2018 Lotus Touch Up Paint (1 OEM Colors)

The 2018 Lotus Vibe

2018 was a year of precision at Hethel. While the rest of the automotive world was drowning in a sea of "Lease-Agreement Grey" SUVs, Lotus was busy reminding us that sports cars should look like candy. Whether you were piloting an Evora 400 or a track-hungry Exige, the mission was clear: less weight, more soul. Our database captures the absolute standout of this era: Chrome Orange Tricoat. It's a high-voltage, three-stage masterpiece that proves that in 2018, the only color that truly mattered was the one that made people stop and stare.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the Thin Paint Era. By 2018, factory robots had become so efficient that they could stretch a single thimble of paint across an entire fender. For a Lotus, this means you're dealing with whisper-thin coatings laid over composite and fiberglass bodies. The finish is beautiful, but it's brittle. Without the flexibility of a thick old-school lacquer, these modern coats tend to "star-crack" or chip down to the primer the second a pebble glances off the nose. If you're seeing what looks like tiny white craters on your front bumper, that's just the reality of modern "efficiency" meeting the open road.

Restoration Tip

Repairing a tricoat like Chrome Orange isn't a "one-and-done" job. Because you're dealing with a base color and a translucent mid-coat pearl, you must build your layers slowly. Do not try to fill a chip in one heavy-handed glob; if the paint is too thick, the metallic flakes and pearls won't lay flat, leaving you with a dark, mismatched "pimple" on your hood. Apply thin, patient coats, allowing each to flash off properly before adding the next. This ensures the depth of the orange matches the factory finish without looking like a DIY disaster.