There are few places in the world where car culture feels as deeply woven into daily life as it does in Los Angeles. In a city where coffee runs can turn into informal concours, where canyon roads and palm-lined boulevards ensure the backdrop is always special, it’s the car that has to do more than simply look good to stand out. There are plenty of cars suited to the mix of stop-start traffic, beach-side cruises and canyon drives, but Ryan’s Mercedes-Benz W124 coupe, built as a celebration of tuning houses like AMG and Lorinser might just be one of the best possible answers.
We caught up with Ryan in California as he enjoyed the car in exactly the sort of setting it seems made for. Long before this particular coupe entered his life, Mercedes-Benz had already taken hold of his imagination. “I’ve been a car enthusiast since childhood,” he tells us. “From a large Hot Wheels collection and RC cars to even having a car bed as a kid, cars have always been my main passion.” His fascination with the three-pointed star also began early. “I remember owning a toy W202 and seeing C124 models around my neighbourhood from as far back as I can remember.”
Like many enthusiasts of his generation, Ryan’s route into the hobby didn’t begin in the Euro car scene, but with Japan’s. His first car was a Honda Civic EF, and he spent his early years in the JDM scene. Even then, however, the long-term ambition was already clear. “My goal was always to own a Mercedes one day,” he says. That moment came in 2012 with a black W204 C300, and from then on Mercedes-Benz became the constant thread. Today, his collection includes a black 2015 G550, a black CLK55 AMG cabriolet, and the car seen here: his black Lorinser 300CE.
He bought the C124 in May 2024 after placing the winning bid on TheMBMarket. At first, the plan was to build a Hammer-style coupe, a fitting direction for one of Mercedes-Benz’s most inherently elegant pillarless shapes, with this example sporting a colour scheme and style that seemed to suit the iconic Hammer perfectly. But as often happens with the best projects, the idea evolved once the right parts began to appear. In Ryan’s case, that meant finding an authentic Lorinser kit, which transformed the concept into something more nuanced: a Lorinser “Hammer”-inspired build that pays homage to period tuning royalty while ultimately following its own path.
“The key elements I wanted to incorporate from the Hammer were the colour-matched grille and AMG Aero 3 wheels,” Ryan explains. For anyone who appreciates the golden era of German tuners, that combination already says plenty. But rather than pursuing a strict, single-tuner interpretation, Ryan chose a more personal route. As a longtime admirer of AMG, Lorinser and Brabus, he felt the car should act as a kind of dialogue between those influences. “Some may argue that’s not the traditional approach,” he says, “but as someone with a strong appreciation for fashion and art, I felt the build should reflect my personal taste and style rather than follow strict rules.”
That attitude is what gives the car its real charm. This isn’t a sterile exercise in correctness, nor is it a catalogue build assembled without feeling. Instead, it’s a carefully curated composition, created piece by piece from parts sourced all over the world. Some components came from Lebanon, Turkey and, as you might have guessed, Japan, while others were tracked down across Europe. The final specification is rich with genuine period flavour: Lorinser Aero front and rear bumpers, SEC fog lights, a Lorinser steering wheel, Lorinser shift knob and wood trim, plus a Lorinser exhaust. The latter carries one of the most personal details on the entire car, because Ryan hand gold-plated it in 24 karats. In fact, all of the gold trim seen on the car was done by him using a process called electro brush plating. It’s a flourish that could easily have tipped into excess in less thoughtful hands, but here it works because it feels intentional, almost giving the car a signature. Against the black paint, the gold accents bring a fashion-led sharpness that reinforces the car’s identity as something both luxurious and slightly provocative, very much in keeping with Los Angeles itself.
Ryan’s dedication to authenticity runs deep. He even connected with Lorinser Germany directly to purchase an authentic trunk badge, the sort of detail that many would overlook, but which matters enormously when the overall execution is this considered. Beneath the surface, the car has also been treated to Air Lift Performance suspension, while much of the suspension hardware has been refreshed to ensure the driving experience matches the visual styling. And Ryan isn’t done yet, he’s considered taking the C124 even further with a M113 engine swap, as well as adding a set of Recaro front seats. More broadly, though, his ambitions are refreshingly simple, aiming to keep growing his collection, and to continue building, restoring and properly enjoying classic Mercedes-Benz models.
If LA is a city built on image, then Ryan’s W124 coupe understands the assignment perfectly. But more importantly, it backs up the looks with substance, story and genuine enthusiasm. In a culture full of cars trying very hard to be noticed, this black-and-gold 300CE manages something far more difficult, it feels completely, convincingly itself. Keep up to date with Ryan's build here.
Photos by @Sump_Shot
