Wimmer's upcoming new ride...

[SJ_GTI]

Congrats, looking forward to seeing the "real life" pics! 

[Galaxy]

The LED headlights may be worth a thought, as well as the adaptive distronic, even though they are expensive options.

What is the difference between the "digitalweiß" metallic white they have for the new A compared to the "diamantweiß" metallic white the other models have?

[93JC]

One's digital, the other one made of diamonds.


Just kidding of course. "Digitalweiß" looks like it's a classy pearlescent white.

[Laconian]

One more thing - I ticked the option SPORTY EXHAUST NOTE. It's free, so I figured, Why the hell not? 

I'm so turning into a Boy Racer... 

When the car arrives I'm gonna share some videos of the engine note etc.

Lots of swearing in the video plz

[cawimmer430]

Nice.  Congratulations. 

You've been MIA for a while.  Doing well?

Thanks! 

I've just been busy with work. Plus I can't go out and take photos anymore thanks to GDPR, and that was the majority of my postings on this site. 

[cawimmer430]

Congrats, Christian.


How much more expensive was a C-class?

Thanks! 

A C-Class Wagon would have been awesome (or a CLA Shooting Brake), but I'm forced to drive a much smaller car due to my parking spot and that of my neighbor. Plus, an A-Class-sized car is the way to go for a European city. Even C-Class owners have problems with parking here...

[cawimmer430]

Congratulations Chris!  I hope you have a lot of fun in your new set of wheels.  I look forward to seeing the shots you take of the speedo with the needle way over on the right.  I really like the interior too.

Thanks, and you bet! This thing can do 250 km/h (155 mph). Maybe you should visit me next year and then I can take you for a ride on the Autobahn!

[cawimmer430]

Congrats, looking forward to seeing the "real life" pics! 

Thank you! And I definitely can't wait to professionally photograph my new car when it arrives. It's a looker for sure. 

[cawimmer430]

The LED headlights may be worth a thought, as well as the adaptive distronic, even though they are expensive options.

What is the difference between the "digitalweiß" metallic white they have for the new A compared to the "diamantweiß" metallic white the other models have?

I ticked the LED option. I was surprised to learn that the A-Class comes standard with Halogen lights - which seems like an outdated technology by now.

Another option was Multibeam which includes LED and swiveling headlights. My dad's E350 CGI W212 has swiveling headlights and I don't find any real advantage to them.

To be honest I don't know the color differences. For the new A-Class there are currently only a handful of colors available of which I find Polar White and Iridium Silver to be the most appealing.

[cawimmer430]

Lots of swearing in the video plz

In English or German?

[Laconian]

Thanks! 

I've just been busy with work. Plus I can't go out and take photos anymore thanks to GDPR, and that was the majority of my postings on this site. 

Can't you blur the plates? GPDR covers personally identifiable information.

I could write you a program to scrub plates automatically, it could be a fun challenge.

[cawimmer430]

Can't you blur the plates? GPDR covers personally identifiable information.

That's what I would now normally do.

But, the problem is that BEFORE I even take the photo - and here comes the clincher - I need the written permission of whoever is visible in the scene/photo that I can take the photo and post it online. And GDPR gives people the power to change their mind and if they don't want the photo online anymore you have to take it down.

If you don't do this you're essentially committing a crime.

This is why I don't go car spotting anymore. Even if I blur out the faces and plates, I've still committed a crime because I didn't ask the 32934803439348 people visible in the photo for permission.

I want to know what kind of f*cking moron came up with this unrealistic crap rule. At busy touristy areas there are hundreds of people visible and hundreds more come and go. There is no way to follow this retarded rule to the letter.

And the sad thing is the rest of Europe doesn't give a shit - except for the stupid Germans who have to follow everything the EU shits out 150% to the letter. Here in Germany there is an entire lawyer industry dedicated to sending out warning letters (Abmahnindustrie) if you're caught doing something illegal.

My website now has a cookie warning, a cookie policy page and a long page dedicated to data privacy thanks to these idiotic GDPR laws. Whoops, my website also has a link to my Facebook page - that's illegal because evil Facebook collects data bla bla bla... I always say, "If you're afraid of data privacy then stay off the Internet."

[Galaxy]

^
Then how the hell do news sites still operate? The media today is full with coverage of the protests in Munich with thousands of faces visible in the pictures/videos.

[MrH]

Looks great, congrats!  I like that you get the dual big LCD screens in the A-class over there.  Very S-class like.

[cawimmer430]

^
Then how the hell do news sites still operate? The media today is full with coverage of the protests in Munich with thousands of faces visible in the pictures/videos.

Well here comes the unfair part.

The media, television and news are allowed to cover public events without having to worry about backlash.

But commercial photographers can't do this unless they have written permission from all people in the scene - before they take the photo. Many hobby photographers think this retarded rule does not affect them - it does. Under German law whatever photos you post on Facebook are considered commercial (gewerblich). Thanks to the Jan Philip Albrecht of the disgusting Green Party (and many others) for pushing the DSGVO/GDPR. 

Data privacy is important, but these rules are missing the mark by a whole fucking galaxy...

The way I see it the government wants to ban all forms of non-state news. This is further reinforced with the blatant attempts by Axel Voss of the CSU/CDU to push for Article 11 and 13 laws - literally the complete and utter censorship of the Internet in Europe.

[cawimmer430]

Looks great, congrats!  I like that you get the dual big LCD screens in the A-class over there.  Very S-class like.

Thanks!

The interior is fascinating. I wanted to skimp on some of the more high-tech features but they're included in the AMG Business Package, so mine will have the MBUX (voice activated controls).

Go to 15:20 and check it out... :lol :

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uwpTboy2zo

[12,000 RPM]

Hey Wimmer,

Can you post photos of the public anywhere online? Flickr? Imgur etc.?

Photography is one of my big draws for going to Europe

https://www.flickr.com/photos/41601371@N00/

Would suck if I couldn't share my photos from there. Seems to be a bit of overreach and with it being ECB driven there's probably no avenue to change it. What a nightmare.

[Laconian]

GPDR sucks. Much much too big of a stick for enforcement. It's terrible for hobbyists and small businesses.

It's a "stick it to the man" measure, but in this case "the man" has plenty of money to pay for compliance and lawyers, so everyone else just gets... stuck.

[AutobahnSHO]

Looks nice Christian!  When do you get into the seat?

[cawimmer430]

Can you post photos of the public anywhere online? Flickr? Imgur etc.?

You can - if you have the written permission of everyone visible in the photo (and they have your contact details as well).

In Germany the law states that when you post photos on Facebook, Flickr etc. they automatically are considered COMMERCIAL. So even hobby photographers or the little girl who takes pictures of horses at riding events are now considered CRIMINALS if they upload photos with identifiable people on their business pages.

The only legal way to take public photos according to the GDPR is if you photograph them with your camera or smartphone AND DO NO UPLOAD THEM ONLINE. But who does that? The reason I take snapshots in public of whatever is to share them with my friends on social media!

Photography is one of my big draws for going to Europe

https://www.flickr.com/photos/41601371@N00/

Would suck if I couldn't share my photos from there. Seems to be a bit of overreach and with it being ECB driven there's probably no avenue to change it. What a nightmare.

Technically GDPR also applies to tourists. But - what's the EU gonna do? Send a lawyer over to harass you? I think you are pretty much safe to take as many photos as you want without fear of the EU knocking on your door. And if they do harass you, tell them in your kindest way to "GO AND FUCK OFF!" 

I think the law will probably only go after commercial photographers in this case. So this is why I don't do the "Spotted Today" or "Car Spotting" threads anymore because there are people and their faces visible in these photos.

In my opinion the rest of Europe isn't even taking GDPR seriously - except for Germany. We have to because we have an entire industry here dedicated to harassing people for every infringement. And already they are suing small businesses left and right, including photographers. A photographer friend in a group got a 270,- Euro Fine because a word on his data privacy statement was misspelled! Madness! Can you believe that? A small midsize company was fined 30,000 Euros because their website wasn't https (still http).

The morons who came up with GDPR need to die in the most slow, painful way. And so do these asshole lawyers in Germany who are rubbing their hands with delight at the "business opportunities" which GDPR has opened up for them...

[cawimmer430]

GPDR sucks. Much much too big of a stick for enforcement. It's terrible for hobbyists and small businesses.

It's a "stick it to the man" measure, but in this case "the man" has plenty of money to pay for compliance and lawyers, so everyone else just gets... stuck.

Exactly. I hate GDPR. I hate the EU for it. I hate the asshole Green Party and CSU/CDU politicians for it (and their desire to implement Article 11 and 13...). This stupid law is gonna prevent Internet start-up companies. It's gonna hinder industrial growth. It's going to put a stop to entrepreneurship because nobody wants to deal with all the bullshit that GDPR expects of small companies.

And yet the fathers and mothers of this retarded GDPR crap are patting themselves on the back telling everyone how this is gonna help Europe grow economically and become safer... delusional fucktards.

Oh, supposedly California wants to introduce a similar law. 

[cawimmer430]

Looks nice Christian!  When do you get into the seat?

Thanks!

Ordering it this or next week. Might take 2-3 months before it arrives. A-Class is selling like hot cakes right now, I've seen some on the road already but most do not have the AMG package.

I'm hoping it arrives before late October because I definitely want to drive and photograph it with those lovely 19" AMG wheels and summer tires before I have to put my winter tires on (which I have not selected for it yet...).

[cawimmer430]

These were taken at MB Munich.

From left to right: A200 AMG Line (white), A250 AMG Line Edition 1 (black) and two base A180d's.





Here are some real life pictures of what my car will look exactly like this A200 AMG Line, except mine will have the 19"AMG LMR wheels and no panoramic sunroof (so my roof will be white).














Love the graphic interface! When you turn on the lights of the car they also turn on in this graphic! 
























The Nissan-Renault 1.33-l turbo engine, good for 163-horsepower.










I don't like black cars, but this A200 looks nice with the black and white ARTICO (MB-TEX) seat material.

[MrH]

43k euros?!

[Raza]

You can - if you have the written permission of everyone visible in the photo (and they have your contact details as well).

In Germany the law states that when you post photos on Facebook, Flickr etc. they automatically are considered COMMERCIAL. So even hobby photographers or the little girl who takes pictures of horses at riding events are now considered CRIMINALS if they upload photos with identifiable people on their business pages.

The only legal way to take public photos according to the GDPR is if you photograph them with your camera or smartphone AND DO NO UPLOAD THEM ONLINE. But who does that? The reason I take snapshots in public of whatever is to share them with my friends on social media!



Technically GDPR also applies to tourists. But - what's the EU gonna do? Send a lawyer over to harass you? I think you are pretty much safe to take as many photos as you want without fear of the EU knocking on your door. And if they do harass you, tell them in your kindest way to "GO AND FUCK OFF!" 

I think the law will probably only go after commercial photographers in this case. So this is why I don't do the "Spotted Today" or "Car Spotting" threads anymore because there are people and their faces visible in these photos.

In my opinion the rest of Europe isn't even taking GDPR seriously - except for Germany. We have to because we have an entire industry here dedicated to harassing people for every infringement. And already they are suing small businesses left and right, including photographers. A photographer friend in a group got a 270,- Euro Fine because a word on his data privacy statement was misspelled! Madness! Can you believe that? A small midsize company was fined 30,000 Euros because their website wasn't https (still http).

The morons who came up with GDPR need to die in the most slow, painful way. And so do these asshole lawyers in Germany who are rubbing their hands with delight at the "business opportunities" which GDPR has opened up for them...

Wow, that's crazy.  In the US, you have no privacy interest in your image when you're out in public.  You're literally on view for everyone, so why would there be a privacy interest?

[2o6]

43k euros?!

JESUS.


A Ford Focus starts at like 15k EUR and is the same size! And Ford is known for being a brand easy to negotiate in basically every country...

[MrH]

That's $50k!  That's like E class territory.

[2o6]

That's $50k!  That's like E class territory.

Wimmers is nearly 46k EUR!

I mean if you can afford it and you want it, go for it. But I feel like that's a lot of money for not a lot of car. A loaded up Ford Focus (vingale)  is literally half price.

[cawimmer430]

43k euros?!

Yep.

But don't worry, there's also a poverty-spec A-Class with literally zero features for the traditional grandpas and grandmas who don't need all that fancy stuff. 

[cawimmer430]

Wow, that's crazy.  In the US, you have no privacy interest in your image when you're out in public.  You're literally on view for everyone, so why would there be a privacy interest?

Officially we're told that these laws are for our data privacy, but most of us know it's part of their efforts to censor the people and free speech. Any halfway competent facial recognition software (such as what Facebook uses) can identify people via their face. This is why taking photos in public places is a crime if A) the faces of people are clearly visible and B) you don't have their permission.

There used to be a law in Germany known as the KUG - Künstler Urhebergesetz from 1907 - which basically stated that when you're outdoors photographing buildings, historical landmarks, cars etc. the people that are visible are Beiwerk, which I can best translate as "they are just there". This law made taking pictures in public legal.

GDPR is now above the KUG, so the KUG is worthless. The KUG is also worthless because the current incompetent German government had all the time in the world to adjust and tone down the GDPR laws for Germany, but they didn't do it...