Provided are low friction coatings with improved abrasion, wear resistance and methods of making such coatings. In one form, the coating includes: i) an under layer selected from the group consisting of CrN, TiN, TiAlN, TiAlVN, TiAlVCN, TiSiN, TiSiCN, TiAlSiN and combinations thereof, wherein the under layer ranges in thickness from 0.1 to 100 μm, ii) an adhesion promoting layer selected from the group consisting of Cr, Ti, Si, W, CrC, TiC, SiC, WC, and combinations thereof, wherein the adhesion promoting layer ranges in thickness from 0.1 to 50 μm and is contiguous with a surface of the under layer, and iii) a functional layer selected from the group consisting of a fullerene based composite, a diamond based material, diamond-like-carbon and combinations thereof, wherein the functional layer ranges from 0.1 to 50 μm and is contiguous with a surface of the adhesion promoting layer.