Mercedes-Benz Thailand Magazine 1/2013 (Eng)

Issue 01·2013

Mercedes-Benz

mercedes-benz.com

01·2013

sheer style Lewis Hamilton, champion in the Silver Arrow

Exploring Istanbul Art of freerunning The perfect sound

INtelligence Eleven assistants for peak safety: the new E-Class

born rebel CLA: coupe with a perfect silhouette

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cover: anatol kot te, marcus jans, marc tr autmann this page: tom parker

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Embracing the new CHANGING SIDES opens up new ­perspectives and insights. And helps us understand what may previously have seemed rather strange and remote. In Istanbul, it takes a few moments to switch from one continent to the other. The Bosporus Bridge links the districts of Besiktas and Üsküdar – one located in Europe, the other in Asia. Our travel feature portrays the alluring novelty and benefits of diverse styles and cultures that exist side by side. The first days of spring are also harbingers of the new – as are the small but crucial changes to the concept and design of this issue of Mercedes-Benz magazine.

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phOTOS: Marc Trautmann; Markus Jans; Anatol Kotte; Stefan Armbruster; Tom Parker Illustration: Mario Wagner

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Hungry for victory

Finely honed senses

Icons

What Lewis Hamilton expects of his first season in the Silver Arrow

Intelligent Drive: enhanced safety on the roads for drivers and pedestrians

Attention Assist: the secrets of a good espresso

Check-in

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Mobility and innovation: skydiving in a wingsuit, Ener-G-Force concept car, stunt coordinator Alex King

The perfect sound

Emotion

Architects, acousticians and singers in pursuit of perfection

Design, food, fashion: architecture in Jakarta, Bowie in London, eating out in Madrid, overnighting in Amsterdam

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Mission deep sea

Magic realism

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How the Sea Orbiter aims to cross the oceans while providing answers to crucial questions en route

How Berlin gallerist Mehdi Chouakri came to appreciate what is arguably the most intelligent car of all time

Eastern promise Istanbul has changed – nowhere more strikingly than in Beyoglu

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Wild thing

Star quality

P.S.

With its sensational aerodynamics and forward-looking design, the CLA is guaranteed to turn heads

It's in the genes: the E-Class always was – and remains – a true style-setter

Time to share: why own what you only use occasionally ? Swapping and sharing make life that much easier

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003 Intro 074 f y i Technical specifications 07 5 p u b l ic a ti o n d et a i l s 0 8 0 M o me n ts Fashion Week

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Star fruits Facebook, blogs and more: the best of Mercedes-Benz' Web offerings

Man on the move

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Why freerunner Jesse Turner switched from the urban arena to the wilds of Western Australia

Saskia and Bernd take a recent classic – the SL R129 – to Milan for a test run

She says, he says

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v i s i o n

G factor t he s t y l ish G-shaped LED headlights dazzle the eyes of off-road fans – and leave an indelible imprint on their memories. Is this futuristic Ener-G-Force concept vehicle a harbinger of things to come in the G-Class? It would certainly be a worthy successor to the off-road icons that Mercedes-Benz has been refining and improving since 1979. Design chief Gorden Wagener is happy to let people speculate: “The Ener-G-Force is both modern and cool – it just might herald a new departure for Mercedes-Benz’s off-road design vocabulary.” What he is referring to is the 1:1 model, based on a computer image created for the Los Angeles Design Challenge. The blue-sky thinkers at the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studio in California certainly found the idea good enough to give it wheels.

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c h e c k - i n

Take it to the limit

illustr ation: Lyndon Hayes/Dutchuncle; photos: daimler ag (4) Interview: Thilo Komma - Pöll ath

Alex King is a specialist in movie car crashes. He was responsible for coordinating the thrilling chase scenes in Die Hard 5 – and ensuring that Bruce Willis and the stuntmen were not put in any danger.

Alex King, were many vehicles written off during the filming of Die Hard 5?

We wrecked an astonishing number!

We had a lot of duplicates, of course – so as to be able to repeat the major stunt sequences. And we had several Mercedes G-Class vehicles – which were great! I would never have thought a car would be so robust when dropped from a great height.

What does your job consist of?

Together with my 20 colleagues, I am responsible for every vehicle that is seen in the film – whether it’s parked in the background or blown sky-high.

We built more than 50 rollover cages – the steel and welding wire we used would have stretched all the way from London to Edinburgh!

What do you have to modify?

For safety reasons we use racing car fuel tanks and a dry battery. Sometimes we even remove the airbags, as they can be dangerous during a stunt. Our job is to ensure that the driver emerges unscathed when it’s all over.

Are there any limits to the type of car you’ll use?

It would be too painful to destroy a classic car – that’s where I would draw the line and build a replica instead.

t he M e l k w eg b r idge in the Dutch town of Purmerend describes a double loop across the Noordhollands Kanaal: pedestrians cross the high arch, and cyclists use the 100-meter (330-ft) track below, which has just the right degree of gradient.

The bridge resembles a work of art, with the high arch merging with its reflection to form a circle. n exta rch itects . com

A u t o m o t i v e

d i c t i o n a r y

e|Call, noun; the term for an innovative emergency call system offered by Mercedes-Benz with its Comand Online multimedia system. In the case of a serious crash, the system automatically transmits the vehicle’s GPS coordinates and alerts the emergency services. The service has been available in 19 European countries since the start of the year.

i n n o v a t i o n

Road warning l igh t ing a r t is t Daan

Roosegaarde is the man responsible for inventing the “Smart Highway” concept. This involves applying road markings using a light-sensitive powder that stores light during the day and glows for up to ten hours at night. A special paint ensures that symbols like snowflakes light up to warn drivers of ice when temperatures drop close to freezing. stu dioroosega a r de . n et 7

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florida

Key Largo

Key west

Key Largo Key West

from to

dis tance 157 kilometers (97 miles) d u r at i o n two hours l o nges t b r idge Seven Mile Bridge (11 km)

a p p D a t e

Downloads for travelers w i t h P r in t s y you can send real postcards from your smartphone: choose a photo, write the text and, depending on the destination, the card arrives within two days to two weeks.

i f y o u f anc y the experience of driving on a road bordered by two different oceans, you should try US Highway 1 from Key Largo, south of Miami, to Key West. On your left is the Atlantic, and from the passenger window you can see the Gulf of Mexico. The highway crosses the Florida Keys, a chain of more than 200 islands linked by 42 bridges. The best time for the drive is the morning or evening – in the afternoon the school bus drops off kids on the islands, and there’s no overtaking. fl a - k eys . com

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mi l l i o n

h o u seh o l d r o b o t s will have been sold

ADAC Maps: Route planner for drivers and pedestrians, including extra info 8

iSayHello: Travel dictionary in 10 languages with built-in language course

Merian scout now!: Puts together travel tips according to your time and interests

by 2014 – used for vacuuming, dusting and cleaning. More than any other types of machine, robots trigger strong emotions: two thirds of owners of robots bought from manufacturer Roomba have already given their home-helper a name. Of all service robots, 40 percent are currently used by the military, ranging from hand-sized bird robots for surveillance all the way to drones. The smallest ones, so-called nanobots the size of a blood cell and chemically controlled, are designed to help find and treat cancer cells.

c h e c k - i n

n o w

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a u d i o . . .

photos: DDP images; R ann Chandric/eyevine; Krystle Wright/Caters News; james duncan davidson/ted

Sutton

I n J . R . M o eh r inge r ’ s ­novel,

former bank-robber Willie Sutton shows two journalists around New York and tells them about his eventful career. Over a period of 40 years, Sutton robbed dozens of banks and managed to escape three times from high-security prisons. But he nevertheless became something of a folk hero because he never fired a single shot. This sharply observed novel is a congenial mixture of reality and fiction. a m a zon . com

“inspiration and insight usually come from outside your personal field of vision. That is why, wherever possible, you should listen to people who work outside your professional area.” c hr i s a nd e r s o n , c ur ato r o f t e d ta lks

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l i f e t i m e …

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… Skydiving in a wingsuit

how is it done?

The jumpsuit has fabric between the legs and under the arms, which significantly increases lift, enabling the jumper to glide through the air rather than falling.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS? You must have made at least 150 free-fall jumps in the previous 18 months to be allowed to try out this sport.

WHERE CAN YOU LE ARN TO DO IT? You can find instructors at phoenix-fly.com or sign up for a birdman course at the Freefall University Spain at freefalluni.co.uk 9

Original and fake I t ’ s ha r d t o b e l ie v e this study for the F 400 Carving was first unveiled in Tokyo in 2001. The wheels on the outside tilt by up to 20 degrees when cornering, which distinctly improves directional stability

FOUR MISTAKES can be found in the photo below: one of the roll bars is missing, as is the offside rear-view mirror, the doorhandle and the exhaust pipe, which stops just before the rear wheel.

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motor rating

The world’s biggest digital camera pe r ched atop the Cerro Pachón in Chile, a facility is being built that will bring the heavens down to Earth. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) is designed to take pictures of the night sky.

The camera itself measures 1.6 x 3 m (5 ft 2 in. x 9 ft 10 in.) and weighs 2,800 kg (6,173 lb), while the telescope has three mirrors and an 8.4-meter (27.5 ft) aperture. The mission of the LSST is to map the Milky Way and objects within the solar system, detect supernovas, and investigate weak gravitational lensing effects in order to find dark energy and dark matter. lsst. org 10

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mashup Spin2 is a mixer console that doesn’t need a vinyl collection.

All you do is hook up an iPad, iPod or iPhone, and the touch-sensitive jog-wheels allow you to mix, loop and scratch. photos: Bildstelle (2); daimler ag (2)

SECONDARY MIRROR

360 pages

Not to be missed! m a r c h 17, 2 013

F o r m u l a 1 sta r t As in previous years, the first race of this year’s Formula 1 season will take place at the 5.3-kilometer (3.3-mile) Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, Australia.

t he G o o d w o o d Fes t i va l of Speed is more a celebration

of motor racing than a serious competition. But the drivers of the expensive racing cars involved often seem to forget this as they thunder round the track on the Earl of March’s estate in West Sussex, England. So it is hardly surprising that this album with spectacular photos covering the last 20 years of the event runs to a full 360 pages. shop . goodwood . com

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C LA S S I C DR E A M S The Techno Classica in Essen is celebrating its 25th anniversary – a good excuse to take a look around this dazzling exhibition of auto history.

H igh - speed ma r i o ne t t e : around 3,200 parts hang in perfect arrangement from the ceiling

m ay 5 , 2 013

D T m b egi n s Seven wins in 11 years – an impressive record for Mercedes-Benz at the Hockenheimring. At the beginning of May, the annual DTM competition starts with the first race at the famous track in Baden-Württemberg. m ay 16 –19, 2 013

M i l l e M ig l i a

It is now more than 50 years since Sir Stirling Moss drove from Brescia to Rome and back at a record average speed of 157.65 km/h (97.9 mph).

The SLR he piloted has been a legend ever since – as has the race. m ay 17–2 0 , 2 013

ROUND T H E C LO C K

Hover craft t his ins t a l l a t i o n by Dutch artist Paul Veroude offers visitors a unique opportunity to admire

There can be nothing tougher than a 24-hour race. For the drivers who have to struggle around the impressive North Loop of the Nürburgring, it represents a huge challenge, while for the many fans who come to watch, it is the biggest party of the year.

the intricate high-tech components that make up a Formula 1 racing car. It forms the centerpiece of the F1 exhibition at Mercedes-Benz World in Surrey, England. A trip further north to the Grand Prix event at the Silverstone track on June 30, 2013 would be a good excuse to drop in and inspect the vehicle driven by Michael Schumacher in 2010. m ercedes - benzwor ld . co . u k

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phOTOS: Photoshot; Daimler Ag

black magic 2.45 kg (5.4 lb) per horsepower adds up to 631 hp or 464 kW – it would be difficult to find a sportier performer than the SLS AMG Coupe Black Series.

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

Mission deep sea FOR A LL T H E S P E C UL AT I O N about the vast expanses of the universe, little

attention is paid to the depths of the ocean. “An astonishing 95 percent of the ocean remains unexplored,” says Jacques Rougerie, the French architect who created the concept for the Sea Orbiter. This floating research vessel has been designed to circumnavigate the Earth propelled by ocean currents alone. The 550-ton observatory measures 58 meters (190 ft) in height, 31 meters (102 ft) of which will be submerged.

Twelve levels provide space for various laboratories, multimedia equipment for the transmission of data and images, as well as living quarters for a team of up to 22 researchers. Expeditions lasting up to six months will gather important data on climate change, the world’s food supply and energy resources. Part-sponsored by the European Space Agency (ESA), the project is still at the financing stage, but if all runs to plan it could hit the waves in the summer of 2014.

1 OB S E RV AT I O N D E C K From Deck 12, at a height of 16.5 meters (60 ft), researchers will have a good view of birds, dolphins, whales and big fish. This deck will be equipped with state-of-the-art instruments for meteorological observations and studies of the night sky.

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2 wet lab Deck 9 houses the diving zone, connected to the exit hatch by an elevator. It will also have a laboratory with aquaria for research into small organisms, since only a tiny percentage of the diverse spectrum of marine species has been studied so far.

3 dry lab On Deck 7, next to the gym, is where the scientific heart of the Sea Orbiter will be: a multidisciplinary lab kitted out with the most advanced equipment, where researchers from around the globe can carry out their marine investigations.

4 U N D E RW AT E R P R E S S UR E M O D UL E As well as cabins above sea level, up to eight aquanauts can live on Deck 2 in a submerged area that is adapted to underwater pressure. It allows researchers to go diving at any time without the need for pressure equalization.

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rendering: Jacques Rougerie

5 HANGAR This is where the equipment for depth research will be unloaded. A two-man submersible and a remote-controlled one for capturing marine samples can descend to 1,000 m (3,300 ft), while a deep-sea drone can reach depths of up to 6,000 m (20,000 ft).

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dress escada _pumps dolce&gabbana

SUPPLE AS A BIG CAT: sensationally streamlined, the new four-door

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w o r ds C h r i s t o f v i e w e g

ph o t o s a n at o l ko t t e

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Wild

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coupe from Mercedes-Benz heralds a brand new design concept.

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dress: Georg und Arend

Outrageous, and yet mesmerizing

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eally, it was inevitable we should get ­t ogether.

Last summer, the CLA was still one of the best-kept secrets at Mercedes-Benz. Supposedly it was shut away behind solidly locked doors – but in fact the prototype was lurking at the back of a gigantic hall. A brief glance, a sense of sleek, predatory profile – and I was left with a lingering impression in my mind’s eye. As well as a strong desire to see it again, this time closer up.

Months later I mentioned my brief ­encounter to Gorden Wagener. He listened to my ­s tory with amusement. “Okay, so clearly we did our job,” says the Mercedes-Benz design chief in satisfied tones. “That’s the kind of impact good design should have – the power to captivate, to make people dream, to make our cars desirable. Not just on a first ­e ncounter – you should get the same kick out of it day after day.”

The next time I got together with the CLA, we were able to take our time. And the whole experience simply strengthened my first impression. There’s a sense of familiarity, undermined by refreshing differences. Take the radiator grille, with its great Mercedes star backed by dramatic chrome pins that sparkle like gemstones; or the LED headlights with their typical white-and-yellow glare. These are features we already associate with the new A-Class: young, dynamic, progressive.

wedge shape; now the car’s lines all flow dynamically to the rear,” explains Wagener, as he traces the profile of the so-called “dropping line” in the air with his hand. A key characteristic of the new style, this line extends all the way from the front fender to the rear door, curving downwards slightly towards the rear wheel.

Its counterpart is the “balance line”, which defines the lower portion of the doors while curving gently upwards, albeit still in the direction of the rear axle. “The result is an attention-grabbing teardrop shape,” is ­Wagener’s take on the new design. “Your eyes are drawn from the front of the car towards the rear; that’s where the focal point of our models is > now concentrated.”

Then there are the differences: the distinctive profile of the hood with its two bulging power domes, emphasizing that this is something new, something special. This car may share its genetic heritage with the new compact class – but it also has some decidedly individual attributes. Gorden Wagener talks about elegance and dynamism, tradition and progress, sense and sensibility: qualities that – let’s face it – don’t really fit together. And yet in this car, they’re all part of the personality, adding up to a uniquely animal magnetism.

A brief summary of the underlying concept already sounds paradoxical: a four-door coupe… okay. But Mercedes-Benz hinted at this new direction back in 2004, when the carmaker launched a model that combined the elegance of a coupe with the comfort and practicality of a sedan: the CLS. It was the template for a new species of car: excitingly gorgeous, dramatically different.

Now Mercedes-Benz has recreated this same sense of presence in the compact class – because the new coupe expresses the firm’s latest design concepts even more clearly than the CLS or A-Class. “Previously, our model ­design was characterized by a ­f orward-thrusting 20

S TR I K I N G Not a face you’d miss in a crowd: the chrome pins in the radiator grille sparkle like gemstones.

DRESS WITH SILK SCARF: Escada

The teardrop – a new design style

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d y namic The front-focused wedge shape is out: the tail is the new center of attention.

A LL OF A P I E C E Rims that radiate dynamism, with a star centered on each hub.

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dress: Elie Saab; hoop earrings Thomas Jirgens

Excitingly gorgeous, dramatically different

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Avan t - ga r de The CLA combines the sportiness of a coupe with the capacity of a sedan.

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evening dress: Rena Lange; styling lynn schmidt/schierke.com; hair and make-up alexander hofmann/artistgroupmierau.com using m.a.c; Model souhela/MD management

E Y E BROW S W I T H CHAR ACTER – and that’s just the headlights: they blaze brightly enough to challenge a panther.

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The car’s proportions exude power. Defined by the sweep of the hood, the long wheelbase, the short overhang and the passenger compartment tucked right at the back, they help to highlight the new contours. From this perspective, it’s like a work of art on wheels: the combination of arching surfaces with sleek curves and taut lines achieves a new expressiveness that is emphatically emotive.

World-record aerodynamics The Mercedes-Benz design chief promises that future models will follow the example of this compact coupe by becoming even more stylish, sensuous and technically advanced. “A touch of glamour will surround all our cars,” he states, “further enhancing the fascination naturally associated with beauty.” The CLA is just the start.

The teardrop is the key concept behind the new design style – and music to the ears of Teddy Woll, who heads up the Mercedes-Benz aerodynamic development team. It’s the ideal form, with the best flow characteristics. “The CLA’s basic shape is very close to a perfect teardrop,” he explains. “The front of the car is almost perfectly rounded, guiding the airflow down the flanks and underneath the body without impinging on the wheels. The arched roofline and gently sloping, elongated tail all help to guide the airstream far behind the car – so the design provides a perfect basis for our work.”

This work started on a computer, because that’s where the aerodynamics engineers can analyze and modify each detail at the click of a mouse until the airflow is optimized. It’s a Sisyphean task. During the aerodynamic development of a new model, the team clocks up well over a quarter million hours of processing time. “To reduce the drag coefficient by a thousandth of a unit is a real battle,” admits Teddy Woll. “That’s why we need highperformance computers. The results of our flow simulations are then tested in wind tunnels, so we can refine them even further.”

The CLA’s near-perfect basic shape meant that the aerodynamics experts could concentrate on bodywork details at an early stage in the development process. Visible results of this aerodynamic refinement include the spoiler, which is elegantly incorporated into the lid of the trunk, and the trailing-edge profile of the rear light clusters and bumper. Other details are less visible but just as important. They include innovative slit-shaped openings in the front wheel arches, designed to reduce the lateral outflow of the slipstream from the wheel arches, which can otherwise seriously disrupt the smooth flow of air down the vehicle’s

inspi r ing Interior detail based on airplane cockpit design.

i CLA 220 CDI Engine / Output 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel; 125 kW at 3,400–4,000 rpm; max. torque 350 Nm at 1,400–3,400 rpm

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

Aerodynamics The most aerodynamic model in the CLA range has a record-breaking drag coefficient of 0.22.

Driving assistance systems Among the many electronic helpers available are Active Lane Keeping Assist and Active Blind Spot Assist, as well as Collision Prevention Assist Plus, which brakes autonomously at speeds of up to 200 km/h (124 mph) if a collision is unavoidable.

Further technical specifications and fuel consumption figures can be found on page 74. mercedes - benz . com

flanks. Using computer simulations, the engineers discovered ways to improve the airflow in front of the wheels still further. Months of highly detailed work resulted in a small, inconspicuous, serrated spoiler positioned ahead of each front wheel. It’s a patented invention that achieves a precisely calculated effect: the notches in the spoiler profile deflect the slipstream past the wheels or under the wheel arch openings.

“This simple improvement to the front wheel arches reduces the drag coefficient by 11 points,” explains Woll. In the language of aerodynamics, a “point” represents a critical thousandth of a unit – so 11 points are equivalent to a drag reduction of 0.011. All achieved by a few slits and a couple of tiny spoilers in the wheel arches.

That’s all it took? “All these tiny details add up to make a big difference,” replies the engineer, and illustrates his point with some simple arithmetic: “If we manage to reduce a car’s drag coefficient by 50 points (that’s 0.05), fuel consumption at typical freeway speeds – let’s say 130 km/h [80 mph] – is cut by 0.7 ­l iters per 100 km on average. So it really does make sense to obsess over every thousandth of a unit.”

Indeed, the new CLA confirms the Sindelfingen team’s calculations: the four-door coupe isn’t just impressive for its new design language, it also sports unequaled aerodynamics. The low flow resistance means that the car has broken the world record for production cars. < Now that’s truly wild. Wild – with style.

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Star fruits

network Mercedes-Benz: six digital destinations in the Web jungle for the spring

illustration: Mathias Rekowski photos: Daimler Ag

photo communit y Fashion Week, dream roads and history galore: stunning photos from the Mercedes-Benz universe on a virtual bulletin board.

Including, from mid-May, the best shots from the Mille Miglia. pi nte r ­ est. com /m ercedesbenz

BLOG The independ ent fan blog (German only) for Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts: well informed and with news delivered at â&#x20AC;&#x153;SLS speedâ&#x20AC;?. blog . mercedes - benz - passion . com

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d i g i t a l

MOTORSPORTs To kick off the F1 season, everything there is to know about Hamilton, Rosberg and Mercedes AMG Petronas, plus plenty of high-tech in pictures. mercedes -amg - f1.com

Face b o o k provides cedes-Benz page ts videos The official Mer en es pr , els od new m information on nds of photos features thousa by the online and also ow ng that is gr ing from a fan followi g, a sensational new app rin second. In the sp a state-of-the-art racing re: will be added he namically to ambient dy game that reacts e players. noises around th rc ed es be nz co m / me fa ce bo ok .

MAGAZINE mb! is now published exclusively online. The young-atheart Web magazine reports on the latest design, style, culture, music and travel trends – such as its visit to see surfer Ben Adams (right) in action at the beaches of Byron Bay on Australia’s east coast. mercedes - benz . com / mb

C O N F I G UR ATOR HD photos, 360° views with zoom function, realistic colors, detailed surface textures, as well as day and night views: the vehicle configurator gives you a tantalizing taste of the latest models. mercedes - benz . com

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Lewis Hamilt plans: â&#x20AC;&#x153;No ot hungry to wi 28

w o r ds C h r i s t o p h h e n n , T o m CL a r k s o n

PHotos markus jans

s p o r t s

on has big her team is as n as we are.â&#x20AC;?

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> WORLD CHAMPION is a title Hamilton has held once so far. And he wants to savor that feeling again with Mercedes AMG Petronas. On the first working day of the new season, he tells us about the things that drive and motivate him, and thinks back to that title-clinching moment in 2008: “Suddenly I saw the white car ahead of me. Going into the final corner, I darted to the inside and somehow made it past. I held my breath, got the spinning tires under control and piled up the hill to the finish line. I’d done it, I was the world champion!”

Racing t he r ap y: Hamilton has been hyperactive ever since he was a kid. “I’ve found ways of channeling it,” he says.

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s p o r t s

photos: Daimler AG; Sipa Press/DDP Images; Wenn (2)

>

Style

S H OW BU S I N E S S is a familiar world to Lewis Hamilton – not only thanks to his glamorous other half. His manager since 2011 has been Simon Fuller, whose roster of clients includes stars such as the Beckhams and Jennifer Lopez.

But Hamilton doesn’t need any advisors to tell him how to play to the public eye. He likes to wear sports clothes, but is also happy to dress classically for special occasions.

“If I’m going out for dinner with Nicole I always wear a suit,” revealed Hamilton in an interview. “As a man you should always make an effort to impress a lady.” His distinctive sense of style might also have something to do with his respectful attitude towards expensive outfits. “We never used to have much money. My mum didn’t have any fashionable clothes, never mind designer gear.”

Ayrton Senna

STAMINA and discipline are key qualities for Hamilton. He has learned never to give up and is constantly working on his fitness. “I’ve got a new physiotherapist and trainer on board this year,” he reports.

But his body isn’t the only thing set for a workout: “I was very excited by the team’s three driving simulators the first time I saw them,” he recalls.

l ewis h a mi lt oN on… ay r t o n senna “His particular driving style and his character as a whole have always fascinated me.”

M u hammad A l i “For me, Ali is the coolest famous figure out there. The self-assurance of the guy is impressive.”

M . sch u mache r “He’s a legend. It’s a privilege to have been driving at the same time as him and to have got to know him.”

Ri va l s “The toughest competition always comes from within the team.” t he t eam “It’s easy to drag down the people around you. But as a driver you always need to think positively. It’s important that you keep the team with you, even when things aren’t going quite how you imagined.”

H E RO E S “An elderly man recently said I was his hero. I thought that was crazy.

For me Superman is a hero – and I’m not Superman.”

>

Happiness

T H E G R E AT LOV E of Lewis Hamilton’s life is Nicole Scherzing-

er, former singer with the band Pussycat Dolls. The two have been together for five years now, give or take the odd time-out – which the racing driver attributes in part to their busy schedules.

“We have a long-distance relationship and that’s tough sometimes.

It’s a challenge for us,” he admitted in an interview a while back.

The couple certainly doesn’t hide away. Hamilton regularly tweets photos of himself and “my girl nicolescherzy”.

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>

Friendship

nic o r o s b e r g and Lewis have been

friends for many years. The British driver and his new team-mate were even doing battle on the kart track at the age of 13 as members of the same team. Today they live in the same apartment block in Monaco and help each other out now and again. “When I got home late recently and had nothing in the fridge, I knocked on his door and his girlfriend Vivian fixed me up a burger,” says Hamilton. However, there will be no such generosity between the two out on the track. “Your team-mate is always the first person you want to beat,” confirms Hamilton. “I’m expecting Nico to be very quick and to fight hard.”

> EARLY STARTER: Lewis was just five when he got his first ride in a dodgem car, and seven when he won a race with his remote-controlled car on the TV program Blue Peter. By age ten, he was spending every weekend at the kart track and telling McLaren boss Ron Dennis about his plans to become world champion. Three years later McLaren and Mercedes-Benz handed him a contract, and at 15 Lewis became the kart world champion.

M I L E S T ON E S 198 5 Lewis Hamilton is born in Stevenage, north of London, on January 7. His grandparents on his father’s side are from Grenada.

19 95 He wins the British junior kart championship at the age of ten and receives the trophy from Jacques Villeneuve.

20 0 5 Hamilton wins the Formula 3 Euro Series with a record 15 wins in 20 races.

20 0 6 A total of five wins and nine podium finishes earns Hamilton the GP2 series title.

Motivation t he t eam k n o w s that with me they’re getting a driver who always gives 100

percent when he’s in the car. But I’m equally committed to helping the team as much as I can outside the cockpit. Everybody should know that this is a long-term project we’re talking about here. We’re setting out on a marathon, not a sprint.

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20 0 8 After five wins and a heartstopping finale to the season, Hamilton becomes the youngest ever Formula 1 world champion by a single point.

2013 After 21 wins in 110 races, Hamilton switches from McLaren Mercedes to the Mercedes AMG Petronas team. His aim: to win the world title.

photos: eyevine; ddp images; daimler AG (3)

20 07 Hamilton tops the standings after six races of his debut Formula 1 season, making him the youngest driver ever to lead the F1 World Championship. He defends his advantage until the final race, but ultimately has to settle for second place, a point behind Kimi Räikkönen.

s p o r t s

Le w is H ami lt o n looks forward with confidence to his future with the Mercedes AMG Petronas team.

I LOVE CAR RACING, so I can’t wait to line up with the Mercedes AMG Petronas team. The people here have a greater hunger for success than any other team I know. If my car is within striking distance of the leaders, we’ll all be in for a lot of fun. >

Family

an t h o n y hami lt o n W A S Q U I C K to recognize the talent

his son possessed – and did everything he could to support him in his racing career. In the early days, Anthony took on two extra jobs to enable Lewis to compete in kart races, and later he guided him as his manager to the Formula One World Championship. That arrangement came to an end in 2010, but Lewis still regularly emphasizes how much he owes his father: “Keep your feet on the ground, don’t forget where you’re from; my father taught me to be humble.” Lewis’ younger brother also has a grounding effect on him. Nicolas has cerebral palsy, but can regularly be seen at trackside. “Whenever I think I’ve got problems, I think of Nicolas,” says Hamilton. “He can’t do half the things that I can, but he’s still happy.”

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sonic art In his series of “sonic sculptures”, artist Martin Klimas explored how music can be visualized – by dripping paint onto the diaphragm of a loudspeaker and turning up the volume. This was the result when he played Sirius by Karlheinz Stockhausen.

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ph o t o s m a r t i n k l i m a s

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the pe r fect s o u n d ARCHITECTS AND SOUND ENGINEERS, ACOUSTICS EXPERTS AND SINGERS now have at their disposal opportunities to make music sound brighter than ever before.

But no one is talking of perfection yet.

And for good reason.

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The Austro-Hungarian model The most perfect and exquisite shoebox ever built is to be found in Vienna, right behind the Hotel Imperial. The “Golden Hall” at the Musikverein, inaugurated in 1870, is worldfamous today as the venue from which the legendary New Year’s Day Concert given by the Vienna Philharmonic is broadcast to the four corners of the globe. “While the rectangular box shape of the hall offers the best acoustic basis for an auditorium, a variety of spatial elements – coffered ceilings, balconies, caryatids – ensure the sound waves are also ideally diffused,” explains Joachim Reiber of the Musikverein. And there are other details which serve to enhance the acoustic: “An enormous hollow space beneath the wooden floor creates a resonance chamber not unlike that of a violin body. Moreover, the wooden ceiling is not simply superimposed, it is suspended from the roof timbers so as to allow the sound to resonate beneficially.”

Theophil von Hansen, the architect of this golden box, relied on good intuition for his design of the hall. Word soon got around about its sensational acoustic, and within three decades multiple copies of the design had been made at other international musical venues: almost identical auditoriums went up in Basel (Stadtcasino, built in 1876), Leipzig (Neues Gewandhaus, 1884), Amsterdam (Concertgebouw, 1888), Zurich (Tonhalle, 1895) and Boston (Symphony Hall, 1900) – each of them still a mecca for today’s classical music lover in search of acoustic perfection.

Unlike the royal and imperial architects of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, modern acoustics specialists have more than just their intuition to rely on. As architectural partners, acousticians work with detailed computer models and perform complex calculations. And they use realistic, room-sized 1:10 or 1:20 scale models in which ultrasound experiments can be carried out. Yet even with resources such as these, designers are not immune to failure.

Well known for its poor acoustic, for example, is the Philharmonie at the Gasteig in Munich, which opened in 1985. “Burn it,” was conductor Leonard Bernstein’s angry comment in the Gasteig’s guest book following his first appearance there on September 18, 1986.

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S OU N D c o l o r Klimas’ photographs show what can otherwise only be “seen” by synesthetes: music as explosions of color.

For his photos, the artist carried out hundreds of experiments in a machine specially designed for the purpose.

Another reason for the dissatisfaction with certain concert halls stems from the fact that classical audiences expect a degree of perfection from live sound that is never sought in pop music. Thanks to constantly improving recording and post-production techniques, the demands of audiences today are nothing short of unrealistic: CDs increasingly showcase notes, phrasing or coloratura passages which the artist could never sing live with such perfection – the audio equivalent of airbrushing with Photoshop. For example, a studio can not only filter out a singer’s breathing in an aria, but remove it altogether. Or produce impossibly quiet pianissimi. Or add the crispest of consonants.

Changing demands That’s why Lady Gaga has a much easier time of it on the live stage than Anna Netrebko. For when it comes to the solo voice, a polished dynamic range is anyway virtually impossible in a sports arena or soccer stadium. At least pop and rock fans grumble less if they are served a pulsating, thundering beat that sets their trouser legs quivering and ribcage jangling.

“These days in pop music, as well as in the movies, mixing is brutal,” explains Carlos Albrecht, Emeritus Professor of Music Transmission > and President of the Association of German

c l assica l music lovers are very picky. With her fans accustomed to digital recording quality, Anna Netrebko has a harder time of it than the pop stars when it comes to live performances.

photo: Get t y Images

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ach, Beethoven and co. sound best in a shoebox. The proportions are perfect: 1 × 1 × 2 (width × height × length). As a principle, it works for two mice or for two thousand people – provided the volume of air above each listener is commensurate with the size of the body: roughly 10 cubic meters (350 cu. ft) for humans, rather less for mice.

cha r acte r s

J. S. Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor

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Sound Engineers (VDT). During his 40-year career, the 70-year-old has produced over a thousand records and CDs and was twice nominated for a Grammy. In his experience, “Frequencies are getting higher and higher, becoming more and more invasive – it’s insane!”

And as a trend it is not necessarily all for the good. “Such factors are partly the reason why our ears have changed dramatically,” he says. Today we expect a much brighter and more brilliant sound than people from previous generations.”

Johann Sebastian Bach was born in 1685. His tuning fork sounded the A above middle C at 415.5 Hz; for Handel, born the same year, A was 422.5 Hz; and for Mozart, born in 1756, it was 421 Hz. Not until the mid-20th century did a global agreement standardize concert pitch for orchestral instruments at A=440 Hz; even so, Germany and Austria opted to plow their own furrow with 443 Hz. And for some conductors it did not stop there. Under Herbert von Karajan, the Berlin Philharmonic ratcheted pitch up to A=445 Hz, while Carlos Kleiber made his Vienna Philharmonic players tune their instruments for gramophone recordings to an eyepopping A=450 Hz. His reasoning: the greater the tension of the strings, the louder and fuller the string sound.

The one interest group overlooked in all this “pitch inflation” were the singers, who were now required to sing Mozart’s scores a semitone higher than the composer himself had heard them. So for roles as exposed as the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute, for example, pitch inflation was in danger of leaving singers high and dry.

In the quest for perfection in classical music, it is not just the pitch that has risen, but also the extra-musical demands placed on artists. “To get to the top in the present climate you have to have your face everywhere and make yourself a marketing expert’s dream,” says doctor and musician Eckart Altenmüller, Director of the Institute for Music Physiology and Musicians’ Medicine at the Hanover University of 40

P Op m u sic of the kind performed and recorded by Lady Gaga has changed the way we listen.

Today people want much brighter sounds than in the past.

Music, Drama and Media. He has good news and bad news. The good news: modern professionals have become accustomed to the drive for perfection in their industry – and seek help where necessary. Altenmüller: “Those at the top today live healthy lives and don’t get sick.” The bad news: in the long term, only those with an iron will can stay the course in the contest for absolute perfection.

In his personal search for the perfect sound, world-class pianist Krystian Zimerman depends more on his inventive gene than on his health.

The Polish-born player’s relationship with concert grand pianos can best be described as one of advanced obsession: he keeps two dozen keyboards at his Swiss home in Basel and is constantly developing new ones. When he goes on tour, he takes a selection with him, each adapted to specific composers. On arrival at a venue, he fits the required keyboard to his own grand piano, which also travels with him everywhere and which he tunes himself. Even then, tuning the instrument is made problematic by the varying sizes of hall and different styles of architecture. Vienna followed by Nuremberg?

“That just wouldn’t work. We couldn’t handle the change in acoustic – it’s all to do with the keyboard set-up.”

Sound engineer Carlos Albrecht has experienced many artists in close-up during a career spanning 40 years. He has come across scores of perfectionists like Zimerman, and compares their quest for the perfect sound with the search for the Holy Grail. It will never be found.

That is no bad thing, perhaps, for as Albrecht puts it: “The day we achieve absolute perfection > is the day the music dies.”

photo: Action Press

Steve Reich and Musicians: Drumming

Magical realism state of the art: Mehdi Chouakri deals in contemporary sculptures and objects. We accompany the gallery owner for a day in Berlin â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in possibly the most intelligent car ever built: the new sedan from Mercedes-Benz.

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words tobias moorstedt

photos marc tr autmann

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perfect touch Mehdi Chouakri loves stylistic diversity. His apartment juxtaposes Biedermeier furniture with Eames tables.

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here are passions which, once ignited, burn for a lifetime. Mehdi Chouakri, for example, remembers well how as a 12-year-old in Algiers he developed an interest in design, how he admired the work of Philippe Starck and tried to understand the principles of automotive styling. “The Mercedes SL Coupe of the 1970s is a dream,” he says. “Even today it leaves you feeling king of the road.”

Chouakri’s dream was to study car design.

He later went to study in Paris, where he immersed himself in new ideas and beautiful objects. He never became the car creator of his dreams, evolving instead into a highly successful gallery owner. Nevertheless, he says, a passion for driving has stayed with him.

Reading the city So when Mercedes-Benz magazine asked him to spend a day in Berlin driving the new, urbane E 300 Blue-Tec Hybrid Sedan, there was no hesitation. Chouakri set off from Charlottenburg at 9 o’clock to his gallery in Berlin-Mitte. The city’s congested streets are as much a part of his morning routine as reading the international newspapers. “When I’m driving here,” Chouakri explains, “I 44

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smooth, and from 0 -100 km/h (62 mph) in just 7.1 seconds.

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>

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EDGY, CAPTIVATing: this painting of a three-pointed star is part of the “Anti-Illusion” series by the Swiss artist Philippe Decrauzat.

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feel I’m right at the heart of urban change.”

We head through the Tiergarten and on past Schloss Bellevue. He sees that Cirque du Soleil is in town. “It’s the best way to find out what’s on,” says Chouakri, who unlike most drivers is not irritated by the many building sites and billboards, but takes a lively interest in the city’s latest developments. For him, driving through the city is like reading it.

Lounge on wheels In this case, reading the city means gliding softly and effortlessly around the German capital in the comfort of the new E-Class Sedan.

The E 300 BlueTec Hybrid combines a fourcylinder diesel engine and an electric motor, accelerates from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in a little over seven seconds – and yet barely makes a noise. At low speeds the car is powered by battery alone; then, when the lights turn green and the road ahead is clear, the diesel engine takes over with the lithium-ion battery providing additional acceleration. An ideal set-up for urban traffic: the E 300 BlueTec Hybrid uses a little more than 4 liters per 100 kilometers (58 mpg) and produces fewer emissions – making it one of the most economic models in its class.

Chouakri’s biography is closely linked to Berlin’s recent past. He moved here from Paris in 1996 and opened a gallery. It was the

E X PA N S I V E Chouakri visits installation and object artist Gerold Miller at his studio.

CO N SC I E N T I OUS Intelligent Drive: “I like it when the car does something for me.”

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Just a car.

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E L ECTR I C The 300 BlueTec Hybrid is one of the most fuelefficient models in its class. LED High Performance headlights are available as an option.

Yet it is great art.

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Perpetual motion He has moved his gallery three times over the years. As he puts it, being constantly on the move is essential if you want to find new spaces for new ideas. At the moment, his gallery occupies a courtyard building that is typical of Berlin-Mitte. It is the generously proportioned White Cube, created by star architect Jürgen Mayer H. The offices and functional areas are concealed in the walls. Chouakri is opposed to drawers and dedicated areas; he is more interested in “experiments and open processes”. The focus of his gallery is on objects, installations and sculptures. In recent months, he has also exhibited works by Sylvie Fleurie and Philippe Decrauzat, their splinters of color sharp enough to slice an admiring gaze.

Chouakri leaves his gallery in the early afternoon and sets off on a Berlin road trip to meet up with colleagues and collectors, visit artists in their studios and take in an exhibition. As he closes the office door behind him and opens the car door, he finds himself suddenly back

HAR M O N I OUS Interior and exterior balance: optional nappa leather and ash accentuate the overall appearance.

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i E 300 BlueTec Hybrid Engine / Output 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel engine plus hybrid module; output diesel engine 150 kW at 4,200 rpm, max. torque 500 Nm (368 lb-ft) at 1,600–1,800 rpm; output electric motor 20 kW, max. torque 250 Nm (184 lb-ft)

Transmission 7G-Tronic Plus seven-speed automatic

Farsighted The new E-Class can now be driven at night using continuous high-beam headlights without dazzling other road users. How does it do it? The ­optional technology identifies and masks out other vehicles in the headlight’s beam.

Two looks Three-pointed star on the engine hood or in the radiator grille? Both options are possible thanks to equipment lines Elegance and Avantgarde.

Further technical specifications and fuel consumption figures can be found on page 75. mercedes - benz . com

DYNAMIC Night owl: a spoiler lip in the wing design sets the tone.

in the office. During the drive he conducts his telephone conversations in three languages. He coordinates the flight plan for the weeks ahead (São Paulo, Paris, Geneva, Dubai) as well as his local appointments. He whispers figures into the hands-free system, and the names of artists who one day perhaps will also feature on billboards and magazine covers.

When you spend so much valuable time in the car, it is important that the interior conveys a feeling of comfort and intimacy. Here, too, the E 300 sets new standards. The instrument display is set in a handsome trim of real wood.

Other features include meticulous seams and high-quality materials. The time is shown on an analog clock face rather than a digital display.

It’s the perfect equilibrium between spaceship cockpit and Orient Express dining car.

Mehdi Chouakri is a design connoisseur. And he is no fan of monocultures. His apartment,

Styling: Mandy Stadelmann; hair and Make-up: Amelie Goldstaub; Production Berlin: Claas Cropp

right city at the right time. “Berlin had the flair of a free port,” he says. “There were fewer rules and more space than in other cities.”

As he drives around the city he still sees in his mind’s eye the derelict land and abandoned buildings in which parties would be held at the drop of a hat. Chouakri is anything but nostalgic, however. He is full of praise for the virtues of urban renaissance: “Those were difficult times, with little money to go round. It’s fantastic that the opportunities for shopping and eating out are so much better here now.”

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N ETWOR K ED Contacts are not just important in the art world: with 12 ultrasound sensors, the E-Class is also able to “listen” acutely.

which has twice been the subject of a photoshoot by leading design magazines, juxtaposes Biedermeier furniture with Eames tables.

Meta-qualities are what matter to Chouakri. “I appreciate the fact that someone notices when you give thought to something and make an effort.” When he talks about design, he doesn’t just mean the outer shell and aerodynamic lines, but the design of the interfaces and interaction of systems. “It should be no more difficult to operate the hands-free set than to fasten your seatbelt,” he says.

The new E-Class is one of the smartest cars ever built – a claim underpinned by the vehicle’s 11 new or optimized assistance systems. Combining comfort and safety features, this symbiosis is known as Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive. It includes an active Lane Keeping Assist, designed to prevent accidents with oncoming traffic, anti-glare continuous

high-beam headlights, and innovative systems to prevent collisions with crossing vehicles or pedestrians (see p. 58). “I love it when the car does something for me,” says Chouakri.

Just before his evening appointment, he calls by the gallery one last time. The modern desk is the only piece of furniture in his office that fulfills a clear function. All other objects fall somewhere between art and consumption, idea and purpose. You are left with a feeling of insecurity: is that sofa still a sofa or an installation? Does the briefcase contain important documents or is it trying to say something? There are prints on the wall by Mathieu Mercier, photographs of the engine hoods of parked cars along Karl-Marx-Allee. Dust from the road, scratched paintwork and reflections of the sky all condense to create a road movie in which someone has pressed the pause button. They’re < just cars. And yet it is great art.

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THE FORERUNNERS OF THE E-CLASS didn’t just thrill millions of drivers. They also have a dazzling record of pioneering innovations, celebrities and major movie roles to their name.

Star quality

r o man t ic road trip: Béatrice Dalle and Jean-Hugues Anglade in Betty Blue

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W 11 4/11 5 The “Stroke-8” was the first production Mercedes with a semi-trailing-arm rear axle.

1976–1985

W 11 0 The “Fintail” was the world’s first car to feature a safety body.

1968–1976

W 12 0/ W 121 The “Ponton” was the first- ever Mercedes with a self-supporting body.

1961–1968

1953 - 1962

A family that became legendary: W 12 3 When the W123 was launched, customers had to wait years for their new car.

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style icons: Paul Newman and a Stroke-8

>

W 21 0 The striking twin-headlight face and coupe-like rear formed the hallmark features of this model series.

2002–2009

1995–2003

W 12 4 When this model was updated in 1993, it was rechristened with today’s name: the E-Class.

The popularity of the upper mid-range automobile was reflected in the sales figures, which reached a new record when the W123 racked up 2.4 million units. The most celebrated customer of this model series was a certain John Lennon, whose last new car was a 300 TD from 1979 – the very first W123 Station Wagon shipped to the USA. As well as the generally unknown private customers, cab drivers also appreciate the great reliability of the E-Class, which has long since been shaping the face of city streets in Europe. So it was only logical that the 1998 French film Taxi starred two E 500 models from the W124 series. Indeed, the E-Class boasts a wide range of movie credits: James Bond, for instance, takes the wheel of a white Stroke-8 in The Man with the Golden Gun, and in Betty Blue, Béatrice Dalle and Jean-Hugues Anglade steal a beige Fintail Mercedes. In Men in Black II, Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith take to the road in a black E 500 from the W211 series, complete with an array of special gadgets, including an inflatable chauffeur and rocket power at the push of a button – the shape of things to < come for a future E-Class “Erlkönig”, perhaps?

W 211 With 29 model variants, the E-Class now offered the most extensive range in its segment.

2009–2012

James Bond in the Stroke-8: every bit as legendary as the Fintail and Will Smith’s official MIB car

Cool customers: Will Smith in the E 500 in Men in Black

1985–1996

photos:Mary Evans/Interfoto; Get t y Images; Glow Images; Daimler Ag (8) words: christoph henn

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ho drives there so swift through the wind and rain,” mused motoring magazine Auto, Motor und Sport in 1952 next to a sensational picture of the Mercedes 180 on a test drive, the first time a car had been caught on camera before its launch. In an effort to defuse the anticipated outrage at the photo, the editors composed an amusing eight lines of doggerel based on Goethe’s famous poem “Erlkönig” (“Erl-King”). This makes the W120/121 model series from 1953 the first ever spy-shot prototype – or “Erlkönig”, as they came to be known in German. What’s more, it was the first Mercedes with a self-supporting Ponton body – and an early precursor of the E-Class, although strictly speaking its story began with the W136 that originated from the pre-war years and was built up until 1955.

But it was with the Ponton that Mercedes-Benz revitalized the upper mid-range class and laid the foundations for its most successful product line ever, with over 10 million cars sold. The dynasty had long since acquired legendary status before being officially titled the E-Class in 1993. This was helped both by memorable names inspired by shape or debut year – the “Fintail” or “Stroke-8” – and the firsts that the midsize models from Mercedes-Benz became renowned for.

For example, some 20 years after the passenger safety cell’s world premiere in the Fintail, the W124 followed it up with the multi-link independent rear suspension that is still fitted today.

W 212 The flared rear fenders evoke memories of the Ponton from 1953.

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Man on the move

Freerunner Jesse Turner likes to run up the sides of buildings and dive and leap over walls, bridges and rooftops. Now a spectacular video shows the 22-year-old introducing his skills to the Australian desert.

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ph o t o s t o m B l a c h f o r d

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esse Turner likes a good run. Preferably a long one, with no pause for breath or let up in pace.

Above his head the clouds skate by, but still trail in his wake. Grains of sand burst from under his feet as he pounds the white dunes near Cervantes, the unremitting wind coursing over his skin like an industrial-strength exfoliator.

Cut! Just for a moment, Jesse is stationary. With an unflinching gaze the freerunner sizes up his route, the muscles under his black shirt tense into position. Then he’s off again, over the ochreyellow sand of the Pinnacles Desert in Nambung National Park. Bizarre rock formations sidle into view. But instead of swerving, Turner hits them head-on, flipping over stones, tree stumps, slopes and rockfaces with a forward dive, turn vault or somersault. On and on he goes, under 35 degrees (95°F) of baking sun. This is a man in a hurry.

Breakneck stunts The 22-year-old Australian is at the center of a three-day shoot for a video to be posted on the Infinitylist and mb! by Mercedes-Benz online platforms. Standing in his way alongside the rock and sand are kangaroos, emus and a silver G-Class 350 BlueTec – a recipe for spectacular stunts filmed amid breathtaking scenery using a handful of cameras and a drone. The result is stunning, especially since the desert is anything but familiar terrain for the chief protagonist. The city is Turner’s regular stomping ground, and it was in his urban backyard that he discovered, and has since perfected, the art of freerunning.

The sport he views as a calling has become a career. In contrast to its close cousin, parkour, freerunning is about keeping your whole body > in a permanent state of creative movement;

SINGLE-MINDED Jesse Turner, 22, is already a globally in-demand stuntman.

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the aim of parkour is to negotiate obstacles as efficiently as possible. Both disciplines call on moves from floor gymnastics, only here the leaps and vaults are over rooftops, walls, bridges, garbage containers – all to get from A to B. In the desert, however, Turner is faced with gnarled trees, crumbling rocks and a whole lot of sand.

For a sport with such obvious potential for breaking bones, there is an ease to the movements.

It’s all, says Turner, based around “creativity and tenacity” – key attributes for a traceur (literally: “he who smoothes the way”). As a teenager in Adelaide, he couldn’t afford gym membership, so the beach or schoolyard were the best places to keep fit. Out here in nature, that background is coming in handy.

Desert challenge

TA K I N G O N a G-Class and a kangaroo.

A drone (below and top right) gives spectacular pictures of a freerun in the sand.

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TURNER FOR THE WORSE The new Jesse Turner video for mb! by Mercedes-Benz and Infinitylist is available here: mb.mercedes-benz.com There are numerous of his videos on the web. Search “Jesse Turner’s Hardest Hits” to see what happens when things don’t go to plan.

m b - q r . c o m / 06 u

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Turner’s skills have landed him stunt roles in movies such as 2012 and Wolverine 2. Australia’s geographical remoteness may be keeping him on the periphery of the popular radar, but he isn’t short of work. Big-time stunt coordinators have his number and he fills the gaps by working on his own videos.

Parkour and freerunning grew out of the Parisian suburbs, but it wasn’t until 2006 that it reached a wider audience. Then, films like Casino Royale – with its spectacular opening sequence featuring Daniel Craig’s Bond pursuing freerunning luminary Sébastien Foucan – and a slew of music videos provided these masters of athletic body control with the perfect showcase. By that time, the teenage Jesse Turner had already discovered the sport for himself. His parents soon realized their son had a thing for moving quickly.

There was barely a sport he didn’t try out in, and fear wasn’t something he seemed to experience.

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Soccer, climbing and track & field were his main sports. But it wasn’t until a high school teacher gave him a push in the right direction that he zeroed in on a single focus: stunts. After graduating from the Australian Stunt Academy, he was hired for shows and productions around the world. His self-composed sequences reveal his creative juices in full flow.

Despite his energy-sapping sets, Turner still has enough left in the tank during breaks in filming to entertain the crew with a cameo on the roof of the thankfully robust G-Class. And there are no complaints when he is woken from deep slumber after the director finds another good location. It is only over dinner that he begins to show fatigue – and is one of the first to head for bed. A good plan, as the sun rises early in Western Australia.

At first light, Turner is in fine spirits and springing from his first sheer rock face of the day. Then he’s off running again, sometimes with a rath< er surprised-looking kangaroo for company.

phOTO: Hadassa Haack

A one-arm handstand in a strong wind. Whether he’s vaulting gnarled trees or bounding over crumbling rock, Jesse’s moves exude ease and nonchalance.

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Finely honed senses

intelligent drive: a network of cameras and sensors alerts to dangers – increasing safety for driver and pedestrians alike.

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he intelligent car: it’s a great notion, but what does it actually mean? Should as many decisions as possible be taken out of the driver’s hands, or should he remain in charge while being supported by computerized systems? Mercedes-Benz pursues the latter of these approaches. Intelligent Drive, as the Mercedes assistance systems are collectively known, is not designed to take over from the driver. It has been over a decade since the first real assist system – the radar-based Distronic adaptive cruise control – made its debut. These days, drivers of the new E-Class, for example, can call on the “sensory powers” of six radar sensors, six camera lenses and 12 ultrasonic sensors.

BAS Plus AND P R E - S A F E BR A K E The systems are now also able to recognize pedestrians in front of the car. By evaluating the camera and radar data, the driver can be warned with visual and acoustic signals. If he fails to react, braking is initiated automatically.

Tex t m i c h a e l m o o r s t e dt, c h r i s t o p h h e n n

Generally, the idea is to improve safety. The technology should help to detect precarious situations early and take appropriate action if things get critical. This is precisely the aim of the new functions included with the BAS Plus Brake Assist and Pre-Safe Brake systems, which are being featured for the first time in the new E-Class and the future S-Class and are capable of spotting pedestrians as well as imminent dangers at road junctions.

The second of these tasks is taken care of by the BAS Plus with Cross-Traffic Assist. It issues visual and acoustic warnings if another car is approaching from the side – thereby countering the inattentiveness that is a frequent cause of accidents.

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photo: Daimler Ag

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The new assist system can correct misjudgments, too, by automatically increasing braking power if the driver reacts too tentatively to a danger ahead.

The system operates at speeds up to 72 km/h (45 mph). According to a recent study, more than a quarter of all accidents at junctions resulting in personal injury can be mitigated or prevented altogether in this way. This boost to safety is partly down to a stereo camera built into the windshield that works in a similar way to 3D cinema technology: it has a three-dimensional view of the area up to 50 meters (164 ft) in front of the vehicle with a 45° field of vision, and can extend the maximum monitoring range to a remarkable 500 meters (1,640 ft).

b as p l u s W I T H C RO S S - TR A FF I C A S S I S T For the first time, BAS Plus is now able to help avoid collisions with cross-traffic at road junctions. The radar and stereo camera have a wide-angle view of the scene ahead.

If danger threatens, the driver receives a dual warning – and brake pressure is boosted automatically, all the way up to maximum if necessary.

The information captured by the camera’s two “eyes” is amalgamated with the data from the radar sensors to calculate the trajectory of objects moving crossways ahead. This interaction between stereo camera and radar sensors is also behind the new pedestrian detection feature of the BAS Plus and Pre-Safe Brake functions. The system triggers an alert if it senses people in front of the vehicle, and can brake autonomously if the driver reacts too hesitantly or not at all. Experts estimate that, as a result, almost half of collisions with pedestrians will either be completely avoidable or at least have less serious consequences. More than reason > enough for a little extra help from computers.

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High

culture

ja k a r t a As in all major cities, space is increasingly at a premium in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta. Now the Dutch architects’ office MVRDV has made a virtue out of necessity and designed a mega-building – a daring concept that piles various blocks on top of each other instead of putting them side by side. “Peruri 88 is a kind of vertical Jakarta – it represents a new type of mini-metropolis that has been woven with the fabric of the city,” explains Winy Maas from MVRDV. Every block has a roof planted with trees in order to create more green spaces. On completion, the Jakarta tower will be 400 meters (1,312 ft) high and provide 360,000 square meters (3,875,000 sq. ft) of floor space for apartments, businesses, cinemas, an outdoor amphitheater and a luxury hotel between the 44th and 86th floors. There will even be a mosque and a registry office. m v r d v . n l 60

E m o t i o n

Open-air computers Italian engineer Carlo Ratti is investigating the city of the future. Here he explains how the interaction of humans with sensors can revolutionize urban living:

D e s i g n

Swinging Sixties P A R I S The seats in the “Elevate” range have been designed on an aviation theme – and the backrests really do come from the interior of a former long-haul aircraft. Marc Venot created the seats with their distinctly 1960s feel for the company Flown. The curved walls with inset windows may awaken nostalgia for flying, but the seats themselves are considerably more comfortable than in an aircraft. flow n . fr

illustration: Lyndon Hayes/Dutchuncle

t he ci t y o f t o m o r r o w

will not necessarily look any different from today, but it will function differently. As its inhabitants, we will be in constant dialogue with our surroundings. Our cities are already criss-crossed by digital technologies that make up the backbone of an intelligent infrastructure.

There are extensive networks that support cell phones, smartphones and tablets, and we also have access to huge volumes of public data. Then there is a growing network of sensors and digitally-controlled technologieslinked to computers.

All in all, cities are rapidly becoming like giant outdoor computers. By evaluating the available data, we can identify the rhythm of the city and react accordingly.

Road users are kept informed of traffic congestion in real time and can take evasive action; public service vehicles know where passengers are waiting, and even climate change becomes visible if we use photographic data from networks like flickr. In our vision, the individual makes use of what the city has to offer – to the benefit of the entire community.

C r ea t i v e : based in Spain, designer Parolio has received multiple awards for his creations.

Midnight Express M A D R I D The “Passenger” bar offers all the allure of the

era of luxury travel on trains like the Orient Express – but without ever moving an inch. Designer Parolio and his team transformed this narrow space in the trendy Malasaña/ Triball neighborhood into an elongated train compartment complete with generous leather armchairs, dark wood finishes and brass fittings. Instead of windows, the walls have large-scale displays showing changing views of landscapes filmed from train windows all over the world – so every time you visit the bar, you embark on a different journey. ­ facebook . com / th epassenger m a dr i d

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a r t

d e s i g n

Rarities

Nomad luxury

t h o se w h o p r e f e r not to trail around galleries can now buy art online. Every fortnight, Artflash offers two limitededition signed works by artists such as Jonathan Meese, Wolfgang Tillmans or Jörg Immendorff.

The prices are reasonable, as the works are usually drawn from the collections of art societies. a rtfl ash . de

“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” bill bryson, tr avel writer

E l e v en D esigne r s created travel

accessories for Louis Vuitton. Entitled “Objets Nomades”, the collection includes folding seats, leather-trimmed solar lanterns and a hammock created by Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola. lou isv u it ton . com

b o w i e

Starman LO N D O N Thrilling music and dazzling outfits: David Bowie is a singer, producer, actor, painter, sculptor and photographer. From March 23 to July 28, a retrospective at the V&A Museum will be devoted to the work of this British pop icon. va m . ac . u k

High above P H O E N I X Paris has the Eiffel Tower, London the Shard and Seattle the Space Needle. And 2014 will see Phoenix, Arizona unveil the Pin – a spectacular observation tower that rises from the ground like a gigantic skewer. The reinforced concrete tower will be 420 meters (1,378 ft) high and feature three glass elevators and a round viewing platform whose floors spiral downwards. As visitors descend from the highest point, they will be able to enjoy a 360° view of the rugged Arizona landscape. Inside, there will be exhibition areas, restaurants and bars. big . dk 62

E m o t i o n

phOTOS: VG-Bildkunst, Bonn 2013; Frank w. Ockenfels 3

the Conservatorium Hotel offers travelers a luxurious base where the city and its denizens like to gather.

A M S T E R D A M If you are after the best a city offers and take the advice of the locals, you usually end up in some snack bar or little restaurant with just three dishes on the menu. The Conservatorium, a luxury-class hotel in Amsterdam’s museum district, is an insider’s tip of a rather different kind. Most hotels are mainly frequented by paying guests, whereas the entire city of Amsterdam seems to use the massive atrium of The Conservatorium as its living room. Friends meet here for lunch in the Brasserie, parents with small children take tea in the lounge, and yes – the lobby is also popular amongst businessmen and women.

Architect Piero Lissoni has enlarged the listed 19th-century building that used to house a music academy by adding a large glass-fronted extension that brings the outside world into the interior of the hotel. In the indoor garden of the spa, the fig and olive trees tower two stories high. Against the wall, a black metal staircase

t he spa and spacious rooms invite relaxation, while the city’s flair is reflected in the atrium and the Tunes Restaurant (clockwise from top).

looking like a piece of origami leads to the 129 bedrooms via historic corridors with arched ceilings and ceramic tiles.

The clean lines and glass walls of the interior are in sharp contrast with the dark leather and wooden floors. Almost half the rooms are duplexes on two levels. Guests can relax in the hotel’s tranquil atmosphere or explore the nearby city center. Alternatively, they can just go down to the conservatory, where the city will be waiting for them. conservator i u m hotel . com

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C O N TR A S T S Istanbul is a good place for exploding clichés – whether in the modern Sakirin Mosque in Üsküdar or during a shared meal in a trendy eatery such as Gram.

64

w o r ds R o b e r t Z s o l n ay

ph o t o s t o m pa r k e r

emotio n

Eastern promise istanbul has seen a lot of changes, nowhere more so than in the entertainment quarter of Beyoglu, where Asia encounters Europe, Ottoman splendor meets contemporary chic, and the muezzinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s call mingles with the pounding beat of discos.

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I

stanbul lives the day, but loves the night. Thus begins a verse of a song by the rock band Duman celebrating the city on the Bosporus. All the band’s musicians live in Beyoglu, Istanbul’s trendiest neighborhood. Located on the ­European side between Taksim Square and Tünel, this quarter around Istiklal Caddesi (“Independence Avenue”) is dominated by creative types during the day, while at night it becomes a place to celebrate life.

Dance ’til the marble melts Bars, cafes, clubs and restaurants crowd the streets and alleyways in this district. The delectable odor of mezes – small warm and cold appetizers – emanates from doors and windows.

The strains of live music fill the air. Occupying one of Istanbul’s seven hills, Beyoglu is one of the liveliest neighborhoods of the only city in the world that straddles two continents.

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

di v e r si t y Istanbul has it all: the Mercedes-Benz C 250 ­BlueEfficiency in front of the 14thcentury Galata Tower (left), one of the city’s numerous landmarks. The coexistence of history and nightlife, of Byzantium and bars is what makes the city such an exciting place to ­visit. Babylon nightclub in Beyoglu (below) is always worth a nocturnal detour.

During the reign of Sultan Mehmet II, who conquered Constantinople in 1453, the area was still known as Pera: the Byzantine emperors were enthroned on the south side of the ­Golden Horn in Eminönü, while Pera (“across”) was settled by the Genoans, who controlled the trade on the Bosporus. On a hill overlooking the Golden Horn they founded a colony, joined later by Greeks, Venetians and Florentines. The merchants’ lavish parties were the stuff of legend: one historical travelogue claims in Pera they would dance “until the marble melted”.

Gül Güngör is royalty as far as Beyoglu’s nightlife is concerned. She runs Babylon, one of Europe’s premier live music venues and hailed as one of the world’s 100 best jazz clubs by Down Beat magazine. But jazz isn’t all that’s on tap: rock, hip-hop and ethnic music get equal time, with the club hosting DJs from all over the globe. At Babylon, 40 staff march to Gül’s tune, from bouncers to sound technicians.

Istanbul is a great place for dismantling old clichés – like the one about the male-dominated business world. Women have no need for a workplace quota in the Bosporus – according to the World Economic Forum, 12 percent of all management positions in Turkey are occupied by females. In Germany the figure is barely 3.2 percent. Istiklal Caddesi also forces visitors to take a hard look at their own prejudices. Things that might appear fundamentally opposed to each other mix it up here on a daily basis: tarted-up transsexuals parade behind devout women clad in headscarves, shopaholics hop between luxury boutiques, while destitute children beg in front of opulent store windows. Lots of simultaneous impressions, but concentrating too much on any

emotio n

i love Istanbul because it offers you a rare opportunity to live history and modernity at the same time.” gül güngör

personally. Born in 1928 and honored in Turkey as “Photographer of the Century” in 1999, this living legend can often be found in the cozy Ara Cafe, just a stone’s throw from the bustling central shopping promenade. Güler was witness to Beyoglu’s precipitous decline in the early 1980s, when it degenerated into a zone rife with drugs and prostitution. It took full-scale resuscitations of both the Istiklal pedestrian zone and the nostalgic streetcar line for things to start improving again. The walls of the Ara Cafe are adorned with Güler’s photographs; even the placemats are imprinted with his images.

The eye of old Istanbul The former Magnum photographer’s office and photo archives are housed in the venerable brick building’s upper floors. In the cafe below, sunlight pours through the colorful windows, while old teapots and coffee grinders grace the ­counter. Güler is holding court, weaving tales about his old neighborhood, stories of fishermen’s pubs around the Galata Tower and crooked wooden houses, of the day the Bosporus froze over. A photo of a group of men standing on the ice contentedly puffing water pipes bears silent witness. Back when Güler was starting out as a photographer, Istanbul had just under 1.5 million inhabitants. Today, the official figure is 13 million, but it could just as easily be 18 million. Ara Güler is known as the eye of old Istanbul – but that doesn’t stop him searching for magical moments in the here and now. As a city, Istanbul is constantly performing a ­balancing act. It is a characteristic that the photographer and his city have in common – openness to influ> ences from all possible directions.

one of them means risking a collision with the old tram grinding its way from Taksim Square to the historic Tünel subway station.

History meets modernity After taking her law degree, Gül took time out to consider what sort of job would make her the happiest. She had always known her professional future lay on the Bosporus. “I love Istanbul because it gives you a rare opportunity to live history and modernity at the same time,” notes Gül with affection. She loves the splendor of Dolmabahce Palace, home of the last sultans, as much as the contemporary art at the Istanbul Modern museum. She prizes the jewels of Topkapi Palace as much as the breathtaking dome of the Hagia Sophia, once the Eastern Roman Empire’s largest church, later a mosque and, since 1934, a museum. Photojournalist Ara Güler experienced a good deal of these rapid changes

Q U A L I TY OF L I F E For Gül Güngör (right), manager of Babylon nightclub, a change of locale is out of the question – not least due to the city’s history and its bazaar, full of the odors of exotic spices.

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Purely a matter of taste

OL D - F A S H I O N E D E N J OY M E N T Dishes are ordered right at the counter in the restaurants of the well-traveled Musa Dagdeviren.

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se l ec t , r a r e recipes make up the currency of Musa Dagdeviren’s gastronomic empire: lamb stew with quince, chestnuts, dried apricots, potatoes and saffron, for example. Appetizer: tomatoes with almonds. Dessert: green walnuts cooked in syrup. Decorations are conspicuously absent from the dark wooden tables of his restaurant, Ciya Sofrasi, as is any trace of a menu. Just like at its two nearby sister establishments, Ciya Kebab and Ciya Kebap II, selections are made by pointing a finger.

Ingredients and preparation are all that counts, everything else is a waste of time, grumbles the chef. The delectable creations bubbling away in his pots and

pans are the products of painstaking research. Dagdeviren has spent four years of his life on gastronomic research trips: visiting isolated Anatolian villages on horseback, riding camels and donkeys to the remotest corners of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. “I always spent time living with the natives in order to gain access to their most treasured recipes,” he says. Nowadays he’s turning the tables, traveling the world showing professional colleagues the traces the Ottomans themselves have left in the cuisine of far-off lands, even in places like the Netherlands. Ciya Sofrasi, Güneslibahce Sokak 43, Kadiköy, Tel. +90 216 3303190. c i y a . c o m . t r

emotio n

Sweet talent

g o l den h o r n A view of the historic old city including the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.

D idem S en o l (left), degreed psychologist and a graduate of New York’s French Culinary Institute, opened her eatery Gram in Beyoglu in 2012. Its open-plan kitchen gives customers a bird’s-eye view of the chefs at work. Oftentimes the boss herself can be found lending a hand behind the counter. A combination pastry shop, bakery and restaurant, Gram is a popular lunch destination for creative types between noon and 3 p.m., offering two main dishes that change daily, as well as sophisticated salads.

Such hearty fare is only available at midday, however. Missed it? Don’t worry. A few sweet delicacies are all it takes to assuage one’s disappointment. Gram, Mesrutiyet ­Caddesi 107/D

grampera.com

i Ebegümeci Kavurma / Roasted hibiscus Recipe by Musa Dagdeviren Serves 4 750 g (1½ lb) hibiscus leaves 100 g (¼ lb) onions 20 g (1 oz) garlic 1 red pepper

Meze Plating up the Ottomans’ rich culinary heritage: Turkish appetizers (see recipe left) are extremely diverse.

1 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon paprika powder black pepper and salt to taste Dice onions and garlic, then brown in olive oil.

Add spices (except salt) and the diced vegetables to the pan and braise for 15 minutes. Add salt and serve.

E Y E - C AT C H I N G Cihangir is an ­especially colorful section of the trendy Beyoglu neighborhood.

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Prayers, pillows and puffs 1

S a k i r in m o sq u e Zeynep Fadillioglu was the first woman to design a mosque. Built in 2009, the Sakirin Mosque in Üsküdar is the most modern house of worship in Turkey, and signals a multiple break with tradition.

Women enter through the main doorway, and once inside, the best prayer area in the building is reserved for them.

2

P e r a Pa l ace Sultanahmet has the Topkapi Palace, Besiktas has the Dolmabahce Palace – and Beyoglu has the Pera Palace Hotel (pera­palace.com). Opened in 1884 for travelers on the Orient Express and recently renovated, it boasts a long list of prominent guests, from Agatha Christie to Alfred Hitchcock.

3

P UFF ’ N ’ S TUFF From pineapple to cinnamon – once nestled into the Nargilem Cafe’s plush couches, guests face a bewildering choice of tobacco flavors for their water pipe. Start puffing, and it’s pure relaxation, despite the billowing smoke and the hubbub. Nargilem Cafe, Tophane Sali Pazari Sira Magazalar 101.

e v en t h o se with only a little time to spend in Istanbul should take a boat ride

Hop across the Bosporus

on the Bosporus on one of the many ferries. The beauty of this metropolis reveals itself most arrestingly from the water: screeching gulls, the steel-blue Sea of Marmara and the splendid skyline can make your heart skip a beat. The lines connecting the city’s various districts are plentiful and cheap, and render sightseeing boats unnecessary. Travel by ferry is never boring. Tea is served on board, there are lots of eye-catching landmarks to look at, and then there’s the fascination of observing the maritime traffic. Up to 150 ships a day ply the narrow straits between the Aegean and the Black Sea, many of them massive oil tankers. Ferries can also be used for day trips – to the relaxed Ortaköy district, for example – or starting either from Kabata or from Eminönü, a jaunt to the Princes’ Islands.

“though the city itself is defined by world-weariness and endless failure, my innermost associations of the Bosporus are with the joy of life and happiness.” , orhan pamuk

writer

G r am : lunch at a group table

t r av e l in f o r mat i o n The main recommendations, tips and links from this article are also available online. Simply scan the QR code with your smartphone (e.g. using the ScanLife app) to discover Istanbul. m b - q r . co m / 06t 70

e m o t i o n

need to know C H E C K I T OUT Splitting the bill is ill-advised for those wishing to stay on good terms with their waiter. Known locally as “Allman hesabi” (German bill), going Dutch is generally frowned upon. A 10 percent tip is considered the norm in Turkey, as well.

S u nse t s To experience Istanbul’s most arresting sunset, take the ferry to Üsküdar and find a comfortable seat on the steps leading down to the shores of the Bosporus.

C LO S E S H AV E If you happen to be a man and want to have your hair and beard trimmed, take care to go to the right shop: those venturing into a “Kuaför” will immediately be shown the door.

The “Barbier” is responsible for grooming the masculine set, while the Kuaför remains – with a few exceptions – primarily a place for beautifying the female population.

photo: Eugenia Ma ximova/Anzenberger Agency; illustr ation: anna linder

The hamam treatment HONKING A green light is not an automatic signal for pedestrians to cross the street – at least not without carefully glancing to the right and left first. Many Istanbul drivers consider traffic lights nothing more than an unnecessary nuisance. Much more important – honking the horn.

N O S E BLOW I N G Take heed if you catch a cold in Istanbul: blowing one’s nose in public is considered bad manners.

FAT H E R F I G UR E Images of Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, are everywhere – on public buildings, offices, restaurants, cafes and money. In Dolmabahce Palace, the clocks in his former bedroom still show 9:05 a.m. – the time that Atatürk died on October 11, 1938.

So please – don’t disrespect devotional objects.

MANNERS Forming the index finger and thumb into a circle means anything but “Good job!”. It’s the Turkish equivalent of raising your middle finger.

in a hamam , people become malleable clay figurines. Those who appreciate a decent massage should pay a visit to a Turkish bath like Cemberlitas in Sultanahmet, where the unique Ottoman traditions have been carefully preserved for centuries. A visitor to a hamam starts by resting atop a warm marble platform, subsequently gets doused with several buckets of hot water, and lastly soaped up, massaged, and scrubbed. The result: skin as soft as a baby’s bottom. The visit concludes with a glass of tea in the foyer. Cemberlitas Hamami, Vezirhan Caddesi 8.

Go, go, go!

An old-fashioned streetcar ride is a good way to start exploring Istanbul’s Asian side. A historic tram rattles its way between the Kadiköy and Moda ferry terminals, and is utilized more by natives than by tourists. Departing every 20 to 30 minutes during the day, the route runs along bustling Sögütly Cesme Caddesi and Bahariye Caddesi to Moda’s venerable ferry terminal, returning to its point of origin via Moda Caddesi.

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P.S.

time to share

why do we own things we only use occasionally?

As Meike Winnemuth discovers, exchanging or borrowing can make life that much easier.

72

M ei k e Winnem u t h spent a year in 12 cities on all five continents.

She describes her experience of living out of a suitcase in her book Das große Los (Knaus).

Here she talks about the rules, surprises and implications of this new world of fluid ownership.

Rent-A-Bike, or rental platforms like Airbnb, are just the start. DIY tool exchanges, mobile bric-à-brac sales and clothes swap events are springing up everywhere. Suddenly, the old model of “conspicuous consumption” has been replaced with one of “collaborative consumption”. In fact, C is the key letter in this new sharing ­society: crowdfunding (private financing of projects by future customers), couchsurfing (the accommodation network), coworking spaces (short-term office rental) – it all comes down to community spirit and the common ground, the smallest common denominator of mutual benefit.

The sharing society It may sound like the ultimate hippie dream, yet it is the exact opposite: it turns all of us into potential entrepreneurs, landlords or sellers, and gives us a chance to profit from other people’s needs. At the same time, this marketplace of sharing and property redistribution is reviving a few old-fashioned values, such as trust, reliability and cooperation. Just a few years ago, it would have been unthinkable to leave one’s own apartment in the hands of a total stranger. But thanks to the feedback functions operated by most platforms, social controls are suddenly as tight in the global world as in a mountain village. The age of the sharing society is just beginning, and its impact will certainly vary from person to person. < But we can’t ignore it any longer.

Illustrations: Andrew Thomson/Dutchuncle

In January 2011, I set off around the world with a suitcase weighing 22 kilos (48.5 lb); when I came home in January 2012, it weighed 21 kilos (46.3 lb). I had lived in apartments that I had found on the Internet via Airbnb. On my travels I met interesting people at private dinners, hired cars and bicycles as necessary, and in the process discovered how far you can go while owning so little and just how enriching that experience can be.

I have now been back in my old life for over a year and am aware of something gnawing at me: whereas I didn’t feel any sense of loss while I was away traveling, I started to miss virtually everything once I arrived home – the freedom, the ease, the mobility. But what made my journey so relaxing is now making everyday life back home in Germany easier as well. For I am gradually opening up every area of my life to an idea that has the potential to create a social and economic revolution: a seismic shift from possessing to sharing, from owning to using.

The concept is quite simple: if you’re not currently living in your apartment, why not rent it out? Why own a car at all if it stands idle for 23 hours a day?

Why buy an electric drill if it’s only going to be used for an average 12– 14 minutes of its potential service life?

Surely a more intelligent approach would be to have access to everything we need, without the bother and clutter of ownership? These days we are entirely comfortable with sharing photos, opinions, hotel tips and cat videos, not to mention carrying music and literature around with us on a tablet or smartphone wherever we go.

Now the art of sharing is shifting from the digital back to the analog.

For thousands of years, our possessions have been what defined us.

Those who owned a lot were considered to have status and identity. But in our mobile society, possessions have become a millstone around the neck, often more a burden than a blessing.

As we fret constantly about maintenance, insurance, storage and depreciation, many of us are taking a long, hard look at the all the stuff we have amassed over the years: expensive cameras that come out for the annual holiday; DVD box sets, watched once or twice and never again; ­discarded children’s clothing; eveningwear – why shouldn’t other people have use of them also, and why shouldn’t we benefit through exchanging, selling or lending? The success of car and cycle sharing models such as Car2Go and

i

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

ci t y t o u r around Istanbul with the C-Class.

SLS AMG Coupe Black Series

CLA 220 CDI

Engine / Output

Engine / Output

6.3-liter eight-cylinder, 464 kW at 7,400 rpm; max. torque 635 Nm (468 lb-ft) at 5,500 rpm

2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel, 125 kW at 3,400 to 4,000 rpm; max. torque 350 Nm (258 lb-ft) at 1,400 to 3,400 rpm

Transmission

Transmission

AMG Speedshift DCT 7-speed sports transmission

7G-DCT 7-speed dual clutch automatic

Acceleration

Acceleration

0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.6 s

0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.2 s

Top speed

Top speed

315 km/h (195 mph)

230 km/h (143 mph)

Fuel consumption

Fuel consumption

urban: 19.7 l super plus/100 km (11.9 mpg) inter-urban: 10.2 l super plus/100 km (23 mpg) combined: 13.7 l super plus/100 km (17.1 mpg)

urban: 5.6–5.3 l diesel/100 km (42–44.4 mpg) inter-urban: 3.8–3.6 l diesel/100 km (62–65.3 mpg) combined: 4.5–4.2 l diesel/100 km (52.2–56 mpg)

CO2 emissions (combined)

CO2 emissions (combined)

Energy class G

Energy class A+

321 g/km (516 g/mi)

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(page 16)

117–109 g/km (188–175 g/mi)

phOTOS: Anatol Kotte; Marc Trautmann; Daimler Ag

(page 12)

d r i v e

E 300 BlueTec Hybrid (page 42)

C 250 BlueEfficiency

Engine / Output

Engine / Output

2.2-liter four-cylinder plus hybrid module; output diesel engine 150 kW at 4,200 rpm, max. torque 500 Nm (368 lb-ft) at 1,600 to 1,800 rpm, output electric motor 20 kW, max. torque 250 Nm (184 lb-ft)

1.8-liter four-cylinder, 150 kW at 5,500 rpm; max. torque 310 Nm (228 lb-ft) at 2,000 to 4,300 rpm

Transmission 7-G Tronic Plus 7-speed-automatic

Acceleration 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.5 s

Top speed 242 km/h (150 mph)

Fuel consumption

p u b l i c at i o n d eta i l s

(page 66)

Transmission 7-G Tronic Plus 7-speed-automatic

Acceleration 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.2 s

Top speed 240 km/h (149 mph) Fuel consumption

urban: 4.2–4.1 l diesel/100 km (56–57.3 mpg) inter-urban: 4.2–4.1 l diesel/100 km (56–57.3 mpg) combined: 4.2–4.1 l diesel/100 km (56–57.3 mpg)

urban: 9.0–8.7 l super/100 km (26.1–27 mpg) inter-urban: 5.6–5.1 l super/100 km (42–46.1 mpg) combined: 6.9–6.4 l super/100 km (34–36.7 mpg)

CO2 emissions (combined)

CO2 emissions (combined)

110–107 g/km (177–172 g/mi)

161–150 g/km (259–241 g/mi)

Energy class A+

Energy class C

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

Number 328, 59th year of publication Printed on chlorine-free paper · Printed in Germany 6720032802 ISSN 1617-6677

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she says he says for her, all that matters is whether it maneuvers well despite its size. For him, on the other hand, looks are everything. Or is it the other way round? Women and men have different priorities – especially when it comes to cars.

Here we ask a couple for their views – this time on the SL R129 of 1998.

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w o r ds J e n n y b u c h h o l z

ph o t o s S t e fa n A r m b r u s t e r

askia Wunder and Bernd Katzmarczyk live in Munich (Germany). She’s a film editor, he’s a film director. They live in the central part of the city and can get around mostly on foot.

Nevertheless, they normally use a car on a daily basis, either when work demands it or to transport their Tibetan Terrier, Bob. On our behalf, the couple drove to Milan for the weekend to test the 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL R129. Bob stayed at home on this occasion, much to Saskia’s relief: “The inside of this recent Mercedes classic was all light-colored upholstery and cream carpets. Not that Bob’s a mucky pup – but I fear the pristine interior > would have come off second best.”

d r i v e

pe r f ec t mat ch Saskia, Bernd and the SL outside the Teatro degli Arcimboldi in Milan.

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Saskia, 29

Bernd, 38

Profession

Profession Director of publicity and image films

Television editor

Kilometers per week Sometimes up to 500 (310 miles), depending on job

Kilometers per week At least 50, usually over 100 (30 / 60 miles)

Status Never driven an automatic before

Status Absolute Mercedes novice

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Open A i r Saskia likes her cars to have a bit of an edge.

big, linear and yet elegant enough to create a feeling of restraint rather than ostentation. saskia

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d r i v e

sa s kia When it comes to the crunch, the SL

i w as immedia t e ly taken with the idea

of testing a young classic. I usually work with cutting-edge technology in my job, so in my free time I enjoy exploring the aesthetics of the past.

A recent classic has a much more traditional appeal than most of the round-edged, voluminous spaceships we get today. I liked the SL from the moment I caught sight of its angular lines – big, linear and yet elegant enough to create a feeling of restraint rather than ostentation. Inside, it was like being in a cloud, even the lower part of the instrument display was carpeted. When I got in, I seemed to sink into the seat, just like sitting in an armchair. Legroom was on a par with a private jet, there was so much space you didn’t really need the trunk. But I have to confess I ­only tried the passenger side. As I had never ­driven an automatic before, I thought it best not to practice on such an expensive model. When we drove with the roof down, it felt like I was right at the heart of the action. I felt like I could look right out over the low windscreen. In general, I don’t like gimmicks and gizmos; I prefer things to be simple. And sometimes it amazes me that certain ideas aren’t used in all cars. For example, the three numbered buttons with a pre-set for the seat position. That’s a really practical solution for families with several different drivers: after all, it puts an end to arguments about who last adjusted the seat.

casually accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) as if out for a stroll in the park.

bernd

i SL 500 Engine / Output 5-liter, 8-cylinder, 225 kW at 5,600 rpm; max. torque 460 Nm (339 lb-ft) at 2,700 – 4,250 rpm

Transmission 5-speed automatic

Safety The R129 was the first car to feature an automatic rollover bar that activated in 0.3 seconds in case of emergency. Other innovations showcased at its unveiling in 1989 included seats with integrated head restraint and seatbelt.

Comfort

r espec t !

Bernd is impressed with the SL’s small turning circle.

In addition to an automatic softtop, the R129 also came with a hardtop as standard. A ­partially transparent panorama hardtop was also available as ab option, giving the driver that open-top feeling even throughout the winter months.

be rnd t o b e h o nes t , I was a little concerned that the car would look a bit antiquated – but in fact I really liked it. The SL is kind of the automotive equivalent to James Bond: cool and elegant, but when it comes to the crunch it can casually accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.5 seconds as if out for a stroll in the park. The V-8 engine makes a terrific sound: not overly domineering, but gentle and powerful. Actually, I always combine driving with listening to music, but in this case I chose to do without my CDs so as not to drown out the sound of the engine. I love the car’s analog charm, the fact that each switch on the instrument panel has only one function. And those tiny wipers on the headlights are real cute, you don’t often see gadgets like that anymore. I was also impressed by the turning circle, which – despite the car’s size – was smaller than that of any compact car. It felt like you could turn the wheels 120 degrees. Of course, a car like this is bound to attract a certain amount of attention. It wasn’t long before we were spotted by aficionados, who would slow down and then pass us in slow motion to observe the SL’s detail at their leisure. When we got home again, I spent some time researching how many of these cars are still around and at what kind of price. But I wouldn’t have enough space to own one at the moment – a model like that < deserves to be kept in the warmth of a garage.

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Fashion, glamour, celebrities

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NEVER BEFORE had Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week sparked so much interest as for the shows in which young labels presented their collections, looks and trends for autumn/winter 2013.

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here’s plenty to discover in Berlin. Not just in the city itself, but at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in particular. Unlike Milan and Paris, the German capital majors in young labels showcasing their debut collections. It’s a real magnet for fashionistas, trend-conscious creatives and style-aware Hollywood stars such as Renée Zellweger, Edward Norton and Joseph Fiennes. They flock to Berlin for shows by the likes of Issever Bahri, Kätlin Kaljuvee, Kilian ­Kerner or Laurèl. Highlights include the Fashion Night jointly staged by Mercedes-Benz and Vogue. Its focus was on the new campaign motif for the CLA, a spectacular piece of teamwork by star photographer Ryan McGinley, creative director Jefferson Hack – founder of legendary style mag Dazed & Confused – and supermodel Karlie Kloss.

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PHotos: A _way (1); Get t yimages (4); Br auer Photos (5); Agency Blow_Up! (1); DDP Images (1)

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M O M E N T S

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1. New line: the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Show at the Brandenburg Gate 2. All white on the night: Karlie Kloss 3. Christiane Arp, editor of German Vogue (left), with photographer Ellen von Unwerth 4. British actor Joseph Fiennes with partner Maria Dolores Dieguez (center), model Franziska Knuppe and catwalk guests 5. Streetstyle by Hugo Boss next to the CLA 6. Fashion Show by Agne Kuzmickaite, Igrida Zabere and Kätlin Kaljuvee 7. Rapper B-Tight 8. Celebrity guests Renée Zellweger and 9. Edward Norton 10. The Barre Noire show 11. Actor/ singer Eddie Redmayne 12. Photographer Ryan McGinley (center) with Karlie Kloss and Jefferson Hack

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combining cars and fashion in one photo is fascinating. rya n m c g inle y

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karlie is fearless.

She’s always prepared to go one step further.

That’s how art is created. jefferson hack

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ICONS At t en t i o n A ssis t

t he b eans Arabica or robusta?

Robusta beans, which contain far more caffeine, were looked down upon in days gone by. But now they are much more refined, and well-balanced blends are increasingly gaining in popularity.

t he g r ind Grinding your coffee in advance is a no-no. Ask perfectionists why they grind their beans “on demand” in the portafilter and they’ll tell you: coffee loses around 60 percent of its aroma in the 15 minutes after grinding.

A COFFEE CUP in a Mercedes display is Attention Assist’s way of warning the driver of creeping fatigue.

Time, then, for a hit of caffeine. But what’s the secret of a good espresso?

T H E FOR M UL A 7–9–25–25 – there’s no other way. Seven grams of ground coffee meets 9 bar of pressure; 25 seconds in the making = 25 milliliters of the black gold. This is true espresso.

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t he C r ema An indication of the taste to come. If there isn’t any crema, walk away.

Ideally it will be light reddish-brown in color.

If it’s a very light hue, however, the espresso will often be too bitter.

t he c u p It should be thickwalled and preheated to prevent the espresso shedding taste during extraction – and going cold in seconds.

phOTOS: Glow Images; Fotolia Words: tobias nebl

t he M achine Good coffee arrives via a portafilter, not a vending machine.

The handsome Faema E61 espresso maker is a classic of its kind.

It went on sale back in 1961, but the technology under all that chrome remains relevant today.

T H E RUL E S OF CONDUCT Purists drink it neat, hedonists like to treat themselves to a sprinkle or two of sugar.

Unrefined muscovado cane sugar is what you really want; it comes in a sliding scale of light (for a hint of caramel) to dark (for a mild malt/licorice taste). Or why not try a drop of honey…