DRIVERS It is a special plan that Hypebeast invites influential people in related industries to talk about their passion for cars in person. The form is quite simple, “What is car culture to you? Where does your passion for cars come from?” Participants will have the opportunity to showcase their car collections and share how they drive car culture during their visit.
When it comes to the “Dream Car” in everyone’s mind, I believe that Mercedes-Benz G-Class will be the answer in the minds of many boys. As a model originally developed to meet military needs, the “Big G” began to launch a civilian version in 1979. At the beginning of its birth, it was named G-Wagen, which is the abbreviation of the off-road vehicle “Geländewagen” in German. By 1994 It was officially renamed G-Class.
After the old version of the retro Land Rover Defender was discontinued, the square-shaped “big G” gradually became the European off-road vehicle that best represented the pure hardcore blood on the market. Now Mercedes-Benz has begun to expand the G-Class family models for the market to cope with different driving scenarios, but the G350D Professional, which flaunts its off-road soul, has done the opposite, abandoning the increasingly luxurious design, and even changing the windows to manual. It is restoring the wildness and purity in the bones of an off-road vehicle.
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For Li Yichao, the principal of ENSHADOWER, the protagonist of this issue of “DRIVERS”, this “primitive” wildness is the biggest reason for him to choose G350D Professional. Although the retro Land Rover Defender is still his favorite car in his opinion, the G350D Professional is the most “reliable” partner. He admitted that for a person with “doomsday fantasy” like himself, this is the only car he would drive away without hesitation when the end comes.
In the “DRIVERS” column of this issue, we will talk to Li Yichao about his feelings for this Mercedes-Benz G350D Professional, and after using various models such as Lamborghini Huracan, Land Rover Defender, and Porsche 997, what is his attitude towards the car? A new understanding of the relationship with life.
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Hypebeast: What is the make, model, year of this car? When did you get it?
Li Yichao:This is a 2017 Mercedes-Benz G350D Professional, which I bought in September this year.
What is the main reason for you to choose this car?
The main reason is because it is “reliable”. Mercedes-Benz G, as one of the three major off-road vehicles in my mind, is impeccable both in appearance and performance, and I also own the old Land Rover Defender, although the shape of the Defender is more handsome, but in comparison G is absolutely crushing in terms of performance. This car is currently mainly used for daily transportation. If you usually go camping, it will switch back and forth with the guard.
What is the past of this car? Where has it been?
In fact, the mileage of this car is not high, only 40,000 kilometers, but it has already been to the desert in Xinjiang, and I plan to drive it to Xinjiang next year.
Any details about this car? modification? Variety?
G350D Professional is a car that seems to be modified but not modified (laughs), whether it is the roof rack, the iron guard bar on the front lip, the iron guardrails on the headlights of the whole vehicle, the rear car that resembles a large truck Mirrors, ladders, etc., are all original. In addition, its windows are hand-cranked (really laborious to use), and even the electronic screen of this 17-model car has been removed and replaced with a “G-Professional” nameplate for self-identification , so I basically didn’t change this car after I bought it, because there is no need to change it at all.
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Has it reached the perfect state that you are most satisfied with? Is there any place to continue to change?
At present, what I am more looking forward to is to see how to change some details of the interior, including some equipment that can be kept in the car for a long time. It was the only car I would drive away without hesitation.
In your opinion, what does this car mean to you?
I think it is a “final battle” to some extent. For me, if the guard is a “toy”, then the big G is a “guarantee”. It is a real partner who can take risks with me.
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Which was your Dream Car growing up?
In fact, I was not interested in cars before the age of 25. When I was a child, I thought that owning a Cadillac CTS was enough, because my family had no money, which meant that I had to fight for it on my own. Later, I went around and bought several cars. I bought a Lamborghini until I was 28 years old. I thought it was my “Dream Car”, but I sold it half a year later because I found that I didn’t have a car. don’t like it. If you ask me which car is my favorite now, I will tell you the Defender without hesitation.
What other cars have you owned? And what is the car you most want now?
Let me think about it, my first car was a C200, my second was a 911, then an E300, Alpha, S450, Huracan, GT50, Defender, 997, and then this G350D… Lately I’m thinking of a Ferrari GTC4 Lusso.
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So you have a lot of vehicles, including vintage off-road vehicles, classic sports cars, supercars, etc. How do you usually choose them for travel?
In fact, I don’t choose deliberately. Now I mainly drive 997, Defender and G350D. Basically, which of these three cars is the one that I am in the best mood to drive today. Because I usually still ride motorcycles, I have Triumph Thruxton and MV Augusta Superveloce, and occasionally I will ride a motorcycle back and forth for two hours to and from get off work, so it is really a headache to allocate reasonably every week, so I simply follow my mood.
What is the most attractive part of a car to you? Exterior? Manipulation? Comfort?
What attracts me the most is the appearance. Undoubtedly, I must be satisfied with the uniqueness. The second is the interior. As a car for driving, what I face every day is the interior shape of the car, so I attach great importance to the interior. As for the so-called handling and comfort, do you think I will consider these two factors when I drive a “tractor” like the Defender (laughs)?
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What do you think about the future of the automotive industry and automotive culture?
The future will definitely be dominated by new energy vehicles, including so many sports cars that are beginning to move towards hybrid or even pure electric roads, but on the contrary, these old high-powered gasoline vehicles will become more and more precious in the future, and I will continue to like them as always Gasoline trucks, I probably don’t know much about buying trams.
Can you share the playlist you are driving this car with?
In the car, I basically play CDs of Jay Chou and Fiona Sit, two of my favorite singers while driving.