Showcased at the Cannes Surcar 2011 Congress, the Citroën DS4 is the first ever passenger vehicle in Europe to be exhibited using matt black textured powder coatings on the car body.

After initial trials with PSA Peugeot Citroën, the parent company of the Citroën DS4, a model was produced using Interpon A 5000. PSA Peugeot Citroën decided to showcase the car and its new coating system in Cannes.

“This is a great step forward for powder coatings in the automotive arena and one we are particularly proud of,” said Marie Cécile Dekker, global automotive marketing manager, AkzoNobel Automotive and Aerospace Coatings (AAC). “Historically powder coatings have been primarily used on the components of the vehicle, including the wheel and trim areas, providing aesthetic value and the high performance attributes required by the auto industry. We are now able to offer exciting new finishes, like the matt black texture, that are innovative and provide a unique and exciting character change that enhances the design features of the auto body. This type of design concept really is pushing the boundaries and inspiring design teams in the automotive world to think unconventionally.”

Powder coatings as a body coating alternative mark the start of a new era for automotive manufacturers who wish to reduce both their carbon footprint and their costs without compromising on technical quality or performance. Interpon automotive coatings are offering the automotive industry a sustainable alternative to liquid paints.

The powder mono coat system reduces the number of process steps and enables a significant reduction in energy consumption.

“This is not the first time powder coatings have been used as automotive topcoats. We have been coating commercial and passenger vehicles for many years and have made steady advances,” said AkzoNobel AAC’s Kevin Hales. “A lot of hard work has gone into refining the product and application techniques, working closely with PSA Peugeot Citroën to ensure their incredibly high quality demands are met and the coating is suitable for the European passenger vehicle market.”

PSA Peugeot Citroën has considerable experience in powder coating, especially for primer, which has been used at its Mulhouse factory since 2003. “This project was very exciting because it’s not only a practical response to customer expectations for more innovative effects, but also it’s obtained in the most simple way we can imagine, which was to apply a mono coat paint directly on e-coat with a fully automatic process,” said Antoine Vieu, PSA Peugeot Citroën expert for topcoat materials.

PSA Peugeot Citroën not only wanted a powder coating for this significant new finish, they also required a matching finish for the plastic body panels.

“Our challenge was to provide a high quality aesthetic match not only for color but also in surface structure,” said Regis Garcia of AkzoNobel Automotive and Aerospace Coatings. “The Citroën DS4 is evidence that AkzoNobel AAC rose to this challenge.”