London, no stranger to spectacular events, is in for a turbulent weekend. It’s autumn of last year. A storm is approaching the capital, hundreds of thousands of people are flocking to the city for the London Marathon. It’s also James Bond’s anniversary: an international 007 festival is currently taking place on the Thames. To keep things interesting, several large demonstrations have been planned between Hyde Park and Tower Bridge, and rail workers have announced a total strike for the weekend. London has reached fever pitch. But that won’t ruin our plans. And anyway: extreme sport and cinema aren’t the only passions in town today.

Friday, eight o’clock in the morning. Two classic cars glide round the corner into the Battersea Park car park south of the Thames and come to a halt under the old oak trees. A Pine Green metallic 280 SE built in 1975 and a 230 “Fintail” in White Grey, built in 1967. Peter Grunert and Philip Thain get out of their cars, glance at the sky and greet each other. The two are currently preparing their own event. A truly star-studded show. Like-minded people coming together, their own milestone with a licence to stand out from the crowd. The occasion: the Mercedes-Benz Club of the United Kingdom, the oldest of its kind in the world, is celebrating its 70th anniversary on Sunday. The club was founded in 1952, at a time when Mercedes-Benz was revelling in great racing successes worldwide with the W 194.

Peter, 50, is one of the club’s Regional Officers for London; Philip, 63, is also a London Regional Officer, and a Model Register Captain for the W 108/109 “Old S-Class” and gives advice to Club members on that model. The two want to cruise through London with their classic cars before the big festival in two days, scouting out a route to somehow get through the hullabaloo on Sunday. 

Around 80 classic cars from all over the country are expected at the anniversary meeting. As the first gusts of wind catch the trees, Peter straightens his traditional plaid scarf. Shortly afterwards, a guttural growl reverberates through the park. The two men accelerate and are soon zooming over the pastel-blue Albert Bridge, into that bustling part of London between Battersea and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. 

Happy Grunerts: Peter and his wife Sharmila meet for lunch on this Friday to recharge their batteries with some fish ’n’ chips.

An diesem Mittag aber bleiben die Menschen stehen, zücken die Handys und zeigen staunend auf das, was da vor ihren Augen vorbeirollt. Sogar beim Cricket-Spiel der heimischen Mannschaft gegen die Westindischen Inseln wird das Bild im TV kurz eingeblendet – jemand muss es dem Sender vom Handy aus zugespielt haben: drei klassische Mercedes-Benz, die erhaben durch den Verkehr gleiten. Es sind betörend schöne Autos, so makellos herausgeputzt, als kämen sie frisch vom Band: ein 220 SE Coupé der „Heckflossen“-Baureihe 111, ein
190 SL und eine 170 S Limousine, damals „Innen­lenker“ genannt. Chromblitzende Zierleisten, funkelnde Stoßstangen­hörner, majestätische Kühlerhauben, in denen sich die Palmen spiegeln

A gathering of friends: Peter and Sharmila Grunert and Philip Thain (from right to left) catch up at a Chelsea restaurant to go over the plan for the weekend.

A very British kind of summit meeting.

“The weekend should be quite a jolly one,” Peter says. “Even though London’s pretty full with big events, we’ll take it in our stride.” He sits at the wheel of his 280 SE, manoeuvring through upmarket Chelsea. Pubs roll past, as do the flower-lined restaurants of star chefs, international embassies and consulates, elegant townhouses. A small, brown dog sits on the rear parcel shelf of the 280 SE and nods its approval. This is Peter’s personal bobblehead dachshund, a brass star on its golden collar. Just a detail, but one that gives away a lot about Peter Grunert’s passion for the cars with the star on the bonnet.

He lived for some time in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, which is where he discovered his penchant for classic cars – soon craving one of his own. But which one? His grandfather used to be a pilot; he flew the famous Super Constellation, later the Boeing 707, heralding the jet age. 

Peter inherited his enthusiasm for technology from his grandfather. On top of that, his family is originally from Germany. So there was really no choice: it simply had to be a Mercedes-Benz. Peter started his search and found his W 116 five years ago. Electric windows, electric steel sunroof, that iconic door sound. The chrome of the irresistible trim gleamed at him. And then there was this green paint job: “I couldn’t help it, I just had to have this car. End of discussion.”

This also gave him his entry point to the club, and as one of around 9,000 members, something else fascinates him today too. “Our members come from all over the world,” he says. “Europe, Asia, Africa, America, Australia. So many people, so many stories. And we are all connected by these cars. They represent the strength that comes from a shared fascination, as well as multicultural London.” 

Peter is at the wheel as he and Philip drive along the King’s Road through ever-changing scenery. Noble London, green London, old London, modern London. This city has everything. It is sprawling, endless and jam-packed. “Happily, my old 280 SE has a super turning circle. Not many modern cars can keep up,” says Peter. Behind him, Philip drives in his 230. Massive bonnet, dark instrument panel, steering wheel with its chrome horn ring. This 1960s car is the epitome of timelessness. Casual, elegant. Confidently sovereign, rising above all trends. Philip also has a special relationship with this, his “favourite car”. Born in Hong Kong, he then spent four years of his childhood in Germany. 

Sophisticated Chelsea: The upmarket district in west London is the starting point of the urban road trip.

Family affair.

His father was a liaison officer in the Ministry of Defence and bought the car at the time, even collecting it personally from Sindelfingen in 1967. Philip still has the limousine’s factory collection slip today.

Paintwork: 158 White Grey. Upholstery: MB-Tex Blue 2303. Special equipment: laminated glass windscreen. He sits at the wheel in a trench coat and says: “I spent my childhood in this car. It was our family saloon; we drove it halfway across Europe. I took it over from my father in 1985 and am still driving it today. As far as I’m concerned, this is partly a matter of honour and partly a matter of the heart.” To this day, the car has a special place on the road, and an equally special place in the family. The “Fintail” was the wedding car when Philip got married in 1990. But the fact is that inheriting his father’s long-standing fondness for the Stuttgart automobile was just the start; the son has taken this obsession to new levels. When asked if he has added any other classics, Philip replies: “Well, you could say that.” Today, he owns a total of nine classics – “all Mercedes-Benz”. Then he begins to list them: “A 280 SE 3.5 with a V8 engine, a 500 SEL, then the 250 SE six-cylinder, also built in 1967.” Philip reflects for a moment, then, oh yes, the CLK Coupé he found in North Wales, the “Stroke Eight” and the 300 E, 124 series, which he bought for his wife. Then he gets confused with the enumeration. Well, that can happen with so many cars!

Sidath brauchte all diese Teile, um jedes einzelne Exemplar seiner Flotte zu restaurieren und wieder in Topform zu bringen: „Es ist in meinem Blut. Der blanke Irrsinn, aber ich kann einfach nicht anders.“

In Sri Lanka hatte er längst begonnen, selbst zu schrauben, kannte irgendwann jede Zylinderkopf­dichtung beim Namen, jeden Weißwandreifen samt Teilenummer. Seine Sammlung wuchs. Irgendwann leitete er sogar Workshops, gab Tipps, wo man im Ausland alte Originalteile ergattern, wie man die Klassiker am besten restaurieren kann. Schon bald hatte er mit seinem ungebremsten Enthusiasmus eine Klassiker­szene auf Sri Lanka um sich geschart, während 1990 der Club gegründet wurde 

And what is going to happen next? Philip works in logistics and is responsible for brewery deliveries all over London, so he knows a thing or two about litres and cubic capacity. But he will soon be retiring – and will have much more time for his treasures. “Oh well,” he says. “You have to take things as they come.” In the afternoon, Peter’s wife Sharmila, 39, and their daughter Savithri, 10, pick the two up. It’s Friday, and in London, Friday is traditionally fish day. The two cars are parked outside a trendy pub in upmarket Chelsea.

A great round of fish ’n’ chips lands on the plates at The Surprise. “Classic cars, classic food,” says Philip. “And classic weather,” Sharmila adds. Outside, the first rain showers pelt London. You can always rely on British storm fronts. 

Smalltalk: Sharmila Grunert (at the wheel of the parked W 116) and her daughter Savithri in an unmistakeably good mood.

Sightseeing: Classics with the star are by no means rare in London, but wherever they appear, they are always very special attractions. Sheer four-wheeled works of art!

Kamra's golden treasure.

Saturday. Kamran Modaresi comes around the corner with his 450 SLC in the morning. He wants to take the cars out with Peter and Philip, his model’s colour making it stand out: the coupé, built in 1978, is resplendent in Icon Gold metallic. Kamran, 56, has always loved Mercedes-Benz cars, but as he is not only a doctor of clinical vascular sciences but also a voracious tinkerer, he was looking for “a project”, as he calls it. Six years ago, he found it. A managing director wanted to sell his old SLC – and the car, which had been badly neglected over the years, was in desperate need of some loving attention. Kamran refurbished his old, new golden treasure with his own hands. He restored the engine and transmission, the metal parts, the paint, the upholstery. “Every detail on the car is original,” says Kamran.

“I just had to get everything back in shape.” And that’s exactly what he did, scratch by scratch, seam by seam, including the bamboo Velours interior, which he had hand-sewn back into pristine condition. This “project” took him five years. But that is precisely where the attraction lies for him. “We live in a stressful world, so working on the car is my version of meditation.” And driving is pure happiness: the 4.5-litre V8 engine brings 217 hp to the road today, and it certainly sounds like it when Kamran gets in and hits the accelerator pedal.

British autumn weather.

The three of them drive through the city, meeting up later with their children and family at Tierra Verde, a combined coffee shop, greengrocer and Spanish deli located between Clapham and Wands­worth Common. Brunching in hip London. Croissants, cap­puc­cinos, sandwiches – and a stack of Mercedes literature – all land on the table. Peter and Philip have rummaged through their archives and brought back a stack of original brochures from the old days. Absolute driving joy knows no limits. When you’re a true fan, you gobble up engine details, colour codes and spare part numbers for breakfast.

Outside: British autumn weather. Low clouds race over the city, unleashing horizontal showers. Kamran says: “Typical London, but who cares?” The weather itself probably takes a similarly relaxed view – because a short time later, it promptly clears up again. The three sit in their cars and cruise towards Knightsbridge to meet another Regional Officer of the Club. Last discussion before the meeting tomorrow. Plus: a fourth car that is really something.

Glittering cosmopolitan city: London is all about financial business and internationality, about brilliant big-city flair and multicultural diversity.

Sidath brauchte all diese Teile, um jedes einzelne Exemplar seiner Flotte zu restaurieren und wieder in Topform zu bringen: „Es ist in meinem Blut. Der blanke Irrsinn, aber ich kann einfach nicht anders.“

In Sri Lanka hatte er längst begonnen, selbst zu schrauben, kannte irgendwann jede Zylinderkopf­dichtung beim Namen, jeden Weißwandreifen samt Teilenummer. Seine Sammlung wuchs. Irgendwann leitete er sogar Workshops, gab Tipps, wo man im Ausland alte Originalteile ergattern, wie man die Klassiker am besten restaurieren kann. Schon bald hatte er mit seinem ungebremsten Enthusiasmus eine Klassiker­szene auf Sri Lanka um sich geschart, während 1990 der Club gegründet wurde 

Near Eaton Place, Social Media Director Clive Ricketts, 55, and his daughter Montanna Japaul, 26, join the group. They are sitting in Clive’s 280 CE, built in 1972. The car glides round a gold-decorated hydrant and parks. Clive leans out of the window: “Gentlemen, nice to see you, how is life?” He sits in a pristine automotive show­stopper. Colour: Moss Green metallic. The car also has its own brand of pneumatic air suspension. Proudly, Clive pumps the car up briefly, then lets it down again. This suspension works at the push of a button. But it was the “ultra-strong green” above all that captivated him when he first saw the car three years ago. And then were the seats in black MB-Tex. 

Firm family ties: Software developer Clive Ricketts and daughter Montanna Japaul join the group in good spirits in the eye-catching “Stroke Eight” coupé.

Und dann erinnert sie die Fahrten zur Großmutter. „Über 17 Jahre lang sind wir jeden Sonntag mit einem der Autos zu meiner Oma gefahren, um sie zu besuchen. Oft durften meine Schwester und ich vorn sitzen, das war immer zauberhaft und aufregend.“ Tags darauf fahren sie hoch ins kühlere Hill Country, wo grüne Teeterrassen leuchten, der Dschungel dichter wird und immer wieder freche Makaken auftauchen. Die Wagen halten am Sri Dalada Maligawa, jenem Tempel, in dem laut Überlieferung der linke Eckzahn Buddhas aufbewahrt wird. Als Nächstes steuert die Gruppe über die legendären 18 Bends, Serpentinen, die sich wie eine kilometerlange Kobra durch die Berge winden. Bei Sigiriya stößt ein alter Freund von Sidath zur Gruppe: Nigel Austin, 76, ein weiterer Gründer des Markenclubs und Diamantenfabrikant.  

Full speed ahead: The 280 CE and the 450 SLC deftly avoid London’s traffic jams.

In the sparkling city.

“The car looks totally maxed out, I call it a real ‘badass look’. I was blown away on the spot,” says Clive, social media di­rect­or for the Club. His parents came to London from Jamaica in the 1950s, and where he grew up wasn’t exactly in the poshest part of town. But his parents gave everything they had for his education. Today, Clive is a sought-after software developer – with a penchant for cars that his father already dreamed of back then. Now this dream has become reality. Right in the middle of the sparkling cosmopolitan city of London, which never ceases to write its own stories. Especially when it comes to reaching for the stars. Now there are four of them. Passers-by constantly stop to ask about the years of the cars and marvel at the classics. The four gentlemen then get into their precious cars and drive to the outskirts. The big meeting is tomorrow.

The weather: a heavy graphite grey with a few bright spots peeking through. The forecast now: heavy rain! Clive sees it like most others do, though: “It’ll be fine,” he says, smiling casually. “Keep driving, keep smiling.”

Sidath brauchte all diese Teile, um jedes einzelne Exemplar seiner Flotte zu restaurieren und wieder in Topform zu bringen: „Es ist in meinem Blut. Der blanke Irrsinn, aber ich kann einfach nicht anders.“

In Sri Lanka hatte er längst begonnen, selbst zu schrauben, kannte irgendwann jede Zylinderkopf­dichtung beim Namen, jeden Weißwandreifen samt Teilenummer. Seine Sammlung wuchs. Irgendwann leitete er sogar Workshops, gab Tipps, wo man im Ausland alte Originalteile ergattern, wie man die Klassiker am besten restaurieren kann. Schon bald hatte er mit seinem ungebremsten Enthusiasmus eine Klassiker­szene auf Sri Lanka um sich geschart, während 1990 der Club gegründet wurde 

Sunday, showdown at Syon Park, in the countryside out towards Heathrow. Peter, Philip, Kamran and Clive get to the start early. They have put up a gazebo on the lawn of a 400-year-old estate and the first cars are turning up – from Essex, Sussex, Oxford, Nottingham, many from the surrounding areas of London. Radiator bonnets gleam, chrome flashes. And sure enough, the weather did make a U-turn after all. The sun is suddenly shining over London! Paul Thompson, 59, stands next to his white 280 SE 3.5 from 1971 and strokes the headlights, lost in thought. A few cars away, Bob Coxshall, 76, chats with friends about his black 220 S from 1958, the oldest car at today’s meeting. The “Ponton” belonged to a diplomat until the car came to London from Zimbabwe 20 years ago and found its way into Coxshall’s hands. A little further away, on the green meadow, there is a barbecue and sandwiches. Old hubcaps appear out of boots, as do radiator grilles, bumpers. Manuals, repair and tune-up guides and workshop manuals from the 1960s are laid out on a woollen blanket.

Party in the park: The club’s end-of-year event attracted around 80 classics to London’s Syon Park. There was a barbecue, sandwiches – and plenty to marvel at.

Great storyteller: Tony Whitehead (centre) has owned 50 cars with a star. He brought many old photos with the stories to match to the club meeting – as well as a few spare parts.

He still has one story.

And not to be missed of course: Tony Whitehead, 83, flat cap, piercing blue eyes, jeans. He shows photos. Lots of photos. He drove trucks professionally for 40 years, and although he has already owned around 50 cars with the star, he still remembers his first one vividly: “A picture-perfect ‘Fintail’. I had just turned 26.”

Tony is a consummate storyteller. His stories are of endless roads and sublime happiness, about England and many miles; they are about a long life and the art of being really passionate about something. Planes bound for Heathrow fly over Tony’s head; Syon Park is right under the flight path. Tony looks up for a moment. He still has one story: “I have only flown once in my life. To Paris, many, many years ago. But flying’s not my thing.” Back in London, says Tony, he bought a car.

Since then, he has driven nothing but Mercedes-Benz.

Mercedes-Benz Club United Kingdom.

Founded in 1952 by naval architect Ronald H. Johnson, who was already an enthusiastic Mercedes-Benz fan, it was to become the first Mercedes-Benz Club in the world. Johnson had bought his first Mercedes in 1930, a Type SS. The patron at his side at the time was Edward L. Meyer, a gentleman who became famous for owning a staggering 115 Mercedes-Benz models in his lifetime. The inaugural club meeting was in 1952 at the Berystede Hotel in Ascot. Daimler-Benz sent a congratulatory telegram from Germany – and the rest is history. The club has grown to around 9,000 members, famous racing drivers joined and the first club magazine was published. The membership soon boasted politicians, the American Vice-Consul, Sir Peter Ustinov, Iraq’s King Faisal II and Prince Abhas Bhanubandh from the Thai royal family. Many events have been celebrated over the years; film festivals, talks, races, plus hundreds of rides and meetings. And that still all continues to this day. Seventy years of tradition: a testimony to British–German friendship with a special predilection for fantastically beautiful cars under the sign of the star.