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"The next Lexus breakthrough was the development of sonic paint technology. Recognising that there were limits to what could be achieved using single base paint layer, Lexus developed its multi-layer composition technique so that each layer played a different role in the quality and appearance of the finished paint.Sonic Titanium and Sonic Silver were the first Lexus metallic paint finishes made using the sonic process, initially introduced in the UK for the IS and GS saloon models from 2012.
Created by Lexus engineers in a five-year development programme, this technique produced a paint layer compressed to a thickness of just 12 microns. This brought the aluminium flakes floating in the paint into even closer and more uniform alignment. Used within the multi-layer finish, it brought new brilliance and shading to the cars’ bodywork, qualities enhanced by the precision of Lexus’s robotised paint process and the hand polishing overseen by its famous takumi specialist craftspeople. Although the sonic paint process requires more effort, when applied it needs fewer bakes in the drying process, so is more environmentally efficient."
I am still partial to Atomic Silver, too! I was actually looking to get a Nebula Gray Pearl IS back in 2016, but it sold before I could make it to the dealer. They had this Atomic Silver car, which I initially didn't like based on the Lexus configurator. Once I saw it in person, I did a 180.
However, I have to also say, Iridium on my new IS 350 is a very nice silver as well - not my favorite Lexus color overall, but for a standard bright-silver color, it has a lot of flake to it and really suits the car nicely.
I had a 15 GS350 in Atomic Silver and absolutely loved it. When I got my 19 GS, I decided I wanted to try something different, so I went with Smokey Granite Mica. I did like the color but it was a lot of work to keep it looking nice, where AS always seems to look good. So I went back to a 2020 GS in Atomic Silver.
The only negative is paint matching. Just hope you don’t get into an accident 😀
One of my friends has a 2016 ES in Atomic and he had a wreck, and I was super impressed with how well they matched the paint...all depends on the shop.
One of my friends has a 2016 ES in Atomic and he had a wreck, and I was super impressed with how well they matched the paint...all depends on the shop.
Maybe the shop used the Lexus Factory Pack paint instead of trying to match it by mixing their own paint. Example here:
Currently my favorite colour, as it changes so much depending on the lighting and reflection angle thus showing off the body lines well. What's yours?
Agreed that as far as grays and silvers go, the Atomic Silver from Lexus, the Pepperdust from GM (a metallic gray which, in the sun, shows off small gold-metallic flakes) and the former Titanium metallics from Audi and Chrysler are the best.
As for my personal favorite automotive color, although when I was young I liked Dodge's purple Plum Crazy, later my favorite became the purplish-gray Amythist, which IMO the Cadillacs DTS did the best.
Atomic Silver / Sonic Titanium / Titanium (1J7)
