Digital Diary: Travel, Photography, Music, Politics, Humor and General Life around me
We headed out yesterday to the NY International Auto Show at the Javits Center. The focus of this show is on the latest offering from all the majors and not the booth whores or tricked out rides like a HIN show.
Here’s some shots from my gallery:
I became an Audi fanatic for a few reasons. Primarily because everyone and their mom in CA drives either a BMW or a Merc and after viewing one of the top 10 auto chase scenes in the movie Ronin, the Audi S8 became one of my must haves (however, since the movie it’s been the RS4 and recently the Audi limited edition S4s (S4 rear view and the Audi RS4, modified of course but I’ll take mine minus the berry lights and promo stickie-wicks: RS4 specs). While I certainly can be a fan of the speed and styling of a Mercedes DTM ride like the Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM AMG or (for the rest of us) a more realistic BMW M3 series, the Audi ride hasn’t caught on in America as it has in Europe. Part of that may be that Audi has been plagued by perceived reliability issues (but what German car hasn’t), or Audi does not currently have a North American manufacturing plant (like BMW and Mercedes) – a major factor that drives up costs of importing cars and parts. Thus typically the European market has benefited greatly from better features, feedback, performance and quality rides than over here in NA.
Back to the point. I found these pics of a custom Audi A8 with a polished chrome-like finish. The car’s owner, a Dubai man, engaged the firm Motoren Technik Mayer (MTM), based in Wettstetten, Germany to perform the work. The MTM web site describes the process used in the Audi’s customization:
“In Dubai the MTM Audi A8 polished was the eye-catcher. The car was analyzed and in many studies the enamel varnish of the aluminum car body was removed. Furthermore the car was cleaned. After that, the car body was polished with fine abrasive paper as well as special polishes to high gloss. The blank dress must not have any defects, because of the fact that retouching was not possible. Finally the car was protected with special clear varnish against environmental impacts.
Because of the fact that it is impossible to polish plastic parts like front and rear spoilers, mirror house, side sillboard or also fuel tank cap, they were enameled in a complex way to get a chrome effect. Finally they were polished with clear varnish.”
I bet the polish will be a little blinding (especially in the desert) for other riders in traffic, but at least it will get the Bemmer driving, bumper hugging 405 riders off your ass right?
Click picture for full view
