Boyhood Dreams: Classic Mercedes
I recently came across an article celebrating the work of Bruno Sacco, Mercedes-Benz’s Chief Designer from 1975 to 1999; no doubt a great era for the German car giant. Reading it pulled me back to my youth, stirring memories of the cars that truly tugged at my heartstrings. Icons like the Peugeot 205 GTI, Saab 900 Turbo and of course the E90 to name a few. Although I had many early loves, the article reminded me most of my first bosses car, a S560 Coupe.
And of course, it was black on black.
It was a work of art. The perfect blend of beauty and beast, with chrome accents and a sleek but masculine profile, sat aggressively on those Monoblock alloys. To this day, I still want one. Funny how us chaps never really grow up. We're hard wired to adore our toys even more as time passes, they just grow with nostalgia.
When we think of the great car designs—like the 911—we're reminded that timeless design is at the core of everything we admire. Great design is a delicate balance: a mix of risk and caution. It needs to be bold yes, but with just the right appreciation for consumer expectations. Great designers like Sacco knew this. They understood that while change is constant and inevitable, the best designs always strike with perfect timing and weight.
Thinking back to my first boss 'Mr Black' reminded me of a story an old colleague passed on. Long before my time he had owned a Ferrari Daytona, in Rosso Corsa (that signature Ferrari red). The company always used the same handyman for maintenance work, a lovely old chap ,Fred, whom I struck a chord with. One day, he told me, he was out in the car park, stood by the Ferrari, maybe he was cleaning it or simply admiring it, when this old chap walked by. He paused next to him and said, “If cars could talk, she wouldn’t speak to any of the cars here.” It made me smile, it still does. For Cars, bikes, and inanimate objects of all kinds can have personalities too. We are all star dust after all. I have a few items of clothes I'm tempted to talk to as I pull them off the rail... But maybe that's just me?
What about you, Is there a car or an item of clothes from your youth that really stood out?
Comment below or drop me a DM. You never know—you might just inspire a future photoshoot, as we're always scouting for metal models!.
