mercedes-benz july 2013

02 • 2013

SHEER STYLE Lewis Hamilton, champion in the Silver Arrow

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DAWN OF AN ICONThe new CLA

+FASHION WEEK Catwalk highlights

ISTANBUL East meets West

oyster perpetual gmt-master ii

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

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Mercedes-Benz magazine

005INTROEmbracing the new.

008CHECK- INMobility and innovation: Ener-G-Force concept car, skydiving in a wingsuit, stunt coordinator Alex King.

014MISSION DEEP SEAHow the Sea Orbiter aims to cross the oceans while providing answers to crucial questions en route. 016DAWN OF A NEW ICONSmall cars get a shake up with the introduction of the CLA.

024HUNGRY FOR VICTORYLewis Hamilton on style, stamina and his first season in the Silver Arrow.

030BL ACK GOLDIntroducing the SLS AMG Black Series, as it’s put through its paces on Phillip Island. 038FINELY HONED SENSESDiscover Intelligent Drive, a network of cameras and sensors designed to increase safety.

DETAILS OF THE ENTIRE MERCEDES-BENZ RANGE ARE AVAIL ABLE ONLINE AT MERCEDES-BENZ.COM.AU

Mercedes-Benz magazine is published by Hardie Grant Media for Mercedes-Benz Australia Pacific Pty Ltd / 44 Lexia Place, Mulgrave, Victoria, Australia 3170 / tel: 61 3 9566 9266 mercedes-benz.com.au / Mercedes-Benz Marketing Communications Caroline Bowen and Jerry Stamoulis / Enquiries [email protected] / No responsibility is accepted by Mercedes-Benz or Hardie Grant for the accuracy of any statement or advice contained in the text or advertisements. All material appearing in Mercedes-Benz magazine is copyright. ©2013

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040EMOTIONDesign, food, fashion: architecture in Jakarta, summer in Aspen, art at the NGV. 044OUT OF THE BLUEThe E300 BlueTEC Hybrid marries sophisticated design with a diesel-electric engine.

050STAR QUALIT YFrom Germany to Hollywood, the E-Class through the ages. 052HALLOWED GROUNDThe Holy Halls in Stuttgart are home to a coveted collection of Mercedes cars.

056THE NEW CENTRAL PARKAn ambitious Sydney development is creating a green scene in the heart of the city. 062EASTERN PROMISEIstanbul has changed, nowhere more strikingly than Beyoglu.

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Hardie Grant Media / Private Bag 1600, South Yarra, Victoria, Australia 3141 / tel: 61 3 8520 6444 / hardiegrant.com.au Managing director Jeff Trounce / Publisher Keri Freeman / Managing editor Sarah Lewis / Editor Helen Kaiser / Art direction & design Glenn Moffatt Pre-press Splitting Image Colour / Print Offset Alpine / Editorial [email protected] / Advertising [email protected]

070FASHIONHighlights from the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia. 074ICONSAttention assist: the secrets of a good espresso.

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V I S I O N

G factorTHE ST YLISH G-shaped LED headlights dazzle the eyes of off-road fans and leave an indelible imprint on their memories. Is this futuristic Ener-G-Force concept vehicle a harbinger of things to come in the G-Class? It would certainly be a worthy successor to the off-road icons that Mercedes-Benz has been refining and improving since 1979. Design chief Gorden Wagener is happy to let people speculate: “The Ener-G-Force is both modern and cool. It just might herald a new departure for Mercedes-Benz’s off-road design vocabulary.” What he is referring to is the 1:1 model, based on a computer image created for the Los Angeles Design Challenge. The blue-sky thinkers at the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studio in California certainly found the idea good enough to give it wheels.

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C H E C K - I N

Taking it to the limitAlex King is a movie car crash specialist. He was responsible for coordinating the thrilling chase scenes in Die Hard 5, and ensuring that Bruce Willis and the stuntmen were not put in any danger.

MB: Were many vehicles written off during the filming of Die Hard 5?We wrecked an astonishing number! We had a lot of duplicates, of course – so as to be able to repeat the major stunt sequences. And we had several Mercedes G-Class vehicles, which were great! I would never have thought a car would be so robust when dropped from a great height.

What does your job involve?Together with my 20 colleagues, I am responsible for every vehicle that is seen in the film, whether it’s parked in the background or blown sky-high. We built more than 50 rollover cages. The steel and welding wire we used would have stretched all the way from London to Edinburgh [or Canberra to Melbourne].

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

Are there any limits to the type of car you’ll use?It would be too painful to destroy a classic car – that’s where I would draw the line and build a replica instead.

High abovePARIS has the Eiffel Tower, London the Shard and Seattle the Space Needle. And 2014 will see Phoenix, Arizona, unveil the Pin – a spectacular observation tower that rises from the ground like a gigantic skewer. The reinforced concrete tower will be 420-metres high and feature three glass elevators and a round viewing platform whose floors spiral downwards. As visitors descend from the highest point, they will be able to enjoy a 360-degree view of the rugged Arizona landscape. Inside, there will be exhibition areas, restaurants and bars. b i g.d k

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

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

WHERE CAN YOU LEARN TO DO IT?You can find instructors at 5dwingsuiting.com or sign up for a birdman course at the Freefall University Spain at freefalluni.co.uk.

O N C E I N A L I F E T I M E …

Skydiving in a wingsuit

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TO MY MIND, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted. BILL BRYSON, TRAVEL WRITER

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

DISTANCE 157 kilometres DURATION Two hoursLONGEST BRIDGE Seven Mile Bridge (11km)

From Key Largo to Key West

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

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A P P D A T E

Downloads for travellersPRINTSY can send real postcards from a smartphone: choose a photo, write the text and, depending on the destination, the card will arrive within two days to two weeks.

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

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

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

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INSPIRATION AND INSIGHT usually come from outside your personal field of vision. That is why, wherever possible, you should listen to people who work outside your professional area. CHRIS ANDERSON, CURATOR OF TED TALKS

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C O N C E P T G L A

Escape the everydayAT THE SHANGHAI MOTOR SHOW , Mercedes-Benz revealed the Concept GLA, a compact premium-class SUV, which boasts some dynamic new high-tech and aesthetic features for optimal on- and off-road touring. Its four-cylinder, turbo-charged petrol engine, with dual clutch automatic transmission and 4MATIC all-wheel drive, is housed under a refashioned bonnet with distinctive ‘powerdomes’ atop and a sporty radiator grille to the front.

Laser-beam headlamps not only illuminate the road but, when stationary, can also project pictures or films onto a screen or other surface via the COMAND Online system. Removable HD cameras are able to capture real-time drive footage, or be removed to shoot from an alternative form of transport, such as a mountain bike.

A silver Alubeam paint finish, 20-inch wheels, frameless side windows, large roof spoiler, fully recessed door handles, and a dark leather and galvanised aluminium interior all add to the sporty look of this highly desirable compact SUV.

T I M E M A C H I N E

Precision timing

BRAINWAVE’s annual fundraising gala will be held on Friday 16 August at Peninsula, Central Pier, in Melbourne. Raising money to support the treatment, rehabilitation and care of children with brain illnesses and injuries, the event attracts great numbers, with 100 per cent of proceeds funding Brainwave’s Care Program initiatives. These include family days and camps, ably assisted by Mercedes-Benz volunteers. b r a i n wav e.o rg.au

ACCURACY, speed and high-complexity mechanical

movements within a handsome package are optimal qualities in any high-performance machine.

At a minute scale TAG Heuer has combined these traits in the first mechanical chronograph to time to 1/100th of a second. Its

limited edition of 150 Heuer Carrera Mikrograph Chronographs will

bring some of the most precise and sophisticated timekeeping to the wrists

of modern motor racing enthusiasts.TAG H E U E R . C O M

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The world’s biggest digital cameraPERCHED ATOP the Cerro Pachón in Chile, a facility is being built that will bring the heavens down to Earth. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) is designed to take pictures of the night sky. The camera itself measures 1.6 x 3m and weighs 2800kg, while the telescope has three mirrors and an 8.4-metre aperture. The mission of the LSST is to map the Milky Way and objects within the solar system, detect supernovas, and investigate weak gravitational lensing effects in order to find dark energy and dark matter. l s s t . o r g

SENSORS

189

SECONDARY MIRROR

3.4M

350NM UV WAVELENGTH SPECTRUM

336KW MOTOR RATING

W E B W R A P

M-B digital destinations FACEBOOKThe official Mercedes-Benz Australia/New Zealand page provides information on new models, behind-the-scenes video, thousands of photos and exclusive content to its fans. As for the fast-growing automotive fan page, you won’t be disappointed. fac e b o o k . c o m / m e rc e d e s b e n Z AUfac e b o o k . c o m / m e rc e d e s b e n Z N Z

T WITTER – FASHIONFollow Mercedes-Benz Australia on Twitter for exclusive coverage of industry-only Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia and the annual Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festivals in Sydney and Brisbane. T W I T T E R . C O M / M B FA S H I O N AU S

PHOTO COMMUNIT YFashion weeks, dream roads and history galore: stunning photos from the Mercedes-Benz universe are here on a virtual pinboard, including the best shots from the Mille Miglia.P i n t e r e s t. c o m / m e rc e d e s b e n Z AU

S U M M E R S E R I E S

Art & aboutHAVING SUCCESSFULLY partnered with the National Gallery of Victoria in establishing the Winter Masterpieces Series for the past six years, this year Mercedes-Benz is evolving its support of the NGV, as Principal Partner to a landmark new summer exhibition. Starting this November, Melbourne Now will celebrate the latest art, design and architecture produced in that city. This ambitious and far-reaching exhibition will show how visual artists, architects and designers have profoundly contributed to creating a place that is unique, how it is that art shapes a city in a physical and conceptual way, and how a city also shapes its creative practitioners. Details of how Mercedes customers can get involved will follow in the November edition of Mercedes-Benz magazine. M E L B O U R N E N OW, 2 2 N OV 2 0 1 3 – 2 3 M A R 2 0 1 4

The perfect driveMORE THAN 65,000 Mercedes-Benz customers have teed off in the annual MercedesTrophy golf tournament, with national teams for September’s World Final decided over the past few months. Australia’s field of 45 was whittled down to three at Sanctuary Cove in June, at the time of print, while the NZ team of Jim Malcolm, Fran Weinstein and Steve Hyun (pictured above) was revealed in Queenstown in April. The new Drive to the Major competition awarded the player with the straightest tee shot a free trip to the Open Championship in Scotland later this year. As the Official Golf Partner, TaylorMade ensured the golfers had the best equipment to excel and, off the course, the Hugo Boss style workshop was a highlight for many Australian tournament guests.

Ash KeatingWest Park proposition 2012 (production still)

Photo: Greta Costello

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Mission deep sea

OBSERVATION DECKFrom Deck 12, at a height of 16.5 metres, researchers will have a good view of birds, dolphins, whales and big fish. This deck will be equipped with state-of-the-art instruments for meteorological observations and studies of the night sky.

FOR ALL THE SPECUL ATION about the vast expanses of the universe, little attention is paid to the depths of the oceans. “An astonishing 95 per cent of the ocean remains unexplored,” says Jacques Rougerie, the French architect who created the concept for the Sea Orbiter. This floating research vessel has been designed to circumnavigate the Earth, propelled by ocean currents alone. The 550-ton observatory measures 58 metres in height, 31 metres of which will be submerged. Twelve levels provide space for various laboratories, multimedia equipment for the transmission of data and images, as well as living quarters for a team of up to 22 researchers. Expeditions lasting up to six months will gather important data on climate change, the world’s food supply and energy resources. Part-sponsored by the European Space Agency (ESA), the project is still in the financing stage, but if it all runs to plan, it could hit the waves in the winter of 2014.

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

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

UNDERWATER PRESSURE MODULEAs well as cabins above sea level, up to eight aquanauts can live on Deck 2 in a submerged area that is adapted to underwater pressure. It allows researchers to go diving at any time without the need for pressure equalisation.

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HANGERThis is where the equipment for depth research will be unloaded. A two-man submersible and a remote-controlled version for capturing marine samples can descend to 1000 metres, while a deep-sea drone can reach depths of up to 6000 metres.

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WORDS GLENN BUTLER PHOTOS MERCEDES-BENZ16


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Dawn of an iconWITH THE ARRIVAL of the CLA-Class coupé,

the small car has grown up. This stylish new release teams head-turning exteriors with turbo-charged

four-cylinders that really pack a punch.

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DYNAMIC Not a face you’d miss in a crowd: chrome pins in the radiator grille sparkle like gemstones.The front-focused wedge shape is out; the tail is the new centre of attention.Rims that radiate dynamism, with a star centred on each hub.

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Style, performance and prestige… It will change the way you

think about cars.

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The CLA is based on the flexible compact architecture, yet it has a uniquely beguiling silhouette.

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Mercedes-Benz has not only been at the forefront of the motor vehicle industry, but also continues to reinvent the car and driving innovation. And this year with the CLA-Class four-door coupé, Mercedes-Benz has done it again. When it comes to describing cars, small has been synonymous with cheap. Typically, small cars are crudely styled for functionality rather than emotion, have underpowered engines biased towards fuel economy, and carry the bare minimum of features and creature comforts. They are usually the last vehicles to receive ground-breaking new technologies that debut on luxury vehicles and slowly trickle down. That is all about to change. Small cars are about to grow up.

Contemporary styleOne look at the new Mercedes-Benz CLA and it’s clear this car has not been styled or built down to a price. The Mercedes-Benz CLA is based on the company’s flexible compact architecture, yet it has a uniquely beguiling silhouette. Even though the CLA-class shares the same platform as the A-class, it is actually longer than a C-Class sedan, with a lower roofline and sultry curves intended to evoke impressions of a sleek coupé. Think of it as the baby brother to Benz’s successful CLS four-door coupé. Unlike its bigger sibling, the CLA is a front-drive vehicle, a layout popular with small cars because it liberates interior space otherwise taken up by prop shafts and other rear-drive components.

Engine efficencyThe CLA has been designed exclusively to take the company’s efficient and powerful new four-cylinder petrol and diesel engine families. All use intelligent turbocharging to maximise performance without penalising fuel consumption. Australians will have a choice of two engines, a 115kW 1.6-litre in the CLA 200 and a 155kW 2.0-litre in the CLA 250. I drove both engines at the international launch in the south of France. The 1.6-litre was a particular revelation because it didn’t feel at all lethargic or underpowered as some might expect. This engine produces strong low-rpm torque, which makes urban driving relatively easy. When pressed, it delivers enthusiastically.But for real performance, the 155kW 2.0-litre in the CLA 250 really gets the heart racing. This engine has real punch down low and gets better the harder it is pushed. It doesn’t sound half bad either. Benz claims the CLA 250 can hit 100km/h from rest in 6.7 seconds, and after sampling its performance firsthand I see no reason to dispute this claim.

INSPIRINGinterior details give the CLA a fresh feel, combining the sportiness of a coupé with the capacity of a sedan.

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The standard seven-speed double-clutch auto-matic is excellent and helps the engines stay in their performance band longer.

Dynamic performanceThe biggest surprise with the CLA is its refinement. This really shouldn’t be a surprise considering the three-pointed star at each end of the vehicle, but it’s still something of a shock to enjoy such a quiet and relaxed ride in a small car. Road noise is a distant hum, the engine is barely there, and wind noise is but a whisper because the CLA has the slipperiest profile of any car currently in production. Aerodynamic efficiency pays off in engine performance, too.The cabin itself is typical Mercedes-Benz but

with a younger, fresher feel not too dissimilar to the new A-Class. That makes sense, given the similar buyer profiles. The CLA’s dynamic performance, more than any other single aspect, convinced me that compact cars have finally come of age. The CLA’s chassis is so well balanced and communicative that it’s possible to drive enthusiastically without waking the skid control (ESC). There’s good feel for front-tyre grip both in terms of cornering and getting power down on exit. The rear end is relatively tame and therefore happy to follow.So, the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class has style, performance and prestige. It will change the way you think about cars. <

AERODYNAMICefficiency pays off in engine performance.

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Compact cars have finally come of age.

To learn more speak to one of our specialist dealers www.loewe.tv/nz

AU: NSW: Balmain: New Fidelity, 02 9818 2333 Lane Cove: Len Wallis Audio, 02 9427 6755 Neutral Bay: The Bose Store, 02 9908 5010 Newcastle: Audio Junction, 02 4962 1490 Sydney CBD: Quality Hi-Fi, 02 9299 1005 Wollongong: Sturman Electronics, 02 4226 6690 QLD: Fortitude Valley: Living Sound & Vision, 07 3552 7000 SA: Kadina: Russacks, 08 8821 1433 Malvern: A2V, 08 8357 7222 VIC: Camberwell: Tivoli Hi-Fi, 03 9813 3533 Carlton: Carlton Audio Visual, 03 9639 2737 Frankston: Frankston Hi-Fi, 03 9781 1111 Prahran: Just Klapp, 03 9529 5966 Richmond: Encel Stereo, 03 9425 8111

www.loewe.tv/au

GermanEngineeredSince 1923

Never before has innovation looked so good.The story of perfection in home entertainment has been more than just shaped by Loewe – in 1931 Loewe presented

the first electronic television to the world. The pioneering spirit which led to the invention of this revolutionary

technology is still evident in each and every Loewe home entertainment system.

Electrostatic speakers with striking wafer-thin membranes

that produce a particularly lively and transparent sound.

Individual Slim A clever Smart TV with a hard disk that can stream

recordings to different rooms wirelessly, and with 400Hz picture

quality for stunning sharpness of movement.

Individual Sound Projector One single narrow housing containing

42 speakers that together create a genuine surround sound –

perfect for those who place emphasis on an ultra-minimalist

environment, or where space is at a premium.

SoundVision A revolutionary system with a large

touch screen display and room filling sound thanks

to six speakers cleverly engineered into a beautiful

compact polished aluminium housing.

5yearwarranty

NZ: Auckland: Strawberry Sound, 0800 901 234, Paul Money (Albany), 09 4444 321, Paul Money (Mt. Eden), 09 6388 555 Bay of Plenty Waikato: Angell Sound Vision, 07 308 6886 Christchurch: Soundline Audio, 03 379 5695, Top Hi-Fi, 03 365 2041 Dunedin: Strawberry Sound, 0800 901 234 Nelson: Beggs MusicWorks, 03 548 8699 Wellington: Real Music, 04 385 8353

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To learn more speak to one of our specialist dealers www.loewe.tv/nz

AU: NSW: Balmain: New Fidelity, 02 9818 2333 Lane Cove: Len Wallis Audio, 02 9427 6755 Neutral Bay: The Bose Store, 02 9908 5010 Newcastle: Audio Junction, 02 4962 1490 Sydney CBD: Quality Hi-Fi, 02 9299 1005 Wollongong: Sturman Electronics, 02 4226 6690 QLD: Fortitude Valley: Living Sound & Vision, 07 3552 7000 SA: Kadina: Russacks, 08 8821 1433 Malvern: A2V, 08 8357 7222 VIC: Camberwell: Tivoli Hi-Fi, 03 9813 3533 Carlton: Carlton Audio Visual, 03 9639 2737 Frankston: Frankston Hi-Fi, 03 9781 1111 Prahran: Just Klapp, 03 9529 5966 Richmond: Encel Stereo, 03 9425 8111

www.loewe.tv/au

GermanEngineeredSince 1923

Never before has innovation looked so good.The story of perfection in home entertainment has been more than just shaped by Loewe – in 1931 Loewe presented

the first electronic television to the world. The pioneering spirit which led to the invention of this revolutionary

technology is still evident in each and every Loewe home entertainment system.

Electrostatic speakers with striking wafer-thin membranes

that produce a particularly lively and transparent sound.

Individual Slim A clever Smart TV with a hard disk that can stream

recordings to different rooms wirelessly, and with 400Hz picture

quality for stunning sharpness of movement.

Individual Sound Projector One single narrow housing containing

42 speakers that together create a genuine surround sound –

perfect for those who place emphasis on an ultra-minimalist

environment, or where space is at a premium.

SoundVision A revolutionary system with a large

touch screen display and room filling sound thanks

to six speakers cleverly engineered into a beautiful

compact polished aluminium housing.

5yearwarranty

NZ: Auckland: Strawberry Sound, 0800 901 234, Paul Money (Albany), 09 4444 321, Paul Money (Mt. Eden), 09 6388 555 Bay of Plenty Waikato: Angell Sound Vision, 07 308 6886 Christchurch: Soundline Audio, 03 379 5695, Top Hi-Fi, 03 365 2041 Dunedin: Strawberry Sound, 0800 901 234 Nelson: Beggs MusicWorks, 03 548 8699 Wellington: Real Music, 04 385 8353

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Lewis Hamilt on has big plans: “No ot her team is as hungry to wi n as we are.”

WORDS CHRISTOPH HENN, TOM CL ARKSON PHOTOS MARKUS JANS


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S P O R T S

Lewis Hamilt on has big plans: “No ot her team is as hungry to wi n as we are.”

S P O R T S

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

RACING THERAPY : Hamilton has been hyperactive ever since he was a kid. “I’ve found ways of channeling it,” he says.

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StyleSHOW BUSINESS is a familiar world to Lewis Hamilton, not only thanks to his glamorous other half. His manager since 2011 has been Simon Fuller, whose roster of clients includes stars such as the Beckhams and Jennifer Lopez. But Hamilton doesn’t need any advisers to tell him how to play to the public eye. He likes to wear sports clothes, but is also happy to dress classically for special occasions. “If I’m going out for dinner with Nicole I always wear a suit,” revealed Hamilton in an interview. “As a man you should always make an effort to impress a lady.” His distinctive sense of style might also have something to do with his respectful attitude towards expensive outfits. “We never used to have much money. My mum didn’t have any fashionable clothes, never mind designer gear.”

STAMINA and discipline are key qualities for Hamilton. He has learned never to give up and is constantly working on his fitness. “I’ve got a new physiotherapist and trainer on board this year,” he reports. But his body isn’t the only thing set for a workout: “I was very excited by the team’s three driving simulators the first time I saw them,” he recalls.

LEWIS HAMILTON ON…

AYRTON SENNA“His particular driving style and his character as a whole have always

fascinated me.”

MUHAMMAD ALI“For me, Ali is the coolest famous

figure out there. The self-assurance of the guy is impressive.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER“He’s a legend. It’s a privilege to have been driving at the same time as him

and to have got to know him.”

RIVALS“The toughest competition always

comes from within the team.”

THE TEAM“It’s easy to drag down the people

around you. But as a driver you always need to think positively. It’s important that you keep the team with you, even when things aren’t going quite how you imagined.”

HEROES“An elderly man recently said I was his hero. I thought that was crazy. For me Superman is a hero – and

I’m not Superman.”

HappinessTHE GREAT LOVE of Lewis Hamilton’s life is Nicole Scherzinger, former singer with the group Pussycat Dolls. The two have been together for five years now, give or take the odd time-out, the racing driver attributes in part to their busy schedules. “We have a long-distance relationship and that’s tough sometimes. It’s a challenge for us,” he once admitted in an interview. The couple certainly doesn’t hide away. Hamilton regularly tweets photos of himself and “my girl nicolescherzy”.

Ayrton Senna

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

EARLY STARTER: Lewis was just five when he got his first ride in a dodgem car, and seven when he won a race with his remote-controlled car on the TV program Blue Peter. By age 10, he was spending every weekend at the kart track and telling McLaren boss Ron Dennis about his plans to become world champion. Three years later McLaren and Mercedes-Benz handed him a contract, and at 15 Lewis became the kart world champion.

MILESTONES

1985Lewis Hamilton is born in Stevenage, north of

London, on January 7. His grandparents on his father’s

side are from Grenada.

1995He wins the British junior

kart championship at the age of 10 and receives the trophy

from Jacques Villeneuve.

2005Hamilton wins the Formula 3

Euro Series with a record 15 wins in 20 races.

2006A total of five wins and

nine podium finishes earns Hamilton the GP2 series title.

2007Hamilton tops the standings after six races of his debut Formula 1 season, making

him the youngest driver ever to lead the F1 World

Championship. He defends his advantage until the final race, but ultimately has to settle for second place, a

point behind Kimi Räikkönen.

2008After five wins and a

heart-stopping finale to the season, Hamilton becomes

the youngest ever Formula 1 world champion by a single

point.

2013After 21 wins in 110 races,

Hamilton switches from McLaren Mercedes to the Mercedes AMG Petronas team. His aim: to win the

world title.

MotivationTHE TEAM KNOWS that with me they’re getting a driver who always gives 100 per cent when he’s in the car, and I’m equally committed to helping the team as much as I can outside the cockpit. Everybody should know that this is a long-term project we’re talking about here. We’re setting out on a marathon, not a sprint.

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FamilyANTHONY HAMILTON was quick to recognise the talent his son possessed and did everything he could to support him in his racing career. In the early days, Anthony took on two extra jobs to enable Lewis to compete in kart races, and later he guided him as his manager to the Formula 1 World Championship. That arrangement came to an end in 2010, but Lewis still regularly emphasises how much he owes his father: “Keep your feet on the ground, don’t forget where you’re from; my father taught me to be humble.” Lewis’ younger brother also has a grounding effect on him. Nicolas has cerebral palsy, but can regularly be seen at trackside. “Whenever I think I’ve got problems, I think of Nicolas,” says Hamilton. “He can’t do half the things that I can, but he’s still happy.”

I LOVE CAR RACING, so I am happy to line up with the Mercedes AMG Petronas team. The people here have a greater hunger for success than any other team I know. If my car is within striking distance of the leaders, we’ll all be in for a lot of fun.

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Black goldCATCH A GLIMPSE of the SLS AMG Black Series as the new-release

supercar is put through its paces on Phillip Island.


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The fully redesigned titanium AMG sports exhaust system gives full voice to the V8’s more powerful lungs.

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t begins with a look. Walking into pit lane at Phillip Island, Australia’s fastest and most picturesque racetrack, I catch a glimpse of the only Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series in the country. This one has flown to Australia direct from the international launch in Europe, three days before the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix. Mercedes-Benz hopes AMG ambassador Michael Doohan will cut some demonstration laps for the public on Australian motorsport’s biggest day. But, first, this particular Solarbeam Yellow SLS Black has to survive today. A dozen motoring journalists are here to drive the Black, and they’re not interested in taking it easy. I’m

one of them, and I’m eager to see how far the Black’s performance envelope has been pushed compared with the SLS Coupé I drove in 2009 and the Roadster in 2011. Race ready The Black sits there oblivious to the nervous excitement it’s causing. The morning sun caresses its familiar lines, contours that have been enhanced to maximise real-world performance, including a deeper front-splitter to feed more air to the engine and press the front-end even harder into the tarmac. Bulging wheel-arches house specially developed, wider Michelin Cup tyres, the stickiest and closest to racing slicks

PUSH THE starter button and the Black’s engine comes to life.

The Alacantara-covered steering wheel has a red line stitched at noon, a telltale for front-wheel direction.

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that road regulations tolerate. Matt-black alloys house carbon-ceramic discs to give the Black the stopping-power to match its enhanced engine. At the rear, an adjustable wing generates serious downforce. Below it, one of the most substantial diffusers ever to adorn a road car minimises lift as air rushing beneath the car rejoins its companions from above. Each aerodynamic element is crafted from lightweight carbon fibre to be the best it can. Visually, these elements combine with darkened headlamp lenses and taillight surrounds to add a sinister cloak to the SLS’s aggressive lines.After sight comes touch. Pull the hidden handle and the gullwing door swings up and away.

Slide into Alcantara-covered sports seats that hug you tighter than your grandma – and will keep you just as safe. The steering wheel is covered in the same soft material, but with a red line stitched at noon, a visual telltale for front-wheel direction.Then comes sound. Push the starter button and the Black’s big 6.3-litre V8 engine barks into life before settling into a deep growl. The fully redesigned titanium AMG sports exhaust system gives full voice to the V8’s more powerful lungs. Many of the standard SLS engine’s internals have been swapped for lighter, faster components, allowing engineers to raise the rev ceiling 800rpm to 8000rpm.

At the rear, an adjustable wing generates serious downforce.

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These changes also raise the Black’s power output to an impressive 464kW, well over 600hp in the old money. Idling, the V8 sounds menacing; on the move, positively vicious.Pull the steering-wheel paddle and the Black’s dual-clutch transmission slots first gear without delay, its responses sharpened to match the Black’s greater need. Floor the throttle and the Black screams and flies, quickly running out of revs despite its higher limit. Another gear and the Black hits 100km/h two-tenths quicker in just 3.6 seconds. Another gear, and another, and we’re well on our way to the Black’s 315km/h top speed. But a corner is fast approaching.

Testing the limits The laps go fast, but there’s always a feeling that the car could go faster. It takes time to recalibrate my understanding of corner speeds, of stopping distances, of just how much rear-grip there is under power. The Black’s heightened abilities are finding me out. I swallow some brave pills and go harder, leaving it later before hitting the Black’s carbon-ceramic brakes. As I continue around the track, I force myself into corners with more speed and still the Black grips and carves and flies. Powering out, the Black’s big rear boots do an equally masterful job of turning engine power into track-eating velocity. <

But it’s not just the alacrity of the Black’s progress, it’s also the finesse and adjustability in every control surface. It’s not how hard you push the throttle or brakes but how you release them as well. It’s not how quickly you wind on the lock, but how you unwind it, too. Every movement is interpreted by the car, and transmitted through its body language to the driver. This is what it’s like to truly ‘feel’ the car, to be part of the machine.The SLS Black feels as close to a racecar as anything I’ve ever driven. It looks, sounds and feels like a racecar, and it’s making me feel like a real racing driver. I couldn’t wish for anything more.

The SLS Black feels as close to a racecar as anything I’ve ever driven.

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Mercedes-Benz Service Plans.Every detail revealed.

With Mercedes-Benz Service Plans, every detail is revealed from the beginning. You can manage your vehicle’s health with scheduled servicing and maintenance for up to five years with monthly financed contributions or one upfront payment. To find out more, talk to your participating authorised Mercedes-Benz dealer today or visit our website at www.mercedes-benz.com.au/serviceplans

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WORDS MICHAEL MOORSTEDT / CHRISTOPH HENN ILLUSTRATION MARIO WAGNER

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

Finely honed sensesINTELLIGENT DRIVE: a network of cameras and sensors alert to dangers, increasing safety for driver and pedestrians alike.

six camera lenses and 12 ultrasonic sensors.Generally, the idea is to improve safety. The technology should help to detect precarious situations early and take appropriate action if things get critical. This is precisely the aim of the new functions included with the BAS Plus Brake Assist and Pre-Safe Brake systems, which are being featured for the first time in the new E-Class and the future S-Class, and are capable of spotting pedestrians as well as imminent dangers at road junctions. The second of these tasks is taken care of by the BAS Plus with Cross-Traffic Assist. It issues visual and acoustic warnings if a car is approaching

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from the side, countering the inattentiveness that is a frequent cause of accidents.The new assist system can correct misjudgments, too, by automatically increasing braking power if the driver reacts too tentatively to a danger ahead. The system operates at speeds up to 72 km/h. According to a recent study, more than a quarter of all accidents at junctions resulting in personal injury can be mitigated or prevented altogether in this way. This boost to safety is partly due to a stereo camera built into the windshield that works in a similar way to 3D cinema technology. The information captured by the camera’s two ‘eyes’ is amalgamated with the data from the

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

Experts estimate that almost half of collisions with pedestrians will either be completely avoidable or at least have less serious consequences.

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High culture

JAKARTA – As in all major cities, space is increasingly at a premium in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta. Now the Dutch architecture practice MVRDV has made a virtue out of necessity and designed a mega-building: a daring concept that piles various blocks on top of each other instead of putting them side by side. “Peruri 88 is a kind of vertical Jakarta – it represents a new type of mini-metropolis that has been woven with the fabric of the city,” explains Winy Maas from MVRDV. Every block has a roof planted with trees in order to create more green spaces. On completion, the Jakarta tower will be 400 metres high and provide 360,000 sq.m of floor space for apartments, businesses, cinemas, an outdoor amphitheatre and a luxury hotel between the 44th and 86th floors. There will even be a mosque and a registry office. m v r d v . n l

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

THE CIT Y OF TOMORROW will not necessarily look any different from today, but it will function differently. As its inhabitants, we will be in constant dialogue with our surroundings. Our cities are already criss-crossed by digital technologies that make up the backbone of an intelligent infrastructure. There are extensive networks that support cell phones, smartphones and tablets, and we also have access to huge volumes of public data. Then there is a growing network of sensors and digitally controlled technologies linked to computers. All in all, cities are rapidly becoming like giant outdoor computers. By evaluating the available data, we can identify the rhythm of the city and react accordingly. Road users are kept informed of traffic congestion in real time and can take evasive action; public service vehicles know where passengers are waiting, and even climate change becomes visible if we use photographic data from networks like flickr. In our vision, the individual makes use of what the city has to offer – to the benefit of the entire community.

A MESMERISING kinetic sculpture, by French artist and composer Céleste Boursier-Mougenot, is captivating audiences in the foyer of Melbourne’s NGV International. Clinamen 2013 is a vivid blue pool of water filled with floating white porcelain bowls that circulate across the surface and create a chiming acoustic landscape as they gently collide. Constantly changing and resonating through the space, the sound is as calming and contemplative as the pool itself. The installation is on display until 8 September. n g v . v i c . g o v . a u

Installation view of Céleste Boursier-Mougenot, Clinamen 2013, from Art & Music: the Search for New Synesthesia, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Japan (October 27, 2012— February 3, 2013) © Céleste Boursier-Mougenot. Courtesy Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, and Gallerie Xippas, Paris

S P O R T

Winter Games NZNEW ZEAL AND’S South Island will host some of the world’s best winter sports athletes alongside its usual bevy of devoted recreational sports lovers as the Winter Games take hold of the Queenstown region in August. The largest event outside the Winter Olympics, the Winter Games will see competitors from 36 nations snowboarding, racing, curling and skating, as well as enjoying the affiliated film festival and other off-piste events. w i n t e r g a m e s n z . c o m

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ELEVEN RENOWNED DESIGNERS have created travel accessories for Louis Vuitton. Entitled ‘Objets Nomades’, the collection includes folding seats, leather-trimmed solar lanterns and a hammock (above) created by Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola. l o u i s v u i t t o n.co m

Nomad luxuryBangkok’s bragging rightsBOASTING the city’s only pool villa accommodation, boutique hideaway The Siam has transformed Bangkok from a one-night stopover into a lingering love affair. Given carte blanche by Thailand’s glamorous Sukosol family to create a billion-baht luxury urban resort along the Chao Phraya river, resort design guru Bill Bensley’s masterpiece also houses their lifetime collection of quirky objects and museum-quality artifacts. Ten private pool villas balance enormous scale with intimate experiences, the gardens have a well-manicured French formality, and the sleek Art Deco wing houses 28 guest suites overlooking an atrium inspired by Paris’s Musee d’Orsay. Discreet butlers ensure you don’t miss appointments at the exotic subterranean spa and Turkish hamam. l CAROL WEST t h e s i a m h o t e l.co m

D I N I N G

10 William StFRESH FROM a stint at Momofuku Ssam Bar in New York, chef Daniel Pepperell is creating a buzz in Paddington at 10 William St, an intimate wine bar from the team behind Fratelli Paradiso. Pepperell, who’s also manned the pans at Attica and Oscillate Wildly, is drawing crowds to the supermodel-skinny, two-storey space for snappy share plates of arancini, punchy sardines draped in lardo and bruschetta topped with boudin noir. Linger over these antipasti and a glass or two from the excellent wine list, loaded with little-known drops from a broad sweep of Europe.

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Nomad luxury

F I L M

Hollywood costumeTHE COSTUMES of some of the most beloved and memorable characters from Hollywood films are currently on show at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) in Melbourne, until 18 August. Direct from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Hollywood Costume explores the vital role costume design plays in cinematic storytelling by assembling some of the most iconic costumes ever seen on film, including characters from The Wizard of Oz (1939), Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), Titanic (1997) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012).This exceptional collection, curated by eminent Hollywood designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis, spans the decades between Scarlett O’Hara’s green ‘curtain’ dress that Vivian Leigh wore in Gone with the Wind in 1939 and Meryl Streep’s outfits for her role as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady (2011). An adjunct program of film screenings, workshops and panel discussions features some of the classics and key people involved in the production. ac m i.n e t.au

BEST KNOWN as a winter wonderland, Aspen, Colorado, is just as alluring in the summer months. Exclusive events include art exhibitions, food festivals and pro-cycling challenges, as top-ranked athletes traverse the high-altitude mountain trails. Sporty types can hike through lush forests, scale 4000-metre peaks, raft rapids, or cycle to the sublime Maroon Bells. Highlights of the cultural calendar include artist lectures at Anderson Ranch, artCRUSH at Aspen Art Museum, the Aspen Filmfest, and jazz, ballet and theatre performances. a s p e nch a m b e r.o rg

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WORDS GLENN MAREE PHOTOS MERCEDES-BENZ


Out of the blue INTRODUCING A SEDAN that delivers both elegance and efficiency, the E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID teams sleek design with a diesel-electric engine.

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he Mercedes-Benz tradition of pioneering its own route in the automotive landscape is exemplified by the E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID. At a time when mid-sized corporate hybrids are petrol-powered six-cylinders carrying a premium price, Mercedes-Benz has steered its diesel-electric sedan towards the majority of E-Class buyers who opt for a frugal four-cylinder. And it doesn’t come much more frugal than 4.3 litres/100km combined cycle. Enhanced designThe Australian arrival of the E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID in July coincides with the New Generation of the W212 model range that was introduced in 2009. The signature E-Class four-headlamp look is now encapsulated beneath a

single clear cover while the LEDs in the rear tail-lamps are arranged in horizontal rows to emphasise the car’s low, stretched stance on the road.The interior ambience is enhanced by the dashboard, which is dissected by a two-part trim in wood or alloy. An analogue clock is now set amid the redesigned central air vents. There’s a new three-tube instrument panel and the automatic transmission selector lever has shifted from the centre console to a steering wheel-mounted stalk.

Safety first The W212 E-Class reset the safety standards when it launched in 2009 with 11 airbags and sensors designed to scan around – and inside

TINTELLIGENT DRIVE The 11 new or updated features make the E-Class the first production vehicle capable of autonomous driving.

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– the vehicle to detect potential concerns, from abrupt braking by the vehicle ahead to an inattentive or drowsy driver.These latest updates dramatically extend the vehicle’s sensory capabilities to protect the occupants and the public. Mercedes-Benz calls it ‘Intelligent Drive’ and says the 11 new or updated features make the E-Class the first Mercedes-Benz vehicle capable of steering itself.A windscreen-mounted stereo camera system (previous versions had only a single lens) oversees many of the enhanced functions. It scans up to 500m ahead of the E-Class to determine the size and speed of other road users and the number of lanes in the road. Adaptive algorithms are then applied to that data to identify potential hazards. When

integrated with the front and rear radar sensors, the E-Class effectively monitors its entire environment.This cutting-edge camera is also responsible for automatically dimming the LEDs in the adaptive headlamps to avoid dazzling other drivers at night. Additionally, at speeds of above 50km/h, the camera can operate in 3D mode at a range of up to 50m to detect pedes-trians crossing the road and apply the brakes to avoid them.A rear radar can detect vehicles that are approaching too quickly from behind when the E-Class is stopped in traffic. That triggers the PRE-SAFE PLUS features, which progressively flash the hazard lights to alert the other driver, then tighten the seatbelts and activate the

brakes to minimise occupant injury and avoid being pushed into the vehicle ahead or into an intersection. Hybrid performanceAs significant as the safety and styling updates are, buyers of the E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID will be focusing on the hi-tech drivetrain. As well they should. This is the first diesel-electric hybrid in Mercedes-Benz production and, in typical Mercedes fashion, it has overturned conventional wisdom that a diesel-derived hybrid is too expensive.Mercedes’ elegantly simple solution has been to mount a compact 20kW/250Nm motor between the 2.1-litre four-cylinder two-stage turbo charged diesel engine and seven-speed automatic

Stuttgart designers have given the refreshed E-Class a sleeker, sportier profile.

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transmission. The motor draws power from – and is replenished by – a lithium-ion battery mounted low in the E-Class’s engine bay. The E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID sedan posts the same 7.5-second sprint to 100km/h as the donor car.Where the hybrid comes into its own is in roll-on acceleration as the motor boosts the engine’s already prodigious 500Nm with up to an extra 250Nm and sailing at highway speeds, where the engine shuts down as the motor keeps the car at the desired speed.A clutch between the motor and the engine lets the E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID operate in electric-only mode for short bursts up to 35km/h. Mercedes says the 0.8kWh lithium-ion battery holds enough charge for around

1km. When combined with the engine’s almost imperceptible auto stop/start function, the prestige sedan becomes a particularly efficient urban runabout.One area where the E 300 doesn’t behave as a hybrid is under brakes. The transition from mechanical to regenerative braking can be felt through the brake pedal in most hybrids. Not so in the Benz, where deceleration is as effective and unobtrusive as a conventional E-Class.Therein lies the appeal of the E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID: it delivers all the prestige-impregnated traits of an E-Class with the fuel economy of a moped. That’s a balancing act its prestige rivals are yet to master. <

CHARACTER Bulging ‘ponton’ rear guards are replaced in favour of a new character line running from the rear door to the tail light.

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All the prestige-impregnated traits of an E-Class with the

fuel economy of a moped“

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ROMANTIC road trip: Béatrice Dalle and Jean-Hugues Anglade in Betty Blue

THE FORERUNNERS OF THE E -CL ASS didn’t just thrill millions of drivers. They also have a dazzling record of pioneering

innovations, celebrities and major movie roles to their name.

Star quality

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A family that became legendary:W120/W121The ‘Ponton’ was the first-ever Mercedes with a self-supporting body.

W110The ‘Fintail’ was the world’s first car to feature a safety body.

W114/115The ‘Stroke-8’ was the first production Mercedes with a semi-trailing-arm rear axle.

W123When the W123 was launched, customers had to wait years for their new car.

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ho drives there, so swift through the wind and rain?” mused motoring magazine Auto, Motor und Sport in 1952 next to a sensational picture of the Mercedes 180 on a test drive, the first time a car had been caught on camera before its launch. In an effort to defuse the anticipated outrage at the photo, the editors composed an amusing eight lines of doggerel based on Goethe’s famous poem Erlkönig (‘Erl-King’). This makes the W120/121 model series from 1953 the first ever spy-shot prototype or ‘Erlkönig’, as they came to be known in German. What’s more, it was the first Mercedes with a self-supporting Ponton body and an early precursor of the E-Class, although strictly speaking its story began with the W136 that originated from the pre-war years and was built up until 1955.But it was with the Ponton that Mercedes-Benz revitalised the upper mid-range class and laid the foundations for its most successful product line ever, with more than 10 million cars sold. The dynasty had long since acquired legendary status before being officially titled the E-Class in 1993. This was helped both by memorable names inspired by shape or debut year – the ‘Fintail’ or ‘Stroke-8’ – and the firsts that the mid-size models from Mercedes-Benz became renowned for. For example, some 20 years after the passenger safety cell’s world premiere in the Fintail, the W124 followed it up with the

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

COOL customers: Will Smith in the E 500 in Men In Black

ST YLE icons: Paul Newman and a Stroke-8

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

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6 W124When this model was updated in 1993, it was rechristened with today’s name: the E-Class.

W210Striking twin-headlight face and coupe-like rear formed hallmark features of this model series.

W211With 29 model variants, the E-Class now offered the most extensive range in its segment.

W212The flared rear fenders evoke memories of the Ponton from 1953.

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Hallowed ground

KNOWN AS THE HOLY HALLS , six nondescript warehouses in Stuttgart house the ultimate collection of Mercedes-Benz cars,

from Formula 1 winners to politicos’ S-Class limousines.

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here are six warehouses scattered around Stuttgart that bear no overt markings or badges to distinguish them from any other building in the southern German city. Putting a value on the goods they house is difficult; some are mass-produced and others are one-offs, but any guess that ends in ‘billions’ is probably accurate.Despite the obvious value of the treasures within, there are no security guards or sentries outside, and no reception through which to enquire or gain entry. The public is not allowed into these warehouses, and those who work inside don’t talk about what they contain. Not far from these structures is the Stuttgart Mercedes-Benz factory and across the road from that is a massive architectural wonder called the Mercedes-Benz museum. From the outside, this metal and glass building is so big it dwarfs all others around it, including the nearby soccer stadium. Inside, the atrium towers five storeys above the ground, yet it’s hard to get a feel for how many floors the museum has. Spread over 16,500 sq.m (larger than the MCG playing arena) and nine levels, its floor space is laid out in a gently descending spiral that takes visitors on a journey from Carl Benz’s 1886 Patent Motorwagen through 160 vehicles and 1500 displays, ending with current models and futuristic concepts. But even this huge edifice is not big enough to hold all the cars Mercedes-Benz wants to preserve. Within Mercedes-Benz, those six anonymous warehouses are known as the “Holy Halls”. This

is where Mercedes-Benz stores the vehicles important to the company’s history that cannot fit into the museum – precious cars, like one of every DTM racer and German touring car, and Formula 1 cars from every season Mercedes-Benz has contested. Champions rest here. Jensen Button’s Mercedes-powered, 2009 championship-winning Brawn sits next to the McLaren Mercedes Lewis Hamilton drove to victory in 2008. They’re just two of the dozens of F1 cars in open-ended crates stacked against one wall. On the floor sits a priceless collection of Le Mans cars, including a 1989, 24 Hours of Le Mans–winning Sauber C9, and the CLK-LM that won the 1998 FIA GT manufacturer’s

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S-CL ASS through the ages, with a line of limousines that includes a Pullman and German chancellor Helmet Kohl’s armoured work car.

The massive steel and glass Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart houses 160 vehicles.

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championship. Drivers listed on the cockpit include an Aussie chap by the name of Mark Webber.It’s not just racing cars that rest here. There are dozens upon dozens of road cars, too, from factories all over the Mercedes-Benz world. Here, a row of S-Class limousines from the past 40 years, arranged in no particular order: one is a Pullman, another a long-wheelbase model with plush carpeting and window blinds, another an armoured S-Class that served as German chancellor Helmet Kohl’s work car.Some cars are covered, which prompts a game of ‘guess the model’ as we wander aisle after aisle. Picking the smaller SLK and SL roadsters is easy, but the sedans present more of a challenge. C-Class sedans sit next to E-Class models, which might neighbour a CLS. Walk a little further and you’ll see a Smart ForTwo next to a CL-Class coupé and a Maybach... Lifting the sheet on each one is like opening yet another

Putting a value on the goods they house is difficult; some are mass-produced and others are one-offs, but any guess that ends in ‘billions’ is probably accurate.

Christmas present. And all these presents are unlocked, their keys dangling temptingly in their ignitions. Sliding into an SL55 AMG roadster, I briefly wonder if I were to start this incredible car – ostensibly just to hear its supercharged V8 roar one more time – and blast out of the Holy Halls, how far I would get before the police inevitably stopped me? Not that I would... But I could, because every car in this incredible collection is a runner. None are engine-less mockups built for display purposes, they all run. Even the motorsport cars, though most of those are stored dry for both preservation and safety reasons.But then, to steal a drive in one of these exhibits-in-waiting would deprive the next person lucky enough to see these special vehicles. And I have too much respect for anything with a three-pointed star to do that. It would be sacrilege, surely.

PRECIOUS The Holy Halls house a 1989 Sauber C9 (top) along with one of every DTM racer.

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WORDS MITCHELL OAKLEY SMITH IMAGES THE CAPITAL GROUP

The new Central Park

SYDNEY CONTINUES its gentrification and greening process with a much-debated long-term development

that may just live up to its iconic name.

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to architectural quality through

collaboration provides the potential for

long-term success.Interior design by

Koichi Takada (left) and Smart Design.

ou have to think that when developers named Sydney’s latest development Central Park, they were setting themselves up for failure. In the heart of Manhattan, New York’s Central Park is perhaps the world’s most famous urban garden setting. How, then, can a new inner-city development in student-filled Chippendale with the same name compete? The ongoing problem with urban developments in Australia, particularly Sydney, is that they have always masked developer greed to quickly and cheaply gentrify run-down or low socio-economic areas. Without identifying what it is local residents want, these parks, malls and residential complexes become wastelands, architectural temples to poor taste and lack of

foresight. The long-term result, as at Darling Harbour, is that they simply need to be redeveloped again in a decade or two when the community collectively demands better housing and social solutions.

Future perfectCentral Park is a unique proposition. Following the semi-successful development of Sydney’s inner west and the west side of the CBD, such as Pyrmont and the arts precinct of Walsh Bay, the forgotten area of Chippendale off Broadway – within walking distance of the CBD – was bound to be next. Shouldered by the University of Technology, Sydney University, Notre Dame University and Victoria Park, the zone hasooo

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“The textures and patinas of Sydney’s urban history will be preserved and stitched into the fresh,

cosmopolitan excitement of Sydney today.TIM GREER

TONKIN ZUL AIKHA GREER ARCHITECTS

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access via Parramatta Road to the western suburbs, and by King Street to Newtown and the inner west. A developers’ dream awaited here since the abandonment of many buildings in the area, largely the old Carlton & United Brewery at the heart of this project. Tied in with the City of Sydney’s ‘Vision Sydney 2030’ – a 20-year plan to make Sydney “one of the world’s most liveable green cities”, according to its manifesto – the $2 billion Central Park development, with its near 2000 apartments, proposes a solution to the rapidly growing population, and subsequent real-estate pressure, of the city. But, given the bungles of architectural development in Sydney in the past few decades, it’s hard not to view Frasers Property’s Central Park project cynically. And

Creative collaborationMore interesting in this project is Frasers’ collective of architectural contractors. It’s not unusual for multiple parties to work on a development, particularly one of this size but with names such as French architect Jean Nouvel, British firm Foster + Partners and Danish landscape architect Jeppe Aagaard Andersen, the team of Pritzker–winning architects shaping this project is renowned for buildings including the British Museum (David Foster) and the Cartier Foundation in Paris (Nouvel). These are not rookies, nor is their collective output representative of poor design. For Frasers’ part, this collaborative make-up is demonstrative of a commitment to architectural quality – and thus the potential for long-term success following seamless community integration – that goes against the grain of typical urban renewal. Even the slope of the site was accounted for here, the design brief directing that the height of buildings tapers from the CBD in the northeast and suburbs to the west.Tim Greer, a director of Sydney–based Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects responsible for the Kensington Lane project within Central Park, says that Sydney’s existing social fabric is an important aspect in the design vision for the project. “The textures and patinas of Sydney’s urban history will be preserved and stitched into the fresh, cosmopolitan excitement of Sydney today.” Greer’s project is a collaborative venture with Melbourne–based landscape architecture and urban ecology firm Turf Design and Atelier Jean Nouvel. It comprises the design of a 60-room boutique hotel with four restaurants; 10,000 sq.m of student accommodation; and 3000 sq.m of bars, restaurants and streetfront retail off a narrow 19th-century lane. It adapts the heritage nature of the site, to the east of Kensington Street, which is being repaved as a pedestrian-friendly laneway. “Street projects are underpinned by environ-mentally sustainable building principles and a belief in urban playfulness,” says Greer of the project. The rear courtyards of historic terrace houses are connected with a new retail building that features a planted roof, like the majority of the residential buildings. Aerially, the broader Central Park project appears green as a result of such an approach, much like its New York namesake. So long as the concept of community remains central to the development, the final stage of which is due for completion next year, Central Park could well attain that sense of place so lacking in other areas of Sydney and thus avoid the inevitable prospect of redevelopment in another two decades.

yet, while rapid, planned growth doesn’t have that same feeling as organic urban ebbs and flows, there’s much to be commended in this development. After extensive community consultation follow-ing Frasers’ purchase of the site in 2007, one third of the 5.8-hectare property was dedicated to public spaces, gardens and parklands, which is significant in itself. A concrete jungle the site may be, with its 11 buildings, but few developments of this size and nature comprise a park of more than 6000 sq.m connected by a web of roads and pathways. Rooftop gardens, sonar panels, tri-generation pipes and water tanks are integrated with the corners of the site, too, helping to meet its sustainability objectives.

SKY GARDEN has a cantilevered

deck and plunge pool; and Kensington

Lane, a 60-room boutique hotel with

four restaurants.

Sydney’s existing social fabric is an important aspect in the design vision for the project.

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D E S I G N

COOL TIME EQUITYPH +61 8 9380 9733

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WORDS ROBERT ZSOLNAY PHOTOS TOM PARKER62


CONTRASTS Istanbul is a good

place for exploding clichés, whether in the modern Sakirin

Mosque in Üsküdar or during a shared meal

in a trendy eatery such as Gram.

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Eastern promiseISTANBUL has seen a lot of changes, nowhere more so than in the entertainment quarter of Beyoglu, where Asia

encounters Europe, Ottoman splendour meets contemporary chic, and the muezzin’s call mingles with the pounding beat of nightclubs.

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DIVERSIT YIstanbul has it all: the Mercedes-Benz C 250 BlueEfficiency in front of the 14th-century Galata Tower (left), one of the city’s numerous landmarks. The coexistence of history and nightlife, of Byzantium and bars is what makes the city such an exciting place to visit. Babylon nightclub in Beyoglu (below) is always worth a nocturnal detour.

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

Dance ’til the marble meltsBars, cafes, clubs and restaurants crowd the streets and alleyways in this district. The delectable scent of mezes – small warm and cold appetisers – emanates from doors and windows. The strains of live music fill the air. Occupying one of Istanbul’s seven hills, Beyoglu is one of the liveliest neighbourhoods of the only city in the world that straddles two continents.

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

History meets modernityToday, Gül Güngör is royalty as far as Beyoglu’s nightlife is concerned. She runs Babylon, one of Europe’s premier live music venues, hailed as one of the world’s 100 best jazz clubs by Down Beat magazine. But jazz isn’t all that’s on tap: rock, hip-hop and ethnic music get equal time, with the club hosting DJs from all over the globe. At Babylon, 40 staff march to Gül’s tune, from bouncers to sound technicians.After taking her law degree, Gül took time out to consider what sort of job would make her the happiest. She had always known her professional future lay on the Bosporus. “I love Istanbul because it gives you a rare opportunity to live history and modernity at the same time,” notes Gül with affection. She loves the splendour of Dolmabahce Palace, home of the last sultans, as much as the contemporary art at the Istanbul Modern museum. She prizes the jewels of Topkapi Palace as much as the breathtaking dome of the Hagia Sophia, once the Eastern Roman Empire’s largest church, later a mosque and, since 1934, a museum.

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Güler is holding court, weaving tales about his old neighbourhood, stories of fishermen’s pubs around the Galata Tower and crooked wooden houses, of the day the Bosporus froze over. A photo of a group of men standing on the ice contentedly puffing water pipes bears silent witness. Back when Güler was starting out as a photographer, Istanbul had fewer than 1.5 million inhabitants. Today, the official figure is 13 million, but it could just as easily be 18 million. Ara Güler is known as the eye of old Istanbul, but that doesn’t stop him searching for magical moments in the here and now. As a city, Istanbul is constantly performing a balancing act. It is a characteristic that the photographer and his city have in common: openness to influences from all possible directions.Istanbul is a great place for dismantling old clichés, like the one about the male-dominated business world. Women have no need for a workplace quota in the Bosporus; according to the World Economic Forum, 12 per cent of all management positions in Turkey are occupied by females. In Germany the figure is barely 3.2 per cent. Istiklal Caddesi also forces visitors to take a hard look at their own prejudices. Things that might appear fundamentally opposed to each other mix it up here on a daily basis: tarted-up transsexuals parade behind devout women clad in headscarves, shopaholics hop between luxury boutiques, while destitute children beg in front of opulent store windows. Lots of simultaneous impressions, but concen-trating too much on any one of them means risking a collision with the old tram grinding its way from Taksim Square to the historic Tünel subway station.

The eye of old Istanbul Photojournalist Ara Güler experienced a good deal of these rapid changes personally. Born in 1928 and honoured in Turkey as Photographer of the Century in 1999, this living legend can often be found in the cosy Ara Cafe, just a stone’s throw from the bustling central shopping promenade. Güler was witness to Beyoglu’s precipitous decline in the early 1980s, when it degenerated into a zone rife with drugs and prostitution. It took full-scale resuscitations of both the Istiklal pedestrian zone and the nostalgic streetcar line for things to start improving again. The walls of the Ara Cafe are adorned with Güler’s photographs; even the placemats are imprinted with his images.The former Magnum photographer’s office and photo archives are housed in the venerable brick building’s upper floors. In the cafe below, sunlight pours through the colourful windows, while old teapots and coffee grinders grace the counter.

QUALIT Y OF LIFE

For Gül Güngör (right), manager of Babylon nightclub, a change

of locale is out of the question, not least due to the city’s history and

its bazaar, full of the scents of exotic spices.

I LOVE ISTANBUL because it offers you a rare opportunity to live history and modernity at the same timeGÜL GÜNGOR

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SELECT, RARE RECIPES make up the currency of Musa Dagdeviren’s gastronomic empire: an appetiser of tomatoes with almonds, for example; lamb stew with quince, chestnuts, dried apricots, potatoes and saffron, perhaps; or a dessert of green walnuts cooked in syrup. Decorations are conspicuously absent from the dark wooden tables of his restaurant, Ciya Sofrasi, as is any trace of a menu. Similarly to its two nearby sister establishments, Ciya Kebap and Ciya Kebap II, selections are made by pointing a finger. Ingredients and preparation are all that count; everything else is a waste of time, grumbles the chef. The delectable

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

Purely a matter of taste

OLD-FASHIONED ENJOYMENTDishes are ordered right at the counter in the restaurants of the well-travelled Musa Dagdeviren.

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

EYE-CATCHINGCihangir is an especially colourful section of the trendy Beyoglu neighbourhood.

MEZEPlating up the Ottomans’ rich culinary heritage: Turkish appetisers (see recipe left) are extremely diverse.

Ebegümeci Kavurma (braised hibiscus leaves)

Recipe by Musa DagdevirenServes 4

100g onions, diced20g garlic, diced1 cup (250ml) olive oil 750g hibiscus leaves, chopped1 red capsicum, diced1 teaspoon paprika powderBlack pepper and salt, to taste

Brown onions and garlic in olive oil. Add spices (except salt), hibiscus leaves and capsicum to the pan and braise for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt, then serve.

i

GOLDEN MOON A view of the historic old city including the

Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.

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Prayers, pillows and puffsSAKIRIN MOSQUEZeynep Fadillioglu was the first woman to design a mosque. Built in 2009, the Sakirin Mosque in Üsküdar is the most modern house of worship in Turkey, and signals a multiple break with tradition. Women enter through the main doorway, and once inside, the best prayer area in the building is reserved for them.

PERA PAL ACESultanahmet has the Topkapi Palace, Besiktas has the Dolmabahce Palace, and Beyoglu has the Pera Palace Hotel (perapalace.com). Opened in 1884 for travellers on the Orient Express and recently renovated, it boasts a long list of prominent guests, from Agatha Christie to Alfred Hitchcock.

PUFF ‘N ’ STUFFOnce nestled into the Nargilem Cafe’s plush couches, guests face a bewildering choice of tobacco flavours for their water pipe, from pineapple to cinnamon. Start puffing, and it’s pure relaxation, despite the billowing smoke and the hubbub.

1 2 3

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

Hop across the Bosporus

“THOUGH THE CITY itself is defined by world-weariness and endless failure, my innermost associations of the Bosporus are with the joy of life and happiness.”ORHAN PAMUK, WRITER

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

NEED TO KNOWCHECK IT OUTSplitting the bill is ill-advised for those wishing to stay on good terms with their waiter. Known locally as ‘Allman hesabi’ (German bill), going Dutch is generally frowned upon. A 10 per cent tip is considered the norm in Turkey, as well.

SUNSETSTo experience Istanbul’s most arresting sunset, take the ferry to Üsküdar and find a comfortable seat on the steps leading down to the shores of the Bosporus.

CLOSE SHAVEIf you happen to be a man and want to have your hair and beard trimmed, take care to go to the right shop: those venturing into a ‘Kuaför’ will immediately be shown the door. The ‘Barbier’ is responsible for grooming the masculine set, while the Kuaför remains – with a few exceptions – primarily a place for beautifying the female population.

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

NOSEBLOWINGTake heed if you catch a cold in Istanbul: blowing one’s nose in public is considered bad manners.

FATHER FIGUREImages of Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, are everywhere – on public buildings, offices, restaurants, cafes and money. In Dolmabahce Palace, the clocks in his former bedroom still show 9:05am, the time that Atatürk died on 11 October, 1938. So please, don’t disrespect devotional objects.

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

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

MODA

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WORDS MITCHELL OAKLEY SMITH PHOTOS MERCEDES-BENZ

Fashion forward

PRESENTED IN AN EDGY URBAN SETTING, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia played host to the freshest local fashion, both on and off the catwalk,

for a sharply styled event that rivalled the leading international shows.

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The models have moved on, the photographers have packed up, and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia has wrapped for another year. The combination of the move to the industrial site of Carriageworks in Sydney’s edgy inner-city suburb of Redfern, along with a strong presence of international buyers and media, resulted in 2013 becoming one of the most successful years in the event’s varied history. Of the clothes themselves, occasional dips into homage counteracted innovation elsewhere but, across the board, Australian designers presented a collective aesthetic of sleek sophistication, with a particular focus on tailoring and figure-hugging cuts, that rivalled international counterparts. Camilla and Marc celebrated a decade in the business with a tightly edited assembly that capitalised on the label’s design hallmarks: belted safari jackets, cigarette-thin trousers, asymmetrical pencil skirts and slinky silk blouses, presenting a wardrobe that extends from day to night. The approach of showing a broad collection was to become popular throughout the week, as seen at Manning Cartell, Bec & Bridge, Easton Pearson and Toni Maticevski, and helps designers Down Under – with our moderate climate – cater to international buyers. An exception to this rule, of course, is swimwear, and one of the week’s highlights was the upbeat energy at We Are Handsome, who presented print-on-print bikinis and one-piece swimsuits. But, in line with the debate among fashion circles, at times more interesting was what was being worn off the runway. With the proliferation of blogs, digital cameras and Instagram, the street-style scene may have lacked the picturesque harbour backdrop of previous years but was no less full of peacocks. Former model-turned-photographer Candice Lake, in town from London, was the focus of every photographer’s lens, donning pieces from the designers that had already shown in the week, such as Ginger & Smart and Dion Lee. Tweeted, posted and published, such images help, hopefully, to promote the designers’ wares and, while all the dressing up might be somewhat berated, that’s what we were here for, after all.

The industrial site of Carriageworks in Sydney’s Redfern.

Bec & Bridge (above) and Easton Pearson (below).

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Candice Lake (left), in town from London.

Australian designers presented a collective aesthetic of sleek sophistication, with a particular focus on tailoring and figure-hugging cuts, that rivalled international counterparts.

Camilla and Marc.

Manning Cartell.

Toni Maticevski (above) and swimwear by We Are Handsome (below).

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A COFFEE CUP in a Mercedes display is

Attention Assist’s way of warning the driver of creeping fatigue.

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

THE MACHINEGood coffee arrives via a portafilter, not a vending machine. The handsome Faema E61 espresso maker is a classic of its kind. It went on sale back in 1961, but the technology under all that chrome remains relevant today.

THE RULES OF CONDUCTPurists drink it neat, hedonists like to treat themselves to a sprinkle or two of sugar. Unrefined muscovado cane sugar is what you really want; it comes in a sliding scale of light (for a hint of caramel) to dark (for a mild malt/licorice taste). Or why not try a drop of honey…

THE CREMAThis is an indication of the taste to come. If there isn’t any crema, walk away. Ideally it will be light reddish-brown in color. If it’s a very light hue, however, the espresso will often be too bitter.

THE GRINDGrinding your coffee in advance is a no-no. Ask perfectionists why they grind their beans ‘on demand’ and they’ll tell you: coffee loses about 60 per cent of its aroma in the 15 minutes after grinding.

THE CUPIt should be thick-walled and preheated to prevent the espresso shedding taste during extraction – and going cold in seconds.

THE FORMUL A7–9–25–25 – there’s no other way. Seven grams of ground coffee meets nine bar of pressure; 25 seconds in the making = 25 millilitres of black gold. This is true espresso.

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

M E R 0 5 6 9 _ 2 7 5 x 2 1 5 _ M A M - 1 2 0 1 3 - 0 5 - 0 3 T 1 4 : 5 7 : 5 2 + 1 0 : 0 0

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M E R 0 5 6 9 _ 2 7 5 x 2 1 5 _ M A M - 1 2 0 1 3 - 0 5 - 0 3 T 1 4 : 5 7 : 5 2 + 1 0 : 0 0

mercedes-benz july 2013

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