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Dear Reader,

The set of a promotional shoot is generally not the best place to have a deep conversation – it’s a buzzing hive of activity, and the strict schedule leaves little extra time. That’s how it is inside the dimly lit combined heat and power plant in Berlin’s Mitte district: youth footballers pass balls to one another while an assistant rigs fluorescent lighting, and water is poured on the concrete floor to create a specific lighting effect. The set manager calls for silence. In the middle of it all, ­completely relaxed, is Joachim Löw, head coach of Germany’s national football team. He flashes a grin of acknowledgement as the young players practice dribbling. We head to the old control centre of the former power station to conduct the interview – but not before an espresso. A dozen stagehands are getting things ready for the conversation to be captured on film. Then the chatter stops. Löw is completely focussed by the time the first question is posed. He talks about the emotional roller coaster of winning the 2014 World Cup, and how he plans to make his team even better for the upcoming world championship. When asked what keeps him going, his response is simple: “Football is my life,” he says. Thousands of kilometres away, a scorcher of a morning has dawned in Austin, Texas. Young German DJ Felix Jaehn is well rested and in a good mood, despite having worked a party the night before. We’re about to go out in an E-Class Coupé so he can show us his favourite spots in this fashionable city; whenever he gets a break, the DJ puts his headphones on, shuts his eyes, and relaxes into the track. Music is Jaehn’s passion – he wouldn’t have achieved his incredible success otherwise. i Above: Joachim Löw, Dedication and commitment is what brings out the best of us head coach of the in whatever it is we do. The Mercedes me German football team, magazine app: during the photo We hope you enjoy the read! mbmag.me/ shoot in Berlin mb-app-ios Below: photo shoot mbmag.me/

NEUMANN UND RODTMANN, PRIVATE NEUMANN UND RODTMANN, PHOTOS NEUMANN UND RODTMANN PHOTO COVER in Austin, Texas The Editorial Team mb-app-android

March 2018 3 Mercedes CONTENTS CONTENTS

Start Imagine Drive

03 Workshop Joachim Löw 24 What are fuel cells capable of? The new A-Class: the car Behind the scenes 18 Does it get better than the best? A test drive through Tokyo, 60 Intuitive mobility that you immediately understand the hydrogen capital of the world 06 Contributors Reporters, photo- 32 Automated driving graphers and illustrators On tour in the S-Class in this issue 36 Autonomous parking 08 Imprint A look at a completely novel pilot project

38 The Race of Life Essay: If fractions of a second give us unforgettable experiences, why do we waste so much time?

48 eSports Melek Balgün from Cologne talks about the popularity of computer games 18 ‘The inner flame’ 52 A-Class: movers Exclusive interview and shakers 58 Ideas for tomorrow with Germany’s world How do you design a car Daimler designers’ best visions champion coach that people understand? for the future

The big tour Drive of the future 32 An automated S-Class on 24 Through Tokyo in a GLC F-Cell pre-series model world tour: What can we learn?

60 The new A-Class 62 The new G-Class 10 Simplex & co. The vehicle with exciting Faithful to the original, The best Mercedes-Benz 70 features that might just set updated for today moments, ideas and tips new standards in its class Felix Jaehn 66 The new C-Class 14 Road to happiness A joyride through The best in class just Visit us online at: In this issue: the Amalfi 48 Austin in the E-Class got better mbmag.me/ Coast, southern Italy me-magazine eSports 70 E-Class Coupé 16 Dates The face of the gaming boom: Touring Austin with star A look at the best host Melek Balgün German DJ Felix Jaehn Daimler events and what’s happening in 80 Facts the next three months News from Mercedes-Benz

82 Think tank ‘We must catch up’

ILLUSTRATIONS JINDRICH NOVOTNY by Katherine Maher, PHOTOS NEUMANN UND RODTMANN, Wikimedia Foundation JAN VAN ENDERT, INSTAGRAM/MELEK BALGÜN, IGOR PANITZ, JENS RÜSSMANN

Mercedes 4 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 5 Mercedes CONTRIBUTORS

Creators of For this Mercedes me magazine, our reporters and photographers were in Tokyo, Austin, Cologne and this edition – virtually at least – on all five continents

2 4

3 5 1

Melbourne (and elsewhere), Cologne, Austin, Tokyo, Tel Aviv

1 Jindrich Novotny – Melbourne 2 Iris Mydlach – Cologne 3 Jens Rüßmann – Austin (and elsewhere) Our author met Melek Balgün, the The photographer joined DJ Felix Jaehn One illustrator, two stories: ‘The road face of the eSports scene in an E-Class Coupé for Mercedes me to happiness’ and ‘The big tour’

The illustrator was sitting These mega events draw thou- When Jens Rüßmann was at his desk, but he might as sands of spectators to arenas booked for this shoot, the well have been halfway around and stadiums, with millions thought of Texas called to mind the world – tagging along on more following online. eSports clichés of cow­boys, golden prai- 5 Laureus Project: ‘Change the game for kids’ – the automated S-Class test is booming all around the world. ries, and mountains of meat. a basketball initiative in Israel. drive around the world that And Mercedes-Benz is also part Austin was different: a city full Social sports bring us together he was illustrating. And our of the action as a sponsor. Who of music, graffiti and students. and make the world a road to happiness? Novotny are the gamers on this scene? It has an atmosphere of infec- friendlier and more peaceful place. has only visited southern “They’re mostly very young, in- tious, ­“hippy” bohemianism. Italy’s Amalfi Coast on his telligent people,” Iris Mydlach Though he was happy to note PlayStation, but this project explains, “capable of making up one cliché that did hold true: has piqued his interest to eight decisions per second – Austin gave our photographer in seeing it in real life. and then executing them.” the biggest barbecue of his life.

4 Jan van Endert – Tokyo The 43-year-old photographer from Hamburg travels the world for stories and advertising campaigns. In Japan’s capital city, he was the first to shoot one of the pre-series models Mercedes-Benz is a founding partner of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. TECHNO CLASSICA, ESSEN ...the ultimate cabrio jacket. Established in 2000, the foundation How did you react to being asked We wanted the images to convey HALLE 3.0 | STAND 128 is a fundamental component of to photograph a Mercedes-Benz a sense of the city’s vibrancy, so 21.-25. MÄRZ 2018 Mercedes-Benz’s social responsibility pre-series model in Tokyo? we chose locations like the famous activities, and is committed to With joy! Tokyo is a wonderful city – Shibuya Crossing. supporting disadvantaged children I’m a big fan. Despite its size Is this metropolis really one of RETRO CLASSICS, STUTTGART and youth through global sports and hectic pace, I’m always able your favourite cities? HALLE 1 | STAND D12 projects. It helps young people to to relax there. Absolutely! Tokyo is totally unique – 22.-25. MÄRZ 2018 build up values, confidence and How did you find the right there’s not another city like it in the skills in order to become responsible locations for the shoot? world. Even though it can be a bit (2), JULIA FRANZ, TRENT PERRET PRIVATE AG, DAIMLER individuals capable of making I was already familiar with some cramped, the people are friendly and

better lives for themselves. of the locations from previous trips. it’s surprisingly relaxed. PHOTOS

Mercedes 6 Mercedes-Benz

MB_mag_HeinzBauer.indd 1 31.01.18 12:49 IMPRINT IMPRINT North Sardinia, just a stone’s throw away Issue number 356 (64th year) of the Mercedes-Benz magazine appears in 40 languages around the world Isola Rossa and has a circulation of 2.4 million copies

Publisher Graphic designers Advertising Copyright This magazine is also Daimler AG Jule Pfeiffer Looping Studios in The reproduction and available to read in the App Mercedesstraße 137 Dominik Leiner cooperation with utilisation of the maga- Store and on Google Play: 70327 Stuttgart Lucy Lepstück iq media marketing zine or extracts thereof i mbmag.me/ Germany Dagmar Nothjung GmbH is subject to the explicit mb-app-ios Photography editors written consent of Address i mbmag.me/ Anna Simdon Advertising manager Daimler AG. No respon- Daimler AG · HPC 0736 mb-app-android Isabella Hager [email protected] sibility is accepted for 70546 Stuttgart, Final copy editing Tel. +49 40 3280-345 texts and photographs ­Germany wordinc GmbH International sales submitted on a specu- Responsible on behalf Final graphic design sales-international lative basis. Articles of the publisher Dominik Leiner @iqm.de for which the author’s Gesina Schwengers Sabine von Bassewitz Tel. +49 211 887-2347 name is provided do Annette Maier Managing directors Lifestyle not necessarily reflect Dr Robin Houcken [email protected] the opinions of the Corporate publishing Dr Dominik Wichmann patricia.rudiger publisher or editorial manager @iqm.de department. Errors and Tim In der Smitten Sales Tel. +49 69 2424-4511 omissions in the infor- Counselling board Daimler AG Financial services mation on equipment Britta Seeger (chair) Uwe Haspel christian.leopold and accessories except- Gesina Schwengers @iqm.de ed. For binding data Natanael Sijanta Readers’ service Tel. +49 0211 887-2325 and prices, please con- Dr Jens Thiemer Zenit Pressevertrieb Regional sult the respective Andreas von Wallfeld GmbH Düsseldorf, Germany valid Daimler AG sales Postfach 81 05 80 marion.weskamp documents. We provide Concept and 70552 Stuttgart @iqm.de all other information in ­editorial team Germany Tel. +49 211 887-2055 this magazine to the Looping Studios, an Tel. 0800 0010001 Frankfurt, Germany best of our knowledge Olando GmbH brand, leserservice@ christian.leopold and in good faith, Prannerstraße 11 zenit-presse.de @iqm.de but assume no liability 80333 Munich Tel. +49 69 2424-4510 for its accuracy. Germany Annual Berlin/Hamburg, subscription Germany Mercedes me Editor-in-chief EUR 22 · CHF 34 · matthias.schalamon is ­published on a Rüdiger Barth MercedesCard holder @iqm.de quarterly basis. ­(responsible pursuant membership includes Tel. +49 40 30183-102 to German press law) subscription. Munich/Stuttgart, Printed on chlorine- Art director Germany free bleached paper · Peter Harasim Production [email protected] Printed in Germany Managing editors Laudert GmbH + Co. KG Tel. +49 89 545907-29 6720 0348 02 Stefan Vitti Magellanstraße 1 ISSN 0949-6998 Sally Johnson 70771 Leinfelden- Contributing Echterdingen editors Germany Petra Baumann Marc Bielefeld Printing Ina Brzoska Stark Druck Jörg Heuer GmbH + Co. KG Kathrin Maier Im Altgefäll 9 * The values specified were Maya Morlock 75181 Pforzheim determined on the basis of the stipulated testing procedures. Iris Mydlach Germany This applies to the ‘measured

Johannes Schweikle NEDC CO2 values’ pursuant to Art. 2, No. 1 and 2 of the Alexandros Stefanidis Implementing Regulation (EU) Laura Wagner 2017/1153. The information Palau Santa Teresa Gallura Isola Rossa provided does not relate Jan Wilms to one individual vehicle and does not form part of our offer, watch the video but is intended to facilitate comparison between different vehicle types. +39 0789 790018 | [email protected] | delphinahotels.co.uk | Olbia-Alghero 100% green energy Mercedes-Benz 8 Mercedes December 2017 9 Mercedes-Benz Read our interview about Mercedes-Benz’s concepts for the mobility of the future Start on page 12.

The moment Pioneer in the land of pioneers: the Mercedes-Simplex 40 hp Here around San Francisco, people can’t believe their ­integrated organically into the front. Navigating the eyes: What is this car? Is it a genuine Mercedes? It is, Californian traffic during our time was Mercedes Classic indeed. There’s nearly 120 years of history between this expert Michael Plag – he could probably take the car Mercedes-Simplex 40 hp and today’s vehicles, but it apart and put it back together again in his sleep. Our was a harbinger of a new type of mobility in its time. In route took the pioneer through Silicon Valley, the cradle 1902, the Simplex was the embodiment of a truly of digital thinking, where Mercedes-Benz has been revolutionary concept: mounted deep inside the frame, its working on the future of the car since 1995. (Read STEPHEN REUSS/DAIMLER AG REUSS/DAIMLER STEPHEN engine was lightweight in relation to the power it was more about the Mercedes-Simplex in the new edition

FOTO capable of delivering, and the honeycomb radiator was of Mercedes Classic, 01/2018.)

Mercedes 10 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 11 Mercedes Pole Enjoy Future Talks at position in style the press of a button From the CES in Las Vegas to SXSW in Austin, Mercedes-Benz is pre­ senting the me Future Talks at the New products that enrich our lives: most important trend expos in the smart accessories and cool gadgets world, inviting the world’s leading ity, shared services and autonomous driving. Mover minds to describe their visions Our approach is to combine products, tech- and shaker: of the future. The website offers live nologies and services to create a seamless Wilko Stark streams of all me Future Talks as ecosystem of mobile solutions. Daimler is well as an archive of previous talks, So ornate pooling all of its areas of expertise in order including those from the very first Writing utensils, me Convention in autumn 2017. to translate new forms of mobility into an from €1,450 i mbmag.me/future-talks integrated vehicle concept. These fountain and When will we see the first autonomous car? ballpoint pens are finely handcrafted in We are currently at level 2, at which parti­­ ally­ So colourful Hamburg, Germany Light bulbs, automated driving is possible on motorways and made to meet from €54.99 and ordinary highways as well as in urban their users’ LIFX light bulbs add areas. At this level, Distronic Plus with steer- individual needs. colour to your life i elbwood.de ing assist can offer drivers some welcome and can be controlled respite in a multitude of situa­tions – in te­ via Wi-Fi. dious stop-and-go traffic, for example. Of i eu.lifx.com course, the driver has to be prepared to take the wheel at any minute. So when will the driver be able to kick back and relax? It’s a big jump from partial and conditional automation to autonomous driving in a robo- What is the future of mobility? So practical taxi – which would be level 4/5. This is be- Power bank, An interview with Wilko Stark, cause the requirements in terms of comput- €55 head of Daimler Strategy, Mercedes-Benz ing performance increase dramatically from Who couldn’t use a automation level to automation level. But we So delectable bit of extra energy Cars Product Strategy & Planning, and CASE have been working intensively on series Nanopresso, every now and then? This portable development projects both for level 3 and for €58 Do you ever crave charger lets you level 4/5 vehicles for quite some time. And an espresso in the charge in style. Mr Stark, will the new product brand if you’re familiar with the usual product de- ­middle of nowhere? i kreafunk.com EQ mark the dawning of a new era for velopment time frames, you’ll know that the This appliance Mercedes-Benz? launch of these systems is not too far off at uses no electricity. Absolutely. We will see a proper avalanche all. To be more specific, we are set to launch i wacaco.com of new models, with a new electric vehicle conditional-automation vehicles (level 3) as being released every six to eight months. By well as full-automation vehicles (levels 4/5) the end of 2022, we’ll have 10 different in 2020/2021. However, in addition to our electric cars in our portfolio, covering every own technical development work, we’ll also segment – from smart cars to SUVs and need legislators to put the corresponding grand saloons. At the same time, we’ll be legal framework in place. More charging expanding the charging station infrastruc- What are you personally most looking ­stations for Europe ture and developing new, intelligent charging forward to when cars can drive them- solutions. selves? Daimler AG collaborated with other So beautiful What is the strategic objective? Firstly, to the estimated lower incidence of manufacturers to establish IONITY, Table tennis top At Mercedes-Benz we want to be pioneers in accidents. After all, nine out of 10 accidents a European high-power charging net- (walnut), €5,190 the transition the automotive industry is cur- result from human error. And also to the work. By 2020 there will be 400 high- After the match, just speed charging ­stations in place, ­remove the net to use

rently undergoing. Not just in the field of fact that my car will feel like my living room. supplying up to 350 kW to ensure AKASE MOKKO ELBWOOD, LIFX, KREAFUNK, WACACO/NANOPRESSO, FREUND, OSSI/MVRDV, STEFAN AG, DAIMLER the dinner table and electromobility, but in all of the future fields I’ll have time to do the things I couldn’t do more reliability over longer distances. ­refuel for the next bout.

that fall under what we call CASE: connectiv- while driving. i ionity.eu PHOTOS i masterwal.jp

Mercedes 12 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 13 Mercedes The road The route: Sorrento to Ravello The distance: 38 km eastward on the SS 163 to happiness Journey length: 90 minutes – minimum! Italy – the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfitana may be a ­classic, but the way the ­asphalt winds through bottle­ necks and beneath overhang­ ing rocks makes this pictur­ Excellent Choice esque route in southern Italy, near Naples, a real adventure. As the cliffs get higher and To many, a car is just a vehicle. To car people, a vehicle is a companion – both higher, the view of the coast culture and passion that deserves appreciation. For those who are equally opens up far below, with the blue water of the Gulf of fascinated by a cultivated lifestyle of driving and the preservation of vehicular ­Salerno. Every village is worth visiting. Take a souvenir beauty, we have developed NIGRIN Black Label. The essence of decades of home with you, for instance: experience and expertise: a care series of the highest order. the famous lemon ­liqueur, ­‘limoncello’. We recommend travelling from west to east, to keep the sea on your side.

Ciao, Minori: Feel like taking a dip in the sea?

5

1 2

3 4

1 Snacks 2 Stores 3 Sun 4 Sips 5 Sleep ‘Gelateria David’, in Famous, packed, and A spot much loved by Are you craving pizza Built into cliffs, with a Sorrento, has been magnificent all the romantics. The best and exquisite limon­ seawater whirlpool and a family-owned for three same: Positano. The sunset on the entire cello? Head to Trattoria terrace to the sea, the generations. A must: the ­f a­shion created here is coast can be seen in da Maria, directly be­ ‘Marmorata’ is the stuff tomato-basil ice cream! perfect­ for summer. Visi­ Praiano. hind Amalfi Cathedral. of dreams (double rooms www.nigrin.com i gelateriadavid­ tors will find several bou­ i comune.praiano. i amalfitrattoria starting at 170 euros).

sorrento.it tiques on Viale Pasitea. sa.it damaria.com i marmorata.it NOVOTNY JINDRICH ILLUSTRATION SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO

Mercedes 14 Mercedes-Benz

AD_NIGRIN_BL_215x270mm_EN.indd 1 02.02.18 16:01 Dates Beautiful, entertaining, important: Daimler the top events through June 2018 events

15.–28.3.2018 Dialogue Writers meet their readers: the English-language literature festival is the biggest of its kind in Shanghai. i mbmag.me/literature

An eventful 2018 Drive better Attendees of Mercedes-Benz driving events will learn how to ­manoeuvre off-road, on ice, or relaxed in a classic model. i mercedes-benz.com/ driving-events

Interconnected She’s Mercedes Lounge 5.–7.4.2018 The She’s Mercedes webinars offer Eureka! tips on topics such as networking Vibrant pop culture: fans are sure to and time management. And on top of get their money’s worth at the Middle that: they’re free! East Film & Comic Con in Dubai. i webinare.mercedes-me- i mefcc.com lounge.com

Any time March and April 2018 Front row On tour 2.–7.5.2018 Be there live from your computer Bob Dylan is still doing it. when Mercedes-Benz celebrates A mighty voice Catch him in your city on his ­special occasions – like the G-Class Jazz singer Randy Crawford is making a stop in the United Kingdom on her tour: ­European tour. in Detroit in January. she will be opening the Cheltenham Jazz Festival and captivating the audience i bobdylan.com i mbmag.me/livestreams1 with her warm, powerful voice. i cheltenhamfestivals.com

19.–22.4.2018 Artsy 14.5.2018 Photographs, sculp- A hit show tures, paintings: Songs from each season, visual effects, visitors are invited Westeros up close and personal: to admire over the world of Game of Thrones on tour 400 artists and their throughout Europe and North America. work at the ArtExpo i mbmag.me/got in New York. i artexpo 9.–17.6.2018 newyork.com A hefty exchange 19.5.2018 The tennis balls will be flying at the MercedesCup in Stuttgart – Next stop world-class tennis at its finest. New route, old backdrop: Formula E Will superstar Roger Federer show up is visiting Germany, on again this year? GUENTER MEIER/DAIMLER AG, MIDDLE EAST FILM & COMIC CON, ANDREW RINKHY, ROBERT J. HIBBS/PHOTO SOLUTIONS, MERCEDESCUP/PAUL ZIMMER MERCEDESCUP/PAUL SOLUTIONS, J. HIBBS/PHOTO ROBERT CON, FILM & COMIC ANDREW RINKHY, MIDDLE EAST AG, GUENTER MEIER/DAIMLER the grounds of the now-defunct i mercedescup.de Berlin-Tempelhof airport.

i e-formel.de PHOTOS

Mercedes 16 Mercedes-Benz The man in charge: Löw, 58, on the set of the Imagine promotional shoot for Mercedes-Benz in Berlin

THE INNE R FLAME Joachim Löw, head coach of Germany’s national football team, wants to make the world champions even better.

How is that possible?

Mercedes 18 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 19 Mercedes champion coach everyone will be trying to of your soul. With every cell of your body, you than is expected of them. Many younger beat this summer – is here for the shoot. We want to achieve your objective and you want players exhibit a really high level of profes- spoke with him on set. to be the best. And then once it’s done, when sionalism. They give a lot of thought to their Mr Löw, you draw a distinction between you get there, you hit a wall. This is inevita- own performance, all day, every day. And defending the World Cup title and wanting ble and natural: the body must ultimately one change I’ve noticed over my 12 years as to win it. What kind of mindset does a respond to the pressure. You lose energy. You head coach is that players today are more team need to become the world champion? lose concentration and the ability to stay “You want it with every bit willing to learn than the generation before. Joachim Löw: Above all, what you need is alert. This power slump is just as extreme as Where some things used to be rather set in immense mental strength. When you com- everything you went through at the other end of your heart and every stone, the current generation is receptive, pete with the best of the best, you have to be of the curve. It can take quite a bit of time to bit of your soul. You want curious and scrutinising. They ask, “What ready to encounter incredible resistance. absorb a victory, and everyone has to do it in else can we do? What else can we try?” And Matches are often played on a knife-edge: a their own way. to be the best” they’re capable of quickly executing new single mistake could spell the end. So we Is that why you’ve recruited a number of things too – that’s also important. They re- don’t start working just a few days or weeks younger players – to pull off the feat ceive top-notch training at the club boarding before a tournament – we’re continually again? schools and at performance centres, as well training for it. As a coach, one thing is clear to me: it’s as a proper education at the academies – You once said that the team needed a difficult to repeat a victory at this level with they learn how to learn. bit of time to digest the 2014 World Cup the same recipe, the same team, the same You often talk about a plan that players victory before being able to “obsess” over people. need to follow. Where do you see room for details again. Can you tell us what this So world champions need to redefine improvement for yourself? was like? themselves? Oh there are plenty of things I could do bet- It was a long process. The core of our team Football is constantly moving forward as ter. Just like everyone else. has been together since 2010. We were ridi- countries learn from their results and But, Mr Löw, you have won titles both at culed in 2012 for losing against Italy in the improve their skills. Over a cycle of two or the World Cup and the 2017 Confedera- semi-finals of the European Championship; three years, you need new people, new blood. tions Cup! we made mistakes that we had to learn from. Mixing things up can prove to be fruitful. I take care not to develop tunnel vision in my And then there’s the enormous emotional You have recruited a total of 94 rookies job. I like to see the sport from a bird’s-eye aspect that a tournament involves. You give throughout your career as head coach so view: I watch matches in other countries and it your all; you’re focused and your eyes are far. How long does it take for you to know send my coaches and scouts South America, on the prize – both as an individual and as a whether a young player is destined to be Africa and Asia. How do teams train in other team. You’re pushed right to your physical one of the best? countries? How do they prepare their players? and psychological limits. And then suddenly, Well first of all, I like to experiment. If it Is there anything that we haven’t seen before? you’ve won. You’re being celebrated every- works, good. If not, move on. You can make Sometimes it’s just an observation or two that where you go. It’s a real thrill. a judgment on a 20-year-old’s talent and will- makes it into our training programme. How long does it last? power, but it’s hard to say what the future What keeps you going after all this time? Until it all starts over again in a couple of will hold. After they’ve played some good Probably the simple fact that I love doing weeks. You’re back at zero. And even though matches, there are a number of external what I do. I grew up with football, and I you know that the things you’ve previously factors that can affect what happens next: done are no longer what’s important, you they become famous – everybody wants can’t help but revel in the euphoria of it all. something from them, they’re offered new This brings the risk of thinking that it will contracts. Before all that happened, they were Biography INTERVIEW: RÜDIGER BARTH all just happen again the same way. But that’s able to simply concentrate on football. I can Above: Timo Werner It was a serious injury that PHOTOS: NEUMANN UND RODTMANN not how it works. tell you from experience that some players is one of his eager brought Joachim Löw’s success- Angelique Kerber of Germany became fall down a hole at this point. Some of them new players. ­ful career as a forward to a halt. Right: Löw leads a ith its towering columns that number one in women’s tennis and then get back on their feet, others don’t. Our stand- young team to victory Among his accolades as a club disappear into the darkness, her game took a downturn. Formula 1 ards are high – in fact, they don’t get any coach is the 1997 German Cup at the dress rehearsal for title he won with VfB Stuttgart. you’d be forgiven for suppos- world champion Nico Rosberg resigned higher: we want to be the benchmark in in- the World Cup in 2017. Since 2006, Löw has served ing the old combined heat and after winning his title, citing the enormous ternational football. That’s why we’re always as head coach of Germany’s Wpower station in Berlin’s Mitte district was a pressure he faced before races and focused towards the best. national team, successfully cathedral as you looked around its interior. the resulting loss of sleep. Enough was The best never stop wanting to learn. Do you leading them to victory at the Puddles of water on the concrete floor reflect enough. agree with the saying, “the best never rest”? Löw’s World Cup 2014 World Cup and again at promotional video for the 2017 Confederation Cup, the fluorescent lighting that has been set up Success comes at a high price. You spend all Absolutely. For me, it’s important to know Mercedes-Benz will be in Russia. He currently resides for production of the new World Cup advert this time preparing for something; you want whether a player is willing to progress and released in late March:

in Freiburg, Germany. for Mercedes-Benz. Joachim Löw – the world it with every bit of your heart and every bit GETTY DDP IMAGES, IMAGES PHOTOS to learn, whether they are willing to do more mbmag.me/loew

Mercedes 20 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 21 Mercedes IMAGINE

Spain. We used to have to face them with fight, commitment and willpower, but these The new Mercedes me magazine app are the new requirements for the job. After all, if you want to be a maths professor, you should be able to solve one times one. Above Download now for free. all though, our players have strong charac- ters: they never give up and have developed winner mentalities. Who will be the toughest rival for you at the World Cup in Russia? Argentina has Lionel Messi and a number of other good players. France has progressed immensely in the last four, five years; they have many quick, young players who are both physically strong and technically skilled. I still regard Spain highly, and England is prov- ing to be a worthy opponent. Just look at their youth teams’ victories. And Brazil? Brazil too. Especially Brazil. Despite their 1:7 loss to Germany in the World Cup semi-finals? Are they not a bit traumatised? That was obviously the biggest disaster in the history of Brazilian football. The entire country was alight with World Cup fever and the pressure on Brazil was immense. They sunk deeper and deeper into themselves with every goal we scored. Initially the Brazilians were in a state of shock – but they turned it around. They told themselves: “We never want to go through that again.” With a new coach and new players, they are a complete- ly different team than they were three years ago. Brazil has always had great footballers with technical finesse, but now they’re in a position to work hard for success. We saw them play a few times in the qualification and observed how disciplined they were. Brazil will be one of the favourites. There’s no question about it. It’s really remarkable, wasn’t able to fulfil my hope of a great career and admirable to see. In his element: “Football,” as a player. When the national team is to- In comparison to previous years, you seem the coach says, “is my life.” gether, I enjoy being there every day. And incredibly relaxed as this World Cup ap- Enjoy all stories of this issue on the go. the players should feel good too – that creates proaches. Is that really the case? the best results. I want to help them keep Experience helps. I’ve been through quite Consolation after Brazil’s 1:7 loss in the semi-finals of their inner flame alight and show them how a bit, from magical moments to crushing the World Cup. Brazil is to love what they do. That’s what keeps me disappointments. And I’ve learned that even one of Löw’s top picks for going. Football is my life. those major disappointments for which the 2018 World Cup. What makes your team so special? you get relentlessly criticised help you to We’ve made major progress in our game progress. It’s important to remember that

Joachim Löw at age 20, over the last few years. These days we play disappointment is just as temporary as in 1980, when he played for with a certain ease and creativity that allow success, and that the sport is always moving iOS: mbmag.me/mb-app-ios

VfB Stuttgart us to keep pace with teams like Brazil and forward. (2) GETTY IMAGO IMAGES, PHOTOS Android: mbmag.me/mb-app-android

Mercedes 22 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 23 Mercedes

me_012018_037_Fueller_me-App_EN_final2_23 23 08.02.18 15:44 Our goal is clear

Presenting the Mercedes-Benz GLC F-CELL – the next generation of fuel-cell technology. We took a pre-series model* with us on a trip to Tokyo, the hydrogen capital of the world

Tokyo, one of the world’s busiest cities. The more environmen- tally friendly the transport, the higher

the quality of life. PURCHASE. FOR YET AVAILABLE * THE MODEL IS NOT

March 2018 25 Mercedes IMAGINE

Technical data Mercedes-Benz GLC F-Cell (pre-series vehicle)

CO2 emissions (g/km): 0

H2 range when in hybrid mode (NEDC): 437 km* Battery-electric range when in battery mode (NEDC): 49 km Engine: Electric engine Battery: Lithium-ion Fuel cell: PEM (polymer electrolyte mem- brane fuel cell) Rated output: 147 kW Maximum torque: 350 Nm Top speed: 160 km/h (limited)

H2 tank capacity: 4.4 kg (usable pursuant to SAE J2601, 2014 or more recent) Battery capacity (gross/net): 13.8 kWh / 9.3 kWh

* Measurement conducted in the presence of TÜV (Ger- man inspection association)

Out and about in Tokyo’s trendy Shibuya district. The GLC glides almost The pre-series model of the GLC F-Cell in downtown Tokyo, at one of the busiest crossroads in the world. Shibuya is loud, colourful, raucous, and obsessed with the futuristic silently through the city.

Mercedes 26 Mercedes-Benz Mercedes IMAGINE

The pre-series model drives over Rainbow Bridge, one of Tokyo’s best-known landmarks.

Station attendant Mori Saroshi is very pleased to have chanced upon the car TEXT: JÖRG HEUER with the test-vehicle PHOTOS: JAN VAN ENDERT number plates.

Within a fuel cell, direct current is generated. The processes involved are complex

t’s one of those big, universal dreams: liveliest of Tokyo’s 23 districts. Here, the streets N finding a way to derive energy from wa- W E are lined with restaurants, bars, shopping­ malls ELECTROLYSIS: HYDROGEN IS TRANSFORMED INTO Nagano ter. Just thinking about it feels somehow S and elegant boutiques, and filled with thou- pure and inspiring. Back in the early sands of people. Shibuya is loud, colour­ful, ENERGY I1870s, French author and co-founder of sci- TOKYO raucous, and obsessed with the futuristic. ence-fiction Jules Verne wrote in his novel ‘The Mysterious Island’, “Yes, my friends, I Shizuoka Paying a visit to a pioneer H2 O2 Osaka believe that water will one day be employed JAPAN Japan’s largest metropolis is considered the as fuel, that hydrogen and oxygen which con- hydrogen capital of the world. Nowhere else stitute it, used singly or together, will furnish is so much energy derived from fuel cells, an inexhaustible source of heat and light of nowhere else has such a wide network of an intensity of which coal is not capable.” hydrogen fuel stations. By 2020, Japan aims The smallest and lightest of all elements, to have invested more than 330 million euros OXYGEN hydrogen has the highest energy density Taito in infrastructure and subsidies for hydro- HYDROGEN values per kilogram of all energy carriers TOKYO gen-powered vehicles, as part of its long-term used today. Of course, Jules Verne won’t have strategy to establish hydrogen as a key had road traffic in mind when he made his energy carrier. There is even talk of shifting prediction. In 1870, Carl Benz was still a dec- Shibuya much of the country’s electricity production WATER ade and a half away from inventing the car. to fuel-cell technology. Japan already has For a long time, the technology remained a more than 200,000 micro fuel-cell systems. utopian vision. But then came the prototypes. Minato These produce electricity for cars, buses, And today, fuel cells – that environmentally trucks, refrigerators and street lamps, as well friendly technology able to transform water as heat for homes and industrial facilities. It ANODE CATHODE into electricity to propel electric engines (see also has 85 hydrogen refuelling stations, infographic on page 29) – in cars have be- which, while it may not sound like a lot, is CATALYTIC CONVERTER come a reality. the highest number of any country in the Tokyo, Japan. The Mercedes-Benz GLC F-Cell world. Japan therefore leads the field when PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE H2O pre-series model glides almost silently across it comes to this very promising, yet still high- one of the world’s busiest road junctions. It is ly complex technology. late in the evening, but the countless But what makes hydrogen so challenging A fuel cell is constructed like a sandwich. In the have been drilled. Flowing through these chan- electrodes. Connecting the two electrodes gen- ­illuminated billboards make it feel almost like for engineers and scientists? Hydrogen is a middle is a plastic film – the proton exchange nels are hydrogen on the one side, oxygen on the erates direct current. Water and heat are pro- membrane. Both sides of the membrane are other. The catalyst splits the hydrogen atoms into duced as byproducts in this process. The day. Since it was first presented at the IAA in small, rapidly diffusing molecule. Generating coated with a thin catalyst film and a gas-perme- protons and electrons. The protons penetrate the GLC F-Cell draws its power from an assembly Frankfurt last autumn, the F-Cell has been it is difficult, and storing it, in particular for able electrode. Sandwiching the membrane are membrane while the electrons do not. In this way, comprising several of these fuel cells, which is undergoing public tests. Today, the fuel-cell the fuelling of cars, has long proved highly two bipolar plates, into which tiny gas channels an electric current is generated between the two referred to as the stack.

car is turning heads in Shibuya, one of the complex and problematic. FREUND STEFAN DOMINIK LEINER RIGHT PHOTO INFOGRAPHIC

Mercedes 28 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 29 Mercedes

Tokyo is perpetually The ‘F-Cell’ on the tail of buzzing these days, the pre-series car, a and stillness is rarely to vehicle not available be found. for purchase, stands for fuel cell.

In 1975, Mercedes-Benz introduced F-Cell: the driving modes The following day. The sun shines bright- with the respective availability of refuelling fuel cell charges the battery, doing away the world’s first hydrogen-powered test ly as we cruise over Rainbow Bridge, one of stations. And while the current refuelling Professor Dr with the need to find a plug socket or re­ Christian Mohrdieck ­vehicle with a hybrid storage tank. Expe­ the city’s best-known landmarks, to cross infrastructure is very scattered, development fuelling station. Hybrid Head of Hydrogen and riments then followed on the 280 TE, the The electric engines draw their power from the Tokyo Bay. Not far from Tokyo Tower, we turn in this area is beginning to accelerate in North Fuel Cell Technology at The fuel cells in the test vehicle are one 230 E, the V-Class and the A-Class. 2011 fuel cells and the battery at the same time. off and head towards a hydrogen refuelling America, Western Europe and Asia, as the Daimler AG third smaller than in previous models, and marked the launch of the ‘Mercedes-Benz station. Station attendant Mori Saroshi, 37, Shell study confirms. Among those seeking compact enough to fit under standard bon- F-Cell World Drive’ in Stuttgart, an event F-Cell welcomes us with a big smile. “I’ve read a to promote fuel-cell technology is the German nets. They have 40% more power than their that would see several fuel-cell-powered The car is powered by hydrogen alone; the fuel cells lot about the GLC F-Cell. I like it.” Saroshi Federal Government, which in 2015 intro- predecessors, and use a lot less platinum, keeps the battery charged. B-Class models circumnavigate the world asks us all about the car’s power, top speed, duced a corresponding funding programme. which greatly reduces manufacturing costs. “An environmentally sound solution” to prove their roadworthiness. The techno­ Battery range – and about how likely he is to see the And although politicians, energy industry The battery is located in the tail of the car, An interview with Mercedes-Benz’s “Mister F-Cell” logy has advanced since then, and we now The F-Cell is powered entirely battery-electrically; car in Tokyo traffic in the near future. representatives and transport providers are and the two multi-layer, collision-protected have fourth-generation prototypes of the fuel cell system is not active. cooperating closely in this respect, the tanks are built into its underbody. The refu- ­hydrogen-powered vehicles. It is very ex­ Charge Huge environmental benefits network of hydrogen refuelling stations in elling process involves filling these with pensive, however, although increasing The high-voltage lithium-ion battery is charged du- According to a current study entitled ‘Energy Germany remains extremely sparse, with What do you find so fascinating about the gaseous hydrogen at a pressure of 700 bar. mass production­ is leading to lower compo- ring driving by the fuel cells. of the future? Sustainable mobility through only 40 such stations between Hamburg and hydrogen-powered GLC? We take the pre-series model to the port. nent prices. fuel cells and H ’, the use of hydrogen could Munich. However, this figure is projected to That it is able to deliver almost the same perfor- Its next stop: the L.A. Motor Show. Before 2 mance as a car with a combustion engine. I’m also “You get hydrogen almost everywhere in bring about great change. The study, conduct- grow to 100 by the end of this year, and to very taken with its short refuelling time, its range, taking our leave of the car, we open up the the world,” explains Professor Dr Christian ed jointly by Shell and the Wuppertal Insti- have turned into a comprehensive network its architecture – which we hardly had to modify luggage compartment to have a look inside. Mohrdieck, head of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell tute for Climate, Environment and Energy, of 400 hydrogen refuelling stations by 2023. at all. And with the fact that it is such an environ­ As with the combustion engine-powered Technology at Daimler AG (see p. 31). “It’s states that by the year 2050, we could real- Development in this field is therefore speed- mentally sound solution. What’s more: over the plug-in, the battery doesn’t take up much high time we made effective use of this dem- istically have 113 million hydrogen-powered ing up, with Mercedes-Benz among the front- past few years, we have managed to both optimise space: the boot is only slightly smaller than the technology and reduce the related costs con- ocratic energy carrier.” The pre-series mod- cars on our roads. This would constitute a runners in hydrogen technology. siderably. One major cost-cutting breakthrough in a standard GLC. A series production car el presented at the IAA is Mercedes-Benz’s saving of 68 million tonnes of standard fuel involved figuring out how to reduce the platinum powered by hydrogen would, without doubt, first vehiclewith an “electro-mobile double and 200 million tonnes of CO2 emissions – The tanks are in the vehicle’s underbody content by 90%. The platinum content of our fuel be Jules Verne’s dream car. heart”, as Mohrdieck calls it. This combina- “provided renewable energy is used for the How do hydrogen-powered vehicles work? cells is now only a little higher than that found tion of fuel cells and battery technology electrolysis process,” says Professor Dr Man- As with Mercedes-Benz vehicles powered by in a the catalytic converters of standard cars. These are all things I findfascinating. makes the vehicle an entirely electric plug-in fred Fischedick of the Wuppertal Institute. combustion engines, the pre-series vehicles How important will this type of power be in hybrid. The electric engine draws its energy Hydrogen energy can only bear environmen- have the driving programmes Eco, Comfort the future? both from the hydrogen-powered fuel cells tal benefits if it is produced sustainably. and Sport at their disposal. When in hybrid I feel that we at Daimler AG need both fuel-cell and from the lithium-ion battery, and is also i These figures are of course very ambi- mode, the car draws its power from both power as well as battery-electric power in order to able to recover kinetic energy. It has a range tious. So far, there are only around 3,500 the fuel cells and the battery. The F-Cell fulfilthe requirements of our customers across all our vehicle types, from city runabouts, saloons of 400 kilometres based solely on the hydro- hydrogen-powered cars in the whole world. mode keeps the battery charge constant by More information on the first and SUVs through to vans, trucks and buses. Jörg Heuer was impressed by the way gen in its tank. Filling this 4.4-kilogram tank hydrogen-powered plug-in Many of these are in Japan, with some in transferring energy from the fuel cell. When Japan is beginning to turn what were takes about three minutes. Its exhaust emits hybrid is available at western Europe and some in the US (mostly in battery mode, the car is powered by once utopian science fiction visions only steam. mbmag.me/f-cell1 in California). The numbers clearly correlate ­battery-electric energy. In charge mode, the into reality.

Mercedes 30 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 31 Mercedes Frankfurt

Las Vegas

Shanghai The big tour ‘Intelligent World Drive’: the automated S-Class on a test Cape Town drive spanning five continents Melbourne and more than 10,000 kilometres. With one big question: How far has the techno­logy come?

TEXT: FELIX BREUER ILLUSTRATIONS: JINDRICH NOVOTNY

March 2018 33 Mercedes

Jochen Haab, field validation manager at Mercedes-Benz, real traffic tester for Intelligent World Drive

Shanghai / China

“Mapping is a hot topic in China: Where am I? Getting lost is all too easy when relying solely on GPS. Solving this problem Las Vegas / USA poses challenges” “The smooth traffic is practically ideal for autonomous driving. Traffic in China is characterised by high From a technical perspective, ­traffic density, large numbers of two- and three-wheelers, what appear to be zebra Melbourne / Australia we’re not far from being able to crossings on the motorway (though in fact implement this for everyday use” Cape Town / South Africa these markings are for showing safe driving “Many Melburnians avoid the distances), and speed limits for individual notorious hook turn, but our “It’s important for the technology lanes. More than anything else, driving systems have to be capable of It’s smooth sailing on America’s freeways through Shanghai showed us that maps need not to get distracted, but it and highways: keeping up with traffic here finding a solution” car that is both intelligent and safe, to be absolutely precise, right down to the also needs to be able to quickly is easy, and there are rarely large variations that navigates traffic entirely lane. In densely meshed motorway networks, in speed. However, it can be difficult to independently: this is the vision of the car is not currently capable of determin- and accurately analyse ­simultaneously gather and process the multi­ autonomous driving. But what is ing its position; in addition, the lanes at many Australia: speed limits that flash on electronic­ perceived chaotic situations” tude of information an eight-lane freeway Aactually already possible with our current major junctions are unmarked, making it displays, road trains in the outback, kanga- provides, and where passing is allowed on technological capabilities? A team put to- Frankfurt / Germany impossible for the cameras to detect them. roos unexpectedly hopping across roads, and both the right and the left. Nonetheless, the gether by Mercedes-Benz tackled this ques- Without surrounding traffic, at the moment then the Melbourne “hook turn” – a right Traffic in South Africa is confusing: pedestri- US market is certainly suitable to be among tion across five stages, each on a separate “There was rain and congestion; the car cannot know where it is. Without this turn from the left lane, which crosses tram ans walk on the clearways and unexpected the first taking further steps towards auto­ continent. The team was on the move from construction and speed demons information, it would just drive ahead. People tracks and can only be executed when manoeuvres are just an accepted part of driv- nomous driving. Americans’ reactions to the September 2017 to January of this year, and here also expect autonomous cars to take the cross traffic has a green light. It’s a ing. In Cape Town, our test drivers encoun- experiment were similar to those seen when team leader Jochen Haab talks about on the road: all everyday occur- curves in the way Chinese drivers do: con- ­manoeuvre that can test a driver’s nerves – tered an oncoming bicycle as they drove at around the world: a mixture of scepticism Intelligent World Drive today, he can barely rences on the German Autobahn” tinuing to brake in the curve and accelerating even locals would sooner make three left 100 km/h on the motorway: the cyclist was and enthusiasm. Taking their concerns contain his excitement. With its assistance afterwards. European drivers, on the other turns – and like so many other difficult traf- riding on the hard shoulder, which was just and questions seriously was one purpose of systems the series-produced S-Class was hand, begin accelerating before leaving the fic scenar­ios, it poses complex challenges for a few centimetres wide. And on a serpentine the journey. capable of a level of automated driving that A unique peculiarity of German driving can curve. Taking these cultural differences into driving systems. The human brain can pro- road south of the city, the cameras could Haab and his colleagues were amazed by. But be found in the large speed variations on account is imperative for the acceptance of cess the blinking LED rings that indicate the no longer detect the route because of sand they know there is still much work to be done. the Autobahn. You can pass a lorry travelling autonomous driving. speed limit, but the vehicle’s systems are not ­covering the asphalt. On the winding coastal In the years ahead, developers will have to at 130 km/h while a car comes up behind yet powerful enough. And the question of road, however, the car could drive almost answer myriad complex questions. you at 200 km/h. The on-board radars scan how to reliably respond to animals without autonomously. “The idea was to show that we could put the road 80 metres behind the car and 250 endangering passengers is just as tricky. It the car into typical situations and gather ex- ­metres in front of it. The stereo camera sees requires the dimensions of an object to be perience,” says Haab. “We can then use the 500 metres ahead – and 90 metres of that is detected early, and an exit strategy to be information obtained from doing that in 3D. Is that enough? How much time does adapted to the situation in order to avoid a i to improve our systems.” Their journey began the system have to react after registering an potential accident. in Frankfurt, at the IAA, and took them to the approaching vehicle? And what will it do to Experience the automated S-Class United States by way of Shanghai, Australia prevent an accident? Customer opinion is

DAIMLER AG DAIMLER in action: and South Africa. Jochen Haab describes the already clear: they expect the system to re- mbmag.me/

challenges that the S-Class encountered. spond only when absolutely necessary. PHOTO worlddrive

Mercedes 34 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 35 Mercedes 0 980

THE LEGENDARY RESORT 007 15A 0K0 0 04 104 TE MH M

Sensors are mounted onto hip-level bollards every six metres to ensure maximum safety. The laser scanner is located about a single Park & hand span above the ground, so it can detect things like a child who has tripped. How exactly do the sensors steer the car? We can pinpoint the position of the car within a few centimetres, and are therefore able to stride! park two cars at a distance of just 10 centi- metres from one another. We’ve harnessed Already in its pilot phase, you will previously unheard-of efficiency to make use soon be able to test Automated of valuable space in the car park: we can park Valet Parking. Carsten Hämmerling, up to 20% more cars than would be possible with conventional parking. project leader at Daimler, There are already plenty of sensors in eloundabeach.gr discusses the world premiere Mercedes cars. Why not just use those? @

We could have gone that way, but we decided­ info www.eloundabeach.gr to go with the external solution. And it will enable even relatively unsophisticated cars here’s something eerie about them: to drive autonomously. One of our ideas is to THE WATERFRONT DREAMLINE cars that park themselves and then allow users to subscribe and unsubscribe to return to their owners as if they AVP as a service.

were sentient. ‘Automated Valet AVP is a Daimler and Bosch When will customers be able to use it? TParking’ (AVP) is a pilot project that takes a initiative that saw the We’re about to kick off the first pilot pro­- The Sea Sapphire Bathroom with gym area The Sea Crystal singular approach to parking. It offers a taste development of the sensors ject in Stuttgart. Customers will be able to of what is to come. (right). Carsten Hämmer- sign up for a test drive at the Mercedes-Benz ling is responsible for branch there. The car park is right next door, Mercedes-Benz, the project Mr Hämmerling, how does automated is being implemented at the and they will be able to summon a car to parking work for me as a customer? Mercedes-Benz Museum the pick-up area. It’s simple, really. You just send a command in Stuttgart. What are you hoping to find out from the from your smartphone and your car will drive project? from its parking spot to you, in the pick-up The project will help us learn a lot. Let’s say area of the car park. Then you can get in and you’ve already sent your car off to park and drive off – and if you want to park the car then realise you’ve left your umbrella in the again, just drive it to the drop-off area, get out, boot. What’s the best way to solve a little and send another command. The car will drive problem like this? to the parking space on its own. The time you So you’ll use this information to improve might have taken looking for a spot can then the system? be better used elsewhere – and you will spare Exactly. Especially because both automated yourself the frustration of finding a spot. cars and conventional cars use the car How does the car navigate the car park? park– this is to say, 99% of all cars will be The Sea Aroma Bathroom with gym area The Sea Shine Our project partner Bosch has developed parked by their drivers, in the ­conventional sensors specially for this purpose, and these way. Our two automated test vehicles will communicate with a central computer in negotiate the car park among these cars. the car park. The computer, in turn, sends After we’ve gathered enough experience, commands to the vehicle’s interface, and the i we can try out new things, like using fewer sensors steer the car. They are also able to sensors while maintaining the same level detect objects and obstructions – such as a All information of safety. child who has wandered away from its par- about Automated Valet Do you feel like a pioneer in autonomous Parking and how to ent – and bring the car to a halt. try it for yourself at the driving? How many sensors have you installed in museum’s car park: We’re all a bit proud, yes. But we’ve earned

this car park? mbmag.me/avp1 the right to be. (2), CLAUS MORGENSTERN AG DAIMLER INTERVIEW: PHOTOS JOHANNES SCHWEIKLE

Mercedes 36 Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz brand ambassadors ­converged near Lisbon for the ‘Race of Life’. These artists, athletes and designers took to the ­racetrack and waves for an ­existential experience they wouldn’t soon forget.

In the middle of it all was our author, Alexandros ­Stefanidis, who recently lost a close friend.

After returning from Portugal, he asked himself life’s big question:

What remains?

March 2018 39 Mercedes Some of the biggest Those who dare to venture into this seething, waves in the world can be found off the coast of Portugal, chaotic turbulence on jetskis become near Nazaré. You can see them form by jetski engulfed in the sensory experience while in the Atlantic. simultaneously being completely dazed by it.

When untamed nature is at play, it’s the individual moment that counts: that fraction of a second that sticks with you forever, unforgettably unique

Mercedes 40 Mercedes-Benz At the Autódromo do Instinctively I touched the spot Estoril, you can hear the roaring of the Mercedes-AMG to take the call and was glad to hear engines and feel the intensity as they’re my friend’s voice. thrown into gear. Your stomach growls with racing fever. I felt goosebumps travel up my arm, past my elbows and shoulders, through my neck and – it felt like – straight into my brain, as I heard myself tell him that it would be an honour to be his son’s godfather

Mercedes-AMG E 63 4Matic+. Transmission: nine-speed-automatic; Cylinder arrangement/number: V8; Engine size (ccm): 3 982; Rated output (kW in rpm): 420 / 5 750–6 500; Top speed: 250 km/h (electronically controlled); Fuel consumption (l/100 km)*, urban: 11,7–11,4, extra urban: 7,6–7,3, combinded: 9,1–8,8; Mercedes 42 Mercedes-Benz CO2-Emissionen combined (g/km)*: 207–199. Values can vary depending on the wheels/tyres. Efficiency class: D *More ­information on the measurement procedure, see page 8 TEXT: ALEXANDROS STEFANIDIS

Big-wave surfers t hasn’t been so long since I talked to Daniel on the dream of these massive Friendships culminate waves and the crashing phone. We’ve known each other since primary surf, everyone else school. In the eighties I remember us in his room, watches in awe at the playing ‘Winter Games’ on his Commodore 64 un- in those special moments display of untamed Itil our fingers bled. And I remember after graduating, nature before them. sitting together on his parents’ roof drinking whiskey that last years, if not decades. straight from the bottle. We both took our time getting married – because we wanted to enjoy the single life as It wasn’t even two minutes long as possible. We always had a similar sense of time; we’re alike in many ways. that we were on the phone Daniel called me on the phone and asked if I would like to become godfather to his first-born, Kurt, in July. I was in the living room, lying on our sofa, wearing my faded green Boston Celtics T-shirt. It was a Sunday, just after two. I’m certain of the time because I was watching Lewis Hamilton on TV, about to set off from pole position in Monza, as my phone rang. “Perfect timing,” I muttered. 30 metres high. They roar, they foam, they crash, as a For a moment I considered not answering it and calling breathtaking natural phenomenon is wrought before your him back later so as not to ruin the most exciting moment very eyes. of a Formula 1 race. But instinctively I touched the green Those who dare to venture into this seething, chaotic spot to take the call, and was glad to hear my friend’s turbulence on jetskis become engulfed in the sensory voice. I felt goosebumps travel up my arm, past my elbows experience while simultaneously being completely dazed and shoulders, through my neck and – it felt like – straight by it. An elementary experience. When untamed nature into my brain, as I heard myself tell him that it would be is at play, it’s the individual moment that counts: that an honour to be his son’s godfather. fraction of a second that sticks with you forever, unfor- Friendships culminate in those special moments that gettably unique. last years, if not decades. On the racetrack of Estoril an engine roars to life. And It wasn’t even two minutes that we were on the ­phone.­ then another. And another. The air seems to vibrate. One He was watching the race too. Hamilton drove a ­great­ driver has disengaged his assistance systems and is doing race and won, and I was looking forward to a relaxing doughnuts on the asphalt, smoke enveloping his tyres. Sunday. Ever since Kurt’s birth, Daniel and his wife Brand: Mercedes-AMG. On the racetrack it’s about frac- ­Tatjana had slept in separate beds – she slept in the baby’s tions of a second again, about those special moments. But room and he slept in the bedroom. The first number that once we come to a rest we ask ourselves: If a fraction of Tatjana called after the medics was mine. It was 4:48 in a second bursts with life why do we waste so much time? the morning and she was crying. So was Kurt. I only understood one word: dead. My heart raced, caught fire, Einstein and the Formula 1 burned. Daniel was born with a seemingly benign ­cardiac I thought about the essence of time. About Sir Isaac defect. The doctors said it was harmless. Only hours after ­Newton, who viewed time as a constant, fully independent we had talked, early Monday morning, he died of a heart of all physical context. His concept of absolute time – attack. He was 41. along with absolute space – set the stage for all physical When I was asked to write about the essence of time events in the universe. A Formula 1 race, for example. for ‘Race of Life’, I began to think. Brand ambassadors of Start, finish, best time. The results were irrefutable: Mercedes-Benz had gathered, athletes, designers, entre- Lewis Hamilton won. Basta. preneurs, artists. They had all travelled to Portugal to Newton’s theory of absolute time endured for 200 take part in something that we could all find more space years, when Albert Einstein debunked it with the notion in our lives for: adventure that gets adrenaline flowing that time is relative. Now we know that moving clocks through your veins. tick slower. The rugged coastline of Nazaré and the dark-blue For Einstein, space and time are just projections of a waves of the Atlantic gaining mass as they tumble in from more complex object known as space–time. In contrast the horizon: there are few places in the world where the to Newton’s world view, Einstein said that simultaneity waves form such massive walls of water – reaching up to is relative. Whether or not two events occur simultaneous-

Mercedes 44 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 45 Mercedes Where is our path storm. He forgets what day it is, can no longer tell the Of course time is relative. headed? Which obstacles seasons apart, doesn’t know his age, his birthday. And in are in the way and how losing track of time, time has long since conquered him.” will we overcome them? Of course time is absolute. “Did you know,” Daniel wrote, “that another book Only time will tell. about time was published in another country just one Anyone who has ever year after The Magic Mountain, in 1925, The Great ­Gatsby? A weary society – feeble, rudderless, hedonistic lost a loved one feels, and depraved like the guests at the Davos sanatorium – attends the indifferent parties of a rich and mysterious experiences, knows that man. Time stands still for them. Only Gatsby, this one man, in his implausibly luxurious villa, has the goal of conquering time, of ushering the past into the eternal present. This is the moment Gatsby lived for, the moment when time stands still forever. He leans against the man- telpiece, his head so far back that it rests upon the face of an old, broken clock. He leans back further, and so does ly or subsequently lies in the eye of the observer. In the clock, on the point of tumbling to the ground. With other words: it’s a matter of perspective. In Einstein’s trembling fingers, Gatsby manages to save it in the nick universe, it’s not certain whether Lewis Hamilton won of time. It remains whole and intact to symbolically the ­Formula 1 World Championship title this year, last ­display the eternal, ever-constant time in the future. – By year or 100 years ago. the way, Castorp’s pocket watch doesn’t manage to sur- Daniel was a big fan of Einstein’s concept of time. vive the seven years that pass in the novel either. It falls Time didn’t play a limiting role in his life. Nor did the off of the nightstand, and the young man neglects to get concepts of space and time. He was known to show up a it repaired. Why? ‘To be free,’ Thomas Mann writes. But good half hour after we had planned to meet in a café. all of the broken clocks in the world won’t help our prot- Sometimes we would sit across from one another and not agonists. One perishes at war, another in his swimming say a single word for an hour. He would occasionally lose pool. The triumph of time. The triumph of eternity.” track of time and work into the early hours of the morning, then immediately handwrite a letter to me, outlining his The hole that’s left idea for a company he wanted to found, designing and Daniel’s sudden death and reading his letters have taught developing computer games for schools. The games would me that I can’t observe the essence of time from a single contain everything there was to know about the world, perspective. Of course time is relative. Of course time accessible at any time. is absolute. Of course he was a nerd. But he was also a free spirit, Anyone who has ever lost a loved one feels, experiences, an artist, a digital-thinking humanist. He knew that time knows that. You perceive the time together as relative, was of the essence. That time is money and that both – in and the hole that’s left when they’re gone as absolute. abundance or scarcity – are relative. That the moment Forever. It doesn’t matter how much of a fight you put up: decides whether you’re in the right place. His idea was a time always wins. terrific failure because of a lack of investors (and the sheer This July I will baptise Daniel’s son Kurt. He’s only size of the task), but not for want of trying. He did end up 21 months old, but I’ve already bought him a copy of The founding a company eventually, developing other com- Magic Mountain. He should carry it with him throughout puter games, and teaching as as professor. his journey, his Race of Life. He wrote me another letter at some point during ­these years. He had been struck by the urge to reread Thomas Mann’s ‘The Magic Mountain’ for the umpteenth time – in two days and two nights – and write a letter entitled i ‘The Triumph of Time’. He wrote: “Time is an unalterable, ever-present protagonist in Alexandros Stefanidis wrote for ‘Süddeutsche Watch the brand Zeitung Magazin’ for many years and was a the background of The Magic Mountain. Hungry for ambassadors in action: columnist for ‘stern’ magazine. He recently wrote (3), PETER KAADEN MUNDT GEISELBRECHTINGER (2), HELGE CHRISTIAN mbmag.me/portugal knowledge, the young Hans Castorp is completely consu- a feature on Finnish Formula 1 driver

med by time. He marches into it like an eternal snow­ Valtteri Bottas for the Mercedes-Benz magazine. PHOTO

Mercedes 46 Mercedes-Benz Melek Balgün is a native of Cologne and the face of a global phenomenon that 29-year-old Melek Balgün often electrifies millions of fans in Germany and around the world: eSports. commentates competitions to A passionate gamer since her childhood, Balgün’s presenting skills in this live audiences of field are without equal thousands. Let’s play! BART OERBEKKE/ESL, INSTAGRAM/MELEK BALGÜN BALGÜN OERBEKKE/ESL, INSTAGRAM/MELEK BART PHOTOS

March 2018 49 Mercedes Tensions run high Good teams can play Melek Balgün, herself a The eSports phenomenon An overview of the most important aspects during competitions. with their eyes closed – former professional gamer, There’s a big emotional that’s how to win is nominated for release afterwards. the ESL One Cologne. the Grimme-Preis award. What are eSports? considered the world’s top Single- or multi-player video or eSports professionals. computer games that are played competitively. The most important eSports tournaments in 2018 What kind of games? Held annually in Poland, the final Basically, all the sports you of the “Intel Extreme Masters” find in real life: football, basket­- is where you will find the crème ball, motorsports. However, de la crème of the Electronic for a number of years now, the Sports League (ESL). The 2017 scene has been dominated League of Legends World by real-time strategy games Championship was followed such as “League of Legends” online by more than 40 million (LoL) and “Dota 2”. This is people around the world. where the most prize money can be won. i Who are the most important gamers? For comprehensive information German-Iranian gamer Kuro about the Electronic Sports “KuroKy” Salehi Takhasomi (25) League (ESL), important dates, and Korean gamer Lee “Faker” eSports teams and stars, please Sang-hyeok (21) are currently visit eslgaming.com

TEXT: IRIS MYDLACH

lunch date with been playing ever since she was laugh and whoop while playing, “I played against signed contracts with competi- million people log on to compete polite, focussed, with remark­ strong sense of solidarity from Melek Balgün can able sit up on her own. As well as so Melek asked to join in. They tive gamers. Mercedes-Benz has in five-player teams, using a vir- able hand-eye coordination and my first years in the scene.” She be a lengthy affair. growing up in a home with four said the game wasn’t for girls. my little brother. been partnering with the Elec- tual map to storm their oppo- concentration. In an analogue uses “we” to refer to the gamer ­Japanese delights computers, her best friend’s dad This set everything in mo- After a few weeks tronic Sports League (ESL), the nents’ headquarters. world, the eSports stars of today community, making it sound like aboundA on our table as the was also a computer scientist – tion, Balgün recalls. After school, largest and oldest eSports might have become pianists, vi- this consists of only a few hun- 29-year-old talks animatedly, when visiting her friend, she she stopped to visit a neighbour I’d got so good league, since 2017. A new kind of athlete olin virtuosos, brain surgeons or dred people as opposed to many her eyes wide with excitement. would often see him working on who was an IT technician, and In recent years, the world’s Mastering League of Legends the like. The digital sphere is millions. And indeed, life is very exciting computers in his workshop. “I the next day, her network was I ­wiped the floor top gamers have been able to can earn you millions. There are where their virtuosity thrives. To In January 2017, Melek for her right now. She has just quickly realised that that was all set up. “I played against my with the boys from fully dedicate themselves to their around 10,000 professional gam- put their art into words and to Balgün completed her degree been nominated for the Grimme- something I wanted to do too,” little brother. After a few weeks discipline. With 34.3 million fans ers in the world today, mostly make it more accessible, they in international marketing. She Preis award in the ‘Information explains Balgün. I’d got so good I wiped the floor the computer club” in Germany alone, their activities young men, some women, all need presenters – people like now works as a freelance pre- and Culture’ category, for her with the boys from the club.” are followed around the world by extremely physically and men- Melek Balgün, who was herself senter. ‘Art of Gaming’ is just work as presenter on ‘Art of Not for girls? That was all 15 years ago. everyone from middle-aged­ fam- tally fit. Making up to eight de- a pro gamer for many years and one of her many projects: she Gaming’, on the Arte network. By 9th grade, she was reading Gaming has since gone from ily men who like to play football cisions per second – 480 per now regularly commentates and a French colleague work It’s an incredible achieve- IT magazines rather than teen being a hobby for computer on their PlayStation at weekends minute – they fared better than events such as Gamescon in with scientists to investigate ment – “surreal” as she puts it, magazines, and was the only girl freaks to a mass phenomenon, a to teenage ‘League of Legends’ top US Air Force pilots in tests. Cologne, sometimes for crowds what makes people want to considering the journey her sport in the after-school computer point of culture, even. Today, play­ers – a fantasy computer Top-level teams will have gone of 18,000, while the footage is game so badly. There is a lot to has taken. Until recently eSports club. The boys sitting behind her computer games feature at the game teeming with mythical through every possible scena- projected onto big screens. “Not talk about. was solely followed in nerdier would often be playing ‘Counter- MoMA. In Norway and Sweden, creatures. It can be played from rio together so many times, everyone is lucky enough to wit- circles; but it’s now well under Strike’ – a multi-player game eSports are taught in school, any place at any time – free of they intuitively know what ness a sport evolve in the way way to conquer the world as the that became the subject of con- with the first eSports degree charge at first, though most gam- moves their teammates are eSports has. That’s why we’re all With several gaming fans in her family, our events fill entire arenas with ded- troversy because of its alleged programme set to launch in BALGÜN ADELA (3)/ESL, INSTAGRAM/MELEK SZNAJDE, HELENA KRISTIANSSON ers opt to pay later on, for the ­going to make. a bit emotional at the moment,” author Iris Mydlach icated fans. Computer games are glorification of violence. Back in Great Britain. Major football chance to compete against better Elite gaming has given rise she explains. “Our community is felt at home covering

Melek Balgün’s passion. She has computer club, the boys would clubs like Schalke 04 have PHOTOS “champions”. Every month, 85 to a new type of athlete: quiet, growing, but I still feel that the ­topic of eSports.

Mercedes 50 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 51 Mercedes IMAGINE

How do you build a car that instantly makes people feel understood? These Mercedes-Benz employees know the answer. They’re among the creators of the new A-Class, and here’s A what they told us DAIMLER AG (2), STEFAN FREUND (4), FRITZ BECK (2) FREUND (4), FRITZ BECK (2), STEFAN AG DAIMLER PHOTOS DEPARTMENT EDITORIAL REPORTS

Mercedes 52 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 53 Mercedes “We see the new A-Class as a ‘cool lifestyle vehicle’ – We know expectations are high. After class of vehicle, though I can imagine it “Among the features I helped to develop “The A-Class was already “I had three main goals that was the description the team of colour and ma- all, back when the A-Class was first will soon become something customers was the A-Class’s set-up assistant, some- terial designers came up with. We were prepared to a very strong product; launched 20 years ago, the car’s design expect, thereby setting a new vehicle thing we refer to internally as the Wizard. when developing break new and unexpected ground, to blend hot and nonetheless, our and advanced technological features class standard. With the new A-Class, It’s a highly intuitive system that helps cool, but we always kept sight of Mercedes-Benz’s left a bold mark on the industry. And Mercedes-Benz has proven that it is pos- customers quickly figure out how their car the ­user experience. colour history. A highly creative period began. We colleagues in Develop- were researching trends from the worlds of fashion the current A-Class model is highly sible to incorporate cutting-edge tech- works. While developing the user inter- and music, we read street-style blogs, attended fashion ment have managed to regarded by customers – for very good nology into the entry-level segment. face, we had to contemplate many different Firstly, to ensure the design of the shows and went to the Milan Furniture Fair. reason. But I’m really confident that Further down the line we’ll be releasing key questions: How much information content and controls, while modern, take things further still the new A-Class, with its array of sophis- upgrades for the car, much like those can a person process at once? Where is the made people feel instantly at home. The colours of the new A-Class needed to be cool and stylish. What we finally came up with were trendy ticated functions and attractive design, you download for your smartphone. driver’s focus when they look at the I wanted customers to understand the exterior finishes combined with progressive interior with the new model. will be received with at least as much Running these updates means you can screen? How much information can the new A-Class immediately. schemes. Among these is the cool, youthful Style Line, enthusiasm. For one thing, we listened ensure that your car always has the screen contain? whose association with sportswear is apparent in the carefully to our customers and worked latest software installed. combination of black and neva grey fabric and sporty hard to incorporate their wishes into I studied cognitive science, which is the sci- Secondly, to develop something custom- orange seams. The cool indigo blue interior colour was the new model – so it now offers more One thing I particularly like about the ence of higher cognitive functions such as ers really liked, something they would inspired by denim jeans, and exudes a confident, streetwise style. Offering a range of decorative space than its predecessor, for example. new A-Class is how it feels when you get visual perception, learning and emotions. delight in over the long term, not just for the first week or two. I wanted to ensure features, including elements made of natural open- And for another, we have infused the in: it fits like a glove. We achieved this This discipline exists at the intersection pore wood, the Progressive Line gives the A-Class an new A-Class with smart technological effect through a combination of many between computer science, psychology, that every time they get into the car, they authentic and exclusive Mercedes-Benz feel. The DNA which is certain to surprise cus- different features, all united under one neurobiology, linguistics, mathematics think: Great! My car always provides me sporty AMG Line utilises the interior colour combina- tomers. cohesive concept.” and logic. As a result, the interdisciplinary with just the information I need. tions of black/titanium grey pearl and black/neva knowledge that I gained during my degree grey, both of which go perfectly with the digital white metallic exterior colour developed specially for the For instance, our new user interface helped me to analyse the interface area Thirdly, because people are very differ- A-Class. Aluminium decorative elements complete concept serves as an intuitive interface between people and machines from vari- ent, I wanted to build a system that could the sporty look. between the car and its driver; anyone ous perspectives, and to then develop be configured to suit different people Another customisable feature is the optional ambient who experiences this system them- effective solutions that respond to this.” and different moods. A system that any- selves will immediately understand the light, which offers 64 colour settings. We also incor- one could make their own.” porated different light moods. The illuminated nozzles enormous added value it offers. It ena- are a particularly cool A-Class feature, and a nod to bles customers to communicate with the latest Mercedes-Benz show cars.” their car simply by natural speech. This is an entirely unique feature in this DAIMLER AG, STEFAN FREUND, FRITZ BECK (2) FREUND, FRITZ BECK STEFAN AG, DAIMLER Axel Harries – head of Product Simone Kurek – Marco Santi — Claudia Braun – head of Colour

Management and Sales Functions PHOTOS interaction designer user experience engineer and Material Design

Mercedes 54 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 55 Mercedes “We developed a prototype One of my colleagues is a passionate cyclist, “The A-Class is for young “My favourite interior “Because the A-Class is the sportiest, most pro- tor grille, and the elegant, highly precise Multi- and he pointed out that he doesn’t want to gressive car in its vehicle class, we exterior de- beam LED headlamps. The low front section of the new A-Class very transport his bike outside on a bike rack: he people who grew up ­feature? The big floating signers focused a lot of our efforts on achieving was probably one of the most radical decisions early on in the process so wants it inside the boot, protected. And so we with smartphones. widescreen. just the right proportions for the new model. we made. It was based on our desire to ensure made this possible: by splitting the tail light, that, for all its sportiness, the new A-Class al- that we could get inside we’ve increased the width of the hatch. All It’s now possible for those customers to communi- The uniqueness of the new A-Class interior was Proportions are an essential element of car de- so offered maximum safety for pedestrians in and look outside. my colleague has to do now is quickly re­- cate directly with the car itself, much more than ever achieved mainly through spacious architecture and sign, and Mercedes is well known for its sen - the event of an accident. Its big wheels – the move the wheels and his bike will fit in the before. And do you know what the ‘A’ in its name the cutting-edge design of its display and control sational proportions. We want to ensure that largest in this vehicle segment – are another stands for? Avant-garde. This makes itself apparent features. Our clean, minimal design approach consti- We asked all sorts of normal everyday ques- back easily – with no need to fold down the in features such as the inductive charging tray – our tutes a revolution from within. everything is in just the right place, especially distinct feature. tions, things as simple – yet critical – as: rear seat. response to a very common inconvenience. Now I because we are trying to keep things as simple ‘What can I see when I sit in this car?’ It just put my smartphone on the tray and it charges The widescreen is fully digital, with no mechanical and as pared-back as possible. So we’ll take One of the most significant challenges we en- doesn’t need to give a wonderful panorama Prams will easily fit in the new A-Class lug- automatically: I don’t need to look around for charg- parts. Even the speedometer needle is entirely digital. away a line here and another one there. countered in designing the new A-Class was ers or sockets. The full potential of the A-Class These advancements have been available to S-Class of the stars, but the A-Class driver does need gage compartment too. And now you can ac- drivers for some time, and now it’s the turn of our to preserve the extreme sportiness of its pre- starts to come to light when the car is combined to have a good view of the road. And although commodate six drinks crates, as opposed to compact car customers to reap the benefits. The Our job is to achieve ever-greater clarity. We decessor, while achieving a higher degree of with the Mercedes me app. The officeicon, for telephone and navigational systems are standard this is a compact car, it offers considerable the four that predecessor models can carry.” example, enables customers to use the car as an create form for objects not through lines, but functionality. It is a challenge I feel we met ex- features of the new A-Class, and are integrated into spatial depth between the driver and the through surfaces. My own personal highlight tremely well. A car needs to be both intelligent office: the car calendar allows them to check up­ the multimedia system that is controlled via the touch windscreen. The A-pillar has been slimmed coming appointments, the navigation system directs pad on the central console. of the new A-Class? That would have to be the and beautiful, and the new A-Class certainly down, creating an aperture between it and them to the respective conference location, and the low front section with the Panamericana radia- succeeds on both fronts.” telephone system dials into telephone conferences the wing mirror for better visibility. This I like the look of the car at night even more than dur- without distracting drivers with PIN requests and ing the day. Its optional ambient light feature, which makes it much easier to see pedestrians or allows them to make all the calls they need to make. is unique in this vehicle segment, is something I’m cyclists located at a diagonal angle from the And the app contains many other features besides. very proud of. Offering 64 colours and a combina- driver. For the doors, we really pushed design From outside their car, drivers view the current fuel tion of direct and indirect illumination, it can create boundaries. They are now thinner, giving the level. It can also show them the nearest car parks – very special light moods. I feel we’ve managed to implement this feature with an incredible coherence. driver 3.5 cm more elbow room. it’s even able to indicate whether there are likely to be spaces free, using red and green symbols.” This was only possible because we made interior illumination a key consideration right from the very beginning. We’ve also given the air vents a new design, so they now resemble turbines, and also feature illumination. If I turn the temperature down, they go blue; if I turn it up, they go red. Details like these were important to us.” i

Have we piqued your curiosity? More information on the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class is available from page 59, and also online here: mbmag.me/a-class

Meet Simone Kurek and Marco Santi in our videos: Frank Weinert – head of Christian Gugel – Mercedes me Connect Hartmut Sinkwitz – Robert Lesnik – mbmag.me/i-made-it-kurek

Compact Car Construction Product manager (3) STEFAN AG, DAIMLER PHOTOS head of Interior Design head of Exterior Design mbmag.me/i-made-it-santi

Mercedes 56 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 57 Mercedes

Superbike (November) – Patrick Guth, exterior designer

EQ sports car (October) – Teckkoun Kim, exterior designer

Trimaran (September) – Eric Elstner, exterior designer

IDEAS FOR TOMORROW What if the most talented designers at Mercedes-Benz could give their imaginations free rein?

Gorden Wagener Mercedes-Benz design Daimler AG’s chief design officer studios around has been with Mercedes-Benz the world are filled since 1997 and has with highly creative been heading the brand’s design unit design­ers. Chief since 2008. Design Officer Gorden Wagener challenged them to come up with the best ideas for the future, posting the most exciting ­results each month on Instagram. Here are the winners from ­September to ­ ­November 2017.

Winners’ gallery: #mbsketchofthemonth DAIMLER AG (4) AG DAIMLER PHOTOS

Mercedes 58 Mercedes-Benz 62 – The new G-Class Drive The car pages in 66 – The new C-Class Mercedes me magazine 70 – E-Class Coupé

The new A-Class Welcome to the age of intuitive mobility! The A-Class has been driving innovation since it was first launched back in 1997. Behold the latest generation: the first car that understands you – and that you can grasp intuitively PHOTOS IGOR PANITZ PHOTOS

March 2018 59 Mercedes A TEXT: KATHRIN MAIER PHOTOS: IGOR PANITZ

The intuitive car This car marks the beginning of a new era. Because the A-Class has managed to do something that only few cars have been able to achieve: it immediately makes the ­driver feel at home. The A-Class has been as innovative as it has been successful for more than 20 years. And with the newest generation, it has maintained all of its strengths while undergoing fundamental changes. It is now wider, more spacious and better than ever before: that’s A-Class quality in the year 2018. But the true innovation is the principle of intuitive mobility. That begins with the set-up assistant, which the developers (see our story on page 52) have endearingly dubbed ‘Wizard’. Even without reading the instruction manual you’ll get along – all of the features are easy to comprehend. The artificial intelligence in the A-Class understands and adapts to your needs. If you’re cold, for example, all you have to do is say is “I’m cold” and the heat will turn on. Depending on the configuration, you can also adjust the interior lighting to suit your favourite music: blue for chill-out music and red for rock, perhaps? Your A-Class knows your favourite destinations and fa- vourite songs (as well as your family’s), and it lets you make phone calls on your smartphone with a single com- mand. The intelligent language assistance is activated either via a button on the steering wheel or with the command “Hey Mercedes”. It’s not the human who has to adapt to the machine, but the other way round. How does this intuitive mobility feel? You’ll have to find out for yourself.

The cockpit is fully A sporty look: digital and offers the A-Class is now Live Traffic Information innovative navigation lower to the ground and Are you running late to your next meeting again because of new road features. You can find more aerodynamic. construction or a traffic jam? any place in the world with just three words! Live Traffic Information provides your Mercedes-Benz with the Find out more online: Practical: the tailgate ­latest and most accurate information so you can avoid these types mbmag.me/ is even large enough to of ­surprises. Whether you’re in rush hour traffic or on holiday, you what3words fit a pram. will always find the best route to your destination.1

With Mercedes me, a lot is possible and everything is easier. ­Register in the Mercedes me portal or the Mercedes me app for iOS and Android to use this and other services. i www.mercedes.me Newly found freedom: All information about passengers in the back Everything at hand: the new A-Class from seat have significantly the three-spoke Mercedes-Benz 1 After activation in the Mercedes me portal, this service can be used for three years more room than steering wheel offers can be found online: free of charge. After that, the service can be extended for a fee. in the predecessor. full control. mbmag.me/a-class

Mercedes 60 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 61 Mercedes TRULY

The classic remainsG unique. The 1979 SUV icon enhances off-road performance, its core capability, even further and reinvents itself on the roads

TEXT: MAYA MORLOCK, LAURA WAGNER

March 2018 63 Mercedes G Model Style and perfection: Mercedes-Benz The high-end look G 500 and the design idiom of the interior lend the Colour: G-Class additional metallic obsidian appeal. Iconic elements black such as the three lock­- Transmission: able differentials can be 9G-TRONIC found in prominent Cylinder arrangement/ positions throughout number: the vehicle. The new V8 widescreen cockpit is Engine size (ccm): stylishly integrated. 3,982 Rated output (kW in rpm): 310/5,250–5,500 Top speed: 210 km/h Fuel consumption Above: the robust (l/100 km)* ladder frame has been urban: made even sturdier. 14.9–14.2 Below: the independent extra-urban: wheel suspension 9.8–9.3 with a double wishbone combined: axle in combination 11.7–11.1

with the rigid rear axle CO2 emissions combined (g/km)*: 276–263 The values may vary depending on the wheels/tyres. Almost no other model is revered quite as much as the spare tyre cover. The vehicle is five centimetres longer experience while standard, state-of-the-art assistance Efficiency class: For eternity An homage to the original: a 1979 G-Class G-Class, which has been driven across all types of ter- and 13 centimetres wider, and its wheel housings and systems, handworked details and features that live up E preserved in 44 tons of synthetic resin rain since 1979 with scarcely a change to its appearance. bumpers are integrated more closely into the body. The to S-Class standards pampers the driver and passengers * For more information on Mercedes-Benz is now venturing to do the seemingly combination between the even sturdier ladder frame, the on the inside. The switching and response times for the the measurement procedure, Glimmering in gold tones, its size alone makes it impres- impossible: reinvent the G-Class while remaining true low-range gear reduction and the three fully differential nine-speed transmission are shorter and fuel consumption please see page 8 sive. But it’s what’s inside that amazes most. It’s not to the original. It is still an authentic ‘G’, yet modern and locks allows the G-Class to handle gravel and 70-centi- is lower. In addition to four on-road modes, there is now some million-year-old insect that the huge, amber-like innovative. The new G-Class very much resembles the metre deep water more agilely than ever. This is thanks the new G-mode, which tells the driver that they are on block is preserving, but it’s steeped in history all the same: a 280 GE from 1979. Just like an insect in motion, old model at first glance, though very few parts on its to the 24-centimetre ground clearance and the elevated unsurfaced terrain and adapts the vehicle specially to off- the G-Class also appears to have been caught by surpri- exterior have been adopted from its predecessor, apart electronics, exhaust system and engine air intake. The road conditions. No other vehicle promises the spirit for se as it was driven across rugged terrain at full speed. from the door handles, headlight washer casings and independent wheel suspension enhances the driving adventure with every comfort quite like the new G-Class. The block measures 5.5 metres long, 2.55 metres wide and 3.1 metres high. It took 90 days to enclose the G model from the first year of production entirely in 44.4 tons of synthetic resin, with the layer increasing by The G-Class is now three centimetres each day. This work of art was some 170 kilogrammes showcased as Mercedes-Benz celebrated the world pre- lighter than before mière of the new G-Class at the North American Inter- thanks to the high national Auto Show in January. Although this vehicle aluminium content of series has been continually enhanced and improved the fenders, doors and since its market launch almost 40 years ago, its original the engine hood. character has been maintained: an iconic design, ro- bustness on off-road terrain and elegance on the roads. Its timeless aura is now preserved for eternity in the world’s largest installation of its kind. An homage that we can greet with a twinkling of the eye. A lavish web Thirteen centimetres special awaits you online: wider, five centimetres longer: drivers and mercedes-benz.com/strongerthantime passengers enjoy more space for their legs and

shoulders. AG DAIMLER PHOTOS

Mercedes 64 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 65 Mercedes C High-performance More dynamic than ever Ambient lighting and LED headlights and a It would be tempting to simply let a good thing be. After leather seats in new front apron: all, over a million models of the award-winning C-Class new colours: the new the C-Class Saloon have been sold worldwide. Simply put, it’s the best in class. C-Class is equally But the best are only the best because they keep getting inviting in the back. better. It is with this in mind that Mercedes-Benz design- ers and engineers gave it their all to make these models even more sporty, comfortable and safe. On the occasion of its 25th anniversary, the C-Class is receiving many new updates. Like the bright, high-performance LED headlights and the new taillight graphics, which were designed spe- cifically for the saloon to make it just as much of an How winners eye-catcher at night. And the cockpit of this fully inter- connected car features an all-digital dashboard display as well as a large, free-standing media display. The C-Class is also equipped with the latest driver assistance systems – with many features inspired by the new S-Class – to look give it fresh impetus on this special anniversary.

New taillights: the rear lights encase the brake lights

IGOR PANITZ HEUER PHOTOS TEXT JÖRG in a C-shape.

Mercedes 66 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 67 Mercedes C Four siblings, one goal Optional: In addition to the C-Class Saloon (previous double page), the high-resolution this year will also see the Estate (see pictures on this Multibeam LED ­double page), the Coupé and the Cabriolet being pre­ headlights with sented in a fresh new look. The goal is clear: to lend the Ultra Range full beam assistant the C-Class an even greater edge as best in class. The new paint options, like Mojave silver and graphite grey, emphasise this. The Estate is particularly impressive in terms of freedom and flexibility. The AMG Line seen here is a perfectly ­defined power package; its look alone is enough to stir emotions. And whether you’re on a business trip or on holiday, the various configuration options like 64-colour ambient lighting, Energizing Comfort Control with its seat massage function, and the Burmester® surround-sound system always make driving a pleasure. The ‘C’ in ‘C-Class’ stands for one thing now more than ever: champion.

The cockpit is fully digital, the steering wheel features three spokes, and the free-standing display is even better integrated into the interior thanks to the new format.

Your smartphone is your key to the world – and the world of Mercedes-Benz. With it, you can examine your vehicle data and book your personal mobility services con­ i veniently online. So much is possible – and even more All information possibilities are opened up every day. Register and dis- about the models and New bumpers, new configuration options cover Mercedes me and the free Mercedes me app for look – and all models of the new C-Class iOS and Android. are also available can be found here: www.mercedes.me in AMG Line versions. mbmag.me/c-class

Mercedes 68 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 69 Mercedes EAny plans? Austin, Texas is a magnet for creative types like Felix Jaehn.

Felix Jaehn belongs to a new generation of musicians: a generation whose members Give me a beat ­network with rappers and songwriters and document their exciting lives on social media. TEXT: INA BRZOSKA The German native took the E-Class 400 4Matic Coupé on a tour through Austin, PHOTOS: JENS RÜSSMANN searching for inspiration in the city known for its love of music. We went along for the ride

Mercedes 70 Mercedes-Benz Perfectly proportioned: an elongated bonnet, flowing lines, stylish tail – the E-Class Coupé is a real eye-catcher on the roads. E

Felix Jaehn delights in his new song – and later in the view.

MarchMärz 2018 2018 73 Mercedes E Retro love: colourful, he smell of charcoal fills the saloon. vintage neon signs are Servers bring out juicy, blood-red common in Austin. steaks with a side of macaroni in a bath of melted cheese. Felix Jaehn Tleans against a wooden table. He is wearing a white sweater and neon-yellow trainers, his

hair brushed up into a quiff. Dynamic and elegant: His team promised him a stop at Terry the E 400 4Matic Coupé Black’s for lunch – Felix is a real foodie, and is ideal for a a trip to Austin wouldn’t be complete without sprawling city. a barbecue. He uses the short break to put on his headphones. It’s a song from his new album. “This song really gets stuck in your head,” he says. “It’s going to be the next sum- mer hit. Tim, listen to this.” The team passes

the headphones around. Everyone nods to Jaehn at the Hope the beat. Cute dimples begin to form on Outdoor Gallery, where Felix’s cheeks. artists immortalise His music is enough to make even a cool themselves in graffiti Finn like racing car driver Valtteri Bottas dance. Which is exactly what happened the night before: Felix Jaehn DJ’d for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas team to ring out the Formula 1 weekend. Jaehn instantly creates a casual atmosphere when we meet. Hailing from Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Germany, he is considered to be one of the originator of tropical house, a type of exotic, rhythmic electronic music.

He had barely finished school by the time Cyclists are a rarity he’d landed number 1 hits on international in Austin. Texans prefer charts. These days, he fills stadiums around the air-conditioned the world. climate of a car.

Felix, is it actually possible to plan a sum- mer hit? Felix Jaehn: Oh, that’s hard. So much has to come together for that to happen. What does The Burmester® high- the crowd like? What new trend is time ripe end 3D surround sound for? One thing summer hits have in common system guarantees though is that there’s a certain “cheesiness” fat beats. to them – they’re a bit over the top, like

From handling curves in sporty ‘Cheerleader’ or ‘Despacito’. It’s important to style to cruising through the have a good hook. city, the E-Class Coupé can do A hook? it all with perfection. That’s usually the chorus. The hook is what gets stuck in your head. So how do you find the right hook? There are millions of songs ... What are the most popular It’s an instinct. It’s about perceiving some- Downtown Austin souvenirs from Austin? offers an architecturally Cowboy hats! They provide thing in a certain way at a certain moment, interesting mix of consummate protection which of course will have a lot to do with imposing skyscrapers against the Texan sun. your mood. and historic red brick.

Mercedes 74 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 75 Mercedes E Juicy entrecôtes are served. The photo­ grapher places some green beans on Felix’s plate – Jaehn doesn’t want to alienate his vegetarian fans. Does the mystery of a catchy song come from intuition or research? I’d say both. I travel a lot and visit songwrit- ers in the studio. In the past few months I’ve travelled to Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Stock- holm and, most recently, London. Every- where, really. I travel to these places for writing sessions and I meet different people every day in the studio. We talk about everything that moves us and toss around ideas with the goal of creating something new, whatever that may be.

The tour continues after the barbecue. Next stop: the Hope Outdoor Gallery, not far from downtown. It offers the best view of the Aus- tin skyline. Visitors clamber up the small hill to immortalise their names in spray paint. Model The Texas sun is beating, Felix Jaehn wipes Mercedes-Benz the sweat from his forehead. He takes a deep E 400 4Matic Coupé breath and takes in the view of the city. Colour: selenite grey Are musicians more free today than they ­metallic used to be? Transmission: There are definitely more ways to make your- nine-speed ­automatic self known. Nowadays anyone can simply get Cylinder arrangement/ started. I was self-made too when I was start- number ing out. I made songs, uploaded them onto V 6 SoundCloud and then wrote to bloggers. I Engine size (ccm): didn’t need a huge recording studio or a re- 2,996 Rated output cord label. (kW in rpm): There are probably a lot of musicians who 245/5,250–6,000 did the same thing and still aren’t as suc- Top speed: cessful as you … 250 km/h I got lucky. And you’ll eventually need a ­(electronically major label and a team to really put yourself ­controlled) Fuel consumption out there. (l/100 km)* Your song with Herbert Grönemeyer for urban: the German Football Association – is that 11.2–11.0 part of your success strategy? extra-urban: Somebody had the idea of doing something 6.7–6.4 combined: for the national team and I was asked to Rainey Street: the 8.4–8.1 go into the studio with him. It was a huge bustling entertainment CO2 emissions honour. district shines in combined (g/km)*: Herbert Grönemeyer is 60, you’re 23. bright colours at night. 189–183 It was cool. We talked a lot, even on a person- The values can vary Instagrammable: * For more depending on the ­information on the Felix Jaehn feeds his al level. One of the things we talked about Mini doughnuts with measurement wheels/tyres. community – with was what it’s like to suddenly become fa- Nutella sweeten up Felix procedure, please Efficiency class: pictures of Rainey Street. mous. Nobody prepares you for that. Jaehn’s free evening. see page 8 D

March 2018 77 Mercedes E

Tips Downtown What did he tell you? Central East He said that I should stay true to myself and Bluffington 1 Allens Boots Austin trust my gut. That I shouldn’t let people take Cowboys will find advantage of me. whatever their hearts That’s certainly easier said than done. desire here: boots, hats, 2 5 Yeah, because there are so many different leather jackets 4 3 and top-quality people who try to talk you into doing things, Wrangler jeans. and they’re all experts too. But you have to i allensboots.com Bouldin learn how to say, “No, I don’t want to do that.” Zilker But there are are also more ordinary things, 2 Barton Springs South River like fan mail. I have it sent to my mum these Only in Austin will you 1 City days instead of to me. At home we’re getting find such a gigantic taller hedges so that I can sit in my garden pool in the middle of the city. The water without some random person taking pictures comes from natural South Congress of me and posting them online. springs that the Native South Americans once used. Lamar Next stop: the Rainey Street entertainment i mbmag.me/ district. Here you can find bars in colourful bartonsprings CANADA containers, live concerts, strings of lights. East Riverside Felix Jaehn stops at a pink food truck 3 The White Horse Oltorf A charming saloon with USA and orders some mini doughnuts with New York live country bands. San Francisco ­Nutella dip. Guests are served tacos and beer by the AUSTIN Because of your busy lifestyle you’re litre. A real Austin N W E ­always on the go. What does an average institution, where MEXICO Miami dancing is guaranteed. S day look like for you? i thewhitehorseaus- It’s not easy. I often wake up in different tin.com places at different times. I try to meditate 1 2 3 10 minutes every day, after I wake up, but 4 Terry Black’s BBQ I haven’t yet managed to get into a really good Delicious food, but flow. You just have to stick with it, I think. you’d better show up on an empty stomach. Do you want to have a family? Terry Black’s has been In a few years, definitely. But I won’t be able smoking and grilling to live the way I do now, of course. meat for four genera- What will you do then? tions. We recommend I can see myself starting a production com- a side of macaroni pany. I’d send artists around the world and and cheese with your 4 entrecôte. continue to sit in the studio and make i terryblacksbbq.com music. I’ve always wanted a mentor who would tell me, “Come Felix, this is how 5 Bat bridge we’re going to do it.” And that’s how we Between March and would then do it. ­November each year, hundreds of bats fly out from the South Congress Bridge at ­twilight – a true sight to see. i batsinaustin.com i Felix Jaehn is very active on Instagram, where Off we go: For Felix Jaehn, he keeps his worldwide AG L.R.) DAIMLER T.L, (S. 75 FOTOS / ALLENS BOOTS BRYANT MICHAEL PR THE WHITE HORSE, JASON / ALAMY, PHOTOGRAPHY / PETER TSAI IMAGES TIPS: MAURITIUS the tour ends with the fan base up to date: E 400 4Matic Coupé. But

mbmag.me/jaehn PHOTOS the day isn’t over yet.

Mercedes 78 Mercedes-Benz Facts

Saddled up The CHIO will be drawing visitors to Aachen from 13 to 22 July this year. Around 350,000 spectators flock to the World Equestrian Festival and Mercedes-Benz is back, too

Since 1954, the brand with the star has been the main sponsor of this traditional tournament with its unique atmosphere for horses, riders and the public. The world’s best in equestrian sports will be judged in Aachen in five disciplines in front of full grandstands: dressage, jumping, equestrian vaulting, four-in-hand driving and versatility. Prestigious awards will be pre- sented over 10 days in front of an expert audience. Ex- citing trials and an attractive supporting programme await visitors – with a stylish opening ceremony, live EQ Ready app concerts and an open day. Mercedes-Benz will be pre- Is an electric car right senting its new products over an area of 1,400 square for me? The new EQ Ready app answers this metres and cordially invites all spectators to drop by. question. It compares The focus this year is on the new A-Class and the new the user’s distances G-Class. You can pick up tickets for the tournament travelled and driving from your Mercedes-Benz dealer or directly at behaviour with the i chioaachen.de parameters of electric and hybrid vehicles. i mbmag.me/ eqreadyapp

A car like us The new A-Class is now coming onto the market – and Mercedes-Benz is putting together many attractive equipment packages and offers for the launch

Taking centre stage The Mercedes-Benz Fashion A vehicle full of ideas: the new A-Class. You have many innovative features, including widescreen Week Berlin inspired visitors Embarking on already met their makers in this issue (page 52) cockpit, smartphone integration and ­inductive an adventure with a fresh concept this The first motorhomes and have also reviewed the new A-Class for yourself charging. And what’s more: the first 25 buyers get ­January: in just a few eye-catch- based on the X-Class are (page 59). Has this sparked your interest? If you an iPhone X for free. You can enjoy the height ing and individually staged here: Mercedes-Benz can’t wait to experience the cars live at your in exclusivity with the limited Edition 1: unique shows, the designers were able Vans presented some Mercedes-Benz dealer, you can experience the new colour accents, ­ambient lighting and especially to ­impress their audience with expansion concepts at A-Class digitally, in the A-Class app. The Roadshow sporty AMG Line. The business package includes the CMT 2018, such as a their looks. The abbreviated Magnificent setting: will start on 19 May at Berlin-Tempelhof as part of Mercedes-Benz Navigation, extended MBUX user trailer by Tischer (above) the German riders will name also fits this concise new and a camping module by be hoping to hear the the Formula E race, where you can also take interface ­functions, heated seats and active parking As exciting as it will appearance: MBFW. VanEssa mobilcamping. applause ringing out at an impromptu test drive. In the online store you assist with Parktronic. soon be familiar: i mercedes-benz.de/mbfw i mbmag.me/camping the CHIO Aachen. AG DAIMLER PHOTOS can find an attractive A-Class special ­model with i mercedes-benz.com/a-class the new A-Class

Mercedes 80 Mercedes-Benz March 2018 81 Mercedes THINK TANK

We must It’s a bold digital project accessible to everybody. That’s the idea. But Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia everyone can edit, catch up has a big challenge: to understand how the world will change

One of my favorite stories from our re­ search was from an interview with a young woman in South Africa. We asked, “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Have you ever heard of it?” and her response was: “An encyclope- dia? Isn’t that old books where old people look up old things?” In this context, local content and rele- vance are essential. People trust media that speaks to them: it must understand their lives, their triumphs, their struggles. If Wikipedia’s mission is to be truly univer­sally Katherine Maher, 34, n Wikipedia’s 15th birthday, we accessible, it must be universally represent- is the executive director started asking: What might the next ative, with articles that chronicle not only of the Wikimedia 15 years hold? Wikipedia went from dead European philosophers, but lead­ing Foundation – the non- profit organization a simple idea - a free encyclopedia - African film stars. While it’s simple to count that operates the free Oto become one of the world’s most beloved babies, emerging technologies are far less and open encyclopedia: websites, consistently ranking among top predictable. Yet new interfaces, devices, and Wikipedia. In addition, websites globally, written by and for everyday experiences are certain to transform the pro- Maher is a noted foreign people. What is next for us, and for knowledge? duction and dissemination of knowledge. policy expert specia- To answer this, we had to estimate how lizing in technology’s impact on human rights, the world might be 15 years from now, and democracy, and inter- we had to do it with a truly global perspective. national development. Through a collaborative and global discussion “To be universally representative, and research program, we worked with ­Wikipedia’s volunteer editors around the our articles must not only chronicle world to imagine the possibilities. dead European philosophers, Although none of us can predict the fu- ture, demographers probably come closest. but leading African film stars” Over the next 15 years, the global population Katherine Maher — WIkimedia Foundation is expected to reach 8.4 billion, a 15 percent increase from 2015. These trends, in conjunc- tion with rising education and literacy levels and internet access, mean that educated and We don’t believe Wikipedia will be written connected individuals will make up an in- by machines anytime soon. But we do know creasingly large and global group. that artificial intelligence and natural language The parts of the world that are growing processing open up new ways to parse infor- the fastest are the places where Wikipedia is mation, offering the potential for new insights not well-known. The population of the African and understanding. Augmented experiences continent, for example, is predicted to grow and embedded data will create new standards faster than any region from 2015 to 2030, for immersive, visual experiences. with a projected 40 percent increase, equi­ As the world changes, we’ll need to stay valent to nearly 470 million people. With nimble and adapt. But fortunately for all of income and education levels rising across us, that’s exactly what Wikipedia already

the continent, we must work to catch up. does, with every single edit, every single day. NOVOTNY JINDRICH ILLUSTRATION

Mercedes 82 Mercedes-Benz