined body of the 5.36-meter-long and 2.10-meter-wide (17.6 x 6.9 ft) car had been optimized in the zeppelin factory’s wind tunnel and boasted a sensationally low Cd of just 0.168.

The car was powered by a 5.7-liter V-12 engine developing 616 hp and weighing 300 kilograms. In October and November 1936, Rudolf Caracciola recorded a speed of 372.1 km/h (231.2 mph) on the autobahn between Frankfurt and Darmstadt in this Silver Arrow and notched up several world records, among them the ten miles from a rolling start.

Back then, the races were much longer than today, and not just the endurance events like the Mille Miglia – which, as the name suggests, took the drivers over 1,000 miles (1,600 km) through northern Italy – or the Targa Florio in Sicily. Indeed, in the 1930s, the grand prix at the Nürburgring made full use of both the Nordschleife and the Südschleife courses, with each lap stretching for 26 km (16 miles) and the race exceeding 500 km (311 miles) in length. Jochen Mass, who won Le Mans in 1989 in a SauberMercedes, says the Silver Arrow drivers deserve great respect: “For us today, it is hard to appreciate how special the drivers were back then.”

Teaming up to make history: legendary grand prix driver Rudolf Caracciola and Director of Motorsport Alfred Neubauer.

s p o r t s

AT T H E D OU BL E

In 1938, the organizers of the renowned Tripoli Grand Prix in Libya made changes to the regulations at short notice. Now the race in the Italian colony would only be open to cars with a 1.5-liter engine, a class in which Italian manufacturers were strongly represented. The Silver Arrow team headed by Alfred Neubauer and engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut responded to the challenge, building the W 165 with its 1.5-liter V-8 engine (254 hp) in just eight months. Mercedes-Benz driver Hermann Lang won the race on May 7, 1939 ahead of teammate Rudolf Caracciola, the triple European champion. It was the first and ultimately last race contested by the W 165, with the outbreak of the Second World War coming just a few months later.

w i ng com m a n de r

The legendary Gullwing doors developed for the 300 SL (W 194) racing sports car of 1952 were born of technical necessity. The car’s newly developed, ultralightweight space frame was simply too tall along the flanks to accommodate standard doors.

As the first Silver Arrow built since the end of the war was intended primarily for endurance races, it had a well-equipped interior, complete with checked upholstery and a stopwatch. Two years on, the W 198 production sports car version of the 300 SL adopted the Gullwing doors as well, and automotive classic status was instantly assured.

372.1 km/h (231.2 mph): Caracciola set a new speed record in 1936 between Frankfurt and Darmstadt.

beaut y of speed

In 1954, Mercedes-Benz returned to Formula 1 with the “most beautiful racing car of all time”, in the words of Juan Manuel Fangio.

To suit the demands of different race tracks, the W 196 R was built both with a “Stromlinien” streamlined body and in monoposto (single-seater) form with open wheels. On twisty circuits like Silverstone, for example, the monoposto was king. And the first outing of the new Silver Arrows at Reims on July 4, 1954 saw Fangio and Karl Kling romp home with a 1–2 victory. Rising star Hans Herrmann recorded the fastest race lap in his debut Formula 1 appearance.

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NOS TA L GI A ru l e s

Current Formula 1 stars like Nico Rosberg also look forward to getting behind the wheel of the W 196 R at classic car events.

“It’s a very special experience, that’s for sure. The driving position on board takes a bit of getting used to, though. The gearbox sits pretty much between your legs.” At an auction held in the summer of 2013, a W 196 R monoposto driven

by Fangio was sold for a record € 22.7 million euros. Never has a car fetched such a monumental sum.

Stirling Moss and co-driver Denis Jenkinson drove the fastest-ever Mille Miglia at an average 157.65 km/h (97.95 mph).

NO OTHER ENGINE sounds this angry,” was how Stirling Moss described the snarl of his Silver Arrow.

Stirling Moss won the 1955 Mille Miglia in record time at the wheel of a 300 SLR (W 196 S). This modified version of the SL was designed to race in the sports car world championship and featured a 3.0-liter engine in place of the SL’s regular 2.5-liter unit. “No other engine sounds this angry,” reflected the legendary British driver, recalling the eight-cylinder in-line engine’s incomparable soundtrack. The full-throated snarl of the 302 hp unit was given extra voice by the long,

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a da p ta bilit y

Mercedes-Benz’ decision to pull out of motorsports in 1955 in the wake of the tragic accident at

Rudolf Uhlenhaut and the coupe which took his name.

Le Mans also came as something of a surprise to the race team.

Designer Rudolf Uhlenhaut had already created a new 300 SLR Coupe for endurance racing in the following season. Anxious to ensure the beguiling “Uhlenhaut Coupe” would not be left to gather dust, the resourceful engineer registered the 290 km/h (180 mph) racing machine for road use and promptly set about enjoying the services of the world’s fastest company car for his journey to work.

bi r t h of a l ege n d

Anyone wanting to learn more about the history of the Silver Arrows will want to get their hands on a new film titled Magical Moments – The Time of the Silver Arrows.

Over a total running time of 500 minutes, spread across ten episodes, TV producer Cassian von Salomon and his team used historic film footage and reenacted scenes to recount the most exciting moments from Mercedes-Benz’ motorsports history, and threw in a handful of spectacular new driving shots of the Silver Arrows for good measure. This sumptuously composed series is available on DVD and Blu-ray.

photos Daimler ag

sou n d c h ec k

straight intake manifold and a muffler which did little to inhibit its vocal range. But the new Silver Arrow had bite to go with its bark – the 300 SLR won every race it finished.

Formula 1 will see new rules brought into play this season, promising more excitement and creating major challenges for the Mercedes works team.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Formula 1 has never before seen a revolution of this magnitude.â&#x20AC;?

show time The new season begins in Melbourne in mid-March. More than ever, the right strategy will determine success or failure.

46

i n t e r v i e w T o b i a s M o o r s t e dt

i l l u s t r at i o n s b e r t o m a r t i n e z

spo r ts

New regulations have been introduced for the 2014 season in Formula 1. The cars will feature new six-cylinder engines and must burn

equal performance and top speed from a smaller engine. This shows how innovative the new power unit is. p a d d y lo w e

no more than 100 kg of fuel per race. How do you view the changes?

Paddy Lowe: It’s a revolution. In the modern history of Formula 1, there has never been an overhaul of the regulations on this scale, and the research and development work required as a result has no historic parallel.

Can you still recall the moment you got hold of the new rule book? Were you nervous about what was inside?

Andy Cowell: We were faced with the challenge of developing a completely new system which could boast extremely high thermal efficiency and release and recapture the energy in as many loops as possible. Of course, that’s the dream of every engineer out there. Compared to earlier Formula 1 engines, the new power unit is also <

Smaller engines, increased efficiency, lower fuel consumption, greater energy recuperation – a fresh wave of change is breaking over Formula 1 this season. New hybrid power units have been stipulated, and the task of interweaving the new technologies into a finely balanced whole has produced some unexpected side-effects. Team strategy and race tactics, moreover, will need to be adapted to the changing landscape. On a visit to the Mercedes team’s British headquarters in Northamptonshire, we asked technical chiefs Paddy Lowe (car) and Andy Cowell (powertrain) how they have reacted to grand prix racing’s new reality.

FAST THINKE RS Paddy Lowe (left) and Andy Cowell provide the technical leadership behind the Mercedes works team.

47

p owe r pac k The new power unit will also have potential for the road car market, say Lowe and Cowell.

more relevant to future road cars. We started out feeling very excited about the creative and intellectual challenge, but then we began to realize just how much work would be involved.

PL: The performance and top speed of the 2014 cars will be comparable to last year – even though we’ll be using a third less fuel and the engines have six cylinders instead of eight.

That shows you how efficient and innovative the new power unit is.

Take us through this process: What’s the first thing you did after the new regulations were announced?

PL: We started off very small-scale, with a group of two, three, four people examining the new rule book in meticulous detail. You have to remember that this work was taking place at the same time as we were competing in a live World Championship. The development group gradually grew bigger, but it’s only since November 2013 that the entire team has been working on the new car.

AC: We began the development of the new power unit by taking a close look at the global marketplace, the vision Stuttgart is seeking to pursue, and the technologies the engineers are exploring as part of the company’s research and development activities. Then the idea was 48

t h e c h a nge s power Teams are restricted to V-6 engines with a maximum 1.6-liter displacement and 15,000 rpm. fuel Usage is capped at 100 kilograms per race.

Efficiency Increased use will be made of energy recuperation systems.

Numbers Drivers will keep a single number – between 2 and 99 – throughout their careers. No. 1 is reserved for the world champion.

POIN T S Double points will be awarded in the final race of the season.

PEN A LT IES Minor rule infringements on the track will incur a five-second penalty.

to bring together all this information and the various perspectives and integrate them into a coherent, well-balanced system in which all the cogs are working with equal diligence.

PL: The task is enormously complex. We’re talking not only about new rules, but also about the interaction between the new technologies and the occurrence of unexpected knock-on effects.

For example, in 2014 we will recover five times as much energy over the rear axle than with the old KERS system. As a consequence, less heat will be generated around the brakes which, in turn, affects the tires and axles. There are no new rules for the rear brakes, but we still have to rethink and optimize this part of the car. If you find a good solution in these areas, you can definitely gain a big advantage.

We are also witnessing the beginning of a new era for the team itself after the departure of team boss Ross Brawn at the end of 2013.

PL: Ross Brawn is a fantastic Formula 1 engineer, a legend, and he’s been a defining influence over the past few decades. Now, with myself and Toto Wolff, the team has new people at the helm who have the chance to build on his achievements and take the team to the next stage.

sports

What ideas and solutions are you focusing on with the new F1 W05 car?

PL: We are now in the age of objective engineering in Formula 1. That means relying less on our experience and intuition, and using computers to precisely analyze and simulate every factor. We can calculate the best way of doing something but must keep an eye on the smallest details in the process.

How closely do you work with the Mercedes engineers in Stuttgart?

AC: Very closely. We’ve had a lot of faceto-face meetings, as well as countless telephone calls and e-mail exchanges. Over in Stuttgart, technologies are being developed which we can make very good use of. For example, we’ve learned a lot about the architecture of the combustion chambers and about control technologies and power electronics.

You talked earlier about relevance to road cars. Where do you see potential uses for F1 technologies away from the race track?

AC: I think the system architecture of our highly efficient power unit has a lot of potential for the company’s road car operations and I expect to see us transferring considerable expertise back to Stuttgart. We have to work on the basis that we will still be using fossil fuels for decades to come – at least over medium and long distances. A combustion engine with high thermal efficiency which recovers part of the energy it creates – and in so doing converts chemical energy into electric energy – sounds like an interesting proposition.

Another change for 2014 is that the engine will now be known as the “power unit”. The Energy Recovery System (ERS), which recovers energy both under braking and from the heat generated by the turbocharger, plays a central role. In contrast to the previous KERS system, which could be used for six seconds per lap, ERS puts double the energy at the drivers’ fingertips – for 33 seconds per lap.

PL: The key thing is not the power unit, but the package as a whole. 2014 will also see significant changes as far as aerodynamics are concerned. The width of the front wing will be reduced and the car’s exhaust gases will have to be channeled upwards. Added to which, the power unit requires a more powerful and complex cooling system, which will also alter the car’s aerodynamics. I’m sure that we’ll be seeing a wide range of different solutions in the area of cooling technologies in particular.

the cars will be harder to drive. They will lose grip more quickly and start to slide through corners.

That will make for exciting racing. a n d y c o w e ll

a team that performs well in the first race shouldn’t bank on that being the case next time out. We will see some steep learning curves. p a d d y lo w e

We are fortunate to be working with drivers of this caliber. They have good intuition for the machines. a n d y c o w e ll

What will change for the drivers?

PL: The cars will have less downforce overall.

AC: Last season, the cars were extremely stable both through corners and along the straights. The combination of reduced downforce and huge torque will ensure that they are trickier to drive in 2014; they will lose grip more quickly and start sliding through corners. And that will make for exciting racing.

When did the drivers become involved in the development process?

PL: Relatively late. Nico and Lewis still had to focus on the 2013 season, of course.

AC: We’re fortunate to be working with drivers of this caliber. They have good intuition for the machines.

What do you mean by that exactly?

AC: In early December, Lewis spent some time in the control room and watched the power unit complete laps of the Monza circuit in the test chamber. As the engine squealed and roared its way through the simulation, Lewis looked at the monitor, checked the speed and torque readings and knew immediately the point on the circuit the car was driving through at that precise moment. That was impressive.

PL: Obviously, our drivers have been driving with the 2014 set-up in the simulator. The simulation is very good, but it remains a theoretical exercise. For example, there is no simulation for the interaction with other cars; we will have to wait for the first tests and races to see how the competition is really shaping up.

Pit stop tactics and tire selection were critical factors in 2013. How will the tactical side of the sport develop in 2014?

PL: There are many tools and factors we can use to gain a tactical edge. The Energy Recovery System gives us greater freedom than we had with KERS. The question of how we will use energy over the course of a race will certainly be interesting. But I don’t want to give too much away for now.

AC: The high number of new parts and systems means there’s a risk that more cars will be forced to retire mid-race with mechanical or electronics problems. That’s a fact. It all comes down to the question of how we make the best possible use of the energy contained in 100 kilograms of fuel.

PL: The development process doesn’t end when the cars line up for the season’s opening race.

This year will be a steep learning curve for all the teams. A team that performs well in the first race should not bank on that being the case > next time out.

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Desert chic

WHY WOULD WE WANT TO TAKE the smallest Mercedes-Benz SUV on a trek across Tunisia? Because amid the salt lakes, camel herds and shifting dunes, the GLA would at last have the opportunity to demonstrate its off-road capability and power to the full.

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words Jan Wilms

photos jan friese

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herever you look, all you can see is a silver sheen, the surface of Chott El Djerid sparkling into the distance like a layer of frozen ice. What was once sea is now the largest salt lake in north Africa. And in that band of gleaming hot air on the horizon, between the Earth and the sky, flicker fata morganas. Here, in a place without life, surreal, lush-green palm groves still dance, allowing the traveler no sense of distance. We have been accompanied to southern Tunisia by a fitting traveling companion for the job in hand; the new GLA 250 4Matic will carry us from the city of Tataouine (the “gateway to the Sahara”) to Nefta, an old caravan staging post not far from the Algerian border.

At the moment, however, all we can see is 5,000 square kilometers (almost 2,000 sq mi) of salty wasteland, whose perils Kara Ben Nemsi famously encountered in Karl May’s novel In The Desert. In spring, autumn and winter, the ground beneath the thin surface crust turns into a soapy sludge. The sunken wrecks of cars recall a time when the branches of the palm trees lining the only road provided the sole point of orientation for drivers. The asphalted dam paving our way westwards was built just 35 years ago.

STRANGE WORLDS In the sandy wilderness, we find a pilgrimage site for adventurous sci-fi fans: the original backdrop for the Star Wars movies.

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OUR HAND-PICKED vehicle boasts cutting-edge all-wheel drive and versatile off-road talents.

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FOLLOWING IN THE TRACKS of its illustrious ancestor, the G-Class, the compact SUV is in its element as we clamber nimbly up switchbacks and over sand tracks.

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It was around this time that Mercedes-Benz was making its first forays into the world of offroad motoring with what we now know as the G-Class. Today, the majority of Sport Utility Vehicles spend most of their time within city limits. And the GLA, Mercedes’ first compact SUV, is likewise designed to suit urban lifestyles.

But that hasn’t stopped us wanting to test it over its great-grandfather’s native ground. Not that we doubt the abilities of the GLA. It’s just that on a trip back to the origins of a species, you tend to learn something about its present. So off we set for arguably the most remote destination you could wave a compass needle at – a different planet, to all intents and purposes. Perhaps that’s what brought George Lucas to one of the most enthralling landscapes in the Maghreb.

Between 1976 and 1997, the director used this region between Tataouine and Chott El Djerid in southern Tunisia to film various scenes for Star Wars, one of the most successful franchises in movie history. And, as it turns out, some of those original sets have remained well preserved in these dry, dusty surroundings.

Herds of camels bar the way Before we get that far, though, we have a long journey ahead of us. Narrow roads turn to unmarked sand tracks, which lead eventually to the switchbacks and table-shaped summits of the Dahar mountains. Here, the power reserves of the range-topping 155 kW 250 4Matic could not be more welcome. The acceleration of the GLA helps us to zip past convoys smuggling cheap gasoline from Libya to Tunisia. And although driving in Tunisia proves to be less hazardous than anticipated, the car’s extensive blanket of safety equipment is a reassuring presence. For example, Collision Prevention Assist with adaptive Brake Assist – fitted on all GLA variants

sporty The AMG Line equipment package includes a sports steering wheel and pedals.

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Safely through the rough stuff The off-road proportions and dynamically sculpted flanks of the GLA reflect its confidence in handling more challenging terrain. The next point in our itinerary certainly ups the ante on that front; a narrow gravel track provides the only road access up to the Berber village of Guermessa, and even high-riding off-road vehicles barely exceed walking pace. However, with the off-road driving program switched on, the GLA is undaunted by the tight ascent. The 4Matic permanent all-wheel-drive system with fully variable torque distribution measures out the power extremely precisely, enabling us to climb slowly but surely up the hill. No amount of potholes and soft sand can stifle our progress.

When one wheel loses traction, the other three step in without delay to ensure controlled forward momentum. In addition, the driving program selected adapts the gearshift timing and throttle response to the demands of tough terrain. Everything is moving along nicely until a

WELL RE S O LVED The successful juxtaposition of tradition and high-tech defines the interior.

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i GLA 250 4Matic Engine / Output 2.0-liter four-cylinder, 155 kW at 5,500 rpm; max. torque 350 Nm (258 lb-ft) at 1,200 – 4,000 rpm

Transmission 7G-DCT seven-speed dual-clutch automatic

Always connected Mercedes’ Drive Kit Plus ensures the driver’s iPhone is always ready for use while inside the car. As well as voice recognition, this app concept also supports location functions, social networks and real-time traffic updates.

Making light work of rough terrain The GLA 4Matic comes with an offroad program that aids progress over tricky sections of ground. The display allows the driver to view the car’s steering angle or a compass.

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

w e l l t r av e l e d Driving with the GLA is particularly enjoyable off the beaten track.

large boulder blocking our path forces an aboutturn. On the way back down, we call on the services of the Downhill Speed Regulation system (DSR) to keep a lid on descending speed, which is one of the biggest potential dangers over loose ground. For three days, the GLA provides safe passage through the desert before we finally pull up at the most famous Star Wars location along our route, the igloo-shaped house of the film’s hero, Luke Skywalker. Although somewhat arduous to get to, it has clearly become something of a Mecca for Star Wars fans. And, right on cue, we encounter a figure decked out in all the gear – and with an interest not only in certain spacecraft but also our mode of transport. He appreciates the practicality of the GLA’s variable interior, which is ready to accommodate a man clad in his bulky robes. But should he wish to swap the Star Wars kit for civvies, a wide, automaticallyopening tailgate and low loading sill allow it to

Postproduction RGBerlin

as standard – helps prevent collisions at upwards of 7 km/h (4 mph). The system brakes the car for stationary vehicles from speeds of up to 30 km/h (19 mph) and can avoid rear-end collisions at up to 20 km/h (12 mph). We need no such technology to spot the most unpredictable obstacle of the trip, a herd of camels, coming our way. Our next stop-off, close to the Algerian border, is where George Lucas created the illusion of a bustling space port for Star Wars Episode I. Now, though, the scene is bathed in contemplative stillness and a mighty shifting dune has buried several of the old sets in sand.

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w e l l t e m p e r at e d The population of the small Berber town of Matmata have dug their houses into the rock to escape the extreme heat.

be deposited effortlessly in the trunk. The angle of the rear seat backrests can also be adjusted to enlarge the luggage area – but not at the cost of rear seat comfort.

As the sun sets over the salt lake and our journey, as per Karl May, approaches its end, we can confirm that the GLA does indeed combine the best of past and present. The interior, for example, represents a successful juxtaposition of Mercedes-Benz heritage and high-tech. The trio of circular air vents in the center of the dashboard recalls a golden age in interior design, while the Comand system’s freestanding monitor transports us into the future. As well as displaying photorealistic navigation maps, real-time traffic reports and Bluetooth smartphone profiles, the screen also provides useful information for off-road excursions, such as the car’s steering and roll angle, the incline gradient in percent, and a compass. “Woe betide him who deviates

just a few inches from the narrow path. The crust will give way and the abyss devour its victim in the blink of an eye,” warned Karl May as his alter ego Kara Ben Nemsi crossed Chott el Djerid.

Thankfully, the GLA brings traditional G-Class attributes to even the most inhospitable desert regions. We feel in good hands whatever the situation, yet never isolated from reality thanks to the AMG Line equipment option (including a 15-millimeter drop in ride height and Sports Direct-Steer system) that ensures unbeatable feedback from the road at all times. The panoramic sliding glass roof opens up a window into a wondrously starry sky; only the desert can provide this nocturnal clarity. Karl May’s words of caution contrast with a renewed realization on our part: never is a journey more magical than when you discover exciting new things along paths unknown, and when those endeavors are < rewarded with unreserved comfort.

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Flights of fancy

B o g o t a Using paper and wire, Colombian artist Diana Beltrán Herrera creates astonishingly realistic sculptures of birds that seem to be frozen in mid-flight. “I always start by looking for a model in nature, so that I can get a feeling of the bird’s movements,” she explains. The artist uses photographs to create templates for the feathers on her computer. These are then cut out of paper and attached, one by one, to the body – also made of paper – and painted. Only the claws are made of wire. “Most people don’t realize the extent to which we are surrounded by nature even in the center of a city. My birds serve as a reminder of what is all around them.” d i a n a b e l t r a n h e r r e r a . c o m 60

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Max Hollein is director of the Städel Museum, the Schirn Kunsthalle and the Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung in Frankfurt.

Visitors flock to all three.

Here he explains how art and commerce can be combined.

photos Bulls Press (2) Illustration Brian Taylor

Mr. Hollein, hand on heart, are you more of an arts person or a businessman?

In all honesty, I’m both. I grew up with art. Instead of going to the seaside, we would go to an exhibition, and Joseph Beuys used to drop by for supper. But I very soon realized I didn’t want to be an artist myself, so I studied art history and business administration.

How do you choose what goes on display in your museums?

It’s not just a question of pulling in the crowds, otherwise you could just keep putting on blockbusters like “Picasso to Monet”. It’s more a matter of picking up on issues being debated in society. The big questions like “What is important to us?” or “What are we here for?” are at the same time cultural reflections which should also be answered by art.

How much time goes into planning an exhibit?

Two to three years maximum.

I think we should constantly review and rethink our goals to keep ourselves in a mild state of uncertainty. That’s the only way to keep the door open for new possibilities.

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Seclusion

M e x i c o This Gi Booth armchair serves not only as a seat but doubles up as a room divider. It has a plush upholstered headrest that deadens noise while creating a space for privacy and concentrated work. With a footprint measuring approximately a square meter (10.7 sq ft), this secluded retreat can also be used to set up confidential conversations. It comes in three types of wood and with upholstery in a choice of five different colors. j a k o b g o m e z . c o m

Steam power c a p e tow n Truth

Café has a steampunkthemed interior. The huge grinder with its cogwheels and levers is like some 19th-century vision of the future. As for the coffee, it is just as impressive: owner David Donde roasts the beans on the premises and dubs himself a “coffee evangelist”.

truthcoffee.com

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bookshelf

Close-up view L o n d o n Mammals, reptiles and birds only

account for a tiny fraction of the totality of animal species. The book Animal Earth presents a fascinating diversity of multi-cellular life forms that one normally never sets eyes on – such as this blue zoa made up of a multitude of polyps.

at h o m e

thamesandhudson.com

Paper planets S T O C K H O L M This

“Themis Prism“ mobile by graphic artist Clara von Zweigbergk is made of paper that has been folded many times over.

The ornamental forms are so light they seem on the point of lifting off into space. Available from:

a rtecnica.com

“WHAT YOU WEAR is how you present yourself to the world, especially today when human contacts go so fast. Fashion is instant language.” ,

de signe r

Fashion icon N e w Y o r k British fashion designer

Charles James ranks as the first person to have raised dressmaking to an art form. Some of the opulent ball dresses he created between 1930 and 1970 can be seen in the retrospective “Charles James: Beyond Fashion” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, starting May 8.

metmuseum.org

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phOTOS the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cecil Beaton/Vogue/CondÉ Nast Archive © Condé Nast (1), The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Michael A. Vaccaro/LOOK Magazine Photograph Collection (1)

m i u c c i a p ra d a

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All at sea

Cocoa Island hotel on the Maldives has transformed fishing boats into luxury accommodations – and an entire island into a huge spa. on the island itself, you will find the reception, restaurant and spa.

The houseboats are located along the walkways.

the Dhoni rooms were inspired by traditional fishing boats.

If you find them a little too maritime, you can choose to sleep in a conventional villa.

M a l e d i v e s On an ocean cruise everything – including your accommodation – is at sea. The snag is, you can’t just walk out of your cabin and jump into the water – unless, that is, you want to trigger a maritime emergency. What’s more, outside your cabin, privacy is hard to come by. Now the Cocoa Island Hotel has found the solution to these drawbacks in the shape of permanently anchored boat-rooms that are aligned in such a way that, when you sit

on the secluded terrace, you feel you are alone on the ocean waves. This hotel-archipelago offers pure, unalloyed luxury, with mahogany furniture, Italian bed linen, outdoor showers and fine white sand, a spa area covering virtually the whole

island and, nearby, the famous Vadoo channel, one of the best diving locations in the world.

But the clincher is the fact that, if you wish, you can dive straight into the sea from your room. All by yourself. comohotels .com

NEW DESIGNS AND VACATION TIPS All the topics covered can also be found via the QR app on your smartphone. mb - qr . com /0 fr

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Art of revival

where once stood rainforest, now thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s constant construction. SĂŁo Paulo is a 2014 World Cup venue as well as the largest city in South America. Life here has its challenges. Nevertheless, poetry and creativity flourish amid the concrete canyons.

Words carmen stephan

Photos filipPo bamberghi

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b

reathing – just grabbing a breath is a big deal in São Paulo. As the airplane gradually descends through the enveloping haze, touches down amidst the mass of gray buildings and you finally set foot in this sprawling city, you find yourself instinctively gasping for air. São Paulo is a tangible feeling – a physical experience. A slap in the face that makes you react, makes you desperate for oxygen.

Concrete flourishes wildly alongside eight-lanewide, almost two-mile-long Avenida Paulista. It’s hard to believe that a century ago, rainforest still covered this spot; then the coffee barons took up residence along the Paulista. On top of a bridge, beneath which cars fitted with bulletproof windshields thunder past, a child has her picture taken with a comic book character. “Nao existe amore em SP” intones the singer Criolo – there is no love in São Paulo. “No, it exists,” says Graziela Peres. The designer and publisher of the well-regarded urban journal ffw_MAG! belongs to a generation of creative professionals who are no longer content just to use their city’s harder-edged aspects as a source of artistic inspiration, but who are also interested in transforming it into something new, effecting a pro-

youthful spirit Designer Graziele Peres belongs to a new creative generation keen to use new cultural and social meeting places to revive downtown São Paulo.

cess of change from within – like in Berlin in the years immediately after reunification, or New York, where a recurring cycle of urban decay and renewal has existed for decades. From her current vantage point, with her head tilted all the way back, Peres can see the top of Oscar Niemeyer’s Copan Building: 5,000 residents, a concrete wave flowing confidently skywards. Peres strides through the city center with astounding speed, stopping to admire details like an elegant wooden door, or to observe how young ballerinas imitate the wind in their dancing. Then, as if she were in a small town, she bumps into two friends on the street. “This is where São Paulo’s heart beats, right here,” she says.

Blossoms amid concrete

splash of color Galeria Melissa melds art and commerce.

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For years, downtown São Paulo lay neglected: only recently have city officials resolved to revive it.

Huge abandoned movie theaters are being handed over to artists to do as they please. Peres, along with a group of like-minded creatives, plans to turn an apartment building into a meeting center – a place where people can gather Saturday afternoons on the rooftop deck for caipirinhas, a lecture, a concert, or just to wait for the sunset. It’s these apparently simple things that are crucial to São Paulo’s identity, says Peres: “Otherwise the monster will eat you alive.” A few monstrous facts: 20 million inhabitants; eight million cars; the city limits encompass 1,500 square kilometers (580 sq mi) – there’s no such thing as a horizon. Construction is going on right across South America’s biggest city: preparations for the World Cup are like a drop in the bucket.

The word “dangerous” is heard every day. The first three months in São Paulo are the worst, says Peres, who moved here from Rio. “Once you’ve made it through the first year and a half, you don’t want

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view of asphalt from his 13th-story apartment. Beneath his window runs the Minhocão – an elevated roadway, named after a huge mythical worm, that is one of the city’s main traffic arteries. Step out onto the balcony, and you walk right into a wall of smog; the noise is unbearable. For 12 years he’s lived here, beset by headaches and hearing problems. “Art is my answer to it all,” says Morozini.

One Sunday in October 2009, Morozini and 30 of his friends clambered up onto the “big worm”, which is closed to traffic on Sundays, and covered the asphalt with painted white flowers, bringing an abrupt spring to the normally gray highway.

The entire affair lasted all of 15 minutes – until the police arrived. Pedestrians exchanged kisses while standing on the flowers, children leapt over the blossoms. A short film about the action won a prize at a film festival in New York afterwards.

Since then, the Minhocão has become Morozini’s personal artistic platform. One Sunday soon he’s planning to erect a 50-meter (165 ft) swimming pool on it. “I want to alleviate the suffering in this city,” he says. “I know I’m not curing any social ills when I do these things, but I at least want to give a little bit of poetry and life back to São Paulo.”

Morozini shares this credo with a generation of graffiti artists who don’t just want to leave their personal signature on the concrete, but who also want to shape their city into a better place to live. “Mais amor por favor – more love please,” is a phrase that one artists’ group is currently posting at locations throughout São Paulo’s chaotic urban sprawl. Morozini himself has big plans for the future. He’d like to see the Minhocão blossom, in a similar fashion to an elevated train line in Manhattan that’s currently being reinvented as an urban park. Trees and shrubbery instead of concrete.

The artist displays pictures of a highway lined with greenery, people strolling through it like a park. “My friends call me a utopian,” says Morozini and beams. “I tell them: that’s exactly what > São Paulo needs.”

to leave anymore.” The incredible diversity of people, places and possibilities gets under one’s skin.

“The people here work extremely professionally and with dedication,” she says. Whether you notice the flowering tree amid the concrete canyons depends on your personal viewpoint. Perhaps that’s why so many creative types choose to live here: São Paulo challenges them to discover new forms of beauty.

Artist and photographer Felipe Morozini has already found his answer to this challenge. He lives in the Santa Cecilia neighborhood, and his apartment is a colorful, light-suffused paradise: zebras and bears in the living room, plush monkeys in the bathroom, a video of twittering birds plays on a laptop all day long. Morozini has an infectious sense of humor, warm brown eyes, and a close-up

green utopia Felipe Morozini looks out on a concrete jungle from the windows of his apartment. Through his artistic projects, he hopes to give a little bit of nature and poetry back to the city.

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yum Though the mini market attached to Dalva e Dito entices customers to shop while waiting for their table, the restaurant’s anteroom is also quite inviting.

i Batida Paulista Ingredients for a single cocktail: ¼ cup cachaça 1½ tbsp. fresh lemon juice half an egg white 2 tbsp. granulated sugar ice cubes Directions:

Brazilian fire T H E R E A R E G O O D chefs, very good chefs, and

extraordinary chefs,” Alex Atala once said. “The key difference lies in distinctly maintaining aromas in people’s memories.” In Atala’s cuisine, those aromas originate in his Brazilian homeland: he uses ants to flavor some of his dishes, for example. At Dalva e Dito, the surubim fish is accompanied by the herb known as jambú. Initially burning inside the mouth like molten metal, it causes the tongue to go numb, with sensation then gradually returning. Porco na lata is served with pureed pequi, a yellow fruit that must generally be eaten with extreme caution due to the black thorns within. Pureed, though, it tastes as fresh as mango juice.

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Place ingredients in a cocktail shaker, shake nine to ten times, then pour into a glass.

Garnish with a slice of lemon and a paper umbrella.

The Batida Paulista is a dry cocktail (batida in Portuguese) named after the city of São Paulo and based on cachaça, the Brazilian spirit made from sugar cane juice. It is a variant of the popular caipirinha and can be enjoyed either on its own as an aperitif or together with hearty fare like porco na lata (see left).

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Almost like Mom’s t a sty At D.O.M. restaurant, a special type of butter accompanies the entrée.

C A L L I N G T H E E N T R Y W A Y of the Dalva e Dito restaurant a waiting area borders on an insult. Tropical flora is suspended from the ceiling like a green arc of sky over the colorfully-tiled floor. Customers await their tables ensconced in soft leather armchairs – and would gladly wait even longer, given the chance. But doing so would mean missing out on the sensational fare prepared by super chef Alex ­Atala, who created Dalva e Dito as a rustic counterpart to his gastronomic temple D.O.M. Inside the glass-enclosed kitchen, chefs prepare dishes that your mother and grandmother might have made – but naturally with a sophisticated twist (see “Brazilian fire”). The restaurant’s wooden ceiling has openings which admit soft illumination. One entire wall is filled with artistic tiling by Athos Bulcão, whose work also graces the interiors of numerous buildings by legendary architect Oscar Niemeyer. Beneath a huge tribal artifact, businesspeople dine on dishes that double as street food, like the chickens slowly roasting on a spit behind a pane of glass. On the menu, this dish is called by its colloquial name, Televisão de cachorro (Dog television).

Rua Padre João Manuel, 1.115 - Cerqueira César.

o u tst a n d ing A well-respected restaurant guide rates Alex Atala’s D.O.M. among the top ten restaurants in the world.

da lva edito . com . br

INSIGHTS The glass-enclosed kitchen at Dalva e Dito provides spectacle as well as quality.

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Hot destinations 1

CHI - CHI SHO P P IN G One of superstar Brazilian singer Criolo’s favorite haunts is the Galeria do Rock, on Rua 24 de maio. It’s a shopping center dedicated to rock paraphernalia, with a wood and metal escalator that appears to run straight into the 1950s. On weekends, punks and rockers bury the hatchet here over beers.

Laid-back luxury

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t h e LI G HTLY SHO D F OOT Rua Oscar Freire, São Paulo’s answer to Beverly Hills, is home to a trendy Havaianas store, featuring rubber soles in camouflage, or emblazoned with dolphins, Pluto or butterflies, among other things – a sort of Disneyland for flip-flops. The salespeople sport tattoos and piercings, and tend to be ridiculously good-looking.

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get high An elevator ride to the 41st floor is all it takes to confirm that São Paulo’s sea of apartment houses actually extends beyond the horizon. On the roof of the Edificio Italia, the oohs and aahs issuing from first-time visitors to the viewing platform are an aural highlight in themselves.

t h i s H o t e l is an institution. The Italian-descended Fasano family’s control over São Paulo’s

hospitality industry can be likened to the Corleones’ grip on the mafia. Family head Rogério Fasano gave his friend, architect Isay Weinfeld, virtually free rein to create the interior design, and he responded with comfortable leather armchairs and fine Brazilian hardwoods. Rogério’s father Fabrizio likes to acknowledge Weinfeld’s good taste with a kiss on the forehead. The Fasano is like a classic bossa nova song: simultaneously sophisticated and relaxed. Naomi Campbell and Lenny Kravitz are among those who enjoy a night’s rest in the beds with multiple pillows, while singer Caetano Veloso frequents the bar. Almost every Brazilian superstar has logged an appearance at the elegant, theatrical restaurant. The frosted glass window on the way to the bathroom is a special source of entertainment: press the button and watch what happens. fasa no . com . br

Beneath the cloud h o w c a n c o n c r e t e be so light? MASP, São Paulo’s modern art museum,

appears to hover cloud-like above the city streets. The space beneath the gray cloud is the lone island of calm along the entire Avenida Paulista, and serves as a meeting point for indigenous street vendors, poets, students, lovers, activists – a couple of young Americans are even living beneath the MASP in a tent.

t r av e l i n f o r m at i o n The main recommendations, tips and links in this article can also be found online – just scan the QR code with your smartphone (eg. with the Scanlife app) and discover what São Paulo has to offer. m b - q r . c o m / 0f W 70

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! Let’s go !

Jardim Botánico is a must-see for anyone interested in a transcendental experience.

After all the urban sound and fury, here you’ll instantly feel like the first human ever to walk the planet. Gone is the din of traffic, replaced by the twitter of birds and rustlings in the underbrush. After savoring ponds with water lilies, trees filled with parrots and a plethora of rare plants, it’s a cinch to lose yourself within the expansive park’s tropical rainforest. Tip: The dark “bamboo tunnel” offers more chills than any haunted house ride.

illustr ation anna Schäfer

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

Need to know D AY AT T H E B E A C H Every Paulista’s cherished dream: to someday open an independent bed and breakfast – or pousada – in the picturesque state of Bahia. But until that day arrives, people are content with weekend jaunts to the beach at Ilhabela.

São Paulo

i C ONI C D E SI G N The ML 350* in front of the Oscar-Niemeyer-designed Oca Pavilion.

I M P RO V IN G TRA F F I C F LO W Rodízio hits the road: to clamp down on air pollution and chaos in general, cars can’t be driven every day of the week. On Mondays, cars with license plate numbers ending in 1 and 2 have to stay in the garage, Tuesdays it’s 3 and 4, Wednesdays 5 and 6, etc.

H E ART Y F AR E Every Monday, the traditional Virado Paulista is served for lunch: a plate piled high with rice, beans, meat, egg and bananas.

B Y E B Y E C ASUAL F RI D AY Forget all the clichés: in business-minded São Paulo, flip-flops are worn only at the pool and not – in contrast to Rio – on the street or in the office.

D E STINATION G R E E N An urge to get back to nature is best satisfied at gigantic Parque de Ibirapuera; at 200 hectares (500 acres) it is the ideal destination for a Sunday afternoon outing.

B UR G E R H E AV E N Paulistas love hamburgers – and discussing who makes the best. Currently, that accolade goes to Casa Ramona, a relaxed downtown bar with Turkish leather armchairs on concrete floors. Moms and daughters, groups of friends and work colleagues all gather here in the early afternoons for hamburgers and caipirinhas made with fresh pineapple.

INS P IR E D B Y T H E STR E E T True gems are often hidden in the dumpsters lining the streets. Refuse from São Paulo’s countless construction sites ends up in them, but so do sculptures, fabric scraps and household items. Brothers Humberto and Fernando Campana use such un- expected treasures as inspiration for their designs.

F a c u n d o G u e r r a l o ve s transforming

old things into new. On his arm and neck he wears a tattoo from an anatomy text that belonged to his grandfather. Guerra already owns four restored clubs – among them Lions and Volt. More recently, working in tandem with his friend Alex Atala, he took a former teahouse and meeting point for left-leaning Bohemians in the 1960s and converted it into the Bar Riviera.

The first floor has live jazz, goldfish swim in an aquarium next to the bar, and the menu features the Sandwich Royal, a golden age favorite well-known to Brazilian celebrities like musician Chico Buarque. The red leftist hues are still there, as is the teahouse’s original dark wood – but they are incorporated into a bar that is equal measures chic and cool, one which perfectly embodies modern São Paulo’s vibe: relaxed, contemporary, pulsating.

71

P.S.

MORNING, MS. Karnick

There’s a simple trick with which virtually any man who showers regularly can convince me he is worth falling for. Unfortunately, that trick will have to remain a secret – I’m married and intend to remain that way. What I can reveal, however, is a cunning ruse with which sales staff can wrap me around their little finger.

I’m no shopaholic, more a seasoned consumer. I get worn out comparing products for hours on end. I hate checkout lines and crowded city centers. When I go shopping, it’s on Monday mornings in specialist stores with a limited range of goods. And since I have to earn money on Mondays rather than spend it, any overwhelming material urges generally subside of their own accord. In that respect, consumer desire and a slipped disc are similar: both clear up of their own accord if you give them enough time.

The elegant set of cutlery, which for one entire summer seemed the abso72

lute must-have for any civilized household, has still not made an appearance on our table. We continue to shovel our food from plate to mouth using IKEA forks – and it tastes no different. So I am saving myself and my money for special occasions, in line with the principle: if you’re going to do something at all, you might as well do it properly.

And if I really like what’s on offer, then I’ll blow everything in the same shop. But only if the sales staff have mastered the simplest of tricks: being friendly. I don’t mean the fake friendliness of plastic smiles and empty clichés. I mean friendliness that at least feigns a credibly serious interest by listening, questioning, understanding: “I know, it’s always difficult to find the perfect pair of jeans when you’re no longer 20. No, perhaps not those, they make your bottom look big. Try these.

There you go, a little more expensive, but worth every cent!”

Saleswomen who possess such pastoral qualities could dispense with the smile altogether and I would still buy four pairs of pants – and come back for more. So long as their interest does not turn out to be hypocrisy.

My husband and I recently bought a new armchair. The salesman helped us choose the upholstery, mediating between my own preference for cozy comfort and my husband’s desire for a manlier look. After an hour we decided on elegant black leather – the most expensive option. We also purchased

J uli a K a rnick writes about her experiences, preferences and rituals as a customer. She considers whether the pretenses employed to stimulate our interest are really effective, what grabs her attention when shopping, and how she reacts when she feels she is not being taken seriously. In her book Ich glaube, der Fliesenleger ist tot, published recently in paperback by Blanvalet, Karnick documents the biggest shopping spree of her life and the consumer hangover that followed.

a vase, which I no longer liked by the time I got it home. Four days later I decided to return it, but couldn’t find the receipt. “Not a problem,” I thought, “they know me.” But the salesman’s face displayed not a flicker of recognition, not even when I reminded him: “We bought an armchair here a few days ago, black leather, although I was really keen on the dovegray fabric.” He eyed me with a mixture of sympathy and contempt, a look generally reserved for those who take themselves too seriously. He took back the vase as a “gesture of goodwill”, evidently worried I was about to make a scene. I felt like I was 13 again, the day it dawned on me that Tom had only been playing with my feelings at the school dance.

If any enterprise wishes to win not just my occasional custom but have me swear an oath of eternal allegiance, they should at least know my name.

And not merely through the simple expedient of a store card or personalized mailshot. I don’t fall for computergenerated familiarity. On the contrary, it is more likely to put me off. No, they must know my name. Like the bookseller or waiter who greet me by name because they know there is truth in the biblical verse: “I called you by your name; you are Mine!” Then I think, yes, I am yours! People know me here, I feel I belong. I rarely ever buy a book anywhere but from “my” bookseller.

To do otherwise makes me feels like < I’m being unfaithful.

Illustration jörn kaspuhl

OUR COLUMNIST’S customer loyalty is easily earned. All it takes is a few tricks and some swiftly mastered rules.

C 250

GLA 250 4Matic

(from page 16)

(from page 52)

Engine / Output

Engine / Output

2.0-liter four-cylinder, 155 kW;

2.0-liter four-cylinder,

max. torque 350 Nm (258 lb-ft)

155 kW at 5,500 rpm;

Transmission

max. torque 350 Nm (258 lb-ft) at 1,200–­4,000 rpm

7G-Tronic Plus seven-speed automatic

Acceleration

Transmission 7G-DCT seven-speed dual-clutch automatic

Data not available at time of going to press

i

Top speed Data not available at time of going to press

(page 8)

Engine / Output 6.3-liter eight-cylinder, 435 kW at 6,800 rpm;

0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.1 s

Top speed 230 km/h (143 mph)

Fuel consumption

Fuel consumption

urban: 7.2–6.8 l super/100 km

urban: 8.3–8.2 l super/100 km

(32.6–34 mpg)

(28.3–28.6 mpg)

On asphalt, the GLA 250 4Matic uses front-wheel drive. The rear wheels inter-urban: 4.7–4.4 l super/100 km come into play as soon as the terrain demands.

SLS AMG GT Final Edition

Acceleration

inter-urban: 5.6–5.5 l super/100 km

(50–53.4 mpg)

(42–42.7 mpg)

combined: 5.6–5.3 l super/100 km

combined: 6.6–6.5 l super/100 km

(42–44.3 mpg)

(35.6–36.1 mpg)

CO2 emissions (combined)

CO2 emissions (combined)

131–123 g/km (210–198 g/mi)

154–151 g/km (247–243 g/mi)

Energy class B

Energy class C

max. torque 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) at 4,750 rpm

Transmission AMG Speedshift DCT seven-speed sports transmission

Acceleration

Top speed 320 km/h (199 mph)

Fuel consumption urban: 19.9 l super plus/100 km (11.8 mpg) inter-urban: 9.3 l super plus/100 km (25.3 mpg) combined: 13.2 l super plus/100 km (17.8 mpg)

CO2 emissions (combined) 308 g/km (495 g/mi)

Energy class G 74

T HE VA LUE S STAT E D 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.

phOTOS jan friese, Marc Trautmann, Yves Borgwardt, Daimler AG

0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.7 s

drive

pu bl icat ion de ta i l s Published by Daimler AG · Mercedesstraße 137 · D-70327 Stuttgart Mailing address Daimler AG · HPC E402 · D-70546 Stuttgart Responsible on behalf of the publishers Thomas Fröhlich · Mirjam Bendak Publications Manager Dr. Denise Heinermann-Bieler Publisher’s Council Ola Källenius (Chairman) · Thomas Fröhlich · Christoph Horn · Jörg Howe Gesina Schwengers · Natanael Sijanta · Dr. Jens Thiemer · Andreas von Wallfeld Concept and Editing Condé Nast Verlag GmbH · Karlstraße 23 · D-80333 München Managing Director Moritz von Laffert Editor at Large Philip Reichardt (V.i.S.d.P.) Art Director Markus Rindermann

Exploring Lisbon with the E-Class Wagon – time passes by in a flash.

Managing Editor Tobias Nebl Chief Copy Editor Michael Moorstedt Editorial Contributors Fabrice Braun, Jenny Buchholz, Christoph Henn, Julia Karnick, Sunny Kröger, Kerstin Löffler, Michael Moorstedt, Tobias Moorstedt, Alexander Runte, Carmen Stephan, Jan Wilms Deputy Art Director Dirk Meycke

ML 350 BlueTec 4Matic

E 220 CDI Wagon

(page 71)

(from page 76)

Engine / Output

Engine / Output

3.0-liter six-cylinder diesel,

2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel,

190 kW at 3,600 rpm;

125 kW at 3,000 to 4,200 rpm,

max. torque 620 Nm (457 lb-ft)

max. torque 400 Nm (295 lb-ft)

at 1,600–2,400 rpm

at 1,400–2,800 rpm

Transmission

Transmission

7G-Tronic Plus

7G-Tronic Plus

seven-speed automatic

seven-speed automatic

Acceleration

Acceleration

0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.4 s

0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.6 s

Top speed

Top speed

224 km/h (139 mph)

216 km/h (134 mph)

Fuel consumption

Fuel consumption

Picture Editor Birgit Biechele Final Editing Edda Benedikt Final Graphics Stephanie Karraß Condé Nast Manufaktur · www.condenast-manufaktur.de Creative Head Doris Huber Operational Head Wolfgang Sander 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

urban: 8.4–7.8 l diesel/100 km

urban: 6.4–6.2 l diesel/100 km

(28–30.1 mpg)

(36.7–37.9 mpg)

inter-urban: 6.8–6.3 l diesel/100 km

inter-urban: 4.8–4.5 l diesel/100 km

(34.6–37.3 mpg)

(49–52.2 mpg)

combined: 7.4–6.8 l diesel/100 km

combined: 5.4–5.2 l diesel/100 km

(31.7–34.6 mpg)

(43.5–45.2 mpg)

CO2 emissions (combined)

CO2 emissions (combined)

194–179 g/km (312–288 g/mi)

141–133 g/km (150–214 g/mi)

Energy class B

Energy class A

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 332, 60th year of publication Printed on chlorine-free paper · Printed in Germany 6720033202 ISSN 1617-6677

75

FOR HER, WHAT COUNTS is a car’s turning circle. For him, it’s having an accurate climate control – or is it the other way round? Women and men often have different priorities when it comes to cars. Here we ask a couple about their experience with the E-Class.

he says , she says 76

words Jenny buchhol z

p h o t o s y v e s b o r g w a r dt

d r i v e

C Sporty Our testers were highly impressed by the interior design.

hristiana Clapcich and Carsten Klermund both work as bookers for model agencies.

Christiana lives in London’s Marylebone district, Carsten in Munich. Christiana no longer has a car since she moved to the English capital – even though she loves driving. “My friends used to tease me that I could never go 300 yards without a car, but in London the traffic is really hopeless.

So when I visit friends in the country, as I do regularly, I borrow a car just to be able to enjoy the feeling of driving again.”

Carsten confesses to being a Sunday driver; during the week, he prefers to cycle or travel by underground. The two met up for a weekend in Lisbon to test the E-Class > on our behalf.

i Carsten, 49 Profession Booker for a model agency

Kilometers per week 250 (155 miles) Status Occasional driver

i Christiana, 46 Profession Booker for a model agency Kilometers per week 20 (14 miles) Status Frustrated frequent driver

RELAXED A quick respite from the old quarter’s narrow streets is permitted.

P H OTO G E N I C The E-Class Wagon in front of the Elevador de Santa Justa.

77

s p aci o u s The car is about the same size as my apartment, says Christiana.

Carsten W H E N I F I R S T S A W T H E C A R , I immediately

wondered whether it was such a good idea to head into Lisbon’s old quarter with so much trunk space behind us.

But as soon as I pulled away, I realized that the E-Class was as easy to handle as any small car. The steering column shift is very user-friendly and a cool feature. The car also has a sporty look that reminds me a little of the sleek 1960s speedboat with which I once spent a few weeks exploring Lake Zurich. In fact, a lot of the details are very sporty and contrast well with the car’s spaciousness. The steering wheel, for example, really highlights the fact that this car is ready to go anywhere, anytime. Except that here the streets are barely wider than a handkerchief and not exactly conducive to stepping on the gas.

The photographer kept making us park for photos, so the 360° camera came in very handy. I was also amazed at the car’s unbelievably tight turning circle – so if a street suddenly ended in a cul de sac, we always managed to get out without any problem. And when we drove through the old quarter to take photos, lots of people just stood and watched. At first we thought they were expecting to see some celebrity or other get out of the car, but most of them were just admiring the E-Class – clearly anything grander than a three-door vehicle is still a bit of a rarity in Lisbon.

78

A CAR

that is ready to go anywhere, anytime. c a rs t e n

d r i v e

christiana

Under the ­ ood is a h i

monster just waiting to be let out. c h ri s t i a n a

T H E E - C L A S S W A S L U R K I N G in the hotel garage like a wild beast in its lair – at least that’s how it seemed to me. It looked at me with its unusual headlamps, as if it were saying: “No way, girl, I’m a man’s car.” So when we set off the next day, I initially let Carsten do the driving. I have a bit of a stubborn streak, however, and am not scared off for long.

So when I took the wheel, the E-Class purred like a pussycat and negotiated the narrow streets with impeccable selfdiscipline. Nevertheless, it was obvious that the engine hood concealed a monster just waiting to be let out. I bet this car would really feel at home in the wide-open expanses of the Scottish Highlands. When we left the hotel, it was still early and relatively cold outside, so we were grateful for the heated seats until the sun came out. There were so many buttons and levers on the doors and steering wheel that I would never have had time to try them all even if I had been able to understand the Portuguese driver’s manual. In spite of that, apart from accidentally selecting neutral a few times on shifting gear, I had no real issues with the car. I particularly liked the clock in the instrument panel. It has a proper face and looks like a cool gentleman’s watch from the 1970s – I wanted to put it on my wrist. The trunk was also impressive, almost as big as my London apartment. It’s true, I could really do with something that size for storage. Or better still, < as a guest room for friends.

E 220 CDI WAGON Engine / Output 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel, 125 kW at 3,000 – 4,200 rpm; max. torque 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) at 1,400 – 2,800 rpm

Transmission 7G-Tronic Plus 7-speed automatic

agile Equipped with a 360° camera, our testers had no problem maneuvering in even the narrowest of streets.

Go with the flow Distronic Plus makes driving in stop-and-go traffic a joy. The assistance system (optional) automatically controls the distance between you and the car in front and keeps the car properly centered on straight roads and long bends.

Comfortable access With up to 1,950 liters (68.8 cu ft) of stowage space, you can load up in style. And thanks to the optional keyless-go system, a movement of the foot beneath the bumper is all it takes to open the tailgate.

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

79

important diary dates aren’t restricted to the work calendar: try to include some of these offerings revolving around cars, sports, culture and other pleasures. The following 16 events are sure to brighten up the coming months.

g e n e va m o t o r s h ow For ten days, Switzerland turns into the world’s automotive hub for the 84th time. Some 700,000 visitors will see the European premiere of the C-Class.

march

Spring is on its way

6

14

yo ko o n o r etrospecti v e This exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao showcases 200 objects, along with video and sound recordings from the extensive oeuvre of the 81-year-old concept artist.

16

F1 season- open er For Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg et. al., Melbourne marks the first of 19 stopoffs in the 2014 Formula 1 calendar.

An overhaul of the regulations and new engines promise plenty of excitement.

26

t e c h n o c l a s s i ca

80

Photo Get t y Images

The world’s premier classic car fair drew nigh-on 200,000 automotive fans to Essen in 2013. Mercedes-Benz will be there this year on a doubledecker stand.

m o m e n t s

B a s e lwo r l d

8

Golden age: around 1,500 manufacturers showcase their precious wares at the world’s foremost and biggest watch and jewelry show.

3

11

A i W eiw ei ex hibit

g o l f m a s t e r s au g u s ta By tradition, the golfing elite competes for the first of the four majors titles - and the famous Green Jacket - on one of the trickiest par 72 courses of the US PGA tour. The winner in 2013 was Mercedes brand ambassador Adam Scott.

24

15

p f e r d i n t e r n at i o n a l Concurrently with Munich’s international horse show, Hamburg hosts the German Show Jumping and Dressage Derby. Both classic events are supported by Mercedes and draw crowds of more than 100,000.

f i l m f e s t i va l

Mille Migli a The point of the “world’s most beautiful road race” between Brescia and Rome is the enjoyment of vintage motoring.

Which is why the speed record set by Stirling Moss in an SLR almost 60 years ago will remain unbroken.

c h a m p i o n s l e ag u e The final held at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica in Lisbon will reveal which club has the best soccer team in Europe.

It’s not just the stars and professionals that get to see movies in Cannes. The Cinema de la Plage is open to all.

may

april 7

c oac h e l l a f e s t i va l

29 14

a r t b a s e l h o n g ko n g Following Europe and the USA (Miami), the biggest art fair in the world now stops off in the Far East as well, providing an Asian platform for more than 2,000 artists.

Recent years have seen appearances by acts such as Blur, Coldplay and Paul McCartney. Due to popular demand, the Californian festival will this year be held on two weekends – featuring an identical program.

m e r c e d e s - b e n z fa s h i o n W e e k au s t r a l i a Australian designers catwalk their latest collections at the biggest antipodean fashion show in Sydney.

15

How do the design-conscious style their living room, bathroom and kitchen these days? More than 2,500 exhibitors present select ideas at the Milan show.

The Chinese artist presents new works – and a number making their debut appearance in Germany – at Berlin’s Martin Gropius Building. They include a major installation in the atrium.

7

f u r n i t u r e fa i r

12

june

27

s o c c e r wo r l d CUP Brazilian summer: 64 matches, 32 teams, 12 stadiums – the final of the competition kicks off in Rio de Janeiro on July 13.

81

ICONS

V AN I SH I NG LANGUAGES is one of the more dramatic consequences of globalization. By the end of this century, the total number of languages in existence is expected to shrink to around 3,000. Experts estimate only about 100 languages will survive into 2200.

M EN AND WO M EN , contrary to popular belief, talk as much as each other: the latest research shows that both sexes speak about 16,000 words a day. But the female persuasion dominates the German language: 46% of its nouns carry the feminine gender.

THE M OST LESSON T I M E is needed for English-speaking pupils to learn Arabic, Japanese, Korean and Chinese – 2,200 hours of lessons on average.

Learning German (750), as well as French and Spanish (600 hours each), is faster.

THE LONGEST WORD describes the amino acid sequence of the protein titin – it contains almost 190,000 letters. If you decided to read it aloud, it would take 3.5 hours.

language can control the telephone, navigation and radio in a Mercedes – courtesy of Linguatronic. But there are other means of communication.

Some of the facts gathered here might just leave you speechless.

THE LOUDEST V O C AL ORGAN belongs to the blue whale – the sound energy it generates is equivalent to a space shuttle blasting off. Researchers believe that the animals use infrasound to communicate with each other across hundreds or even thousands of miles.

THE H I GHEST LANGUAGE DENS I T Y exists in Papua New Guinea, with 832 different languages.

Indonesia is next with 729, then Nigeria with 515.

The current worldwide total is 6,500 to 7,000 languages.

Europe’s contribution to the mix? A paltry 150.

82

THE M OST - SPO K EN language in the world is Mandarin ­Chinese – by 726 million native speakers. After that come English (427), Spanish (266), Hindi (182), Arabic (181), Portuguese (165), Bengali (162), Russian (158), Japanese (124), and German (121 million native speakers).

Illustrations Leandro CastelÃo/Dutchuncle phOTOS comet photoshopping, All medical your photo today, getty images, cover-picture, dpa picture-alliance, laif, Arco Images words Christoph henn

l anguage