Automotive Flat paint for cars?

I guess it just shows that all fashion is cyclic, or as my mother used to say "Wait long enough and it will be in fashion."
My friend Mike works at D & C Auto Body told me that in California flat automotive paint is the new thing. It's a throw back to the 1940 and 50's when the hot rodders were leaving their rods in black primer. Now here's the problem it's the shiny skin on the paint that protects the metal. I've looked at this from a few different ways and I can't think of a good way to do it.
My advice go for gloss.