How many vehicles (smart) actually have NON-synthetic leather?

[Mr Gus]

Yeah, well, dumbass here bought some gliptone cleaner & nourisher before finding out that the "Alcantra" is actually a branded synthetic suede "leather".

At least we have some real leather on another vehicle.

So how many real leathers were / are there across the Smart ranges?

When did we slip from vinyl (as was described for years) vs leather ..to leather that is not (but is apparantly acceptable).

When folk on here talk of faults in leather I have no clue as to REAL REAL, or well marketed plastic looky-likey.

[TheAlmostInvisibleMan]

The fake stuff in the smart is Mercedes Artico (at least it is in my non-Brabus 453)

100% Deceptive advertising

Some proper Brabus variants may well be proper leather, but I don’t think all.

[137699]

If it is described as Artico - then it is manmade suede.
If it is described as leather - then it is animal hide.


Certainly all the "leather" on the Roadster & 450 ranges was actual animal hide.


Not very good hide admittedly - and microns thin and veneered onto a manmade fabric - but animal nonetheless and no good for vegetarians or vegans.

[TheAlmostInvisibleMan]

If it is described as Artico - then it is manmade suede.

You're mistaking Artico for suede, Artico is leather look-a-like, Alcantara is a suede look-a-like.

If it is described as leather - then it is animal hide.

Wrong - that's the problem, mercedes market Artico as leather (making you assume it's animal hide), when it's clearly not. This is definitely the case with the 453.


From the 453 brochure:

prime- 15-inch5-twin-spoke alloy wheels painted in black with a high-sheenfinish
Panoramic roof with sunprotection¹>
Radiator trim in black²Interior
Dashboard and door centre panel in black fabric

Dashboard instruments with cockpit clock and rev counter

Grab handle for front passenger

Upholstery in black leather with grey topstitching

It's not leather when they say it is!

[TheAlmostInvisibleMan]

https://uk.motor1.com/news/306051/me...-compensation/


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...synthetic.html

Certainly all the "leather" on the Roadster & 450 ranges was actual animal hide.
Not very good hide admittedly - and microns thin and veneered onto a manmade fabric - but animal nonetheless and no good for vegetarians or vegans.

Maybe the Brabus variants....

[137699]

You're mistaking Artico for suede, Artico is leather look-a-like, Alcantara is a suede look-a-like.

I had Artico in my A45 - it looked like this:





Quite clearly suede and NOT described as Alcantara.

Wrong - that's the problem, mercedes market Artico as leather (making you assume it's animal hide), when it's clearly not. This is definitely the case with the 453.

I was referring to 450 & 452 - as I clearly stated.

[honbeat]

The 452 /roadster was fake leather .Treated mine for years with leather cleaner, then about four years ago found out it was faux.

[137699]

The 452 /roadster was fake leather .Treated mine for years with leather cleaner, then about four years ago found out it was faux.

How exactly did you "find out it was faux"?
Considering it is NOT faux and is actual animal hide, I'd love to see the evidence...

[BG04NNB]

We must be lucky, the seats in our RC are definitely real animal hide and far from being wafer thin they feel like good quality hide, they have survived 80,000 miles with barely a blemish, they have been fed with gliptone every year though.