In a new marketing stunt to premier the new X6, BMW have painted (and will display) an example of the new model in the darkest colour known to man – Vantablack.
The particular paint used on this one-off is Vantablack VBx2, a nanostructure paint developed by Surrey NanoSystems. The CTO of Surrey NanoSystems went on record saying they’ve denied other carmakers in the past and the new BMW X6 was the first car project worth entertaining. Sure.
Vantablack was developed for aerospace applications. ‘VANTA’ is said to stand for Vertically Aligned Nano TubeArray – the carbon matrix which forms the molecular structure of this paint. Zoom into the paint, and what you’ll find are little carbon nanotubes between 14-50 micrometres in length (5000 thinner than a human hair), each with a diameter of 20 nanometres.
These are all aligned in the billions per square cm, absorbing any light and converting it into heat rather than reflecting it. Earlier versions of Vantablack was able to absorb 99.965% of light. The version used on the X6, the VBX2 variant, was made for architectural and scientific applications.
Cool as this project is, don’t expect Vantablack to become commercially available for cars. The people behind it say it’s still not suitable for everyday automotive application, but we’re sure they see the commercial viability of making some variant of it with similar non-reflective properties.
Third-generation BMW X6 to start in November 2019.
The latest incarnation of the car that established the innovative and distinctive Sports Activity Coupé (SAC) segment will have its world premiere at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, from 12 to 22 September. The showroom launch will begin shortly afterwards, in November 2019. The third-generation BMW X6 employs a precise and exclusive design language to underscore its confident, dominant appearance. In addition, its advanced powertrain and chassis technology combines with numerous innovations to provide a uniquely sporty yet luxurious driving experience. Like its predecessors, the new BMW X6 is produced at the BMW plant in Spartanburg in the United States.
