[texan]

We are a good long ways from electronic, hydrolic, pneumatic or magnetically controlled valvetrains. They are all bulky, consume a good deal of power, and do not show their worth (cost vs. everything else) in today's engines just yet. I figure about the time we are switching to all hybrid cars we will see the advent of this technology, at which time ICE's will primarly be used to generate electricity and not much more.

Ceramic coatings act as a barrier to heat, whereby their use prevents heat from so easily transferring from one object to another. And just what is "them"?

Plating is temporary at best, if you are looking for the longest lasting, shiniest appearance you are probably better off simply polishing most metal surfaces. Chrome's surface structure is extremely smooth and therefore very reflective, but getting it to permanently bond to unlike metals without any cracking, lifting or peeling is very difficult over the long haul. Polishing lasts a very long time, naturally causes the surface of said metal to resist oxidation, and is easy to do on everything other than highly irregular shapes.