Trinseo | Trinseo Plastics chosen for new Audi A6 and A7 luxury interiors

March 16, 2018

Trinseo Plastics chosen for new Audi A6 and A7 luxury interiors

Trinseo’s Automotive team have successfully developed a unique, luxury interior plastic for the new Audi A6 and A7. Following two years of collaboration, the new A6 models were launched last week with interiors of soft-touch, cost-effective Trinseo VELVEX^TM Reinforced Elastomer.

In a successful previous project with Audi, Trinseo’s Technology Leader Norwin van Riel and his team tested VELVEX^TM 5250 ESU using the injection molding tool on Audi’s A3 convertible door module.

To ensure that VELVEX^TM 5250 ESU could meet Audi’s rigorous requirements, the plastic parts were tested for 18 months outside of laboratory conditions in the deserts of Africa and Arizona. With its excellent haptics, high-scratch resistance, low-gloss levels, and durability, the elastomer perfectly met Audi’s requirements.

The completion of this extended test period was a triumph for the team, which showed that VELVEX^TM could maintain its high-quality under tough conditions. Therefore, Samvardhana Motherson Peguform (SMP) chose Trinseo to supply a high-quality and cost-effective elastomer for the new Audi A6 and A7.

“After working closely with the Audi team on a number of projects, our team were able to understand their requirements and develop a material that would match their needs,” Claus Hermans, Trinseo’s Technical Service & Development team. “Working closely with the local SMP team, we were able to balance product cost with haptic quality and excellent durability to deliver the best possible elastomer for the client effectively.”

The quality of the Audi A6 and A7 interiors has attracted praise from the automotive press and interest from other manufacturers, making it a success not only for Audi, but also for Trinseo’s Automotive teams.

“Trinseo’s research and development process included rigorous testing outside the lab to prove VELVEX^TM maintains its soft-touch and scratch resistance properties in extreme conditions,” said Thomas Heck, Trinseo’s Development and Application Design Engineer. “As a result, Audi could have full confidence in the quality of Trinseo’s material solutions.”