Tesla will remove Metallic Silver/Obsidian Black Metallic from Configuration (available off-menu)

[ecarfan]

Tesla to eliminate some paint options to increase production efficiency, gives last chance to order

From a Tesla email to Model 3 reservation holders and others, quote: “In order to increase our production, delivery and service efficiency, we will be removing Metallic Silver and Obsidian Black Metallic as paint options from our online vehicle configurators for Model S, Model X and Model 3. This will be effective on Thursday, September 13, 2018, after which Metallic Silver and Obsidian Black Metallic will be offered only as limited edition colors via special request at a cost of $2,000 only until Friday, September 21, 2018.”

Last year Tesla stopped offering Metallic Silver for serveral months, but then it came back.

Kelly Blue Book says silver is the most popular color in the US for luxury cars. I’m surprised Tesla is dropping it.

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Best Car Color To Buy, The Monetary Value of Car Color | Kelley Blue Book

Popular Colors for Luxury
Silver is the main color of choice for Luxury vehicles, which make up 8.6% of the car market. Silver rose nearly 14% in one year's time in this category resulting in a whopping one-third of all Luxury vehicles sporting silver tones. Two variations of white made up another 30% of this category, leaving the remaining colors to round out the mix. An interesting observation is that black, which was once the premier color for luxury vehicles, has hit its lowest mark in years at 8.5%.

1. Silver - 32.1%
   
2. White Metallic - 17.7%
   
3. White - 11.8%
   
4. Med/Dk. Blue 8.6%
   
5. Black - 8.5%
   
6. Med./Dk. Gray 7.2%
   
7. Med. Red - 6%
   
8. Gold - 3%
   
9. Med/Dk Green - 1.8%
   
10. Light Brown - 1.7%

 

[sperkin]

Model 3 is a compact car. Could you find the most popular color on it? Also, some sees the Model 3 as a Sports Sedan so many bought Red. From the tracker Silver is the least popular. Now it's OBM since it's similar to free Black.

Silver is the least bought color on a Model 3 in LA. I have only seen 3 so far in 2018. For context, I see 8 Whites, 6 Reds, 6 blacks, 3 Greys, and 1 Blue per day on average. Sometimes I see 3 whites in a roll or 3 reds in a roll. I believe they are the most popular so cost was increased on those colors.

 

[ecarfan]

I consider the Model 3 a luxury car, considering the features it offers and the average selling price of over $45K and on up to over $70K. I do not consider it a “compact” car.

I agree that silver is likely one of the least popular colors for the 3. But when you look at the Kelly Blue Book page I linked to above you will see that silver very popular for all car types in the US.

 

[Luis3rD]

I'm glad silver is the least liked model 3 color

 

[JTesmod3]

I'm glad silver is the least liked model 3 color

What kind of rims? What size? Did you lower it?

 

[Luis3rD]

What kind of rims? What size? Did you lower it?

Wheels are signature sv104, 19x8.5 F, 19x10 R. It's lowered on Eibach prokit springs.

 

[willa1975]

I’m surprised.

I actually rather like the silver. I ordered MSM because my wife is heavily partial towards that color, but I think silver suits the car better.

I also used to have a 335i in Black Sapphire Metallic and loved the color. Just a bit more interesting than the standard black.

 

[GreenT]

When I see "bland" colors like silver, black and white I immediately think rental car.
So I always order a "complementary" color.
Years ago, many of us criticized T for offering too few colors. Not checked, but is Tesla's palette (quantity) now in line with other manufacturers?
Premium or standard.

 

[Trevor B]

Model 3 is a compact car. Could you find the most popular color on it? Also, some sees the Model 3 as a Sports Sedan so many bought Red. From the tracker Silver is the least popular. Now it's OBM since it's similar to free Black.

Silver is the least bought color on a Model 3 in LA. I have only seen 3 so far in 2018. For context, I see 8 Whites, 6 Reds, 6 blacks, 3 Greys, and 1 Blue per day on average. Sometimes I see 3 whites in a roll or 3 reds in a roll. I believe they are the most popular so cost was increased on those colors.

Really? 24 Model 3s every day?

 

[Trevor B]

I’m surprised.

I actually rather like the silver. I ordered MSM because my wife is heavily partial towards that color, but I think silver suits the car better.

I also used to have a 335i in Black Sapphire Metallic and loved the color. Just a bit more interesting than the standard black.

Not surprised ... makes sense to discontinue if it's not very popular. It does look bleh

 

[JTesmod3]

Really? 24 Model 3s every day?

Must live in either calabasas, santa monica, brentwood, or West Hollywood

 

[Trevor B]

Must live in either calabasas, santa monica, brentwood, or West Hollywood

I see a lot of them in the bay area, but not 24 every day

 

[OutofThyme]

When I see "bland" colors like silver, black and white I immediately think rental car.
So I always order a "complementary" color.
Years ago, many of us criticized T for offering too few colors. Not checked, but is Tesla's palette (quantity) now in line with other manufacturers?
Premium or standard.

Nope, still a long ways to go and even further away now. Audi (A4) has 11 options for roughly 1/3rd the cost. Mercedes (C-class) offers 10 options for roughly 50% of the cost. Lexus (IS) offers 8 options for $0. BMW (3-series) offers 9 standard options for roughly 1/3rd the cost. Porsche (Cayman) offers 9 standard options, half which are free, the other half for $650, then 4 special colors for $2580. Maserati offers 10? Most costing $1000 or so , plus some $2700 paint options too. Infiniti offers 8 options for roughly 1/3rd the cost. The closest manufacturer to Tesla color quantity is Honda (Civic Type-R), 5 colors $0.

 

[JTwo]

I’m getting a Pearl white car. Silver was my second choice and I considered changing to that after I ordered my car. When I found out silver was the least popular and now that it’s been discontinued, that made it even more desirable to me.

I’m taking delivery of my white M3 this weekend so I guess I’m stuck with it. #1stworldproblem.

 

[gene]

We have white, silver, and midnight silver. I like the silver the best. I'm sorry to see it no longer available.

 

[Thunder7ga]

They have to make decisions to focus on what sells the most. Completely understandable to me. But love my silver.

 

[nalang]

If Tesla offered the silver they had at the reveal, I would have gotten that instead of pearl white.

 

[WayneGTX]

Great for Texas sunshine, now it is limited edition! Your “bleh” is my “BOOYAH!”

 

[SgtTortuga]

I think the photos of Obsidian Black Metallic do not do it justice. I have only seen one, but when I saw it, I sped up to get a closer look. It was dusk and at first I could not tell if it was Midnight Silver Metallic or Black. When I got close I realized it was Obsidian Black Metallic. If I had seen it in person prior to ordering, I may have ordered it.

 

[ecarfan]

CORRECTION: I received an email from Tesla last night, quote:

“In order to streamline manufacturing, we will be reducing our car paint ordering options from seven to five colors on Thursday.

Starting Friday, Metallic Silver and Obsidian Black Metallic will only be offered as off-menu, limited edition colors at $2,000. They currently cost $1,500.

Model 3 orders placed before Friday in Metallic Silver or Obsidian Black Metallic will be produced on an expedited basis, so may be available as soon as two to four weeks.”
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So it appears to me that Metallic Silver and Obsidian Black Metallic will continue to be available but at a cost of $2,000 and they will not be listed in the online configurator so will likely be ordered less frequently in the future. Whether or not those colors will continue to be shown in Tesla showrooms I can’t say, but my guess is they will not since Tesla is apparently trying to discourage people from ordering them.