The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

Everything Old Is New Again - MB Announces "MANUFAKTUR" Range Custom Choices


PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)


PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)

PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)

Editors Note: THEN. Way back in the 1950's and 60's I remember going with my dear dad to buy a new pontiac...his salesman would take out the "book" that contained every spec and option available for the model he wanted and together he and his sales guy discussed evey choice including but not least; number of doors, rear gear ratio, transmission ratios, brake size, power steering (yes or no) radio (yes or no), AC (yes or no), which engine, color of paint, upolstery, everthing...when the choices were agreed upon my Dad gave his guru a 50 buck deposit and in 6-8 weeks HIS EXACT CAR arrived at the dealer...he brought my Mom along and they checked out the new family wheels and then paid for the car ($1954) and drove it off the dealer's lot....built in 6-8 weeks without computerized Just-In-Time-Manufacturing, without bull shit internet tools, all no big deal.

Customizing an AMERICAN new car was the way it was until the far away Asian car makers filled their new local Asian car dealer's lots with boat loads of one-size-fits-all already built white or blue Toyotas Or Datsuns, all built with no buyer input...so the big advantage domestic car makers had, location, which gave them their ability to matter of factly customize every new car they sold, was squandered by stupid Detroit manager's and their dumb dealers...they blew it, instead of recognizing their advantage and continuing with what was good for their customers and good for them, they emulated the Asian car makers and built lots of cars to the zone mangers specs. Ok, so now welcome back to the future Mercedes it's nice to see you.


NOW. Stuttgart Oct 7, 2021; The Mercedes-Benz brand represents luxury and fascination unlike any other. The design, styling and different equipment lines help to express the personal lifestyles of various customers. With the new "MANUFAKTUR" label, Mercedes-Benz is taking another step forward to cater to customers' growing desire for more individuality, by enhancing the existing product portfolio with additional exclusivity and luxury: select materials which are predominantly processed by hand, exclusive paint finishes and high-quality embellishments in the interior offer a wide range of options for an individual appearance. A corresponding program has already been available for the G-Class for several years: the "G manufaktur" presents its own selection of materials and colors specially adapted to the vehicle architecture. With the introduction of the new MANUFAKTUR label, Mercedes-Benz now also offers a corresponding customization program for other model series such as the CLS, the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe and the S-Class, as well as the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class.

Buying a new vehicle means making numerous decisions at the same time. After all, your car is always part of your personal everyday life, and an expression of your own lifestyle. In addition to a choice of engine, paint finishes, interior equipment and comfort features, Mercedes-Benz customers are offered many options with which they can tailor their dream vehicle to their needs. For those who are also looking for something unique in terms of paintwork, leather upholstery and interior design, Mercedes-Benz now offers further, exclusive customization options for selected model series with the new MANUFAKTUR label. These combine luxurious craftsmanship, the highest quality materials and fascinating design.

Mercedes-Benz customers can expect an ambience characterized by an equally aesthetic and extraordinary color concept, the finest materials, comfort and exclusive trim elements in piano lacquer or wood. The excellence of the craftsmanship is visible and tangible in the embroidery, the leatherwork and the carefully applied trim elements. The attention to detail is particularly highlighted in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, through the chrome lettering MANUFAKTUR badge on the center console, and as a discreet embroidery on the rear window shelf.

One of the most expressive features of a vehicle is its paint finish. The MANUFAKTUR range offers an exclusive selection of signature paint finishes - both silky matte and high-gloss metallic, or rich non-metallic colors. Some of these colors are reminiscent of Mercedes-Benz history and classic cars. MANUFAKTUR Graphite Grey was part of the color range until the early 1960s, and adorned the legendary 300 SL "Gullwing" as a special color. MANUFAKTUR Graphite Metallic and MANUFAKTUR Olive Metallic were among the exclusive exterior options in the 1980s, while MANUFAKTUR China Blue was a popular choice for the E-Class (W123) and the S-Class (W126) in the 1990s. The trend towards a matte finish is reflected in fine, elegant finishes such as MANUFAKTUR Cashmere White Magno and MANUFAKTUR Kalahari Gold Magno, or the sporty MANUFAKTUR Night Black Magno. All MANUFAKTUR paint finishes exude high quality, and underline the fascination of Mercedes-Benz vehicles and their dynamic lines.

High-quality nappa leather with unique contrasting color concepts characterizes the ambience in the interior. This is where the classic MANUFAKTUR Deep White/Black Exclusive Nappa comes back to life, as does the iconic, MANUFAKTUR Pastel Yellow/Black Exclusive Nappa, which was available for the S-Class until 2012. Additional curated combinations with black are MANUFAKTUR Nut Brown/Black, MANUFAKTUR Truffle Brown/Black or MANUFAKTUR Yacht Blue/Black, for the highest individual elegance. The intricate diamond- pattern stitching on the seats further enhances the exclusive interior finish, and ensures particularly pleasant seating comfort. The MANUFAKTUR upholstery package also includes tone-on-tone additional cushions with an embroidered logo - depending on the model and equipment requirements, either the Mercedes-Benz star, the double-M rhombus of Mercedes-Maybach or Mercedes-AMG lettering in the floor mats. If the customer chooses one of the optional Emblem packages available for the S-Class and the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, the trademarks can also be embroidered in gold or platinum to further enhance the luxurious ambience.

In combination with the selected upholstery, additional visual highlights such as the handcrafted two-toned MANUFAKTUR Leather Steering Wheel are available to further enhance the feel of a tailored interior providing customers with additional refined components for a coherent and consistent, high-quality overall impression.

A unique highlight that underlines the brand presence is the MANUFAKTUR surround lighting with animated projection. When the doors are opened, animated Mercedes-Benz or Mercedes-Maybach patterns using sophisticated LCD technology light up and elegantly illuminate both the front and rear entry areas. This special lightshow is made possible by four LCD projectors embedded in the front and rear doors, which deactivate themselves after ten minutes.

The MANUFAKTUR program is available for the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, the Mercedes-Benz CLS and S- Class, and the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe. For the CLS, customers can choose between various paint finishes, including an attractive shade of blue called MANUFAKTUR Cote d'Azur Light Blue Metallic, as well as signature leather variants. Thoughtful elements also include a leather steering wheel, and floor mats to match the interior. Various paint and upholstery finishes are available on the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe that focuses on providing an even higher degree of personal choice. New colors emphasize either the sporty or the luxurious side of the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe – for example the new combination of Exclusive Nappa Leather in Titanium Grey Pearl / Black with contrasting topstitching in Yellow, or fine Exclusive Nappa Leather in Auburn Brown / Black in the STYLE finish

The MANUFAKTUR label will be extended to other model series in the coming years. In the future, selected sub-brands such as AMG, Maybach and EQ will also be available with MANUFAKTUR paint finishes and equipment packages. With the introduction of the MANUFAKTUR label, the previous individualization portfolio and label "designo" will be replaced.