Comments on: The Sweet Smell of Luxury: That New Car Scent

By: Jackie

Jackie — Mon, 02 May 2011 22:25:41 +0000

Since that new car smell comes primarily from glue, plastics and vinyls it doesn’t surprise me at all that it’s harmful and most likely toxic. not just cars per se; once I bought a vinyl shower curtain and the plastic smell was so strong and toxic that I had to return it. Probably best to drive down with the windows down to air it out in the beginning. I read that a high content of VOC can increase your chances of cancer.

By: Gunnar

Gunnar — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 15:49:57 +0000

Bobby, I remember that ‘vintage’ well. It was slightly different than the magnificent scent of the 90′s Vanden Plas, but no less fine. Super fine, actually.

By: bobby

bobby — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:47:24 +0000

My 86′ Vanden Plas has that very smell to it. They are Connolly Autolux hides and the entire cabin is leather. I can still remember the day I bought the car and felt so special as I drove it home, that heady Connolly leather aroma permeating the interior. No other car I’ve owned since has had that effect on me. 25 years on it still has that intense rich smell. If anything it has gotten better with age.

Amazing that seemingly ordinary materials shared by so many manufacturer’s can convey such a sense of well being for a driver.

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Mon, 12 Apr 2010 08:21:13 +0000

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By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 06:44:44 +0000

Hmm, that is interesting. I remember w215 CLs having a very distinct smell inside, from what I believe was something coconut based. Several CL500s to me often smelled like, well, um…pot. Though maybe that was due to the driver.

By: Gunnar

Gunnar — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 02:25:37 +0000

Interestingly, the Mercedes Classic Center is replacing vintage seats on select old models that were originally made with horse hair to ones that are now made with the inside of coconut shells. This, too, affects the car’s interior scent.

By: Sybarite

Sybarite — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 23:02:54 +0000

LOVE the rich leather aroma! Although lately there were stories about how the ‘new car smell’ was hazardous, guess that’s why they stopped that.

By: Brad Starcevich

Brad Starcevich — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 14:59:16 +0000

Gunnar,

Wow, great post!! Olfactic memories of my early Jags came rushing back. You are quite right about Jaguar leather, especially early Jag leather. My ’87 XJ had that voluptuous aroma, but I don’t remember the scent of my later Jags being nearly as wonderful. Thanks, Gunnar.

Best, Brad

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 05:49:01 +0000

From what I understand, reducing VOCs in a car interior shouldn’t harm the rich scent of leather. Toyotas as of a few years ago had such a strong smell of plastics and glues that many customers complained of headaches.

The best smells in cars are from the natural materials including not only leather, but also natural seat stuffing. This is the reason a Mercedes even from the 1960s features a unique smell. In contrast whenever I’ve found myself in a Subaru that has been sitting in the sun for a few hours, the smell is rather nasty. Then again, maybe I’ve got a different sense of smell.