What started as a passion project turned into a powerful demonstration of what’s possible when materials science meets automotive ambition.
Our Bentley Flying Spur W12 (562 HP) began its journey in an elegant Gray—a classic, refined look. But we wanted to push further. Not just darker. Deeper. Truer. More extreme.
Phase 1: We transitioned the car to a high-gloss black using ICI AUTOPRIME BLACK 900, achieving the richness, reflectivity, and premium finish quality expected from a luxury performance sedan.
Phase 2 (Concept): We went beyond conventional black into experimental territory with ICI NANO BLACK—our concept pigment coating that shows what ultra-low L* values can look like on real automotive surfaces.
The result is striking and measurable:
- Original Gray: L* ≈ 45.88
- Gloss Black (AUTOPRIME 900): L* ≈ 1.02
- ICI Nano Black (Concept): L* ≈ 0.01
At ~0.01 L*, body lines visually collapse, reflections disappear, and the surface absorbs light instead of bouncing it back. It’s like the car became a silhouette carved from darkness.
And this wasn’t about aesthetics alone. It was about pushing the limits of jetness, precise undertone control (ensuring a deep blue cast instead of brownish), superior dispersion science, and ultimately what advanced specialty carbon blacks can unlock for next-generation automotive coatings.
At ICI Specialty Carbon Blacks USA, we don’t just talk about performance—we put it on the road. More to come, as we continue exploring how carbon black chemistry will shape the future of automotive coatings and design innovation.
👉 Learn more and transform your own blacks by visiting ICI Specialty Carbon Blacks USA at PaintIndia 2026 – Booth G30 in Hall 3 (Pigments), right next to the PaintIndia Tutorial Zone. Don’t miss this experience!