kratedisease

I am aware that GM employees do go onto these forums and look at the posts for feedback, or ides, or just comments.

To those GM decision makers who have the power to decide and look at this form for input..... Please, please consider, if feasible, offering flat or matte paint in the color choices for the C8 Corvette. Not for me, but for the younger generation buyer Corvette is looking to attract ( I am 56 years old and prefer shiny clear coat myself, with chrome wheels !)

I see all the younger kids today liking, buying, and even wrapping in matte colors. I do like the matte finish, but still prefer clear coat for my corvette . BUT the younger gen see matte as "new", "modern", "cool" and "hip"

I just purchased a new Ducati Xdiavel Motorcycle in flat matte black paint and actually chose and prefer it over the gloss black that was offered, so even my tastes are changing. The matte paint on the Ducati made it look more modern and sinister. BTW, Harley also offers factory matte finish now for many years to attract younger buyers.

I have No idea what the technique or technology or equipment is necessary to get a matte finish paint on body panels, but if not cost prohibitive, Corvette should be offered in matte paint options to attract younger buyers.

Chrome wheels were all the rage in the 1990's when they were offered, and then the carbon flash wheels offered now are popular.

But I see other manufacturers like Lambo and even BMW offering Matte paint. Viper also offered matte paint but for the Viper I am aware that Dodge did not paint the panels but instead used an outside Vendor ( Prefix) to paint all the panels for them before assembly.

Even if GM would contract an outside vendor like Prefix to produce matte paint panels in low production volume and then offer matte paint as an up-charge added cost option, I think that it would make the car more appealing to the younger buyers since it visually would make the car look more hip to younger buyers. Young buyers seeing a matte pearl white in a Chevy showroom is like eyeball bait.

Just an idea to increase market share and sales volume, and to attract a new generation of Corvette buyers/ enthusiasts.

Hope some decision makers are reading this.

sunsalem

Interesting idea...I like it.

F1 has been experimenting with matte paint too:

tcinla

Many get a wrap.

kratedisease

Wrap is always an option, but this thread is about offering matte PAINT factory applied that is OEM original as a way to attract younger generation buyers.

carsnpars

Kid down the street has a beemer in blue matte, I want to ask him why his paint faded so fast and if he wants me to buff it out for him

kratedisease

I noticed you said "Kid" down the street and did not say "Old man" down the street owns a Beemer in blue matte.Interesting. I am making a guess that the majority of matte paint buyers are 35 years or even younger across all brands and makes that offer matte paint.GM are you listening ? ....outsource the matte paint to Prefix who did Vipers painted panels as a subcontractor in 2014-2017Older buyer tend to want what they know to be generational beauty for their era. But matte paint = Youth (Some older buyers additionally can NOT get past a manual transmission.)I just read that the 2020 Toyota supra is being offered in "Matte Storm Grey" for 24 units limited edition in JDM.

4thC4at60

It seems as if many here do not understand how much effort goes into selecting paint colors of cars... lines, shadow, angles, different colors of light - all are studied and taken into consideration.... ever notice a car with a paint job that someone has had done to a car and you think "That color doesn't look good on that car." And that's the rest of the story....

I suspect that if the C8 looks good in a matte finish it'll be done, but if it won't..... well.... ???

jimmyb

So...I have a question (a serious one):
How do you take care of a matte painted finish? When it gets scratched, you can't polish it. Do you use a ceramic coating or something like that?

Sin City

Matte red looks pink to me.

LIStingray

Ceramic coating will make it surface shinny. All you can really do is wash it or use liquid detailer to clean it.

kratedisease

yes, correct if it does not look well it won't sell. The idea is to sell more cars to younger buyers and attract them to Corvette. But it they are painted in batches by an outside vendor then it minimizes risk. Limited edition OEM runs could be produced with minimal downside. like the 2020 Supra in matte grey limited to 24 units.

Steve Garrett

This is a very good idea...you see lots of Super Cars offering this as an extra option. Me, I'd love it if they offered an exposed Carbon Fiber option !!!!

kratedisease

Even in a limited volume run of production using an outside vendor like Prefix, many Vette owners would jump to buy a limited edition OEM factory matte paint as a window sticker option, just be be the one of few with OEM factory matte paint.

Supermassive

Matte paint is unbearable to maintain...and only looks good in certain applications and very few colors (obviously my opinion, but matte black or white is just stupid looking). You can apply protective film that has a satin finish, but you can do the same on a gloss painted car and get the same effect.

Matte paint options aren't going to attract enough buyers to warrant it, its a very niche item and if "younger" buyers want a C8 there will be plenty of colors to choose from. I am 38 and consider myself part of the younger buyer demographic and the matte paint craze boggled my mind. The deeper the finish of a clear coated metallic paint the more glorious it was to behold. Matte finishes are literally dull in comparison, sure they stand out in a crowd of shiny cars, but not in the "Wow that looks good!" kind of way, but the "Wow that looks unfinished" way.

I am showing my crotchety ways already, but man, matte finishes are far from necessary for a Corvette, I'd rather see the end of chrome wheels instead. Polished aluminum is good, chrome is bad.

84 4+3

23 here... so here goes...

Matte looks stupid to me. Just my opinion. Most of my friends that have matte wraps on their vehicles did it because it looks clean even when it's disgusting and you dont have to put much if any effort into it. The others that actually did a matte paint job did it because they didn't feel like doing the bodywork because it hides a lot of the **** ups in the body and lines.

I will agree and they do too, that it works on certain cars. Not sure if a vette is one of them. Wasn't matte big in the 50s with racers? Everything comes full circle.

Also... not sure if it applies to vehicle areo or not but back in the day mercury racing used to test prop finishes for racing applications and a slightly textured propeller... and boat hull for that matter, ran faster than a smooth polished one. Maybe that's why F1 is playing with it?

punky

Yes, a matte finish in more than one color option would be well received by many of us and not necessarily just the "younger" buyer. I'm 64 and would buy a matte grey or dark blue over a traditional red, white, or black this time around. Unlikely that this will be needed for sales in the first year but should be a reality at some point.

TARANTULA

Corvettes would look great in a matte color. It was my understanding that the only difference was the clear coat.

fyreline

GM's marketing people are far from fools . . . in spite of some of us not caring for some of the choices they have made over the years and generations of Corvettes. I'm willing to bet that when paint color options for the C8 came up, matte finishes were at least proposed. The final decision will be based on many different factors - including painting the car in colors that may appeal more to 20-somethings when few of them will be able to afford the car. Cars with multiple-six-figure price tags can get away with it because they are playing to the millionaire rap music star audience. A volume producer like Chevrolet probably isn't going to go there. Just my opinion, of course.

jefnvk

33 here and I love matte finishes. Cant speak to the upkeep cause I've never owned one, but it'd be a huge plus, even if it were a limited option, to me.

TXshaggy

Matte finishes are best on rarely driven cars that are maintained to a very high degree. Oh and the cost is usually sky high....you’ll never see it on a Chevy. I’d be happy with some brighter non metallic colors that you see on Porsche.

Not for the weak of heart or “typical” owner

1. Paint Defects Will Stand out

A single small scratch will stand out more on a matte surface than on a glossy one. And here’s a caveat that you must not ignore: scratches will be permanent because paint rejuvenation methods like wet sanding, polishing and waxingwon’t work on a surface with matte finish. Moreover, it is very difficult to match the exact color shade, leading to an uneven surface. Hence, you only have two options: a complete expensive repaint or live with the scratch.

2. Cleaning the Paint

Because paint scratch repair on matte finish cars is neither easy nor cheap, every step should be taken to prevent scratching. This means staying away from automatic car washes with their abrasive brushes, chemical-laden car wash products and contaminated towels. The best option is to hand wash it yourself or to take it to a professional service. Also, it is very important that you use cleaning products specifically made for matte finish, which means staying away from dish soap, detergents and regular car wash products.

3. Paint Care

Paint care for matte finish is very different from the requirements of a gloss finish. You should not polish or wax the paint because it will lead to an unwanted shine. Because a clay bar cannot be used on this finish to remove surface contaminants, you need to use a matte paint cleanser. Regular microfiber towels are not suitable for this finish. Instead, the recommendation is that you use sheepskin mitts and cloths. To give the paint additional protection, use a matte paint sealant like Permanon Super Matte Finish Protection. To top it off, use matte paint protection film.

4. High Cost

There is a reason why you would most often find matte finishes on high end vehicles. Even matte paint cleaning products are more expensive than regular auto detailing supplies. If you want to achieve a dull paint appearance without hurting your wallet, use vinyl wrap. However, we strongly recommend against doing it yourself because this job is best handled by professionals.

5. No Additional Warranty

Manufacturers won’t give matte painted cars an additional warranty even if the paint is more delicate than a gloss paint job. Taking care of the paint, thus, is completely in your hands and will need more care and attention than a ‘regular’ car.

Because matte paint finish is very expensive and prone to car paint problems, many car owners won’t opt for it. But if you want your car to really stand out, for instance, at an auto show, then this finish might be the ideal choice for you.