For us, the available Designo packages and options really hit their eccentric peak in the mid 2000s and allowed new car buyers to make otherwise pedestrian Benzes stand out from the crowd. Like many of the other unique Designo cars we've featured on The MB Market, this car is another stellar example of that phenomenon.
Listed for sale here on ebay out of Seattle, Washington, this 2005 CLK55 AMG Cabriolet is already somewhat rare being only one of 662 produced for 2005. But the original purchaser's decision to check the Designo Havana (042) paintwork box makes this car markedly different from its peers for that model year. This bold bronze color follows the then-hot color trend of the mid-2000s when bronze-orange factory color options were all the rage (e.g.; the Nissan 350Z and Infiniti FX series of the era). Unlike the aforementioned japanese-offered colors for the Nissan/Infiniti, this Designo metallic color appears to have aged much more gracefully. This is most likely due to the fact that it leans closer to gold than orange in the "bronze spectrum", and the high quality development/choice of the MB Designo colors.
Coupled with the two-tone Nappa Beige/Anthracite leather interior (a.k.a. "Tanthracite"), this drop top AMG makes as much of a statement now as it did back in '05.
But it wasn't just making a statement sitting still because this car is powered by the venerable M113 V-8 producing 362 bhp and 376 ft-lbs of torque through the robust 5G transmission.
The condition of the car seems quite decent given the 75,000 miles its enjoyed over the past fifteen years and, according to the autocheck report is hasn't had any reported accidents to mar that special paintwork.
A big drawback for this particular example is the "brand new" 19" wheels and tires which, although they are OEM/AMG equipment, are obviously not correct for the car. Refitting this car with the correct set of 18" AMG double-spoke wheels all around would go a long way to making this bold color choice look properly period-eccentric, instead of clash-y and thrown together.
Due to their relatively low production numbers, the timeless ragtop look and undeniably enjoyable performance, these cars are likely to increase in value (following the explosion of the similarly-powered W210 E55) and we think era-correct, interesting color combinations like this one will lead the pack from a collector nostalgia perspective.
Thanks to one of our great instagram followers @pumaaddictrussia for sending us this unique listing.
Comments