Chappy

Never seen this color before....

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...3&rdpage=thumb

SaMaS

I would agree that is designo...

MarcusF

Is that designo Cashmere, color code 036? I've never seen one in person.

Chappy

Nice detective work.

I found a little more info on this package:

Option Code 205, Designo Cashmere Edition (available on CLK320, CLK430 and CLK55) includes Designo Cashmere paint, Pebble Nappa leather upholstery, Pebble Nappa leather/charcoal Nappa leather steering wheel and shift knob, auburn maple wood trim & designo floor mats - Req 873 heated front seats and Req Black soft top on Cabriolet. Was a $6,200.00 option on the CLK55.

MJ50

exterior is like tecite gray...

Ryanr317

It looks great in person. My neighbor has it on his CLK430.

CPTGRP

For some reason it makes me think, albino.

Improviz

Looks like headlight washer cover is missing on driver's side. Btw, don't you hate it when dealers don't post prices? Drives me nuts...

Chappy

$15,999 - it's on there. Yep (sad), I noticed the headlight washer cover, the piece missing in the lower front spoiler and the the hood doesn't line up very well....gaps between the lights, etc. Possible front end collision?

This special-order car cost plently when new. Add up the Designo package, COMAND, etc. and you're pushing $80K+ drive out.

Improviz

Weird, last night when I looked it had no price data....btw, I'm seeing $14,999...did they already lower it?

Yeah, looks like it's possibly been hit. In which case that's a high price. Gotta watch it w/these AMGs!!

Chappy

They just lowered the price....perhaps our 'friend' with the GTO fleet would consider picking this one up.

Improviz

Hell yeah! Big bad stormsmegma, rollin' wit da burga flippas yo!!

Hey, what happened to that other guy?

Chappy

Which one? The guy near you in TX who mis-shifted his M3 and toasted his motor or the guy who posted his banking info on his flicker page?? lol....

Improviz

Naw, I meant the latest one, the M3 dork...

pmb600

I've never seen the cashmere edition on the CLK, it looks pretty nice from here. I love the designo editions, wish MB would do more of them.

neilbo75

Yeah, that's more than 80% depreciation, ouch! The dealer doesn't even seem to know it's a designo car. BTW those designo floor mats are leather-trimmed.

Riot Nrrrd

Someone remind me of how to spot a Designo?

I could swear my floor mats say Designo but I don't think the car is one ...

neilbo75

Designo floor mats are in the MB parts system and thus can be sold separately. Macro designo options (combined special paint color, leather color, wood trim and floor mats) offered in the USA such as this "cashmere" car - or the more popular "espresso" car of the same era - make for a designo car. Unless you know the standard colors the're not easy to spot. Look for the word "designo" embossed on the leather below the headrests or woven into the floor mats. These cars didn't cost Daimler much more to build so they got some luscious profits.

In other markets such as Germany the designo program was more a la carte. Instead of pre-packaged themes such as "cashmere" or "espresso", buyers could choose from several paint and interior colors. The optional wood trim (only in curly maple in my vintage brochure, although this "cashmere" car has an auburn-toned wood) could extend to the gear shift and the steering wheel. Leather could be extended to the dashboard, center console and tops of the doors. Few people checked all the boxes, since doing so would add about 10K to the price.

"Designo" is somewhat of a misnomer, since there is no designer, just an expanded options list. True customisation is not offered, unlike some other manufacturers such as Audi who will paint the car to your exact specification. MB will do this too, but it's done at the AMG Performance Studio or its counterpart in Sindelfingen, not as a designo product.

mbenzman

My CLK55 Cab is a "designo" car. Most of the time you can tell because the buyers would pick colors that did not complimemt the others very well. The really bad combinations (mistakes) were sold off by their designers/owners really fast and cheap.
Some dealers redye or even recover the interiors to make them resaleable.
My first thought at the mention of "a designo package car" without seeing it has been "how ugly is this one". Very few have been pleasant on the eyes.
The other problem with the CLK designo is that there were no outside "designo" badges and the only real indication (other than usual poor taste) is lightly embossed in the top front of the front seat backs.
I didn't know mine was a designo until the next morning as I purchased it at night. Obviously mine does not suffer the possible adverse effects in spite of liberties afforded it's orignal owner having selected the Designo option package and yet still maintaining restraint and good taste.
I have seen this done on an Audi TT as well, so sometimes more is less.

Chappy

Interestingly, I saw a Cashmere Edition CLK430 cabrio the other day around Roswell.

mbenzman

Most factory packages are done tastefully (usually) i.e. Cashmere, special edition, silver arrow, etc. etc.. They don't usually look as hideous as cars designed by owners who believe their tastes are superior, i.e. some designo pkgs, and all interiors recovered w. Louis Vuitton.
I have a customer that loves her CLK320 Cab Designo. I can best describe it as the "King Ranch Edition". Black with black interior Saddle seats and door panel inserts, bleached out looking walnut wood.
Maybe I'll grab a pic of it next time for this thread.

pmb600

By these ugly interior cars do you mean cars that were customized on the aftermarket? The designo program in the US has always been quite limited, with MBUSA determining several package deals that come with paint leather and wood. It was only for 2008 model year and forward that MBUSA allowed the customer to choose a paint from the standard choices and combine it with an interior designo package. I have not yet seen one that was ugly or bad. They are really beautiful and I think the designo really elevates the interior to a level of luxury above most standard Mercedes.

neilbo75

Well, anytime we get to trim one man's peach is another's poison. For the record, Louis Vuitton trim has never been offered by designo. It's true that MB fell hard for "vivid" two tone interiors in the late '90s. The CLK AMG that made its debut at the Chicago Auto Show back in '99 had purple leather. Personally I don't mind that on a high end muscle car like the 55 - a lot of Lambos come in outrageous colors too.

It's also true what you say, that designo choices can combine into a delicious kind of luxury at once subtle and gorgeous, like a Hermes necktie. I'd like to think my own car is like that. But I'm afraid in a police lineup it would be ID'd as the "King Ranch Edition" that so horrifies MBenzman

pmb600

Yes I know there is no LV edition designo, that is very aftermarket and ghetto fab. I guess I was wondering what designo interiors he finds objectionable.

mbenzman

Like I had stated, I don't like this particular one as well as some others, AND I OWN ONE THAT I DO LIKE VERY MUCH!!!! Some like blondes, some redheads and others prefer same sex. I prefer a talented voluptuous brunette female although I have not tried all the possible combinations I am happy with my own tastes. I shall not argue yours!

I am not stating that you will or won't like it, I stated the owner likes it.
The seats, door panels and wood, to me and others that have seen the car in my shop, all stated their displeasure at casting their gaze upon it. The seats look as if they had been transplanted from a King Ranch (no disrespect meant for the king ranch as it IS a far better looking "package" than this particular designo car!
I will attempt a better desciption, maybe it'll turn you on, maybe off, either way, who cares.

The natural seats (rawhide color which are not uniform in color like a saddle) look out of place, not just color, the theme. It is very noticible from a distance. After approaching and having been stunned by the seats you notice a similar colored strip in the black (charcoal) door panels. It then will strike you as if a desperate attempt to tie the seats in was made.

The colors just don't belong together, in that car at least. It hasn't grown on me either, at least not yet, but probably never! Sorry!
The TT I referred to was purchased at auction cheap, and had a saddle set of seats which looked out of place (I will call ugly, not by themselves, but as part of that cars interior) as well, which got reupholstered to match the interior better before it was sold by that dealer who had it for a considerable time prior to the interior "reworking".

I have seen this on more than one designo package car. But a few do look good and that may just come down to your own personal tastes.
Each to their own.

When I referred to Louis Vuitton car interior, it wasn't meant as a M.B. example, I was just stating for an example of things which I personally don't like, I don't believe L.V.will sell material, even though there are those who appear to have reupholstered their auto interiors with his material. Not my flavor, but maybe yours.

If you would like to see what "horrifies" me, post up some pics, and I post pics of my designo. Remember though, it's what you think of yours, not I, as you are the one who lives with it, and me with mine. I'm happy.