InterstandoxT h e w o r l d o f v e h i c l e r e f i n i s h e s

69GB

Finding the right colour quickly and reliably Advanced Color Tools make work easier

Training for the future Practical training for every need

The car of tomorrow The future of the automobile

2 c o n t e n t s

Interstandox 69

f o c u s : c o l o rInterview with colour designer Elke Dirks . . . . . . . . . . . 4Finding the right colour quickly and reliably . . . . . . . . . 5

j o u r n a l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

p r o d u c t sExclusive special effect basecoats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Special Matt sets new standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

w o r k s h o p m a n a g e m e n tTraining for the future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

g a l l e r yFantasies in colour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

i n t e r n a t i o n a lRed Rocket – a flight of fantasy in flashy red . . . . . . . . 12Standohyd receives highest acclaim in Dubai . . . . . . . . 13

g u e s t a r t i c l eAre electric cars an option for the future? . . . . . . . . . . 14The car of tomorrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

i m p r e s s u mInterstandoxThe world of vehicle refinishesInterstandox is intended solely for internal use . We would be glad to grant approval to requests for reproduction . Published by theInterstandox Editorial BoardStandox GmbH, 42285 Wuppertal, GermanyE-mail: Hans .Bach@deu .standox .comResponsible for content:Hans W . Bach Concept/copy editing:K1 Gesellschaft für Kommunikation mbH, Ulf Kartte, CologneGraphic design, image processing:230 Volt, Axel Helmus, Düsseldorf

Standox® is a registered trademark

Colour identification is one of the most important tasks in

any bodyshop . With deadline pressure growing, professionals

are resorting increasingly to electronic aids .

Page 5

Standox has extended its Standohyd mixing base system

to include six special effect basecoats . With the new

colours, it is now possible to complete true-to-original

repairs on vehicles with special effect finishes .

Page 9

It is not only car lovers who choose paintwork with an Exclusive Line series special effect paint from Standox . This flaming red helicopter in Red Rocket is a real eye-catcher .Page 12

e d i t o r i a l 3

Handing over the baton: Zvonimir Simunovic

(right) has assumed the position of Brand

Manager from Dr. Julio Salcedas.

A strong partnerAt the beginning of December 2009, I took over the sceptre from Julio

Salcedas and hence the duties of Brand Manager . I bring to my new job

over ten years of experience in management positions in international

refinish paint business . Since 2007, I have been Business Manager for

the South African region . Before this, in my capacity as Standox Sales

Manager, I coordinated activities in the growth markets of Central and

Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa . From 2002 to 2006 I was in

charge of the Standox organization in Austria . From 1999 to 2002, I man-

aged the regional Standox distribution centre in Dubai and coordinated

the markets of the Middle East .

What are my aims in my new role? First of all, I shall be concerned with

continuing my predecessor’s successful work . “Evolution, not revolution”

is my motto . Over the last few years, we have consistently expanded our

product range . Today we have a forward-looking product line-up that

enables refinishers to perform all their tasks quickly, economically and

always with immaculate results . But this alone is not enough, for being

able to find the right colour quickly and reliably is becoming an increas-

ing factor for success . This is where we help bodyshops to beat a path

through the colour jungle with advanced Color Tools .

In the coming years, we want more than ever to focus attention on you,

the customer . Refinishing is noted for strong competition with rapidly

changing conditions . In this situation, we want to continue to be a strong

partner and provide you with precisely the services that you need . An

important factor here is tailor-made training for you and your staff .

Standox has always been synonymous with the Art of Refinishing . And

this idea of the brand finds outstanding expression in the new Standox

Calendar “Color Fantasies of 2010” . Showing cars from different epochs

in inspirational colours and imaginative settings, it supplies further proof

of German colour competence .

I look forward to a continuation of our constructive cooperation .

Zvonimir Simunovic

44 f o c u s : c o l o r

“Getting to the market with the right colour at the right time”

interstandox: Which is currently the most popular car colour?

And what trends do you see for the future?

Elke Dirks: Black is at the moment the clear favourite of car

buyers . Basically, the market is currently dominated world-

wide by so-called “achromatic” colours that symbolize high

tech and speed, elegance and understatement . White is on

the advance and, with its natural radiance, underlines the

trend towards environmentally compatible vehicle strategies .

On off-road SUVs, shades of beige and brown are gaining

ground . An appreciation of colour is growing particularly in

the small car sector .

interstandox: How far in advance do you as a colour de-

signer have to spot trends?

Elke Dirks: Because of the often long run-up, colour trends

ought to be analysed some three to four years in advance .

The art is getting the right colour onto the right vehicle at

the right time so that it is positively received by the market .

interstandox: Where do the ideas for colours come from?

Elke Dirks: Colour trends don’t come about overnight . Nor are

they created, but are logical conclusions from a consistent

trend analysis . For me the key indicators are, for instance,

the trends in the furniture or fashion sector and in consumer

goods, long-term evaluations of colour statistics and national

factors plus close consultation with designers .

interstandox: What criteria does a car colour have to satisfy?

Elke Dirks: The most important criterion is undoubtedly

its suitability for series production . The paint has to

meet tough requirements, in terms of weather resistance,

hiding power, scratch resistance and its repair qualities,

for instance . From a purely aesthetic point of view, a car

colour should underline the vehicle’s character .

interstandox: Are there certain colours that are regularly

chosen for certain characteristics (environmental compat-

ibility, for example) or car types (SUVS and sports cars,

for example)?

Elke Dirks: Bright, purist colours are the highly aesthetic

response to newly developed eco-friendly vehicle con-

cepts . White is an important lead colour here and indi-

cates minimalism in its noblest interpretation . Strong,

fresh and highly chromatic shades suggest a strong

sense of vitality and go down well on the sports and

small car markets .

Elke Dirks is a Colour Designer

at DuPont Automotive OEM

Coatings in Wuppertal.

In the development of new car colours,

colour designers take up current trends

and get them ready for the market.

Standox’s close ties with OEMs ensure

that new colours can be reliably repro-

duced during repairs

Pic

ture

: Wer

ner P

opp

Interstandox 69

Want to learn more about the latest color trends? www.standox.com/color-trends

5f o c u s : c o l o r 5

Colour identification is one of the most important tasks in

any bodyshop . With deadline pressure growing, professionals

are resorting increasingly to electronic aids to achieve perfect

results quickly and efficiently .

High-power product range makes colour identification easier

Standowin, the electronic colour search program from

Standox, provides direct access to all current Standox mixing

formulations and correction advice . The central element of

the new version of the program is its Digital Color Display .

After input of the car make, model and year of production,

it immediately lists on the screen all the possible colours –

realistically replicated on digital colour chips from different

viewing angles . Just as useful is the Colour Information menu

containing details from manufacturers, such as code lists,

colours of new models, positions of vehicle identification

plates, lists of current mixing bases and practical instructions

for use . Among the colour tips, finally, bodyshops will find

information on frequently used variants . Standowin has a

modular design and offers refinishers many ways of creating

the best refinishing processes .

Immaculate refinishes depend essentially on the ability to precisely identify the right colour. With advanced Color Tools, Standox helps its partners in the trade to beat a path through the colour jungle.

Finding the right colour quickly and reliably

Measuring colours right at the vehicle

In view of the large number of colours and variants, elec-

tronic measurement with the Standox Genius spectro-

photometer is becoming more and more important . The

measuring instrument makes it possible to identify colours

flexibly and reliably even without information on the manu-

facturer . All the refinisher has to do is hold the instrument

against a clean and polished panel on the car body . The

measurements obtained are compared by Standowin with

around 250,000 formulations contained in the database

and the correct mixing formulation is shown .

“Genius supplies a precise formulation first time around and eliminates time-consuming searches.”Caroline Aspernig, General Manager of Aspernig Karosserietechnik GmbH in Klagenfurt (Austria)

We carry out four out of every five searches with Genius. This saves a lot of time, particularly with solid colours.”Albert Kip, General Manager of Autoschade Albert Kip BV (Netherlands)

6 f o c u s : c o l o r

Genius with new functionsGenius, the handy spectrophotometer from Standox, has been technically upgraded

and now has further useful functions:

• In combination with Standowin, Genius spots even tiny ageing- or weathering-

induced deviations from the original colour .

• Formulations derived from measurements can be saved as customer mixing for-

mulations in the Standowin database .

• Data transmission is now possible via a USB port or Bluetooth .

• A new, high-grade protective sleeve protects the instrument from the dirt typically

found in workshops .

The new Standohyd Colormix Poster is a useful aid that can be

hung up in the workshop . It is in two languages, German and

English, and shows all Standox mixing bases inclusive of their

position in the colour circle and their most important charac-

teristics .

“With Genius, I can identify effect and solid colours in a matter of minutes.”Birgit Krusel, owner, and Ralf Nienhaus, seniorrefinisher, Autolackierung Krursel GmbH in Olfen (Germany)

Interstandox 69

Left, the Add-on Parts Color BoxBelow, the Standohyd Colormix Poster

New Color Tools

With new and unrivalled technology, Standox is also making

colour searches on the Internet quicker and more convenient .

More formulations, more models, more search terms and the

presentation of the colours on the Digital Color Display make

the program a big help . Online colour searches are available

via your national Standox website .

Whenever OEM-finished body parts have to be refinished, the

required colour is usually identifiable from the manufacturer’s

coding . With add-on parts, the situation is much more difficult .

The new Add-on Parts Color Box comprises 1,485 large-format

colour swatches and helps refinishers identify add-on part and

interior colours .

Standox supports refinishers with professional Color Tools. For more information go to: www.standox.com/color

j o u r n a l

When it was built back in 1962, the

Rheingold locomotive of the E 10 1239

series was a real gem . The Rheingold

trains were the pride of West Germany’s

national railway system and were there-

fore given a particularly elegant colour

scheme of cream and cobalt blue . How-

ever, this Rheingold locomotive only saw

six months of service and was thereafter

repainted and rebuilt several times . In

over six months’ work, a railway enthu-

siasts’ club, Lokomotiv-Club 103 e .V . in

Wuppertal, has now succeeded in recon-

structing the original locomotive . Thanks

to the true-to-original paintwork of Mul-

timix 2K PUR, the flexible system for

industry and craftsmen, the locomotive

now looks just as refined as it did in the

Rheingold days .

Multimix brings Rheingold locomotive back to life

More and more leading automotive producers worldwide trust

in Standox . Ford recently named the Wuppertal paint manu-

facturer a “preferred partner” for the supply of vehicle refini-

shes to a further 30 countries in Eastern Europe, North Africa

and in the Near and Middle East . The contract builds on the

successful agreement in Western Europe . Honda Motor Europe

has again included Standox in its paint partner programme .

The company’s pioneering product systems and processes are

thus recommended to authorized Honda dealerships through-

out Europe for repair work on Honda vehicles . Tata AutoComp

Systems Limited has elected DPC in India “Supplier of the

Year” for the second time in succession after 2008 . Tata Mo-

tors, India’s leading car maker, has granted its approval to

Standox products and technologies for use on its models,

including the new Nano, also known as The People’s Car .

Standox paints lend colour to perfume launch

For a promotional campaign by Ralph

Lauren for the launch of his women’s

perfume “Notorious” in Malaysia, the

manufacturer of Bufori luxury limou-

sines provided a very special vehicle . Its

La Joya (Spanish for “jewel”) takes up

the legendary design of the Thirties and

combines it with luxury appointments

and the latest automotive technology .

The La Joya became the eye-catcher of

the tour not least thanks to its magnifi-

cent paint finish in Standox colours .

Recognized partner to the automotive industry

7

Pic

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: Hon

da M

otor

Eur

ope

Standox is recommended by vehicle manufacturers around the globe. Read more at: www.standox.com/approvals

www.standox.com/approvals

Interstandox 69

8 j o u r n a l

Evolver Bikes: Noble, handcrafted bikesThere are bicycles, professional cycles

and Evolver bikes . The latter are made

in Nagoya, Japan . “The goal was to pro-

duce one of the best and fastest road

bikes for professional cyclists,” says

Ryu Yukawa, representative of Evolver

Bikes Japan and himself a passionate

competitive cyclist . As if to suitably un-

derline their success, the winner of the

prestigious Shimano Suzuka Road Race

crossed the finishing line on an Evolver

bike . All the bikes are made by hand .

The carbon fibre used for the frame is

extremely light and displays high rigidi-

ty . Special importance is attached to the

paint finish, as it has to withstand

extreme stressing while making a

powerful visual impact . For the paint-

work Evolver Bikes has entered into

cooperation with Richard Tang’s

renowned BMW bodyshop in Taiwan .

Finally, after numerous tests and

product comparisons, Richard Tang

has opted exclusively for Standox

products and Standohyd in particular .

Majestic in Real BlackThe elegant shiny black 1932 Packard

Phantom Coupé is a classic, as familiar

from the Hollywood movies of the 1930s

and -40s . This vehicle owes its beauty

firstly to the craftsmanship of hot rod

specialist Rusty Jackson in Missouri,

USA, who skilfully rebuilt the Packard,

by partly resorting to modern techno-

logy . And secondly to the immaculate

paintwork of original Standox Real Black

Basecoat . The superb paint finish gives

the car its finishing touch, making it into

a dazzling dream of an automobile .

More service and new design on the InternetStandox has redesigned its national websites:

The download areas for colour formulations, colour information and technical data-

sheets have been more neatly arranged and are easier to access . Via links to further

information, users quickly have all the information they need . Extra functions such

as videos and a virtual desktop calendar are also included . Thanks to a new tech-

nology unmatched on the market, online colour searches are now much quicker and

convenient . Also new is the visual appearance with a clearer, more modern design .

In countries that don’t have their own local website, the homepage www .standox .

com now provides international information in English .

Pic

ture

: Mas

ayuk

i Mor

i

Pic

ture

: Jos

h M

ishl

er

Interstandox 69

9p r o d u c t s

Standox 2K Special Matt sets standards

Standox was quick to spot the new trend and launched a practical waterborne paint system on the market back in 1994. To the present day, Standohyd Basecoat has undergone regular further development, setting standards globally for modern and environmentally compatible paintwork.

p r o d u c t s

Exclusive special effect basecoats

Thanks to the effect pigments they con-

tain, even rare or unusual colours can

be finished to the usual Standohyd stan-

dard . The new paints quickly deliver an

impeccable basecoat even for dramatic

colour flips . Easy to apply and strongly

pigmented, they can be ordered either

as mixing base in convenient half-litre

cans or ready-mixed via the specialist

trade or the Standox adviser .

Pic

ture

: Shu

tter

stoc

k

They’re called Magic Cyan, Midnight Blue,

Paradise Green, Mystic Gold, Rainbow

Silver and Sunset Red . Behind these il-

lustrious names are the six new special

effect basecoats that are now augmen-

ting the Standohyd mixing base system .

The new colours facilitate the profes-

sional repair of special OEM finishes .

design of classic Mercedes sports

cars . The paintwork is particular-

ly alluring in the two matt shades

known as “designo magno allanite

grey” and “AMG monza magno

grey” . With their silk matt surfaces, they reinforce the two-

seater’s sporting character . Standox has an approved repair

system for these sophisticated colours .

A growing number of car manufacturers are using matt paints

to accentuate their vehicles . However, repairing matt surfaces

takes skill and experience . For the best painting results,

Standox has developed an additive that gives clearcoat a

matt finish, permitting extra-matt surfaces that do even more

than that demanded by car makers . The additive is mixed

with Standocryl 2K HS Clearcoat to obtain the desired degree

of gloss . All of the physical and chemical properties demand-

ed of a clearcoat are unaffected by the addition of Standox

2K Special Matt .

An example of the extraordinary effect of the new product

is the Mercedes CK 63 RS from Carlsson . For this model, the

special colour Steel Titan Graphite was developed, a paint

with a black-silvery sheen based on waterborne technology .

The Mercedes SLS AMG also has a striking appearance . With

its distinctive wing doors, it takes up and reinterprets the

Pic

ture

: Dai

mle

r

10 w o r k s h o p m a n a g e m e n t

With the overhaul of the Standox website at www .standox .

com/training, the Information Center Locator has gone online .

This provides an overview of all Standox Information Cen-

ters worldwide and the associated training facilities . Anyone

interested in training will find not only the location of the

nearest centre on the map, but also the details of the person

to contact and pictures of the facilities .

Training for the futureIt is precisely in difficult economic times that training and the gaining of practical skills become vital to get a business fit for the future.

Standox supports bodyshops with a

comprehensive range of training op-

portunities . At over 40 Training Centers

worldwide, business owners and refini-

shers can broaden their knowledge and

become familiar with new techniques .

The range of Standox courses extends

from seminars lasting several days,

consultations and workshops through

to regional events . This is where body-

shop professionals can find precisely the

training they urgently need, whatever

the subject . And this can vary not only

from business to business, but also from

country to country .

Information Center Locator shows the way

Tailored to national requirements

Along with practical training sessions,

regional meetings of experts have de-

veloped in Germany, for example, which

are organized by Standox distributors

and chaired by Standox specialists . In

Poland, on the other hand, customer

inquiries are currently concerned more

with information on trends in the trade

and what these mean for bodyshops .

So that it can continue to offer vehicle

owners tailor-made services even in eco-

nomically difficult times, Standox provi-

des the relevant information and advice .

In the UK, two Coloristic seminars met

with special interest, as the Standox

brand is synonymous with perfect colour

matching . The introductory course on

the art of colour design and the supple-

mentary course for refinishers wishing

to expand their knowledge of colour

matching were therefore well attended .

In Turkey as well, refinishers can deepen

their knowledge and skills under the tu-

telage of Standox experts . This is where

the Volkswagen Group, for example, co-

operates with Standox in the training of

refinishers .

Interstandox 69

STANDOX TRAINING

Your Key to Quality.

STANDOX TRAINING

Your Key to Quality.

More information on Standox training activities plus the Information Center Locator can be found at:

www.standox.com/training

g a l l e r y 11

For each photographic design of the new Standox

Calendar, the scene and props were carefully selected

in order to achieve the biggest impact.

Fantasies in colourIn its calendar Color Fantasies of 2010, Standox gives its interpretation of automotive colour fantasies. The pages of the calendar thus showcase cars from various epochs in such inspiring colours as Wildlife Green, Orient Red and Midnight Blue, and each picture tells its own story – be it with delight, lavishness or a hint of irony.

The task for photographer Dirk Krüll involved visually in-

terpreting the often poetic colour names so as to really

bring out their original meaning . It took months to select

the colours, find the locations and

vehicles, and obtain the necessary

permission . The result is masterly

picture compositions that impres-

sively underscore Standox’s colour

competence . Not only the cars, in-

cluding a Porsche 356 BT& Coupé

of 1961 in slate grey, a Mercedes Ca-

brio R/C 107 280 SC of 1982 in Orient Red and a Lotus Turbo

Esprit 2, 2L of 1987 in Midnight Blue, but also their owners

and the local people in charge were integrated in the motifs .

Ideas changed during shooting . “Take the December design

with the castle and the Lotus Esprit in Midnight Blue, for

instance . An owl swooping past, although it wasn’t planned,

gave the picture its special charm,” explains Dirk Krüll . The

set-up for each shot is unique, but at least the colours allow

the experience to be repeated . For

the calendar pages reveal not only

the colours’ names, but – by means

of the colour code – also where the

colour can be found in the Standox

Standowin colour search system . It

can be retrieved at any time as a

mixing formulation and mixed . The

new calendar is also available in a desktop version on many

national Standox websites in the national language as well

as at www .standox .com/calendar for free downloading .

Pic

ture

: Dir

k K

rüll

The desktop version of the new Standox calendar can be downloaded from: www.standox.com/calendar

12 i n t e r n a t i o n a l

Red Rocket - a flight of fantasy in flashy red

In the courtyard of the Vannerum bodyshop in Zellik, Belgium

(near Brussels), it’s not an out-of-the-ordinary car that serves

as an eye-catcher, but a helicopter . It belongs to General

Manager Marc Vannerum who purchased it a few months ago

and converted it into a flight of fantasy with a flashy Red

Rocket finish . The newly painted surface reflects and refracts

the sunlight into a variety of different colours . Depending on

the angle of view, the spectrum extends from copper via fiery

red to almost black .

The Exclusive Line consists of premium paints in selected spe-

cial colours that achieve their effects with special pigments

that strongly refract the light . Unlike automotive finishes how-

ever, repair and other paint finishes on helicopters and planes

are subject to stricter regulations . Much like on Formula 1 race

cars, the paint finish may affect the weight and hence the

range of a tank filling . This is why the machines are weighed

before and after application and are subjected to close official

inspection . “Crazy as it may seem, anything that may have a

bearing on safety goes into the equation,” says Marc Vanne-

rum . “The weight is important, which is why we’ve attempted

to apply the paint as sparingly as possible . I’m very satisfied

with the result .”

In most cases it is car enthusiasts who opt for a paint finish with an Exclusive Line effect paint from Standox. However, the fan base is also growing outside the automotive world.

Interstandox 69

The Exclusive Line programme comprises a range of carefully selected premium-quality paints in unique colors. See for yourself at:

www.standox.com/exclusive-line

i n t e r n a t i o n a l 13

Standox waterborne paints receive highest acclaim in DubaiIt sounds like a Tale from the Arabian

Nights, but a modern one . Despite the

current global economic situation, the

Emirate of Dubai ranks among the

world’s fastest-growing economic regi-

ons . Its pulsating economy and its

modern skyline that has shot up in

little more than 30 years make the

emirate the “Manhattan of the 21st

century” . In construction and in the

transport sector, the ruling Al Maktoum

family and its government have gone

for sustainable development in pru-

dently guiding the sheikhdom into a

positive future .

This social responsibility finds expres-

sion in a special award that Standox

and the Arabian Automobiles Company

have now jointly received . His High-

ness, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed

bin Rashid al Maktoum, Crown Prince

of Dubai, personally awarded Arabian

Automobiles the renowned Dubai Prize

for Sustainable Transport Development

for its use of the Standohyd waterborne

paint system . The prize commends the

pioneering role of Arabian Automobiles .

The company is the first in the United

Arab Emirates to comply with the

strictest global environmental guide-

lines, such as European environmental

legislation . This has been made

possible by Polimar, the successful

Standox dealer in the region, thanks

to its support in the changeover to

Standox waterborne paints .

His Highness, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, personally awarded Arabian Automobiles the renowned Dubai Prize for Sustainable Transport Development for its use of the Standohyd waterborne paint system.

Pic

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: Shu

tter

stoc

k

The Tesla Roadster is a superb, fully electric two-seater sports car.

Pic

ture

: Tes

la M

otor

s

14 g u e s t a r t i c l e

The electric car is a big talking point . And electric cars in fact

played a big role at the beginning of the motorization pro-

cess . Until the beginning of the last century, there was intense

competition between petrol and electric cars in the battle for

supremacy . The drawbacks of electric motors were not so ob-

vious, as long as the emphasis was on transport within towns .

Only with the advance of the car and the desire to travel long

distances did the petrol and then the diesel engine advance

to the fore . With the emergence of the CO2 debate, interest in

electric drives has been rekindled . An important factor here is

without doubt the fact that huge progress has been made in

battery technology .

Battery technology is the big obstacle

In the debate about electric drives, the biggest obstacle is

seen in battery technology, with safety and cost being the

overriding issues along with capacity . Development work in

these areas looks very promising although the nationwide use

of the relevant technologies still meets with a good deal of

reservation .

As to the provision of the primary energy necessary for the

operation of electric cars, so far the main issue has been the

actual CO2 reduction potential of electric cars in their bid to

replace petrol and diesel vehicles . According to various state-

ments, a changeover to electric cars against the background

of today’s energy mix would indeed result in a CO2 reduction .

Electric cars – an option for the future?

Interstandox 69

Pic

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: Tes

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otor

s

g u e s t a r t i c l e 15Prof. Dr. Willi Diez is head of the Institute for the Automotive Industry in Geislingen/Steige (Germany). He is also a member of supervisory and advisory boards of various companies of the automotive sector.

Along with the central issue of what we

will drive in the future, developers have

also taken up the cause of safety, the

vision of “zero road deaths” . Even today,

our cars have ingenious safety systems .

In the future, on-board systems will be-

come even more intelligent – equipped

with sensors and efficient computers,

the car will be given “eyes” and “ears” .

Each vehicle will network with others

and thus become part of a far-reaching

traffic system .

The materials that car bodies are made

of will also undergo further development .

Progress in steel and steel alloys, light

metals and plastics will result in materi-

als that save a great deal of weight . The

body of the Smart Fortwo, for instance,

is already made entirely of the plastic

polypropylene . In future lightweight

construction, a variety of materials will

probably be combined according to the

particular requirements . This trend will

impose new challenges on bodyshops

who will have to come to terms with

more complex substrates .

Apart from these technology-driven ad-

vances, industry has also discovered the

low-budget car in recent years . The Dacia

Logan was the first to provide affordable

mobility at a price of about 7,500 euros .

The Tata Nano will continue this move .

In the newly industrialized nations, this

trend will also facilitate the mobility es-

sential for the next phase of economic

growth .

In terms of overall cost, electric cars today are more expensive

than petrol and diesel cars . The reason for this is the higher

cost of purchase, which is mainly due to the batteries costing

some 12,000 euros . Even if assuming that the batteries will

last as long as the vehicle as a whole, electric is still signifi-

cantly dearer than petrol or diesel .

Two waves

The first wave will be marked by the use of electric cars in

pilot projects and in public and private vehicle fleets . Not until

the second wave, which is set to start in the middle of the

next decade, are electric cars expected to make inroads into

the broad mass of the population .

The target segment for electric cars is small and compact ve-

hicles . These are driven preferentially in towns with limited

daily mileage . Furthermore, because of the existing infrastruc-

ture, a relatively dense network of electricity filling stations

can be established with comparatively little effort .

The electric car will be the driving force behind future drive

technology in the car sector – but not until after 2020 . And

even beyond this date, improved petrol and diesel engines

will occupy a large share of the market .

The car of tomorrow

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ture

s: S

hutt

erst

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BM

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Reliable results.Standox combines advanced, high-quality refinishing systems withoutstanding technical and training support. Maybe this is the reasonthat Standox has the most manufacturers’ approvals. You can relyon Standox to give you the best result – for every vehicle.For more information visit www.standox.co.uk

Achtung: Lithozeile druckt nicht mit! Dieses Dokument ist ohne Überfüllung angelegt!14764 00-027 • Motiv: Clover (GB) • RZ-Format: 210 x 297mm + B • Litho-Format: 210 x 297mm (100%) • 4c • 05.06.07 ast Bodyshop Magazine • ET: 30.08.2007 Ausgabe Sept.

The Art of Refinishing.

STA29323T02_UK_BoMag 27.08.2009 11:26 Uhr Seite 1