A black convertible's the hardest finish in the business to keep looking new, and this 2017 M6 came through wearing Icon Rocklear, our permanent paint protection coating. Under the studio lights the long hood reads like black glass, with the hex rig tracing clean lines down the fenders and doors and no break anywhere the panels meet.

There's two things working against you here. Black shows everything, so an uneven finish hasn't got anywhere to go, and a drop top's got no roof to break up the sightline. Stand beside it with the top folded and you're looking at one continuous run of paint from the windscreen base all the way to the rear deck. Several frames were shot from a higher camera position to get that expanse in one piece, along with low side profiles that catch the reflection along the flank.

Icon Rocklear becomes part of your clear coat instead of sitting on it as a layer that gets stripped and redone, and for a black car the practical benefit is that the depth stays put. Dark paint's the first to look tired from UV exposure, and a coated finish resists that fading and the dulling behind it, along with the staining you get when grime works its way into the surface. It doesn't yellow, it never has to come off, and there's no waxing and no annual inspection holding the look together.

Twenty five photos: front three quarters at several heights, straight on front, full rear three quarters, low side profiles, plus the headlight and grille, the front wheel and caliper, the mirror, and the M6 badges. If you're weighing a coating on a dark car, start here.