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 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 for what ultra-low L* values can look like on real automotive surfaces.
The result is striking:
- Original Gray: L* ≈ 45.88
- Glossy Black (AUTOBLACK PRIME 900): L* ≈ 1.02
- ICI Nano Black (Concept): L* ≈ 0.01
Where body lines visually collapse, reflections disappear, and the surface absorbs light instead of bouncing it back.
This wasn’t about aesthetics alone.
It was about jetness, undertone control (deep blue vs brownish), dispersion science, and 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 shapes the future of automotive, coatings, and design innovation.
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