We’ve all heard of Vantablack, the darkest paint ever created, a color so black it makes other blacks feel a little insecure. But what about the “silveriest” silver? Does such a thing even exist? Turns out, it does and Honda has gone all in, unveiling a one-off Civic e:HEV lathered in a paint so intensely silver it practically gleams out of existence. This isn’t your average metallic finish, as it’s infused with real silver flakes. The mastermind behind this special paint is Stuart Semple, a British artist, activist, and self-proclaimed “color champion”. Semple’s CV isn’t short on superlatives; he’s the guy who gave the world the Pinkest Pink, the Goldest Gold, and yes, the Blackest Black (though that last one might come with a few legal caveats if you ask Anish Kapoor, the creator of Vantablack).
For the Civic’s silver makeover, Semple
didn’t hold back as 64% of this paint’s composition is pure silver flakes and
pigments, all suspended in a specialized acrylic blend. After the mixing
process, UK-based fabrication specialists The Syrup Room took the challenge of
spraying it on the bodywork. The process didn’t stop there. The final
Silveriest Silver layers were painstakingly applied over multiple coats of
protective and removable paint, ensuring that the finish wasn’t just brilliant
but also resilient. As you can imagine, Honda claims that this is the first
time such a paint has been applied to a vehicle.
The silver one-off celebrates 25 years of
hybrids by Honda, starting with the Insight back in 1999. The current 11th
generation of the Honda Civic e:HEV has been around since 2022, with the
Japanese-spec model receiving mild updates earlier this year. The self-charging
hybrid setup comprises a naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter gasoline engine,
electric motors, and a lithium-ion battery pack.
Besides the Civic, Honda’s hybrid-only
lineup in Europe includes the Jazz, HR-V, ZR-V, and CR-V. The models will be
joined by the new Honda Prelude coupe, which is set to arrive in the coming
years with a hybrid powertrain.
