LOS ANGELES, Dec. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Visitors to this month’s Los Angeles Auto Show will find a number of new-car interiors dressed in Alcantara®, the Italian-made luxury material.
An increasing number of auto makers from Europe, the Asia-Pacific region and North America are showcasing Alcantara on new models at major international car shows.
At the Los Angeles Auto Show (Dec.1-10), for example, Alfa Romeo, Lexus, Lincoln, Nissan and Volkswagen were just a few of the companies showcasing cars equipped with Alcantara. Two months ago, Audi, BMW, Maserati and Porsche unveiled new models with Alcantara at the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) in Germany.
“More and more companies are turning to Alcantara for its functional, emotional and technological qualities, and its strong commitment to sustainability,” Alcantara Chairman and CEO Andrea Boragno said. “The growing appeal of Alcantara is one of the reasons why we have announced a five-year investment program totalling €300 million in order to double the company’s overall production capacity.”
Porsche unveiled its 718 Boxster GTS and 718 Cayman GTS at the West Coast show with seating surfaces, dash panels, center consoles, steering wheels, headliners and sun visors all dressed in a dark grey Alcantara.
In addition, the Porsche Panamera 4S, Macan GTS, Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, Porsche 911 GT2 RS, Porsche 911 GT3 and Porsche Carrera T were shown with various Alcantara trimmed seating, steering wheels, sun visors, dash panels, center consoles and headliners.
Alfa Romeo’s Giulia, Motor Trend’s recently named 2018 Car of the Year, was displayed in its Quadrifoglio Verde edition with the steering wheel and seats trimmed with the Italian material as well as the recently presented Stelvio Quadrifoglio Verde.
Lexus showcased the LC 500 Inspiration with elegant caramel Alcantara seating, door panels and headliners, alongside a production version of the 471-horsepower V-8 equipped LC 500, featuring blue Alcantara interiors and matching orange Alcantara door panels. And Lincoln announced its new Nautilus showcasing a Black Label edition equipped with an Alcantara headliner.
Concept vehicles with West Coast debuts and Alcantara interior trim included the Nissan “Star Wars” Maxima and Volkswagen’s I.D. Crozz.
Cars and light trucks from Acura, BMW and Dodge were among a host of other vehicles on turntables and displays in Los Angeles that were equipped with Alcantara as well.
The 3.5-liter, 573-horsepower twin-turbo engine-equipped Acura NSX was shown with Alcantara seating. Audi’s new A8 L Quattro and BMW’s M2, M3 and M5 models were all dressed in Alcantara. A variety of Dodge Challengers and Chargers featured Alcantara seating, steering wheels and door panels, including the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon.
The U.S. market currently accounts for about 10 percent of Alcantara’s global sales. The company’s net sales have risen from €64.3 million in 2009 to €187.2 million in 2016. Operating profits have jumped from €7.9 million to €45.1 million during the same period.
“As you can see from our strong business results, our high-tech craftsman approach to luxury resonates well with automakers and consumers alike,” Boragno said. “Our relationship with the design community in the automotive industry, as well as throughout the fashion, home decor and consumer electronics industries, has helped us significantly increase sales and brand awareness over the last decade.”
To meet growing demand for its material, the company plans to significantly increase its production capacity with a five-year investment program totalling €300 million. Brand value also is expected to triple from an Interbrand 2015 value estimate of €100 million to €300 million over the same period.
Alcantara S.p.A. – www.alcantara.com
Founded in 1972, Alcantara represents a prime example of Italian-produced quality. As a registered trademark of Alcantara S.p.A. and the result of a unique and proprietary technology, Alcantara® is a highly innovative material, offering an unrivalled combination of sensory, aesthetic and functional qualities. Thanks to its extraordinary versatility, Alcantara is the choice of leading brands in a number of application fields: fashion and accessories, automotive, interior design and home décor, consumer-electronics. The company maintains a serious and certified commitment to sustainability, making Alcantara a true icon of contemporary lifestyle: the lifestyle of those who want to fully enjoy their everyday life, respecting the environment. Since 2009 Alcantara has been certified “Carbon Neutral”, having defined, reduced and offset all the CO2 emissions derived from its activities. Every year Alcantara draws up and publishes its own Sustainability Report, certified by Bdo authority and available on the corporate website. Headquartered in Milan, Alcantara production site and R&D department are located in Nera Montoro, in the heart of Umbria Region (Terni).
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