Almost every car you are likely to buy will come out of the factory fully painted, and whilst there is always scope for additional wrapping or detailing, this basic coat of paint is far more than simply decorative.
Paint, often applied alongside a clearcoat, provides an additional layer of protection for metal components that would otherwise be vulnerable to corrosion, and given that most cars spend the vast majority of their working lives exposed to the elements, this is a critical aspect of manufacturing.
Car paints and wraps are, therefore, far more than aesthetic, and can help a vehicle to remain in better shape for longer alongside other forms of preventative maintenance.
The best way to understand why this is the case is to look at three cars that did not have a paint layer, each of which tackled the issue of corrosion in different ways to somewhat mixed results, and why a clear wrap would have been a far better option for the same effect.
Tesla Cybertruck
Part of the reason why the discussion surrounding stainless steel cars has intensified over the past year has been the rather ill-fated launch of Tesla’s tribute to the 1980 arcade game Battlezone in the form of the Cybertruck.
It is probably quicker to explain what went right with the Cybertruck, with people breaking their fingers on the doors and boot lid, cutting themselves open on the sharp edges, cars breaking down after less than a mile of driving and an infamous issue with the accelerator pedal which led to a complete recall.
However, one of the bigger headscratchers when it came to an already questionable design was the decision to use stainless steel that was unpainted, with any additional coating or wrapping being an optional extra on an already expensive car.
This meant that within weeks of the first Cybertrucks arriving, members of owners' clubs were reporting orange pockmarks consistent with rust and corrosion.
Stainless steel is resistant to corrosion, but it is not completely rust-free, something mentioned as a possibility in the owner’s manual, but also something criticised by owners.
Despite its marketing as a rugged vehicle, rain, dust and bird droppings can cause major and potentially permanent damage to the panels, and washing the car can sometimes lead to the vehicle bricking entirely.
The results have proven the preconceptions many in the automotive world had about the folly of using stainless steel, and the fact that Tesla had a $5000 option for a clear wrap suggested they were aware of the issues as well.
However, they were not the only manufacturer to try this.
Delorean DMC-12
John Delorean’s unique and unusual sports car has become famous and beloved because of the film Back to the Future, but it is often forgotten that the DMC-12 was chosen to be the time-travelling car as a joke, something even mentioned when it was first unveiled.
The car’s panels were made from 304-grade stainless steel, which was remarkably resistant to rusting, particularly of the type that the Cybertruck was susceptible to.
However, this was far from the case with the car’s chassis and frame, which was made of mild steel in an epoxy coating. This coating wore off over time and left it vulnerable to rusting and corrosion.
It was also very prone to scratches, fingerprint collection, dust settling, discolouration in other ways and very visible damage. There were two rules at one point to owning a DMC-12; never drive it in the rain and never buy a used painted one.
The Mysterious Stainless Steel Porsche 911
In 1967, a very unusual Porsche 911 model took to the roads of Germany featuring a completely stainless steel body, leaving a borderline urban legend in its wake.
It was first showcased at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1967 before being subject to a 93,000-mile road test over the course of seven years, allegedly without a single mark or spot of corrosion on the steel.
The car was registered with the Stainless Steel Information Centre in Dusseldorf, and outside of an aftermarket stainless steel exhaust was otherwise stock.
During a time when cars were rather infamous for poor rustproofing, the idea of an unpainted stainless steel car managing to drive for nearly 100,000 miles without any issues became a story in itself.
However, the manufacturing costs were said to be twice that of a conventional 911 and because of this, only three exist in the world.
The effect is staggering but could be achieved with an effective clear or reflective wrap instead to capture the same head-turning appeal.
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