Love for Alcantara - Cold Morning
Discussion
In days of yore, leather was the hard-wearing seat covering reserved for the chauffeur and other such menials. The seats in the back for the owner and his wife would have been trimmed in wool; a more comfortable material much better befitting his status.
I don't know when leather became all the rage and desirable for the proles to rest their backsides on but note that the rear seats of the Bentley State Limousine have covers woven from lambswool.
I don't know when leather became all the rage and desirable for the proles to rest their backsides on but note that the rear seats of the Bentley State Limousine have covers woven from lambswool.
Alcantara does feel nice but it is a very cheap material that OEM's try to push as the profit margin on it is huge compared to leather. So they market it as a high end product but its anything but.
Nick Murray puts it nicely in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aebUNgMhQV4
Nick Murray puts it nicely in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aebUNgMhQV4
OEM's don't try to 'push' it though, do they? It's recognised as a 'performance' orientated option because it's grippier, hence why it is the GTS and other GT models. Porsche will still happily sell you full leather everything if you so wish.
I agree that leather is rubbish - sweaty in summer and cold in the winter. I specced alcantara over full leather in my RS6 because of this, and it was a no cost option. No surprises that after a year, the leather part of my driver's seat is starting to look like a mini cab.
I agree that leather is rubbish - sweaty in summer and cold in the winter. I specced alcantara over full leather in my RS6 because of this, and it was a no cost option. No surprises that after a year, the leather part of my driver's seat is starting to look like a mini cab.
I test drove a McLaren 570 Spider and 720 this week - both had full alcantara interiors and it's now turned me away from leather in whatever my next car is.
Was also told that the leather seats end up with a bum shaped dip in the leather seats after a lot of use whereas the alcantara seats stay as new.
Was also told that the leather seats end up with a bum shaped dip in the leather seats after a lot of use whereas the alcantara seats stay as new.
austinsmirk said:
I can't resist saying this, after all the talk of electric cars.
one advantage of them is you can entirely pre-heat your car, via you phone.
heater, heated seats, steering wheel. Lovely stuff !
That's been an option on a few ordinary ICE cars now for years. Volvo and BMW for example.one advantage of them is you can entirely pre-heat your car, via you phone.
heater, heated seats, steering wheel. Lovely stuff !
garyhun said:
I test drove a McLaren 570 Spider and 720 this week - both had full alcantara interiors and it's now turned me away from leather in whatever my next car is.
Was also told that the leather seats end up with a bum shaped dip in the leather seats after a lot of use whereas the alcantara seats stay as new.
That's because its posh nappa leather, mine have those 'butt marks' after 4,500 miles. I had a loaner with Alcantara and I loved it too, the wife hated the smell though.Was also told that the leather seats end up with a bum shaped dip in the leather seats after a lot of use whereas the alcantara seats stay as new.
Targarama said:
garyhun said:
I test drove a McLaren 570 Spider and 720 this week - both had full alcantara interiors and it's now turned me away from leather in whatever my next car is.
Was also told that the leather seats end up with a bum shaped dip in the leather seats after a lot of use whereas the alcantara seats stay as new.
That's because its posh nappa leather, mine have those 'butt marks' after 4,500 miles. I had a loaner with Alcantara and I loved it too, the wife hated the smell though.Was also told that the leather seats end up with a bum shaped dip in the leather seats after a lot of use whereas the alcantara seats stay as new.
Blooming posh leather
RobM77 said:
austinsmirk said:
I can't resist saying this, after all the talk of electric cars.
one advantage of them is you can entirely pre-heat your car, via you phone.
heater, heated seats, steering wheel. Lovely stuff !
That's been an option on a few ordinary ICE cars now for years. Volvo and BMW for example.one advantage of them is you can entirely pre-heat your car, via you phone.
heater, heated seats, steering wheel. Lovely stuff !
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