Customization drives new Porsche paint process

Combining manufacturing and paintshop processes with hardware and software similar to those used in the printing industry, Porsche says it has ready a new customization option for its 911 lineup that will allow customers to apply a custom design to the paintwork of the vehicle. To demonstrate the technique, Porsche initially is offering the ability to imprint the hood with a recreation of the customer's own fingerprint, but other customer-desired designs are intended to be offered later.

The company developed the new “direct printing” paint method in conjunction with partners, saying the technique makes it possible to produce painted designs “that are not possible with conventional painting.” Currently, adding special designs on specific areas of a vehicle's sheetmetal typically is achieved by applying film graphics or so-called “skins,” but Porsche said that in terms of aesthetics and tactile sensation, the new paint process is superior to film-based appliques.