What Paint Do Car Manufacturers Use?

At Bodyshop Manchester, we offer the most competitive prices for bodywork repairs in Manchester. However, every now and again, we get someone telling us, “I’ve had a cheaper quote.”

When we look into why another bodyshop might offer a lower price for what appears to be the same job, the reason is almost always the same. At Bodyshop Manchester we always use the same paint systems that car manufacturers use at the factory, whilst many other bodyshops use more accessible and cheaper paints sold at standard bodyshop supply shops.

Factory-approved paint systems such as Glasurit can be up to six times more expensive than standard paints, but the difference shows in every detail, from colour depth and gloss to long-term durability and UV protection.

When we explain and show customers the difference in finish between a standard paint and a factory-approved system like Glasurit, nine out of ten choose to stay with us. They prefer keeping that factory-original look their vehicle had the day it left the showroom.

In this article, we’ll go behind the scenes to explain what paint car manufacturers use, why Glasurit stands out as one of the leading systems for premium vehicles, and how we at Bodyshop Manchester use the correct manufacturer-approved paint system for every brand we repair, whether that’s Glasurit for Bentley, or other systems used by brands such as Ferrari or Lamborghini.

What Is Glasurit Paint?

Glasurit is a brand and product line developed by BASF, used in both factory production and professional refinishing. It’s the same paint system trusted by Bentley, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, and Jaguar Land Rover at their factories, and it’s one of the main paint systems we use at Bodyshop Manchester for those specific brands.

Glasurit isn’t just a single paint. It’s a complete refinishing system that includes:

Colour mixing systems (such as Glasurit 90 Line, 68 Line, and 100 Line)
Primers and fillers
Basecoats (the colour layer)
Clearcoats (the protective gloss layer)
Special additives and hardeners

The mixing system is what makes Glasurit so precise. It’s connected to Glasurit’s digital colour database, which holds tens of thousands of OEM manufacturer colour codes. This allows us to mix the exact same formula that, for example, Bentley uses on a Continental GT or Porsche on a 911 Turbo S, ensuring a perfect match to your car’s original factory finish every time.

That said, Glasurit isn’t the only paint system we use. Each manufacturer has their own approved system. For example, Ferrari uses a different paint system altogether, and for those cars, we use the exact same brand and specifications their factory does. The goal is always the same: to ensure every vehicle we repair is refinished using its original, factory-approved paint system.

What’s the Difference Between Water-Based Paint Like Glasurit and Solvent-Based Paint?

One of the biggest differences between factory paint systems such as Glasurit and cheaper alternatives used by many bodyshops is the type of base, water-based versus solvent-based.

Water-based paint, like Glasurit, is the modern standard for manufacturer-approved refinishing. It’s the same technology used in Bentley, Porsche, and JLR factories, chosen for its superior performance, environmental safety, and colour precision.

Water-Based Paint (Glasurit and other OEM systems)

Environmentally friendly and compliant with strict European VOC (volatile organic compound) regulations.
Delivers exceptional colour accuracy and clarity, especially with metallic and pearl finishes.
Dries faster and more evenly, reducing the risk of imperfections.
Allows for finer control and smoother blending, ensuring a perfect colour match to the original factory paint.

Solvent-Based Paint

Uses older, chemical-based formulas with higher VOC emissions.
Can produce inconsistent colour tones, particularly on complex finishes.
Takes longer to cure and can lose gloss over time.
Generally cheaper, which is why it’s still found in lower-cost or non-approved bodyshops.

At Bodyshop Manchester, we always choose the correct manufacturer-approved paint system for each vehicle. For many brands, that means Glasurit, but for others, like Ferrari or Lamborghini, we use the exact system specified by the manufacturer. This ensures every repair meets true factory standards, not just visual similarity.

Why Don’t All Bodyshops Use Glasurit?

The main reason most bodyshops don’t use Glasurit or other manufacturer-approved paint systems comes down to cost and capability.

These paint systems require specialist equipment, trained technicians, and controlled environments to apply correctly. The materials themselves are also far more expensive than generic paints, sometimes up to six times the cost.

Many bodyshops choose cheaper paints so they can offer lower prices, but the results don’t compare. Lower-grade paints often lack the depth, clarity, and durability of factory systems, and although they might look fine at first, over time they fade, dull, and lose their original finish.

At Bodyshop Manchester, we’d rather do things properly. Whether that’s Glasurit for Bentley, or another factory-approved paint for a different manufacturer, we always use what the car was originally finished with, ensuring a genuine manufacturer-standard result, not a quick repair that looks okay for a few months.

Why We Use Glasurit at Bodyshop Manchester

At Bodyshop Manchester, we repair and refinish some of the most prestigious vehicles on the road. From Bentley and Rolls-Royce to Porsche, Aston Martin, Ferrari, and Jaguar Land Rover, each brand has its own approved paint system, and we always use the correct one for that specific manufacturer.

For brands like Bentley, Porsche, and Jaguar Land Rover, that means Glasurit. It allows us to achieve an exact colour match, perfect gloss, and long-lasting protection. These are the same standards expected on a brand-new car.

When a vehicle comes to us, the goal is always the same: to restore it to exactly how it looked when it left the factory. Using anything less than a factory-approved paint system would mean compromising quality, and that’s not what we do.

By using manufacturer-approved systems like Glasurit, we ensure:

Exact OEM colour accuracy using the correct paint codes.
Superior gloss and depth for a true factory finish.
Excellent long-term durability and UV protection.
Authentic, brand-specific quality for prestige and performance vehicles.

If Bentley and Porsche trust Glasurit for their new models, and Ferrari trusts its own dedicated system, then our customers deserve the same. Nothing less.

How Do You Apply Glasurit Compared to Other Paints?

Glasurit is a water-based paint system, not solvent-based like the ones used in the majority of bodyshops for easiness and convenience. While solvent-based paints are cheaper and more forgiving to work with, they can’t match the factory-level accuracy, gloss, or longevity of a professional water-based system.

However, using water-based paint correctly requires more precision, better equipment, and a controlled environment. It’s not as simple as spraying and drying. It demands the right airflow, temperature, humidity control, and curing time to achieve a flawless, glass-smooth finish. That’s why many cheaper bodyshops stick to solvent-based paints. They’re easier and faster to apply, even though the end result isn’t the same.

At Bodyshop Manchester, our spray booths, preparation process, and trained technicians are all set up specifically for premium water-based paint systems, ensuring a manufacturer-standard finish every time.

Here’s how our process compares to standard solvent-based methods:

1. Preparation and Priming

Every panel is carefully cleaned, sanded, and primed using OEM-approved primers and fillers. This creates the perfect surface for the water-based colour to bond to. Solvent-based paints can tolerate rougher prep, but water-based systems demand clean, perfectly prepared surfaces for the best adhesion and finish.

2. Precise Colour Mixing

We mix each colour using the manufacturer’s digital colour database, which includes tens of thousands of OEM paint codes. This ensures an identical factory match whether we’re working on a Bentley using Glasurit or a Ferrari using its approved system.

3. Water-Based Colour Application

Unlike solvent-based paints, water-based systems rely on controlled airflow rather than heat to dry between coats. Our spray booths maintain the perfect humidity and air movement to let the paint flash off evenly, preventing patchiness or clouding. This precision gives the depth and consistency you see on brand-new factory finishes.

4. High-Gloss Clearcoat

Once the base colour is applied, we seal it with a high-quality clearcoat from the same system, providing exceptional gloss and long-term protection against UV rays, fading, and weathering. This is what gives prestige vehicles that deep, mirror-like finish that lasts.

5. Curing and Polishing

The vehicle is baked in a temperature-controlled booth to cure the paint completely. After curing, it’s finely polished to achieve the flawless factory-standard gloss that Bodyshop Manchester is known for.

By taking the time to apply each manufacturer-approved water-based paint system properly, whether that’s Glasurit or another brand, we ensure every vehicle leaves our workshop with a long-lasting, authentic factory-quality finish.

In Summary: Always Use the Original Factory Paint

At the end of the day, the paint you choose determines the quality of the finish and how long it lasts. If you care about your car, always choose to use the original factory paint system, not a cheaper alternative.

Cheaper paints might look fine at first, but they don’t have the same depth, durability, or resistance to weathering. Over time, they fade, lose their gloss, and simply don’t hold up to the standards of a true factory finish.

At Bodyshop Manchester, we believe every repair should be done the right way, not the cheapest way. That’s why we always use the correct factory paint system for every manufacturer, whether that’s Glasurit for Bentley, Spies Hecker for Ferrari, or another OEM-approved system.

If you take pride in your car, don’t cut corners. Use the original factory paint, and let Bodyshop Manchester restore your vehicle properly.

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