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Paint goes high-tech in cars of the future
What's next: Cool colors, exterior paints that "heal" scratches, shimmery hues.
Anita Lienert / Special to The Detroit News
If you're tired of monochromatic black cabins in your cars and trucks, get ready for a change.
Auto designers tell me that "chocolate is the new black." The Chrysler Imperial concept sedan at the Detroit auto show is an excellent example, with its ivory-and-chocolate interior and its unusual brown exterior color.
"We call that Chrysler bronze," said Margaret Hackstedde, who is in charge of interior trim at the Chrysler Group, referring to the Imperial's exterior paint scheme.
Hackstedde said consumers should expect to see that striking color on upcoming production Chryslers.
Automotive researchers are also coming up with new ways to preserve those stunning paint jobs, especially once they face real-world situations, such as grocery-store parking lots or gravel roads.
Nissan, for instance, is launching a "self-healing" paint technology that is expected to eventually show up on its production cars and trucks. It's going to add several hundred dollars in cost per vehicle, but it will sustain the "new car" look longer and let you avoid the messy task of trying to cover the scratch yourself.
The paint technology was developed by Nissan, Nippon Paint Co. and four other paint manufacturers.
It automatically fills in small scratches using an elastic resin clear coating which gels to fill in the gap.
Tiny scratches can be fixed immediately by applying heat to the area. Bigger scratches will disappear in about a week at room temperature.
The coating is designed to work with any paint color and can provide protection for up to three years. This new paint technology is expected to be more scratch-resistant than other clear coatings.
It is designed to withstand the abrasions caused by automated car wash systems. Nissan notes such damages account for the majority of paint blemishes.
The paint technology will debut first on the Nissan X-Trail SUV, a car-based crossover which is built in Japan and China and also sold in Europe.
In the future, look for automotive suppliers to begin experimenting with other unusual exterior finishes and materials, such as textiles.
Also, some European chemists are creating new, shimmering colors that change with the surrounding temperature or humidity.
Anita Lienert can be reached at conseye@aol.com
What's next: Cool colors, exterior paints that "heal" scratches, shimmery hues.
Anita Lienert / Special to The Detroit News
If you're tired of monochromatic black cabins in your cars and trucks, get ready for a change.
Auto designers tell me that "chocolate is the new black." The Chrysler Imperial concept sedan at the Detroit auto show is an excellent example, with its ivory-and-chocolate interior and its unusual brown exterior color.
"We call that Chrysler bronze," said Margaret Hackstedde, who is in charge of interior trim at the Chrysler Group, referring to the Imperial's exterior paint scheme.
Hackstedde said consumers should expect to see that striking color on upcoming production Chryslers.
Automotive researchers are also coming up with new ways to preserve those stunning paint jobs, especially once they face real-world situations, such as grocery-store parking lots or gravel roads.
Nissan, for instance, is launching a "self-healing" paint technology that is expected to eventually show up on its production cars and trucks. It's going to add several hundred dollars in cost per vehicle, but it will sustain the "new car" look longer and let you avoid the messy task of trying to cover the scratch yourself.
The paint technology was developed by Nissan, Nippon Paint Co. and four other paint manufacturers.
It automatically fills in small scratches using an elastic resin clear coating which gels to fill in the gap.
Tiny scratches can be fixed immediately by applying heat to the area. Bigger scratches will disappear in about a week at room temperature.
The coating is designed to work with any paint color and can provide protection for up to three years. This new paint technology is expected to be more scratch-resistant than other clear coatings.
It is designed to withstand the abrasions caused by automated car wash systems. Nissan notes such damages account for the majority of paint blemishes.
The paint technology will debut first on the Nissan X-Trail SUV, a car-based crossover which is built in Japan and China and also sold in Europe.
In the future, look for automotive suppliers to begin experimenting with other unusual exterior finishes and materials, such as textiles.
Also, some European chemists are creating new, shimmering colors that change with the surrounding temperature or humidity.
Anita Lienert can be reached at conseye@aol.com
