Nissan Skyline has Temperature-Sensitive Paint Finish that Changes Color

Check out this crazy paint job on a Nissan Skyline S2 R33 from the United Kingdom that has had a whole-body re-spray done using only special temperature-sensitive paint that, like mood rings, changes color depending on conditions.

The cost of the paint is the equivalent of $320 per liter, and the West Yorkshire body shop that did the job, Auto Kandy, is currently taking pre-orders for those interested.

The effect you get is a distinctly black finish when stone cold, then as things gradually heat up, its hue moves more towards the color orange – as you can see in the opening photo, pouring cold water over it or the heat from one’s palm are sufficient to trigger the reactive paint to work its magic.

Usually, this kind of paint is used for details, to emphasize certain delicate airbrushed features or to bring flames to life, so its application over the entire body of a car is a unique proposition and something we haven’t really seen before. There’s a video posted below showing what it looks like in detail.

Keep in mind, though, that its properties fade in time, and the more it has to work and change, it will get progressively weaker in its reaction - you won't be able to pass it on to your grand kids and tell them to keep it as is...

By Andrei Nedelea

Story References: Jalopnik and Cnet

VIDEO

What in the World is This?

Are you up to a guessing challenge? If you're reading this, then we'll assume the answer is yes. So, some of the questions we have been pondering after looking at these two photos of the same car are, 'What exactly is it, and what's it trying to resemble?', and 'Who made it and why?'.

Leaving the second set of enquiries aside, we came up with two candidates for the base model, the first being the Mitsubishi Lancer Celeste from the mid-1970s, early 1980s (also sold as the Chrysler Lancer in Australia, and Plymouth and Dodge Arrow in North America), and the other a Nissan Skyline C110 from the '70s.

As far as what it's supposed to look like, well, the front seems to incorporate a Mitsubishi Galant snout, while at the back, we're not sure if it's supposed to resemble the last, dark plastic days of the third generation Corvette, a 1980s-2000s Nissan Skyline GT-R, or something entirely different.

Heck, have a go at it for yourself in the comments section below the break.

Photos via Top Gear Philippines (via Edward Marvin Abueg) , Mitsubishi Celeste and Nissan Skyline pics via Wikipedia (1) , (2)

PHOTO GALLERY

Nissan to Launch Infiniti Brand in Japan with the Q50 - The End of Skyline Range?

Launched in 1989 as a competitor for Toyota’s luxury division Lexus in the United States, Nissan’s Infiniti brand has been expanding worldwide in recent years, focusing especially on Europe. Now it looks like Infiniti will debut in Japan as well, as Nissan wants to capitalize on demand for luxury cars in its home market.

According to a report from Japanese business daily Nikkei quoted by Reuters, Nissan will launch the redesigned Skyline luxury sports sedan under the Infiniti brand as early as this winter. The Skyline is sold as the Infiniti Q50 in the United States and Europe. Nissan hasn’t yet communicated the price of the Q50 in Japan, but the report said the sedan will be built in a plant in Tochigi Prefecture. In the U.S., the Infiniti Q50 starts from $36,700.

The fate of the Nissan Skyline range remains unknown, but it doesn't make much sense for the Japanese company to offer the same exact vehicles under different brands in the same market.

According to Nikkei, Nissan will sell Infiniti models at existing Nissan dealerships and has no plans to set up an exclusive sales network for now. If sales are good, Nissan may consider expanding the Infiniti lineup in the country.

Infiniti vehicles are mostly produced in Japan and exported overseas. The brand made up less than 1 percent of Nissan’s operating profit in the last two years as the strong Japanese Yen dented affected its exports. However, Infiniti is expected to meet its own operating profit margin target this fiscal year, thanks to a weaker yen and low depreciation charge.

Infiniti president Johan de Nysschen said he expected the brand to meet its target for an operating profit margin of 6-7 percent in the fiscal year ending in March 2014.

By Dan Mihalascu

PHOTO GALLERY

Just Some Aussies Hooning Around in an Abandoned Factory

You might not know it yet, but large and empty buildings can actually be an ideal place to burn some rubber and engage in what Australians and New Zealanders like to call hooning.
The crew from LuckyBelt explains:
"Last month we were lucky enough to have access to an old empty factory for the afternoon the day before it was knocked down in Perth, Western Australia. This was the result."

Meet the Most Amazing Drifter in the World; Pole Who Lost Both Arms will Leave You Speechless

We might not know them personally, but there are people around us in this world who inspire us to stretch our abilities and come out of our comfort zones to make our life meaningful.
One such gifted individual is Bartek Ostalowski from Poland. What makes Ostalowski so special is that while he had the misfortune of losing both of his arms in an accident back in 2006, he never let go of his life or his passion for motorsports and cars.
In fact, the 26-year old Pole did the exact opposite pursuing his dreams of becoming a professional racing driver. He not only competed in the Polish Championship Rally Raceway Cross and the Polish Cup, but now he's also mastering the art of drifting.