The present invention provides a curable coating composition that includes at least three components. The coating composition includes a component (a) having at least one carbamate group or urea group and having a lactone or hydroxy carboxylic acid moiety. The second component (b) of the coating composition is one or more of three materials. First, the second component can be a polymer resin (b)(1) comprising active hydrogen-containing functional groups reactive with the third component(c). Secondly, the second component can be a compound (b)(2) having at least one carbamate group or terminal urea group according to the invention and having at least two linking groups that are urethane or urea. Finally, the second component can be a compound (b)(3) having at least two groups selected from carbamate groups, terminal urea groups, or combinations of the two and at least four urethane or urea linking groups. The third component of the coating composition is a curing agent that is reactive with the first two components. Preparation of coated articles using the compositions of the invention is also disclosed.