Mazda Creates Special New Paint Color

Mazda is working on uplifting its image and positioning itself as a true luxury carmaker. As part of that strategy, the Japanese automaker has a number of new vehicles on the way. Some new models have already arrived, and among them is the Mazda CX-60. We won't be getting this car, however. Instead, we'll have the superior CX-70 with more space for a more luxurious experience. But luxury extends beyond space and comfort, and Mazda has been working on a fancy new paint option to join existing premium hues like the spectacular Soul Red Crystal and the elegant Machine Gray Premium. Mazda says "color is a crucial part of what gives shape to a vehicle" and it wants to develop colors that accentuate its design language. With that in mind, say hello to Rhodium White Premium.

This new color was made using Mazda's Takuminuri painting technology, taking the tech to new heights by "successfully mass-producing an expressive color using only three layers: a clear layer, a reflective layer, and a color layer. The color layer provides a newly developed white pigment that delivers a silky smooth, fine-grain white."

Mazda goes on to explain that white paints typically allow the undercoat to show through, and the clear coat is usually thicker than for other colors. But with Rhodium White Premium, the paint makes use of a newly developed pigment which allowed Mazda to reduce the thickness of the color layer by up to 30% compared to Snowflake White Pearl Mica. As a result, fewer resources are used and CO2 emissions during the production process drop too.

The reflective layer uses a method "in which paint containing ultra-thin, high luminance aluminum flakes is applied meticulously to achieve a uniform thickness and which then dramatically shrinks in volume during the drying process." This results in an extremely thin reflective layer that is now approximately 0.5 microns thick, or around just 7% of the thickness of a typical reflective layer. In addition, Mazda says it was able to achieve a hand-painted-like finish with the aluminum flakes smoothly aligned at regular intervals in the reflective layer, the same technique used for Machine Gray Premium paint.

"The entire surface gleams when exposed to light and displays a realistic metallic texture," explains the automaker. "Individual aluminum flakes are distributed evenly and parallel to the undulations of the body surface, producing a glossy and shaded appearance when hit by light despite the bright white color of Rhodium White Premium."

Mazda explains that it believes "color to be a key component of any vehicle" and will continue to pursue "new color expressions and painting technologies" as it aims to further enhance the appeal of its vehicles. The car giant goes on to explain that Rhodium White Premium, a pure white, was inspired by "Japanese aesthetics finding beauty in simplicity and the absence of superfluous elements."

The new color will be available in Europe this summer and in Japan in early fall, predominantly for Mazda's larger vehicles, starting with the CX-60. This suggests that we should get it on the US-spec CX-70 and CX-90 too. On the 2023 Mazda CX-50, Soul Red Crystal costs $595, so we predict a similar price for Rhodium White Premium. The only question is this: will the super-thin clear coat withstand stone chips better than it does with the red hue? Fingers crossed.