CELEBRATING AN ERA OF EXCESS
Shant Meshefedjian’s Mercedes Koenig Special
STORY | Steve Ellis
PHOTOGRAPHY | Rami Garcia
Every decade has certain automobiles that represent the audaciousness of the era in which they were made. For 1980s Los Angeles, the vibe was driven by celebrities with big hair, loud neon clothes, loud music, lavish houses, wild parties, and vast amounts of cash to burn. When it came to cars, whips like Shant Meshefedjian’s 1985 Mercedes 500 SEC Koenig really captured the bold, outlandish style of that gnarly decade.
Shant runs Marina West Autobody in Los Angeles, California. His main business handles everyday collision needs, as well as bespoke rides and restorations. Tucked inside Marina West lies Shant’s passion project, CMS Motorsports, which specializes in restoring rare Mercedes tuner cars.
Born in Syria of Armenian descent, Shant moved to L.A. at the age of three, and as he grew up, the big body Mercedes always caught his eye. “I’d see these big Benzes cruising on Rodeo Drive...those cars really spoke to me. They had these long bodies or bright chrome trim and bumpers. I’d always watch to see who would step out, because I knew whoever it was, was a big deal.
In the ‘80s, the L.A. party scene was in full swing, setting the glitz and glamor bar high for those who really wanted to stand out. Taking a large draw from his cigar, Shant recalls the era: “With a lot of questionable money floating around, people spent it on customizing their rides. Tuners at the time would start with the flagship models, which cost $200,000, then they’d put another $200,000 into chopping the top or cutting the roof into a gullwing. Even today it is absolutely mind-blowing: twin-turbo Ferraris, supercharged racing engines in street cars, etc.” He knew at the time that these are the cars he wanted to spend time with.
Shant’s 1985 Mercedes 500 SEC Koenig Special embodies this era of excess. Shant purchased this car with 23,000 original miles. The car had never seen rain, and was perfectly preserved by the original owners, Seppo and his wife Toula. They lived in Los Angeles, but went to Europe to take delivery of the car they had commissioned. Thanks to their relationship with famed racer Willy Koenig, who founded the Koenig Specials tuning house, they were able to make the car something truly unique. With its swooping vents and spoilers, this vehicle encapsulates nearly every signature design element of the time. “For someone to do something like this was just unheard of,” says Shant ecstatically. “You didn’t just walk up to Willy Koenig and say, ‘Hey make this.’ The fact that the owners actually knew him, and had input in the design, put this car on a whole other level.
While there are other Koenig widebody Benzes with signature flamboyant Testarossa gills, this car is a one-of-one…and Shant has the 31-piece set of molds to prove it. Koenig gave the molds to the original owners in case they had a mishap and needed to replace a panel.
The deep-dish wheels would make any Chicago pizza insecure, as the gold and mirror-like chrome finish completely fill the arches of the Koenig widebody. The wheels are 15x11 in front and a massive 15x13 in back, a spec that is larger than a Lamborghini Countach. The Benz does everything big. It’s like the car was custom made for Hollywood. It doesn’t matter if it’s parked on Rodeo Drive, or cruising the magnificent Pacific Coast Highway, this Koenig-built Benz is a perfect time capsule of a wild era that is gone but never forgotten.
As Shant eyes the curvaceous body of the car, there is no doubt that the bond between man and machine is in fact very real. “I am very passionate about sharing this car, showing this car, and driving this car,” says Shant. “I don’t think of myself as the owner, but more like the caretaker for this vehicle. When you think about it, the car has been hidden in a garage for most of its life, until now, and I intend to share the story every chance I get.”
