Raul and Abeng discussed the...
Raul and Abeng discussed the intricacy of their work
Interestingly, they briefly considered matte paint, but rejected it on the grounds of looking almost "primitive" and unsuitable for such a curvaceous car, where reflected light was considered to add "value" to its appearance. And while the team sees matte paint as having a valuable part to play in certain projects, it wasn't deemed right for this one.
With paint selected, the team focused on the chrome window trim. However, they discovered the trim couldn't be removed without destroying it, so painting became the only option. Therefore, gloss black was selected because the stock CC already has a black sunroof.
In fact, the section in front of the sunroof (where fitted) is also painted black, although mysteriously the rest of the roof remains body color. So it didn't take the team long to decide to paint the entire roof black, along with the mirrors.
The chrome rubbing strip along the side of the car was easier to remove. So Nancy explored various finishes and settled on "black chrome". This darkened the rubbing strip, yet it retained a reflective quality to retain "value" while nicely linking the wheels.
The aluminum blades in the bumpers then received semi-matte anodizing to create yet another texture, drawing your attention to their machined surfaces.
Meanwhile, the custom radiator grille features a traditional chrome VW badge. This picks up light and reinforces the car's parentage. The grille surround has a matte aluminum finish, while the matte black horizontal slats have chrome blades in their leading edge. All this is designed to draw you into the front of the car, giving it focus and depth.
The vinyl graphics on the top surfaces are an evolution of all previous SEMA concepts. Derek wanted to prove graphics could work on a more sophisticated product, so sought a more premium feel to reflect the stature of the CC.
After researching various elements, Nancy began manipulating barcode graphics, eventually evolving it in the more "precise" laser-style graphics you now see adding extra interest.
The graphics are one of the elements that tie the interior to the exterior. They appear on the dash and door trim as well as the back of the Recaro seats - all were painted gloss black to reflect the exterior finishes. The graphics were then bead-blasted onto sections of this painted trim to achieve the desired effect.
The seats themselves (both front and rear) along with the door cards were covered in leather. The outer sections use a heavy-grained black hide that contrasts in texture and color to the light grey leather center panels.
The grey perfectly matches the stock headliner and would serve as the ideal canvas for those laser-style graphics. But in this instance, a genuine laser created them.
Nancy sent leather samples to a laser-etching company, experimenting with the strength of the laser. A stronger beam would cut deeper, creating a darker stripe as it burnt hotter. However, the different depths also created varying levels of precision: "It was like Goldilocks and the Three Bears!" Nancy proclaimed - she tried everything until she found one that was "just so".
Again the result is spectacular, reflecting the level of commitment VW's designers give to these concepts. And don't be surprised if future VW products have some form of laser-etched finishes in the future...
In addition to the graphics and gloss black finishes, black chrome also made an appearance in the car - coating the center console and trim pieces on the dash and doors.
One of the final tasks was to paint the Brembo calipers. The traditional red finish would have been overpowering, so pearl white was selected since it drew attention without overshadowing the stunning wheels.
Final Thoughts
"We tried to create something in the spirit of real European tuning," explained Derek. "That involves upgrading a car with parts that are either more sophisticated and/or more expensive than a manufacturer could sell its car with.