8 August 2001: Mercedes-Benz A-Class cars in Brazil are different to anywhere else in the world in one respect: their seats are stuffed with coconut fibre.

The selection of the material for the locally-built small Merc came after a lot of testing and was led both by an attempt to cut import costs and a wish to do something environmentally-friendly.

The fibre replaces polyuerthane material, and the project is part of Poverty and the Environment in the Amazon (POEMA). POEMA puts emphasis on using recycled products and emphasizes renewable resources, along with improving the quality of life and increasing the income of families in local areas.