Ariel specifies Zircotec’s coloured ceramic coating for exclusive Atom V8
First OEM application of Performance Colours coating that offers both heat management and aesthetic qualities to protect ultimate incarnation of Ariel Atom performance car
Ariel’s new Atom V8 supercar is the first OEM application of Zircotec’s Performance ColoursTM ceramic exhaust coating, which offers both a highly aesthetic and effective thermal barrier. Specified by Ariel to ensure the exposed and visible exhaust system maintains its beauty, the plasma-sprayed coating also prevents heat transfer generated by the 500bhp, three litre V8 engine. “Zircotec coatings are trusted in high performance applications at the highest levels of motorsport offering surface temperature reductions of over 30 percent,” says Zircotec’s sales director Peter Whyman. “Our lightweight coating offers a high performance, durable and professional finish that is entirely appropriate for the Atom V8, a car fitted with many race specification components and described by Ariel as a race car with number plates,” Ariel is the first vehicle manufacturer to specify one of Zircotec’s coloured ceramics. The Atom V8’s exposed powder coated chassis, coloured gold for the limited run of just 25 cars, provided an opportunity to use a coating that would complement the chassis’ finish. Unlike many ‘high temperature’ paint finishes, Zircotec’s coatings offer a long-lasting and zero maintenance solution that has been tested to OEM lifetime standards. In line with the bespoke manufacturing of the Atom V8, each exhaust is hand sprayed using a plasma torch running at over 12,000°C at Zircotec’s new Abingdon factory. After a proprietary nickel-based bond coat, molten ceramic is applied on the carefully prepared system to a thickness of just under 350 microns. Zircotec coatings are being increasingly used by high performance road and race car manufacturers as a solution to effectively manage heat. In 2010, over 70 percent of the F1 grid is using Zircotec coatings to offer durability and performance benefits. About Zircotec Zircotec www.zircotec.com offers a wide range of plasma sprayed ceramic and metallic coatings that protect components against the effects of heat, wear, abrasion and corrosion. Lightweight and easily packaged, Zircotec’s technologies can be applied to a broad range of different materials including metals and composites. Proven in F1 and the nuclear industry, the technology is now trusted by car manufacturers, industrial users, car enthusiasts and an increasing range of other applications to effectively manage heat and wear, enhancing performance and reliability. ZircoFlex™, the latest development from Zircotec, offers for the first time, a truly flexible ceramic coating. www.zircotec.com
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