Wednesday 1st July 2015

Bespoke carbon bodywork for supercars

U.S. company launches what it describes as 'Saville Row' experience with a truly priceless press release

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We read a lot of press releases here at PH, and spend a fair amount of our time filtering them and - when we're interested enough in what they're plugging - translating them from PR speak into something approaching English.

But some are truly unimprovable, like the one that brought us here. Here's the first line (and it gets better):

When 'murdered out' goes a bit too far

"Boutique carbon fibre atelier Vitesse | AuDessus, manufacturer of bespoke automotive pieces, announces its launch worldwide."

We'll leave aside the attempted use of punctuation in the company name, a convention we don't follow; you have to give credit to whoever came up with that 'carbon fibre atelier' line. (It's French for 'workshop' apparently.)

The basic pitch is simple enough - Vitesse AuDessus makes replacement carbonfibre bodywork for a range of supercars, offering carbon with a selection of weaves, colours and final finishes. Kits are offered for the Ferrari 458, Bugatti Veyron and Lamborghini Aventador among others. The release is impressively blase about exact pricing, quoting a casual variation of 100 percent: "exteriors typically range in price from $100-$200K; bespoke pieces for Bugatti Veyron, McLaren P1, Ferrari LaFerrari and Ferrari Enzo may carry a premium over that."

No mention of weight saving anywhere...

But our favourite line is a quote from the Vitesse AuDessus CEO, one that seems to be a pitch aimed straight at the most powerfully built company directors:

"'Our clients have already selected the very best in their lives,' says Stefany Sanchez. 'Everything they own is a reflection of their unique taste: from their home, yacht or jet all the way down to their cuff links. So why should they accept a supercar or exotic vehicle that is no different than the one in their neighbour's garage? Thus, we had a challenge: how do we make something that is already incredibly rare, sexy and exciting even rarer, sexier and even more exciting? The answer? We adorn every inch of it in handcrafted carbon fibre.'"

So if you've managed to order a supercar that's identical to the one next door, here's the solution.

[RacerMike]

Nice 3D renders they have there! Wondering if there is even anything physical behind the PR waffle at the moment. It all seems a bit like some school kids idea of a company. Take one supercar, take moulds of said supercars body panels and remake them in carbon.

Interesting that they suggest they do replacement panels for the P1....a car which has entirely carbon fibre bodywork already....

[Enricogto]

Or for the matter the Veyron, LaFerrari and Enzo......already made in carbon since....inception!

[wemorgan]

Adding carbon fibre to non-structural parts to save very little weight -- nice money if you can get away with such nonsense.

[StottyEvo]

Providing the cars actually look like the pictures, they look incredible.

[Monty Python]

May as well just wrap it in carbon-fibre vinyl for all the good it'll do.

[Bo_apex]

looks like they're waiting to be finished and go into the paint shop

[Schermerhorn]

Assuming what they make is all matching carbon weave like what Pagani do or what Mclaren charge an extra few hundred thousand for on the P1.

Otherwise, it's just a load of waffle.

[k-ink]

What a load of nonsense! One for the gold Rolls Royce set. Spend the money on track days, rather than posing outside of Harrods.

Muppets.

[rodericb]

Tsk tsk, not even a website link to click on to enquire about having my car given carbon fibre panels?!

Anyway: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bare-carbon-fiber-m...
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanysanz?trk=pulse-...
http://www.vitesseaudessus.com/

[TT Tim]

Looks like the address is just a serviced office.

T

[C7 JFW]

I'd rather spend the money on driving tuition.

[whythem]

Hydrographics anyone?

[jamespink]

What utter nonsense... Take the carbon bodied car the maker spent millions developing, remove many structural parts and replace them with "copy" parts... Der!

[Remagel2507]

As someone else mentioned if you wanted the carbon look on your car why not just go down the wrapping/hydrodipping route, seems like a much simpler and cheaper solution - albeit a solution to a problem which I don't think really exists

[suffolk009]

It's one way that I could invest $100k-200k in my MG Midget!

All superiority aside, well... why not. It's not for me, but I bet someone will be doing it for their next Gumball (or similar) event.

[frayz]

Snore off Zzz Zzz Zzz

[ging84]

when having your Ferrari finished in chrome or gold isn't quite garish enough

[Gecko1978]

I thought all of these cars were carbon now and Pagani do as others have said a wonderful carbotanium weave. So this would apply to the Mclaren 570 which is not carbon right so spend 100k get it in carbon or just buy a 670 instead...
I suspect its a start up with no real product. frankly giving yourself a gash french name does not make your product quality

[scubadude]

suffolk009 said:

All superiority aside, well... why not. It's not for me, but I bet someone will be doing it for their next Gumball (or similar) event.

Well I agree with the "why not" except for the fact almost all of the cars they offer the service for are already clothed in Carbon, save yourself $200K and buy a sheet of wet'n'dry and rub the paint off if you want the grey carbon look.

World class morons IMO to offer it or want it.


I may offer a new service to Hypercar owners- the "sh*t look finish" for only £150K I will take your existing bodywork and defecate all over it, then varnish and buff the dried excrement for a unique look that your billionaire neighbours cannot match, extra charges may apply for all curry finishes, otherwise a healthy mixed diet will be used.

[delta0]

Carbon fibres only come in black so the coloured options won't be carbon fibre.