Mercedes-Benz debuts $27,000 trim, $24,000 paint options in Australia
Marketed under the Manufaktur Exclusive banner, there are 50 new exterior colours and 20 new interior upholstery options.
There's an array of tasteful options, from rich violet exterior paints to elegant emerald upholstery. However, the Manufaktur Exclusive range also includes lurid green and orange exterior finishes, and bright yellow and Kermit the Frog-style green upholstery options.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.
Manufaktur Exclusive upholstery options are now available for the Mercedes-Benz S580L and Mercedes-Maybach S680 limousines, and carry a price tag of $27,600 – or more than an entry-level Chery Tiggo 4 small SUV.
Not only that, but to get one of them with the S580L, you have to also tick the option box for the Business Class Package ($13,100) or Manufaktur Exclusive Interior Package ($4600).
There are 20 new upholstery combinations available, including two-tone options.
Manufaktur Exclusive exterior finishes are available across not only these two luxury limos, but also the Mercedes-AMG SL63 Roadster and GT63 Coupe.
These carry a price tag of $24,300.
There are more than 50 finishes available, including solid, metallic, Magno and Bright options. Mercedes-Benz says many of these have been 'carefully selected from a repertoire of past special models and customer requests, while others are drawn from the Mercedes-Benz design archive'.
'Whether customers favour timeless sophistication or bold individuality, the Manufaktur palette offers a level of expression beyond the ordinary,' the company says.
Of course, Mercedes-Benz isn't alone among luxury brands in offering expensive customisation options.
Porsche, for example, offers Exclusive Manufaktur Paint to Sample options costing upwards of $20,000, with over 190 colours available.
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Content originally sourced from: The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) has been testing the fuel consumption and emissions claims of automakers since 2023, and now it's expanding its testing program to look at electric vehicle (EV) range figures. The peak motoring body has released test results for five EVs analysed under its federally funded Real-World Testing Program, and found their driving range figures were anywhere between 5 and 23 per cent less than claimed in actual driving conditions. The AAA says it tests EVs on a 93km route in and around Geelong, Victoria. All were tested in a mix of damp and dry conditions, though temperatures varied from 17°C to 25°C. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. It tested a pre-facelift 2024 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, a post-facelift 2024 Tesla Model 3 RWD, a 2023 BYD Atto 3 Extended Range, a 2022 Kia EV6 Air, and a 2024 Smart #3 Premium. 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All the other vehicles also were down on claimed range, by between five and eight per cent, and used more energy than in lab testing. The sole exception was the Tesla Model Y, which had an eight per cent shorter range than claimed but used one per cent less energy. You can view more details on the AAA's Real-World Testing Program website. The AAA's Real-World Testing Program started in 2023 with $14 million of Commonwealth funding, and since then a total of 114 combustion-powered and hybrid vehicles have been assessed. The organisation specifically cites Volkswagen's 'Dieselgate' scandal of 2015 as the catalyst behind creating the program. It tests vehicles on a 93km circuit in and around Geelong, and says it "uses strict testing protocols based on European regulations to ensure results are repeatable and to minimise the influence of human factors such as driving style and changing traffic flows". Content originally sourced from: The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) has been testing the fuel consumption and emissions claims of automakers since 2023, and now it's expanding its testing program to look at electric vehicle (EV) range figures. The peak motoring body has released test results for five EVs analysed under its federally funded Real-World Testing Program, and found their driving range figures were anywhere between 5 and 23 per cent less than claimed in actual driving conditions. The AAA says it tests EVs on a 93km route in and around Geelong, Victoria. All were tested in a mix of damp and dry conditions, though temperatures varied from 17°C to 25°C. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. It tested a pre-facelift 2024 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, a post-facelift 2024 Tesla Model 3 RWD, a 2023 BYD Atto 3 Extended Range, a 2022 Kia EV6 Air, and a 2024 Smart #3 Premium. Apart from the Smart, which had just 4202km on the odometer, all had between 14,000km and 30,000km on the odometer. Here's how the five vehicles compared: The lab range figures are all based on ADR 81/02 claims, published on the government's Green Vehicle Guide. ADR 81/02 figures are based on the NEDC test cycle that's no longer employed in Europe, where it has been replaced by the WLTP cycle that's considered more realistic. Likewise, the government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) still relies on these NEDC-based figures. Many auto brands in Australia now advertise WLTP figures in their marketing, but the Green Vehicle Guide sticks with NEDC figures. In testing, the BYD Atto 3 had the greatest variances with a 23 per cent shorter range than claimed, and 21 per cent higher energy consumption. The Model 3 was found to have 14 per cent less range and six per cent greater energy consumption than claimed. All the other vehicles also were down on claimed range, by between five and eight per cent, and used more energy than in lab testing. The sole exception was the Tesla Model Y, which had an eight per cent shorter range than claimed but used one per cent less energy. You can view more details on the AAA's Real-World Testing Program website. The AAA's Real-World Testing Program started in 2023 with $14 million of Commonwealth funding, and since then a total of 114 combustion-powered and hybrid vehicles have been assessed. The organisation specifically cites Volkswagen's 'Dieselgate' scandal of 2015 as the catalyst behind creating the program. It tests vehicles on a 93km circuit in and around Geelong, and says it "uses strict testing protocols based on European regulations to ensure results are repeatable and to minimise the influence of human factors such as driving style and changing traffic flows". Content originally sourced from: The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) has been testing the fuel consumption and emissions claims of automakers since 2023, and now it's expanding its testing program to look at electric vehicle (EV) range figures. The peak motoring body has released test results for five EVs analysed under its federally funded Real-World Testing Program, and found their driving range figures were anywhere between 5 and 23 per cent less than claimed in actual driving conditions. The AAA says it tests EVs on a 93km route in and around Geelong, Victoria. All were tested in a mix of damp and dry conditions, though temperatures varied from 17°C to 25°C. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. It tested a pre-facelift 2024 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, a post-facelift 2024 Tesla Model 3 RWD, a 2023 BYD Atto 3 Extended Range, a 2022 Kia EV6 Air, and a 2024 Smart #3 Premium. Apart from the Smart, which had just 4202km on the odometer, all had between 14,000km and 30,000km on the odometer. Here's how the five vehicles compared: The lab range figures are all based on ADR 81/02 claims, published on the government's Green Vehicle Guide. ADR 81/02 figures are based on the NEDC test cycle that's no longer employed in Europe, where it has been replaced by the WLTP cycle that's considered more realistic. Likewise, the government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) still relies on these NEDC-based figures. Many auto brands in Australia now advertise WLTP figures in their marketing, but the Green Vehicle Guide sticks with NEDC figures. In testing, the BYD Atto 3 had the greatest variances with a 23 per cent shorter range than claimed, and 21 per cent higher energy consumption. The Model 3 was found to have 14 per cent less range and six per cent greater energy consumption than claimed. All the other vehicles also were down on claimed range, by between five and eight per cent, and used more energy than in lab testing. The sole exception was the Tesla Model Y, which had an eight per cent shorter range than claimed but used one per cent less energy. You can view more details on the AAA's Real-World Testing Program website. The AAA's Real-World Testing Program started in 2023 with $14 million of Commonwealth funding, and since then a total of 114 combustion-powered and hybrid vehicles have been assessed. The organisation specifically cites Volkswagen's 'Dieselgate' scandal of 2015 as the catalyst behind creating the program. It tests vehicles on a 93km circuit in and around Geelong, and says it "uses strict testing protocols based on European regulations to ensure results are repeatable and to minimise the influence of human factors such as driving style and changing traffic flows". Content originally sourced from:
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
Volkswagen ID. Buzz to drive logistics giant Down Under
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