Mercedes-Benz Thailand Magazine 3/2014 (Eng)

3·2014 mercedes-benz.com ISSN 1617-6677

SHEER ST YLE Grace with pace: the CLS Shooting Brake

SAN DIEGO Coasting along: California’s most attractive city

SMART IDEA The new forfour and fortwo: innovative, sensuous and made for urban life

3.2014

CONTENTS PAGE

42

“If you can open yourself to new ways of thinking and behaving, you can have a really interesting life.”

BERTRAND PICCARD

PHOTOS COVER: CHRISTIAN HOR AN, DAIMLER AG (2); THIS PAGE: TOM HALLER, STEFFEN JAHN, DAIMLER AG

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34

IDE AL LINES Even more gorgeous: the new CLS Shooting Brake.

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY The smart fortwo has grown up and the four-seater smart forfour is set to rock the city.

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14

DRIVE

INTELLIGENCE

14 O NE F O R A LL The revised CLS Shooting Brake unites the elegance of a coupe with the dynamic flair of a sports car and the practicality of a station wagon

6 T H E B E S T O F T EC H N O LO GY, M O B ILI T Y AND RESEARCH XXS motors, flying trains and a 20-year-old Dutchman's battle against garbage

42 PLUS ÇA C H A N G E The new generation of the smart is more modern and more comfortable than before, but no less innovative than the original. And now it offers four seats and rear-wheel drive

54 HI G H WAY TO T HE SU N Solar cells embedded in the road could one day provide energy for electric vehicles, road heating and homes

50 M OV IN G A HE A D 1998 saw new technologies such as the MP3 player enter the market – along with the very first smart 76 HE SAYS , SHE SAYS Claudia and Tobias test-drive the CLA 220 CDI in Zurich and the Swiss mountains

CHAR AC TERS 3 4 HI G H FLY ER Swiss psychiatrist and adventurer Bertrand Piccard is planning to circumnavigate the Earth in a solar-powered aircraft

3

PHOTOS THORSTEN ROTHER (1), CHRISTIAN HOR AN (1), FRIEZE ART FAIR LONDON (1)

CONTENTS

EMOTION

STANDARDS

60 T H E B E S T O F D E S I G N , A R T A N D I N D U LG E N C E Chapel restaurant, Amazon cruise, photo exhibition

24 D I G ITA L Links to a late-summer stroll through the Mercedes galaxy

6 4 LIFE ’ S A B E AC H San Diego, California’s metropolis by the sea, has emerged from the shadow of Los Angeles and San Francisco

4 0 MERCEDES ME “Mercedes connect me” ensures that drivers remain in contact with their vehicle by smartphone – wherever they happen to be

SP ORTS

72 P. S .

Julia Karnick on celebrity interiors and the question of what really counts when it comes to furnishing your home

26 K E E P O N T RU C K IN G Dropping by on the (almost) invisible helpers of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton 56 TA K IN G W IN G The SLS AMG bids a final farewell.

Six experts reveal just what made the gullwing super sports car such a legend

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74 F Y I Information and technical specifications 75 P U B L I C AT I O N D E TA I L S 80 M O MENT S 82 I C O N S

26 PAGE

60

BRIGHT IDE AS The latest from the world of design, art and pleasure.

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INSIGHTS In Formula 1, set-up work begins several days before the race.

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80

SUN, SAND, SURF Few cities in the U.S. can match San Diego for its laid-back cool.

NOT TO BE MISSED The Frieze Art Fair and other important autumn dates.

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INTELLIGENCE The best of technology, mobility and research

R AC E T E C H F O R T H E R OA D YOU CAN HE AR IT AS WE LL AS FE E L IT: the new AMG 178 4-liter V-8 twin-turbo engine developed exclusively for the soon-to-be-released Mercedes-AMG GT sports car is bristling with motorsports technology, including flow-optimized zircon-alloy cylinder heads, lightweight forged pistons and two overhead camshafts with variable adjustment on the input and output side.

Engineered for high performance, the Blue Direct is an extremely efficient power unit generating an impressive 375 kW. M E R C E D E S - A M G . C O M / W E B S P E C I A L /A M G G T

6

“Any individual can improve the world – and I hope that one day I will be living proof of this. If a teenager can do it, why can’t you too?”

B OYA N S L AT, A C T I V I S T

AT THE AG E OF 16, Boyan Slat launched an environmental protection

project called “The Ocean Cleanup” when he found that the masses of plastic garbage circulating in the oceans were spoiling his scuba diving.

His idea is that ocean currents will sweep the rubbish into huge collecting areas confined to the surface, allowing free passage to the living creatures below. The now 20-year-old Dutchman has recruited some 70 experts as supporters and has also launched a crowdfunding campaign that will run until mid-September. T H E O C E A N C L E A N U P. C O M

PHOTOS DAIMLER AG (1), HALDASWEDEN (1), TOM COT TER (2)

RUST Y GEMS

D I G I TA L O R A N A L O G This Race Pilot watch from Halda calculates speed and g-forces and provides information on 150 different race tracks. It can convert in an instant from a digital timer to a luxury analog watch with a Zenith movement.

Journalist Tom Cotter is always on the lookout for automotive treasures that are gathering dust in sheds or rusting in the corner of some yard.

Over the years, he has located hundreds of rare vehicles. His best finds, including a Mercedes 190 SL, are presented in an illustrated book entitled 50 Shades of Rust (Motorbooks).

HALDASWEDEN.COM

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T

Y AL

SVETO

V O Y

VI

INTELLIGENCE

Together with colleagues at the University of Twente in the Netherlands, the 59-year-old electrical engineer has developed a tiny motor. Now all he has to do is find out why it works.

How small is your new motor?

You can hardly see it: 110 x 110 micrometers and five micrometers high.

In other words, it measures just 0.1 x 0.1 x 0.005 millimeters.

Are we talking about a miniaturized car engine?

No. Our motor – which we call an actuator – consists of just one cylinder within a flexible membrane.

It contains water which we split into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity. The gases form nanobubbles and exert pressure, which deforms the membrane so that it can carry out mechanical tasks. Up to now, the problem with nanomotors was that it took a long time to reduce the pressure. What we have achieved is a motor in which the gas disappears again extremely fast. We don’t actually know yet why it does this.

LIGHT WORK The multi-beam LED headlights of the new CLS (p.14) are state-of-the-art, with 24 high-performance LEDs in each module. These can be dimmed in 255 stages and instantly respond to other road users. The result is perfect, dazzle-free illumination of the road ahead.

Is that particularly important?

We have to find out how the mechanism functions so that we can improve the motor. At present it is inefficient – it would be better if we needed no electricity and were able to inject the gases directly.

What do you need something so small for?

The actuator could be used in tiny test tubes to move liquids that have to be medically analyzed. It is even conceivable that they could be used in the human body. If the chemical energy could be generated directly, not using electricity, then you could even operate your cell phone with hydrogen.

8

TRIUMPHAL ARCH 120 Y E ARS OF MOTOR SP OR T S – an anniversary that prompted Mercedes-Benz

to commission a rather special sculpture for the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England this June. Gerry Judah, 51, clearly had the measure of things when he designed this monumental work: 90 meters (295 ft) long and 26 meters (85 ft) high, it bears a 1934 Silver Arrow passing the Formula 1 car with which Lewis Hamilton contested last year’s championship title. Breaking with motorsports convention, the Calcutta-born artist did not stint on weight: the steel sculpture weighs in at 160 metric tons (176 tons).

HIGH POWER These inflatable wind turbines are designed to hover up to 300 meters (almost 1,000 ft) above the ground and will be able to bring energy to the remotest parts of the world.

Tethered with cables, they will benefit from much higher wind speeds at such heights. The first 18-meter (60-ft) diameter turbines are due to be deployed in Alaska, where even diesel supplies run scarce in winter.

A LTA E R O S E N E R G I E S . C O M

AUTOMOTIVE DIC TIONARY

R O B O T FA R M I N G refers to the direct interaction of man and machine in automotive production. Light-duty robots can assist assembly workers with their superior precision and stamina.

S M A R T D R IN K I N G V E S SY L I S A S T Y LI S H , HIG H -TE C H drinking beaker

designed by Justin Lee to improve our health. It carries out a molecular analysis of the liquid it contains and automatically calculates calories, sugar and caffeine content to help users optimize their drinking habits. M Y V E S S Y L . C O M

ILLUSTRATION JULIA PELZER PHOTOS DAIMLER AG (4)

E D GY INVENTION In the future, LCD screens will no longer have to be rectangular. Sharp has developed displays that have virtually no edge at all and can be given almost any shape. The developers are predicting a host of new possibilities for this technology – such as for automobile instruments.

9

INTELLIGENCE

IREL AND DUBLIN

CORK

DISTANCE – 179 kilometers (112 miles) DUR ATION – four hours DIREC TION – clockwise

IRE L AND

RING OF RINGS ON THE E ME R ALD ISLE there are plenty of spectacular routes, but the most impressive of them all is the Ring of Kerry. It takes you round the wild Atlantic coast of the Iveragh Peninsula past tranquil lakes, idyllic villages and medieval castles. As the beauty of the landscape is so famed, you are advised to circumnavigate the Ring in a clockwise direction – in the other direction you’ll find yourself behind slow-moving tourist buses that are virtually impossible to overtake on the narrow road.

ALL SHOOK UP

P O W E R PA C K Charging a smartphone is something many backup batteries can do. But the Junojumpr even has enough energy to jump a dead car battery if necessary.

JUNOPOWER.COM

10

PHOTOS MAURITIUS - IMAGES (1)

If you have enough space at home, you can enjoy more than just a visual treat with a Vesaro racing simulator. An array of motors ensures that you also feel the g-forces every time you brake, accelerate or corner. The high-end systems are individually configurable and even offer eight different steering wheels to choose from. V E S A R O . C O M

INTELLIGENCE

ON TOUR The best apps, audiobooks and songs for travelers

SWOOP THROUGH THE CIT Y With Skytran, NASA intends to revolutionize local public transportation.

It enables pairs of passengers in capsules suspended from magnetic rails to travel at up to 240 km/h (150 mph).

The first test track is being built in Israel.

INNOZ TR ACKS / A n d r o i d + i O S How far do I travel by rail? How much time do I spend in my car or on my bicycle? This tracker helps analyze your patterns of travel – including CO2 emissions.

GAIA GPS / A n d r o i d + i O S This starts where your satnav stops. It guides walkers along trails all over the world – whatever the quality of smartphone reception. The maps are pre-saved.

WORD LENS / A n d r o i d + i O S Goodbye dictionary! In foreign countries, you simply point your smartphone at signs, menus or other foreign-language texts and this app translates them.

COUNTRY HOUSE

BY BLUR In terms of the melody, this Britpop classic from 1995 is an ideal accompaniment for any relaxed trip through the countryside – not just cruising through English villages in the new CLS Shooting Brake (see p.14).

And if you listen to the sarcastic lyrics, you can also look forward to returning to the city afterwards.

19 8 0

THEN AND NOW

T H E SE AT S W I TC H “Over the years, we have continuously improved this detail and brought out its iconic character,” explains Hartmut Sinkwitz, Head of Interior Design at Mercedes-Benz. The seat adjuster switch is a classic example of evolution in action. In the 1980 S-Class, the seat-shaped switch caused a sensation. In 1984, it came with a memory function (above left). And in its contemporary guise it continues to set benchmarks with its ergonomic simplicity. The position of the switch in the front door panel has remained virtually unchanged over the years, although chunky plastic has long since given way to a classy galvanized finish. The adjustment options have multiplied – and the seat cooling that is optionally available for the current C-Class was a pipe dream back then.

12

ON THE ROAD

BY JACK KEROUAC This classic describing the journey of two young outlaws across North America and Mexico in the 1950s is more than a manifesto of the Beat generation, it is the father of all road trip novels. Kerouac’s book continues to influence musicians, filmmakers and other artists to this day – and makes for great listening on the road.

FROM BAT TERY PACK to hovering wind turbines or the NASA suspension railway: you can find more information online using the QR code.

M B - Q R .C O M/0 K L

PHOTOS DAIMLER AG (2), W W W.SK Y TR AN.US (1)

2 014

DRIVE

TIME FOR A BRAKE The latest-generation CLS Shooting Brake outside a pub on the south coast.

14

ONE FOR

ALL

TRAVEL IN STYLE: The elegance of a coupe combined with the dynamic air of a sports car and the practicality of a station wagon produces the ideal car for people whose requirements are many and varied.

WORDS JAKOB SCHRENK PHOTOS STEFFEN JAHN

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DRIVE

A QUESTION OF FORM The long hood, slim windows and rearward sweep of the roof give the Shooting Brake a distinctive allure.

16

IDEAL LINES

DESIGN ICON ON FOUR WHEELS

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DRIVE

SPORTS CAR WITH ROOM TO SPARE

O P P O S I T E S AT T R A C T The analog clock (above) and ash wood trim elements (right) betray classical, traditional values, while the large color display and white-backed instruments lend a contemporary and sporting touch.

18

PHOTOS DAIMLER AG (2)

SPACE EXPLORER

C

ompromise, generally speaking, has an underwhelming reputation – as a surefire recipe for something that is neither one thing nor another. In the words of French political bigwig Aristide Briand: “A compromise is complete when nobody is left satisfied.”

So is a similar outcome written in the stars for the new-generation Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake? After all, it would appear to fit the template of compromise. This is a car designed to blend the elegance of a coupe with the comfort of a sedan, the dynamic flair of a sports car with the functional unflappability of a station wagon. It’s a car to drive to the opera or across the countryside, to take for a quick spin or a vacation away.

A car for people who need generous trunk space but also a sparkling turn of pace on the highway.

Honestly, can that really end well? Is the CLS Shooting Brake trying to be a master of one too many trades? Or just maybe those contrasts and contradictions can be reconciled. Perhaps a car genuinely can be quick, handsome and practical all at the same time. And what appears, at first, to have compromise written all over it really can prove it’s possible to “have it all”.

Under starter’s orders Those are the sorts of ideas that occupy the mind as we head for our test drive in England’s south, when suddenly we spot the Shooting Brake in the soft morning light at the side of the road. Its illuminated presence catches our attention from fully 50 meters (around 165 ft) away, its silhouette providing an early riposte to the skeptics.

That the rear catches your eye straight away is no surprise. The trunk is large enough to swallow several golf bags, family suitcases for a trip away or the full champagne complement for a party in the Hollywood hills.

The term “shooting brake” was coined by the English landed gentry in times gone by to describe the carriages used to transport their hunting gear. Later, in the 1960s, British automakers adopted the badge for sports cars that also offered stowage space. The high rear of the CLS Shooting Brake certainly doesn’t indicate the presence of a family car. Quite the contrary: its muscular rear end, bulging curves over the rear wheel arches, swooping roofline and long nose instead bring to mind a sprinter hunched in his starting blocks.

You can feel the power pent up below the surface and sense the car’s thirst for speed before it so much as turns a wheel.

It begs the question: why don’t all sports cars have an elevated rear? The form of the Shooting Brake possesses a simple beauty, but it also offers a promise of speed and fun – a rallying call < to get in and drive.

19

DRIVE

DRIVE

THE DYNAMIC FLAIR OF A COUPE

CURVE CARVER 20

LOOKING AHEAD The newly developed multibeam LED headlamps illuminate a corner before the driver has turned the wheel.

21

DRIVE

Don’t mind if I do. Barely has the door clunked shut and it’s clear that solidity and dynamic charisma can be reconciled inside as well as out. The analog clock featuring the Mercedes three-pointed star and the exquisite leather seats epitomize classic, traditional values, while the prominent center console and three-spoke steering wheel are all about sporting ability and panache.

First, though, for the leisurely drive out of London.

It may be an illusion, but the pedestrians along this route seem to be moving rather slowly. One can only assume they’re lingering as long as possible to gaze at the Shooting Brake. Not that it bothers us; we’re not pushed for time and can meander along at a laid-back tempo. Contributing to this air of relaxation are the onboard electronics as well as the array of safety systems that can help us to stay in lane and avoid rear-end collisions. Navigation along narrow lanes, U-turns in rush-hour traffic and parking in tight spaces are likewise tackled with ease by the Shooting Brake – thanks to its 360-degree camera, which beams images onto a large, 8-inch display standing proud of the dashboard.

Succumbing to the car’s embrace Progress has been perfectly pleasant so far, but what we really hanker for is a blast up the nearest motorway, destination unimportant. A nudge of the accelerator stirs a brief roared welcome from the engine. Curious, isn’t it, how broad a smile a sound like this can etch into your features? The car surges forward in a single leap: 100 km/h (62 mph), 120 km/h (75 mph) – you have to keep an eye on the speedometer to remind yourself how fast you’re traveling. Progress is so smooth and refined that speed becomes a barely noticeable phenomenon. The gear changes of the newly developed nine-speed automatic transmission pass in a similar blur, and the revs of the 3.0-liter V-6 diesel engine remain low even at high speeds over the ground. The CLS 350 BlueTec Shooting Brake we’re driving generates 190 kW, enough to accelerate the car from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.6 seconds. Back in the day, the English nobility used young, excitable horses to pull their shooting brake carriages. This served as training for the future when they would pull a carriage full of people – rather than hunting equipment – at an unhurried pace. Youthful power is also a watchword of our Mercedes-Benz shooting brake.

Our route back to London that evening takes us along country roads and through villages. The picturebook English countryside flashes past the windows as if on a movie screen – hedgerows, hills and field after field, so green the word cannot do justice to their lush, fresh, radiant hue.

We don’t have much time to dwell on a better word for “compromise” either, as the narrow, twisty road demands our full attention. When we steer

GREEN LIGHT The Shooting Brake also feels at home on narrow English country roads.

i CLS 350 BlueTec Shooting Brake Engine / Output 3.0-liter V-6 diesel, 190 kW; max. torque 620 Nm

Shifting clever The nine-speed 9G-Tronic automatic transmission – the world’s first of its kind – with hydrodynamic torque converter reduces fuel consumption and ensures greater comfort and agility.

Navigation eye candy The Comand Online navigation system stores its data on an integrated hard disk, generates three-dimensional, true-to-life depictions of buildings and displays satellite images from NASA. It also provides real-time information on the traffic situation.

A better way to call Hooking up a cell phone to the car via Bluetooth ensures unbeatable sound quality courtesy of the standard HD voice capability.

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

into a left-hand corner, a side bolster inflates on the right-hand side of the seat (and vice versa), providing greater support but also creating a very different and surprising effect. It feels like the car is embracing you. And because, at the same time, the brakes and steering react so precisely to every movement and the driver’s every command, there is a sense of becoming one with the car.

The arrival of dusk, meanwhile, reveals another string to the car’s bow: multibeam LED headlamps.

Looking into the eyes of the Shooting Brake, with its LED boards, fiber optics and light clusters, is like opening up the jewelry box of a celebrity shopaholic. The lights should of course also deliver a “wow factor” and allow the car’s technical mystique to be experienced from the outside. For example, unlocking the doors prompts the fiberoptic “eyebrows” that sit atop the headlamp units to briefly illuminate – in blue.

Even more important than how beautiful the headlamps look is, of course, how well they work.

The main beam light illuminates the road up to 485 meters (1,600 ft) ahead without irritating other road users. A camera positioned behind the windshield detects oncoming vehicles and those traveling ahead. The onboard electronics can actuate each of the 48 high-performance LED chips separately and calculate the optimum distribution of light up to 100 times per second.

The same camera detects corners in advance, the headlamps pivoting to the correct angle before the driver has turned the wheel. Traffic circles are identified by GPS and illuminated to the left and right. To an extent, then, the Shooting Brake not only resolves those sport/comfort and elegance/ practicality divides, it can even bridge the gap between day and night.

That may sound a little over the top right now, but it won’t once you’ve spent some time behind the wheel of the Shooting Brake. This car is most definitely not a compromise. It can just do an aw< ful lot of things at the same time.

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D I G ITA L

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SPORTS

KEEP ON TRUCKING

BEFORE NICO ROSBERG AND LEWIS HAMILTON climb into their Silver Arrows for the first time on a grand prix weekend, their team of truckies already have a week’s work under their belts. We drop by on those men in the shadows without whom no races would be won.

W O R D S DAV I D M AY E R P H O T O S T H O R S T E N R OT H E R

26

WARM - UP Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a soul in sight when the truckies begin their garage set-up work several days before the race.

SPORTS

I

t’s shortly before nine o’clock on Tuesday morning, and there is so little noise at the Spielberg circuit that you can hear the hum of an electric hangglider circling above the venue for the Austrian Grand Prix. Paul Harris and his colleagues look up briefly, then the roller shutter rattles up to reveal their workplace for the next six days. The men make their way, still a little bleary-eyed, through the meandering hall between the paddock and pit lane. The floor gleams as if polished just moments before.

Cables dangle from the ceiling, but otherwise it’s an empty scene. It’s hard to imagine that, from tomorrow afternoon, this will be home to the Mercedes AMG Petronas team garage. And that is why the seven men have gathered here. They drop their rucksacks, slip on fingerless gloves and get to work. Paul Harris and his crew are the truckies for the Formula 1 team powering Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. Their work takes place largely beyond the eyes of the viewing public, but it is central to the team’s success.

Regardless of where the next GP is taking place, the truckies fly out from England at the latest on the Tuesday morning before the race weekend, set up the garage and ensure that everything is as their colleagues elsewhere in the team require. “Creating the best possible environment for our team is not just a job for us, it’s a matter of pride,” says head truckie Harris.

Here in Spielberg, the tousle-haired 35-year-old is pitching in with his team. The men haul the crates and cases out of the first team truck into the hall. Burly characters with tattooed arms are as much in evidence as small, wiry types.

25-year-old Alex is the baby of the crew, while the elder statesman is Del, at 50. All of them are kitted out in the team gear: polo shirt in Petronas colors, black shorts and black sneakers.

In the corner is an open laptop which the truckies consult frequently. A sketch on the screen reminds them how the garage should be looking by tomorrow afternoon. It resembles the floorplan for an apartment, complete with corridors, rooms and an open-plan area at the front.

“The garage has to meet the functional needs of the team but also be presentable,” Harris tells us. It’s no easy task. The respective specialists for the gearbox, hybrid drive system and engine all require a small workshop of their own. At the same time, they have to remain out of sight of VIP guests sitting in the pits during the race weekend. The VIPs are led through corridors to their seats – just in front of where the racing cars are parked. And because every garage is different, Harris has to draw up new sketches for each circuit. “I start the planning process for a race around four weeks in advance,” he explains. Certain venues present him with 28

CREATING the best possible environment for our team to work in is not just a job for us, it’s a matter of pride.

PAUL HARRIS

particular challenges. At Monaco, for instance, the cramped confines of the pits force the teams to store parts in tents. And in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, the heat and humidity necessitate a sophisticated cooling system using separate fans for the IT equipment.

As the runner-up in the 2013 constructors’ championship, the Mercedes AMG Petronas team occupies the second garage along the pit lane at each circuit this season. The Spielberg track offers the crew a 385-square-meter (4,144-sq.-ft) area in which to work, bordered at either side by a privacy screen between them and the next team along.

It’s now the afternoon, and a handful of truckies are busy connecting click-in panels into partition walls. Paul Harris keeps a close watch on every detail. If the panels are being assembled into a corridor, the opposite bases all have to be at the same height. One of the crew members requires several attempts before his panel clicks into place, and a colleague duly steps in to help.

Each truckie has his own set of tasks but also keeps an eye on what’s going on around him so he can respond if anyone needs assistance.

Enthusiastic and never short of a word, the men work together with impressive – but not grimfaced – focus.

The truckies are on the road for up to 250 days a year. “During some periods we spend more time with each other than with our families,” says Harris. Only two of the men have kids, but they all miss their nearest and dearest at one time or another during the season. “It can be tough < when another family celebration passes

LANDING STRIP A truckie marks out the pit stop area for the Silver Arrows.

WIRING UP A crew member puts together part of the structure that will house the racing cars. This is where the data transfer cables will eventually run.

29

SPORTS

by,” admits Harris. Which is why he is particularly careful when selecting new members of the crew: “A guy’s skills are less important than what makes him tick,” he says. Some truckies joined up with the F1 team straight from school, others have previously worked in very different jobs – as electricians, for example. New recruits are shown the ropes by the more experienced hands. The most important lesson is that everybody has to be able to do every job. Harris is a qualified car mechanic and applied for a job at the team while still training. “I got one rejection after another, but I never gave up,” he recalls.

His determination paid off, and in 1999 the team took him on. He’s been with the crew for nine years now, including a period away, and took over as chief truckie in 2012.

Race Truck Four is due to arrive on Wednesday morning, with the most important cargo of all on board: the two Silver Arrows. However, the transporter has been delayed in heavy traffic.

Harris is unperturbed: “It’s not a problem for us,” he confirms, having – as always – factored in extra time, just in case.

In the garage, meanwhile, his colleague Bryan Hart is beavering away with cloth and cleaning fluids to ensure every inch is gleaming. He cleans and polishes the garage again and again 30

SIGN L ANGUAGE The truckies are a welloiled team. Hand signals often suffice to get the message across.

EASY DOES IT Paul Harris (at the rear wing) and his men carefully move Nico Rosberg’s Silver Arrow into the garage.

in the lead-up to the race as if it were the clean room in a computer chip factory. Bryan laughs when we ask how often he wipes the floor over a race weekend: “I’ve stopped counting,” he says.

“But once the mechanics have arrived, it’s every half-hour.”

The truckies’ work doesn’t stop once the cars are racing. Eagle-eyed observers may even see one or two of them busying around. Harris, for example, can be found kneeling down in helmet and protective suit during pit stops to remove one of the tires, and one of his colleagues jacks the car up from the rear. They do jobs which don’t require a mechanic, but they’re specialists all the same. Back at HQ in Brackley they practice every movement, over and over, for hour after hour. “An outsider would be amazed at how quietly the pit crew works during stops,” says Harris.

Finally, Race Truck Four arrives. Harris and four colleagues are raised up on a liftgate to the unloading point. They take the covers off Rosberg’s car and slide it out carefully into the light. Back on ground level, they secure it on a pair of dollies and nudge it into its slot in the garage. Barely has Hamilton’s Silver Arrow made it onto its stand and the mechanics are streaming into the garage. They wear the same team shirts as the truckies, and soon Paul Harris and his guys are swallowed up in the throng.

If you didn’t know them, you’d have little idea what their jobs were. And that, without them, the team’s one-two victory four days later would < not have been possible.

KEEPING ORDER Materials are transported in special boxes.

SOLAR SAILOR Swiss doctor and adventurer Bertrand Piccard.

34

PHOTOS SOL AR IMPULSE

CHARACTERS

HIGH CIRCUMNAVIGATING THE EARTH on solar power alone seems a pipe dream, but Bertrand Piccard has no doubt that it can be done. Attempting the seemingly impossible has always driven him and his family into action.

INTERVIEW BENEDIKT SARREITER

35

CHARACTERS

T

he panoramic windows of Bertrand Piccard’s house in the hills above Lausanne offer a view across Lake Geneva to the still snow-covered peaks of the Chablais Massif. A sailboat glides across the lake, a tiny white spot against a vast blue background. Adventurer and psychiatrist Bertrand Piccard – with his dark, well-cut jacket, bronzed features and alert, blue eyes – brings us coffee. He walks past a small corner of his living room that is full of souvenirs from his expeditions – model airplanes and submarines, and photos of his grandfather Auguste Piccard, who was the first person to ascend into the stratosphere in a hot-air balloon, and of his father Jacques, the first man to dive to the deepest point in the ocean, the Marianas Trench. It is a shrine to the intrepid – and one to which Bertrand Piccard himself has contributed. He was the first person to fly non-stop round the Earth in a hot-air balloon, and in a year’s time he aims to do the same thing, but this time in a solar-powered aircraft. Though in his mid-fifties, Piccard seems much younger than his years. He speaks in the precise, confident tones of someone who has no doubts at all about what he is doing.

Mr. Piccard, next year, from March until the end of July, your plan is to circumnavigate the Earth in several stages by solar-powered aircraft. What are your feelings about this undertaking?

I’m really looking forward to it. It will be the fulfillment of a dream I’ve cherished for 15 years. But there’s a great deal to be done before then. For example, we haven’t yet been granted all the necessary overflying rights. With this

BASE S TAT I O N Maintenance of the fragile aircraft during its journey is carried out in a specially developed mobile hangar.

N AT U R E B OY Piccard in the garden of his house in Lausanne.

36

sort of venture you can never lean back and say: OK, everything’s ready to go and in a month’s time we’ll be able to take off. You’re constantly having to work on all sorts of details right down to the last minute.

When you started work on the “Solar Impulse” project back in 1999, how far developed was solar flight?

Back then, a solar-powered aircraft could only fly around midday, when the sun’s rays were at their most intense. But I wanted to stay in the air continuously, even at night-time. So in 2003, I commissioned a feasibility study from the École Polytechnique de Lausanne. It turned out that we would need an aircraft with the wingspan of a jumbo jet and the weight of an automobile. All the experts I talked to said that was simply not possible. But it is challenges like these that appeal to me. André Borschberg and I don’t just want to copy something somebody has done before us. We want to be real pioneers, to plow our own furrow.

Treading new paths, attempting the impossible seems to be your family motto...

I guess so. It certainly applied to my father, my grandfather before him, and to many family friends like Wernher von Braun, as well as most of the American astronauts or somebody like Charles Lindbergh. They were all a key part of my childhood – meetings with

THE SIZE OF A JUMBO JET With a wingspan of 72 meters (236 ft), the solar-powered aircraft weighs just 2,300 kg (5,070 lbs).

AFTER THE TEST FLIGHT Pilot André Borschberg (left), Piccard and a crew member.

them had a deep impact on me and made me want to lead a life like theirs.

What sort of life is that?

It’s a life in which you believe that virtually anything is possible. A life in which you have no fear of failure, but rather are convinced that dreams can come true. Most people don’t dare to try out something new because it seems too difficult and requires too much effort.

But if you can forget that and overcome your fear, if you can open yourself to the unknown, to new ways of thinking and behaving, you can have a really interesting life. I think that curiosity is a good antidote to fear.

PORTRAIT TOM HALLER PHOTOS SOL AR IMPULSE

What do you yourself fear?

As a child, I was really afraid of heights.

To face up to this fear I started hang-gliding when I was 16. It was like taking therapy.

You eventually became an expert hang-glider. How do you make use of the lessons learned back then when you’re sitting in a solar-powered aircraft?

The Solar Impulse behaves like a giant kite – it is very sensitive to the wind. In my youth, I learned how to read wind conditions and use them to my advantage, which also helped me when I was circumnavigating the Earth in a balloon. I learned from that journey what it is like to spend a long period in the air –

You have to open yourself to the unknown.

Curiosity is a good antidote to fear.

BERTRAND PICCARD

20 days at a time. I learned that there are moments that are not easy to cope with, for example if you are hovering above the Pacific and are not sure if you’re going to have enough fuel to reach the other side.

What problems can occur during a solarpowered flight?

The type and intensity of sunshine is very important. We have to charge the batteries during the day so that we can continue flying at night. Every morning will be tense because I won’t know whether the charge will last until the sun comes up.

You mentioned earlier that most of the experts said continuous flying in a solarpowered aircraft was impossible. Yet

<

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CHARACTERS

L I K E FAT H E R , LIKE SON Bertrand Piccard with his father Jacques, who set a deep-sea diving record in 1960.

Far left: The hot-air balloon in which Bertrand became the first person to circle the globe non-stop in 1999.

We have to have a short 20-minute nap every three or four hours. But it’s important to still retain constant control of the aircraft. To do this, we apply a form of self-hypnosis that I also use as a psychiatrist in my therapy sessions.

You fall into a sort of trance in which your consciousness and your body are separated.

In other words, your body sleeps but you can still operate the instruments. During these 20-minute naps I open my eyes every five minutes to check that everything is OK.

Your aircraft only has room to accommodate the pilot. Will the day come when this technology is capable of carrying more than one person?

That will take time. But during daylight hours it will soon be possible for a solar-powered aircraft to carry small numbers of passengers.

We are perhaps four or five years away from that at present.

You and your partner, former jet pilot and entrepreneur André Borschberg, will take turns in flying for up to five days without leaving the tiny cockpit. How does one cope with that sort of challenge?

38

It doesn’t sound very relaxing.

But it is. We’ve tested this technique for a period of 72 hours in a simulator.

It worked extremely well.

To create something really innovative, you have to think outside the box.

BERTRAND PICCARD

If you spend such long periods alone in the air, does it change your behavior in any way?

When I was flying round the Earth in a hotair balloon, I felt I was entering a new world.

I became at one with Nature, propelled by the wind that blows round the Earth. With Solar Impulse it is similar. You can feel how the energy to power the propellers emanates from the cosmos, from another star. You don’t have to dig fuel out of the Earth, gradually destroying parts of it in the process. Our project is not about setting records – it’s about coming up with new ways of thinking and acting. In the 20th century, we sent expeditions to the Moon, to the North and South Poles – or, like my father, we plumbed the depths of the ocean.

But today the focus is on how we can improve life on Earth. We want to inspire people to make more use of the possibilities offered < by sustainable energy resources.

GE T TING E VER CLOSER On his website, Bertrand Piccard posts regular updates on the preparations for his record-breaking attempt to circle the Earth. M B - Q R . C O M / 0 I 8

PHOTOS SOL AR IMPULSE, PICCARD FAMILY

you and your team managed to build an aircraft that can fly for days without interruption. How did you manage that?

We deliberately didn’t take on anyone from the aerospace industry for the project – they may know everything about their field, but they don’t go beyond that. They would have come up with a conventional aircraft, but we wanted something revolutionary. If you want to create something really innovative, you have to think outside the box. For example, we got a shipyard to produce all the carbon parts that make the Solar Impulse so light. Experts from a wide range of different disciplines contributed their experience, which means we have the best electric motors, the best equipment and the best insulation you can get hold of.

MERCEDES ME

WELL IN

HAND

AUXILIARY H E AT I N G When things get chilly outside, the car’s heating system can easily be turned on by smartphone.

KEEPING IN TOUCH with your vehicle has become easier: with “Mercedes connect me” you can stay in contact via smartphone – wherever you happen to be.

A GLANCE at your smartphone instantly tells you how much fuel is in the tank.

REMOTE LOCKING If you forget to lock your car, you can open or lock it remotely by smartphone (expected availability from mid-2015).

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ILLUSTRATION 500GLS@UNIT.NL

BREAKDOWN MANAGEMENT If a fault develops, the car transmits its condition and position to the Mercedes-Benz 24-hour service – and help is immediately at hand.

MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT The system knows when the vehicle requires servicing and sends the data to the workshop, which then draws up an estimate.

REMOTE ACCESS TO V E H I C L E I N F O R M AT I O N Important information such as fuel levels, range etc. can easily be checked via the Internet – from your computer or smartphone.

VEHICLE L O C AT I O N Parked somewhere in an unfamiliar city and forgotten where?

No problem – the smartphone app will show you where your car is.

I

n this networked world of ours, we have become used to virtually all the information we need being available at the click of a mouse. Now, with the new online service “Mercedes connect me”, your car is also close at hand, no matter how far away it is.

All you have to do is take a look on your computer or smartphone to find out important information: How much fuel is in the tank? Where exactly is it parked? Does the windshield wiper fluid need topping up? Did I really lock it properly? And much more besides.

“Mercedes connect me” enables motorists to connect with their vehicle via the remote online service – and, if necessary, the car can also connect automatically with Mercedes-Benz. For example, in the case of an accident it immediately calls up the Mercedes-Benz emergency hotline and informs the emergency service of its position and condition. In the case of a breakdown, it will also contact the Mercedes-Benz Service 24-hour roadside assistance.

The car also knows exactly when it needs a service and can identify worn parts that need replacing.

If necessary, it can even call up the workshop so that you can arrange a date and time to bring it in.

“Mercedes connect me” is part of the new “Mercedes me” service platform set up by the company in order to gather all its service offers under one umbrella. With their personal Mercedes ID, owners can in future use mercedes.me to access a range of customized services covering mobility, connectivity, servicing and financing – as well as keeping in touch with and comparing < notes with the Mercedes community.

FIND OUT MORE about the possibilities offered by “Mercedes connect me” – simply scan this QR code with your smartphone. M B - Q R . C O M / 0 i R

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DRIVE

PLUS Ă&#x2021;A

CHANGE

PETIT FOUR The new four-seater smart forfour is just 3.49 meters (11.5 ft) long.

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THE NEW-GENERATION smart is more modern and more comfortable than the original model â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but every bit as innovative.

This time round, the practical city car also comes in a four-seater, rear-wheel-drive version.

WORDS THOMAS ARGENT

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DRIVE R A I S I N G T H E S TA K E S The smart Media System boasts a 7-inch multi-touchscreen and voice control, and is equipped to receive real-time traffic news and weather updates.

CITY SWINGER EXPRESSIVE STYLING, NEW ENGINES

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A

genuine game-changer breaks with conventions. It doesn’t tinker with old concepts but does things differently – in all sorts of ways.

It comes up with new and radical ideas. When the ultra-compact smart first arrived on the market in 1998, traditionalists were up in arms. A car just 2.50 meters (8.2 ft) long? With an engine at the rear? Only two seats? And such small wheels? What were we thinking of?

The answer – if there was ever really any doubt – was: the perfect city car. An agile space miracle that creates parking spaces out of nowhere, is frugal on fuel and, thanks to its Tridion safety cell, offers the kind of protection you would normally only find in much larger sedans. This was a car for unconventional thinkers – and parkers. In short, the smart was revolutionary because it didn’t take its cue from other cars but from an idea: “reduce to the max”.

Now, in November this year, an all-new generation of the smart will take to the road. Once again, it prides itself on being the quintessential city car – and what’s more, it promises to be just as innovative as the very first generation of this model.

Except that it will be more modern, feature many improvements and, 16 years down the line, will also be a lot more grown up.

And talking of growing up, there has been an addition to the family. From the launch date, the further improved two-seater smart fortwo will be joined by the all-new four-door, four-seater smart forfour. For all its longer dimensions – 3.49 meters (11.5 ft) from tip to tail – this model is almost on a par with its smaller brother in terms of maneuverability. It also features the rear-engined format

that is at the heart of the smart space miracle.

The strikingly more “grown-up” look extends to the smart fortwo as well. This model retains its cute looks, but at the same time projects a much more self-assured image. The reason? At just 2.69 meters (8.8 ft), its length is the same as before, but it is a full 10 centimeters (4 in) wider. It also has a wider track, which gives it a substantially sportier, more powerful stance. Adding to the sense of assurance is a higher hood, whose expressive curves are both attractive and eminently touchable. The effect is topped off by a new, larger radiator grille, featuring the three-dimensional smart logo and an unusual honeycomb mesh, with holes that become smaller towards the edges. In a further attractive touch, the honeycomb theme is reprised in the covers of the new headlamps, and even in the turn signals.

In side view, the color-contrasting Tridion safety cell is once again a visible signature of the smart.

The new smart forfour is likewise equipped with this extremely sturdy feature. And although this model is somewhat longer and has four doors, to the eye its front and rear overhangs appear just as short as on the two-seater.

The fortwo retains its cute looks – but projects a lot more self-assurance.

GOT IT LICKED As before, the fortwo features a split tailgate for easier loading and unloading.

Attention to detail Those extremely short overhangs and the rearmounted engine also help to maximize interior space. While both versions of the smart are compact on the outside, you’d never know it when you’re sitting inside. And that general sense of spaciousness has benefited from the increase in width. Careful attention to detail is conspicuous both outside and in. On most equipment lines, the large instrument panel and some parts of the doors are extensively trimmed with a colorful and irresistibly touchable fabric mesh material

DRIVE

COCKPIT 2.0 Standalone rev counter, instrument cluster with color display and multifunction steering wheel.

that resembles the breathable inserts in sports shoes. Each of the three equipment lines provides a different mix of materials and colors (for example orange-colored fabric trim, a leather steering wheel with black and grey accent features, and black leather seats with white topstitching and white panels). Each equipment line lends the interior a completely different character and personality – ranging from sporty to stylishly elegant or stylishly modern.

Take a seat, and you’ll soon see there’s nothing sober or austere about the sensuous interior of this ultra-practical, ultra-compact city car. It’s also packed to the brim with clever ideas, like a side drawer in the center console or a sliding magnifying-glass control for the climate system.

If the easily collapsible front passenger seat backrest is folded all the way down, this small car can carry loads up to 1.55 meters (5 ft) in length. In the smart forfour, it is also possible to turn round and lower the cushions of the optional Ready Space rear seats, thereby increasing the height of the load space by a full 12 centimeters (4.7 in) in just moments. That allows bulky loads up to 2.22 meters (7 ft) in length to be transported on the back seats.

OPEN WIDE The rear doors can be opened to an angle of almost 90 degrees, for convenient entry.

L O A D E D The forfour’s trunk offers 975 liters (34 cu. ft) of luggage space.

Take a seat, and you’ll soon see there’s nothing sober or austere about the sensuous interior of this ultra-practical and ultra-compact fun car for the city.

MORE ROOM REAR ENGINE AND FOUR SEATS

Also new is an instrument cluster with an 8.9-centimeter (3.5-in) color display (standard on most equipment lines), which ensures drivers have all the necessary information at their fingertips at all times. Motorists who hanker after even more high-tech trimmings in the cockpit can choose the optional Media system featuring a 17.8-centimeter (7-in) multi-touchscreen display, voice control and integrated online connectivity for receiving realtime traffic news and weather updates.

New assistance systems

J O L LY J A U N T The city is the perfect playground for the agile smart.

The chassis, too, has grown in maturity and comfort – with longer spring travel, a redesigned front axle and a wider track that gives the car a more road-hugging look. But that extra comfort doesn’t come at the expense of agility. Far from it – the new model is even more nimble than its predecessor. For cornering aficionados, this agility turns the city into the perfect playground for nimble maneuvers. The smart fortwo’s turning circle of just 6.95 meters (23 ft) sets a new benchmark.

Often the fortwo can slot straight into a parking space on the other side of the street without having to turn and backtrack. Even the longer forfour has a turning circle of just 8.65 meters (28 ft).

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DRIVE

FUNKY TRIM The contoured instrument panel is trimmed in a bright fabric mesh material.

Fast-shifting transmissions Drive comes courtesy of a state-of-the-art threecylinder engine: the naturally-aspirated 999 cc unit that accompanies the launch of the new smart will offer output of 52 kW – plus powerful torque of 91 Nm at 2,850 rpm, which favors early upshifts and thus very fuel-efficient driving. This unit will be followed by a top-of-the-range 898 cc three-cylinder turbocharged engine developing 66 kW. Both will feature an automatic stop-start system as standard. An entry-level 45 kW gasoline engine will subsequently be introduced. The new engines come with a choice of two new transmissions: a five-speed manual or a fast-shifting twinamic six-speed dual-clutch automatic.

As the revolution enters the next round, the new smart has improved on all the standout features of its predecessor, such as small dimensions, maneuverability, efficiency, original styling and a commitment to unconventional solutions. And with the forfour it also adds a new dimension to the mix – the perfect four-seater city car.

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i smart fortwo Engine / Output 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine, 52 kW; max. torque 91 Nm

Transmission Five-speed manual

Dimensions The two-seater is still just 2.69 meters (8.8 ft) long but 1.66 meters (5.4 ft) wide, an increase of 10 centimeters (4 in).

The 6.95-meter (23 ft) turning circle sets a new benchmark.

Smart assistants The standard-fitted Crosswind Assist keeps the vehicle stable in side winds through precisely controlled braking at one or more wheels.

Optional systems include forward collision warning, lane-keeping assist, a parking aid, a reversing camera and speed-sensitive direct steering.

smart forfour Engine / Output 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine, 52 kW; max. torque 91 Nm

Transmission Five-speed manual

Dimensions The four-seater is just 3.49 meters (11.5 ft) long and 1.66 meters (5.4 ft) wide. Its turning circle of 8.65 meters (28 ft) is the smallest in its class.

Smart assistants The same assistance systems are available for the forfour as for the two-seater model. For easy entry, the rear doors open to an angle of almost 90 degrees.

The cushions of the optional Ready Space rear seats can be turned round and lowered in moments to create more carrying space for bulky loads.

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

PHOTOS DAIMLER AG

Meanwhile, new assistance systems of a type previously confined to cars in a much more expensive price bracket contribute to a relaxed and safe driving experience. The standard-fitted Crosswind Assist – active from a speed of 80 km/h (50 mph) – can detect sudden crosswind gusts, for example when overtaking a truck, and keeps the vehicle stable through precisely controlled braking of one or more wheels. The new practical electronic assistance systems include optional lane-keeping assist, forward collision warning, a parking aid and a reversing camera, all of which are available for both the two- and the four-seater model.

SMART CABRIO Even more original: if the electricallyoperated soft top isn’t enough, you can even remove the roof pillars.

2002–2003

SMART CITY COUPE The original style icon measures a mere 2.5 by 1.51 meters (8 ft 2.5 in by 4 ft 11.5 in).

2000–2007

A revolutionary city car – the six main smart models:

1998–2003

DRIVE

SMART CROSSBLADE The ultimate in minimalism: no doors, no roof, no windshield – just lots of fun!

MOVING

AHEAD

MILESTONES Britney Spears becomes the latest pop star, the Petronas Towers soar upwards, Google is set up and Titanic breaks box-office records.

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PHOTOS DAIMLER AG (7), GET T Y IMAGES (3), GENE GOLDEN/SHOOTING STAR/INTERTOPICS, FOTOFINDER, 3DSCULPTOR/FOTOLIA , NOKIA

1998 was the year of new technologies: MP3 players, the Web and Google. And the first smart showed that even small cars were capable of great things

SMART FORFOUR A sporty smart for the whole family: four doors, front engine, increased cubic capacity and performance.

2012–jetzt

2004–2006

2003–2005

SMART ROADSTER Go-kart redefined: probably the world’s smallest racing car, with a top speed of 180 km/h (112 mph).

SMART ELECTRIC DRIVE Silent, with zero emissions: the eco-friendly electric drive is ideal for a city car.

S

ometimes the advent of a new era is heralded in strange ways. Take 1998, for example. A teenager by the name of Britney Spears had a hit with her song “Baby one more time” and became a model for multimedia pop stars the world over. Love her or hate her, the singer had been groomed for stardom from an early age, and her life was an open book for fans and the public at large.

But it was not just pop music: in other areas of life, too, rapid change was the order of the day.

1998 saw the launch of a range of new technologies that we now take for granted. For example, the fact that we can now listen to digital recordings of Britney Spears is thanks to the appearance of the first MP3 player back then – priced at a mind-blowing 400 US dollars and with a storage capacity of a mere half-hour of music!

That same year, Apple introduced the first iMac to the world. With its colorful, translucent plastic housing, it represented a totally new departure in design. People’s expectations of computers and consumer electronics would never be the same again.

Meanwhile, in California’s Menlo Park – virtually unnoticed by the rest of the world – two college students launched a small-scale start-up company. They named it Google.

A foothold in space How appropriate, then, that 1998 also saw some radical developments in the area of personal mobility and the automobile. Just years before, a city car measuring no more than 2.5 meters (8 ft) in length would have been as unthinkable as the World Wide Web, which was just embarking on its global conquest.

But in the 1990s, the time did seem ripe for a new micro-compact car, and indeed a development process now began that would culminate in the birth of a new brand: the “smart”.

The first model – the smart city coupe – appeared on the market in the fall of 1998. With its frugal, rear-mounted three-cylinder engine, it was so compact that it could even park end-on.

And its Tridion steel safety cell put it on a par with many a larger sedan.

THE DESIGN of the first iMac, with its colorful, translucent plastic housing, was revolutionary.

The smart was an ideal vehicle for our overcrowded cities and very much in tune with the changing pattern of people’s lifestyles – it was flexible and innovative without making any concessions in terms of safety, comfort and modern design.

Over the years, many more smart models were introduced, and by its 15th anniversary in 2013, the youngest automobile brand in Europe had built more than 1.5 million units of the “smart fortwo” model, as the smart city coupe was named after 2003.

1998 was unequivocally a year of radical change, with many existing boundaries crossed or redefined. The New Economy was still in full swing.

In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the twin spires of the Petronas Towers reached completion – at 452 meters (just under 1,500 ft) the world’s tallest edifice.

Finally, in November, humanity’s greatest ever technology project was – literally – launched when the first module of the International Space Station went into orbit. Mankind now had a per< manent foothold in space.

HIGH PEFORMANCE Mika Häkkinen wins the F1 world championship, the ISS goes into orbit and cell phones burst into color.

51

INTELLIGENCE

LED LIGHTS embedded in the solar panels would light up the road at night and illuminate markings.

HIGHWAY TO

THE SUN A DREAM is taking to the road: solar paving could one day power electric cars, signage, de-icing systems â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and even homes.

54

T

he idea is almost as old as its inventor. Growing up in the early sixties, Scott Brusaw was obsessed with slot car racing. As he told his childhood friend Julie, his dream was one day to develop a realworld “electric road” of his own. About ten years ago, the two of them – long since married – were chatting about global warming, and Julie reminded Scott of that electric road he’d dreamed of. Wouldn’t it be possible to make an electric road out of solar panels, she asked. Brusaw, now 56, responded that solar panels are so fragile “you can’t even step on them, let alone drive on them”.

But the idea had been planted in his mind and the electrical engineer began to do some research.

Initially he thought the panels would have to be made of plastic, but then he had the idea of using special glass. Brusaw admits that everyone imagines that on glass, cars would soon be sliding all over the place if it rained. But that problem has already been fixed. A surface pattern has been developed with enough grip for vehicles to be able to stop even at speeds up to 130 km/h (80 mph). And Brusaw’s own original worry about robustness has likewise proved groundless: “Tests showed that the material can withstand a weight of 125 tons [113 metric tons] – more than three times the USA’s legal weight limit for trucks.”

THE MATERIAL can withstand a weight of 113 metric tons (125 tons) – far more than the legal limit for trucks.

SCOT T BRUSAW

PHOTOS SOL AR ROADWAYS

Built-in heating Now, following extensive testing, the first practical projects are taking shape. Next year, Brusaw’s home town of Sandpoint, Idaho, is hoping to become the first “Solar Roadway city”. The plan is to use the system to surface two parking lots plus sidewalks and various areas around the airport and rail station. For now, the Brusaws are putting actual roads to one side and gathering experience with non-critical areas like parking lots and driveways. From there, they can move on to residential roads and eventually highways. Brusaw envisages the solar panels having multiple benefits. At parking lots, they could power nearby buildings and EV charging points. Solar roads would also be fitted with LED road markings and signage, while heating elements would keep them snow- and ice-free. The Brusaws will first need to get a manufacturing process up and running before they can make any realistic cost estimates.

So far they have built all their prototypes by hand with the help of friends. They hope that one day there will be “solar roadway” factories all over the world. To supplement federal research grants, they also launched a crowdfunding campaign this year – the most successful to date on the Indiegogo platform, raising $2.2 million in donations from 50,000 people. Not < bad for a childhood dream!

FIRST STEPS Julie and Scott Brusaw from Sandpoint, Idaho, on a prototype solar panel parking area. So far all their prototypes have been built by hand.

FIND OUT MORE On his website, Scott Brusaw demonstrates how solar roads could work.

M B - Q R .C O M/O K W

SPORTS

TAKING

WING

A LEGEND bids farewell: the last gullwing left the factory this summer. Six experts and enthusiasts describe the fascination of this super sports car.

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W

PHOTO IGOR PANITZ

hen the SLS AMG was unveiled to the public for the first time in 2009, it caused an immediate sensation.

The super sports car, with its aluminum spaceframe body, 6.3-liter front-mid V-8 engine and doublewishbone sports suspension, was capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.8 seconds and cut a figure as elegant as it was sporty. The first car developed independently by Mercedes-AMG wasted no time in racking up countless major awards and came out on top in numerous comparison tests. The car was duly launched in a variety of guises: Coupe, open-top Roadster, GT, Black Series, Final Edition (technical specifications and fuel consumption figures on page 74), as well as the GT3 racing version and SLS AMG Electric Drive – the latter the world’s most powerful production car with an electric drive system. After more than four years in production, the final gullwing rolled off the assembly line in the middle of this year. But a new super sports car is already in the starting blocks at AMG in Affalterbach. The MercedesAMG GT, the second sports car designed from nose to tail in Affalterbach, is due to be presented this fall. “We’ve clearly benefited from our experience with the development of the SLS,” explains AMG head Tobias Moers. “The bar’s been set high, but we’re looking at the Mercedes-AMG GT as a standalone car, not a successor to the SLS.” Before the new model hits the road, we’ve asked six experts to put words to the mystique and allure of the SLS AMG, a car that already has < what it takes to be a collector’s item.

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SPORTS

THE BOSS To b ia s M o e r s , C hi e f E xe c uti ve of Mercedes -AMG

“A new era began for us with the unveiling of the SLS AMG in 2009. It was the first car we had developed entirely in-house. For me as part of the development team, it was a very special experience to bring a super sports car of this kind from drawing board to road. Its innovative technology and design have earned the SLS AMG iconic status – and its many variants and triumphs in motorsports have won it fans around the world. The new Mercedes-AMG GT, which we will unveil in the autumn, will give us the opportunity to position AMG even more aggressively as a dynamic sports car maker. A pure-bred sports car with AMG DNA is evidence of our ability to convert our high standards of driving dynamics, agility and sports performance into reality.”

THE GT3 E XPERT T h o m a s J ä ge r, A M G C u s t o m e r S p o r t s D r i ve r

“The SLS AMG GT3 racing car represents AMG’s entry into the world of customer motorsports. The aim was to lay down a new benchmark for the GT3 race series in terms of safety, drivability and running costs. The biggest difference between the race-spec machine and the standard road car is that all the comfort-related equipment has been stripped out to reduce weight. The car also rides very low. The suspension minimizes tire wear, which allows the car to continue setting very strong lap times over longer distances. That gives it a major advantage over its rivals on the track. However, to win races you don’t just need speed, you need reliability as well – and the SLS AMG GT3 has proved it has that with an impressive number of victories in endurance racing.”

THE VISIONARY L u t z Füg e n e r, p r o f e s s o r o f ve h i c l e d e s ig n , P f o r z h e i m U n i ve r s i t y

“The gullwing doors are clearly the defining feature of the SLS – they make it what it is. But its proportions are also very successful. The front end doesn’t look over-the-top aggressive and, while the rear is surprising, everything fits together very well. It’s like the car has been cut from a single mold. But the SLS AMG doesn’t only look like a sports car, it drives like one.

It delivers on the promise made by its design. And it references Mercedes history – clearly a good idea when you’ve got that kind of history to draw on.

This kind of retro concept is one thing, but I think it’s more interesting to explore how the sports car of the future will look. That’s why I can’t wait for the Mercedes-AMG GT.”

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THE R ACING DRIVER B e r n d M ay l ä n d e r, d r i ve r o f t h e M e r c e d e s - B e n z S L S A M G GT O f f i c ial F1 S a f et y C ar

“I was handed my first Safety Car in 2000, a CL 55 AMG with a 5.5-liter V-8 engine developing 360 hp. Nowadays I drive an SLS AMG GT, which also has a V-8 but comes with a whole lot more power – 591 hp, to be precise. So the SLS AMG GT is not that far from the standard output of a Formula 1 car, when their turbo and energy recovery systems aren’t in play. It’s a good thing I can count on a powerful engine; at the grand prix in Monza, for example, I’m hitting between 275 and 280 km/h (171–174 mph) during a Safety Car phase. When it’s raining, in particular, the SLS can

T H E FA N

PHOTOS IGOR PANITZ, DAIMLER AG (2), KNOBL ACH (1)

K a zu n o r i Yam au c hi , d eve l o p e r o f v i d e o g a m e G r an Tu r is m o an d am at e u r r a c ing d r i ve r

“Of course, the SLS AMG is one of the cars you can drive in our Gran Turismo racing game. As a motor racing fan, I’ve already driven the road-spec version as well as the GT3 racing car on the Nordschleife myself. Its wide track, long wheelbase and optimum weight distribution for a rear-wheel-drive car show that the Mercedes engineers have focused their attention not only on speed but also on good drivability.

The SLS is extremely fast, but also sympathetic to drive. This type of car allows you to focus your mind 100 percent on the business of driving when you’re behind the wheel; you’re not fighting the car, so you can concentrate fully on improving your lap times. Plus, I’ve felt very safe in the SLS – and that’s not a sensation you get in many super sports cars.”

hold its own very respectably among the F1 cars – even though they carry half the weight. The SLS AMG is a very direct car, i.e. it responds quickly at the front axle, which allows you to maintain a very tight line. With every evolutionary stage the car has become more modern, more comfortable, faster and more direct. The Safety Car is fitted with two monitors, a radio, GPS, a camera system – and, I’m pleased to say, air conditioning. When I’m out for a long time in the Safety Car I sometimes miss a good sound system (smiles). But that’s been taken out for good reason, of course.”

THE OWNER G ui d o H o m m e l , b u s in e s s m an an d c ar c o ll e c to r

“I was one of the first people to buy an SLS AMG. When I picked it up that winter, there was 15 centimeters [6 in] of snow on the ground. But I didn’t care, I couldn’t wait any longer. I’ve been collecting cars for 40 years – to drive them, not watch them gathering dust in a garage.

I’m always on the lookout for special cars. That explains why I also own an old SL 300. Clearly, there’s a world of difference between the classic SL and the modern SLS, but the gullwing doors make them both a magnet for attention. My favorite aspects of the SLS AMG are its dynamic repertoire and the sound it makes. Once I was even flagged down by a group of youngsters who just wanted me to rev the engine a few times.”

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EMOTION The best of design, art and indulgence

HEAVENLY FARE ANT WE RP In the new restaurant The Jane, run by three-star chef Sergio Herman (above left), each item on the menu is food fit for the gods. This gourmet temple is located in the chapel of a former military hospital.

The Dutchman and his sous-chef Nick Bril (above right) serve haute cuisine with a dash of rock ’n’ roll. The restaurant’s highlight, as it were, is the 12-meter-wide (40-ft), 800-kilogram (1,764-lb) “Lion Fish” chandelier created by the .PSLAB design studio. And if you take a closer look at the 500 individually painted windows, you won’t find any sacred imagery, but depictions of ice-cream cones, croissants, penguins and the like.

The chapel gallery houses the Upper Room Bar with a separate menu and a truly divine list of cocktails.

T H E J A N E A N T W E R P. C O M

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B O O K O F N AT U R E The National Geographic Society was founded in the USA in 1888 to promote knowledge of the geographical world. Since then, it has evolved into one of the world’s largest nonprofit research organizations, with more than ten million members in 170 countries and a renowned magazine. In three lavish volumes, Around the World in 250 Years gathers the best photos and essays from the archives of National Geographic Magazine. T A S C H E N . C O M

UNELEFANTE .MX

PHOTOGR APHER OF ST YLE LOND ON A model balancing a ball, Marlene Dietrich in an iconic pose, strictly stylized nudes: Horst P. Horst ranks among the greatest photographers of the 20th century. From September 6, the V&A Museum is devoting a retrospective to him that includes fashion shots, male nudes and celebrity portraits. V A M . A C . U K

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The Mexican webshop Unelefante likes to present a new, tongue-in-cheek take on well-known products. Their best example is chocolate.

Inspired by Jackson Pollock’s artworks, the “Pollock” chocolate bar is splattered with multi-colored cocoa butter, while the “Crayon” version seems to be covered in melted crayon.

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The 42-year-old French entrepreneur has bought up three dozen stores in Paris’ trendy Le Marais quarter. This is where his sustainable design and gastronomy village “La Jeune Rue” is scheduled to open in autumn.

What gave you the idea for your “La Jeune Rue” project?

I didn’t wake up one morning and think: “I’m going to buy 36 stores and create a gastro village in town.”

The project developed from our flagship restaurant, Le Sergent Recruteur – one restaurant gave rise to an entire lifestyle.

PHOTOS ERIK KLEINBERG, R AHI REZ VANI, TASCHEN, HORST.P.HORST@CONDÉ NAST/HORST ESTATE ILLUSTRATION JULIA PEL ZER

What is the concept behind it?

Our motto is “Produce better, eat better, live better”. We want to offer sustainably procured foods. Beyond that, we have developed a system that links up the shops, bakers and restaurants of “La Jeune Rue” so that products can be passed on and used up without waste.

Restaurants, a cinema, an art gallery, baker’s shops, a butcher’s shop: what connects all the outlets in “La Jeune Rue”?

Their ethical philosophy: good products and appealing design. It’s meant to be an exemplary collaboration that will change our way of thinking and consumption.

Various designers such as Tom Dixon, Paola Navone and Ingo Maurer are fitting out the shops.

What criteria determined the choice of your designers?

All the designers have their very own identity, style and philosophy that they bring in to the space they are outfitting. Thanks to this unique aspect, the range of goods offered by each store or restaurant is presented in the best possible light.

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EMOTION

“My rhythm is that of a tortoise.”

TILDA SWINTON

OSCAR PRIZE-WINNER Tilda Swinton, 53, likes life the slow lane. The acting career of the new face of Mercedes didn’t properly take off until she was 40.

ART BOX Container #1 is no run-of-the-mill magazine. The idea behind this publication is that you can tell stories not just through words, but through objects as well. That’s why the first issue is a styrofoam box containing no words but ten specially produced artworks on the theme “Hot & Cold”.

Among them are a temperature-themed CD, a model of the GPS satellite network and a device that measures how cool Web companies are.

C O N TA I N E R W E B S I T E . C O M

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LOUNGE AROUND The jacuzzi is just a few steps away and up from the sun loungers.

BRIGHT IDEA The shades of the Eperara Siapidara lamp are handmade in Colombia – from recycled plastic bottles.

P E T L A M P. O R G

PHOTOS AQUA EXPEDITIONS (3), OLIVIER VIGERIE/SIGNATURES/L AIF (1)

DELUXE RIVERBED IQUITO S The windows are as large as movie screens and make up most of the boat’s outer wall. It means that when you wake up, the view from your bed on the Aria Amazon is of the sun rising above the Peruvian rainforest. The 16 designer suites on the 45-meterlong (150-ft) floating boutique hotel are generously sized, the furnishings pleasantly simple and elegant. On the three- to seven-day cruises along the Amazon into the rainforest, there are daytime excursions in aluminium boats to discover sloths, pink river dolphins and remote villages. In the evening, the on-board restaurant serves grilled Amazon bass, palm hearts and Andes quinoa. There’s no Internet connection, but instead the deck beckons with a glass of white wine as you watch nature slip by and listen to the weird and wonderful sounds of the rainforest. A Q U A E X P E D I T I O N S . C O M

DINING IN A CHAPEL , a magazine made of objects, a river cruise of a rather special kind – scan the QR code to find out more about these and other topics. M B - Q R . C O M / O K R

BOUND TO L AST Books for very special memories: British paper manufacturer G.F Smith produces unique customized books of high quality to serve, for example, as photograph albums.

They can be ordered as single copies or in any multiple. The premium binding is crafted by hand and practically any wish can be met – there’s a choice of 50 different colours for the cover, for example, or exquisite debossing. It’s worth the investment – after all, beautiful memories are priceless. G F S M I T H . C O M / M A K E B O O K

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CALIFORNIA DREAMING San Diego boasts not only stunning architecture like the Salk Institute campus (this page) but also gorgeous beaches (right).

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Life’s a beach FOR YEARS, SAN DIEGO has taken a back seat to Los Angeles and San Francisco. Today, this California beachfront city is booming, but it remains as laid-back as the multitudes of surfers who proudly call it home.

WORDS JÜRGEN SCHMIEDER

PHOTOS CHRISTIAN HOR AN

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R

ight on!” At Pacific Beach in northern San Diego, these words are the first to break the early morning calm. The phrase’s precise meaning is difficult to pin down: depending on the length of the “o” it can mean anything from “don’t worry about it” to “that’s totally amazing!”. Trevor Owen’s version contains an “o” that says “relax, man, relax”, and he utters it easily before tucking his surfboard under his arm and padding towards the Pacific Ocean. The young man is a Californian cliché made flesh, right down to his long blond locks and well-toned upper arms.

It’s shortly before six in the morning. Owen belongs to the “Dawn Patrol”, those select surfers who prefer to ply their trade at sunrise. About 200 devotees are already bobbing among the waves, the more ambitious weaving between the wooden pilings of the pier, the more laid-back just lying atop their boards and drifting. Owen comes here three times a week. “Here I can relax, surf, and meet people who share my passion – it’s just the right mixture of individuality and community,” he

C U LT U R A L H U B Balboa Park and its 16 museums are reminiscent of historic San Diego.

explains. “It’s the ideal activity to do right before plunging into the insanity of the outside world.”

A whiff of Mary Jane BOARD BUILDER At Derrik Kapalla’s surf shop, Shaper Studios, customers can build their own surfboard.

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Anyone keen to discover the essence of California would be well-advised to avoid the gold rush cities up north and head straight for San Diego. L.A. is full of crazed individuals restlessly seeking fame and fortune, San Francisco is overrun with computer geeks convinced that their next idea will transform the planet. San Diegans, by contrast, are laid back and willing to take the world as it comes.

This attitude is evident on an early morning stroll northwards along Pacific Beach. Here one encounters people using every sort of wheeled and boardbased mode of transportation known to mankind, as well as joggers and ordinary pedestrians. Every last one of them smiles, wishes you a pleasant day and inquires about your well-being. The only ones in an obvious hurry are those trying to achieve an advanced level of physical fitness. Other than that, everything is relaxed. Odors of salt water and fish permeate the air – as does the faint scent of marijuana, which is legal here for medicinal purposes and more or less tolerated for recreational use.

A couple of miles further on and one arrives at the section of beach immortalized by Don Winslow in his novel The Dawn Patrol. This is the kingdom of the shortboard surfers. “These are the hard-boiled guys who battle for every wave and fiercely defend their turf, especially against newcomers,” explains Owen. Tough guys, perhaps, but with hearts of gold. Like everyone else, they don’t hesitate to offer a friendly greeting and inquire how things are going before flexing their muscles and charging into the ocean. This is where Winslow derives inspiration for his characters: “It’s a won-

Anyone who truly wants to discover the essence of California should head to San Diego.

Little Italy has rapidly morphed into a popular hangout for hippies and hipsters alike, all rubbing shoulders in the bars with soldiers – a ubiquitous sight in this city owing to the many military bases in the area. Toss in a few employees from one of more than 400 local biotech firms, and the result is very similar to surfing, where the guy bobbing next to you in the water could be a millionaire or a homeless person. Everyone’s equal in the water, and the same holds true in bars and restaurants.

Instead of speaking on top of one another, people here actually converse with each other – and always with a “Right on!” or two thrown in for good measure. Cultivate individualism, but not at the expense of the community. Don’t take the world and above all yourself too seriously. Rejoice over every day the sun comes up. Rooted in surfing culture, this attitude towards life permeates the entire city.

The surfing lifestyle

A Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG in front of the Geisel Library at the University of California at San Diego.

(Further technical specifications and fuel consumption figures can be found on p. 75.)

derful thing for an author to be able to immerse himself in a place like this,” he says.

It’s all par for the course in this eclectic town, considered the historical cradle of California. With 1.4 million residents, San Diego has steadily grown into the USA’s eighth most populous metropolitan area. The city is booming, young artists are working with designers and restaurateurs to transform neglected neighborhoods like Little Italy into soughtafter destinations. A warehouse with boarded-up windows is being turned into one of the country’s trendiest wine bars, a brand-new gallery is taking shape inside an odiferous former fish market, a run-down shack is becoming a hip new restaurant.

Everywhere you look in the multitudinous bars and restaurants, works by local artists are on display.

North Park is home to “Shaper Studios”, a surf shop where customers can design and even build their own surfboards – a unique offering among the world’s surfing community. Owner Derrik Kapalla is just 24. “I’ve been surfing since I was two,” he says. “At some point I built my own board, and my friends asked me how I did it – so two years ago we opened this shop. People from all over the world have been coming here ever since.” It might seem logical that Kapalla would capitalize on the hype surrounding his shop and expand – to the East Coast, for instance. Plenty of offers have been on the table. “That’s not really my thing,” he says. “I want to develop a community here, hang out with my friends, and keep on doing what I like to do.”

Not much of the early morning calm remains on a return visit to Pacific Beach in the afternoon. The beachfront is lively, with people tossing balls back and forth or just sunbathing. The surfers are still there, needless to say. That’s San Diego in a nutshell – always active, always enjoying the outdoors > – and always laid back. Right on!

A .M. WORKOUT Trevor Owen heads to Pacific Beach at 6 a.m. to go surfing three times a week.

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Fresh direct

“ F A R M T O T A B L E ” is the mantra of the

newest trend in San Diego’s culinary scene. The phrase refers to restaurant chefs purchasing ingredients for their concoctions from local farmers, either directly at their farms or at one of San Diego’s numerous farmers’ markets.

The idea has quickly taken hold, so much so that in addition to “farm to table” there is now also “farm to glass” (at his bar SD-Cellars, Todd Hipper serves wine that he makes himself), “farm to mug” (at Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, Chuck Patton serves his customers coffee brewed from beans that he buys personally from growers around the world), and “farm to cocktail” (Starlite offers a selection of mixed drinks made from organic Californian ingredients). Of course, “farm to table” dishes sometimes require getting used to, like when one’s dinner plate is graced by a beef bone that’s been split open. “The bones are where the marrow is,” says Colin Murray, head chef at Brooklyn Girl restaurant. “We marinate the marrow for 24 hours in sea salt and vinegar, then roast it, and finally we fine-tune the flavor with lemon juice and spices.” “Roasted bone marrow” is the no-nonsense name of this delicacy, which starts off a bit slimy, then turns extremely flavorful before dissolving gradually on the tongue. Perfect with a glass of Californian red.

i Starlite Mule S TA R B A R The Starlite is renowned for its unique cocktails (right) – as well as the sparkling steel chandelier dangling over the bar.

Ingredients for a single cocktail: 4 tbsp. organic vodka 2 tsp. lime juice two shots Angostura bitters ginger beer lime wedges Directions: Fill a copper mug with ice, add vodka, lime juice and Angostura bitters, stir briefly and fill to the rim with ginger beer.

Garnish with lime wedges.

CL ASS ACT Trendy yet with its feet on the ground: Brooklyn Girl restaurant.

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The Starlite Mule is San Diego’s latest must-have cocktail. It is a variant of the Moscow Mule, which was invented in Hollywood in the 1940s.

The choice of vodka isn’t as important in establishing the flavor as is the correct brand of ginger beer. The bartenders at Starlite, a trendy watering hole in Mission Hills, use Cock ’n Bull, brewed in Hollywood since 1946 using only organic ingredients. The cocktail tastes sweet at first, then the ginger beer takes over, and finally the Angostura bitters tickle the tongue.

RETRO CHIC Jason MacLeod’s (left) Ironside Fish & Oyster Bar (top) is a blast from the past. Roasted salmon is the house specialty.

Back to the future

S T E P I N S I D E Ironside Fish & Oyster Bar in Little Italy, and at first you might imagine you’ve accidentally stumbled into a time machine and been catapulted 90 years backwards: the restaurant looks just like a waterfront waiting hall from the 1920s. On the left side of the restaurant are piles of leather suitcases and a wall full of piranha skulls, while statues of golden mermaids jut from the walls. An oversized, malfunctioning clock clearly makes the point that customers are expected to take their sweet time here. Diners perch on turquoise wooden benches beneath old-style light fixtures, and while waiting for their roasted California king salmon with asparagus, red corn and honey vinegar (below left), they can watch a pair of chefs hard at work shucking fresh oysters. The roasted salmon is a specialty of head chef Jason McLeod – who is one of the stars of the website Chefs Feed, on which standout chefs from selected cities visit their colleagues’ establishments and make recommendations. Ironside is Macleod’s eighth restaurant in San Diego.

In addition to a rustic inn specializing in meatballs, he also runs a bar in which all the juices used in his restaurants get pressed by hand. At Ironside Fish & Oyster Bar, adventurous gourmands can surprise themselves with the Biggest Ironside Platter, an assortment of delicacies caught fresh from the sea and brought straight to the restaurant.

BRE AKFAST PAR ADISE Olive’s Café near the beach.

IRONSIDEFISHANDOYSTER .COM

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EMOTION

Stuff to see 1

PARK IT Before venturing inside one of Balboa Park’s many museums, stroll through the Japanese Garden or take a glance at the surrounding architecture, intended to recall historical San Diego. Especially captivating is the Museum of Man with artwork by prehistoric native American peoples. B A L B O A P A R K . O R G

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GET PICKLED Everyone’s an artist in San Diego, even the humble pickle man: painter Jarod Farver uses a 100-year-old recipe to transform cucumbers, carrots and red peppers into pickled delicacies. His delicious pickles can be increasingly seen gracing Bloody Marys at the city’s trendiest bars. F A R V S P I C K L E S . W E E B L Y . C O M

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IT’S A GAS Famed gunslinger Wyatt Earp once owned bars and casinos in the Gaslamp Quarter in the western portion of the city. These days, instead of gun-toting outlaws, the quarter attracts people with an interest in Victorian architecture, romantic strolls and stylish bars.

G A S L A M P. O R G

Laid-back living and dining

L O C AT I N G A H O T E L in San Diego that melds laid-back surfer culture with modern-day luxury might seem challenging – but all you really need do is head to lifeguard tower 23 on Pacific Beach and turn around. The Tower23 hotel offers 44 uniquely designed suites featuring attractive touches such as waterfall jacuzzis and step-in rain showers. Relax on the balcony and savor the view of the sun dipping slowly into the Pacific Ocean, or of the enchanting Zen Garden. Hot tip: get in some physical activity on the beach at sunrise, then fortify yourself afterwards with an omelet at the hotel’s excellent JRDN restaurant.

Room rates are upwards of EUR 300 ($400). T 2 3 H O T E L . C O M

Study in style

INFORMATION FOR TR AVELERS The most important information, tips and links from this article are also available online – just scan the QR code with your smartphone to discover San Diego.

M B - Q R .C O M/0 K V

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The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, home to more than 800 research scientists, consists of two magnificent buildings designed by Louis I. Kahn. Inside the ultra-cool campus constructed of exposed concrete and mahogany, scientists in the 60s earned a reputation for throwing wild parties. No surprise there: Françoise Gilot, wife of founder and famed doctor Jonas Salk, was once Pablo Picasso’s muse.

YWhbiXWZ SHAPER STUDIOS, a surfer’s paradise.

! on the go !

There are more than 80 golf courses in and around San Diego, many of them featuring beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean. The true golf lovers’ mecca is approximately one half-hour north in Carlsbad. The drive there alongside the Pacific Ocean leads past numerous outlook points – ideal locations for a roadside picnic. Carlsbad itself is home to the California Surf Museum, while nearby Encinitas boasts a skateboarding halfpipe that was used in the X Games. Bargainhunters can browse the multitudes of golf equipment stores in the area for deals.

Need to know

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BE ACH BE AUTIES Volleyball players meet in the afternoons on Pacific Beach, along with a four-wheeled athlete – the SL 63 AMG.

EVENING STROLL When the sun goes down, downtown San Diego wakes up – and that’s the ideal time for a stroll through downtown’s historic Gaslamp Quarter. It’s a great place to hang with the locals in a trendy bar and discuss surf conditions, or just to people-watch.

GETTING AROUND Close to the beach it’s easiest to walk or avail yourself of a bike or skateboard. For excursions to more far-flung points a rental car is best, preferably a convertible. If you want to head downtown it’s a good idea to take a taxi: planning a trip using public transportation is nearly as complicated as doing your taxes.

A good alternative is the “trolley tour” – old-style buses depart every 30 minutes to the city’s most popular tourist destinations.

T R O L L E Y T O U R S .C O M/S A N - D I E G O

UNDRESS CODE The local dress code is virtually non-existent – many beachside restaurants and bars observe the mantra “no shirt, no shoes – no problem”.

Wearing shoes and a shirt is a good idea at the upscale locales in downtown, Little Italy or the Gaslamp Quarter, but in general dressed-up formality is the exception here rather than the rule.

ILLUSTRATION ANNA SCHÄFER

MERCURIAL TEMPS It goes without saying that it never rains in California – which is why visitors need to bring plenty of sunscreen. But it can also get cold in a hurry. Once the sun goes down, temperatures can plummet up to 15 degrees Celsius (30°F).

On extended day trips, even on seemingly hot days, it’s a good idea to bring along a jacket.

B R E A K FA S T O F C H A M P I O N S After a morning of strenuous activity on the beach, treat yourself to some stick-to-your-ribs post-workout fare at a nearby breakfast bar like Olive’s Café or Kono’s. Typical menu items include fresh fruit, fragrant bacon and delicious omelets, not to mention the breakfast burrito, after which you won’t need to eat anything else until dinner time.

T H E R E ’ S O N E T H I N G that people in San Diego never talk about. Everyone knows that the “curse” exists, so why possibly make it worse by mentioning it?

Not once in the long history of this city has a professional team won a championship in one of the “big four” sports: football, baseball, basketball or ice hockey.

This certainly cannot be blamed on San Diegans’ lack of affection for their teams: even Wednesday afternoon Padres baseball games at downtown San Diego’s Petco Park attract over 20,000 fans on average. “Curse? What curse?” asks Barry Levy, a season ticket holder for 25 years.

Again, instead of discussing such matters, people here prefer to cheer the team on, and hope that one day the curse will be lifted. P A D R E S . C O M

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P.S. INSIDE

If I really want to gross myself out, I go to the property portal zillow.com and click through the photo galleries showing the interiors of mansions and apartments that are bought and sold by celebrities. As I do so, I constantly have to clap my hand over my mouth to suppress shrieks of horror. Who would have thought that 22-year-old Selena Gomez (Justin Bieber’s on-off girlfriend) goes in for monstrous country-house-style kitchens? Or that rapper Kanye West and his wife Kim Kardashian feel at home amid wrought iron and Grecian columns? Or indeed that supermodel Gisele Bündchen and her husband, football star Tom Brady, chill out in front of their home cinema screen amid a sea of plush velvet couches so vast that, if they were to sit at different ends of one, the lovers could only wave longingly at each other from afar?

What strikes me is that all these homes somehow look the same.

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All of them exude pots of money, very little taste and zero personality.

My idea of good interior style is this: a home should tell stories about those who live in it, including the years when they had to get by on a shoestring. In our home, at any rate, you’ll find design classics rubbing shoulders with furniture from our student digs, old next to new, kitsch cohabiting with cool, expensive pieces sharing space with bargain-basement acquisitions.

The color print of a macaw that has moved with us five times hails from my husband’s childhood bedroom; he adored this bird as a small boy.

The 60-year-old armchair is a legacy from my grandparents. We bought our simple dining table for a pittance from friends. And on the table is a silver-plated candlestick from London’s Brick Lane Market.

As for our dining room chairs, we found them in a Copenhagen furniture store during a family holiday and put in an order. A few months later, my husband and I parked the kids with grandma over the weekend, got into the car and drove back to the Danish capital for an evening at the Royal Opera House – and to pick up our dining chairs the next day.

The reason they are so special is not only because I associate particularly pleasant experiences with them and because we went to such great lengths to acquire them; they’re special

IN THIS COLUMN, Julia Karnick talks about her preferences, experiences and rituals when shopping and going out. In this issue: why the most satisfying form of consumption helps us to keep memories alive.

because they are only available in that one store in Copenhagen. Which is, of course, the most satisfying form of consumption – chancing on something beautiful that you wouldn’t be able to buy back home or on the Internet, and still delighting at the serendipity of it years down the line.

Through the objects with which you surround yourself over the course of a lifetime, you can keep memories alive as well as revealing your own personality. For my part, at any rate, I like to come across as a halfway original person. Just spending lots of money is too simple for my tastes.

I recently asked a German interior designer why the homes of U.S. stars look so awful despite the fact that they must all employ at least one design expert. “Do the professionals in the USA have no taste?” I asked.

“Nonsense,” replied the designer.

“Tastes in the USA are simply different to ours. Many Americans copy what they consider to be beautiful – from the Eiffel Tower to Tuscan villas.

We Europeans, on the other hand, like our furnishings to be authentic, and right now everything in our homes has to have a back story – or at least claim to have one. And even that is just a passing trend.”

Heck, I thought, if we wanted to be really original, we’d all go out and buy one of those pseudo-traditional < German wall units.

ILLUSTRATION JÖRN KASPUHL

WHY IS IT that the interiors of celebrity homes often look so ghastly?

Our columnist Julia Karnick believes that home decor is not so much a matter of money but of personality.

i

CLS 350 BlueTec Shooting Brake (from page 14)

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

Transmission 9G-Tronic 9-speed automatic

THRILLING Tradition meets modern technology: in London with the CLS Shooting Brake.

Acceleration 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.6 s

Top speed

T H E V A L U E S S TAT 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.

245 km/h (152 mph)

Fuel consumption

smart fortwo

smart forfour

(from page 42)

(from page 42)

Engine / Output

Engine / Output

CO2 emissions (combined)

1.0-liter three-cylinder,

1.0-liter three-cylinder,

Engine / Output

149 g/km (240 g/mi)

52 kW at 6,000 rpm;

52 kW at 6,000 rpm;

Energy class A

max. torque

max. torque

91 Nm at 2,850 rpm

91 Nm at 2,850 rpm

6.3-liter eight-cylinder, 435 kW at 6,800 rpm; max. torque 650 Nm at 4,750 rpm

Transmission

Transmission

5-speed manual

5-speed manual

Acceleration

Acceleration

0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 14.9 s

0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 16.9 s

Acceleration

Top speed

Top speed

0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.7 s

151 km/h (94 mph)

151 km/h (94 mph)

Top speed

Fuel consumption

Fuel consumption

urban: 4.9 l super/100 km

urban: 4.8 l super/100 km

Fuel consumption

(48 mpg)

(49 mpg)

inter-urban: 3.7 l super/100 km

inter-urban: 3.8 l super/100 km

(63.6 mpg)

(62 mpg)

combined: 4.1 l super/100 km

combined: 4.2 l super/100 km

(57.4 mpg)

(56 mpg)

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)

CO2 emissions (combined)

93 g/km (150 g/mi)

98 g/km (158 g/mi)

Energy class B

Energy class B

74

SLS AMG GT Coupe Final Edition (from page 56)

Transmission AMG Speedshift DCT 7-speed sports transmission

320 km/h (197 mph)

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

Energy class G

PHOTOS STEFFEN JAHN, DAIMLER AG

urban: 6.6 l diesel/100 km (35.6 mpg) inter-urban: 5.1 l diesel/100 km (46.1 mpg) combined: 5.7 l diesel/100 km (41.3 mpg)

P U B L I C AT I O N D E 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

MERCEDES - BENZ MAGA ZINE Road reports on the latest models, major travel features, interviews with intriguing personalities: in short, everything that makes up Mercedes-Benz magazine is now also available as an app for Apple and Android devices.

ITUNES.APPLE .COM ANDROID.COM

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 Dirk Meycke Managing Editor Tobias Nebl Chief Copy Editor Fabrice Braun Editorial Contributors Jenny Buchholz, Christoph Henn, Julia Karnick, Hanna Klimpe, Sunny Kröger, David Mayer, Michael Moorstedt, Benedikt Sarreiter, Jürgen Schmieder, Jakob Schrenk Graphic Design Sebastian Krawczyk Picture Editor Birgit Biechele Final Editing Edda Benedikt Final Graphics Katja Listl

SL 63 AMG

CLA 220 CDI

(from page 64)

(from page 76)

Engine / Output

Engine / Output

5.5-liter V-8 biturbo, 430 kW at 5,500 rpm; max. torque 900 Nm at 2,250-3,750 rpm

2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel, 125 kW at 3,400-4,000 rpm; max. torque 350 Nm at 1,400-3,400 rpm

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

Transmission

Transmission

AMG Speedshift MCT 7-speed sports transmission

7G-DCT 7-speed dual-clutch automatic

Acceleration

Acceleration

0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.2 s

0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.2 s

Top speed

Top speed

250 km/h (155 mph)

230 km/h (143 mph)

Fuel consumption

Fuel consumption

urban: 13.9 l super plus/ 100 km (16.9 mpg) inter-urban: 7.6 l super plus/ 100 km (30.9 mpg) combined: 9.9 l super plus/ 100 km (23.8 mpg)

urban: 5.2–4.9 l diesel/ 100 km (45.2-48 mpg) inter-urban: 3.7–3.5 l diesel/ 100 km (63.6-67.2 mpg) combined: 4.2–4.0 l diesel/ 100 km (56-58.8 mpg)

CO2 emissions (combined)

CO2 emissions (combined)

231 g/km (372 g/mi)

111–104 g/km (178-167 g/mi)

Energy class F

Energy class A+

Mercedes-Benz magazine reader service Zenit Pressevertrieb GmbH · Postfach 810580 · D-70552 Stuttgart Tel. 0800 0010001 · leserservice@zenit-presse.de Annual subscription EUR 22 · CHF 34 · Free of charge for MercedesCard holders.

Production Daimler AG Jennifer Helke Pre Media Solutions Meyle + Müller GmbH+Co. KG Maximilianstraße 104 · D-75172 Pforzheim Printing Stark Druck GmbH + Co. KG · Im Altgefäll 9 · D-75181 Pforzheim Rights Reprints and use, as a whole or in part, only with the express written permission of Daimler AG. No responsibility can be taken for unsolicited texts and photographs. Signed articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher or the editors. No guarantee is given for information on vehicle equipment and accessories. For binding information and prices please refer to the official Daimler AG sales documentation. All other content in this magazine has been compiled to the best of our knowledge, but no guarantee is given.

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

Number 334, 60th year of publication Printed on chlorine-free paper · Printed in Germany 6720033402 ISSN 1617-6677

75

DRIVE

H E SAYS SH E SAYS FOR HER, it’s driving pleasure in the mountains that matters most. For him, it’s the car’s looks.

Or is it the other way around? Men and women can have differing priorities – particularly when it comes to cars. We ask a husband and wife for their experiences with a certain four-door coupe.

W O R D S J E N N Y B U C H H O L Z P H O T O S Y V E S B O R G W A R DT

W

e had a wonderful time,” gushes Claudia Leipfinger. We had invited Claudia and her husband Tobias to celebrate their 12th wedding anniversary by driving a CLA to Zurich over the course of an extended weekend. The couple lives in Munich with their two children. “I could have done without the herd of cows, though,” concedes Claudia, as she recalls the drive up the Klausenpass for the shoot with the photographer. “We suddenly found ourselves surrounded by dozens of cattle. They may be gentle animals in the grand scheme of things, but it was still a little unsettling to be greeted on all sides by faces three times larger than your own.”

76

LOVE IS IN THE AIR Claudia and Tobias with the CLA at Lake Zurich.

i

i

Tobias, 38

Claudia, 38

Profession

Profession

Sales representative

Advisor for a major tech company

Kilometers per month Approx. 5,000 (3,000 miles)

Kilometers per month

Status

Status

Say no to traffic jams!

More straightaways, fewer curves

Approx. 800 (500 miles)

77

DRIVE

AHEAD OF THE CURVE Direct steering makes mountain passes a cornering paradise.

TRAFFIC CALMING A herd of cows hogs the road.

THE CLA – a perfect mixture of sports car and family mover. It’s smart and spacious, and has decent performance.

CLAUDIA

78

CLAUDI A CHANGING GEAR using the paddles is a lot of fun on mountain passes.

W E ’ V E B E C O M E G O O D F R I E N D S , the CLA

and I. When I first set eyes on it, I thought: very sexy, very beautiful. It cuts an impressive figure from the outside – and, ten minutes into our time together, its qualities as a car after the female heart had won me over. A hoot from an open-top car driver was accompanied by a signaled invitation to go for coffee. That’s never happened to me in my car! Later, picking my daughter up from school gave me the chance to test the automatic parking assistant; it’s uncanny, just sitting back and letting the car do its thing. My daughter and her friends found the “racing car” super cool.

Once on the Swiss autobahn, it didn’t take long to discover the joys of the cruise control system. I asked the proximity control function to alert me if I drew too close to the car in front, as I tend to misjudge distances on occasion. But I needn’t have worried unduly, as the CLA clears a path in front of it. Cars melted quickly into the slow lane when the Mercedes-Benz appeared in their mirrors like a white arrow. The only thing that threw me was the selector lever for the automatic transmission, which is on the steering wheel. I’ll admit it’s a good idea, but in such an unfamiliar location that I mistook it for the windshield wipers. Putting my finger on what makes this car so good was tricky at first, but after two days all became clear: it’s the perfect blend of sports car and family mover – smart-looking with decent performance and lots of space. And I’ll take back my comment about it being “a car after the female heart”. It turns out the CLA suits my husband just as well as me.

TOBIAS

i CLA 220 CDI Engine / Output 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel, 125 kW; max. torque 350 Nm

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

Streamlined The CLA’s Cd rating is a headline in itself – just 0.22, depending on the model. That’s a world best for a series-produced vehicle.

Style palette Cirrus white or the softly shimmering designo polar silver magno?

Customers can choose from nine paint finishes.

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

TOBIAS A W I N D I N G M O U N T A I N R O A D presented just the right kind of challenge to put the CLA to the test.

Guiding the car through the opening cluster of bends on the Klausenpass was a wonderful moment, the car really sticking to the road. And the drive was even more enjoyable when I got to work with the gearshift paddles. Changing gears manually is a lot of fun on mountain passes, in particular. But you can also glide along pleasantly in the CLA – as we discovered on a drive around Lake Zurich in the evening sun. In fact, it was as relaxing as a cruise in one of the boats on the water below. AMG styling gives the CLA a fantastically sporty look, and when you put your foot down it sounds like the beast it instantly becomes; suddenly, the diesel has a voice like a pure sports car. Its color scheme also works very well. A white body and black painted wheel rims are always a good idea – you can’t go wrong with that combination. The leather seats look cool, and you can sense immediately that they’ve been designed with sporty driving in mind.

I like the clearly laid-out cockpit with instruments in brushed aluminum, likewise the sports steering wheel with leather trim. And the gearshift paddles lend the interior a particularly sporting touch. When I opened the trunk I was surprised at how much space there was to play with. Our case looked rather lost and I almost had the feeling a surfboard would fit inside < with the rear seats folded down.

79

MOMENTS

NOT TO BE MISSED K E Y D I A R Y D A T E S F R O M S E P T E M B E R T O N O V E M B E R 2 01 4

15.10 LONDON

F R I E Z E A R T FA I R

SEPTEMBER 5 –10 I FA B E R L I N What are the must-have television sets, hi-fi systems and computerized kitchen gadgets for the year 2015? The world’s leading consumer electronics fair turns the spotlight on tech objects of desire.

80

7 R E G ATA S T O R I C A DI VENEZIA

19 –21 MONTEREY JAZZ F E S T I VA L

Since the mid-13th century, this tradition-steeped regatta has been delighting Venetians and visitors to their city. A highly popular feature is the race between costumed gondoliers that takes place on the Grand Canal.

Herbie Hancock, Gary Clark Jr. and Michael Feinstein are among the leading acts appearing at the world’s biggest jazz festival this year.

The classic event in California sees more than 500 artists performing on eight stages.

5 –13 I N T E R N AT I O N A L E MONTGOLFIADE

25 –30 MERCEDES TROPHY WORLD FINAL

Dozens of imaginatively designed hot-air balloons head skywards from Warstein, Germany, in Europe’s biggest event of its kind. Up to 300,000 spectators are expected.

The Mercedes Trophy World Final held in Stuttgart sees the top golfers who have qualified from among 65,000 Mercedes customers competing against one another.

PHOTOS FRIEZE ART FAIR LONDON (1), AKG-IMAGES/CAMERAPHOTO (1), GETTY IMAGES (3)

More than 150 galleries showcase their artists’ works in Regent’s Park, turning this four-day event into one of the most influential contemporary art fairs in the world.

F R O M 27 ANSELM KIEFER, LONDON

FROM 6 ANNOUNCEMENT OF NOBEL PRIZE-WINNERS

Art blockbuster: the Royal Academy of Arts is hosting the first major retrospective of the German artist and sculptor on British soil.

Pioneering discoveries and achievements will receive the highest accolade of all in October. On consecutive days, the new laureates will be announced for the categories Physiology or Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Economic Sciences, as well as for the Nobel Peace Prize.

OCTOBER

OLD BUT GOLD Only cars built in 1905 or earlier can take part in the legendary Veteran Car Run.

1– 6 I N T E R N AT I O N A L B O AT S H O W Some 1,000 boats across an exhibition space of almost two million square feet will bring waves of watersport fans to the Salone Nautico Internationale in Genoa.

Last year more than 100,000 came.

NOVEMBER 2 LONDON TO BRIGHTON VETERAN CAR RUN 4 –19 PA R I S A U T O S H O W The automotive fair in the French capital is a highlight of the motoring year thanks to the many premieres and innovations it presents. The facelifted B-Class will be on display, as will the C63 AMG with its 450 hp biturbo V-8 engine.

6 –10 TED GLOBAL CONFERENCE, RIO

13 –19 MERCEDES -BENZ FA S H I O N W E E K , T O K Y O Arguably Asia’s leading fashion week, the Tokyo show primarily showcases Japanese designers, but international names such as Diane von Furstenberg will also be presenting their 2015 spring and summer collections.

Bright sparks from around the world will gather below Sugarloaf Mountain to exchange ideas, present innovations and trigger creativity. Videos will be streamed on the Internet for home viewing.

No car built after 1905 is eligible to take part in the world’s longest-running motoring event. The veteran car rally goes back to a run in 1896 in which participants celebrated the raising of the legal speed limit from 4 to 14 mph (6 to 23 km/h).

3–9 AT P W O R L D T O U R FINALS Nadal, Djokovic, Federer – or who knows?

London sees the eight top-ranking male tennis players vie for supremacy on the court. The winner of the last grand slam title of the season will earn more than honor alone – he can look forward to prize money in excess of 2 million dollars.

16 –19 WINE AND FOOD F E S T I VA L , N E W Y O R K

23 F1 S E A S O N F I N A L E , ABU DHABI

Visitors to the NYCWFF can expect more than burgers and beer. International celebrity chefs and the USA’s favorite TV chefs will display their skills in seminars, at parties and at private dinners.

And it’s not just a matter of culinary delights – part of the proceeds from the event will go to a charitable cause.

This year, the winner of the final race on the spectacular Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi will receive 50 rather than the previous 25 points. After all, the 5.5-kilometer (3.4-mile) circuit is hosting the last race for the World Championship title, and the new points rule will make it all that more exciting.

81

ICONS PARKING

NASA GETS A TICKET After landing a probe on the asteroid Eros (433) in 2001, NASA received a bill for $20 from one Gregory Nemitz for 100 years’ worth of parking fees. The American had filed a claim for ownership of the asteroid shortly beforehand.

(r 2

THE PARKING BRAKE on a car ensures that it comes to a complete standstill. Parking as a concept, however, frequently moves people into action, as these six unusual facts reveal.

E NTE R THE PARKING ME TE R The first coin-operated parking meter was installed in Oklahoma in 1935. Invented by publisher and attorney Carl Magee, it was designed to combat traffic snarls in downtown areas.

Just 16 years on, the number of parking meters in the USA had ballooned to one million.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L P A R K ( I N G ) D AY From Buenos Aires to Berlin and Bucharest, last year’s PARK(ing) Day – during which metered parking spaces were transformed into artworks, parks or mini-beaches for a few hours – was a bona fide global event. This year’s PARK(ing) Day is slated to take place on September 19.

FED EX-PENSIVE Doing business in New York City can be a pricey proposition for commercial delivery companies. In 2006, they collectively racked up a whopping $102 million in parking tickets.

UPS alone shelled out $18.7 million in parking fines that year.

82

ILLUSTRATION LEANDRO CASTEL ÃO/DUTCHUNCLE PHOTOS JAMES THEW/FOTOLIA , GET T Y IMAGES (2), PRISMA (1)

PARKING BY NUMBE R S In 2009, British researcher Simon Blackburn came up with a formula for parallel parking. Unfortunately, the calculations required are so complicated that it would be faster just to find a bigger parking space.

THE PARKING LOT MOVIE 2010’s The Parking Lot Movie is a documentary about – surprise! – a parking lot and how its attendants perceive the world. The men relate tales of spoiled college students and drivers who haggle bitterly over a cent or two, but at its heart the film is concerned with no less than the meaning of life.