Mercedes-Benz brings the matte

Long the purview of aftermarket tuners rejecting the glitz of the gloss, matte finishes are slowly finding their way onto automakers’ show stands and into dealership showrooms. Hyundai broke new ground at the Detroit Auto Show this week in announcing the availability of the new Veloster Turbo in flat grey, but the Korean automaker isn’t the only one offering the anti-shine treatment direct from the factory and displaying it on the floor of Cobo Hall.

Through its Designo program – a range of over-and-above options provided by AMG – Mercedes-Benz offers a selection of matte finishes for some of its higher-end models. The palette currently includes white, flat silver, dark grey and black, but is being expanded to include additional colors (and wider availability), starting with brown and hopefully extending to some of the shades Maserati and its sister brands have been displaying lately.