People

ULTIMATE DRIVES

We teamed up with Mercedes-Benz of Coral Gables to find a few Key Biscayners who love their luxury rides so much they wanted to share a few of their driving experiences with the world.
Text by Anja Maltav Photos by Nick Garcia *All vehicles available @ Mercedes-Benz of Coral Gables, 300 Almeria Ave., Coral Gables; 305.445.8593; Ussery.MercedesDealer.com | June 6, 2018 | People

Star Factor

“People immediately recognize that you’ve made the right choice when you drive a Mercedes-Benz — it makes a beautiful, classy, powerful statement no matter where you take it.”

When it comes to a normal day, Trini is anything but average. Besides being a mother, wife and proud Key Biscayner, she’s also a stylist at her studio on Key Biscayne, Artistic Director of her Trini Salon & Spa empire, Editor-in-Chief of Trini Secrets Magazine and an Ambassador in the U.S. for L’Oréal Professionnel. So how does she manage it all? Well, it helps that she’s got her Mercedes-Benz SL550 Bi-Turbo V8 right outside her door. But this isn’t the first Mercedes-Benz she’s owned. In fact, she’s been loyal to the brand for over a decade. “One day I was driving my Mercedes-Benz convertible to a photoshoot, I had the top down, the wind was blowing through my hair…I was looking like a star,” she says. “Then all of a sudden, I notice 5 police cars behind me with their lights on. I pulled over with confidence because I knew I hadn’t done anything wrong. I noticed the officers had big smiles on their faces as they approached my car — then they asked me if I was Sharon Stone! We talked for a few moments and then they opened the road for me, and I felt like royalty with my surprise police escorts — it was a very nice moment.”

Dr. Drive

“My first Mercedes-Benz was a 1967 dark green 230SL Roadster with 2 tops — and I’ve owned just about every model since then, except the 600 Limo and Gullwing.”

His name is Joseph T. Ostroski, M.D., but his patients call him Dr. O or Dr. Joe. As a surgeon who works as a consultant at Baptist Hospital, precision is an important aspect of his life. And his ride is no exception. He loves his Mercedes-Benz M-Class because he says it gives him a dependable, comfortable and safe ride high above the road.” I believe the car is one of the safest, best-engineered vehicles one can own,” he says. “I would say that if you need a status symbol, it offers that, too, but I prefer to quietly appreciate the strength and beauty of the brand instead of looking for compliments.” As one might imagine, this isn’t his first Mercedes. “My first Mercedes-Benz was a 1967 dark green 230SL Roadster with 2 tops — and I’ve owned just about every model since then, except the 600 Limo and Gullwing.” Luckily, he hasn’t enjoyed all the fun by himself. “My wife could probably recount many memorable experiences with us driving around town,” he says. “She especially loves when I ignore the GPS and she hears: Please make a U-turn as soon as possible!”

Ride On

“I believe Mercedes-Benz is superior to other auto brands in so many ways…not only is the brand reliable, it also provides a solid drive, better support, holds the best value, and exudes lots of class and luxury.”

To many, Gigi Alibhai’s life is like a fairytale. She has a beautiful family, a great Bollywood-esque story of how she met her husband, a thriving business, and she and her husband are behind the iconic oasis of luxury known as The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne and many more hotel properties throughout the world. But when she’s not working or jetsetting around the globe, Gigi is driving around in her white G-Class SUV doing everything from running everyday errands around town to attending social events and planning family roadtrips. “I believe Mercedes-Benz is superior to other auto brands in so many ways,” she says. “Not only is the brand reliable, it also provides a solid drive, better support, holds the best value, and exudes lots of class and luxury.”

Road Trip

“Mercedes-Benz is the ultimate sign of class…I don’t think any other auto brand even comes close — I just can’t see myself driving any other car.”

As Michael Mendez looks forward to taking the LSAT to get into law school after recently graduating from FIU, he knows the importance of setting high standards for himself. That’s why when it came time to shop around for a new car, choosing the right brand made all the difference. Today, he’s the proud owner of his first Mercedes-Benz, a sporty C250 coupe. “Mercedes-Benz is the ultimate sign of class,” he says. “I don’t think any other auto brand even comes close — I just can’t see myself driving any other car.” And he takes full advantage of every opportunity to get out on the road. “My car is perfect for me,” he says. “I love using it for everything — whether it’s cruising with the windows down to the beach or to a nice dinner and night out on the town.” A week after getting the car, he took his friends on a weekend road trip to Key West to celebrate. “We drove the whole way with the windows down, the sunroof open, blasting music,” he says. “It was such a smooth and fun ride that my friends have designated my car as our official road trip vehicle!”