New York International Auto Show 2012 NYC – New Matte Finish Trend

I spent three hours walking around the New York International Auto Show 2012 at the Javits Center this weekend. It’s a great show! Every major brand was there: Acura, Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Doge, Fiat, Ford, GM, GMC, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jaguar, Jeep, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Scion, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo. It’s the only show that uses every square inch of the Javits Center including the entry areas and even the exterior! Jeep has a “rollercoaster” where you can drive a Jeep up and down a very steep man-made hill as you walk in.

The Concept cars are always the most fun to see. But, there was one trend that is jumping from concepts to actual production vehicles – matte or satin finish! Many of the brands had something on display in a matte finish to varying effects. The finish on the Acura and Audi were the nicest and gave the cars a otherworldly glow. The worse was the finish on the Hyundai Veloster Turbo which looked like they just left the primer on. I am not sure how practical these finishes are for real life. Matte finishes require hand washing since a car wash could buff shiny spots into the finish. I am also curious if they would fade over time without the additional UV protection from a gloss top coat. Still, they were very cool to see.