A vehicle shell assembly, having a plate-like plastic body having an outside and an inside. A lighting unit is provided which is disposed on the inside and is configured to be switched between an active state and a passive state; the inside of the plastic body is provided with an opaque light-impermeable coating which has at least one gap; and the plastic body may have of a translucent material so that the gap is covered by the plastic body to the outside when the lighting unit is in the passive state and defines a light pattern which is visible from the outside when the lighting unit is in the active state.