22ple has been hard at work this year revising and expanding their product line.  I’m excited to announce what sounds like another great evolution to an already well received product.  VM1 Wheel and Metal Coating has been completely reformulated to provide even better protection.  This new product is called VM1 Extreme.

VM1 Extreme relies on the latest advancements in high grade silica technology to create a stronger, more durable layer of protection for your wheels or metal surfaces.  This new formula is capable of resisting higher temperatures, and is even more chemical resistant than the original VM1.  A new binding agent has been introduced in this latest formula and enables VM1 Extreme to be used on a variety of surfaces including chrome and anodized finishes.  Gloss has also been enhanced, so your wheels are sure to look their best.  The minimum quantity has also been increased by 50% (from 20 mL to 30 mL) to allow for greater coverage and layering if desired.

Like most 22ple products, VM1 is easy to apply.  We applied the product with the carpro cquartz applicator block and suede cloth to spread the coating evenly onto the surface of the wheel.  The coating noticeably darkened the barrel of the wheel during application.  This was less drastic as the coating flashed and was wiped away, but the finished product was still visibly darker than the original.

The coating was also applied to the face of the wheels.  Since these have a satin finish, we wiped the product onto the surface and spread it until it had a uniform finish.  After 7-8 minutes, the wheels were inspected for high spots which were easily leveled with a few light swipes of a microfiber towel.  We noticed that the coating really brought out the color of the wheels.  I couldn’t really capture this on camera, but when we placed an uncoated wheel beside a coated wheel, the coated wheel just popped more.  A subtle, yet noticeable difference that we have also seen with other wheel coatings as well.

Although water beading is visually appealing, it is not an indication of overall protection, and VM1 Extreme was actually designed to be hydrophillic rather than hydrophobic, so do not be surprised if you do not notice strong water beading from this product.  22ple states that the lack of water beading is to help reduce the risk of etching should water get onto a hot metal surface.

This coating proved to be quite easy to work with and really made these Hellcat Brass Monkey wheels glow.  I look forward to doing more testing and evaluation of this coating.