mercedes-benz nov 2013

03 • 2013

Art & life Designs inspired by nature

www.mercedes-benz.com.au www.mercedes-benz.co.nz

03 •

201

3t

he

ne

w s

-clA

ss

nic

o r

osb

er

g

dis

co

ve

r p

Ap

uA

ne

w g

uin

eA +future perfect

The new S-Class

the finAl hourRosberg on race day

01_COVER.indd 1 24/09/13 5:19 PM

oyster perpetual yacht-master ii

4 0 6 3 _ M M _ T H G _ WH I T E _ 1 - 1 2 0 1 3 - 0 8 - 2 7 T 1 2 : 0 1 : 1 7 + 1 0 : 0 0

02-03_ROLEX.indd 2 24/09/13 2:30 PM

3

oyster perpetual yacht-master ii

4 0 6 3 _ M M _ T H G _ WH I T E _ 1 - 1 2 0 1 3 - 0 8 - 2 7 T 1 2 : 0 1 : 1 7 + 1 0 : 0 0

02-03_ROLEX.indd 3 24/09/13 2:30 PM

L V M H _ M E R C E D E S _ N O V - 1 2 0 1 3 - 0 9 - 1 7 T 1 6 : 4 2 : 0 4 + 1 0 : 0 0

04-05_OPENER.indd 4 24/09/13 2:34 PM

5

Unchartered territory

GettinG off the beaten track no longer means leaving the luxuries at home. These days, adventuring has gone prestige, teaming horizon-expanding experiences with contemporary comforts. Our travel feature joins an intimate cruise into Papua New Guinea, which complements village tours and scuba dives with world-class dining and helicopter jaunts. Also in this issue, the SLS AMG Roadster takes the road less travelled on a 17-day driving tour around Australia, tackling terrain usually reserved for the toughest 4WDs. It’s about pushing life to the limit, and doing it in style. We hope you enjoy the ride.

Mercedes-Benz magazine0 3 / 2 0 1 3

i

L V M H _ M E R C E D E S _ N O V - 1 2 0 1 3 - 0 9 - 1 7 T 1 6 : 4 2 : 0 4 + 1 0 : 0 0

04-05_OPENER.indd 5 24/09/13 2:34 PM

6

Mercedes-Benz magazine

words robert zsolnay photos tom parker

005INtroexploring new ground.

011CheCk- INmobility and innovation: the Vision Golf Cart, must-have travel apps and a hanging garden of the future.

016MIssIoN: perfeCtIoNshowcasing unprecedented luxury, the new-generation s-Class lives up to its title of world’s best automobile. 022s-Cl ass: a legeNda favourite among the celebrity set, the s-Class is the epitome of exclusivity.

024sIt baCk aNd rel axturning the driver’s seat into a Human Interface machine, the s-Class offers seat climatisation and an optional hot-stone massage program.

028lost IN spaCeon a 17-day drive around australia, the sls amG roadster is pushed to its limits. 036the fast l aNelewis Hamilton takes the sporty a 45 amG out for a spin.

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

016

06-07_CONTENTS.indd 6 24/09/13 2:59 PM

7

0 3 / 2 0 1 3

044CheCk-outdesign, food, fashion: Mad Men style, sustainable clothing and the latest hotel news. 048the loNgest hour follow nico rosberg in the final 60 minutes leading up to the melbourne Grand prix.

054the perfeCt shapenature inspires technology in the study of bionics. 058New horIzoNsopen-top motoring is elevated to unparalleled heights with the cutting-edge technology of the e-Class Cabriolet.

062aN artIstIC eMbraCeaustralian designers pamela easton and lydia pearson on the inspirations behind their eponymous fashion brand.

028

062

058 066

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]

066CruIsINg wIld IN st yletake a luxury tour of papua new Guinea’s unexplored wilderness. 074ICoNsthe energy flow: handy tips to boost concentration.

048

06-07_CONTENTS.indd 7 24/09/13 3:00 PM

8


F A S H I O N S P E C I A L

Flight of fancyTHERE ARE NO LIMITS to what star designer Jeremy Scott is willing to try out in the name of style. Wings are a trademark of his often rather eccentric fashion creations, for which he is worshiped by pop stars, such as Lady Gaga and Rihanna, and respected by fellow designers including Karl Lagerfeld. Now this fashion rebel has turned his hand to the smart: eye-catching rear wings mark out this special version, which Scott initially created as the ‘smart forjeremy’ show car but is now destined for production in a limited edition. Available in both petrol and electric versions, the smart fortwo edition by Jeremy Scott comes in polar white with a pair of wings above the rear lights. Leather lends the interior a touch of haute couture. It’s virtually tailor-made. s m a rt.co m

THE wINgS of the show car (with Jeremy Scott, below) have been ‘clipped’ for the production version.

F P A D C S M e r c 1 3 2 5 2 1 4 5 0 - 1 2 0 1 3 - 0 9 - 0 9 T 1 4 : 5 2 : 2 1 + 1 0 : 0 0

08-15_CHECK_IN.indd 8 24/09/13 3:17 PM

9

c h e c k - i n

F P A D C S M e r c 1 3 2 5 2 1 4 5 0 - 1 2 0 1 3 - 0 9 - 0 9 T 1 4 : 5 2 : 2 1 + 1 0 : 0 0

08-15_CHECK_IN.indd 9 24/09/13 3:17 PM

10


GermanEngineeredSince 1923

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

AU: NSW: Balmain: New Fidelity, 02 9818 2333 Lane Cove: Len Wallis Audio, 02 9427 6755 Neutral Bay: DME Hi-Fi, 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

Distributed by QualiFi Pty Ltd - 24 Lionel Rd Mt Waverley Vic 3149 - (03) 8542 1111

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

08-15_CHECK_IN.indd 10 24/09/13 3:17 PM

11

c h e c k - i n

I N N O V A T I O N

Get the doodle bugTHE 3d doodlEr is a pen that frees you from the surface of the paper and enables you to sketch in any direction you want – a sort of hand-operated 3D printer. Instead of ink, it uses plastic. This is first heated and then, with the help of an integrated fan, it rapidly cools and hardens. You can use it to make 3D sketches, or to create accessories by hand. The clever little hand-printer from Wobble Works is expected to be available by autumn. the3doodler.com

Driving force Paul Rustchynsky is a racing games specialist. As the design director at Evolution Studios, his mission is to make the Playstation4 game Driveclub (out late 2013) as realistic as possible.

How authentic a feel does driving have in your game?Driveclub isn’t a simulator, but we’re definitely edging closer and closer to reality.

How do you achieve that? And how do you incorporate the CLA 45 AMG into the game in a realistic way?With a lot of hard work! We start by reproducing the vehicle using original CAD data. Then we take thousands of photos to record every detail of the exterior and interior. And we incorporate all the technical data we can to capture the essence of the car. Several AMGs feature in Driveclub, so we also visited their HQ in Affalterbach to experience the feel of actually driving an AMG.

What role does the sound of a car play in your work?An important one, because it reinforces the feeling of sitting in a car. Our audio team visited the race track and used dozens of internal and external microphones to record all the sounds, which they then reproduced in 3D.

What is still needed to create a perfect simulation?Television sets don’t normally allow any peripheral sight, which increases the sensation of speed and makes it easier to think ahead while driving. We’re working on solving this.

A U T O M O T I V E D I C T I O N A R Y

Mo|tion|cap|ture,noun; a tracking process that turns human movement into computer data.Daimler uses special suits fitted with sensors that record a test person’s every movement in real time. exact analysis of the data can be used, for example, to optimise the design of a future vehicle’s interior.

E x H I b I T I O N

Melbourne NowOn display at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia and NGV International from 22 November 2013 until 23 March 2014, NGV’s Melbourne Now exhibition is one of the biggest initiatives the gallery has ever undertaken. This landmark event features more than 300 pieces from over 300 artists, designers and architects, commissioned by a team of 30 curators, to participate in exhibitions,

installations and events. Mercedes-benz has partnered with Melbourne artist Tully Moore,

who produced this art piece from an E-Class bonnet, symbolising the brand’s

appreciation and involvement in contemporary art. This initiative takes the Mercedes-benz association with the NGV to a surprising and exciting new level.

ngv.v i c.g ov.au

Tully Moore2013 Hartschale (‘shell’ in German) Oil on Metal Mercedes-Benz E-Class Bonnet

11_CHECK_IN_R.indd 11 26/09/13 10:31 AM

12


JEBEL HAFEET MOUNTAIN straddles the border between the United Arab Emirates and Oman. The road winds its way around 21 bends as it climbs the barren ridge. At the top there is a spectacular view – particularly at sunset – across the empty desert. Along the way you pass a hotel, a radar station and a number of small palaces.

DISTANCE 157 kilometres DURATION Two hoursLONgEST BRIDgE Seven Mile Bridge (11km)

FROM Al Ain TO Jebel Hafeet

D E S I G N

LIgHTINg DESIgNER Steve McClure’s fi nely wrought translucent pendant lamps are hand-crafted with an Australian-made porcelain called Cool Ice. Commissioned by ISM, an Australian lighting fi rm that champions young designers, the delicate shades emit a warm glow, highlighting the textural contrast of their internal and external surfaces.

I S M O B J E C T S . C O M . AU

FOUNDATION 40’s simple objective is to build a Brainwave capital base of $1 million over the next fi ve years. This sum would ensure the ongoing viability of Brainwave, a foundation that assists children and families aff ected by acquired brain injuries, as the capital would live on in perpetuity. Brainwave’s aim is to eventually ensure that 100 per cent of all other donations received go directly to Brainwave care Programs (proudly supported by Mercedes-Benz). B r a I N WaV E.o rG.aU

2 4 ° 3 ‘ 3 1 ‘ ‘ N , 5 5 ° 4 6 ‘ 3 9 ‘ ‘ 0

AL AIN

08-15_CHECK_IN.indd 12 24/09/13 3:17 PM

13

c h e c k - i n

Hanging gardens THE LIgHT PARK is a concept for architecture magazine eVolo, which holds an annual competition to design a skyscraper. The hovering tower is intended to reduce the strain on the infrastructure of the city of Beijing. The fan-like platforms could carry parks, restaurants and greenhouses, while solar panels on the helium balloon provide the structure with energy. E VO L O . U S

AN AUTOMOBILE represents your personality and is an exact refl ection of your taste. it is an object of desire, just like toy cars when you are a child.USHER, MUSICIAN

“

PROPELLER Helium balloon and a propeller provide lift.

CABLE The cable structure distributes the skyscraper’s weight evenly.

PL ATFORMS Adjustable slabs regulate the overall balance.

gREEN AREAS Plants cleanse the air.

AUCTION HOUSE BONHAMS normally sells Ming vases and old masters – objects that have an immaterial as well as a material value. So one of the world’s most important historic racing cars fi ts well into its catalogue: when Juan Manuel Fangio won two Grands Prix in this 1954 W 196, it marked Mercedes-Benz’ triumphant return to racing. The car fetched a world-record £19,601,500 when it went under the hammer at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July. B O N H A M S . C O M

Going, going – mine!

A P P Y V A C A T I O N

Downloads for travellersHOTEL TONIgHT enables you to book a hotel room for the coming night at last-minute prices, with guaranteed discounts of up to 70 per cent. Rooms in 12 countries in the US, UK and Europe are currently up for grabs, with plans to expand further afi eld.

Escape the hall: manoeuvre an A-Class around an obstacle course.

itravelNZ features general info, plus events and travel tips for the North and South Islands.

Peak Scanner identifi es mountains and tells you their name, height and distance.

Hanging gardens THE LIgHT PARKfor architecture magazine which holds an annual competition to design a skyscraper. The hovering tower is intended to reduce the strain on the infrastructure of the city of Beijing. The fan-like platforms

gREEN AREAS Plants cleanse the air.

the hammer at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

08-15_CHECK_IN.indd 13 24/09/13 3:17 PM

14


Cart blancheGOLFING WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN if the Vision Golf Cart is ever realised. It has been designed by the Mercedes-Benz team from ideas submitted by golf and automobile fans in a global competition to envisage the golf cart of the future. With an interior that rivals the best Mercedes, and many of its technologies and luxuries, it is more akin to a golf car. The fi nal design employs touch-screen monitors, a docking station, Bluetooth, loudspeakers and air-conditioning. A display integrated with the windscreen can be used when the golf cart is stationary to show the course layout, the current status of the game or weather information, and a ‘fore’ button can forewarn players of a wayward shot. Add to that AIRSCARF neck-level heating, a retractable lightning rod, windscreen dimmer, rain-sensor wipers, versatile stowage and an illuminated vanity mirror and golfers may prefer the cart to the course.

Electric cruiserQUESTION: What links Miami and Aff alterbach? The answer is the Concept Cigarette AMG Electric Drive that AMG and boat-builders Cigarette Racing presented at the International Boat Show in Florida. Performance data: output 1,656 kW, top speed 160 km/h (100 mph). A triumph of technology transfer from road to water.

Digital wrap:CLASSIC CARSFans of traditional and modern classics can browse through the latest edition of the magazine on the website, read a selection of articles and either check out the classifi ed ads or post their own.M E RC E D E S - B E N Z - C L A S S I C . C O M

BIG CITY LIFEThe online magazine from smart revolves around urban life: it is packed with interviews and image galleries showcasing the people, ideas and places that are changing life in our urban metropolises for the better. B E T T E RY M AG A Z I N E . C O M

GOLFSome 40,000 fans follow this Facebook page to keep up to date with the major tournaments and achievements of Mercedes-Benz ambassadors such as Adam Scott and Bernhard Langer. FAC E B O O K . C O M / M E RC E D E S B E N Z G O L F

S-CLASS WEB SPECIALThe desktop, tablet and smartphone versions of the web special present the highlights of the new S-Class, from its design and comfort functions to safety and communications technology. All key information can also be downloaded as a Management Summary. M E RC E D E S - B E N Z . C O M / S - C L A S S

08-15_CHECK_IN.indd 14 1/10/13 12:20 PM

15

c h e c k - i n

08-15_CHECK_IN.indd 15 24/09/13 3:17 PM

16


words Michael Moorstedt photos daiMler ag16


the World’s Best automobile: this title has stuck to the flagship model since its inception, and now the new generation lives up to that billing more impressively than ever.

16-21_S-CLASS.indd 16 24/09/13 3:51 PM

17

d r i v e

17

D R I V E

Mission:perfectionthe World’s Best automobile: this title has stuck to the flagship model since its inception, and now the new generation lives up to that billing more impressively than ever.

16-21_S-CLASS.indd 17 24/09/13 3:51 PM

18


The idea of embodying the ‘smell of success’ sparks a number of questions, not least of which is ‘What is success’? it may be a one-off triumph or a more general sense of achievement, a win or a promotion, or the realisation of a lifelong goal. As complex as the definition may be, the notion of embodying the smell of success is even more elusive…After all, the nose is directly linked to the limbic system. “That’s the oldest area of the brain, the part responsible for the emotions,” explains Sabine engelhardt. She should know; she developed the Active Perfuming System for the new S-Class and came up with aromatic translations for concepts such as familiarity and comfort, progress and luxury. Working in tandem with a renowned perfumier, engelhardt’s team created four different fragrances, ranging from a Sports mood, which has the freshness of bright green foliage, to Nightlife, with luxurious wood and ambergris notes. Of course, the fragrances have to be just right in intensity, not overpowering, but instead “like taking a sniff from a perfume bottle,” she stresses.engelhardt speaks eloquently and at length about vertical-axis flows and optimum air distribution in enclosed spaces; to talk to her is to recognise the enthusiasm the new S-Class triggers in those who helped create this car, even those focusing – like engelhardt – on what you might class as small details. development has involved dozens of experts, people willing to look beyond their specialist areas and embrace a role as part of something bigger.The S-Class has always been more than just a car. it is a monument to what is technically feasible and a vision of our automotive future. The meticulous work of people like engelhardt has had its intended effect: journalists at the influential US technology magazine WIRED

first cl assUnprecedented luxury awaits rear-seat passengers. The two-spoke steering wheel is a hangover from the S-Class legacy.

>

enthusiastically proposed taking up immediate residence in the new Mercedes-Benz flagship. Seriously. The verb they used was not “drive”, “cruise” or “floor the gas pedal”, but “move in” – pack your belongings, ditch the apartment and, if necessary, recruit a few roommates. After all, the car comfortably accommodates four.

100 motors – in the interioreven leaving size out of the equation, it is no surprise that the new S-Class has grabbed the attention of the global technology and iT fraternity. More than 30 million lines of programming code are at work in a car like this, though the driver would never know it. That’s just a little less code than is used in a modern passenger aircraft; the perfect symbiosis of software and hardware.The list of technological innovations developed by Mercedes-Benz for this S-Class is as long as it is impressive. There are more than 100 actuators and electric motors in the interior of the new S-Class alone, although naturally the main act remains the assembly under the hood. But the string of new developments and technological world-firsts is seemingly endless. They include intelligent driver assistance technology, such as distronic Plus with Steering Assist or BAS Plus with Cross-Traffic Assist, systems that recognise pedestrians and potential hazards at road junctions or help the driver maintain the correct lane position and distance to the car in front.Then there is the multimedia system, which gives each of the four vehicle occupants dedicated access to the entertainment package. Or a suspension system, which enlists the aid of a stereo camera mounted behind the windshield to scan the surface of the road ahead so the car can iron out any flaws or unevenness in a fraction of a second.

A monument to what is technically feasible and a vision of our automotive future.

<

16-21_S-CLASS.indd 18 24/09/13 3:51 PM

19

d r i v e

16-21_S-CLASS.indd 19 1/10/13 12:26 PM

20


handMadeMartin Bremer and his team of designers focused on creating an interior that would not alienate the occupant ... and would instead communicate craftsmanship and handmade exclusivity.

>

16-21_S-CLASS.indd 20 24/09/13 3:51 PM

21

d r i v e

The S-Class has ... morphed into a moving office, prestigious lounge and mobile wellness centre in one.

Mercedes-Benz calls this development Magic Body Control, which brings to mind a quotation from science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic,” he opined. except that Clarke could never have dreamed that the spirit of human engineering would get us to this point as early as 2013, and certainly not manifested in such a prosaic object as a car.

Indistinguishable from magic despite everything, throughout its long history the S-Class has never been just a simple – if high-tech – means of getting about. indeed, it has morphed into a moving office, prestigious lounge and mobile wellness centre in one. Martin Bremer and his team were responsible for ensuring that the latest incarnation of the flagship model from Mercedes-Benz continues to meet these requirements. As head of the colour and trim department, Bremer’s job is to equip the entire interior: “We’re responsible for everything you can see and touch inside.”This is a man who knows the S-Class as well as his own face, having worked on both predecessor series and undertaken a lengthy journey with the new model: “From coming up with the initial idea it takes 60 months to produce the first customer-ready vehicle,” he says. Bremer and his team were there at the start. ‘visual serenity’ was the goal with the new car, he explains. “Our view is that you shouldn’t be aware of the complexity of the various mechanical systems and technology.”So, while they worked, the designers focused on creating an interior that would not alienate the occupant – despite the built-in technology,

the large-format screens, the many buttons and switches – and would instead communicate craftsmanship and handmade exclusivity.But that, in turn, meant using only materials suitable for processing and crafting by hand. Bremer and his team took two years just to select the leathers and fine woods for the interior.Only then did they start looking for the best suppliers and processing methods in order to be certain that these natural materials would maintain their original form and colour even after years of use.That is not something you learn by spending a couple of days at Milan Fashion Week, notes Bremer, adding with barely concealed pride that his lead designer has a background in haute couture. “The most important aspect is that there is harmony between the various elements,” says Bremer. if there is one feature of which he is particularly proud it would be the seats or, to be more precise, the way in which the seams of the optional perforated leather upholstery have been stitched. Bremer calls it ‘stagecraft’, explaining how it evokes associations with designer footwear and luxury handbags.And, while you’re still musing over the significance of such fine details, the realisation suddenly hits: that is precisely what makes the new S-Class unique. When you take a good long look around the outside, inspect the interior, or try out the seats for the first time, at every turn you come face to face with new masterstrokes and superlatives. And yet none of them appears to stand out on its own, for the S-Class truly is the sum of its parts.

S 350 BlueTec

Engine / Output3.0-litre six-cylinder, 190 kW at 3,600 rpm; max. torque 620 Nm at 1,600–2,400 rpm

Transmission7G-TRONIC Plus seven-speed automatic

SafetyThe optional beltbag protects rear-seat passengers in a crash. An airbag inside the seatbelt strap inflates it to almost three times its normal size. This additional inflated surface mitigates the impact of an accident.

MoodAmbient lighting – in the form of a wrap-around band of light – uses seven different colours to enhance the feeling of onboard comfort.

<

i

16-21_S-CLASS.indd 21 24/09/13 3:51 PM

22


wo

rd

s c

hr

isto

ph h

enn

ph

oto

s s

pla

sh

new

s,

da

imle

r a

g (

9),

cel

ebr

ityc

ar

sb

log

.co

m

WHeNeVeR the paparazzi snap stars like Celine Dion, an S-Class is rarely far away.

tHe aNCestORs OF tHe s-Cl ass have always been highly prized by statesmen and celebrities keen on creature comforts. thanks largely to its ongoing

technological advances, the top mercedes-benz model earned a reputation as the doyen of every class and the epitome of exclusivity.

A legend

1954

–195

9

A family that became legendary:W 180 / W 128the ponton becomes the fi rst mercedes-benz car with a self-supporting body.

W 111 / W 112premiere: the 220, 220 s and 220 se Fintails boast a safety body.

W 108 / W 109 thanks to its V8 engine, the top- of-the-range 300 sel 6.3 combines luxury with sports car performance.

W 116the fi rst s-class series brings abs to the road.

1959

–196

8

1965

–197

2

1972

–198

0

22-23_HERITAGE.indd 22 24/09/13 4:03 PM

23

l e g e n d s

wo

rd

s c

hr

isto

ph h

enn

ph

oto

s s

pla

sh

new

s,

da

imle

r a

g (

9),

cel

ebr

ityc

ar

sb

log

.co

m

lthough the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of germany didn’t have a driving licence, he enjoyed riding in style. In 1951, Konrad Adenauer decided on the Mercedes 300 as his official car, but discreetly suggested his ministers should opt for something smaller in scale. The Chancellor himself, however, was reluctant to go anywhere without his luxury limo and, when he flew to Moscow at the height of the Cold War in 1955, his Mercedes was sent ahead in a freight car specially converted for the purpose by the german Federal Railway.The largest and fastest german production vehicle of its day impressed not only the Chancellor and many other heads of state, it also established the basis for the traditional high regard in which Mercedes-Benz prestige vehicles were held. The model series was only officially given the s-Class designation in 1972, but its earliest direct ancestor, also introduced in 1951, was the 220 model (W 187). Then, in 1954, Mercedes introduced a new premium-class generation. With its self-supporting body, the 220a (W 180) offered hitherto unknown levels of interior comfort. And the successor series of subsequent decades boasted features which today read like a catalogue of automotive firsts: safety body, ABs, driver and front passenger airbags, electronic stability program – all these made their debut

A

l a st yle actor gerard

butler also appreciates the comfort that comes

with an s-class.

st yle icons: Paul Newman and a Stroke-8

Favoured by countless VIPs, from elvis to the Pope, as a state limousine or status symbol

1979

–199

1 W 126world-first in this generation for airbags, and a mercedes premiere for plastic bumpers.

W 140noise insulation and extra space enhance comfort, the revolutionary esp system improves safety.

W 220the s-class reaches the 500 hp (368 kw) mark for the first time, with the top-of-the-range s 600.

W 221night vision, distance control, braking: assistance systems are a real boon to drivers.

1991

–199

8

1998

–200

5

2005

–201

3

>

in the s-Class. Innovations such as these would help steer the luxury class as a whole to a new world record: with sales totalling more than 3.5 million, the s-Class and its predecessor models became the most successful model series in its vehicle segment.In no small measure, this success was helped by countless VIP fans, from popes and politicians to stars such as Frank sinatra and elvis Presley and, once won over, many of them became regular customers. Perhaps the most unusual multiple purchase, however, was that of sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan al nahyan, who ordered six sedans from the W 126 series to match his family coat-of-arms, each in a different colour of the rainbow. This best-selling s-Class series was also hugely popular among the racing fraternity. According to the motorsports press of the day, 20 out of 35 Formula 1 drivers in 1983 privately owned either an s-Class or one of the seC coupés, including, of course, many who represented rival constructors on the race track.

stately Konrad Adenauer

always rolled up in his Mercedes 300.

<

22-23_HERITAGE.indd 23 24/09/13 4:03 PM

24


24

hen it comes to the necessity of sitting down to drive from A to B, little has changed since the automobile was invented. However, the seat behind the steering wheel is an altogether different beast nowadays. In fact, it is no longer just a seat but a Human Machine Interface, if you please – a key factor in maximising comfort for those on board, one that plays an active role in keeping the driver and passengers fresh during the journey. From four-way power lumbar support to head restraints that can be electronically adjusted, both horizontally and vertically, those travelling in the new S-Class will want for nothing. Indeed, once drivers have sampled the delights of the energising massage function and seat climatisation, they may never want to get out.

W

…and rel ax: the new S-Class turns the humble driver’s seat into a Human Machine Interface, hot-stone massage included.

Sit back...

STarS BeHInd THe SCeneSThe position, length, height and angle of the seat, even the depth of the seat cushion, the height of the head restraints and the four-way power lumbar support, can be adjusted electronically as standard. But the really spectacular stuff takes place within the side bolsters: the optionally available dynamic variant of the multi-contour seat inflates the bolsters individually, and in a matter of seconds, in response to the car’s steering movement to provide even better lateral support for the driver and front passenger.

WordS Tobias NEbL IlluSTraTIon 500 GLs

24-25_SCLASSTECH.indd 24 24/09/13 4:06 PM

25

I N N O V A T I O N

25

HIGH-TeCH In l aYerSComfort and lightweight design shared centre stage in the development process for the new front seats. Their structure weighs less than 20 kilograms – about 20 per cent less than a conventional design – thanks, among other factors, to a sandwich construction based around steel shells with integrated plastic inlays.

VISIBle rel axaTIonThe engineers also had something of a brainwave when it came to operating the energising function. The central, 31-centimetre display of the Comand Online Infotainment system shows the individual massage zones in the seats. In addition, a rotary knob graphic appears on the screen displaying the desired program as a number. The menu for the seat functions can be called up directly using a button on the centre console.

HoT-STone MaSSaGeThe optional energising function of the seats is a world first, using the hot-stone principle to deliver active relaxation. Six programs are available, two of them heat-assisted. Each program separately controls the 14 air chambers in each seat, some of which benefit from quick-responding seat heating. Heat and pressure are used to simulate the effect of traditionally applied hot stones, massaging and mobilising the shoulder area, back and hips.

SeaT ClIMaTISaTIonAt the touch of a button, four electric fans in the seat surface and two in the backrest suck cooler ambient air onto the seat’s perforated leather surface. After four minutes, the fans automatically invert their direction of rotation to prevent draughts over longer journeys. The fans’ intensity can be adjusted through three stages.

24-25_SCLASSTECH.indd 25 24/09/13 4:06 PM

0075

“ A S F I R S T I M P R E S S I O N S G O,

T H I S R E A L LY S E T S A N E W S TA N D A R D.”

E V E R Y M O M E N T

s a f f i r e t a s m a n i a . c o m . a u

26-27_SAPPHIRE_DPS.indd 26 24/09/13 4:46 PM

0075

“ A S F I R S T I M P R E S S I O N S G O,

T H I S R E A L LY S E T S A N E W S TA N D A R D.”

E V E R Y M O M E N T

s a f f i r e t a s m a n i a . c o m . a u

26-27_SAPPHIRE_DPS.indd 27 24/09/13 4:46 PM

28


words & photography Thomas Wielecki

anoTher l andmark, but excuse enough to stop? our sleep time is inversely proportional to time spent (or wasted) doing the photo thing. If not for this particular break in driving you’d be staring at a blank page. we spend 15 minutes here at the pinnacles before racing off south and on to perth for the night.

28-35_SLSROADSTER.indd 28 3/10/13 3:41 PM

29

d r i v e

Lost in space

The sls amG roadsTer is pushed to its limits on a punishing 17-day tour around australia, covering all points of the compass and presenting the

unique challenges of driving through torrential rain and endless desert. photographer thomas wielecki gives us a first-hand account.


30


he rain is so heavy that just making out the road in front of us is a task, never mind what’s happening 20 metres further ahead. visibility drops to zero for long moments every time we pass or overtake another vehicle. it is day 15 of our Around Australia marathon and the rain has persisted since we left Norseman, WA, yesterday, but the SLS AMG roadster charges ahead undaunted, as willing as on day one. it’s a different story for Jesse and me.My challenge is to visually document our journey, his to stay sharp driving more than 1,100 km day after day without a rest. Our respective duties are now multiplied exponentially. Photographically, i am frustrated. Two and a half weeks in the passenger seat for an average of 12 and a half hours a day (that’s

just the daily sitting time, not counting stops) makes my job just as trying as Jesse’s. i have to be exceptionally selective with photography stops, and rational enough to take only what i need. Here i fail miserably. Welcome to long-distance driving photography; not much glamour here. This is more a story about what i didn’t photograph. Between Melbourne and Cairns – three days of driving up the east coast – we only get to glimpse the ocean twice; the first time in Byron Bay after dark, the second at a car park in Cairns for five minutes. You can understand my frustration. Thankfully the camera loves the SLS AMG roadster.Our first planned daylight finish is Byron Bay, but we don’t make it in time, and it is dark

ToUTside inThe luxurious trim with its two-tone leather, Alcantara and brushed aluminium was not made for out here. As soon as we drift away from the coast and into the dry plains, the carpet gets saturated with dirt. Imagine what it looked like when the first rains hit; it was caked solid for the second half of the trip, not just with dirt but with food scraps and other detritus. We practically lived in there for two and a half weeks.


31

d r i v e

<

when we get to the lighthouse to take a shot. We leave by 8pm. The GPS tells us we’ll reach Bundaberg at 1.51am. We get there at a quarter past two. Miles of roadworks slow our progress all the way up the east coast. Most days we depart and arrive in complete darkness.But it’s not all bad; one of my personal highlights – to Jesse and the crew’s dismay – is talking to and photographing the people we meet along the way. it takes a while to gain their trust before i shove a big lens in their face. And every minute i steal to take a photograph means a minute less sleep that night. it’s pure maths. And i get flogged every time.Just south of the Normanton turn-off we stop to help a young French couple. Their van has blown a head gasket. We turn around and

head back to Normanton to notify someone of their predicament and location. it costs us an extra 120 km and what we think is two hours less sleep. But we miss the last service station in Cloncurry by half an hour; it shuts at 9.30pm. Jesse desperately tries to save what fuel we have by driving the last 130 km at 70 km/h. At five minutes to midnight we run out, 28 km short of Mt isa. Our support van races ahead and even they have trouble finding fuel this late. We finally make it at 1.40am. The following day we have one goal; to finish the same day we set off. But this deadline we miss by three minutes.An hour after we leave darwin we pass the 130km/h sign, Jesse’s favourite. Midday of day nine marks the hump of our trip, but the map

still has us going west, still further away from home. it is here, too, that there is a significant change in scenery. Bottle trees and red rocky bluffs take us back into an ancient landscape, where the SLS AMG roadster is as out of place as we are. At 6.30pm on day nine, we pass the 10,000 km mark since leaving Melbourne. Only twice in 17 days do we arrive before sundown. Both were designed into the trip during planning stages; Uluru and Cable Beach for photography purposes; the great glamour deception. in reality the pressure is intense: i have to get the shots no matter what the weather throws at us and make them look like they’re part of this great journey. Both times we arrive minutes before the sun hits the horizon, the location is only a vague idea and i have

Hitting tHe roadWhen Jesse Taylor, editor of Evo Australia Magazine, and photographer Thomas Wielecki signed up for a driving tour around Australia, they ditched the standard 4Wd and opted instead for a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG roadster. “We’re convinced this is the most expensive, fastest and most powerful car to ever attempt such a journey,” says Taylor. Over 17 days and 18,734 km, the duo completed a loop from Melbourne to Melbourne, travelling through the red Centre and covering all points on the compass. “Our lap of the map was one of early mornings, very late finishes, great roads, terrible roadworks, cows, kangaroos, terrific characters, big things, awful food and $300 in bumper stickers.”


34


minutes to get the best out it. There’s no coming back the next day to reshoot. Tomorrow we have to push on for another average of 1,150 km to stay on schedule.People say how boring it is most of the way around Australia, how the desert and scrub are unchanging for thousands of kilometres, how the road is straight and the emptiness is mind-numbing. i’ve done five complete laps in the past 15 years, and every time the last one is over i itch for the next. Yes, i get tired, but bored? Not so much. All you have to do is look, pay attention and even the most subtle of changes gets you thinking. And, because i’ve stared at the road ahead for so many years, i am fascinated by how different it looks every time my gaze returns to the straight ahead.i do, however, find an entry in my diary for day 12 that reads: “...delirious with boredom; all of us. The scenery hasn’t changed for three days. Flat nothing. This is go-crazy country...” We are somewhere north of denham, rolling south along the WA coastline. Another entry for that day reads: “12.56am. Hit bunny. Bunny dies. Front number plate falls off. Arrive denham alive.”Somewhere near Fitzroy Crossing my peripheral vision catches a small tree in the distance; a yellow tree in tall yellow grass. i need to stop and get closer. Jesse obliges hesitantly. i need a moment with this tree. Strangely, this moment with a tree in a nondescript landscape is one of my highlights and, just like with this scenery, early on i develop a love-hate relationship with the SLS AMG roadster.As fabulous as the SLS AMG roadster is to look at and listen to, it is a painfully unsuitable

photographer’s car. There’s nowhere to store your gear; you can’t even fit a lens in the glove box. Yet the lines of that huge front end make photographing it effortless. The cramped cabin does not allow me to stretch my legs; this is how i travel in this car for the entire 17 days, with lenses and flashes rolling in my footwell and cameras on my lap. i’m locked into a particular position that finally takes its toll in Geraldton. My lower back is in such agony that i can’t get by without painkillers. The only way i can get out of the car is to crawl onto the road then slowly pick myself up. “Five more days of this,” i note in the diary. Then another image drifts into my viewfinder and it’s time to crawl out.Finally, on day 14, we begin moving east, homeward bound. it is here, south-east of Perth, that we drive into heavy rain, which keeps us company most of the way to Ceduna and beyond. At times the SLS AMG roadster feels more like a submarine, punching through walls of water thrown up by oncoming trucks.The final day is a bit of an afterthought and an exercise in self-inflicted pain. Jesse and i decide that, after reaching the other three points of the compass and the centre, we can’t leave the southern-most point untouched. We punch on to Wilson’s Promontory after battling through Melbourne’s afternoon traffic. it could have been an early finish and a celebration, instead we arrive at our hotel as tired and as late as any other day. When i climb out of the car for the last time i can’t help but take a shot of that cabin, filthy with food wrappers, drink bottles and grime. ironically, this is my most vivid memory of the SLS AMG roadster. <

siGn oF The Times Don’t walk? No stick-men allowed? Treacherous terrain for bipeds? Jesse doesn’t even comment about the sign. He’s more interested in how many kilometres he has to drive to get us to a bed for the night in one piece.

BUmPer croP There’s no argument about where this car has been. Bumper stickers are such a big part of road travel you’d go to nowhere special just to get one.


35

d r i v e

The lines of the Roadster’s huge front end make

photographing it effortless.


36


Words Tobias MoorsTedT Photos ThorsTen roTher36

Who better than World chamPion Lewis Hamilton to take AMG’s new compact super sports car for a test drive? We volunteered to ride shotgun, and learned a few surprising things along the way.

A quick chat in the fast lane


36-43_LEWIS.indd 36 24/09/13 4:19 PM

37

d r i v e

37

the smile of a champion: Hamilton in the

A 45 AMG

d r i v e

36-43_LEWIS.indd 37 24/09/13 4:20 PM

38


metal sculPture A high-performance machine for the compact car segment, the A 45 AMG heralds the dawn of a new era.

let ’s drive The scenery streaks by in a blur of green. It takes a few corners to get used to the immense lateral forces.

36-43_LEWIS.indd 38 24/09/13 4:20 PM

39

d r i v e

>

ewis Hamilton has been out practising pitstops with his crew at Silverstone, but we catch him at a calmer moment, gazing over a metallic grey automobile with the look of a man struck by car love-at-first-sight.He circles the metallic sculpture in deliberate paces, runs a finger over its razor-sharp lines, opens a door and lets it fall back into its lock, checks the size of the boot, takes a few photos on his BlackBerry and posts them on Twitter for the wider world to admire: “it’s a seriously cool car. really young and fresh,” says Hamilton.This is an athlete with an incredible passion for cars and engines, someone who has devoted his entire life to the pursuit of speed, fractions of seconds, the ideal racing line and the perfect harmony of mind, body and machine. So perhaps it is a touch naïve to think he might want to use his lunch break to get away from the gasoline fumes and finer points of gearbox wizardry for a moment. indeed, when Lewis Hamilton sights the new Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG for the first time, his eyes instantly light up.

No time to wasteThis year, the 2008 Formula 1 world champion made his debut with the Mercedes AMG Petronas team. But he is not about to turn down the chance to rack up a few laps of the legendary Silverstone circuit in the Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG. After all, here is the dawn of a new era – that of the A 45 AMG compact model developed by Mercedes-AMG for the high-performance segment. A glance at the performance data reveals evidence of a balancing act well resolved.Hamilton is pleased to see such promising power stats, but is soon moving on: “enough talking, let’s drive,” he urges, sliding into the driver’s seat, thumbing the starter button, and tilting his head to soak up the brawny rumble of the 2.0-litre turbocharged AMG engine.With the warm-up over, the real action can commence. What happens over that first lap, all 60 seconds or so of it, is a mystery to us; you’d have to be an astronaut or rollercoaster test driver to think beyond the speed and the noise. The scenery streaks past in a blur of green. it takes a few corners to get used to the speed, the immense lateral forces, and the wild grin painted across the driver’s face.So another lap would be nice, Mr. Hamilton, if you’d be so kind. And what was that you were saying when the noise drowned you out? “it’s a lot of fun,” he sniggers. Hamilton goes on to explain what he looks for most during a first drive with a new car.

L<

Mr Spitzner, the A 45 AMG is the company’s first compact car. What was the background behind the decision to target this particular market?Up to now the AMG brand has always been associated primarily with v8 engines, both naturally aspirated and with all sorts of forced induction – from superchargers to twin turbos. But the downsizing trend is also affecting the performance segment, of course, in terms of engine capacity and the size of the car.

Were you concerned that AMG’s discerning clientele would reject the car?Our models cover a very wide market spectrum, from the SLS AMG Coupé Black Series to the A 45 AMG. A concept like this only works if each of our now 26 models is a full-blooded, authentic AMG. Our aim was to develop the world’s most powerful four-cylinder engine, and that’s what we’ve done. Yet it burns just 6.9 litres of fuel per 100 km. That’s what AMG is all about: combining extraordinary performance with everyday usability.

The Formula 1 team is called Mercedes AMG Petronas. How deep is the cooperation between your engineers and their F1 counterparts?The inclusion of AMG as part of the team name is not an accident. AMG and the F1 engineers have enjoyed a working relationship for a number of years now. Part of our strategy involves tapping into that know-how and bringing F1 technology into road car production with as little compromise as possible.

How do you build a compact super sports car? Mario Spitzner, head of branding and marketing, talks about the challenges AMG had to overcome to clear the way for series production.

after the test drive with Lewis Hamilton, we met up with Mario Spitzner for an interview. It was clear we had another serial winner on our hands. “Racing is in all of our blood,” explains Spitzner. “In racing and product development alike, if you think you’re already good or fast enough, you’ll soon be left trailing. If you’re happy to stand still, you’ve already lost.”

36-43_LEWIS.indd 39 24/09/13 4:20 PM

40

Mercedes-Benz magazineMercedes-Benz magazine

Professionals unite:the sports machine hits the pit lane40

36-43_LEWIS.indd 40 24/09/13 4:20 PM

41

d r i v ed r i v e

41

36-43_LEWIS.indd 41 24/09/13 4:20 PM

42


“i pay less attention to figures and technical data,” he says. “i want to feel if a car possesses that inherent balance. A machine is never more impressive than when it makes difficult tasks look like a walk in the park.” it is an observation that could be made about Hamilton himself.Hamilton is normally alone in his cockpit, but for the A 45 AMG test he shows himself to be a charming high-speed chauffeur when the occasion demands. “Silverstone is my living room,” he says, with a flick of the wrists to keep the car on the racing line through famous corners like Maggotts, Copse and Stowe. “You could drive a lot more dramatically with this car. it has more grip than my F1 racer.” And as he chats away, taking a hand off the wheel now and again to illustrate his point with an explanatory gesture and a wink to his co-driver, there is nothing to indicate you’re being hustled into a hairpin at 190 km/h.

Steady on the tinselHamilton’s initial verdict is in: “it’s not a Formula 1 car, of course,” he concedes, “but it seems to be very much at ease at Silverstone.” And that’s not altogether surprising, the AMG brand having been born into the racing circus. it is a tradition that lives on in 2013 – and may be one reason why, posing in the F1 pit lane, the A 45 AMG does not look like its driver has taken a wrong turn on his way to the parking lot. “The A 45 AMG is a full-blooded AMG and has the technology to prove it,” emphasises AMG’s head of branding and marketing,

it is not only his driving skill that makes the choice of Lewis Hamilton for the A 45 AMG test driving gig a no-brainer; he takes a hands-on approach to the interior design of all the cars in his personal collection. “if there’s something i can’t stand it’s tinselly effects and design overkill.” The A 45 AMG, it is safe to assume, suits his tastes. The instrument panel catches the eye with its carbon fibre look, while the red trim suggests a fire smoldering beneath the dark surface. Hamilton is particularly impressed by the plate on every AMG engine block bearing the name of the technician who assembled it. ‘One man, one engine’ sums up this company philosophy, the fusion of high technology and handcraftsmanship. during a visit to AMG headquarters in Affalterbach, Hamilton expressed a desire to put together an engine himself and inscribe his name on the finished product – if possible before the year is out. First, though, he is insisting on one last lap to set the seal on this hour-long test. “This time,” he announces with a faintly sinister air, “let’s do it with a little more speed.” Mario Spitzner explains how to engage the race Start function; press two buttons, pull the selector lever of the AMG Speedshift seven-speed sports transmission, and enjoy the sound of screeching tyres as you slingshot away. Hamilton blasts out of the pit lane and is through the first combination of turns before he lifts his foot from the gas.The A 45 AMG is something of a chameleon. Press a few buttons, adjust the brakes and transmission responses to your vigorous intentions and the car switches from cruise mode to a Silverstone state of mind. Not surprisingly, that’s just how Hamilton likes it. “Hold on tight, we’re going to have some fun,” he says, switching off the eSP as another corner disappears beneath us. The lateral forces are immense, but the car holds its line. “i really wanted to slide through the corner,” he admits, but the huge grip generated by the 4MATiC all-wheel-drive system nipped that in the bud. For a moment Hamilton appears not to know whether he’s pleased, impressed or just a bit disappointed. An hour has passed, but it is with some reluctance that Hamilton climbs out of the car; another pitstop practice session is planned for the afternoon. He has one last question: “Can i buy it right now? it’s my brother’s birthday next week and it would make a great present.” The AMG crew breaks the unhappy news: the car still has a busy appointments book to honour, so won’t be available for some time. And that’s somehow reassuring. even a world champion can’t get his hands on every car he wants.

a 45 amG engine / output2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo,265 kW at 6,000 rpm;max. torque 450 Nmat 2,250–5,000 rpm

transmissionAMG Speedshift DCTseven-speed dual clutch

accelerationThe Race Start function allows the driver to call up maximum acceleration off the start line.

tractionThe AMG 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system diverts up to 50 per cent of the engine’s drive to the rear axle.

i

<

Mario Spitzner. For example, the car contains components originally developed for the SLS. “it’s an authentic embodiment of our brand values,” says Spitzner. Hamilton, who has various AMG cars in his garage at home, sums up these values neatly and succinctly: “elegance, aggression, dynamism, sportiness. And, most importantly, a nice sound.” The Formula 1 star could almost be a company spokesman but, really, he’s just a fan.

COOL TIME EQUITYPH +61 8 9380 9733

w w w . c o o l t i m e . c o m . a u

36-43_LEWIS.indd 42 24/09/13 4:20 PM

43

d r i v e

COOL TIME EQUITYPH +61 8 9380 9733

w w w . c o o l t i m e . c o m . a u

36-43_LEWIS.indd 43 24/09/13 4:20 PM

44


The invisible man

beij ing – Liu Bolin likes nothing more than to blend into the background, whether it is the façade of a building, an array of flags, some vegetable racks or graffiti on a wall. And he does so without resorting to computer tricks. His assistants spend hours painting him, regularly showing him photographs so that he can check their progress. It can take up to five days before he starts to merge with his background and literally lose himself in his work. Liu Bolin’s detailed ‘spot the artist’ pictures are not just meant to entertain – they also contain an element of social criticism. In his ‘Hiding in the City’ project, he is making the case for individual freedom and against the danger of becoming invisible. L i u b o L i n a r t . c o m

44-47_CULTURE.indd 44 24/09/13 5:04 PM

45

C h e C k - o u t

Claudette DidulThe US TV series Mad Men is set in the 1960s, and every detail is authentic, right down to the door handles. The set designer describes where she drew her inspiration from and how she sources the furniture.

MY father WaS a MaD Man. He worked in an ad agency in the 1960s, and I can remember my mother and I used to visit him there when I was about three. We would go out for coffee and doughnuts – yes, I started young – and visit the furniture department at Bloomingdales. In other words, I learned a lot about 1960s interior decoration at an early age and have been a fan of Betty Pepis, Andrée Putman and Dorothy Draper’s designs ever since. 1950s and 1960s furniture is very much the rage nowadays.People can’t believe that back then you could find Eames chairs in schools and insurance company offices, and people would throw them out when they no longer needed them. I still keep an eye on online shops and exchange websites because people often want to get rid of things that would be perfect for our sets. I also regularly visit antique shops. And sometimes I get help from unexpected quarters – recently a fan of the series offered us a 1967 television set. We snapped it up immediately!

auStralian coffee branD St Ali has a stronghold on the Melbourne scene, with coffee houses north and south of the Yarra, a roasting house called the Sensory Lab and a series of Plantation cafes. Founded in 2003, the brand has grown exponentially and finally burst its Victorian seams to open a new venue in Sydney’s Bondi. If further affirmation of St Ali’s kudos were needed, its head barista, Matt Perger, won this year’s World Barista Championship during the Australian International Coffee Expo. smart was there as a proud sponsor. Visit smartaustralia.com.au or follow the smart Australia Facebook page for regular insights from St Ali owner Salvatore Malatesta. s t a L i . c o m . a u

A r t

The American wayaMerica is the focus of two major exhibitions in Australia over the summer. At the Art Gallery of NSW, America: Painting a Nation (left) is a comprehensive historical survey of art spanning the nation’s colonial period through to last century. Mid-20th century design from the West Coast is the focus of a retrospective at the Queensland Art Gallery (over the same period). California Design: Living in a Modern Way comprises some of the most influential and enduring Western products from the period 1930 to 1965, including iconic pieces such as Eames furniture, the Barbie doll and Levi’s 501 jeans. a r t g a L L e r y . n s w . g o v . a u / e x h i b i t i o n s / a m e r i c a

q a g o m a . q L d . g o v . a u

C o F F E E

The bean scene

44-47_CULTURE.indd 45 24/09/13 5:04 PM

46


F A S H I o N

Suitable attireWhen it coMeS to sporting a suit, it’s important to know the rules before trying to break them, according to Hugo Boss, which has created a new book on the subject. Espousing contemporary suit-wearing etiquette, the publication covers the key rules of casual, business and formal suiting, as well as tips on how to accessorise for effect, whether it be edgy or evening. the sections on how to dress for body type, to tie a range of knots, and to care for all elements of a suit make it a handy addition to the wardrobe.h u g o b o s s . c o m

F o o D F E S t I V A L S

Out & aboutSuMMer sees Australia’s festival calendar fill to bursting, as food events kick off across the country. Melbourne and regional Victoria welcomes Good Food Month throughout November, with pop-up celebrations, Night Noodle Markets and exclusive lunches up for grabs. In WA, the Margaret river Gourmet Escape showcases the region’s world-class food and wine offerings, 22–24 November. In New Zealand, toast Martinborough wine show takes place in Wairarapa on 17 November, and taste of Auckland kicks off in the capital, 14-17 November. g o o d f o o d m o n t h . c o mg o u r m e t e s c a p e . c o m . a ut o a s t m a r t i n b o r o u g h . c o . n z t a s t e o fa u c k L a n d . c o . n z

“style is about matching your clothes and your behaviour. Anyone intending to infringe etiquette should study it beforehand.”ViVienne WeST Wood, faShion deSigner

D I N I N G

New groundWhen Dan hunter announced his departure from the royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld, Victoria, the foodie rumour mill went into overdrive. those big shoes have been ably filled by robin Wickens (left), who stepped up to the pans in September. “With its kitchen garden, position in the region and reputation, the opportunity to head up the royal Mail was just too good to turn down,” says Wickens. “there have always been ingredients that I remember using in Europe that have been impossible to find in Australia. I now hope to try and produce them here in the kitchen garden.” the award-winning chef chalked up time at top-rated UK restaurants Bibendum and Pied a terre, before opening Interlude in Melbourne and, most recently, Wickens Provedore and Deli in Apollo Bay. Meanwhile, Hunter is set to throw open the doors of his new venture this summer, Brae in Birregurra, on the site of George Biron’s famed Sunnybrae, 90 minutes’ drive west of Melbourne. r o y a L m a i L . c o m . a u

44-47_CULTURE.indd 46 24/09/13 5:04 PM

47

C h e C k - o u t

S U S t A I N A B L E F A S H I o N

Eco-chicnZ faShion manufacturer Untouched World prides itself on the cradle-to-grave process of sustainably producing garments. It’s the first and only fashion company in the world to be recognised by the UN for sustainability. Using natural fibres, such as organic merino wool, cotton and bamboo, the collection features classic knits and high-performance sportswear, including cycling jerseys and jackets. u n t o u c h e d w o r L d . c o m

D E S I G N

Artistic anomalyDeSign aficionaDoS will recognise Matthew Sheargold’s hand in these handcrafted vessels, the first products to come out of the new Anomaly design stable. the recently launched brand, a collaboration between Axolotl architectural finishes and Evostyle timber products, produces furniture, homewares and lighting by some of the best contemporary Australian designers. With a focus on sustainable materials and local manufacturing, their unique products are a breath of fresh air in a local market that is increasingly dominated by poor-quality imitations and imports. a n o m a L y . c o m . a u

H o t E L

Suite dreamsbilling itSelf as the ‘world’s most Instagrammable hotel’, Sydney’s 1888 Hotel is an industrial-chic mash-up of exposed brick, polished concrete and original Ironbark beams, enhanced by primary-bright furnishings and contemporary Australian artworks. Set in an old woolshed in the harbour-fringed suburb of Pyrmont, this haute hotel was created by Shed Architects and Space Control Design, offering 90 rooms that range from the aptly named Shoebox to the view-blessed Attic suite with outdoor patio. Custom-made furniture comes courtesy of Simon Bethune, and Melbourne artist Piers Greville has crafted the tableware and neon installations. 1 8 8 8 h o t e L . c o m . a u

44-47_CULTURE.indd 47 24/09/13 5:04 PM

48


THE 60 MINUTES before the start of a Formula 1 Grand Prix pull the teams this way and that; gone in a flash one moment, the time passes at a snail’s pace the next. The pre-race ritual follows a cleverly devised choreography.

WordS hartmut lehbrink PHoToS wolfgang wilhelm

Thelongesthour

48-53_NICOROSBERG.indd 48 24/09/13 4:41 PM

49

S P O R T S

THE ArrIVALof the high-speed gladiator:

Nico Rosberg strides from paddock to garage ahead of

the Australian Grand Prix.

Thelongesthour

MULTI -TASKING 90 minutes before

the race the drivers head out to greet the

spectators. Time to turn on the charm.


50


ime is an exact science, and nowhere is that more keenly felt than on a race track. Fractions of seconds, discernible only with the help of high-tech gadgetry, draw the line between victory and defeat, triumph and disaster.

Start the clockBut what precisely happens in that hour before the lights above the grid go out? The final 60 minutes leading up to a race are something of a paradox – not enough time and yet too much. The seconds can pass at a torturous plod but equally run through your hands like water. The meticulously measured world of Formula 1 appears to keep a different time from our internal clocks.As the minutes ticked down to this year’s Australian Grand Prix, there was no sign of stagefright on the face of Nico Rosberg. “Not after 128 F1 races,” says the Mercedes man with a shrug of the shoulders.Right now there are 80 minutes to go before the race, and Rosberg has just made his way back from the drivers’ parade, which sees the Formula 1 stars greet the ‘ordinary mortals’ in the stands. He’s deep into the relaxation zone now, chatting to girlfriend Vivian on his cell phone and resting up. Not that there’s time for any restorative shut-eye; Rosberg has yet to crack the crucial ‘power nap to order’ skill mastered by such illustrious F1 predecessors as Nelson Piquet and Gerhard Berger.

T

60 minutes to go: The team runs an engine test on one Mercedes F1 W04, then the other, using an external starter motor. This allows them to fix the revs and oil pressure they want before the ignition spark is released. The V8 machines let out a potent baritone bellow, then a few angry barks, before dying away again as if nothing had happened.

Undeniable calm57 minutes to go: Warm-up time. For Rosberg, this means a kick-about with physiotherapist Daniel Schlösser, which involves juggling the ball and not letting it touch the ground; ‘keepy-uppies’ in soccer parlance. “It’s been years since anyone beat me in a keepy-uppy contest,” smiles Rosberg. In the meantime, the mechanics have pulled on their flame-retardant suits and wired themselves up to their radios. Sporting director Ron Meadows is focusing on the team’s race strategy. The fuel tanks of the two Mercedes have been filled to brimming, and the fuel coolers have been removed. The temperature of the petrol rises to as high as 60°C during a race, expanding as it heats up. The cooler it is at the start of the race, the more you can fit in the tank. “The fuel can be chilled to a maximum 10°C below air temperature,” explains Meadows.42 minutes to go: “Around this time I walk or jog to the garage – it all helps the warming-up process,” says Rosberg. He shares a joke with his mechanics in a show of calm. Then it’s down to business with race engineer Tony Ross. Rosberg analyses the start of last year’s GP, the way the race panned out, the areas of concern. Even professional racing drivers never stop learning. The German driver pushes in his earplugs, pulls the fireproof balaclava over his head, presses on his helmet and lowers himself into the cockpit. The eight-cylinder engine lurking behind his neck bursts noisily into life. The top brass on the pit wall have been topped up with drinks, and team boss Ross Brawn has stocked up on bananas. Things are rather less luxurious – and a whole lot more cloak-and-dagger – in Rosberg’s world. A chilled drinks bottle holds 1.5 litres of the top-secret ‘special mixture’ he sips on inside the cockpit. That’s the maximum amount of liquid permitted by the regulations (to prevent it being used as movable ballast). Rosberg will need to have emptied the bottle by the halfway point of the race to avoid it getting too hot in the stuffy carbon confines of the cockpit.36 minutes to go: The weather is holding and the rain is staying away, so the mechanics

A KEY skill for a Formula 1 driver: power napping on demand

>

rEL AxEd Stage fright is not an issue for Nico Rosberg.

<


51

S P O R T S

KEEPY-UPPY KING Keeping the ball in the air is part

of the Mercedes driver’s warm-up routine. Rosberg says it’s years

since anyone got the better of him.

TEST rUNEngine and tyre check in the pit garage – the infernal roar of the V8 powerplant has some

blocking their ears.

T YrE GAMbLEThe decision on which tyre to fit can be delayed until three minutes before a race.


52


send the car out onto the grid shod with Pirelli’s slick tyres. Once there, a new set of slicks will be fitted. If there’s a threat of rain, the teams can change their choice of tyres up to three minutes before the start.32 minutes to go: The pit lane is open. Rosberg takes the car for a couple of warm-up laps, during which radio exchanges with Tony Ross come thick and fast. If something’s not right with the balance of the car, the driver will have to come in briefly for front wing adjustments to dial out some understeer or oversteer. Those are the only interventions allowed by the F1 rules at this stage. Ross urges his driver to go easy on the engine “so that it doesn’t rev too high but still gets enough cooling air”.

Vanity fairRosberg’s V8 falls silent 100 metres before he reaches the end of the grid. The Mercedes mechanics wave the W04 towards its slot on the third row and push it into position. The Silver Arrow drills its way through the carnival-like throng. The cars are arranged according to their starting place, an archipelago of 22 small islands held in check by narrow markings on the track surface. And all around them whirs the glitz of F1’s own vanity fair. The grid girls wheel out their best smiles. Bernie Ecclestone, flanked by local dignitaries, laps up the limelight. Look one way and you’ll find billionaire businessman James Packer, the other a former mayor of Melbourne. It’s all about seeing and being seen. The photographers creep backwards, bending as they must to snare their shots, flashbulbs probing for signs of emotion in the Formula 1 ringmaster’s features. In the background, Guy Sebastian belts out the Australian national anthem.Amid the hubbub, Rosberg creates his own island of concentration. He climbs out of the car one last time, swaps a few final words with his engineers, and does the honours for the TV crews. 14 minutes to go: Rosberg sinks into the cockpit, sealing the bond between man and machine. He checks the radio link with the pit crew and tickles the brakes to allow the wheels to be correctly mounted. Finally, the jacked up single-seater is lowered onto the track; bring on the racing.12 minutes to go: Only the key personnel are allowed onto the grid now.Six minutes: The cooling fans are taken out of the car.Four minutes: The engines roar thunderously into action. The noise is unbearable.

SLIM FITRosberg worms his way into the confined carbon monocoque of his Silver Arrow.

QUIET PLEASEBonding time for man

and machine. The mechanics escort

the Mercedes into its starting position.


53

S P O R T S

ROSBERG may be driving a single-seater, but his engineer’s voice in his ear - urging him to get heat into the brakes and keep the engine cool - proves he is not alone.

>Three minutes: Off come the covers that have been keeping the tyres warm. Without them, the Pirellis would bring next to no grip to the track in the early stages of the race. The tyres have reached 80°C, but the cool of an Australian autumn afternoon is already drift-ing over them.Two-and-a-half minutes: Nobody is allowed near the cars now.Two minutes: Green light for the formation lap. Rosberg nails a practice start and takes his place in the flinching, twisting line of 22 race cars; during the formation lap there is strictly no overtaking. The Mercedes may be

a single-seater, but the driver is never alone. “My engineer is constantly chattering in my ear, always the same things: keep the brakes and tyres warm, the engine cool and an eye on the clutch and gearbox settings. Get the car how you need it for the start.”The crews, meanwhile, are rushing back to the pits in a multicoloured swarm. When they get there, they reach straight for their helmets and fireproof gloves: “One of the cars might get tagged on the opening lap and need a new nosecone, for example,” explains Ron Meadows, speaking from unfortunate experience. Under these conditions, the dash back to the garage is hard work, and nowhere does it take longer than at the Malaysian Grand Prix, which takes place in Sepang one week after the Melbourne Grand Prix. “A couple of years ago we had a number of restarts there,” recalls Meadows, shivering at the memory. “And a few of the guys just keeled over.”60 minutes are up: The five red lights on the gantry above the grid light up at one-second intervals, then disappear in a single jolt. The neat rows of cars explode into a sea of chaos, and Rosberg is in the middle of it all…

GrEEN LIGHTfor the formation lap. 22 racing cars wind their way around the circuit. No overtaking is permitted.

ANd IT ’S Go! The tension that has

been building over the hour before the race explodes into speed.

<


54


T H E

P E R F E C T

S H A P E


P E R F E C T

WORDS FABRICE BRAUN54

BIONICS: the art of basing

technological applications on

natural phenomena. this page: an

artifi cial recreation of a gull’s fl ight. facing page: the

interior structure of a pavilion, modelled

after a sea urchin. ph

oto

s f

esTO

(2

), I

CD

/IT

Ke

52-55_PERFECTSHAPE.indd 54 24/09/13 4:52 PM

55

I N N O V A T I O NI N N O V A T I O N

Architects, researchers and engineers

often look to the plant and animal kingdoms for inspiration

in their quests for the ideal shapes. Nature frequently provides the best

ideas for making fuel-effi cient aircraft, energy-effi cient buildings

and faster swimsuits.

55

PH

OTO

S F

ESTO

(2

), I

CD

/IT

KE


56


he huge dragonfly lifts gingerly off its perch, beating its four wings, slowly at first, then faster and faster. Hovering in place for a few seconds, it suddenly darts forward, flies a few bold curves, descends almost to the ground, then climbs steeply upward again, its twin pairs of transparent wings beating so quickly as to be a nearly invisible blur. One could easily imagine that a prehistoric dragonfly has actually been restored to life, were it not for the hum of the ‘servomotors’.In fact, this 44-centimetre-long flying machine is not a living, breathing animal, but a high-tech creation made of aluminium, carbon fibre and polyamide. Constructed by Festo, an engineering firm in south-west Germany, the faux dragonfly is dubbed ‘BionicOpter’ and can even fly backwards. Weighing in at just 175 grams, the minuscule flier is controlled by none other than a smartphone. The man-made insect’s wings can beat up to 1,200 times per second, and it boasts a repertoire of 13 different manoeuvres. “We view this project like automakers do a concept car. We want to demonstrate what is technologically possible,” explains project manager Heinrich Frontzek.

Lab with a viewAlthough the concept of bionics has existed only since the mid-20th century, nature has always been a source of inspiration for scien-tists and inventors. In 1505, Leonardo da Vinci composed his famous study Codex on the Flight of Birds and subsequently tried to build flying machines based on the knowledge he gained. All he lacked was the technological means to realise his visions. Since then, researchers in various disciplines have repeatedly looked to the natural world outside their laboratory windows whenever they felt short on inspiration. Swiss engineer Georges de Mestral, for example, based his invention of Velcro in the 1940s on the hooked seeds of the burdock plant. In the 1980s, Dietrich Bechert designed a specialised type of foil that imitated the hydrodynamic properties of shark skin. Aircraft covered with this foil consume four per cent less fuel than normal. The upwardly bent wingtips found on modern aircraft are also a fuel-saving measure; by minimising turbulence, they reduce air resistance. The naturally occurring counterpart of these winglets, which are also found on F1 race cars, are the wingtips of large birds with their

T

The field of bionics isn’t about simply aping nature ... the key is staying faithful to the overarching principle.

this page:MODELLED ON a tropical flower: the flexible lamellae can be cambered to align with the sun’s rays.

facing page:THE LOTUS EFFECT used in roof tiles and windows helps create self-cleansing surfaces. The flower is also a template for architecture.

COPYCAT The BionicOpter imitates a dragonfly. Its twin pairs of wings operate independently of each other, enabling it to fly backwards.

ph

oto

s s

Om

a,

fes

TO,

ma

ur

ITIu

s I

ma

ges

, g

eTTy

Im

ag

es,

f1 O

nlI

ne


57

I n n O V A T I O n

<

manoeuvrable feathers. Tyre manufacturers have also modelled their tread profiles on natural phenomena, such as bee honeycomb or the feet of tree frogs and geckos. Mercedes-Benz also has a hand in bionics research. In 2005, the company unveiled the ‘bionic car’, a concept vehicle based on the principles of bionics. The car’s extremely low drag coefficient of 0.19 is a direct result of its aerodynamic shape, inspired by the tropical boxfish.Just how efficiently nature optimises certain shapes via the process of evolution is clearly illustrated by a wind tunnel experiment conducted by Mercedes-Benz engineers: an anatomically accurate model of the boxfish recorded a drag coefficient of just 0.06. “Mother nature has had millions of years to hone her designs,” is how Werner nachtigall explains these near-perfect aerodynamics. nachtigall is one of the world’s most renowned bionics pioneers. For more than 50 years, the retired professor has been researching how and what technology can glean from biology. “nature’s work is unfocused, but it occurs on a massive scale. In Europe, for example, there are billions of bluebottle flies, and each one is slightly different.”Through experimentation, mistakes and natural selection, forms of life emerge with characteristics that are often astounding: “The whirligig beetle, when swimming, exhibits a

93 per cent efficiency rate in energy consump-tion,” he notes. Achieving this sort of perfection in energy usage is something engineers can only dream of.

Beauty versus functionalityThe field of bionics isn’t about simply aping nature in all its detail; the key is staying faithful to the overarching principle. A few years ago, Festo engineer Frontzek and his team developed a highly responsive grappling arm using an elephant’s trunk as their real-world model. The arm could be used to sort vegetables that bruise easily: “A real elephant’s trunk has 40,000 muscles, but we were able to make do with 11.”Soma, a Viennese architectural firm, also employs bionics. “nature is our main source of inspiration, especially in the conceptualisation phase,” says Stefan Rutzinger, one of the company’s founders. At the 2012 World Expo in South Korea, its spectacular One Ocean pavilion raised eyebrows. The high-tech structure’s organic lines and surfaces were especially impressive. But beauty – at least in terms of bionic structures – is considered a coincidental, albeit pleasing, byproduct, which takes a back seat to the main goal of functionality. The building’s highlight is its 140-metre-long facade consisting of huge lamellae – up to 13 metres high – that can be cambered. In addition to its biomimetic qualities, this facade also fulfils an architectonic function by controlling the influx of light and the interior temperature.The Soma team went a step further in its design for a Salzburg art pavilion: using a computer to calculate the optimal position of 1,500 aluminium struts with a random

number generator, the team essentially created a time-lapse version of the natural process of evolution. The architects input certain para-meters, but they had no idea how the final product would turn out once the computer began its calculations. nonetheless, Rutzinger is conscious of his inherent limitations: “We can try to approach nature’s complexity, but nature will always be more complex by a huge margin.” Attempting to imitate nature can be fraught with difficulty, as biologist Wilhelm Barthlott learned. In the 1970s, the German professor discovered the lotus effect. He noticed that the Indian lotus flower is always immaculately clean, even though it grows in filthy water. Considered a Buddhist symbol of purity, the flower has the unique ability to self-cleanse. Examining it under an electron microscope, Barthlott discovered the reason: the surface of the flower’s petals only appears smooth to the naked eye, while in reality it is covered with microscopic waxy nubs. This covering makes water bead, taking dirt particles along with it. The biologist quickly saw the potential for applying the lotus principle to the manufacture of self-cleaning materials. But the road to an actual manufacturing process was filled with obstacles: “It took us 10 years just to acknowledge we could actually make something.” It took another decade to get a real product onto the market. Today, we have self-cleaning roof tiles, window glass and auto care products all incorporating the lotus effect.Adopting a long-term perspective, as Barthlott did, is essential when working with bionics. After all, what are 20 years of intensive research compared with millions of years of evolution?

SHARK EYES on endless vigil:

the fish’s skin is also hydrodynamically perfect.

and an elephant’s trunk was the model

for a highly responsive grappling arm.

ph

oto

s s

Om

a,

fes

TO,

ma

ur

ITIu

s I

ma

ges

, g

eTTy

Im

ag

es,

f1 O

nlI

ne


58


words christoph vieweg photos daimler ag

New horizoNs

the FeeliNg oF opeN-top motoriNg is richer than ever in the new Mercedes-Benz four-seater Cabriolet.

Cutting-edge technology, such as the automatic wind deflector and clever assistance systems, enhance efficiency and provide undiluted driving enjoyment.

55-61_ECLASS.indd 58 26/09/13 9:28 AM

59

d r i v e

iNNovatioNs to the Cabriolet encourage owners to have the roof down even more often.

>

sport Y the revised front end makes an

undeniably sporty statement.

55-61_ECLASS.indd 59 26/09/13 9:28 AM

60


E 400 Cabriolet

Engine / Output3.0-litre V6 with gasoline direct injection;245 kW at 5,500 rpm; max. torque 480 Nm at 1,400–4,000 rpm

Transmission7G-TRONIC PLUS seven-speedautomatic with Direct Select selector lever and steering wheel shift paddles.

Open for pleasureThe Cabriolet Comfort package (standard on E 400) includes unique comfort-enhancing innovations, such as the AIRSCARF neck-level heating system, AIRCAP automatic wind defl ector and the draft-stop between the rear head restraints. Its further developed soft-top roof gives the E-Class Cabriolet the best noise minimisation in its class.

Emotion meets innovation ... adventure teams up with effi ciency

<

i

Just 20 seconds is all it takes for the heavens to open (in the sunniest possible way). The fully automatic soft-top roof folds back to send a gentle breeze through the tips of the hair, and sounds and scents – the likes of which had slipped from the consciousness – sprinkling over everyone on board. Open-top motoring does not get any fi ner than this.With the new E-Class Cabriolet, Mercedes-Benz has pulled out all the stops to take this already rousing experience to another level. The revised front end makes an undeniably sporty statement, with its own take on the grille from the SL Roadster. And a raft of Cabriolet-specifi c innovations, designed to encourage owners to have the roof down even more often, are a well-judged investment. Indeed, the automatic AIRCAP wind defl ector built into the windshield frame, the draught-stop between the rear head restraints and the AIRSCARF

neck-level heating system generate sensations that are paradoxical and pleasurable in equal measure. The roof may be open, yet there is no buff eting from the onrushing air.Mercedes also appeals to the heart and head with its new bi-turbo six-cylinder engine, whose 480 Nm of torque gives the E 400 Cabriolet majestic pulling power and raises the bar for output and fuel economy. Elsewhere, signifi cant new electronic features serve the cause of accident avoidance. The E 400 detects cross-traffi c or pedestrians encroaching onto the road and brakes the car – with full power, if required – if the driver hasn’t intervened in time. In congestion, the E-Class can follow the vehicle in front with minimal driver input, even in stop-start conditions.Emotion meets innovation, adventure teams up with effi ciency: it is a combination none of the E-Class Cabriolet’s open-top peers can match.

PEERLESSA combination none of E-Class Cabriolet’s peers can match.

>

55-61_ECLASS.indd 60 1/10/13 1:00 PM

61

d r i v e

Collection 2013 Live the Mercedes-Benz style

Contact your local authorised Mercedes-Benz dealership for more information or visitwww.mercedes-benz.com.au/merchandise

55-61_ECLASS.indd 61 26/09/13 9:28 AM

62


words Mitchell Oakley SMith photos eaStOn pearSOn

2009 retrospective of Easton Pearson’s 21-year history at the Gallery of Modern Art, Queensland, demonstrated the spectacular design, influences

and production of the designers’ work. One of the largest individual exhibitions of an Australian fashion house, the show exposed the mesh of cultures, ideas and techniques inherent in the collections, and how its artistic aesthetic has evolved, matured and mutated over the course of its history. Designers, directors and friends Pamela Easton and Lydia Pearson commenced business in 1989 with the simple intention of wanting to design together. The brand was established as Bow and Arrow by Easton Pearson, followed by diffusion line Oh! By Easton Pearson. Although both were interested in fashion and clothing from a young age, designing was not something either Easton or Pearson had considered as a serious career, and fell upon it, according to Pearson, “almost by default”. Pearson had created her own brand for 10 years and Easton was working as a buyer when the pair decided to merge their interests. “We came from different aspects of the industry but with similar interests and strengths, and

Awe’ve worked together in the same way for 25 years, in that we do not have separate roles. It may seem cumbersome and counterproductive, but it means that many potential tangents are avoided and each process has been vetted before it is activated,” says Pearson. The designers showed their collections in Australia for a decade before moving their presentations to Paris in 1998. And although the brand stopped showing at Australian Fashion Week in 2002, as it didn’t fit with their sales calendar (excluding their 20th and 25th years in business), they believe that Australian Fashion Week is largely to thank for the success of today’s local industry. “When Australian Fashion Week first started, Australian fashion didn’t have an export industry,” says Pearson. “Collette [Dinnigan] was selling in Paris, but she was one of the only ones before the event. It really gave Australian designers that opportunity for export and to show their designs to the rest of the world. Australian Fashion Week was, and is, really important.” Today, Easton Pearson supplies more than 100 stores in 24 countries worldwide, and maintains retail spaces in Sydney and Brisbane. Central to the brand’s design and aesthetic is the use of textiles and embellishment.

the artistic approach of easton pearson imbues the label’s clothing with cultural value and longevity that

extends beyond commercial fashion.

An artistic embrace

<

62-65_EP.indd 62 24/09/13 5:07 PM

63

F A S h I O n

artisanal the clothes

showcase colour, decoration

and detailed construction.

63

62-65_EP.indd 63 24/09/13 5:07 PM

64


“It seems the people attracted to the clothing are those who can make it their own.”

As Easton explains: “We create about 90 per cent of our textiles, or commission the weaving, the design of the prints and other pieces. That’s the beginning of the design.” Such textiles draw on the rich history of various cultures, from Indian to African, through to vintage clothes, literature and travel. The pair explains that the possibilities offered by specific textile techniques influences them in terms of what might be adapted to clothing. Perhaps partly due to the geographic proximity to Asia of their Queensland base, Easton Pearson represents a mélange of Asian Pacific cultures through a manifestation of techniques and fabrics, and the relationships built through commerce. India, the label’s closest country in terms of the development of their work, is represented in an Easton Pearson collection through the use of colour and embellishment; of lusciously vivid pinks, purples, yellows and blues in woven silks and hand-sewn beads, unhemmed calico, delicate cottons and diamante crystals. An exploration of techniques and styles as much as themes and ideas, each collection consists of an extensive range of garments: from simple day dresses to evening jackets, from ruffled feathered skirts to beaded singlet tops.

not painters. We’ve looked to artisans in India to achieve the painted look we desire.” A 2008 collaboration with Stephen Mok, for example, incorporated the artist’s loose, fluid strokes and lots of bold colour and irreverent lines. “Collaborating means introducing a different perspective and extending your design,” says Pearson. “We have a vision but to have someone else make their mark and express themselves is very special.”As a result of their approach, the designers believe that the clothes have longevity, which is something they strive for in all aspects of their business. “I think if someone is going to invest in something that costs as much as the clothing we make does, they want longevity,” says Easton. “You might put it away and find it irrelevant for five years, but when you discover it again it has something intrinsically beautiful about it.” Pearson agrees, adding that an Easton Pearson customer is more interested in the notion of an evolutionary wardrobe rather than what’s hot for the minute. “If a woman shops carefully she can develop a complex, interesting and varied wardrobe over many seasons, adding and culling judiciously.”

In preparation for the design process, the duo travels to various countries to work closely with their craftspeople researching textile traditions. Indeed, Pearson spoke with Mercedes-Benz magazine from Delhi, India, where she was working on easy-to-wear holiday-style pieces. “There is a very artisanal feel to the clothes we make,” says Easton. “It’s about decoration, colour and interesting construction, and we design with a lot of different ‘someones’ in mind. We definitely have a mythical muse that we invoke when we’re working, but it’s not one person because the clothes appeal to a lot of different ages, sizes and mindsets, and can look very different when worn by different people. It seems the people attracted to the clothing are those who can make it their own.”Essentially a ready-to-wear design house, Easton Pearson’s employment of such intricate techniques and textiles, and the limited size of production hint, at the notion of haute couture, furthered by their collaborative relationship with contemporary artists, such as Stephen Mok, Graham Davis and Fukutoshi Ueno. “Visual art isn’t fashion,” says Easton, “and fashion isn’t visual art; they require different skills. We can do surface decoration but we’re

above: designers, directors and friends pamela easton (left) and lydia pearson

<

62-65_EP.indd 64 24/09/13 5:07 PM

65

F A S h I O n

textiles draw on a

rich history of cultures, from

indian to african.

62-65_EP.indd 65 24/09/13 5:07 PM

66


words & photography tricia welsh66

Cruising wild in style

one of the world’s last unexplored wildernesses, Papau New Guinea promises a wealth of cultural and natural experiences.

A 10-day tour on board adventure vessel The True North delivers up-close-and-personal encounters, plus a host of luxury extras,

such as restaurant-quality meals and daily helicopter jaunts.


66-73_PNG.indd 66 25/09/13 12:28 PM

67

t r a v e l

67

t r a v e l

66-73_PNG.indd 67 25/09/13 12:28 PM

68


uncharted territoryA pioneer of luxury cruising, The True North journeys 70 nautical miles down the Sepik River, taking in remote island communities and tribal villages. Colourful markets and cultural performances await.

Located a mere 150 km from the tip of Australia’s Cape York Peninsula, Papua New Guinea (PNG) is one of the last true wildernesses in the world. Few Australians have visited and even fewer have it on their wish list. Shaped like a prehistoric bird, the country often makes headlines for all the wrong reasons – violence, instability and ghosts of a checkered past. While still comparatively raw, tourism is slowly developing and, through the endeavours of people like Broome–based Craig Howson, founding director of North Star Cruises, more and more travellers are able to enjoy this exotic part of the world – from the relative safety of the water.Howson pioneered luxury cruising in the Kimberley 26 years ago with a smaller version of the now 36-passenger adventure vessel The True North, and was first introduced to

PNG by the late adventurer Steve Irwin. Each year Howson spends up to 15 weeks on board, ‘tweaking’ itineraries and introducing new ones, such as the Bismarck Bonanza. “It’s an incredible mix of what the region has to offer; besides its rich culture, it shows nature at its best, above, on and below the sea,” he says.I’ve always been fascinated by the exotic nature of the country, with its birds of paradise, tree kangaroos, colourful tribal outfits, thick jungle-clad highlands, man-eating crocodiles, as well as good fishing, snorkeling and dive opportunities. So I didn’t need much convincing to join 30 other passengers on the inaugural journey. Over 10 days, we sailed along PNG’s north-east coast, 70 nautical miles down the art-rich Sepik River, calling in to small remote island communities that few people ever visit.

66-73_PNG.indd 68 1/10/13 1:02 PM

69

t r a v e l

We visit villages along the riverbank, with produce markets and displays of intricately carved artifacts.

66-73_PNG.indd 69 25/09/13 12:28 PM

70


All aboardFollowing a two-hour private charter flight from Cairns, we arrive in Madang and board the boat. Sipping fresh coconut juice from flower-trimmed coconuts, we settle in for our first night afloat under the care of the 18-strong crew. For some passengers, it’s their second, fifth, 10th and even 13th adventure on the 50-metre triple-decked luxury expedition vessel; for others, like me, it’s the first. With such comfort, care and high level of adventure, you can easily get hooked, assure the serial cruisers. accommodation is in 18 comfortable suites, complemented by a spacious dining room, welcoming lounge bar with comfy sofas, a rear deck for casual dining and drinks, and

a well-equipped transom that becomes a hive of activity each morning and afternoon as fishing, snorkeling and scuba diving get under way.air-conditioned, and with a draught of just 2.2 metres, The True North was purpose-built for exploring river systems and coastal waters and, thanks to her size, can venture where few others dare. a six-passenger eurocopter on board takes guests on scenic flights to discover natural attractions more closely, and six aluminium-hulled expedition boats allow guests to pick and choose where they might want to go and when. When we venture down the 1,126 km long Sepik river, local river pilot Peter Yaman helps navigate the serpentine waters, dodging hidden

sandbanks and floating logs, and slowing down so as not to rock the primitive canoes with curious villagers who’ve come to investigate. We visit villages along the riverbank, with produce markets and displays of intricately carved artifacts, including masks, storyboards and coconut shells amid woven penis caps (that have replaced traditional penis gourds) and bilongs, simple string bags that locals carry over their shoulders or across the top of their heads, and are so called because everything inside ‘bilongs’ in them. Other villages stage lively sing-sings to welcome us, the whole population dressing up in elaborate beads, feathers and colourful dance outfits, including one village with giant crocodile puppets.

66-73_PNG.indd 70 25/09/13 12:29 PM

71

t r a v e l

clean linesThe modern interiors include 18 comfortable suites and spacious lounge and dining zones.

welcomeFresh coconut juice is served on arrival.

fine diningTop chefs, formerly of Melbourne’s Vue de Monde, prepare the world-class cuisine.Locally sourced seafood shines in their contemporary menus.

Vue de Monde on boardwith experience working alongside celebrated Melbourne chef Shannon Bennett in the hallowed kitchens of Vue de Monde, onboard chefs Nik Flack and Zac Johnson create exceptional city-style meals and make fresh bread, yoghurt and ice-creams daily. They use plenty of local seafood, such as elusive black bass, giant Sepik River prawns and succulent painted crayfish caught by locals, and scale fish caught by guests: Spanish mackerel might end up crumbed for fish and chips, barracuda in a classic Niçoise salad or yellowfin tuna as sashimi. With several volcanoes in the region, their Monam Volcano fondant receives applause: a decadent chocolate pudding overflowing with raspberry coulis ‘lava’.

>air-conditioned, and with a draught of just 2.2 metres, The True North was purpose-built for exploring river systems and coastal waters.

66-73_PNG.indd 71 25/09/13 12:29 PM

72


We are constantly on the look-out for crocodiles and find them everywhere: on artifacts, carved on the front of canoes, and baby ones held out for us to inspect. later, while on an excursion up the Pandi river in New Britain, we learn that a young man had been taken by a large croc just that morning, where locals continued to wash in the brackish water.leaving the Sepik, we cruise overnight to the far-flung Ninigo Islands, a large open atoll containing even smaller atolls and about 50 tiny islets. after lunching on plump Sepik cherubin (prawns), we set off to snorkel the Pelleluhu Passage. When we get back, the boat is surrounded by a flotilla of dugouts roped together as fishermen drop off their catch of spectacularly coloured painted crayfish. Howson and the chefs are quick with kitchen scales and buy about 100 crays, or 60kg, at $7 a kilo. Many are relegated to the freezer for future cruises. Whale-watchingOne brilliant sunny day with clear blue skies and turquoise waters, we come across two pods of pilot whales that breach and splash playfully; another day we are surrounded by hundreds of spinner dolphins that swim under the tenders and seem to guide our way. and, while snorkeling and diving, we spy turtles, manta and eagle rays, white-tipped sharks, schools of black and red snapper, colourful parrotfish, angelfish, vibrant blue damsel fish and various striped anemone ‘Nemo’ clownfish, for which the area is noted. Onboard marine scientist andy lewis is in his element in the water and explores new sites on every trip. For his doctorate thesis, he studied the population dynamics of reef fish and their responses to coral disturbance and, in the past decade, has logged more than 2,000 hours guiding snorkelers in coral reef environments. He imparts his encyclopaedic knowledge in layman’s terms, and shares the day’s discoveries with casual evening chats and graphic underwater images. Having skippered luxury maxi-yachts around the world over the past few years, Captain Greg Dunn is enjoying his second stint as master of The True North and declares the boat was built for adventure. “How many other boats can send their helicopter up to look for a new dive site?” he asks.

Helicopter pilot Rob Colbert takes passengers on daily flights over tropical islands, to remote villages in the Sepik River basin and up close to still-active volcanoes. He has worked with The True North for 14 years and delights in telling about their first visit to the primary school on Rambuyto Island, a remote community in the Admiralty Islands that rarely has interaction with outside visitors. After offering a helicopter ride to the five best students at the school, the headmaster excitedly reported that attendance and performance had “gone through the roof”. Says Rob: “This year I’m going to offer a helicopter flight to the five best boys and the five best girls at the school – in two separate flights.”

>Daily flights

vill age lifeThe True North is granted access to remote communities where few travellers have ventured before.

new heightsA six-seater Eurocopter provides the chance for guests to explore hard-to-reach locations each day.

natural wondersPapua New Guinea is blessed with quality snorkeling, diving and fishing.

local Sepik River pilot Peter Yaman guides The True North up the river.

66-73_PNG.indd 72 25/09/13 12:29 PM

73

t r a v e l

the cultural highlight is a visit, by helicopter, to the Yechtan spirit house, some 250 km upstream in the middle of the Sepik, where we are privy to an initiation ceremony. Inside, eight young men sit around charcoal fires wearing a few modesty leaves around their waists and caked river mud on their heads. These young Iatmul men have just been initiated into the puk-puk or crocodile culture – a ritual where the skin on their backs and shoulders is cut with razorblades to form a decorative stippled pattern resembling that of a crocodile, from which they believe they evolved.

The fresh wounds are then pasted with ash and river mud and pummeled with bamboo bats while the heat from the fire almost ‘tans’ their wounds like leather. Several are students at Lae University. Hank Liversidge, our local PNG guide who is a university graduate and mine exploration site manager for several international companies, can’t wait to be initiated next year. “We are from the crocodile,” he explains simply. “It’s our cultural belief passed down from generation to generation – it’s our trademark.”

Puk-puk initiation >

66-73_PNG.indd 73 25/09/13 12:29 PM

74


74

THE ENERGY FLOW in Mercedes hybrid models can be

monitored in the cockpit, but to ensure your own body receives enough energy,

you have to take action yourself. Here’s how to get a rapid boost:

POWER NAPPING is something you can do anywhere and increases alertness by up to 100 per cent. An ideal power nap lasts about 20 minutes and takes place after lunch. Clutch a bunch of keys tightly in your hand to help you wake up.

EYE PALMING helps combat tiredness and burning eyes from too much screen time, according to Chinese medical lore. Just rub your hands to warm them and press them gently against your closed eyes for a few minutes.

FORGET COFFEEhot water and ginger is a much healthier power drink. The volatile oils in ginger root act as a stimulant and get the circulation and the digestion going.

LIQUID SOUND is a further development of floating. While you are drifting off in a saltwater tank you listen to special underwater music. Apparently 45 minutes in a floatarium has as relaxing an effect as several hours’ sleep.

A CHEWING GUM called ‘Pilot Chews’ was developed specially for pilots and uses caffeine, herbs and vitamins to improve concentration, memory and reflexes within 20 minutes. Available from amazon.com.

THE TARZAN BEAT is a technique for activating the thymus gland situated just under the V formed by your collarbones. If you gently hit this spot with your fist for a minute and take intermittent deep breaths, they say you will feel new strength and any feelings of stress will disappear.

CROSSOVER EXERCISES synchronise the two halves of the brain and boost concentration. A simple standing exercise is to pull your right knee up to your stomach with your left hand, hold it there for 10 seconds and repeat the other way round.

illu

str

atio

n l

eAn

dr

o C

As

TelA

o/

du

TCH

un

Cle

ph

oto

s f

oTo

lIA

wo

rd

s C

Hr

IsTo

PH H

enn

74-75_ICONS.indd 74 24/09/13 5:13 PM

75

s p o r t ss p o r t s

75

74-75_ICONS.indd 75 24/09/13 5:13 PM

76_OBC.indd 76 24/09/13 5:21 PM

mercedes-benz nov 2013

Documents

e r c e d e s

newgeneration sclass

new sclass nico rosberg

new horizonsopen

entire mercedesbenz

aumercedesbenz magazine

sls amg roadster

hardie grant media