Did you know that of the 20,000 registered cars in Imotski, around 13,000 of them are Mercedes?
If you didn't, don't worry, because I didn't either.
Fortunately, today, we can teach you something new - and that is that no town in Croatia is more in love with Mercedes than Imotski.
While some even say that Imotski has the most Mercedes per capita than anywhere else in the world, to prove their love for the German automobile manufacturer, the Oldtimer Club of Imotski is preparing a rather unusual venture in the heart of this Inland Dalmatian town.
Oldtimer Club Imotski Facebook
Imotski; the town where you’ll find a Mercedes parked in front of every house, or in the comfort of one's garage, and the town with a cult following for the German brand, hopes to erect a monument in honor of Mercedes, reports N1 and Vecernji List on October 2, 2017.
"We have imagined it to be made out of Imotski stone, in its natural size and will cost around 200,000 HRK. In my opinion, this is not a lot, and sponsors will finance it,” said Ivan Topić, president of the Oldtimer Club in Imotski.
While the project is still waiting for the approval of the city council, the monument’s construction would begin around Christmas at the old bus station where fathers and grandfathers would make their way to Germany for the sake of owning a Mercedes automobile.
"It was a symbol of success, a symbol of power - they came to present themselves and did not regret that they had these cars. Today, we inherited these cars, and they are the same as those of the 1970s and 60s," added Topić - his jeep cabriolet, a 1978 Mercedes G Grade, is one of the oldest in the world.
Oldtimer Club Imotski Facebook
For the people of Imotski, it is worth it - Mercedes is Mercedes, and everything else is just a car.
“That’s how it is for the majority of us - the youth wishes to only look at Mercedes, and even I wanted nothing other than Mercedes,” said Matea Topić.
Imotski’s fascinating Mercedes obsession also thrills tourists to the area.
"This is very interesting to me because my brother had the same model of this car and when we were children we would drive around in it. I think Imotski deserves a monument to Mercedes," said Martha from Sweden.
Oldtimer Club Imotski Facebook
Many Imotski citizens welcome the idea of the monument.
"It is a trademark of every Imotski family, but it will also certainly contribute to the development of tourism in the area of Imotski," said Josip Šerić from Imotski.
According to the members of the Oldtimer Club, the German manufacturer was supportive and enthusiastic that their brand would become a symbol of the Croatian town. And that’s not all - Mercedes may even consider opening a production plant in the town!
Excerpts taken from N1 and Vecernji List
