I've always enjoyed the bits of quality in our interiors which you don't find anywhere else (well, maybe Rolls Royce)

My 190E's B-pillars (which hold front seatbelts) are covered from bottom to top in leather (might be MB-Tex to match my interior), as are my C-pillars. So were the W126's I drove recently. On the later MBs I have seen, particularly a 1998 W210 E300 Turbodiesel, this isn't the case, and the B-pillars (I think C-pillars too) just use the same rough felt as used for the roof lining.

At what point did Mercedes start cutting back on the use of quality interior materials, and has it returned on any of the new models?

I've seen no other cars with quality covered B and C pillars, but while I haven't looked that hard, it's certainly not on the latest BMW 3-series and 540i and our Audi A8 (surprise, that one, rest of interior is lovely) though all have leather seats. Anyone know any other quality interior cars?

I'm sounding fanatical, but I'm not, I just hate such obvious and blatant accountant-pleasing at the sacrifice of MBs tradition and reputation.

My interior, crap picture:

Attached Thumbnails

 

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190E's:
2.5-16v 1990 90,000m Astral Silver
2.0E 8v 1986 107,000m Black 2nd owner
http://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall.jpghttp://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall2.jpg

While we're on interiors, this W124 has wood on the door going all the way back to the rear of the door. Some don't, it stops halfway - what gives? Is it a xxxE/Exxx difference? I think this one's a 500E or E500.





later!

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190E's:
2.5-16v 1990 90,000m Astral Silver
2.0E 8v 1986 107,000m Black 2nd owner
http://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall.jpghttp://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall2.jpg

The W124's with less wood are pre-90 models I think....

My 123C doesn't have a B-Pillar :p so I don't really know

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2008 BMW 335i Coupe

I guess that's another thing: why the B-pillar on the CLK? The other MB coupes all look soo much better, as they don't have it.

__________________
190E's:
2.5-16v 1990 90,000m Astral Silver
2.0E 8v 1986 107,000m Black 2nd owner
http://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall.jpghttp://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall2.jpg

I think the major reason for the pillar was cost and weight. Cost because with the pillar, they could just cut up an E-class and have a coupe, weight because in order to maintain the same level of structural rigidity without a b-pillar, quite a bit more metal has to be added.

Definitely agree with the cost part - especially as it's actually based on the W202 C-class not the E-class.

later!

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190E's:
2.5-16v 1990 90,000m Astral Silver
2.0E 8v 1986 107,000m Black 2nd owner
http://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall.jpghttp://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall2.jpg

hehehe... shows how much I know about the CLK... although I should have figured somethign out considering its a CLK, and not an ELK.