Why is Ferrari still using paint for cars exteriors?

So what do you suggest they use???????????????

 

I completely agree. Maybe future research in nanotechnology will lead to new materials with better properties. We're still drilling holes through wood to run electricity and plumbing into a house, so there's plenty of work to be done on multiple fronts!

 

Anodized perhaps? Wouldn't be as brilliant a color but it could be interesting.

 

Not really a paint replacement per se, but BMW is working the bugs out of matte finish paints for their cars. The current issues have to do with bird droppings, etc.

 

Mercedes has been using nanotech paint for a couple of years, at least on some models. I almost bought an SLK in '05, and the sales literature hyped this paint as being tough stuff. However I haven't heard anything about how well it's holding up.

 

Can you powder coat cars bodies?

 

This is one of the hits I got with search terms: polymer plastic car

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn_automobile
It is currently being retooled for larger cars, and the shop to produce Saturn's iconic plastic body panels is being dismantled as the company moves to conventional steel panels. Besides the obvious cost and assembly benefits to using industry-standard steel panels, Saturn's trademark polymer skins require larger gaps in between body panels to allow for heat expansion. The lack of understanding by automotive critics has led to past Saturns being periodically criticized for poor assembly quality, something that is true among sheetmetal-clad cars with larger gaps.

Though I only glossed over the article, aside from the heat-expansion issue, which Ferrari certainly must contend with, I can see why paint is the preferred medium, as it can be applied time and again to an original, repaired or replacement surface with quite satisfactory results. A single color is used and we either love it or hate it. Strides have been made to make sure more paint lands on the surface instead of masked areas or lungs during application, but...

what's more wasteful of resources for the eye-candy factor is painting disposable everything down to tiniest detail on beer and soda cans, plastic bags from the supermarket... the list goes on...

 

Done 30 years ago on the Bricklin.

 

We also have an '05 SLK 350 - nanotech paint - Caspian Blue (metallic paint - changes color in the light going from the color of the Caspian sea to dark blue to black with green -> a neat color)- holding up very well - no scratches - car retains a very glossy finish and looks brand new.

Carol

 

Not everything is replaced by advancing technology. Look at concrete for example. It has been around since the Roman Empire period and there is still nothing that can replace it. Paint is still the best overall finish on a car. That is why everyone is still using it.

 

well the F430 comes with that protective plastic(?) layer on the front and the mirrors

 

These rubber tires that go flat are pretty annoying too!

 

Ferrari needs to continue to develop more bhp and reliability out of smaller and lighter engines, create stronger and lighter chassis/body, improve safety features, incorporate faster transmissions, and better suspension setups.

Leave the paint technology improvements to someone else

 

Because very few companies innovate for the sake of innovation. Most firms simply give the Market what the customer wants.

You could anodize metal to get bright colored cars. You could light up an entire exterior with lenses/refraction. You could use a projector system or computer-screen skin.

But why would you change when you can charge from a quarter to a million $ for 100 year old paint?

That's what the customer wants; that's what the customer gets.

 

I think Nissan is working on bringing something out next year if I remember correctly. I read an article a couple of days ago about a type of coat that is supposed not scratch or should I say scratch for a little while and then push back out.

 

yeah I saw that too the clear coats "heals" sort of.

 

"Done 30 years ago on the Bricklin."

I know that car very well as I suplied all the steering wheels for it.

The panels were not much different from that of the vette. So, really there was not much difference there.

 

Ferrari a leading edge company in technology-surely you jest. The cars may be cool and everything but they still are as Enzo called them: A provential car from a provential car company-and that's how they are staying!

There is moe technology in most any other car on the road!

But I still prefer Ferrari.

 

Would Ferrari sell one more additional car if they spent money developing a super finish/paint replacement?

 

I know water born acrylics are as tough as you would ever need for road worthy finishes. There must be better solutions, like a tougher clear coat that is more protective and seamless (as tough as the 3M clear bra). I don't think they are trying to sell more cars, but what is the harm in being a leader? I think that is how Ferrari built their brand loyalty.
BT

 

I've read that they dye the F1 cars. How durable is that? Sounds like a weightsaver and a timesaver on the production line.

 

What you are asking for is Imron paint. This paint has been available for at least 25 years. http://pc.dupont.com/Phantom/content/imron-avi.html