What are the first things you think of when you describe your Mercedes-Benz? You would probably mention the paint color. Perhaps you would continue on to talk about the supple leather, or the indestructible MB-Tex. Whether you are talking about a vintage Signal Red SL that has become a family heirloom, or a trusty ivory beige turbodiesel from the 80s, Mercedes-Benz has always offered an array of unique customization options for their vehicles. In fact, color is an important aspect of Mercedes-Benz’s history.

Mercedes-Benz' traditional silver has a racing lineage dating back to the 1930s in Grand Prix racing. In 1934, the W25 racer was originally painted white, but after being weighed on the scale prior to the Eifelrennen at the Nürburgring, it weighed in at one kilogram too heavy. What was the solution? Remove all the lead-based paint, thus revealing the silver aluminum underneath. After winning the race, the Silver Arrow name was born. The original car has been commemorated with several special edition vehicles in later years, all dubbed “Silver Arrow.” Mercedes-Benz colors evolved again in the 1960s as the company began to oversee bespoke customization for vehicles such as the legendary 600; a vehicle that could be tailored to suit customer requests.

In 1995, Mercedes-Benz launched the Designo program. This special service allowed customers to customize their vehicles to their own tastes with a wide variety of paint, leather, and trim options. The Designo program evolved into what is now called Designo Manufaktur Individualization.

Designo customization is a bespoke process that adds 8-12 weeks to a vehicle's production schedule. All customization is done on the original production line, using Designo pieces manufactured in the Designo workshop by a team of craftsmen. Overseeing this process for Mercedes-Benz USA is Paul La Penta. Paul is a manager overseeing Designo, EQ, and Cross-Carline product management.

Paul has always had a passion for the Mercedes-Benz marque. He remembers his parents taking him to a Mercedes-Benz dealership as a child to look at the various models and color samples available. Paul fondly remembers his first experience with Designo; a brand new 2000 W220 S-Class painted in Espresso Brown. This obscure color choice prompted Paul to learn more about the Designo program. Little did he know his new interest would spawn his future career.

“I started at Mercedes-Benz as an intern back in New Jersey," Paul says. "I was eventually hired in a rotational program within Mercedes-Benz which allowed me to experience different areas of the company.” Paul started managing Smart products in 2011. He decided to follow his passion for Designo, and eventually became the manager for AMG/Designo products, working on a variety of AMG and Designo products and customer strategy. Paul began developing the Designo Manufaktur program and has now been with Mercedes-Benz USA for 12 years and counting. Outside his career with Mercedes-Benz, Paul has been a member of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America since 2006. Paul has owned several Designo gems himself, such as his current W211 E550 finished in Designo Mocha Black over Pastel Yellow leather, and a 2005 Designo CL600 which sacrificed itself to save his life in a collision. 

What is Designo?

Designo separates into three branches; Designo, Designo Manufaktur, and G Manufaktur. Designo offers special Designo paint colors and interior materials for select models which are available within the dealer ordering process. If you wish to go a step further with your customization, you can opt for the Designo Manufaktur program; internally known as PA1. The designo Manufaktur program allows low volume, one off customer requests to be brought to fruition. This program aims to satisfy the desires of the customer who wants to own a Mercedes-Benz that is uniquely theirs. The G Manufaktur program is uniquely for G-Class vehicles. This program was launched in 2014, since the G-Class is the number one most requested model for special paints. Over 30 paints are available to cater to the wide customer base of the Galendewagen. “Our customers see the G-Class as a model which allows them to express themselves. Alongside the extensive color list, there are other options to be had such as leather wrapped grab handles” said La Penta.

Paul has found an appeal in ordering modern Mercedes-Benz vehicles in vintage colors. This not peaks the interest of many classic enthusiasts, but has also set trends and created demand for heritage colors within the world of manufacturer customization. He references archives, hunting for colors that were offered by Mercedes-Benz in the 1970s through the 1990s. For example, he has ordered a 2019 Mercedes-AMG E63 in China Blue; a color offered on the W123 E-Class. “Since Mercedes-Benz product lines have such a rich model lineage, I thought it would be fun to bring heritage colors to new models. Colors such as China Blue, Arabian Grey, and Deep green. I built an S600 Maybach in Arabian Grey over Classic Red leather, a color combo you would typically see on a Mercedes-Benz 600 of the 1960s” said La Penta. This program is appealing to many Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts who wish to bring the charm of their vintage Mercedes-Benz with them to the modern day. In fact, vintage Mercedes-Benz often serve as a muse for their modern creations.

“Generally, a customer will communicate to their dealer the desire to order a car within the Designo Manufaktur program. The dealership will then work with us at the headquarters. Although some requests are so specific, we must speak directly to the customer” said La Penta. One customer had fond memories in his father’s deep green over Cognac 450SL, and wanted to emulate the colors in an AMG-GT Coupe. Paul was able to fulfill this request, even going to the extent of color-matching the cargo area in light brown Dynamica to match the interior. There is one customer request that Paul will never forget. One client had requested a car interior to match one of their designer handbags. The color in question was not only a very particular hide of leather, but also a very specific shade of brown. Paul had sent over some samples for the customer to look at, all of which were not a close enough match to the handbag. In an effort to fulfill this dream, the customer sent Paul a handbag as a reference sample. Whilst some customers want to match their handbags to their Mercedes-Benz interior, others seek a theme within their fleet of vehicles. “I have built cars for clients who have a signature color that defines them, and they want their entire collection of cars to match in color” said La Penta.

Paul was kind enough to give the author an exclusive view into the various Designo Cars located at MBUSA. He graciously selected a few of his one-off favorites. Featured include a Designo Manufaktur China Blue E63 over Two Tone Platinum white / black Nappa Leather, Designo Manufaktur S63 painted in Designo Graphite Grey Magno over Designo Classic Red, and an S600 Maybach painted in Designo Manufaktur Teide Light Grey over Designo Savannah Nappa leather. Paul has shown us that he has not only helped people make a special vehicle even better, but that there is no better person to run the Designo individualization program.