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What is your favourite car in your life?


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The specifications for the "Carat Cullinan" were as follows:

 

First and foremost all exterior parts of the Carat Cullinan, including bumpers, sideskirts and wing mirrors, were sprayed using the "Japan Technique", which was a very exclusive finish and involved 48 layers of paint, 30 of which were clear varnish. The exact way of aplication was kept secret, even journalists visiting the Duchatelet factory weren't allowed to have a look in the spray booth. Carat The Carat Cullinan could be fitted with new Duchatelet designed bumpers and sideskirts. The Carat Cullinan could be fitted with new rims, which usually were the Centra type 31 wheels. An electrically operated sun roof above the front seats with a special air rim in the roof which reduced wind noise.

 

The most important modifications on most Carat by Duchatelet cars are however to be found on the inside and there were plenty: the finest leather everywhere, 15 hides were used to cover the complete interior including the roof liner, steeringwheel, seats, all pillars, dashboard and centre console. The seats were completely re-designed for better back support. Easy to spot are the new headrests which are much larger than the standard Mercedes-Benz items, and make it easy for anyone to recognize a Carat by Duchatelet car. Except for leather Duchatelet also added a lot of very high quality walnut-veneer wood. Lambswool carpets were placed to cover the floor of the car. A small centre console was added to function as an armrest with storagespace and the dashboard was modified by Duchatelet to accomodate a small storage compartment for a carphone or other personal items. An optional TV could be placed filling the glovecompartment. The obvious high-end stereosystem could of course also be ordered from Duchatelet.

 

Needless to say the Carat by Duchatelet "Carat Cullinan" conversion was rather pricey. A 1985 pricelist shows there was a "Standard Carat Cullinan" and a "Luxury Carat Cullinan": the standard 70.000DM (German pricelist) and the luxury version 100.000DM. But prices could rise considerably when you went to the options-list: 9.000DM for the in-dash color TV, a video-system placed underneath the rear seats 10.500DM and a Cartier-clock for 1.300DM. The list of option was rather endless, so it would be no problem to convert your 500SEL for another 200.000DM. Remember, the prices are all without the basevehicle!

The "Carat Cullinan" could also be fitted with an SEC bonnet. This also included the front-bumper of the SEC.stripped version of the "Carat Cullinan" interior: equiped with modified seats, both front and rear, burr-walnut capping, deep-piled carpets on the floor, leather on every surface, picnic tables mounted on the front seats, a small centre console which doesn't have the Cartier clock. Much better than a standard W126 S-class, but a "Carat Cullinan" could be so much more....

I LOVE IT :D :D

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