Range Rover - Repair and Service Redwood City - JLR investing $80M to expand luxury paint colors- Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

 

 

JLR is spending 65 million British pounds (just over $80 million at current exchange rates) on paint facilities to expand personalization options and make the paint process more sustainable.

The automaker said in a press release that it plans to open new paint facilities at assembly plants in Castle Bromwich, England, and Nitra, Slovakia. This will allow for 17,000 more custom paint orders per year, as well as expansion of personalized and low-volume paint options beyond the Land Rover Range Rover to other models.

JLR paint booth

 

A new paint shop at the Nitra plant—where the Land Rover Defender and Discovery are assembled—will allow for unlimited color options. It will also include electric curing ovens that will avoid approximately 551 tons of CO2 emissions per year, and a heat exchanger that will help the assembly plant avoid 2,250 tons of CO2 emissions, according to JLR. The new facility is scheduled to come online in 2026.

Upgrades to the Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) facilities in Castle Bromwich, which handle bespoke builds, due to be completed in 2025 include new paint booths that cut energy and water use, and employ the same fully automated spray robots used in higher-volume facilities to cut paint waste by 30%, according to JLR.

JLR paint inspection

 In addition to tackling the considerable carbon footprint of paint shops—JLR claims they're the biggest source of automotive manufacturing emissions, accounting for 80% of emissions from making cars—the upgrades will allow for more highly-profitable custom paint jobs. The automaker claims its paint matching service for the Range Rover SV, which allows customers to have their car painted to match any color they choose, typically adds about $87,000 on top of the $202,000 selling price of a Range Rover SV.

This has led other luxury brands to further emphasize personalization options. Mercedes-Benz recently announced an expansion of its Manufaktur personalization program, including a new customer studio inside its main manufacturing complex in Sindelfingen, Germany, to enhance the experience of ordering a bespoke car. Rolls-Royce is expanding its plant to build more bespoke luxury cars, while Bentley claims demand for its Mulliner personalization program is soaring.

 source: https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1145600_jlr-investing-80m-to-expand-luxury-paint-colors

Stephen Edelstein
http://www.boscheuropean.com

Porsche - Repair and Service Redwood City - Porsche and Michelin developed a track tire for rainy days- Bosch European (650) 368-3000

 

 

Booking a track day in advance only to have the weather turn sour when the time comes is a dilemma many track enthusiasts have experienced. Many leading track tires are notorious for delivering very little grip in the wet due to their reduced tread pattern, but Porsche recently teamed up with Michelin to develop a street-legal track tire designed for use in wet and cooler conditions.

The tire is based on Michelin's latest Pilot Sport S 5 tire, which was launched a couple of years ago, initially on the Aston Martin DB12. Porsche's version is classified as the N0 version, keeping the tradition where Michelin's N-marked tires are normally specially developed for Porsche models.

Porsche said to think of the new tire as the opposite of Michelin's Pilot Sport Cup 2 R semi-slick tire, which is designed for dry tracks in warmer environments. But beyond just being a track tire, Porsche said the new rubber is suitable for use as an everyday tire in countries with predominantly wet weather, in both cool and warm climates. The optimum temperature is between 40 and 60 degrees F.

Key characteristics that help the tire's performance in the wet include a tread pattern with four large central grooves that are a relatively deep 7.4 millimeters, helping to dissipate more water. A high proportion of silica in the rubber compound further improves grip on wet surfaces and supports the tire in reaching operating temperature faster, Porsche said.

The result of all these measures is improved grip—and faster lap times—in wet conditions. However, another bonus is a relatively high level of resistance toward wear, helping extend the period between changes.

"The Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 gets up to temperature very quickly," Jörg Bergmeister, a racing driver and now Porsche brand ambassador, said in a statement. "In wet conditions and low ambient temperatures, it offers outstanding levels of control and predictability when changing direction."

The Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 N0 tire will be available exclusively through Porsche dealerships, and initially for the 992-generation 911 GT3 RS only, in sizes 275/35 ZR 20 for the front and 335/30 ZR 21 for the rear. The exact timing of availability and pricing will be announced at a later date.

 

source: https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1145737_porsche-michelin-pilot-sport-s-5-n0

by Viknesh Vijayenthiran
http://www.boscheuropean.com