Mazda Develops New Soul Red Crystal Shade Go with KODO Design

In order to signify its approach to design, KODO-Soul of Motion, Mazda Motor Corporation has developed a new shade, a body color named Soul Red Crystal. The new shade will be used on the all-new Mazda CX-5, that will be launched at the retail level in Japan in February 2017, before it is gradually rolled out for other new and existing models.

At Mazda, there is a strong belief that “color is an element of form,” and this is why the Japanese automotive company has focused on coming up with colors that can showcase the true quality and beauty of its KODO design philosophy. The new Soul Red Crystal shade is an advanced version of Soul Red that combines clear depth and gloss with a vibrant energy and vividness. Compared to Soul Red, it has 20 percent more color saturation and 50 percent more depth for a fresher, more stunning look.

The new shade has a simple three-layer structure comprising clear, translucent and reflective coats, but  Mazda’s Takuminuri painting technology will also lend to the difference in the new hue. Takuminuri technology gives even mass-production vehicles a precise, high-quality finish similar to vehicles that have been hand-sprayed by a master craftsman and the same technology was used in the case of the Soul Red and Machine Gray shades.

The new paint is a richer red thanks to the translucent layer which has a newly developed highly saturated red pigment. In addition to high-brilliance, extremely thin aluminum flakes, the reflective coat comprises light-absorbing flakes that increase the intensity of the shaded areas and thus giving the hue a depth of color that earlier needed two layers.

The aluminum flakes used in Soul Red Crystal are of uniform size, the consistency of the paint was enhanced and a new technique was employed during the drying process to shrink the volume of paint. Thus there is even, smooth coverage of the aluminum and light-absorbing flakes on the car’s body and more precise control of light reflection, making the shade deeper and more vivid.

This structure of the paint combines functionality and coloring making the hue similar in look to a designer color that would normally need more layers. The paint is made in the same environmentally friendly paint shops where the regular body colors are made.

Mazda has said that it will continue to work on new colors and paint technologies, as it strives to maintain its reputation as a brand that maintains a strong emotional connection with customers.