Alcantara Featured On New Cars Launched At Paris Auto Show

PARIS--Oct. 11, 2012: Alcantara's state-of-the-art upholstery styles and materials were featured on interiors of new cars unveiled at the 2012 edition of the Paris Auto Show.

Alcantara material was selected for a variety of Maserati, Peugeot, Porsche and Lamborghini car lines, highlighting Alcantara's ability to embrace an infinite range of styles.

Maserati chose Alcantara for the entire passenger compartment of its new GranCabrio MC -- seats, door panels, central transmission tunnel and dashboard -- providing a unique sensory experience that embraces the driver and passengers from the first contact.

Peugeot used Alcantara upholstery to help establish the chic and refined spirit of its 208 XY. The French manufacturer also turned to Alcantara for the passenger compartment of its new RCZ.  The special 3008 Napapijri series includes a laser-embedded logo on the top part of the light-grey Alcantara upholstered seating.

Porsche combined luxury and sportiness in its new Carrera 4 with considerable use of the "Made in Italy" material on roof and side panelling.  Carrera 4's seating is finished Alcantara to ensure the seats provide a perfect grip even on the windiest roads.

Lamborghini uses Alcantara to update the interiors of its Gallardo model. As one of the Italian carmaker's historic partners, Alcantara has provided an advanced customization with extremely refined interiors that exploit skilful "tailor made" craftsmanship, including upholstery that juxtaposes perforations and contrasting stitching.

Alcantara also partners with such prestigious makes as BMW. Alcantara upholstery is featured across BMW's entire range of vehicles, including the M6, M5, and 6 series, as well as the 335i where the material is even applied to the steering wheel and gear box.

Alcantara "speaks Italian" on the seats of the Alfa Romeo MITO SBK, with the logo embroidered on the upper part. The same application is used with different embroidery for the Abarth 595.

Citroen dresses its DS3 Racing seats in Alcantara to enhance its aggressive nature.

The Paris Auto Show placed a great deal of emphasis on electric vehicles, for which light weight is crucial. An example is the EXAGON Furtive-eGT, which chose Alcantara materials for the roof and side panels.  Alcantara is a perfect fit for electric and hybrid vehicles with its certified carbon neutral material.

Since 2009, Alcantara has quantified, reduced and compensated all the CO₂ emissions produced by the production processes of its material. The company has also supported a number of projects linked to renewable energy and certified by the UN. For the third consecutive year, Alcantara has published its own sustainability statement, which explains the company's specific undertakings to foster the environment and the health and safety of its workforce.