From Hiroshima To The Whole World: The Story Behind The Red Color Spreads Iconic Mazda

Mazda MX-5. (Doc. Mazda)

Have you ever been amazed by the burning red color that is so typical of Mazda cars? Apparently, the iconic colors like Soul Red are not just ordinary paints. For Mazda, this color is so sacred that they have a special process called Takuminuri, a coloring technique like an art work inspired by the beauty of a traditional Japanese lacquer.

Launching from Car and Driver, Monday, April 21, in Hiroshima, Mazda's hometown, lacquer art has been passed down from generation to generation. The process of making lacquer involves tahi tree sap which is ground and mixed with pigments to produce a smooth and daring layer. Like making a lacquer bowl that can take up to four months with more than 100 layers, Mazda also applies a similar philosophy in creating its special colors.

Keiichi Okamoto, Head of the Mazda Design Center, does not deny that his inspiration comes from this traditional art. If you've seen the ruby glare on Mazda CX-50 or the sparkling Miata on the road, it's Okamoto's magical touch and his team that make it so captivating. In fact, to produce such a lively red color, Mazda's paint team must develop a completely new painting process.

Takuminuri: More Than Just Ordinary Metalic Paint

literally, Takuminuri means "articial coloring". This term refers to four dramatic Mazda colors: Soul Red Crystal, Machine Gray, Rhidium White Premium, and Red Premium Artists. These color peculiarities lie in the size of very small metallic particles and their unique painting method.

In contrast to ordinary metallic paints that use larger debris and only a few layers, Takuminuri uses much smaller debris and a color coating penetrates the light before the protective coat. This technique is similar to the "candy coat" technique in custom cars in the 60s, where metallic flakes or pearls are sprayed over a transparent color layer.

However, Mazda managed to surpass the challenge that was prone to stripes if not applied perfectly. Mazda's factory robots are programmed to coat each thin layer evenly, maximize the shine and avoid defects.

To achieve a flare without excessive metallic glitch effect, the paint flakes in the first layer were only 12 to 15 microns of size nearly invisible to the naked eye. This layer contains metallic particles and light absorbers, mimicking the effect of the flakes sprayed over the dark base layer, a trick to create depth before the "candy" layer above it.

In search of inspiration, Okamoto looks at the gemstones, new metals in the engine, red wine, and of course, local lacquer crafts. The results are colors that highlight the curves of the car body in an unbroken line and with deep glare.