We’ve had quite the selection of vehicles coming through the shop recently, but rarely do we get double vision like this.

Having matching Suzuka Grey Audi R8 GTs lined up in the schedule is not something we see very often, and obviously we couldn’t resist taking the opportunity to spend as much lens time with them as possible. With one returning for a detail & the other receiving our satin clear wrap treatment, we set to work capturing every second of the matching pair as we could with a short video montage!

Since that bit of eye candy most likely left you wanting more, here’s a full inside look at the satin wrap process performed, and even a few glamor shots from the after hours photo shoot Blake had with the twins…

As always, we started the pre-wrap procedures with our complete 24-step handwash, blasting out every nook & cranny of the R8 GT with compressed air and making sure to decontaminate completely so that it would be ready to be disassembled and ensure a clean film application.

Typically, wraps begin at the flattest & broadest points on the vehicle. Matt started off by fitting the roof film first, before working his way down the hood and on to wrapping the front bumper before moving on to the sides & rear.

Trimming is key. Even if they’re hidden from sight, a smooth & consistent edge is always better than a rough, jagged cut!

Carefully working over all the cracks with the plastic blade and pushing out the large bubbles with a sweep of the arm, the R8′s new satin sheen began to take shape. This wet application satin clear bra film is much different in texture & plasticity than our other opaque color film solutions, but it offers equally unmatched paint protection & durability!

With the wrap buttoning up, it came time to reassemble the masterpiece. We refit the mirrors, spoiler, and badges securely on the new satin surface, gave it a quick spritz and wipe down with our matte detailing spray, and started pulling out the lighting equipment as the sun started to drop. Time being of the essence, Blake decided to stay late & spend some extra hours with both cars, making the most of the abnormally dry spring evening.

Side by side, the difference in paint reflection & overall aesthetic is pretty staggering. The satin finish is soft & diffusing to the R8 GT’s sweeping curves, while the gloss seems almost cold & more aggressive, accentuating the sharper and more angular lines of the car.

If you’re a fan of Audi or the R8, then you probably already know there are only 333 R8 GTs in existence, and reportedly only 90 or so of those have been delivered in to the United States! This color offering (Suzuka Grey) is an Audi Exclusive color option and has always been one of Blake’s favorites. Suzuka Grey is offered from Audi in the gloss or the matte finish option, of which is a premium over their gloss standard. With the beauty of the matte finish comes the risks of damaging the already exquisite appearance, if a bit of spirited driving happens to kick up any road debris, or damage done from bird etching, regular wash scratches etc. Worth it for a collector perhaps, but for those who really want to put these beautiful machines to work, our protective satin solution offering yields a finish that looks factory if not better!

So similar, and yet still distinct. One sports anthracite wheels, while the other is rocking a polished appearance to match the gloss finish. As you may have spotted in the video, the satin R8 GT is also a bit more naked, with the badge free nose & tail. Their dry carbon canards, splitters, spoilers & mirrors accentuate both the satin & the gloss finishes excellently, and even the flat appearance on the carbon ceramic brakes & GT badges adds a simple touch that is often overlooked with a standard gloss or bare metal caliper.

It’s quite the sight to see them side by side. Another upside the satin film is when it’s placed over the Suzuka Grey paint (or similar, less metallic tonalities) it creates an almost pearlescent -esque appearance that doesn’t translate in typical matte finishes. There’s greater depth to the paint surface, smoother diffusion of light on the body lines, and an unmatched “wow” effect that it has on nearly every viewer who lays eyes on it. Just ask all of the attendees at the last recent Red Square Car Show where the satin R8 GT made it’s first public appearance and stole the show!

It was a pleasure working on such a beautiful pair, and we couldn’t have made it happen without our friends at University Audi. After all, they were kind enough to bring us the Suzuka Grey R8 V10 Spyder which we performed an Enthusiast Detail on just a handful of months back, and helped line up the pair for an appearance at our shop!

If you have any questions about vehicle wraps, clear bra film protection, or any of the automotive reconditioning & detailing services we offer, feel free to contact us for more information!

Amidst the excitement, we broke away from the crowds as best we could and managed to film a short video montage of the show for your viewing pleasure. Also, be sure to check out more photos below!

If you want to score one of the last few RS Car Show commemorative t-shirts and didn’t get a chance on Saturday, we have a few left for sale in our web store – all shirt sale proceeds go to PAWS.

For more information about the Red Square Car Show, visit redsquarecarshow.com, follow on twitter @RSCarShow, or hit up the facebook fan page!

There was a wide array of vehicles at the meet; everything from the standard fare of Corvettes and smattering of BMWs, as well as a few more eccentric & rare vehicles like rather lemony Vector M12 and a Volcanic Orange MP4-12C. Check out just a few of the cars that caught our eye, and be on the lookout for more NWAS trips to E@RTC as the weather starts to warm up!

By positioning the phones at two different vantage points over the course of 48 hours, we managed to capture almost all of the Mercedes make over, and have chopped it together with some cyclorama shots for you to enjoy.

If you have any questions about the benefits of vehicle wrapping or the seemingly endless combination of wrap options, check out our vehicle wrap page. For a quote on having your vehicle wrapped, contact us today!

Last week, we took in a very special Audi Q7 TDI courtesy of team rider Mike Hone and performed a full satin clear vehicle wrap, installed custom reflective sponsorship decals on nearly every panel, and a printed vinyl window banner to tie the whole look together. This is the first major commercially branded vehicle wrap that we’ve had under our roof, and despite working within a rather tight timeline we managed to pull off something aesthetically staggering.

The paint on the Q7 is a bit deceiving – although it’s marketed as an Orca Black Metallic, under hard lighting the paint reflects so much flake it has a bit of a navy hue. As soon as the surface is covered with our VentureShield satin clear however, it flattens out to the nice, desaturated black satin that really accentuates all of the Q7′s body lines.

The VentureShield transparent film requires a wet installation process as opposed to the standard heat & pull method with most opaque vinyl wraps. The surface of the Q7 must be saturated and all of the cracks & crevasses are blown out with compressed air to ensure that no contaminants are left hiding once the wrap application begins.

It’s a very delicate task trimming custom fitment for wrap installs. Matt worked meticulously over every inch of the vehicle making precision cuts along the cracks of the Q7 to ensure the satin film was going to cover & wrap around every lip. Visible seams are not something to be desired, and one of the best parts of the finished product is the amazement of viewers who can’t tell the car is wrapped in the first place!

We implement a very sophisticated technique to re-align all of the freshly coated matte black badges on the exterior of the Q7, more commonly referred to as the “tape.” Note the plots for intersecting body lines as well as both vertical & horizontal axes for keeping the badges coordinates on lock- these are essential to proper placement.

With a majority of the film applied, it was time to start digging into the reflective graphics. We posted the mock up on the vehicle and set to work with staging all of the vehicle branding for adherence. Most of the typographic pieces are individual cuts, so alignment is key to really keeping placement clean and correct.  Even the slightest layer shift can throw off appearances, physical placement is incredibly important and since this is one of the more subtly styled commercial wraps out there, even the littlest amount of offset in text can make the whole thing look wonky.

Starting with the doors and working our way around the vehicle, we carefully laid out more tape schematics for each of the Audi Cycling Team, Kryki Sports, Adobe, Specialized, Barrier, Chef’n, Nest Collective, Red Hook, Helly Hansen and NWAS decals.

The last piece of the graphics to go on was the front Audi Cycling Team printed window banner. Blake and Matt lined the banner up dead center, riding just low enough so the text wouldn’t be obscured by the Yakima roof box.

The Q7′s hood was definitely the trickiest part to wrap. Once the film had been stretched to fit, Blake began taping out more markers for the large Audi hood rings, cycling team side banners, and the Kryki Sports front banner. The grid system never fails!

With every panel wrapped, all the decals applied and edges sealed up, we rolled the Q7 into the cyclorama so that Blake could comb over it with some of our matte-friendly quick detail spray.

The end result the VentureShield satin clear is a sight to behold. It’s exciting to see a wrapped vehicle come together, and even more so when the transformation goes from a stock appearance to one that looks competition ready! Mike stopped on the delivery day riding his Specialized bike geared up and sporting the uniform, creating the perfect opportunity to showcase how well the newly wrapped Q7 fits the team aesthetic.

Have a commercial vehicle wrap inquiry or just want your Audi Q7 to look this good? Contact us with more information about the project and how we can assist you in creating a completely customized & branded auto!