Dubai’s Emirates partners with Mercedes for new first class suite

Dubai carrier Emirates has enlisted the help of German automotive company Mercedes-Benz and motoring journalist Jeremy Clarkson for a redesign of its Boeing 777 interiors.

The multi-million-dollar upgrade, built in collaboration with Boeing, Rockwell Collins, Jacques Pierre Jean Design Studio, Panasonic and Teague, includes a new 84-inch first class product with 40 square feet of personal space per suite.

This will reduce the number of first class seats from eight to six.

The design of each suite is inspired by Mercedes, with soft leather seating, high-tech control panels and widescreen high definition televisions, as well as mood lighting.

There is also a lie-flat bed mode for sleeping, a hatch for cabin crew to deliver food orders and storage space via an overhead compartment and full length cupboard.

Suites positioned in the middle of the cabin have artificial windows linked to high-definition cameras on the exterior of the plane.

Emirates has enlisted auto journalist and The Grand Tour star Jeremy Clarkson to market the product in an advertising campaign designed to highlight its automotive inspirations.

Also included in the revamp is a redesigned business class seat inspired by the interior of a modern sports car. It includes a diamond stitch pattern on a full leather cover, with ergonomic headrest, 72 inches of space, a fully flat sleeping position, several personal lighting options and a privacy panel.

Meanwhile in economy, the carrier has adopted a soft grey and blue colour pallette with ergonomically designed seats and full leather headrests.

The flooring and lavatories have also been redesigned in each class.

The first Boeing 777-300ERs featuring the new design will operate flights to Geneva and Brussels from December 1.

Read: Emirates to introduce new Boeing 777 first class cabin next month

Emirates president Sir Tim Clark said the product would be rolled out to eight or nine 777-300ERs in total by the end of 2019.

The design will also be used on Emirates Airbus A380 interiors in the future.