Reportage Garage: Ammar Nuhbegović and the Mercedes SL 450

4 days ago
4 min read

Some people love cars for their performance, others for their technology or design. Ammar Nuhbegović belongs to a completely different group. He is attracted to things that have a story. Old objects, an analog lifestyle, blues music and cars that were created in a time when lines were drawn by hand, not by a computer.

An economist by profession, he now runs his own company that deals with wholesale cosmetics, and he prefers to spend his free time behind the wheel of his 1980 Mercedes 450 SL. A car that came to him almost by accident, after spending two decades parked in a lady's garage in San Francisco.

We spoke to Ammar about old cars, the blues , travel, and why modern things have never been particularly interesting to him. Here's what we found out.

How did your story with cars begin?

Ammar Nuhbegović: Actually, I'm not so much a car enthusiast as I am a lover of old things. They have a soul and evoke some different emotions. New things have never particularly attracted me. I'm not overly digitalized and generally prefer an analog lifestyle. I would say I'm simply an old soul.

“I am more attracted to things that have a soul and a story than cars.” - Ammar Nuhbegović

Why the Mercedes SL 450?

Ammar Nuhbegović: Honestly, it was a complete coincidence. I was originally looking for an MG, but a friend from San Francisco found me this Mercedes that belonged to an elderly lady. The car had been sitting in a garage for almost twenty years and I was just lucky that it ended up with me. With a little good organization, we managed to get it to Croatia, and along the way, we also transported a blues guitar in it that is worth more than the car itself.

What makes your car special and what attracted you to it in the first place?

Ammar Nuhbegović: Color. Sometimes that's just enough.

He is an economist by profession and studied pharmacy. After years of working as a pharmaceutical representative, he decided to leave the corporate world and combine his two professions by starting his own business. Today, he runs a cosmetics wholesale company.

Is there any detail on your Mercedes that is particularly interesting to you as a car enthusiast?

Ammar Nuhbegović: The seats. They are literally “like grandma's armchairs ”. They are incredibly comfortable. Plus, I love the hand-drawn lines on the sides of the car. It's those little details that make the difference.

What was your first car and which car remains your favorite to this day?

Ammar Nuhbegović: My first car was an Opel Corsa. My favorite? The official Renault Megane. Even today, I admire everything that car has managed to survive.

Your Mercedes was made in Europe, spent some time in the US, and is back here today. Do you know any interesting stories from that period of its life?

Ammar Nuhbegović: My example was produced in 1980, the last year of production of the 450 SL before it was succeeded by the 3 80 SL. This means that it is the most developed version of that fuel-injected V8 engine and three-speed automatic transmission that have been perfected for almost a decade. It is also interesting that this particular model appears in numerous films, including American Gigolo, in which Richard Gere drives it.

Do you have a special anecdote or memory related to your Mercedes SL 450?

“People's reactions are the most beautiful to me. Once, two gentlemen, both in their eighties, left a note on my windshield. They wrote that they would like to see a car up close because they had not seen one like it for almost fifty years. In the end, I drove them around town.” - Ammar Nuhbegović

The Mercedes 450 SL is not a car for everyday duties, but a weekend escape from routine. Ammar says he drives it when he wants to “rest his head ”, aware that owning a classic car also brings with it certain challenges. Maintenance requires patience, especially when it comes to finding parts, and breakdowns are simply part of the story. “Everything can be fixed, but you have to have the nerve. If that annoys you, maybe a classic car is not for you”, Ammar tells us.

Are you a member of a car club or a community of classic Mercedes enthusiasts?

Ammar Nuhbegović: Yes, I am a member of the Oldtimer club Stari kotači.

How did your love for classic cars come about and is the SL 450 the realization of a long-standing dream?

Ammar Nuhbegović: I've always been attracted exclusively to old-timers. I've never liked modern cars, just as I don't like unnecessary digitalization in my work. My friends often laugh at how old-school I am, but I simply don't see the point in many of the functions that cars have today.

You travel a lot and are a big fan of blues music. Do you think that travel and music have shaped your outlook on life?

“I listen to the blues, I play the blues, and I live the blues. Music enriches the soul, and travel enriches life.” - Ammar Nuhbegović

Ammar Nuhbegović: There are songs that awaken emotions or motivation in a person that are difficult to describe in words. As Meša Selimović would say,“ It has a strange effect on me, hypnotic, I don't argue with it, I can't do anything to it.”

How do you relax in your free time?

Ammar Nuhbegović: Sports, hanging out with friends, and concerts and gigs.

What three things do you never leave the house without?

Ammar Nuhbegović: Glasses, cell phones and keys.

What does your perfect day off look like?

“My perfect day is when I'm on the ferry to the island of Vis.” - Ammar Nuhbegović

Favorite song?

Ammar Nuhbegović: Tedi Spalato - Sea of Dreams

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWYnqPmXp8Y

What is your favorite route to drive in a Mercedes?

Ammar Nuhbegović: Outside Zagreb, it's the route towards Samobor. In the city, I always somehow end up back on Deželićeva Street. I don't know why, but it always draws me there.