Looking ahead - MERCEDES - How Daimler AG finds the most amazing start-ups - Mercedes-Benz
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No. 360 MERCEDES 1.2019
How Daimler AG
finds the most
amazing start-ups
Looking ahead
+ B-Class + Tommy Hilfiger + Formula E + Jan Frodeno + what3words + GLE +
For those who not only
have goals, but also
know the ways to reach them.
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WORKSHOP
The new entrepreneurial spirit
Dear Reader,
The digital world thrives on dynamism and fresh ideas that open up new and creative pos-
sibilities for the Mercedes-Benz brand as well as for you, the customer. Now Daimler AG is
faced with an exciting challenge: How can it combine the power of the company with the
flexibility of the start-up scene? Startup Autobahn is the answer. The innovation platform
looks for entrepreneurs around the world with innovative ideas for the mobility of tomorrow
and supports their projects. And more than a few of these ideas have found their way into
Mercedes-Benz vehicles – like the stunningly easy navigation system what3words. The spirit
that prevails in the Stuttgart offices is evident as soon as you walk in the doors:
Startup Autobahn
welcomes all
“inventors, tinkerers
and tech-heads”.
COVER ILLUSTRATION JACK SACHS PHOTO DIRK BRUNIECKI
For this issue of Mercedes me, we paid a visit to the movers and
shakers of Startup Autobahn – and put what3words to the test.
The Mercedes me
magazine app:
mbmag.me/ios We hope you enjoy reading this issue!
mbmag.me/android The Editorial Team
March 2019 3 Mercedes
CONTENTS
Start Imagine
03 Workshop
Behind the scenes 22 The labour of ideas
What Startup Autobahn does to promote the best ideas
06 Contributors
The photographers and
reporters who contributed
to this issue
08 Imprint
16 Tommy Hilfiger 22 Startup Autobahn
The designer reveals how A visit to the think tank
he keeps his finger on the in search of entrepreneurs
pulse of the times around the world
38 “You have to pull through”
The internal struggle: endurance athlete Jan Frodeno
44 1 billion likes
Mercedes-Benz is the most successful
brand on Instagram. How did this happen?
Read this magazine 10 The moment
in the app: A blind mechanic and
his lifelong dream
mbmag.me/ios
mbmag.me/android 12 Pole position
Daimler AG IT expert
Wilfried Reimann on
quantum computing
14 Road to happiness
Tianmen Mountain, China
15 Dates
The most exciting events
Mercedes 4 Mercedes-Benz
CONTENTS
Drive
30 Rendezvous with the future
From Silicon Valley to Big Sur:
tech guru Guy Kawasaki in the EQC
59 Finder’s reward
A fruitful voyage: the new GLE and Sophie McArthur of what3words
32 The real puzzle
How Mercedes plans to enter
the world of Formula E
38 Jan Frodeno
On set with the world-class triathlete
42 With a smirk
What’s behind the quirky campaign
of the new B-Class
44 1 billion likes
What Instagram users find so
fascinating about Mercedes-Benz
50 Samy Deluxe
Where does his inspiration come
from? An interview with the rapper
54 Hey, future! What’s up?
Eight technologies that will
soon make life easier
72 Fresh energy
Through Bordeaux in the smart fortwo
59 The new GLE
Taking in the beauty of
Salzburg with what3words
68 The new B-Class
Sportier, safer and
more entertaining than
ever before
72 smart fortwo
16
Bordeaux is a place of
innovation – we paid
a visit to its creative
entrepreneurs
Capture the zeitgeist
The interview with design icon 80 Facts
Tommy Hilfiger News from Mercedes-Benz
82 A question for the future
Daimler AG futurologist
PHOTOS ANDREW MYTRO, DIRK BRUNIECKI,
UWE DÜTTMANN (2), CYRILL MATTER,
Prof. Marianne Reeb
RODERICK AICHINGER provides answers
March 2019 5 Mercedes
C O N T R I B U TO R S
This edition’s For this Mercedes me magazine, our reporters
and photographers travelled to Salzburg, Zurich,
creators India and – at least in spirit – the future
Mercedes-Benz is a
founding partner of the
Laureus Sport for
Good Foundation 1 Hamburg, 2 Zurich, 3 Salzburg,
4 Stuttgart, 5 Jharkhand
Established in 2000, the
foundation is a fundamental
component of the
Mercedes-Benz social Maya Morlock – Hamburg – Uwe Düttmann – Salzburg –
responsibility a ctivities, and is came across some bold inventions captured the stunning beauty
committed to supporting that will improve our lives of Salzburg
disadvantaged children and
youth through global sports From coffee makers that Known for his automotive
projects. It helps young people know when we will wake up photography, Uwe Düttmann
build up values, confidence to headphones that translate went with a warmer style of
and skills to become in real time, Maya Morlock reporting for this issue.
responsible individuals
introduces us to services He and Sophie McArthur of
capable of making better lives
for themselves. and gadgets that sound like what3words explored the
science fiction, but are already breathtaking mountainous
on the horizon. landscape of Salzburg.
Yuwa Laureus Cyrill Matter – Zurich – Alexandros S
tefanidis
project – Jharkhand – photographed designer Tommy – Stuttgart –
Boosting girls’ confidence Hilfiger in his home town stopped by one of the most impor-
PHOTOS LAUREUS AWARD, PRIVATE (4)
through football in India tant Daimler AG think tanks
Yuwa helps girls from He specialises in both fashion In his report on the tech
impoverished families build and portrait photography – two incubator Startup Autobahn
character and courage through genres that found their way and Arena2036, our colleague
team sports and education. seamlessly into the Swiss’ shares how Mercedes-Benz
The programme empowers powerful shots of fashion icon comes up with – and fosters –
its participants to create Tommy Hilfiger that he took the most innovative ideas
a better future. in his hometown. for mobility.
Mercedes 6 Mercedes-Benz
Change the game for kids. Get kids off the street and transform their lives through sports. Laureus Sport for Good harnesses the power of sport to help young people overcome violence, discrimination and disadvantage, proving that sport can change the world. We change the game for kids together with Laureus Sport for Good, an initiative by Mercedes-Benz. Become part of the Laureus Sport for Good movement: Mercedes-Benz.com/Laureus
IMPRINT
Issue number 360 (65th year) of the Mercedes-Benz
magazine appears in 40 languages around the world and
has a circulation of 2.4 million copies
This magazine is also Publisher Concept Advertising Copyright
available to read in the Daimler AG and realisation Looping Studios The reproduction and
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on behalf of the Head of content (print) @iqm.de Articles for which the
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Annette Maier Editorial department International sales reflect the opinions of
Corporate publishing Editor-in-chief gerda.gavric-hollender the publisher or editorial
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International orders: Dominik Leiner CO2 values’ pursuant to
+49 711 7252-268 Annabel Spinler Printing Art. 2, No. 1 and 2 of the
Photography editors Stark Druck Implementation Regu-
Mercedes me Anna Simdon GmbH + Co. KG lation (EU) 2017/1153.
is published on a Isabella Hager Im Altgefäll 9 Fuel consumption
q uarterly basis. Final graphic design 75181 Pforzheim was calculated on the
Dominik Leiner Germany basis of these values.
Electricity consumption
Final copy editing Printed on chlorine-free was calculated on the
wordinc GmbH bleached paper basis of the Commission
Eiffestraße 426 Printed in Germany Regulation (EC) No.
Download what3words 20537 Hamburg 6720 0352 02 692/2008. The informa-
in the App Store or on Germany ISSN 0949-6998 tion provided does not
Google Play. You can relate to one individual
find out more about the Production vehicle and does not
philosophy behind the Laudert GmbH + Co. KG form part of our offer, but
innovative navigation Magellanstraße 1 is intended to facilitate
software here: 70771 Leinfelden- comparison between
what3words.com Echterdingen, Germany different vehicle types.
Mercedes 8 Mercedes-Benz
Who has the keys
to the C 111? We do.
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Start
The moment
A dream come true
The man is a legend: born blind, now one of the best car a dried-out saltwater lake in Oregon, where a
mechanics in the US. Raised in the Chicago suburbs, Mercedes-AMG GT R was waiting. No speed limits.
Bart Hickey uses touch, sound and smell to diagnose No boundaries. Hickey’s mother and son witnessed his
engine trouble. He has always loved cars, but had never first-ever experience driving a sports car, along with a
been allowed behind the wheel … until he received a crew who documented these moments in a heart-rending
special invitation presented to him by his son Brendan film about the fulfilment of a lifelong dream.
PHOTOS JEREMY HILL IMAGES
and Mercedes-Benz. It brought Hickey to Alvord Lake, mbmag.me/myfathersdream
Mercedes-AMG GT R. Transmission: automatic; cylinder arrangement/number: V8; engine size (cc): 3,982; nominal capacity (kW in rpm):
430 at 6,250; maximum speed: 318 km/h; fuel consumption (l/100 km)* urban: 14.9, extra urban: 10.9, combined: 12.4;
CO2 emissions combined (g/km)*: 284. The values will vary depending on the wheels/tyres. Efficiency class: G
* For information on the measurement procedure, please see page 8.
Mercedes 10 Mercedes-BenzHis first time: after his drive in
the GT R, blind car mechanic
Bart Hickey embraces his mother.
His son is also deeply moved.
March 2019 11 MercedesPole
position
has been trying to develop computers that Wilfried Reimann is head of IT Enter-
are able to solve problems that people had prise Architecture and Innovation
always considered impossible for computers at Daimler. His expertise is currently
to handle – such as recognising and assess- much in demand, in particular in
ing images, which from a computational Daimler’s partnerships with Google
and IBM – two companies also deeply
perspective is very difficult indeed. Voice
invested in quantum computing.
recognition is getting better and better, too. mbmag.me/quantencomputer
And the next big innovation on the horizon
is quantum computing.
As yet, super-fast quantum computers
are only possible in theory. What is the
principle behind them?
That’s quite hard to explain. They are based
on findings from the field of quantum phys-
ics. Classic computers use electronic loads
to store information, while quantum com-
In 37 years with Daimler IT, puters would use the universe’s smallest
Wilfried Reimann has seen some components, known as quantums. These
enable quantum computers to process
groundbreaking inventions.
highly complex algorithms. What this
The next one – the quantum means in concrete terms is that we would
computer – is almost here be able to use such computers to discover
new materials for battery development for Measure better:
example, or to optimise road traffic, and sig- the WLTP test
nificantly accelerate the learning capacity
of artificial intelligence technology. Quan-
tum computers will run in the background,
perhaps at cloud data centres, or at compa-
Mr Reimann, you were there for the early nies seeking to evaluate enormous amounts
introduction of computers at Daimler AG. of data, and Daimler would be among many
How distant does the technology from companies to gain huge benefits from this
back then seem to you today? development. These computers would, for
When I joined the company in 1981, I was instance, facilitate real-time traffic calcula-
amazed by the computing capacity of the tions – one of the basic prerequisites for The process of measuring carbon
dioxide emissions and fuel
mainframes. Before, the task of processing autonomous driving.
consumption in Europe has been
salaries for around 200,000 employees had When do you expect quantum comput- based on the NEDC cycle for
itself required hundreds of employees. Now ing to be suitable for everyday use? many decades. It’s clear now that
all of a sudden, it only required a couple of Three years ago I would have said at least this standard is long outdated
and too old to realistically
PHOTOS DAIMLER AG, MAKS RICHTER, PR (5)
– admittedly very large – machines. In the another ten years, if ever. But today, we
evaluate current vehicle genera-
1980s, mainframe computers helped us to have already been approached by compa-
tions. The new WLTP test sets
develop complex production systems which nies with systems able to implement quan- new standards. It will ensure
had previously been considered impossible; tum computing. So it seems realistic to say greater transparency, for
today, the Internet of Things is gathering that we should see the first quantum com- example, with the use of a more
pace and cloud computing is considered a puters in use in five years’ time – comput- realistic driving profile. This
part of everyday life. ers that harness a power long considered way measurements are closer
to what customers actually
Machine learning and artificial intelli- unattainable. These are the sorts of fasci- experience on the road.
gence are growing more significant too. nating developments that make me love my i WLTP explained in clear terms:
Absolutely. For four decades, the IT world job so much. mbmag.me/wltpstandard
Mercedes 12 Mercedes-BenzEnjoy Products that enrich our lives:
in style attractive accessories and great gadgets
Motion pictures
Portable camera,
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This compact
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A must in Silicon Valley stabilisation. The
Sneakers, around €80 result: steady videos
Allbirds founder Tim Brown calls his wool shot on the fly
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i allbirds.com
Ideas for tomorrow More than just
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Enjoy the
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Igloo, €899
A practical retreat
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conservatory.
i gardenigloo.com
March 2019 13 MercedesThe road You may only be allowed to travel this stunning road in southern China by
bus, but the views you will experience will be unforgettable – in particular
to happiness the huge hole in the mountain face, known as “Heaven’s Gate”
Tianmen Road, China
Sleep
Xiangdian Inter-
national Hotel in
Zhangjiajie features
a traditional garden
PHOTOS DAIMLER AG, IMAGO, DYLAN JOHNSON/2018 SXSW CONFERENCE & FESTIVALS, MARTIN PARR/MAGNUM PHOTOS, JUERGEN HASENKOPF/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO, LUCAS MARSHALL/BIKE NEW YORK
courtyard.
Soar
One of the world’s
longest cable car
rides is just a
ten-minute walk
from Zhangjiajie
train station.
Swerve
The buses depart
from te half-way
station of the cable
car, taking passen-
gers on a winding
journey down
serpentine roads.
Sweat
The “Stairway to
Heaven” consists
of 999 steps, at the
end of which visitors
will encounter a
gigantic hole in the
mountain face.
Squeeze
Affixed to the sides
More travel planning
of the vertical cliffs
tips and information:
is the skywalk,
travelchina.gov.cn
CHINA a narrow glass
walkway. Are you
afraid of heights?
Beijing
99
tight bends take you 1,500
Hong Kong
metres up to the summit of N
Tianmen Mountain 500 m
Mercedes 14 Mercedes-BenzDates Beautiful, enjoyable and important occasions: Experience
the best events between now and June 2019
Mercedes
8–17 March 2019
SXSW, Austin
Film premiers, concerts and
conferences: South by Southwest
is the most important event in
the world for technology and
entertainment. You’re guaranteed
to have a good time.
ei sxsw.com 26 May 2019
Formula 1, Monaco
Always thrilling, heated
and glamorous. And
the race runs right
along the Côte d’Azur.
formula1.com
until 5 May 2019
Evoking Reality, Berlin
This exhibit from the
Daimler Art Collection shows
how photography and video
art influence our reality.
art.daimler.com
from 18 April 2019 7 March–27 May 2019 30 March–3 April 2019
Cherry blossom season, Only Human: Martin Parr, London Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week,
Aomori Martin Parr of England photographs portraits that are full of Moscow
Japan celebrates cherry blossom innuendo and comprise much more than meets the eye. They offer The biggest and most influential
season in spring. The scenery is fascinating insights into the subconsciousness of their subjects. fashion event in Russia.
particularly gorgeous in Aomori. i npg.org.uk mercedesbenzfashionweek.ru
i jnto.go.jp
20 May– 3–5 May 2019
9 June 2019 Montreal Electric Vehicle Show
French Open, Paris For three days, the latest devel-
Simona Halep won opments in electromobility will
her first Grand Slam be the talk of the town in Mon-
title at the French treal. Visitors will even be able to
Open in 2018. Will test many of the concepts.
the Mercedes-Benz i svem.ebems.com
brand ambassador
return for victory
this year? We’re
crossing our fingers. 5 May 2019
i rolandgarros.com Five Boro Bike Tour, New York
At its début in 1977, 250 cyclists
conquered the streets of New
York’s five boroughs during the
Boro Bike Tour. This year, 32,000
are expected to attend!
i bike.nyc
March 2019 15 MercedesImagine
Capture
the
INTERVIEW: HENDRIK LAKEBERG
PHOTOS: CYRILL MATTER
By determination and an unerring
feel for the world around him, Tommy
Hilfiger has created one of the most
iconic fashion brands. How does he
manage to always stay a step ahead?
zeitgeist
March 2019 17 MercedesM
r Hilfiger, you grew People’s Place was the first To sense the people’s taste,
up in the small time you turned your fashion is that a talent?
town of Elmira sensibility into a business. I think you need to have drive.
in the state of Later on, with your own You have to have a nose for it.
New York. In 1969 you had brand, you had many more You have to be appreciative of
the idea to open the fashion moments in which you made visualisation and you have to
boutique People’s Place the right decision at the understand pop culture. But
there, which quickly became right time. How do you know in order to execute and make
the hang-out for a local that the world is ready for a something good, you have
scene of young like-minded certain idea? to be around great people. I
people. What sparked the Back then we were living the always thought I should hire
idea to sell clothes? lifestyle, we were feeling it. people who are much more
1969 was the summer of And when you are feeling intelligent than I am. So, it’s
Woodstock. There was a it, it is much easier to detect always been my vision, but it
fashion revolution taking what people want, sometimes was made possible by working
place – and a music revolution before they know that they with a great team.
as well, of course. I saw want it. A lot back then had That seems more important
fashion and music colliding. to do with music, art, fashion than ever. Through social
What was missing were brands and TV. But also of course with media and the internet,
and stores that offered cool Hollywood and what was going fashion has become omni-
clothes for young Americans. on in sports. I took all of that present in our culture.
Musicians were wearing them inspiration, put it into a mental Do you have the feeling
but they were coming from blender and continued to it is more complicated to
England or were being made evolve the look until I started sense the zeitgeist today in
as custom pieces. So, I decided my own brand. With that I comparison to when you
The Mercedes me
to find these clothes and decided to focus more on what started out in the ’60s? magazine app:
offer the look to my customers precisely it was that gave my I believe fashion has always mbmag.me/ios
in my own shop. fashion sensibility a backbone. been part of the pop culture mbmag.me/android
TOMMY HILFIGER
Born into a family of
German, Swiss and Irish
descent, the designer grew
up in the state of New York.
In his hometown Elmira, he
opened the store People’s
Place in 1969, selling clo-
thes to fans of the emerging
hippie and rock culture.
In this time he started to
develop his casual, clean,
all-American style. Its
versatility made his label
Tommy Hilfiger a worldwide
success. Founded in 1985,
Hilfiger remains its head
of Design. Even today, the
67-year-old is in touch with
a wide range of trends that
affect his designs. Recent
examples: the collabora-
tions with the label Vete-
ments and Formula 1 world
champion Lewis Hamilton.
Mercedes 18 Mercedes-Benzand it’s even more so now as is the collaboration with the we came up with a perfect
a result of social media. Holly Mercedes-AMG P etronas solution. Lewis is hard work-
wood stars want to become Formula 1 driver Lewis ing, he is humble, grateful,
designers, musicians want to Hamilton. What makes him a appreciative, but he is
become designers, Hollywood good fit for the brand? very driven!
and music want to wear cool Lewis and I became friends. Like you.
clothes. Sport stars want their And while getting to know Yes. Well, that is the excite
own brand and more than him, I noticed that Lewis was ment we need, otherwise it
ever are interested in wearing very fashionable and really would be boring. I don’t want
fashionable clothes. I think we passionate not only about a boring life. I don’t want to
are again really living in the racing but music and clothes. become too similar to the com
eye of the storm. I see him as a pop culture icon. petition. I always want to stay
Do you find it difficult to In our many conversations, a step ahead or differentiate
balance the particular style we started to talk about from others.
of the Tommy Hilfiger brand doing something together. Clothes have never been
and the need to react to all He came up with the idea of discussed and appreciated
these new influences? starting a TommyXLewis line. more than today. Still, there
I think you need a signature He was very involved in are people who say about
core for everything you are design, direction, the marke themselves that they don’t
doing, whether you have a ting. Always with tremen- care about fashion. Is that
restaurant or you are running dous passion. even possible?
an automobile company like Can you think of a particular It is hard not to care. Because
Mercedes-Benz. But you can’t topic where that showed? if nothing else, there is still
only rely on that. You also have Well, we talked about the logo the aspect of comfort, of
to evolve and constantly add at length and we went back weather. So, are you really not
new ideas. and forth, back and forth with going to worry about what you
A very recent move to stay the graphic artist to really are wearing on a sunny day
at the center of the zeitgeist perfect it. We really do believe versus a snowy day? I really
Tommy Hilfiger on the
staircase of the new-
est flagship store in
Zurich. It is equipped
with cutting-edge retail
technology. Included
is also a café called
People’s Place, a nod
at the designer’s past.
The first store he
opened in his home
town at the age of 20
was called People’s
Place. He and his
friends loved the
clothes musicians
were wearing, but
couldn’t buy them
anywhere. Tommy
closed this gap.
PHOTO TOMMY HILFIGER
March 2019 19 MercedesMercedes 20 Mercedes-Benz
Tommy Hilfiger always believe everyone cares on more often that embrace a Mercedes-Benz has done an
had an infallible some level. more daring side of fashion? awesome job in creating some
feel for a style that Numbers, for example, show Working with a label like of the finest automobiles in the
has its origin in that men, who were consi- Vetements is exciting and im- world. I like the design aspect,
American culture, dered fashion sceptics for a portant for us. The condition I like the quality. I like that
but a global appeal.
long time, do engage more. would be that the brand we they are stepping forward with
The menswear market has collaborate with is like-minded. excitement while still main-
Lewis Hamilton and been growing considerably I have tremendous respect for taining the core. This is how I
Tommy Hilfiger enjoy during the last years. Demna Gvasalia, the designer approach my work as well.
the cheering crowd Yes, it’s growing more than behind Vetements, and what There is this similarity where
after the successful
premiere of their
ever before. Men are particu- they do. And I know they have you have a strong foundation
first collaboration. larly interested in the quality, respect for us. Demna grew up but also the excitement to
the fit, the brand. Women will wearing Tommy Hilfiger while move the consumer forward.
open their scope and look he was a teen. You have to have Is there a Mercedes in
more for fashion first than the mutual respect. For us these your collection that you
brand and what their friends collaborations are particularly appreciate most?
think. Men are more loyal to a exciting because they give us a I own a 250 SL, which I love.
brand or a certain look that is reason to design something that It’s from 1971.
appropriate for them. Women we maybe haven’t done before. And do you take it out for
tend to keep changing and Besides fashion and pop cul- a drive now and then?
moving forward. ture, an important inspira- Of course, but only on a
To connect with a young, tion for you has always been beautiful day.
very fashion-forward crowd, cars. What do you appreciate
Tommy Hilfiger did a collabo- about them?
ration with the avant-garde I have always loved archi Hendrik Lakeberg
enjoyed meeting
label Vetements. Was that tecture and design, and Tommy Hilfiger
something unique or are you I think the design of auto because he loves to
planning to do collaborations mobiles is intriguing. I think talk about fashion.
TOMMYXLEWIS
In September 2018, at the
historic waterfront area
The Bund, TommyXLewis
premiered in Shanghai with
a colossal show. Tommy
Hilfiger and Lewis Hamilton
personally presented their
first collection. Besides
this collaboration, the
Hilfiger brand has been
a partner not only of the
race driver, who recently
became Formula 1 Cham-
pion for the fifth time,
but also of Mercedes-AMG
Petronas Motorsport.
Passion for their craft and
a never-ending curiosity for
new trends and technolog-
PHOTO TOMMY HILFIGER
ical innovations connects
both iconic companies.
tommy.com
March 2019 21 MercedesLaboratory of ideas Mercedes 22 Mercedes-Benz
How does Mercedes-Benz come up with the best An inside view
mobility concepts? A visit to Startup Autobahn, where of the Arena2036
research campus,
pioneering spirit meets visionary engineering one of Startup
Autobahn’s partners
TEXT: ALEXANDROS STEFANIDIS
PHOTOS: DIRK BRUNIECKI
March 2019 23 MercedesMercedes 24 Mercedes-Benz
D
Dr Philipp Gneiting, avid Zakariaie, 21 years old, has
head of Open Innova- flown in to Stuttgart from Austin,
tion at Daimler AG Texas at his own expense. Sport-
ing a beard, jeans, a polo shirt and
trainers – all in black – he cheerfully con-
Arena2036 is con-
sidered one of the nects his laptop to the screen next to him.
world’s most advanced Seconds later, a company logo shaped like
research facilities … an eye appears on the screen. Written below
it is the company’s name, Senseye. David
raises his hand and greets us with a friendly
… and offers the
ideal conditions for
“Howdy”. He is known as a prodigy entrepre-
aspiring start-ups. neur, having first risen to prominence when
the US Air Force’s use of his invention in its
pilot training became public.
Today, he will have just 15 minutes
to pitch his start-up to 20 selected engi-
neers, developers and project managers
at Mercedes-Benz.
He begins the task by asking: “I’m sure
you’ve all heard the saying, ‘The eyes are
the windows to your soul’, am I right?” The
experts furrow their brows. “Well, it’s more
than just a saying,” he continues. “In fact,
there is a lot of truth to that statement!”
The puzzled looks give way to a surprised
curiosity. David goes on to explain that the
human eye contains 3,000 fibres, each of
which is connected to a specific region of the
brain. Twitching in a specific fibre indicates
activity in the corresponding brain region.
“Working with a team of neuroscientists, we
have developed a scientific algorithm that
decodes the human brain with the aid of a
standard video camera,” says David. “To put
it another way, Senseye can see what you
are thinking.”
David Zakariaie is one of nine founding
CEOs invited to today’s event to present their
idea, company and promise for the future of
mobility before experts from the automotive
industry. “An invitation from Startup
STARTUP AUTOBAHN
Startup Autobahn was founded in 2016 as an Success stories: these start-ups
innovation platform. Its 19 partners include have been successfully integrated
Daimler AG, the University of Stuttgart, the into Mercedes-Benz production
Arena2036 research campus and the start-up processes (with the exception of
accelerator Plug and Play, as well as the compa- Truckpad, which the company only
nies HPE, DXC, Porsche, BASF, ZF and DPDHL. invested in). To read our story on
The platform’s principal aim is to promote inno- the new navigation system created
vation by connecting selected start-ups with by what3words, turn to page 59.
partner companies and setting up pilot projects.
March 2019 25 MercedesAutobahn isn’t something you stop and pon- Prodigy entrepreneur
der,” explains David, minutes after deliver- David Zakariaie is
ing his well-received pitch. “After all, when game for a laugh.
else would you get the opportunity to engage
with senior developers and engineers from
Peter Froeschle,
Mercedes-Benz and other top companies? managing director
It’s just great here!” of Arena2036
Birth of a future platform
It took less than two years for Startup An automated
robot arm
Autobahn to make a name for itself among
founders and entrepreneurs around
the world. Dr Philipp Gneiting, head of A prototype factory
Open Innovation at Daimler AG, explains
what lies behind it: “Our innovation plat-
5G as standard
form connects entrepreneurial spirit with
engineering excellence.”
Youthful, with attentive blue eyes and
wearing a grey hoody under a black leather
jacket, Gneiting looks like a typical start-up
manager. He is clearly a team player, and
modest when it comes to talking about his
own success. He was tasked with launch-
ing the project back in 2016, and has
since dedicated himself to promoting its
goals: seeking out competitive ideas with
the potential to revolutionise, or at least
reshape, present-day mobility – under
real conditions.
To this end, Gneiting and his team are
active around the world scouting for the
best start-ups and then liaising between
them and leading companies. Here, they
enable the companies involved to launch
joint pilot projects and, in doing so, deter-
mine whether the respective start-up’s idea
can meet the production standard in place at
Mercedes-Benz and other companies.
“Our primary goal at Startup Autobahn
is to build a channel allowing innovative
start-ups into Mercedes-Benz,” explains
THE PROGRAMME
1a The 100-day 1b Selection day
How does Startup scouting phase The exploratory phase culminates in
a selection day, at which 50 start-
Autobahn find The scouting team travels the world
in search of start-ups in the mobil-
ups have the opportunity to present
themselves. The start-ups selected
the best ideas? ity and Industry 4.0 sector. It then to participate in the programme
invites selected founders to Stuttgart (up to 35) are then announced.
to meet them in person (Deep Dive).
Mercedes 26 Mercedes-BenzGneiting. The company also seeks to pro-
vide long-standing Mercedes-Benz employ-
ees with a new source of impetus by “giving
them real-time insights into start-up garages
around the world.”
Step-by-step innovation
Startup Autobahn manages to achieve both
goals thanks to a sophisticated process
(see box below). “We work together with
experts and decision-makers from vari-
ous Mercedes-Benz departments to define
search fields,” explains Gneiting. “Based
on these search fields, our scouting team
then seeks out start-ups from around the
world, presenting them to us for final selec-
tion. Those who make it through to the final
round are invited to Stuttgart. We want to
get to know the pioneers behind the ideas,
and to establish whether those ideas are
truly ripe for use.” The fact that the start-
ups invited are expected to cover their travel
costs themselves is all part of the compa-
ny’s concept. In return, it offers the start-
ups unique access to all Startup Autobahn
partners – in other words, to the crème de la
crème of the German automotive and mobil-
ity industry.
These partners include Mercedes-Benz,
Porsche AG, ZF, BASF, Deutsche Post DHL
Group, Linde AG, Webasto and Hewlett Pack-
ard Enterprise.
If, after the respective pilot project has
been completed, both companies involved
still want to continue their collaboration,
they can either initiate the implementation
phase of the production process or decide
to enter into a cooperation or investment
agreement with each other. “Of course, we at
Mercedes-Benz also can also scout for start-
ups on our own,” says Gneiting.
2a 100-day pilot phase 2b Expo day 3 GO REAL!
During the 100-day pilot phase, The expo day marks the If the start-ups and their partner
the start-ups and their partner end of the pilot phase and companies want to continue col-
companies collaborate on specific sees the individual pilot laborating, they turn their attention
projects. At the end, the parties projects presented to larger to how best to integrate products,
involved decide on whether to audiences. production processes and services.
continue working together. Investments and partnerships of
another nature are also possible.
March 2019 27 MercedesStartup Autobahn’s partners include the Uni-
versity of Stuttgart, which has drawn talent
to the platform since 2016, when Gneiting
acquired it, and Plug and Play (see box
below), which is a world-leading accelerator
highly experienced at identifying promis-
ing start-ups. Another partner is Arena2036
(see box on page 29), a cutting-edge research
platform on the University of Stuttgart cam-
pus which the project uses as a co-working
space and laboratory.
Peter Froeschle, managing director of
Arena2036 and former Mercedes-Benz
engineer, states proudly: “There is nothing
in the automotive sector that can compare
with this, neither in Germany nor any-
where else in the world. At our research
factory, for instance, we already work with a
5G network as standard.” Together with
these extraordinary partners, Startup Auto-
bahn has advanced to become one of the
world’s foremost research hubs.
Entrepreneurial expertise
With various results to show for it. The
Mercedes-Benz parking card by Evopark
and the innovative global address system
what3words are “two examples of start-up
products that have been incorporated
into Mercedes-Benz cars,” says Dr Frank
Ruff. “Further start-ups such as smoope,
Fibres and DataProphet are now part of
the Mercedes-Benz family” (see box on
page 25).
Dr Frank Ruff is head of Pioneering
NeXt at Daimler AG and, as such, the
person Philipp Gneiting reports to. His
role requires such a strong focus on the
future, we assume that the present must
seem a little dull to him. He is enthusiastic
nonetheless.
The partners: Plug and Play
As a start-up accelerator, Plug and Play focuses on
c hampioning fledgling companies (“Boost your start-up”)
by bringing them together with established companies or
investing in them directly. Founded in 2006, it boasts
an international network of professional scouts (see map)
and scans the start-up scene on an almost daily basis.
Mercedes 28 Mercedes-BenzBenjamin Kloss, one “We are currently making much more
of Startup Autobahn’s use of Open Innovation than ever before,”
international scouts Ruff says, going on to explain that Open
Innovation is only one of the many future-
focused channels at Mercedes-Benz. “More
Dr Frank Ruff,
head of pioneering than 20 years ago, we set up an internal
NeXt Daimler AG Mercedes-Benz department focused solely
on innovation,” he recounts further. Ruff’s
teams work on societal trends and vision-
Intensive discussions ary technologies of the distant future – ideas
that, while they may seem wacky now, could
Global nature well be key to maintaining the Group’s
strength in decades to come. Mercedes-Benz
has long taken a 360-degree approach to the
Conclusion of the pro- future of mobility.
gramme on expo day
The spirit of Silicon Valley
So it only makes sense that, since its found-
ing in 2016, Startup Autobahn has scouted
more than 5,000 start-ups and initiated more
than 200 pilot projects, 80 of which were for
Daimler. Imbued with the spirit of Silicon
Valley, Startup Autobahn now has locations
in China, India and Singapore, and its sixth
programme is about to be launched. “We
like to fail fast rather than endure a slow
decline,” explains Gneiting.
David Zakariaie is standing next to
Gneiting, a bottle of beer in his hand. It is
9 pm, and a long day is drawing to a close.
We could do with a Senseye camera to tell us
what is going through the 21-year-old’s mind
right now. Outwardly, David looks happy and
relaxed. Perhaps because he is thinking
about a future with Mercedes-Benz.
Alexandros Stefanidis is familiar with
Silicon Valley’s “fail fast” strategy, having
researched it there numerous times. His
most recent research in this respect was
on Netflix and its founder Reed Hastings.
The partners: Arena2036
Along with Plug and Play the University of Stuttgart, Arena2036 of Stuttgart campus and a symbol of the close interlinking
is one of Mercedes-Benz’s main partners at Startup Autobahn. between science and industry. It is funded by the Federal
Renowned as one of Germany’s most advanced research Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the
centres and equipped with a 5G network as standard, it seeks programme Forschungscampus – öffentlich-private Partner-
PHOTOS DAIMLER AG
to play a key role in shaping technological change in mobility schaft für Innovationen (Research Campus – public-private
and Industry 4.0. Arena2036 is located on the University partnership for innovation).
March 2019 29 MercedesRendezvous In a great mood: tech
guru Guy Kawasaki after
his trip in the EQC
with the A majestic panorama:
the coastline at
future Big Sur in California
Tech pioneer Guy Kawasaki gets
behind the wheel of the new EQC Model
on a road trip through California Mercedes-Benz
EQC 400 4Matic*
Colour
designo diamond
white bright
CO2 emissions
combined (g/km)
0
Power consumption
combined
(kWh/100 km)
22.2
Range
(km, per NEDC)
more than 450
Nominal capacity
(kW/hp)
300/408
Maximum speed (km/h)
180 (limited)
Acceleration
(0–100 km/h)
5.1 s
Battery energy content
(kWh, per NEDC)
80
I
f there’s one place where ideas get whose majestic landscape is said to possess * The information provided
on electricity consumption and
turned into reality, it’s Silicon Valley. mystical qualities. CO2 emissions is preliminary,
Mercedes-Benz has had a development The EQC glides almost silently along the having been provisionally ascer-
tained by our technical services.
office here for more than 20 years. And roads, allowing for a tour soundtrack of surf The information regarding range
today, to test the new Mercedes-Benz EQC, it and seagulls. This quietness is among the many is also provisional and non-
has recruited one of the great digital pioneers. advantages of the new EQC, which also boasts binding. The corresponding
EC type approval and a certificate
Guy Kawasaki is a man with an infectious zero local emissions and a design clarity that, of conformity with the official
laugh and few words. Ready to go? He nods, even in the midst of such impressive natural values are not yet available.
Deviations between the informa-
and we’re off. scenery, exudes elegance. tion provided and the official val-
California’s coastline is the ideal location Upon completing our tour – after covering ues are possible.
PHOTOS STEVEN EWING/DAIMLER AG
for this laid-back road trip into the future. We more than 360 kilometres without any charging For more information on
the measurement procedure,
take the all-electric crossover SUV for a cruise stops – we park the EQC in the light of the please see page 8.
along the Pacific Coast Highway, exploring the evening sun. The future certainly drives well, we
new EQ features in the MBUX multimedia sys- think to ourselves. And what does Guy Kawasaki
tem before stopping in Santa Cruz to marvel think of Mercedes-Benz’s first electric car?
at the views of Monterey Bay. We then continue He casually puts his hands in his pockets and For more information
southwards, following the road at the foot of the laughs contentedly, which in Californian means, on the first EQ, go to
steep Santa Lucia mountains towards Big Sur, “Welcome to tomorrow”. mbmag.me/eqc
Mercedes 30 Mercedes-BenzE N J O Y R E L A X E D L U X U RY.
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world’s best cruise ship according to the Berlitz Cruise Guide 2019.
Opt for activities such as stand-up paddling on exotic coasts. Benefit
from a unique range of activities put together especially for you
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Have we awakened your spirit of adventure? Find out more about the
exceptional services on board the EUROPA 2 at www.europa2.com/freedom.
Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten GmbH
Ballindamm 25 · 20095 Hamburg
www.hl-cruises.deShakedown at the racetrack: ex-Formula 1 driver Stoffel Vandoorne goes electric.
The power of silence
PHOTO DAIMLER AG, HWA
Mercedes in Formula E! The works team will be pulling up to the starting line
for the first time in the 2019/2020 season. Its partners at HWA Racelab are doing
everything in their power to make champions out of rookies
March 2019 33 MercedesSERIES, PART 4
THE FORMULA 1 TEAM – ON THE WAY TO FORMULA E
Down to the last
detail: the team has
to learn as much
as possible in the
shortest possible time.
Mercedes partner
HWA is using a
racing car from the
Venturi team in its
first season, and is
set to get its own
vehicle next year.
PHOTOS DAIMLER AG (2), HWA
Mercedes 34 Mercedes-BenzTEXT: MARKUS GÖTTING
S
ometimes a mere centimetre makes the difference in the world was more successful on the racetrack this
between past and future. Other times it’s a solid millennium. Five Formula 1 world championships in a
brick wall. Like now. The DTM season had just row, the most titles in the history of the DTM – these
come to a close a few weeks prior. Once again, are all achievements that set standards. How does one
Mercedes – along with its partner HWA – finished the go about transitioning to the power of silence from the
season as champions, with driver Gary Paffett clinching thunderous sound of hybrid engines?
victory in the drivers’ category. Neon lights reflect off the grey, antistatic, spit-and-
Now the team’s six racing cars are on hoists at HWA polish floor of the HWA Racelab garage. A casual club
in Affalterbach, north-east of Stuttgart. Mechanics there sound echoes throughout the practically empty work-
are overhauling the Mercedes-AMG sports cars one last shop. In a minimalistic ambience, the HWA team is get-
time; some of them will be sold to private customers. ting Mercedes ready for its Formula E début. “Lately,”
Four-litre, V8 engines: that was Mercedes in the bygone one of the employees says, “it feels like we’ve taken these
era of the DTM. cars apart and put them back together again every day.”
But the electric era has just begun. It’s being forged The parts will later be packed into flat, white metal boxes
on the other side of the wall, at the HWA Racelab. and travel with the Formula E entourage for the next
“Mercedes enters Formula E!” read the headlines in six months. Six and a half tonnes in all.
summer of 2017. And step by step this project began to Franco Chiocchetti, 44, has been the head of Formula E
take shape. For its début season in 2018/2019, Mercedes’ Track Operations at HWA in Affalterbach, since last
partner HWA procured a car from Venturi, an established March. The first year promises a “soft entry”, he says.
Formula E team from Monaco. The following winter will “That will eliminate some of the pressure. We want to
see the Swabians line up at the start as a bona fide size up the new competition first.” What a novel con-
Mercedes works team, complete with its own engine cept: the champions as apprentices.
from the repeat Formula 1 world champions’ engine Season five of Formula E is currently under way –
shop in Brixworth, England. and people really are talking about it as if it were the
You could say that, for Mercedes, Formula E will be a fifth season of a TV series. Each race lasts 45 minutes
bit of an adventure at first. No other vehicle manufacturer plus one lap. The once-common vehicle changes are
After his departure
from the DTM series,
champion Gary
Paffett set his sights
on Formula E as a
driver for HWA.
March 2019 35 Mercedesnow a thing of the past. Soon it will be the major vehicle 25 people toiling away at the new project, and almost Upcoming races:
manufacturers competing against one another: BMW, all of them come from the premier class of motorsport.
Audi, Porsche, Jaguar, Nissan. And, of course, Mercedes. Cowell says that there are many similarities to 23 March
Sanya/China
They see the series as a platform for demonstrating Formula 1. “We have to scale some things up and other
the possibilities of electromobility in a sporty context. things down in order to comply with the regulations.” 13 April Rome
They want to test the limits of this technology while His team is adopting design standards from parts manu-
promoting a mode of transportation that is free of local facturing. Cowell has the cool demeanour of a champion – 27 April Paris
emissions. Mercedes’ motorsport boss Toto Wolff has and the high expectations that go along with it.
11 May Monaco
proclaimed that “the future is electric.” “Impatience increases the pressure, and that’s only
A show car stands on display in the foyer in Affalter- human,” he says. “But what’s so bad about that? Of 25 May Berlin
bach, just as you would expect of a racing team. It has a course we want to impress, but we don’t underestimate
matte-black paint job, turquoise lines and a cool carbon the challenge we’re faced with.” A double race will take
look. It slightly resembles a rocket. Franco Chiocchetti The challenge is one of the reasons that drew Tony place on 13/14 July
in New York to finish
is sitting in a conference room on the next floor. He has Ross, 52, to the new team. As the company philosophy
the season.
a 5-o’clock shadow and is wearing jeans and a shirt. The goes: always change a winning team. Until recently,
engineer has Italian roots but grew up in South Africa, Ross was Valtteri Bottas’ race engineer in Formula 1,
and he spent nearly 20 years in the Allgäu region of and he helped Nico Rosberg win the 2016 world cham-
Germany. As chief technologist, he led Lucas di Grassi pionship. As chief engineer in Formula E, he commutes
to victory in the Formula E drivers’ category in 2016. He between Affalterbach and England, to the motorsport
may know how to win, but he also knows that it doesn’t headquarters and engine department in Brackley and
just happen overnight. Brixworth, respectively.
What’s so different about Formula E? He says the
A street light in the pit aerodynamics of the vehicles produce less downthrust
Formula E races are held in metropolises around the than their Formula 1 counterparts and that the all-
world, such as Hong Kong, Paris, Rome and Berlin. The season Michelin tyres have less grip. Of course the
finals take place over two days in New York. Unlike on all-electric engines affect the way these racers drive,
a normal racetrack, Formula E racetracks don’t have too. “But no matter what series we’re racing in, one thing
long pit lanes. The 20-some team members have to never changes,” Ross says. “We have to constantly be
squeeze into two boxes, each two-by-three metres in size. pushing the limits of what is possible.”
Chiocchetti says that, in Paris, there’s even a street light The idea of Formula E is not for spectators to flock to
right in the tent. the racetracks, but to bring the show to the fans. This
He says that Formula E works like a start-up: gives the series a modern, urban look and feel, but it also
“That’s why it’s not such a bad thing to start from presents engineers and drivers with great challenges:
scratch.” DTM champion Paffett and seasoned Formula they have to get used to the fact that the asphalt in cities
1 racer Stoffel Vandoorne are recruited for the races with isn’t just slippery, but often very diverse in composition.
only a few testing days under their belts. You have to Then there are the manhole covers and walls, and hardly
think of this transition like a downhill skier suddenly any run-off areas. “Monaco was always an extreme race
competing on a slalom course. The ability to improvise is for us in Formula 1,” says Ross. “And now they’re almost
a major asset. “Our equipment is stored and transported all Monacos.”
centrally by the promoters,” Chiocchetti explains. “We It will take some time before they find their groove.
can open our boxes on Wednesday at noon, and the race And there’s another thing they have to learn: how to
starts on Saturday.” This doesn’t leave a lot of time to lose. But Ross isn’t too worried. “That just makes us hun-
find the right setup. grier,” he says. Humility also plays an important role in
All of the teams use identical chassis and batteries. Mercedes’ motorsport philosophy.
This makes Formula E relatively inexpensive; the com-
PHOTOS HWA, EOVISION/E-GEOS, 2018
petition costs somewhere in the eight-figure range each
year. In effect, the only things that the HWA crew can
influence this season are the setup and the software.
The team might really be able to set itself apart once it
gets its own power train. That’s Andy Cowell’s job. The Markus Götting recently shared the Mercedes-AMG
Petronas recipe for success in two long pieces for
49-year-old is the managing director of Mercedes-AMG Mercedes me. As a seasoned Formula 1 reporter,
High Performance Powertrains, making him responsible Götting is curious to see how Mercedes will
for the best hybrid engine in the world. There are nearly overcome the challenges it faces in Formula E.
Mercedes 36 Mercedes-BenzMaking their début together: the HWA Racelab team with Franco Chiocchetti (left) and team manager Ulrich Fritz (second from right) A typical Formula E track: in Paris, the circuit goes around the Les Invalides. The HWA Racelab team website: hwaag.com ... and the website of the Formula 1 world champions who are supporting their col- leagues in Formula E: mercedesamgf1.com March 2019 37 Mercedes
Still life with athlete:
Jan Frodeno about
to take a plunge
into Lake Fuschl
“ TOUGH THIS OUT”
Star triathlete Jan Frodeno has won every prize going. He knows all too well that
when it comes to endurance racing, the real battle takes place in the mind. We talked to
the two-time Ironman Hawaii champion during a shoot for Mercedes-Benz
TEXT: PETER GREVE
PHOTOS: UWE DÜTTMANN
Mercedes 38 Mercedes-BenzJan Frodeno, 37. The water in front of him is really cold: just 12 degrees Celsius
A “I used to see
rms outstretched, looking out onto the mirror-like surface of the lake, Jan
Frodeno takes a few deep breaths. He knows what he is in for when he
hits the water. Cold. Shock. Pain. Sensations he will overcome, having
done so many times before. He dives in head-first.
It is mid-October in Salzkammergut, and though the sun has warmed the
my body as
air to a pleasant 17 degrees Celsius, it hasn’t yet had much effect on the lake,
with the water still cold at 12 degrees Celsius. Frodeno is wearing only a thin
the enemy, as
swimsuit – his luggage is still somewhere between Austria and Hawaii, after
all. He was only a spectator at Ironman on the Big Island this year, following a
hip injury that thwarted his dream of a third triumph at the triathlon world’s
something I
iconic event. Frodeno front crawls smoothly across the lake, with a camera crew
following by boat. They are making a film for Mercedes-Benz’s recently launched
had to conquer.
GLE, a car with which the star triathlete and Mercedes-Benz brand ambassador
shares one key trait: intelligence-based strength. “Good!”, shouts photographer Today I see it
as my partner”
Uwe Düttmann, “and again, please!”
Again, please? Frodeno – who, as a Cape Town lifeguard during his teenage
years, regularly pulled people out of the cold Atlantic Ocean – turns back. He
climbs out of the water, gets back up on the jetty, and jumps. When the shoot
finishes, he wraps himself in a large towel and jogs barefoot back across the jetty,
greeting various members of the team as he goes. Freezing cold now, he is happy
to jump into the awaiting GLE. Frodeno’s manager Felix Rüdiger starts the engine,
sets the heater to sauna temperature, and allows the car to roll slowly towards
the road. Through the window we see Frodeno smiling. Next on the itinerary,
after getting warmed up and dressed, is breakfast.
Triathlon combines beauty and toughness, and requires its athletes to mas-
ter three arduous disciplines. And when it comes to the Ironman Triathlon,
no one has ever done it faster than Jan Frodeno. Measuring 6ft 4in (1.94 m)
and weighing 77 kilogrammes, Frodeno has an eye-watering training schedule:
25 kilometres of swimming, 600 kilometres of cycling and 100 to 110 kilometres
of running every week. He eats a staggering 10,000 calories a day and has
a remarkably low body fat percentage of five per cent. And when he stands
while cycling, his calf muscles are so pronounced they could be used to give
an anatomy class.
At the end of this long day of filming, he goes for a jog. “Just what I needed,”
he says afterwards, grinning and showing no signs of exertion. “It’s about time.”
There can’t be too many people as uncompromising with themselves as he is. His
straight-arrow mindset is patently apparent; there’s no posturing or affectations
here. Asked about how he faces the cold water, he explains, “You need to be able
to suffer – to endure pain. You have to tough it out.”
Born in Cologne, Frodeno is now 37 years old, married to a former Olympic
triathlon champion and father to two small children. His early morning rou- JAN FRODENO: UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
tine starts with an espresso made from hand-ground beans, then a 10-kilometre
“wake-up” jog. His ability to swim, cycle and run without seeming to show any Without doubt among the world’s top-performing
signs of strain has garnered him a reputation for being superhuman. He sees it athletes, Jan Frodeno can boast of an extra
rather differently, as he explains that being a successful endurance athlete is ordinary career. He moved to Cape Town, South
really about winning the real battle – the one that takes place in the mind, the Africa with his family when he was still a child,
and didn’t learn to swim properly until he was
battle with yourself. He used to see his body as something he had to conquer;
15. In his autobiography, he tells the fascinating
today he sees it as his partner, as his ally in the fight. story of how he became who he is today, offering
In October 2017, when he almost collapsed and then limped through the plenty of anecdotes along the way (Jan Frodeno,
marathon more than ran, he was passed by Patrick Lange already on his Winning Matters. Ariston-Verlag, 224 pages, €20).
final lap. Frodeno stopped to cheer his German rival on. Finishing was a matter The film featuring brand ambassador Frodeno
of honour. and the new Mercedes-Benz GLE is available at
mbmag.me/GLE-frodeno
Now he is back with a vengeance. “I was the hunter, then I was the hunted,”
he says, “but I never stopped feeling like the hunter.” To find out more about the new GLE, go to page 59.
March 2019 41 MercedesYou can also read
