ROME – Not just electric transition. The world of cars is continuously measured with a concept of innovation that ranges from components to accessories, not least including the colors of the bodywork. In this sector, Basf is a point of reference for several brands, if only for a workforce that has 110,000 employees spread over 200 branches around the world, for a turnover of almost 80 billion euros per year.
Mind-boggling numbers that require the German giant based in Ludwigshafen, in the Rhineland Palatinate region, to continuously update, the latest of which is represented by New Array, the 2022-2023 collection made of innovative shades that “look at sustainability to functionality while opening up to new and exciting chromatic spaces “.
“The title of the collection suggests a process of careful reflection on our system of values and on how to respond to new needs”, they explain to BASF. “We can imagine it as an escalator. A transport system that does not belong to either the previous or the next level. This collection immerses itself in that space to look to the future of mobility ”. The collection uses a range that corresponds to as many geographical areas of the world.
The first is called LAVA, dedicated to the Americas, “a deep and layered color that inhabits the space of black. It comes from an intense anthracite gray that, in the darker effects, gives off an incandescent red light. A color that pays homage to the myriad of possibilities we witness when light dances on a coated surface ”.
COZY VALUES instead it is the color dedicated to South America, where “the importance of precious metals speaks of the beauty of natural elements and of a graceful elegance but, above all, of the traditional craftsmanship typical of metalworking. The coppery beige color offers a special shine to small vehicles, the most common in this region ”.
EFFLORESCENCE instead it is the key color for Asia Pacific: a pearly ivory that represents positive emotions. “Color comes from an ecological process and from an emotional reflection, which have given life to a new narrative full of sustainability and identity”. This is followed by the RAN RAN dedicated to China: it describes a new way of looking at the world around us in continuous transition. “Interpreting a trendy color on the Chinese market, RAN RAN is born from a bright primary color, a rich but modest yellow. It is neither hot nor stiff, neither loud nor soft. Refined touches of white soften the brightness, enhancing the contrast compared to the base tone. It fits perfectly into a sports or futuristic car ”.
For the EMEA area, the Basf technicians have chosen instead
MINTED GOLD, considering that gold has always been considered the precious metal par excellence. “In this case it looks like a strong and shiny metallic gold. A chromatic value that has not been forged only for the car owners of the future ”.
Finally, Europe, for which it was chosen GRAVATAR, a color with an important element of innovation “with a reference to the natural tones of the earth. The shade of bright yellow comes from an intense light ivory. An idea that integrates a new material within the concept of color.