Jalopnik: matte black

Lindsay Lohan And The Maddening Question of Matte Black

Peter Orosz — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EDT

When you see a mode of customization show up on Lindsay Lohan’s Rolls–Royce, you know it’s time to move on. Or is it?

Where were you when the matte meme began? I was looking at photos of the then-unveiled Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 from the 2006 Geneva Motor Show and reveled in the punk gesture of gunship gray from a carmaker known for Miura green and Day-Glo orange.

Kustom kulture has probably employed the device before, but its spread in the past few years has been wildly expansive. Observing it first-hand on a short-lived matte black hood of a Toyota Corolla AE86 drift car, I couldn’t help but notice how the finish attracts and amplifies grime from dust and rain like no other.

But then cars are supposed to be shiny shiny, aren’t they? At least according to Nick Maggio of A Time To Get, who writes:

Show me the ‘69 SS with the cheap-ass primer, the ‘32 Coupe with the patchy, flat gray, and I’ll show you a smile. Like all trends, there is a time and a place. But let me tell you, a ‘10 Lambo perched on mirrors, rotating behind velvet ropes at SEMA… ain’t it. […] If Enzo wanted his cars to be murdered out, he would’ve petitioned to have Italy’s race color changed, and trademarked a matte black instead. Show some respect.

If naval technology were suddenly to regress to its state in the early 1900s with madly colored Razzle Dazzle camo battleships, we could do an honest comparison to decide whether ships and cars can carry each other’s colors. Until then, it’s a question of style—and I honestly cannot make up my mind. What do you think? Should cars ever be camouflaged as military equpiment?

Photo Credit: Metro, saebaryo/Flickr, Razzle Dazzle

What’s In This Matte Black S-Class’s Trunk?

Wes Siler — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:15:00 EDT

We don't know the answer to that question, but we'll hazard an educated guess it's not something legal. Sometimes you just have to launder that cash at the Krylon and DTM bodykit outlet.

[via AutoJunk.nl]

Matte Black Rolls Royce Phantom: Darth Vader's New Ride

Ben Wojdyla — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:40:00 EST

What's more menacing than a Rolls Royce Phantom? How about a Rolls Royce Phantom that's been covered in a matte black paint job? This Phantom menace wears the tough-guy paint scheme magnificently well — even the hood ornament, the Spirit of Ecstasy, is blacked out. Inside the black theme is carried throughout the entirety of the interior, but with a glossy piano finish to contrast the matte finish outside. Below, we've got a Streetfire video of the darkest Phantom on the planet. Lord Vader would approve.

MATTE BLACK ROLLS ROYCE PHANTOM(Photo credit: Dilan Bandaranayake) [Streetfire]

Flat Black Audi R8 Serving Mule Duties For STaSIS Upgrades

Wes Siler — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST

Jason over at Audi tuner STaSIS just sent over these shots of a flat black R8 that they’re using as a development mule for a new range of upgrades. We’ve been hankering for a matte black Audi R8 ever since we first drove one and are pleased to see this one is getting more than just a sexy paint job. First on the list is a new exhaust system; no official dyno numbers yet, but that’s hardly the point. Click through to hear how good it sounds.

Next up is new suspension, bigger brakes and a set of gloss black wheels that Jason describes as, “B A N A N AS.” Apparently they’re quite large. That gloss paint will complement the gloss black sideblades, which are a seriously understated, but classy piece of customization. Us? We’re still holding out for a matte black R8 with gold wheels, logos and wheels, topped off with a white alligator skin interior. [via STaSIS]

GT-R Skips Matte Black, Goes Straight To Matte Gold!

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:00:00 EDT

This matte gold Nissan GT-R was spotted in Dubai, where it was possibly turning its custom-painted nose up at the relatively gaudy all-chrome McLaren SLR. This could be a sign that the matte black trend, as exemplified by the matte black F430 and matte black Veyron, is being replaced by a new matte color. If less is more, and matte black is less, matte gold is slightly more than less.

[Head Over To Global Motors For More Photos]

Matte Black Bugatti Veyron Soaks Up The Dubai Sun

Mark Arnold — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT

Logically, a matte black car in the middle of a sweltering desert climate makes no sense. Why, then, has someone gone and painted their Bugatti Veyron in this sun-absorbing hue? If they wanted something more special than a standard Veyron, they could have ordered up a Pegaso, Hermes, Pur Sang. Nah, this isn't just about exclusivity or suitability: It's about having a badass ride. We want one even more than we want a flat black GT-R. [CarZi]

More Proof That Once You Go Flat Black...

Ray Wert — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:20:00 EDT

That first shot from behind of the flat black (or matte black, if you'd prefer) 2009 Nissan GT-R got us hoping we'd find more shots of Godzilla looking all hotted-up with what we'll assume is some pretty sweet wrap action. We weren't the only ones. Jalopnik reader Chuck was just as excited, coming up with some more shots of the new black-as-night and flat-as-can-be GT-R in Singapore from vanq photography by way of the NAGTROC forums. A few more shots below the jump.

Matte Black Ferrari F430 Down On The Geneva Street

Mark Arnold — Fri, 02 May 2008 14:40:00 EDT

Now, we understand there's still an ongoing debate on the coolness of flat black paint jobs, but let's raise the question again. This time, we've got a certain Ferrari F430 Scuderia weighing in on the matter. We thought the Scuderia was a vast improvement over the styling of the standard F430, but this non-glossy example takes it to a whole new level. In the process it loses the tacky racing stripes, too. It looks like something that took a wrong turn off of the Fiorano circuit during a secret testing session. But do you think it would've looked better in a normal gloss black?
[Autogespot]
Edit: Ok, so it turns out this isn't a paint job, but a slickly-executed vinyl wrap. Hat Tip to Jamieson!

How To Wrap Your Car Mirrors In Carbon Fiber

Ray Wert — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 10:45:00 EST

So we noticed at SEMA this year that carbon fiber has become the new matte black. And if you remember, as we learned from SEMA last year, matte black is the new black. Now, because of a desire for the "carbon fiber look" — lovers of tuners of all shapes, colors and chrome appendages are taking the time-honored tradition of finding ways to lighten their cars — and throwing them out the window. Most of us already know that instead of fabricating new carbon-fiber parts, many lovers of the over-pimped are merely wrapping their pre-existing car parts in carbon-fiber. Yay, 1.25 times the weight, and 1.25 times less performance. Anyway — if you happen to be one of the ~~silly people~~ interested, the folks over at VolvoSpeed have put together a little "How-To" on wrapping your car parts in carbon-fiber. Although it may seem like we're aiding and abetting, we've gone and galleried 'em up below in the hopes of showing the little ones what not to do with their side mirrors. You know — for the kids. Don't follow along with the step-by-step instructions under each one of the pictures.
[via VolvoSpeed]

SEMA Show: Matte Is This Year's Black

Mike Spinelli — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 11:40:53 EST

Among custom jobs at SEMA this year, the matte-black finish is an unmistakable theme. Despite its humble origins among rodders without the cash to indulge in metal flake kandy koatings, the flat finish can cost upward of $10,000 to render properly (we've heard up to $30,000 for the Mercedes CLS on display here). Of course, it attracts fingerprints like a slot machine attracts chain-smoking rubes, so while it looks somewhat slick, it's not exactly the best solution to finding the new minimalism. [Gallery]