Satin Thundercloud

3M Satin Thundercloud is a satin film from 3M's 2080 range, catalogued as S271. 3M lists 115 other 2080 colors, so it is worth seeing them side by side before you settle on one.

This is color change wrap vinyl from 3M's 2080 line. It resurfaces the car in a new color and can be removed later without touching the factory paint underneath, which is why wraps hold resale value in a way a respray does not. Vinyl changes how the car looks; it is not impact protection, so if you also want the paint shielded from rock chips, the same kind of color exists as color paint protection film at a higher price.

The satin finish

Satin sits between gloss and matte — a soft sheen that moves along the body lines as the light changes rather than mirroring what is around it. It is the finish that most often makes people ask what color the car actually is. It marks more readily with fingerprints and oils around the handles and fuel door, and it is never polished: cleaning is a gentle wash and a wrap-safe detail spray, nothing abrasive.

Care: hand wash with a wrap-safe soap and a soft mitt. Nothing abrasive and no polishing — satin cannot be corrected the way gloss can.