Peugeot has announced a new textured paint finish, which it describes as a ‘world-first.’ The matt paintwork, designed to be granular to the touch, will be available initially in two colours for the updated Peugeot 208, which made its debut at the 2015 Geneva motor show.
Peugeot’s textured paint: the science bit
Backed by an international patent, Peugeot says the new paint is the fruit of four years of technical development.
The lower layers of paintwork remain the same – the primer, base colour and anti-corrosion stuff – the difference is in the lacquer, which contains fine particles of silica (which gives the paint its matt finish) and ‘micro balloons’ of polyamide (and it’s these that result in the characteristic texture).
Is this fancy paint just about aesthetics?
Nope. It may look nice enough, but it has other functions. It’s said to be more hard-wearing and easier to care for than conventional matt paint. And at the same time, it offers better resistance to micro-scratching, protecting the car from the dreaded tunnels of the car wash.
Is it expensive?
Same price as one of Peugeot’s more conventional pearlescent colours: £645. The textured paint will be available from June 2015 in two colours: Ice Grey and Ice Silver. No orange peel here…