Skip to main content

Carbon is for suckers. Real men get silver-covered cars

carbon fiber suckers real men get silver covered cars bmw 760i sterling
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Carbon fiber is played out.

There was a time – not too long ago – when this rigid, lightweight material was quite rare and choice and adorning your high-end luxury or sports car with carbon fiber was all the rage.

Now, however, it’s everywhere. For example, both the McLaren P1 supercar and the BMW i8 are virtually constructed entirely from mostly carbon fiber. Heck, even the Audi RS 7 I am presently sitting in is drenched with the stuff from the door mirrors to the rear diffuser.

Where carbon fiber once represented exclusivity, it now represents a gaudy performance obsession. Nothing makes you look dorkier than a carbon fiber-covered car, I fear.

So then what material can you accent your car without looking a like a boy-racer dweeb? Sterling silver.

Yes. Silver.

Take the BMW 760i Sterling you see above, for example. In place of normal chrome or carbon fiber trim, BMW has fitted real silver. All the trim is silver: the classic BMW kidney grille, the Bimmer badges, and all the window molding is very subtle silver.

Aside from silver, what do you get with the 760i Sterling? You get a 6.0-liter V12 that makes 535 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of torque.

Frankly, I love the idea of a sterling-covered car. Carbon fiber trim doesn’t do much for the car from a performance or visual standpoint that hasn’t been done a million times.

Sure, you might say that the 760i Sterling’s clear-coated silver bits look just like chrome. And you’re right. But you’re missing the point. Anyone can buy a chromed-out Bentley. How many people, however, have the gall to buy a silver-coated BMW? Few, I suspect.

How much will the BMW 760i Sterling cost you and can you get it in the States? BMW won’t say. If you’re asking those sorts of silly questions, you’re not emotionally ready for a silver-covered car I suspect.

Nick Jaynes
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Nick Jaynes is the automotive editor of The Manual. When Nick isn't behind the wheel on the open road, he can be found…
The Ghostbusters have a new ride in Frozen Empire, courtesy of Mercedes Benz
Mercedes Benz Sprinter plays a pivotal role in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
The ECTO-Z makes its debut in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.

Later this month, the Ghostbusters will be back on the big screen in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. And while three generations of the team are coming together, there is a big addition to the crew: The ECTO-Z. At an event in New York City, Mercedes-Benz officially unveiled the Ghostbusters' new ride, which is a customized Mercedes-Benz Sprinter that follows in the footsteps of the iconic ECTO-1 from the first three films.

Given the larger size of the second and third-generation Ghostbusters team, it was only natural that they would need a vehicle that could carry all of them to the scene of a haunting anywhere in NYC. As for the name, it comes from original team member Dr. Winston Zeddemore, as played by Ernie Hudson. Ghostbusters: Afterlife established that Zeddemore is now the financial backer of the Ghostbusters and the de facto leader of the team.

Read more
Everything points to Apple TV+ making a change you’re not going to like
Is an ad-supported tier coming to Apple TV+?
The Apple TV Plus Logo

It turns out that TV worked pretty well under its old model. According to a new report from Business Insider, Apple TV+ may be the latest streaming service that's set to introduce an ad-supported tier and charge those who don't stream with ads a premium fee to access their great shows and movies.

At this point, the report is still speculation, but Apple has made several recent hires in the advertising space that seem to suggest the direction they're planning to take. The company recently hired former NBCUniversal ad executive Joseph Cady to serve as executive vice president of advanced advertising and partnerships, a move that comes following the company's hiring of another former NBCUniversal executive, Jason Frum, who joined Apple's video ad sales team.

Read more
From Gilda Radner to Ali Wong, these are the best female comedians of all time
These women from all generations will make you laugh out loud
Ai Wong comedian 2017 Moontower comedy festival

Hot take: I don’t care for straight male comedians. It’s not that they’re not funny, they’re just … I don’t know, boring? Maybe that’s reductive of me, but I never seem to leave a straight male comedian’s set feeling particularly inspired. And though some may argue that it’s not important for a set to "inspire" its audience, I’d actually argue that the opposite is true. For me, I want to see a comedian use humor to address real issues and say real things about the world, even if they do it in a completely goofy way.

Therefore, I tend to prefer female and female-identified comedians. They’re sharp, tough, and have often seen shit that makes their comedy feel raw and true. Undoubtedly there are male comedians who do this, too, but to a much lesser degree, in my very humble and very personal opinion.

Read more