Lexus’ new RC coupe, which goes on sale in the fall, will offer a shimmering finish thanks to a special painting process that involves the application of no less than four base coats. The new finish, shown here in a bright red that not even Rudolph’s nose can match, uses a twin-color base of both silver and red.
The finish is achieved through a meticulous process using four base coats of paint which are then baked twice. Layers of colored and clear coating are used to control some of the color’s reflections and establish a balance between the brightness and depth--two elements that traditionally work against each other.
First, a base coat of silver is applied and then covered in a clear coat. Next, the clear coat is covered by a translucent red coat, which is then topped with another clear coat, making four in total.
As a result, light hitting the paint reflects off the red layer but also off the silver layer deep below, which adds depth and a metallic highlight to the red coloration. Prior to this new process, Lexus simply used base coats with the same color tone (in this case, it would have been red and red).
Lexus is yet to mention if the special paint finish will be standard on the RC or whether it will be a costly option.
The RC made its world debut last month at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show and will go on sale in the fall as a 2015 model. At next month’s 2014 Detroit Auto Show, Lexus is expected to roll out ahigh-performance RC F variant.
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