---
title: "Drivers of New York: Merle"
description: "A photographic portrait of America’s most unlikely car lovers."
date: "2015-10-28"
modified: "2015-10-28"
authors:
  - name: "The Drive and Classic Car Club"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/the-drive-and-classic-car-club"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/665/drivers-of-new-york-merle"
categories:
  - "News"
---

# Drivers of New York: Merle

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/archive-images/driversofny_richbmw_hero.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

No matter the shape, no matter the make, no matter the era, *The Drive* and [Classic Car Club](<https://classiccarclubmanhattan.com/>) have a love affair with the automobile. Somewhere under those steel roofs and carbon engine covers, there’s a personality. It might be that of a champion, or perhaps, more like your recovering alcoholic Uncle Eddie. But it’s undeniably there.

And thus, the birth of this photographic column. These are snippets, little insights into the life of a car and, more importantly, those of the people who own them. There will be no rolling prose, no feature-length interview. Just an automobile and its owner, as seen through the lens of Finnish phenom [Tuukka Koski](<https://www.tuukkakoski.com/>).

*Merle*

153rd St, Harlem. 1998 BMW 528i

[@potta155](<https://instagram.com/potta155/>)

![driversofny\_richbmw\_art\_1.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/driversofny_richbmw_art_1.jpg>)
**Tuukka Koski (www.tuukkakoski.com)**

"I love the way this car handles. It’s just spun 200,000 miles, but it still runs like new. I drive a lot in North New Jersey. There are a lot of winding roads up there. One time, it was 11:30 at night. I was driving hard and got into a tank slapper, but I recovered."

![driversofny\_richbmw\_art\_2.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/driversofny_richbmw_art_2.jpg>)
**Tuukka Koski (www.tuukkakoski.com)**

It was stock when I got it, but I did work to it, like new wheels, a retractable plate and other stuff. I did the carbon trim myself. I had a little trouble with the roof, but I got it straight.”

“I’m working on naming her. I’m thinking Co-Co.”

![driversofny\_richbmw\_art\_3.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/driversofny_richbmw_art_3.jpg>)
**Tuukka Koski (www.tuukkakoski.com)**

### Author social links