Ferrari and cutting-edge technology are synonymous with each other, but most people think of powerful high-revving engines and the latest suspension designs rather than the shiny stuff on the body panels. Ferrari has in fact invested significant time and money into the shiny paintwork you see on its cars and was one of the first manufacturers in the world to introduce a water-based paint system back in 2004. Fast-forward 14-years and thanks to its on-going collaboration with PPG, Ferrari is now the very first car manufacturer to adopt the newly available Low Cure clear coat paint technology.

This system uses a specially formulated clearcoat which lowers baking temperatures by 50% to 100 degrees. According to Ferrari, this cuts energy usage and improves the sustainability of the process and there are a number of other benefits too. The resins used not only contain a hardener that enhances the coatings chemical and mechanical resistance, but it also makes it possible to bake carbon-fiber and composite components together with the bodyshell. This means that color consistency should be kept the same over the various body components.

Ferrari has so far industrialized a process that can produce 61 differing basecoat colors through combining metallic basecoats with either a gloss or matte clear coat. While mechanical developments tend to command the most attention, this kind of innovation in paint technology will ensure that your prized Ferrari will retain its shiny luster for many years to come.