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CUPRA is ushering in the summer with a rush of speed. Last week, Schön! was whisked away from Berlin to Barcelona to watch a car race underneath the hot sun — or so we thought. After being brought as groups to the bottom of a mountain, in front were a slew of roaring superhorsepower cars that each member of the group would drive themselves through the serpentines to the top of the mountain. The cars in particular are CUPRA’s Leon and Formentor, both of which has been meticulously redesigned and refined, emerging as two models of distinction.

Gripping the wheel mimicked the feeling one must have when driving a Formula 1 car — sharp, striking, and full of speed. Sitting inside the vehicle, it’s clear that CUPRA opted to ensure that the interiors were as powerful as the car itself. The interior is a marvel of sophistication, featuring a newly designed and enhanced HMI, alongside premium materials that include sustainable options, elevating the sense of luxury. The Leon embodies CUPRA’s avant-garde design language with a striking shark-nose front end, elegant triangular CUPRA Matrix LED headlights, and an illuminated CUPRA logo seamlessly integrated into the rear lights.

The Formentor stands as the crown jewel in Cupra’s illustrious lineup, garnering admiration far and wide — and rightfully so. Its striking aesthetics and delightful handling, wrapped in a practical compact SUV package, make it an exceedingly alluring choice for the masses. For 2024, this beloved model has received a lavish update. Refreshed alongside its Leon counterpart, the Formentor boasts a complete design renaissance both inside and out, accompanied by enhancements to its powertrain and chassis, elevating its appeal even further.

The most immediate and captivating changes are evident in its exterior. The Formentor retains its sleek and distinctive coupe-SUV silhouette, but now flaunts a more pronounced ‘shark nose’ front bumper. The headlights, now featuring LED matrix technology as standard on the range-topping model, have been meticulously redesigned to complement this sharper visage. The rear follows suit with a similarly angular aesthetic, highlighted by a full-width light bar that now proudly incorporates an illuminated Cupra badge, mirroring the sophisticated design updates seen on the new Leon.

Being exposed to the cars and driving them firsthand put Schön! in the driver’s seat — giving anyone the chance to feel the three core principles of the brand: design, performance, and dynamism.

Learn more about CUPRA at cupraofficial.co.uk.

You don’t need to be a motor racing F1 fanatic or sports car enthusiast to recognise the image: F1 winning drivers on the podium uncorking gigantic bottles of alcohol and spraying each other (and everyone else) in hedonistic victory. It’s an iconic sporting moment. But where does this bottle of bubbly come from? Who is behind it all? Schön! set forth to find out.

According to Italians, the surname Ferrari is very common. As common as a British Smith or a German Schmidt. And whilst the majority of the world hears Ferrari, we think of sports cars, but there are other more elusive—yet very important—Ferrari’s. Hidden in the winding mist-drenched mountains of Trento, Italy lies a vineyard that produces wine under the label Ferrari Trento. And whilst Ferrari Trento has no relation to the Ferrari cars that we all know and admire, since 2021 it’s been the official toast of F1. It is THE sparkling wine (not champagne, as most think) that we see uncorked on the podium and the F1 racers shake and spray.

Presiding over these lush mountain vineyards sits a magnificent 16th century residence named Villa Margon. With stunningly vivid frescos and priceless antiques, Villa Margon serves as the beating heart of the Ferrari Trento estate. Established in 1902, the founder of the label, Guilio Ferrari aimed to create wines that resembled the champagnes of France. But in 1952, Ferrari chose Bruno Lunelli, a reputed winemaker in Trento, as his successor who brought the humble label into the spotlight. To this day, the grandchildren of Bruno Lunelli continue to manage the estate.

Although Ferrari Trento isn’t associated with Ferrari cars, Camilla and Matteo Lunelli (Bruno’s grandchildren and CEO and President of Ferrari Trento) divulges that their grandfather had personally known the car designer Enzo Ferrari. It seems serendipitous that Ferrari Trento now heralds the F1 podium and have become part of the story. In every corner of the F1 paddocks, one will come across the sleek and elegant bottles. During the F1 season over 100,000 corks of Ferrari Trento are popped throughout the tracks and 72 bottles sprayed on the podium.

However, off the frenetic, highly-charged F1 tracks, visiting the Ferrari Trento winery and vineyards is a totally different world. It’s an oasis of calm and tranquillity. And although the world of motor racing is seen as an indulgent one, the Lunelli family in comparison are huge advocates of sustainable agriculture. The vineyards and surrounding environment is passionately protected, earning them an organic certification for all company owned vineyards and they stick to a total ban on the use of chemicals in favour of traditional practices and natural fertilisers. The wines themselves are fantastic and full of complexities. As the vineyards are located in the mountains, the mountainside viticulture, tempestuous weather and variation of soil injects a ton of unique flavour into the grapes grown here.

The Lunelli’s passion for philanthropy is so strong that it has even been introduced into the F1 circuit. For the 2024 races, Ferrari Trento will auction 17 signed bottles from the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship, with proceeds going to Make-A-Wish International.

So next time you’re watching the F1 races, just know that there’s a huge family history behind those uncorked bottles we see.

words + photography. J. Bibi Cooper

For BMW Motorrad, it’s always about uncovering new ways to pursue their electric mobility strategy. With the environment in mind, BMW Motorrad is unveiling a new e-vehicle to both bring together both trendsetting designs and innovative capabilities — as seen in their latest eParkourer BMW CE 02. The electric eParkourer was created with the city and urban sphere in mind, providing both nimble and practical designs to ensure every drive is fun and safe. 

One of the inspiring minds involved in the new eParkourer is Sarah Hahn, BMW CE02 Product Manager at BMW Motorrad. Hahn chats with Schön! Magazine to discuss how she joined the BMW Motorrad team, thriving in a male-dominated field, and more.

Could you please provide a short overview of your career path up until now? 

Let’s call it life path, career path sounds like there is way too much ambition involved! I have always followed my gut feeling to reach my goals in my personal as well as professional development. Growing up with two older brothers, I became interested in all the latest technological advancements at an early age and, being curious by nature, I decided to study mechanical engineering. I thought aiming for such a profession would enable me to earn a good living, be independent as well as live out my passions. 

I began my career as a concept engineer at BMW Motorrad when I was 27 years old. I was responsible for the vehicle architecture, which involved the development of technical concepts and geometrical integration. The BMW CE 02 was my first project and now, after my internal job rotation to product management, I am glad to be working back on the CE 02 getting it prepared for its market entry.

How and why did you get involved with BMW Motorrad initially?

I never expected I would work in the automotive industry, but as I love motorcycles, BMW Motorrad was the obvious choice for me! Between my bachelor’s and master’s degrees, I applied successfully for an internship at the development department. After I had completed my master’s degree, I was then very lucky to join the BMW Motorrad team.

What is your current job and what are your favourite and least favourite tasks?

This spring I started my new job at the BMW Motorrad Marketing and Sales department as a Product Manager. In this role, my core focus is electromobility and the market entry of the BMW CE 02. Additionally, our electric team continuously determines customer needs in relation to electric two-wheelers. 

My favourite part of the job is the creative elements, rather than the fulfillment of standards or updating documents. As I am very new to the role, I am looking forward to enjoying many new experiences as well as overcoming any challenges headed my way!

What tips would you give to young people starting out or looking to climb the career ladder?

I always recommend exploring your passions and interests before you decide on your profession. If you can get excited about your job then you are already halfway there. After that, and maybe with some additional training, only a few personal and communication skills may be missing to succeed. Choosing the right career, therefore, in the first place is the hardest part. I believe climbing the career ladder takes place almost organically, mainly based on the decisions you make within your role. 

In my opinion, young people should develop their personality according to their interests and strengths and the rest will happen automatically. Being authentic is the best joker you have!

You are a young woman in a mainly male-dominated world. Did you face any challenges? And if so, how did you overcome them?

I believe there are always challenges in a job, independent of your gender. Hence, for me, the most important issue is how to deal with those. My approach is to concentrate and understand the situation or problem and maintain all communications at a professional level. 

I think knowledge of human nature is nevertheless also very important and, in particular, understanding empathy. I think this is one of my main strengths and has helped me in a variety of professional situations. Furthermore, I think the importance of good communication should never be underestimated.

Could you please provide a short description of your hobbies / what you like doing in your free time?

A large part of my spare time is spent on horseback and getting prepared for endurance races. Besides sports and motorcycles, there are lots of other adventures which I would like to explore one day. But, right now, in my daily life, I enjoy spending time with my loved ones under the sun eating delicious food and drinking some good wine!

What are your personal inspirations? 

Being surrounded by nature with my horses, which are the most powerful and honest animals I know, inspires me hugely and simultaneously enables me to deal with any stress I may be experiencing. 

What does the BMW CE 02 mean to you? And what makes it so unique?

I think every first project means a lot, but especially such a groundbreaking product as the CE02. Although there were many ups and downs, intense discussions as well as a steep learning curve for me during the development process, seeing the result today nearly in our customer’s hands makes me very proud and thankful. 

The completely new design and proportions as well as the simplicity in many ways make the CE 02 so unique.

Which type of person would / could ride the CE 02?

The question is rather: Who doesn’t want to ride the CE 02? Our goal was to create a want-to-explore impression at the very first view. Even with a focus on the younger generations and an easy entry to ride electric, the fun factor is offered to everyone!

Learn more about the new BMW CE O2 now.