Paint color discussion

[TEG]

Apaprently, Storm Titanium (aka Thunder Gray) uses a brown base, whereas Graphite uses a blue base.

Storm Titanium:

Graphite:

Gray shades really depends on lighting. They may all look dark on a cloudy day or at night, but some start to look more silver in the bright sunlight while others stay dark looking.

 

[doug]

You can't tell much about color from those Storm Titanium/Graphite photos since they clearly have a different white ballance. Compare, for example, the red of the tail lights.

 

[doug]

Re: Wildly Unpopular Colors

Given that these cars will be made to order for the foreseeable future, what's the disadvantage of making all the Lotus colors available to the customer?

 

[TEG]

You can't tell much about color from those Storm Titanium/Graphite photos since they clearly have a different white ballance. Compare, for example, the red of the tail lights.

Well, compare Titanium to Graphite in this Lotus color chart:

See what I mean about Graphite being much darker...


Actual paint chip photos:

 

[tonybelding]

Incidentally, while I was at Lotus of Austin today I noticed a couple of brightly colored cars. . . One was an Elise in Krypton Green, and the other was an Exige in Laser Blue.

Krypton Green has been an unpopular color, and has been called names like "Chernobyl Green" or "Grasshopper Green". I think Lotus have dropped it from the 2008 catalog (along with Aubergine Purple, darn it!). It really looks bad in photos. Today was the first time I've seen one "in person", and I thought it looked fabulous. Some things you just can't capture with pixels.

The Laser Blue Exige was also quite impressive. It's not a super-saturated blue, but when the sun hits it. . . ahh, the sparkle! Definitely a paint that likes the sun. That's something else hard to capture in photos.

I understand Lotus are introducing some new paint options above and beyond the old Solid/Metallic/Lifestyle options. They are going to offer a prismatic paint that appears different colors when viewed from various angles. Somebody on the Lotus forums posted this photo:

http://zobeid.zapto.org/image/cars/prismatic_paint.jpg

I believe that's a custom paint job, not the actual paint Lotus will be using, but it gives you some idea of the visual effect they are going for.

 

[TEG]

Yeah, Aubergine Purple ("eggplant"' to us "yanks") would have been maybe my 2nd or 3rd choice after Graphite Gray.

 

[TEG]

Regarding "prismatic paint": I have heard it as paint that has a lot of "travel".
That gold/green example you showed was pretty extreme.

A more subtle variation was the BASF "Mystic" paint Ford used on the Cobra.

 

[TEG]

The paint on my Lexus IS300 is "Graphite Gray Pearl".

To some it seems wasteful to have metallic flake and pearlescence on a dark, plain color like gray. But I like the way the paint throws off highlights and reflections in different shades of metallic gray. Sometimes the paint looks almost black, and other times it looks like it is oyster-shell silver.

Pictures don't really capture how it plays tricks with the light sometimes.

 

[vfx]

I don't lke any of the color choices Tesla offers.

Radient Red is nice but with most orders this color, it will become commonplace as a Ferrari in red.

Black or graphite is safe but I was thinking a light colored car would be best for not having to run the air conditioner but he glacier blue I liked is looking to be a bit effeminate.

White would be good but I like the slight glitter or pearl that the Lexus or Escalade have. Tesla's white offering is pretty boring and I already have and had regular ole' white cars.

 

[BlackbirdHighway]

I'm going with Electric Blue. I had chosen that even before I saw VP9 in that color.

Actually, after seeing VP9, I was afraid that the color would be too popular, but hey, it's not like I'm going to see lots of other Teslas on the road where I live.

I also liked the the Glacier Blue, but my girlfriend thought it was to girly, and I have to agree. :wink:.

So then Thunder Gray was still in the running, but it just didn't seem bold enough for such a revolutionary car.

None of the remaining colors appeal to me, so Electric Blue it is!

 

[tonybelding]

My thinking is a lot like yours, Blackbird. What's clinched it for me was seeing that Exige in "Laser Blue" down at Lotus of Austin. It was beautiful and eye-catching.

That's not to say I won't change my mind again. Tesla are still going to send me the color kit sometime before my lock-in date.

 

[TEG]

I also liked the the Glacier Blue, but my girlfriend thought it was too girly, and I have to agree. :wink:.

Yeah, my first car ended up being light blue like that because my mom had helped me pay for it, and she insisted on that color in exchange for the help. I ended up repainting it black a few years later.

 

[donauker]

New Tesla Color

According to pictures posted in Tesla Insider Gallery EP6 is painted in "Tesla color Twilight Blue"

 

[donauker]

VP11 in Thunder Gray

 

[vfx]

Vp11??





?

 

[jsnable]

Vp11??

?

VP11 arrived mid-January according to the "insiders gallery" caption...

Jay

 

[TEG]

It is in the color I would pick...

It looks like the wheels are darker than usual, or is that just a trick of the photo?

 

[donauker]

Is that Elon's car?!

It is in the color I would pick...

It looks like the wheels are darker than usual, or is that just a trick of the photo?

This has also been my color selection. Yes, the wheels definitely look darker, wasn't sure if they were just a bit dirty or if that is a change.

Apparently not Elon's car. They say "VP11 will be dedicated to various engineering tasks to prepare for the start of production"

It is also the first prototype to have the production seats in microfiber.

Another view

 

[vfx]

Like the color!

I was championing non-leather seats so I'm also happy to see the fuzzy seats.

By the way, I'm not an animal rights person.
I sweat in my Vinyl cars (Fiats 850, 124 and and Lancia Scorpion)
I sweat in my current leather car (Infiniti) -but not as bad with decent air cond
But most of all I loved my breathing cloth seats (Prelude)

Glad they listened to me :biggrin:

 

[TEG]

This has also been my color selection. Yes, the wheels definitely look darker, wasn't sure if they were just a bit dirty or if that is a change.

Apparently not Elon's car. They say "VP11 will be dedicated to various engineering tasks to prepare for the start of production"

It is also the first prototype to have the production seats in microfiber.

Yipes - that is "MY" car... Well exactly as I would have ordered it if I had actually ordered one! Microfiber seats, darkened wheels. Sheesh! Someone get me a napkin to wipe the drool off my chin!

Whoever picked the options combo for VP11, please accept my thanks. Love seeing it!