Hexcel & HP Composites Unveil Premium Class A Carbon‑Fiber Panels for Supercars

Hexcel and HP Composites have joined forces to produce high‑grade Class A carbon‑fiber body panels for supercars such as Alfa Romeo’s Giulia GTA and GTAm sedans.

With five production plants across Italy, HP Composites has a proven track record of delivering high‑performance composites for both road and racing applications. The partnership blends HP’s processing expertise with Hexcel’s HexPly XF3 surfacing material and HexPly M47 and M49 prepregs, all engineered to meet the exacting standards of the world’s leading super‑car OEMs and motorsport teams.

Hexcel’s automotive composites portfolio is the result of decades of industry experience and strategic collaborations that push the limits of technology. HexPly XF3 is an epoxy prepreg surface that was developed with HP’s input to address the challenges of manufacturing Class A body‑panel surfaces that excel in aging tests.

When applied as the first ply in the mold and cured at 120 – 180 °C in an autoclave, HexPly XF3 delivers a smooth, non‑porous finish that requires minimal preparation before painting.

Delivered in a roll format that offers excellent tack and drapability, HexPly XF3 can be quickly sanded after cure. HP has implemented automated robotic sanding to achieve paint adhesion that conforms to EN ISO 2409.

HP normally processes HexPly XF3 parts in an autoclave to maximize weight savings and structural performance. The company also offers proprietary press and compression‑molding methods, including Air Press Molding, which are compatible with HexPly prepregs for high‑volume production.

“Our long‑term experience has given us a detailed understanding of the critical features that influence how prepregs and surfacing technologies interact with different production processes,” said Abramo Levato, General Manager of HP Composites. “The relationship we have with Hexcel is both highly technical and highly supportive. As a result, we have a complete material package for high‑quality Class A body panels that is formulated specifically with our requirements in mind.”

Claude Despierres, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Hexcel, added: “Combining HP’s expertise with strong technical collaboration, Hexcel and HP developed the optimum HexPly XF surfacing technology. With HexPly XF3, we satisfy the toughest industry standards.”