Mercedes-Benz CLS: Apple iMac G5... instead of the usual PC systems
Cockpit and multimedia refinements
For Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini and others

MT, PR,
29th July 2006.

If the beauty of a car starts from it body design, the fact remains that we all live with that car's interior far longer than we can look at its exterior shape.

So, if exterior beauty handles the temptation language, and if performance does tickle our adrenaline, the interior design will remain the basis of our well being in any car, not just on ergonomics and functionality grounds, but also, and even especially in terms of design and aesthetics.

So, no matter how exclusive sports cars like the Porsche Carrera GT, Mercedes-Benz SLR, Ferrari Enzo or Lamborghini Murcielago can be, their interior can be made even more exclusive with specific customisation.

Customisation need not be only design oriented. It can and even has to be content-oriented, with technical innovations, especially in communication equipment. And exclusive interiors are the domain of Reinald Mattes, owner of Mattes Interieurtechnik in Bietigheim-Bissingen, near Stuttgart, Germany.

There, every detail of how the interior will be customised is discussed with the customer. There are practically no limits to the colours to choose from, whether it comes to the leather or Alcantara used, the floor and trunk carpeting or the thread for the stitching. For in addition to the extensive colour palettes from leading manufacturers, Mattes Interieurtechnik offers the option to custom-dye the high-quality materials in any desired colour – including the hue of a partner’s favourite lipstick. Just as extensive is the selection of upholstery design: smooth or gathered surfaces, square or rhomboid seam patterns...

Mattes interior customisation also accounts for special ergonomics requests. A steering wheel rim with better grip and a rim diameter matched to the driver’s hands are part of the repertoire as are custom-tailored seats.

Tall drivers can find a better and more comfortable seating position with the help of flatter upholstery. Shorter drivers appreciate a higher seating position with thicker seat upholstery. Side bolsters in the seats can be custom-tailored for more lateral support or for more comfort.

In addition, seats and seatbacks can be upholstered with Alcantara instead of leather to reduce sliding of the front occupants in fast corners.

Regardless of the colour or type of upholstery the customer chooses, the work of Mattes Interieurtechnik’s upholsterers is complemented by other stylishly integrated accessories: they include carbon-fibre trim pieces, colour-coordinated to the leather colour and precious-wood panelling in any desired wood grain, as well as colour-coordinated seatbelts and leather-covered airbag impact cushions which meet all legal safety requirements.

Mattes Interieurtechnik includes also the trunk in the overall design concept by lining it with the same materials as the interior.

Upon customer request, Mattes Interieurtechnik can also integrate state-of-the-art multimedia technology with TV, DVD and computer in the tight confines of the interior of a super sports car. Here customers’ personal preferences are only limited by aspects of occupant safety.

One example can be seen in Mattes Interieurtechnik in-car multimedia system with the Apple iMac G5 Computer for the Mercedes-Benz CLS Models.

Up until now, in-car multimedia and business systems have been usually based on PC technology.

But what about those who prefer Apple computers at home or at work? For them, the Swabian specialists developed a high-end in-car system based on the iMac G5, whose entire hardware in turn is integrated into the 17-inch monitor that is only 5 centimetres thick.

The team of Reinald Mattes placed equal emphasis on an extensive range of functionalities of the multimedia equipment as well as on the stylish integration of the Apple iMac G5 into the interior.

The upholstery specialists handcraft a full leather interior for the four-door Mercedes-Benz coupe. The new interior features a combination of magnolia- and tobacco- coloured Alcantara and leather.

In addition, diamond-shaped ornamental stitching on the seats and door panels create an even more distinguished ambiance (opposite photos).

The finest magnolia-coloured leather also covers the Apple iMac G5 computer, which is installed on the driveshaft tunnel behind the front seats.

By unplugging one cable and unfastening the locking mechanism the computer can be removed from the car in less than an a minute for use at home or in the office.

An integrated DVD player also makes use of the large 16:10 iMac display. A wireless keyboard and mouse control all office and multimedia functions of the Mac OS X operating system. Downloading photos from an external source such as a digital camera is as easy as logging on to the internet via UMTS or GPRS connection.

The Mattes Interieurtechnik multimedia system with Apple iMac G5 computer can also be integrated into any other car. Exclusive leather interiors for the Mercedes CLS start at 4,500 Euros, while the custom-tailored multimedia system starts at 3,500 Euros.

The entire palette of customisations is available also for other vehicles such as sedans, SUVs, minivans, trucks or buses.

Market-specific prices, shipping costs and other information about Mattes Interieurtechnik can be accessed directly at Reinald Mattes Interieurtechnik, by e-mailing info@mattes-interieur.de, or by calling +49 / (0) 71 42 / 22 10 80.