It appears that the latest trend for paints for cars is shine-free matte coatings.

It’s easy to see why automakers are keen on the trend. Ed Welburn, GM’s vice president for design, said nearly all automakers are experimenting with matte because it shows off the pure design of the car.

“It reduces the design to the very core elements because you’re not influenced by the surroundings at all. You don’t have the reflections of trees or buildings or the reflection of clouds or anything on the car because of the matte finish,” Welburn said at the Detroit show, where GM’s Hummer HX and Chevrolet Groove concepts had matte finish. “You see the pure surface development and nothing else.”

Aaron Bragman, an auto industry analyst for the consulting company Global Insight, said another reason matte finishes are taking off is that young drivers, who are used to the flat finishes on their cell phones and laptops, no longer equate shininess with luxury.