It’s inevitable that a car’s finish will pick up minor scratches and swirl marks. This can be caused by such things as using a drive-through car wash that hasn't been well maintained, running fingernails across the paint around door handles, or simply sliding a grocery bag across the hood.

On the new Infiniti EX35, however, such scratches can be merely a temporary annoyance. That’s because Infiniti is introducing a new clearcoat paint technology on the EX, called Scratch Shield, which the company describes as self-healing. That is, the clearcoat automatically smoothes out such scratches and swirl marks, and is said to maintain its gloss for the life of the vehicle.

According to an Infiniti representative, the paint has a gel-like layer that softens under higher temperatures, allowing it to blend together and fill in small scratches. This will happen, for instance, on a warm summer day where temperatures reach into the 80- or 90-degree F range. The process can also be speeded up by pouring hot water on the paint.

To illustrate this at the LA Auto Show, the Infiniti rep used a wire brush to lightly scratch a small panel that had been coated with the finish. Then he got a cup of hot water from the Infiniti display’s handy cappuccino machine and poured it on half of the panel. Sure enough, the lighter scratches smoothed over within seconds, regaining its smooth, scratch-free look. This could be especially handy for optimum curb appeal come trade-in or resale time.

Scratch Shield, however, can’t help you if the scratches are too deep, such as those that go through the clearcoat or pigment layer. For those, it’s off to the detailer or paint shop. While the feature is appearing first on the EX35, it will be standard on all 2009 Infiniti models except the QX SUV.

—Rik Paul