Oh no, I think we’ve stumbled upon a horrendous trend…
First, a couple of Russians upholstered the body of their Porsche 924 in orange chenille tufting. Then, US automotive carpet company ACC sponsored a van with diamond pleats on the exterior. Showing them both up, American rapper The Game had the outside of his Ferrari F430 trimmed in leather.
Now, a British man with a penchant for soft-touch surfaces has wrapped his Porsche Panamera in velvet.
UK’s The Independent writes:
It turns out it is the first soft-to-touch car of its kind in the country and it’s the handiwork of car-wrap firm Raccoon (raccoon.co.uk). “It’s a marmite thing of course,” says Richard Clark, the firm’s managing director. “But the owner loves it and as hard as it is to believe, it’s really easy to wash. I just wouldn’t suggest running it through a car wash.”
Jim Holder, editor of Autocar magazine, isn’t impressed: “Each to their own! But it will wreck the paint, nobody will buy it used and the owner could – should be a laughing stock back home.”
And believe or not, said owner – who perhaps wisely is keeping his identity secret – isn’t an attention-grabbing celebrity or even an over-paid footballer. [more]
I suppose it’s true what they say, beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. I’m just glad that it’s not an auto upholstery shop that’s behind this creation.
Tell us: Have you ever wrapped the exterior body panels of a customer’s car in soft fabric? If so, we want to see pictures.
Yes, when I was in high school, a friend of mine had a green ’89 Grandprix. It got severe hail damage to all panels. So he pocketed the insurance money, and we wrapped it in green astroturf! Hail dents….gone.
That sounds frightening. If you have some pics, please post them in our forum.
Retired…Honey I Going Out To Vacume And Iron The Car…
Looks like they have the nap direction wrong after that fender and to the door? or is it me?
Wonder what type of glue they used and if itll hold up to extreme MPH! haha
Yea you’re right, the nap looks off
It is possible they have used the yellowish glue most of the upholsterers and shoemakers use. Velvet ‘hairy side’ “combs” in one direction…so be very careful at the time of laying over because could cause ‘different shades’.
The water could permeate through and cause corrosion to the metallic frame…anyways is nice and soft to its owner touch…only for awhile!
Brave man that’s for sure!
I’d images that’ve just used a flocked vinyl wrap like any other wrapped cars it won’t damage the paintwork as such, what can damage the paint work is when the material is cut of a little to heavy handed scoring the paint underneath, it does look like the nap direction is going the wrong way on the front end? May be the camera?
And being a 13 plate car means its brand new!
Finally!!! Somebody did something to make a Panamera look GOOD!! lmao!!
I would have loved to do that Porsche reminds me of the upholstered running boards
You know, for all the customers I have, I can’t get ONE to let me upholster their running boards!!? Did it 20 years ago for a couple cars. Would love to see it again!
I sent a copy of the picture to my brother who is a huge Porsche dealer and I could hear the scream thru the computer !
Like everything else out there this is nothing new, I remember back in the 60’s or 70’s fluffy paint was available. The car would be sprayed in a special paint and then a device like a vandegraph electrostatic generator was passed over the body which made the paint go all stringy and stand up, this then made the paint fluffy.
I sore this a few weeks ago on the road in Surrey would you believe! And no it does’nt look any better up close!