You might be more used to sitting on porcelain in the smallest room in the house and wrapping yourself in a cashmere scarf – but these expensive materials are making their way into the car world.
A couple of recent launches suggest the trend for ultra-exclusive materials is growing. At the top end of the market, perhaps inevitably, but nonetheless we’re witnessing a new trend for touchy-feely luxury.
The porcelain Bugatti
First up was the recent Bugatti Veyron L’Or Blanc, or white gold. It was built in collaboration with Königliche Porzellan-Manufatur of Berlin, a German porcelain specialist.
This one-off special edition has seven different porcelain items of trim, including a caviar tray in the centre console. It’s a material we’re going to see more of in future Bugattis, according to new CEO Wolfgang Durheimer.
‘No-one has thought of this, but it is quite beautiful, and not susceptible to variations in temperature,’ Durheimer told CAR.
Mercedes-Benz S-class: silk and cashmere
It doesn’t stop with porcelain. The new Mercedes S-class will reportedly bristle with special materials, as Stuttgart hopes to leapfrog competition from BMW and Audi with a synaesthetic blend of silks, cashmere and even banana wood.
Should make a nice change from the recent obsession with cold, man-made carbonfibre and other harsh materials. But will we have to dry clean our car interiors from now on?
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