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BASF COATINGS AND FORD DEVELOP ATTENTION-GRABBER
Channel surfers can barely miss an automotive attention-grabber that's commanding the airwaves in Europe these days. The Ford Focus ST, at 225 horsepower, is whizzing across TV screens in a coat of blazing orange. During the paint development process, Ford and BASF Coatings worked together closely, mastered challenges, and created a hot splash of color on the roads. The Focus ST is Ford's top model in the Focus series. In order to meet the carmaker's high standards, the exclusiveness of the sports car needed to be expressed by a unique appearance in addition to its excellent engine performance. To make sure it would turn heads on the road, BASF Coatings' paint specialists developed the color "Electric Orange" in cooperation and close coordination with Ford. "We were looking for a paint that would attract a great deal of attention and had a high recognition factor," says Bernd Meier, describing the carmaker's specifications. Since orange as a solid-color paint has low hiding power and looks "dirty" fairly quickly, BASF Coatings developed a complex finishing process in its labs that guarantees that the color will stay brilliant for a long time. Compared to conventional paint application, during the application of Electric Orange Metallic, an additional layer of special-effect paint is applied to the basecoat, which gives the orange its characteristic brilliance and preserves it. It's a partnership that pays off for Ford and makes its end customers successful. The response has been positive. Orders for the orange Ford Focus ST have outpaced the carmaker's expectations. In the plant paint shop, the "Electric Orange Color System", a special finishing process, has been developed for the brilliant color.
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