Aqueous, low solids basecoat compositions

An aqueous, one-pack coating composition comprising

• (A) at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of self-crosslinkable polymers and externally crosslinkable polymers;
• (B) at least one crosslinking agent for crosslinking the at least one polymer (A), if the (A) at least one polymer is an externally crosslinkable polymer;
• (C) at least one polymeric surface-active agent, and
• (D) at least one organic rheology control agent selected from the group consisting of (meth) acrylic acid-(meth) acrylate copolymer rheology control agents (Reil) and polyurethane rheology control agents (D2),
• characterized in that
• i. the total solids content of the coating composition is from 7.5 wt.-% to 11.5 wt.-%,
• ii. the viscosity at 23° C. is from 2000 mPas to 12000 mPas at a shear rate of 0.1 s−1,
• iii. the amount of (C) is from 0.5 wt % to 25 wt.-% based on the total solids content of the coating composition;
• iv. the amount of (D) is from 5 to 12 wt.-% based on the total solids content of the coating composition;
• and
• v. the coating composition does not contain platelet-shaped particulate material having a median particle size D50 of 2 μm or more.