27T

I'm curious if the piping on the seats designate it as being equipped with leather. Most MLs do not have the piping.

dougiebear

ALMOST ALL do or the seat form is near impossible to hold in normal cases anyway.
The designio does not but it is many small pieces and different form

punisher

NO pipieing is on lugano or Artico w166 seats. I am a seat builder who helped launch the w166 in cottondale Alabama 1 mile from Mercedes Benz. I have 2 AMG w166 front seats in Black lugano for sale. AMG's are the top of the line, they have NO pipeing at all.

27T

Not sure you understand what I am asking.

I've had many cars without piping. And most MLs do not have it either. My brother's old Range did and I'm guessing that was for aesthetics not "hold".

27T

Interesting.

Both photos are from ML350s. First photo is from a $55K model and the second is from a $65K model.

punisher

Your 1st question sounds like your asking if pipeing is only to distinguish leather from artico ? Pipeing is indeed for asthetics only NOT for support and structure. Depending on the grade of leather and or if it is artico or not. Double stitching is used more for structure BUT can also inhance the asthetics of the design. The AMG's use both with or without pipeing. The pictures you posted look like they are both artico material. The 55,000 dollar model is the base model in the W166, they usualy only have artico but as you go up in price and excessories you will probably get leather.

dougiebear

Punisher is there not internal piping in every seat???? On Artico between the seam and the deco stiching???? If not guess I'm wrong. But I love the piping. So correct what "expert" Sales guy told me. Is there in every Artico seat one leather piece on the seats outside bottom bolster? The one that wears the fastest/most. I thought it was brilliant. He says it become obvious when wear starts to show. Rougher first but stay strong.

dougiebear

Wifey Textile Wizzard says Both. Seats are not clothes so on ur own :o))

punisher

NO to both questions. There is NO internal pipeing between the fabric, or leather. Also there is no leather peice on the outside of the bottom bolster. SORRY!

Most leather or lugano seats come with a foam backing that has a thin peice of fabric on one side of it, SO when the leather is sewn together it will have a thicker Selvage seam due to the thickness of the foam that is sewn in with it. The selvage seams will go inside of a troft in the foam in order to hide the thickness of the seam. Otherwise you would have a bulge where the seams are. The seat cushion trim is clipped into a pan, so what you will have is, trim, foam and a pan, The trim is pulled over the pan and clipped underneath it. The only wear points that I know of would be from the outer plastics that are installed on outboard side of seat, were the switches are. Thats also the bolster your refering to.
If you get some free time go by your dealer and get a close look at each style of seat.

Tell wifey she may be right but its still a mercedes, THE BEST OR NOTHING !! HEHE )

dougiebear

Helpful Thanks
So I guess this year, yes piping means leather unless AMG/Designio not sure about the sport seats
(Greg will surely tell us and pics too I hope)
2013 is new again with Artico having perforations like the ventilated seats.

In 2011 the Grand Editions had piping in Artico and leather

YYZ-E55

On non-AMG/non-designo models, yes, the piping designates leather. ML63 has leather standard with optional designo nappa.

Leather (white piping):


ARTICO (no piping):


Leather (dark piping):

jean7of9

YYZ: All those links are opening the mbworld VIN decoder page. No jpg. Also the Designo Leather is Standard on the ML-63. I placed my order on this basis and it is confirmed on my contract. Is there a hidden surprise coming for 2013?

dougiebear

They opened for me.
Small correction on ML63 there are only 3 Designio color choices in 1 style.
In a true Designio order the choice is near limitless. So is the price :o) enjoy it looks awesome.

27T

Thanks.

I saw the cars in person today and confirmed my assumption. The 65k model did have leather and the 55k model had MBtex. I prefer the stitched look of MBtex to the piping of leather but it was rough compared to the soft and smooth piping.

On a related note, the leather ML had the ventilated seats. These things are incredible compared to any vented seats I've experienced in other cars. The seats have intake vents behind the seat to help bring in air and it makes a world of difference.

dougiebear

On an other thread they said those were exhausts and the seats suck in air from the seat perforations did you test them? Or assume like I did lol

27T

I did test them. Actually the driver side didn't work and made a squeal. Funny how some of the demos I am doing with the new ML are not going smoothly -see my parktronic post.

Well I sat on the passenger side and it performed markedly better than any vent seat I've experienced. It worked so well that I figured that it was forcing air in. A lot of air. It could have been sucking air out. I don't know. Maybe that's the reason for its impressive performance over other vented seats.

27T

Here's a photo of the back seat area. Vents on rear of front seat is circled in red.

YYZ-E55

Globally designo leather is not standard on the 63, it was a MB Canada (and MBUSA) decision to make it standard for those markets. In other markets, the base 63 has standard (non-nappa) leather with a designo leather upgrade option. You have no concerns.
Actually your choice is limited to 3 designo colors and the price is $0 (included in base MSRP) for Canada/USA.

YYZ-E55

I'm sure you know, but just to be clear - you can only get 401 climate comfort seats in conjunction with leather (not with ARTICO).

27T

Yes, I do. Too bad actually, because it would be a great option to check off on the order sheet while ordering MBtex since it will be perforated for 2013, according to the order sheet Greg posted.

Is MBtex still planned to include perforation for 2013?