2021 Lotus Touch Up Paint (1 OEM Colors)

The 2021 Lotus Vibe

2021 was a "last of its kind" year for Lotus. While the rest of the automotive world was drowning in a sea of dull gray crossovers, the crew in Hethel was busy rolling out the final editions of the Evora and Exige. It was a year where pure analog driving met the digital age, and for us, the only color that really mattered was Chrome Orange Tricoat. It's a loud, unapologetic finish that looks like it's glowing under a streetlamp-exactly what a mid-engine masterpiece deserves before the era of electrification took over.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the Thin Paint Era. By 2021, those factory robots had "efficiency" down to a cold, hard science, which means your clear coat is often about as thick as a layer of plastic wrap. These cars sit low enough to the asphalt to pick up every pebble the car in front of you sneezes out. Because that modern factory enamel is applied so lean, a single rock chip doesn't just dent the surface-it usually punches a hole straight through the clear and the basecoat, leaving a nasty white mark on your primer. It's high-tech, but it's fragile.

Restoration Tip

When you're dealing with a high-depth finish like Chrome Orange Tricoat, don't try to be a hero and fix a chip in one heavy pass. Since the factory coat is so thin, you have to match that "lean" application. Build your repair layers slowly-base, mid, then clear-and let the paint flash off properly between hits. Don't "blob" it into the crater, or you'll lose the metallic flip that makes the color pop. Take your time, build the depth, and don't over-sand; you don't have much clear coat to play with before you're through to the metal.