Graham,
Many of you have asked if the paint samples in the Tesla color selection kit are exact matches with the cars that we have received with these colors. The short answer is no.
Color matching does involve science but at the end of the day there is an art factor involved as well. This is why a body shop will need to match paint with an actual car and then blend the color into the rest of the car when painting a small section, or even an entire panel. Factors such as the mixing process, environmental conditions, and paint spray machinery will all contribute to the final product.
For these reasons please recognize that while the colors in your color selection kit are representative of the colors being painted on cars, there will be slight variances between the colors in the kit and the colors on cars.
Regards,
Customer Relations
Tesla Motors