That paint was a major pain all around. I was curious if it was the same stuff used by the McLaren F1 team on their chrome painted race cars and was told that those cars use Alsa Paint and that supposedly Mercedes Benz is coming out with a chrome paint on their upcoming AMG Signature Series cars (a step above the AMG Black Series, apparently), but that the paint on this Volvo is a non automotive paint developed by the tuner of this car, Heico. It seems that once you shoot it you're basically done, and you pray it comes out OK because it can not be worked at all. No wet sanding, no high speed buffing...nothing. The Volvo guy I talked to about it was lamenting the decision to use this paint as it was just a nightmare. The spoiler on the decklid was bubbling up and a replacement is on its way for the L.A. Auto Show. Fingerprints wiped off very easily but it was also very prone to scuffs.

A lot of people asked me about the paint or if the car was just polished aluminum. I even heard one guy tell his friend "hey, this is that car I was telling you about that's made of titanium!". No idea where that rumor came from, but the Ford & Volvo guys got a chuckle out of it. And, yes, the Volvo guys & gals at the show flew in from Sweden for the event.