Brown quilted leather

[mark44]

While the UK configurator was briefly down, I went onto the french MB site to see what was on offer C63 wise.

I was surprised by the inclusion of a Brown quilted leather / oak veneer option. A real missed opportunity for the UK market - I personally think it looks great and definitely prefer it to the other options.

Also with AMG Performance seats

Interestingly it is available as a option on the new UK E63...???

I dunno, maybe it's like marmite?

 

[BIRMA]

I'm a sucker for the quilted seats but that's a bit OTT to me, maybe it's the colour.

 

[mark44]

Maybe its the fact we cant get it, is increasing the appeal - but I'm pretty sure I would...

I've probably posted too many pictures now.

There's a lot of brown going on

TBH I think the door cards might work better in black, and would be the first to agree its not a 'safe option' for resale residuals!

 

[S2000Paul]

Nice

 

[leef44]

If this wasn't an MB forum, I could swear that was a Bentley

 

[Fununcle]

My brother in law has an e class with the brown quilted seats etc. Looks absolutely lovely, interestingly it's not an E63 so it can be had on other models, but at what cost I don't know, I do know he paid huge money for the car.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I've never owned a car with a brown interior, but I think it looks great. A few years ago the main dealer talked me out of ordering a brown 997 with brown leather (I think Porsche referred to it as "Macadamia") on the basis that there would only be me who like it, and resale would be difficult.

 

[SMed08]

I'm obsessed with brown leather seats, look so good.

 

[Red C220]

There is a huge list of options of MB cars that's not available to the UK market.

Much if it is our attitude to ordering cars, you quite often see threads about it on here. We want it now, on time and when it suits us, we're just not prepared to wait. Many also will simply not pay for customisation. Whilst that's acceptable on entry level models, once you start getting to E class and beyond (or anything AMG) these are expensive cars and if MB wants to keep market share in this segment it needs to open it's eyes to a more comprehensive menu of customisation.

A few of us are prepared to wait for what we want, but we're so few and far between that it's just not worth MBUK offering these options on UK bound cars because there will be (even minimal) alterations to apply them to RHD vehicles. This might be cause and effect, such as Mercedes suggesting the no one buys "light" leather interiors so they don't offer them. But then no one can order light leather on many models (any colour interior you like as a long as it's black) so the statistic becomes self fulfilling.

It's a shame, there would be some far more interesting combinations available with a bit of flexibility.

I now drive an Audi estate specifically because Mercedes chose not to offer the model and spec that would interest me. I doubt they're losing any sleep over me exercising my right to shop elsewhere.

 

[AlexM]

I think the UK market is possibly unique in the extent to which people seem to choose their cars for the next owner rather than themselves. The majority of interior combinations offered are excessively 'safe' and boring. I wonder if the preponderance of cars bought on finance has any bearing on this?.

 

[oldguy57]

I doubt they're losing any sleep over me exercising my right to shop elsewhere.

An attitude taken by most suppliers of goods and services today, unfortunately.

 

[st13phil]

I think the UK market is possibly unique in the extent to which people seem to choose their cars for the next owner rather than themselves. The majority of interior combinations offered are excessively 'safe' and boring.

In 2009 my wife ordered an SLK350 in Fire Opal Red, rather than going for the "safe" but boring option of a shade of silver. When it arrived at the dealership they put it in the showroom for a couple of days prior to collection and it drew further orders because it was different.

When I spec'd my E350CDI I picked the Avantgarde trim because it was the only way I could escape a black headliner and the "Teutonic Coal Hole" look. I picked Almond Beige seats and Open Pore Ash wood trim to go with the Macadamia headliner. It always created interest because it wasn't silver and black. When I traded it in the salesman commented that it would create interest and move quickly because it wasn't a "standard" colour combo. He was right: it sold in two days.

Alan is absolutely right that there's a huge list of options for MB cars that are not available to the UK market because MBUK decide on our behalf that they won't sell. So they don't offer them, they don't sell them and they're proved right

 

[Charles Morgan]

I drove past North Oxford BMW recently, and had plenty of time to observe the utter grimness of a dealership full of grey, silver, black and white, with just the occasional blue. Dreary beyond belief. It's the same with the other major makers, a design language lacking any grace and a colour palette that is beaten by an old black and white film means I can't be ****d even to think about a new car.

 

[renault12ts]

I can understand why some options may not be available to the UK market, those that would be "handed".

But I can't understand why , if available elsewhere, different colour interiors would not be available. Surely the process is so automated that they merely have to tick a box to make sure that an option is fitted to a car no matter the market.

 

[flat6buster]

I've never owned a car with a brown interior, but I think it looks great. A few years ago the main dealer talked me out of ordering a brown 997 with brown leather (I think Porsche referred to it as "Macadamia") on the basis that there would only be me who like it, and resale would be difficult.

You was robbed, macadamia and brown interior is stunning. It would not have been just yourself who liked it.

 

[Druk]

But I can't understand why , if available elsewhere, different colour interiors would not be available. Surely the process is so automated that they merely have to tick a box to make sure that an option is fitted to a car no matter the market.

That's what i don't get. It's my business if I want a light grey headliner and not sombre black. What difference does it make to them, and it's surely nothing to do with the production systems?



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[MancMike]

Because they're trying to look after the 2nd hand market too. They believe that kind of interior would be marmite-like in the UK (and they're right) and so that'd reduce the resale value of them, which deters people from buying new if Mercedes start earning a reputation for poor resale values because the 1st buyer couldn't find someone else in the market for his car with that "strong" interior taste.

I think it looks fantastic. I've wood trim in my W204, and matched with the chrome everywhere it looks a cut above the "sport" models that just have grey brushed plastic trim and black instead of chrome.

 

[renault12ts]

Because they're trying to look after the 2nd hand market too. They believe that kind of interior would be marmite-like in the UK (and they're right) and so that'd reduce the resale value of them, which deters people from buying new if Mercedes start earning a reputation for poor resale values because the 1st buyer couldn't find someone else in the market for his car with that "strong" interior taste.

I think it looks fantastic. I've wood trim in my W204, and matched with the chrome everywhere it looks a cut above the "sport" models that just have grey brushed plastic trim and black instead of chrome.

But if that was true then the market would find it's own equilibrium because people would not choose these colours...but still allow individualism.

 

[st13phil]

Because they're trying to look after the 2nd hand market too. They believe that kind of interior would be marmite-like in the UK (and they're right) and so that'd reduce the resale value of them, which deters people from buying new if Mercedes start earning a reputation for poor resale values because the 1st buyer couldn't find someone else in the market for his car with that "strong" interior taste.

Sorry Mike, I think you've swallowed the MBUK BS Pill there.

If they were even fractionally concerned about residuals they wouldn't dump large quantities of cars on the lease market at a massive discount allowing people to rent £40k list price cars for £200 / month, nor would they tacitly support the deep discounting (15-20% and more on some models) that's available through a multitude of brokers.

But if that was true then the market would find it's own equilibrium because people would not choose these colours...but still allow individualism.

Precisely. If I want to buy a colour / trim combo that only I like, what's it got to do with the taste police in MBUK? If I choose to buy something that may be difficult to re-sell, that's my money and my lookout.

I can only assume that MBUK benefit from factory gate discounts by ordering fixed volumes per period, and therefore are taking a risk on carrying their own stockholding in an effort to boost their profits. They then reduce that risk by limiting choice to only a small number of "safe" colour / trim combo's that they're certain of being able to sell. Allowing UK buyers further choice would increase the risk that their "safe" colour / trim cars won't sell, so they don't do it. This also explains the massively irritating "packaging" of options that means (for example) if I want ILS I have to have a Pano Roof too.

If you're going to position yourself as a premium brand then you need to let the customers choose, not dictate to them. Otherwise they'll take their business elsewhere.

 

[Druk]

I think it looks fantastic. I've wood trim in my W204, and matched with the chrome everywhere it looks a cut above the "sport" models that just have grey brushed plastic trim and black instead of chrome.

You're right. I have walnut in my S212 and specifically rejected those the Autotrader search threw up that didn't have it. Brushed grey plastic is just so so Toyota.


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