With the invention of car wraps, automobile enthusiasts can go way above and beyond unusual paint colors and designs for their cars. There is an endless array of cool car wrap colors and designs to choose from. Get some inspiration below by checking out 17 of the best car wraps around today.
What is a vehicle wrap, anyway? A car wrap used to be popular only with vehicles used for branding and advertisement purposes. In this process, a vehicle is wrapped with a thin, sticky vinyl. Once the vinyl has been placed all around the vehicle, it is trimmed away from panel gaps, windows, door jambs, and trim details. After the pieces are trimmed off, any air trapped in the wrapping is eliminated with a soft squeegee. A heat gun is used to help the wrap stick to the vehicle.
Wraps are now used by many people to replace paint jobs. Getting your vehicle wrapped is much more cost effective than a new paint job. Wraps are also less time consuming and messy than traditional paint jobs.
Wraps are getting so sophisticated that now it can actually be difficult to tell the difference between a detailed paint job and a wrapped car. Check out these beautiful examples of cool car wraps to see if you can tell that no paint has been added to these vehicles.
1. Lotus Elise Tiger
The Lotus Elise Tiger stands out with its yellow and white two-tone color, as well as the black stripes wrapped in a way to make this look like a real tiger instead of a car. The Lotus Elise is a two-seater roadster that was thought up in 1994 but not released until September 1996. The first series of Lotus Elises were able to get up to speeds of 150 miles per hour, but the Elise really is known more for its agile handling and quick response.
2. FHM Mini Cooper
The artist did a great job of using the FHM Mini Cooper as a blank slate to use to create this head-turning image. The mural on the hood and interior have matching details to bring this design together on the vehicle. This one is definitely a conversation starter of a piece.
3. FedEx Carrying the Competition
Nothing says friendly competition like outdoing the other guys in the form of a wrap. The FedEx carrying UPS wrap is a great example of this. At first glance, it really does look like the massive truck is carrying two of the smaller UPS trucks. This stunning 3D design does a great job of making a statement from one company to the other.
4. BMW M3 GT2 Art Car
The BMW M3 GT2 Art Car was the creation of artist Jeff Coons in 2010. This car was the seventeenth car in a series that was called BMW Art Cars. The design is very busy and colorful, but the colorful lines flow with the lines along the car.
This E92 BMW M3 was first seen by the public in Paris at The Pompidou Centre on June 2, 2010. There have been other art cars created by several artists over the years. This BMW also participated in the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans in France. If art and car fusions are you thing, these amazing pieces of car art might appeal to you.
5. The Cartoon Tesla
A special automotive wrap was made to transform this Tesla P90D into a cartoony version of the vehicle. This was a collaboration between the founder of Rooster Teeth, Burnie Burns, and Graphics Guys, a company based in Texas. It might take a second glance to realize this car is the real deal and not just a cartoon. The designers used a technique called cel shading to create one of the most unique cool car wraps we’ve seen.
6. Lamborghini Aventador Prototype
The Lamborghini Aventador Prototype is another car with an eye-catching design wrapped around the vehicle. Truth be told, however, that this wrap style is not unique to Lamborghini, as many of you already know. No, this wrap style is used by automakers all over the world and is often seen in spy shot photography ahead of a vehicle’s official release date. The wrap is designed to confuse the eye and break up the lines and curves of the body of a car so that it can be tested in public before the official release without giving too much away without the pomp and circumstance. Still, it’s a pretty wicked getup.
7. Cement Truck Coverup
This one of a kind wrap really makes you take a second look to make sure its fake. The asparagus wrap looks real as the 3D image wraps around the cement truck in just the right places. These trucks have been seen in and around Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Anyone up for some asparagus with their next meal?
8. Epsom Bugatti
Another eye-catcher is the Epsom Bugatti. The wrap was completed on an Epson Stylus Pro GS6000 Printer. This intricately detailed wrap was on display on the Bugatti at the 2010 Special Equipment Marketing Association (SEMA) show.
The $1.7 million Bugatti was the most expensive vehicle to be wrapped to date. Skinzwraps and Avery collaborated to produce this wrap, which took seven days to finish the design, have the wrap printed and placed on the car. By the end of the show, the car was back to its original condition.
9. Spaghetti BMW
The Spaghetti BMW is a more unusual type of wrap for an automobile. This 2017 creation is the result of a collaboration between the photographer Pierpaolo Ferrari and Maurizio Cattelan, a satirical Italian artist. This art partnership was called TOILETPAPER. This unique looking spaghetti wrap decorates a BMW i3 and was bought by a Swiss collector for a whopping €100,000. Money from the sale of this car went toward the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation.
10. Copenhagen Zoo “Snake” Bus
The Copenhagen Zoo “Snake” Bus is a stunning wrap design that is still talked about today, although it was created back in 2009. The constrictor snake wrapped around the bus in 3D looks like it is squeezing the bus and its poor passengers to death. This wrap was made by Y&R, Denmark, just for the Copenhagen Zoo.
11. Matte Black Godfather Design
A familiar face is the Godfather in a nicely wrapped black matte, with smoke swirling all around. This automobile and wrap were on display at the International Sign Association show in Orlando, Florida. Fellers wrapped the car in this stunning black matte design. The company was doing wrap demonstrations at the show, which included this car.
12. National Geographic Bus Wrap
National Geographic had one of their buses wrapped with a shark on the side of the bus. The shark’s mouth opens and closes with the side doors of the bus, as if the shark is eating the passengers as they get on and off the bus. The wrap was definitely a great way to get attention with some beautiful advertisement.
13. McCoo Volkswagen
The McCoo Volkswagen is another artist creation with the help of vinyl wrapping. The Scottish artist Steven Brown and a local Volkswagen dealer got together to make a colorful creation. The well-known McCoo brand was brought to life with the help of Steven Brown. A Volkswagen Polo was picked for the colorful wrap job. The automobile was given away in a competition, but the local Volkswagen dealership decided to get its own McCoo car after the first Polo brought them so much attention. The beautiful art style and unique colors makes this one of the most artistic cool vinyl wrap efforts around.
14. Sephora Minis
Sephora, the beauty company, has come up with beautifully colorful wraps to make their ads stand out from the rest. These highly graphic wraps look stunning wrapped around a Mini Cooper, making a great ad for those looking to buy some of Sephora’s makeup.
15. The Tonka Truck
A Toyota designer in Australia created this life-size Tonka wrap, complete with the familiar black lettering on a yellow-gold background, with black and gold details on the rest of the truck and wheels. This HiLux Tonka Concept resembles the toy Tonka trucks popular with children and is definitely one of the toughest-looking cool car wraps around. The nostalgic wrap can help the bigger kids pretend to be in a life-size version of their favorite wheeled toys.
16. Canadian Work of Art
Jeroen Vermeulen, a Canadian artist, decided to display one of his abstract art pieces on his S450 Mercedes. He figured this was a much less expensive way to show his artwork to the public. Lilian Tan, a fashion photographer, took shots of the original work of art. These photographs were then applied to wrapping materials then wrapped around the car. Instead of displaying his work in a gallery, Jeroen can now use his car to show off his pieces of art.
17. Mysterious Jaguar
The XE SV Project 8 is a new Jaguar that was introduced in May of 2017. The design used on this new Jaguar was to keep this brand new automobile’s details a mystery, despite its initial introduction. The Telegraph even noted that this design was used so as not to reveal too much about the design of this new car. The wrap does a good job of distracting the viewer from the vehicle, adding to the mystery of this Jaguar.
As you can see, these 17 best car wraps are just a sampling of what is out there. Artists, millionaires, car enthusiasts and the like can get inspired to have a custom cool car wrap done on their vehicle of choice. Maybe this list has inspired you to do some research on cool designs for you to have your own automobile wrapped with. From brand logos to custom-made designs, the possibilities are endless for cool car wraps in the years to come.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some frequently asked questions concerning vehicle wraps. Hopefully, these will also answer some of your own questions about car wraps you may have.
Is it cheaper to get a car wrapped or painted?
A custom paint job on a car can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000, based on what color you want. Based on materials and how difficult the wrap job will be, a vehicle wrap only costs $500 to around $5,000. Custom vinyl vehicle wraps use high quality, cutting edge printing techniques that can give your car a new lease of life. You can choose anything from solid color finishes (such as matte, metallic, high gloss black colors, for example), full wrap animal print patterns, to anything you can think of. Carbon fiber vinyl film is one of the most popular treatments, and when properly applied, it looks like the real deal.
How much does it cost to get your car wrapped?
An average wrap job can cost somewhere around $2,500. A color change replacement wrap can cost $3,600, while a chrome wrap starts at $6,000. More complex car wrap designs like carbon fiber film, or special vehicle wrap design patterns can cost more.
Can you wash a wrapped car?
It is recommended to hand wash a car that is wrapped. Use a high-quality brand wash to keep your car’s wrap in top condition. Whatever you do, avoid wash tunnels and even the highest-quality full-service washes in favor of a hand wash.
How long does a wrap on a car last?
A custom vinyl wrap that has been taken care of can last 7 years. Color change films usually last 5 to 7 years, while a digitally printed wrap can last 5 years. Quality cast vinyl car wraps can last a lot longer than you’d think.
Do car wraps damage the paint?
A good car vinyl wrap film should not damage the paint job on your vehicle. The wrap vinyl should actually preserve the paint underneath if the wrap is taken care of properly.
How long does it take for a car to be wrapped?
Wrap installation will vary based on the type of car and how complex the wrap is. A vehicle with many curves will take longer to wrap than one with fewer curves. With help from a professional, the job can take 2 to 3 days to finish. This includes a 12-hour resting window for the film.
Can you wax a car with a wrap design?
A protective wax finish may protect the paint from exposure but could also damage the vinyl. So, stay away from wax if you are planning on getting your car wrapped.
Can you wrap a car with bad paint?
A bad paint job can result in “orange peel”, which can show up, even with a wrap over the car. It’s best to get the paint professionally repaired and cured before applying a wrap to the car.
Are vehicle wraps removable?
Vehicle wraps are removable. Removing a vinyl wrap can be very easy, as long as the wrap is made of high-quality vinyl. A heat source, such as a heat gun will be needed. Make sure someone with a lot of patience and some experience does the job to remove the wrap so they do not damage the paint underneath.
How much does it cost to wrap a food truck?
Prices can vary, just like with any other vehicle. The price is based on the designers doing the job, the quality of the installers, and the structure and size of the truck. To wrap a food truck is generally around $2,500 to $5,000.
