The invention relates to a process for the production of a multicoat coating in which the aqueous topcoat composition contains a water-thinnable polyacrylate resin which has a hydroxyl value of 40 to 200, an acid value of 20 to 100 and a glass transition temperature (T.sub.G) of -40.degree. C. to +60.degree. C., and can be prepared by adding a mixture (I) of a (meth)acrylic acid ester, a copolymerizable hydroxyl-containing monomer and, if appropriate, a further ethylenically unsaturated monomer to an organic solvent and carrying out free-radical polymerization and adding, at the end of the addition of the mixture (I), a mixture of a monomer containing carboxyl groups and a monomer free from carboxyl groups and continuing the polymerization.