There is no doubt about it, Mercedes-Benz is and has always been synonymous with luxury, giving drivers and passengers not just what they need but everything they want. Mercedes-Benz Vans however are not generally thought of the same – instead of being thought of as luxury cruisers, they’re bought instead for their safety and function. That sentiment no longer holds true however as Carisma Auto Design restyled the Mercedes Viano, making it a custom first class transporter.
The Carisma Viano is for travelers who want a first class luxury with all the amenities expected from the very best limo but without the unwanted attention. It is also the perfect solution for business travelers that want all the comfort and function found in their own private office. It is completely customizable to fit your style tastes and according to Carisma is limited only by your imagination. Carisma Auto Design claims that because of its bespoke nature, no two clients will have the same Viano conversions.
For the interior of the Viano, Carisma sources leather only from barbed-wire-free countries and each installation is designed, hand-built and fitted by master craftsmen who learned their trade restoring classic cars to concourse condition.
Carisma offers the standard options, Windows or Apple on-board operating system, paired with a Bang & Olufsen sound system for optimum multimedia enjoyment.. But no request is to extreme, recent client requests have included solid crystal ashtrays and champagne flutes; integrated fountain pens and ink wells; 42-inch TV’s and refrigeration units.
As Carisma Auto Design’s Sales and Marketing Director, Clive Drake, explains: “Many of our clients are high-profile heads of states, celebrities or important business people, it is therefore not always possible for them to travel around in a conspicuous luxury limousine, however they still want the luxury and comfort that is provided by such a vehicle, this is where the Viano from Carisma comes in. Satisfying special and unusual requests is a key part of our specialist skills and services. Clients come to us because they know that we can achieve the impossible and deliver a vehicle to them that exceeds their expectations. Trust me, we’ve been asked to incorporate some truly outlandish features, but we still manage to integrate them seamlessly into the vehicle’s interior.”
Find out more at the Carisma site.
Though you can hardly tell, being that all the body panels have been replaced, the car in the photos started out as a 2005 Mercedes-Benz CL500. It’s the work of a custom builder from Lithuania who named it after another semi-famous coachbuilder for roadsters.
The biggest focal point on the car is the 30-inch rear wheels, coupled with 24-inch ones in the back. Did we mention it has spinner? If that isn’t “classy” enough for you, the front and rear emblems were coated in 24-carat gold.
The interior is entirely handcrafted, the dash, seats, doors, and headliner have been trimmed in beautiful beige leather, Alcantara, and limited edition Swarovski fabric. Furthermore, all the buttons and switches have been replaced by Swarovski crystals, together with the gear knob and camera operating joystick. Bling, Bling!
Sadly, all this work was for nothing, because the car exchanged hands at the RM London event for just £35,840, basically the same money it would have been worth if they never had done anything to it.
Via: AutoEvolution