A light metal workpiece with enhanced surface protection. The workpiece comprises a metal or alloy matrix having an exposed surface. A corrosion resistant oxide layer is formed in at least a portion of the exposed surface using a micro-arc oxidation technique. A first coating is applied onto at least a portion of the oxide layer using an electro-coating technique and is configured to seal the oxide layer. A second coating is applied onto at least a portion of the first coating, the second coating comprising a powder coating material. An appearance coating may optionally be applied onto at least a portion of the second coating, wherein the appearance coating includes at least one of a base coat, a color coat, and a clear coat.