2023 Lotus Background Info
The 2023 Lotus Vibe
Ah, 2023. The year Lotus decided to give the internal combustion engine a glorious swan song with the Emira while simultaneously plugging the Eletre into the grid. It was a year of aggressive aerodynamics, sharp composite lines, and a world full of "Accountant Grey" SUVs. But at Lotus, we knew better. While the rest of the industry was going dull, we focused on the only color that truly captures the soul of a British corner-carver: Chrome Orange Tricoat. It's a high-depth, high-drama finish that looks like liquid heat under the track lights, reminding everyone that a Lotus isn't just a car-it's a neon-colored middle finger to the boring and the heavy.
Paint Health Check
Welcome to the Thin Paint Era. Your 2023 Lotus was born in the age of "Robot Efficiency." These cars were sprayed by mechanical arms programmed to use the absolute minimum amount of material required to achieve a showroom shine. The result? A clear coat that is chemically hard but physically brittle. Those beautiful aerodynamic ducts and low-slung noses are absolute magnets for road debris, and because the factory layers are so thin, a single stone doesn't just leave a mark-it craters. On composite panels like the Emira's doors, the bond between the substrate and that thin enamel is under constant pressure from heat and vibration. If you aren't careful, those small chips can lead to edge-peeling faster than you can hit the apex.
Restoration Tip
When you're working with 2023-spec paint, you have to respect the robot's precision. Build your layers slowly; don't blob it. Since Chrome Orange is a Tricoat, it relies on light passing through a translucent mid-layer to get that signature glow. If you get impatient and try to fill a chip in one heavy go, you'll end up with a dark, muddy spot that looks more like a bruise than a repair. Apply the base color in paper-thin passes, let it dry completely, and build the depth until it matches the factory's stingy application. It takes a delicate hand to fix a car that was painted by a machine, but patience is the only thing that keeps that 2023 finish looking like it just rolled out of Hethel.