Multilayer coating having a clear top coat formed on a color base coat and method of forming the same

In a wet-on-wet method of forming a multicoat on a substrate comprising the sequential steps of (a) applying on said substrate a metallic color base coat composition comprising a first film-forming acrylic polymer having a plurality of cross-linkable functional groups, a volatile organic liquid diluent carrier for said first film-forming polymer, a cross-linking agent and a metallic flake pigment;

• (b) applying wet-on-wet onto said base coat a clear top coat composition comprising a second film-forming acrylic polymer having a plurality of cross-linkable functional groups, a volatile organic liquid diluent carrier for said second film-forming polymer and a cross-linking agent;
• and (c) curing both coats simultaneously, the improvement wherein said metallic base coat composition and said clear top coat composition each contains internally cross-linked polymer microgel particles having a particle size from 0.01 to 10 .mu.m, in an amount from 0.5 to 20% by weight based on the combined weight of said film-forming polymer, said cross-linking agent and said microgel particles, wherein said microgel particles are insoluble in the mixture of said film-forming polymer, said diluent and said cross-linking agent but stably disperisble in said mixture, and wherein intermixing of the two coats is prevented by employing as said second film-forming polymer an acrylic polymer which has a molecular weight and composition which is different from those of said first film-forming polymer.