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2023 Mercedes-Maybach S 680 by Virgil Abloh is maximum fashion with a V12

If the Mercedes-Maybach S 680 wasn’t already exclusive enough for you, listen up. This is the limited-edition Maybach by Virgil Abloh version of the Mercedes-Maybach S 680, and there will only be 150 of them built for the world. The vehicle is the result of a collaboration between Virgil Abloh and Mercedes chief designer Gordon Wagener. Mercedes says the design was finalized prior to AblohÂ’s passing in November 2021. In case youÂ’re unfamiliar with Abloh, know that he was many things throughout his life. HeÂ’s known best for being a fashion designer and entrepreneur, but he was also an artist, philanthropist and architect. As for the car itself, the exterior uses a two-tone paint combo that you might recall from the Project Maybach electric off-road coupe. The bottom half is meant to make you think of sand, while the top half contrasts that in a glossy Obsidian Black finish. The window frames lose their bright look and are painted black to make it as monolithic as possible from the side. Even the forged wheels are painted in the sandy hue. The same theme continues for the interior. ItÂ’s a black and tan two-tone throughout, and MercedesÂ’ Nappa Leather is used to cover surfaces. A unique Mercedes-Maybach and Virgil Abloh logo is inscribed on the center console to denote this carÂ’s special-edition status. YouÂ’ll see the same logo on rear cushions, headrests and door sills. Mercedes even went so far as to modify the infotainment system and its controls for this special edition. The “home” button gets a sandy Abloh theme, and so do the selectable apps on screen. TheyÂ’re decorated with fashion accessories, and theyÂ’re hopefully still as easy to depict and use as MercedesÂ’ standard MBUX icons. As for extras beyond the car itself, every one of these special-edition models comes with a wooden box emblazoned with the Mercedes-Maybach and Virgil Abloh logo. Inside the box, youÂ’ll find a 1:18 replica of the car, a carabiner hook and your two keys. YouÂ’re also going to get a car cover featuring the Virgil Abloh logo with the car, but this one doesnÂ’t fit in the box. If you really want to look the part next to your car, there is a whole line of clothing designed by Virgil Abloh that is launching today, too. It comprises clothing done in shades and hues similar to the car, so you can truly look the part hopping out of your Virgil Abloh Mercedes-Maybach.

Automakers' sound systems: Crank it, don't yank it

Years ago, one of the first things most music lovers did after buying a new vehicle was drive to an aftermarket stereo shop to get the crappy stock components swapped for better gear. And you'd typically get not only better sound but also more bang (and boom) for your buck. But in the past decade or so, the overall quality of OEM audio has dramatically increased, while car electronics became more complex, removing the incentive for most new vehicle owners — and all but the most hardcore DIYer — to start from scratch. In 2010, I did a comparison of the average costs for OEM electronics vs. similar offerings from the aftermarket, and back then automakers' stock premium systems were by far the best bargain — and are probably an even better value now. The premium 14-speaker, 1,200-watt JBL system in the all-new 2019 Toyota Avalon is a prime example of this trend. It's standard on the top two Limited and Touring trims and is available as a $680 audio upgrade on the XLE and XSE. I doubt you can even buy 14 speakers and 1,200 watts of amplification from the aftermarket for 700 bucks, much less have it all installed. And because the system is bundled with Toyota's Entune infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and a surround-view camera, removing the head unit means you would likely lose these features. Another advantage of OEMs and their audio partners is they can design the car around the audio system. In the past, automakers would typically place speakers where convenient for packaging, not for optimal sound reproduction, and audio engineers were forced to compromise. But as with the Avalon's premium JBL audio system, this is starting to change. At a recent behind-the-scenes peek for media into the process of developing the system, Toyota and Harman engineers delved into the minutia of sealing the inner panel of the front doors to create an enclosure for 6x8-inch woofers, making space in the pillars for JBL horn tweeters and extensively measuring the acoustic properties of the interior to tune the sound to the space. I'm met some creative and skilled car stereo installers, but none with a degree in psychoacoustics. The system is also the first to feature Quantum Logic Surround that creates a multi-channel listening experience from two-channel sources. And it includes Harman's Clari-Fi processing that "rebuilds key details lost" in compressed audio formats used by streaming music services and MP3s.

Race Recap: 2016 European GP was a cakewalk for Rosberg

Formula 1 teams had no setup data or tire information for the six-kilometer Baku City Circuit hosting the European Grand Prix, and that's the reason for much of the weekend's excitement. Nico Rosberg snatched pole position after Mercedes-AMG Petronas teammate Lewis Hamilton hit the wall during qualifying. When the lights went out, Rosberg put in a clinical drive way out front to score his second career grand slam: pole position, leading every lap, fastest lap, and victory. Sebastian Vettel put in a similarly lonely drive in his Ferrari to second. The German had little to do on track other than get around his teammate on Lap 28, and that came courtesy of team orders. Sergio Perez started from second on the grid, but a gearbox change after clouting the wall during Free Practice dropped him to seventh. The Mexican cut his way through the field after his sole pit stop on Lap 17 of the 51-lap race, passing Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen for third on the final lap. It's Perez's second podium in three races after finishing third in Monaco. Force India has five podium finishes in its eight-year history, and Perez's name is on four of them. Raikkonen followed in fourth. Stewards hit the Finn with a five-second penalty for crossing the pit-entry line during the race, so even if Perez hadn't passed him on track, Raikkonen would have been classified fourth. Hamilton's up-and-down weekend ended with a burst of radio messages and a whimper. He climbed from tenth on the grid to fifth in the race, then his energy recovery system began harvesting in the wrong places. The snafu cost Hamilton two seconds per lap compared to the leaders. The trouble came from a switch turned to the incorrect position, but the FIA ban on driver assistance meant Hamilton's engineer couldn't tell the driver how to fix the problem. At one point when Hamilton said he was going to reset the whole car, his engineer replied, "Um, we don't advise that, Lewis." Hamilton finally found the proper setting on Lap 43, but turned the engine down again when he realized he couldn't catch the leaders. Mercedes said that Rosberg had the same issue, but Rosberg fixed it on his own. Valtteri Bottas got his Williams across the line four seconds behind Hamilton. Red Bull teammates Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen couldn't get their tires to work, forcing both racers to pit twice before finishing seventh and eighth.