Purpose Mechanical and chemical properties of acrylic-melamine automotive clear coat in the presence of different percentages of well dispersed nano-layered sodium montmorillonite (Na-MMT) silicate particles were investigated. For this purpose, prepared dry clear coat film samples were subjected to the entire standard test series, usually carried out in automotive coating industry. Design/methodology/approach Effects of adding different percentages of nano-layered silicate on mechanical and chemical properties of acrylic-melamine automotive clear coat were investigated. To increase the compatibility of nanoclays with polymer matrix of clear coat, the surface of nanoclays was modified by benzalkonium chloride as a cationic surfactant. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used for characterization and comparison between clays before and after modification, and also after dispersion in coating. Prepared dry clear coat film samples subjected to the test series are usually carried out in automotive coating industry. Findings The results indicated that incorporation of 1 and 2 Wt.% of nano-layered silicate caused desired improvement in chemical and physical properties of the acrylic-melamine clear coat. Increasing the percentage of nanoclay to over 2 Wt.% caused damage in some properties such as hardness, cupping and gloss. Research limitations/implications All materials and methods were used in this research are industrial grade. Therefore, the introduced modified clear coat sample has potential for commercial production as an automotive clear coat. Originality/value As far as it was searched in the literature, effects of adding nanoclay particles on mechanical and physical properties of different clear coats, such as epoxy clear coat, have been investigated in a few researches, but in this research, common and special tests which are necessary in automotive coating industry have been ignored. In the present study for the first time, acrylic-melamine clear coat was subjected to modification using nano-clay, and also, the most common industrial test methods were used for investigation of mechanical and chemical properties.