The one-off X6 sprayed with a Vantablack VBx2 finish will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show, where BMW will premiere the third-generation of the vehicle, according to a statement from the automaker. The BMW project is the first time the colour has been applied to a vehicle.
Earlier British artist Anish Kapoor drew the ire of many when he bought the exclusive rights to Vantablack in 2016, but the Vantablack VBx2 is a slightly different material.
It is considered super-black while still giving some reflection from every angle, which makes it more appropriate than the original pigment for use as a vehicle paint finish according to BMW.
Ben Jensen, who founded Surrey NanoSystems and invented Vantablack, revealed that automobile manufacturers have contact him to use the coating on their vehicles, but he believed the colour is not suitable for the road yet, and that the Vantablack X6 is a one-off project.
We turned down numerous requests from automobile manufacturers in the past. It took the BMW X6 and its unique, expressive design for us to entertain the idea.
I think it worked really well on the BMW X6 because of the size of the car, its distinctive shape, and how imposing it is. The BMW X6 in Vantablack looks absolutely fantastic Jensen told The Daily Mail.
Jensen said the finish is unlikely to be used for production vehicles any time soon.
Developing a Vantablack VBx2 car paint durable enough for daily use is a huge technological challenge, he said.
The BMW Vantablack X6 will be on show at the Frankfurt Motor Show from September 12 to 22, and the third-generation X6 will arrive in showrooms in November.