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BMW X6 in ‘world’s blackest black’ coming to Frankfurt

BMW will use the Frankfurt motor show to unveil a stealthy special-edition X6, finished in a colour called 'Vantablack'.


According to the company, the show car is the 'first and only vehicle in the world' to feature the finish, dubbed the 'world's blackest black' by its British creators.

The paint was initially developed to coat space-bound componentry, and can be applied in seriously extreme temperatures.

Instead of reflecting light, the substance – officially called Vertically Aligned Nano Tube Array – packs billions of carbon nanotubes into every square centimetre to absorb it.

"Any light striking this surface is almost completely absorbed rather than reflected, and effectively converted into heat," BMW says in its official press materials.

The finish on the X6 bound for Frankfurt is coated in something called 'Vantablack VBX2'. Unlike pure Vantablack paint, which makes people think they're "staring into a hole or even a void", the 'VBx2' finish allows the car to reflect a tiny amount of light.

It's designed to make the X6 look almost two-dimensional, and focus attention on the distinctive light-up kidney grille debuting on the model.

"The BMW X6 in Vantablack looks absolutely fantastic. We also realised that it wouldn’t have worked if we’d put on the original material, as the viewer would have lost all sense of three-dimensionality," said Ben Jensen, inventor of Vantablack.

"VBx2 with its one-per-cent reflectance provides just enough of a hint of shape. Add to that the contrast between the matt black surface and details such as the Iconic Glow kidney grille, the headlights and the windows – everything is just set off beautifully."

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