No. 356 1.2018 No. No. 356 MERCEDES 1.2018 MERCEDES “hey, mercedes” The first car to understand us: the new A-Class The new A-Class Joachim Löw The new G-Class + Felix Jaehn + eSports + G-Class + Joachim Löw + 5013-OMEGA-RM10-Anzeige Mercedes Magazin.indd 1 01.02.18 15:50 A watch that is at home where man braves the elements. Tutima M2 Pioneer Functional, reliable, tough. An exciting automatic chronograph with the latest technology and materials. MADE FOR THOSE WHO DO. ALL TIME STARS The trading division of Mercedes-Benz Classic for classic cars. www.mercedes-benz.com/alltimestars TUTIMA UHRENFABRIK GMBH NDL. GLASHÜTTE 01768 Glashütte/Sa. · Germany · Tel. +49 35053 320 20 · Exclusive catalogue at [email protected] · www.tutima.com WORKSHOP 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; NEUMANN UND RODTMANN, PRIVATE NEUMANN UND RODTMANN, whenever he gets a break, the DJ puts his headphones on, PHOTOS 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 NEUMANN UND RODTMANN NEUMANN UND RODTMANN 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/ COVER PHOTO 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 cow boys, 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.