Paint color discussion

TEG · 08-12-2007, 04:48 AM

(This topic about color choices has been split off from a previous discussion about the prototypes in existence right now)

Tesla "Eggs" sent to those who put down a deposit:

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonybelding

There's never been any official word on this subject, but the resemblance of the Lotus colours to Tesla colors is way too close to be accidental. And if you think about it, they are being made on the same assembly line, so there is cost saving from using the same paints.

Here's are the matches I've made, Lotus names on the left, Tesla names on the right. . .

standard / solid colors:

Ardent Red = Fusion Red
British Racing Green = Racing Green

metallic colors:

Arctic Silver = Sterling Silver
Storm Titanium = Thunder Gray
Starlight Black = Obsidian Black
Aubergine Purple = not offered
Nightfall Blue = not offered
Magnetic Blue = not offered
Polar Blue = Glacier Blue
Racing Green = Signature Green
Canyon Red = Radiant Red
Solar Yellow = Brilliant Yellow

lifestyle / premium colors:

Aspen White = Arctic White
Chilli Red = not offered
Chrome Orange = Very Orange
Krypton Green = not offered
Laser Blue = Electric Blue
Autumn Gold = not offered
Phantom Black = Jet Black
Graphite = not offered

After looking at the Lotus color chart and the Tesla color chart side-by-side, I realized I had been wrong about a few things before. I thought Lotus's "Racing Green" had been discontinued, but it's not. I'm not completely sure of the difference between "Canyon Red" and "Chilli Red", but I still think it's a good bet that Radiant Red = Canyon Red. I didn't think Lotus even offered a solid black, but now I'm thinking Phantom Black must be it (and am still left wondering what makes it a premium or "lifestyle" color).

After comparing them, the correlation between Elise colors and Roadster colors is even closer than I realized before. It really is way too close to be coincidence.

TEG · 08-12-2007, 04:49 AM

"EP1" ("Engineering Prototype 1" ... "Obsidian Black?"):

"EP2" ("Engineering Prototype 2"... "The most seen press car"... "Radiant Red?"):

TEG · 08-12-2007, 04:49 AM

"VP1" ("Validation Prototype 1"..."Signature Green?"):

"VP4" ("Arctic White"):

"VP9" ("Electric Blue"):

TEG · 08-12-2007, 04:49 AM

"VP10" ("Sterling Silver?"):

TEG · 08-12-2007, 07:12 AM

EP3? ("Glacier Blue?") European test vehicle? (Shown at Goodwood festival of Speed?):

EP?? (Non Tesla Blue Color?) European test vehicle? :

EP4? ("Very Orange") European test vehicle? :

EP5 ("Brilliant Yellow") European durability test vehicle? (now confirmed back in the USA with transmission upgraded) :

tonybelding · 08-12-2007, 07:46 AM

I believe the car used for testing on the frozen lake in Sweden was most likely Thunder Gray -- at least that's what it looked like to me, in the videos.

The red car (EP 2, right?) that everyone has seen so much is definitely Radiant Red. I have not yet seen any Roadsters painted Fusion Red, but I know it's a solid (non-metallic) color and is considerably brighter than Radiant Red. It's much closer to traditional Ferrari red.

The black car, EP 1, I think is Obsidian Black. It's a metallic color. . . But you have to really get it into bright sunlight to see the sparkle of the metal-flake paint. It's subtle. I've seen one or two close-up photos where it appears to be visible. The whole idea of a metallic black is pretty questionable to me, I've got to say.

Also a correction. . . The VP 1 is definitely not Racing Green. It's "Signature Green", which is a kind of very dark metallic green offered only to the Signature One Hundred buyers. Racing Green is a lighter (but still fairly dark) solid green which hasn't yet been seen on a Roadster, but here's what it looks like on an Elise:

TEG · 08-12-2007, 07:56 AM

I think Black EP1 has some metallic sparkle so it must be Obsidian Black rather than Jet Black.

Personally I like dark metallic colors. Yes the sparkle is subdued but it gives it a little bit of mysterious presence.

My current Lexus is "Graphite Gray Peal" which has metal flake as well as pearlescence.
Many people would also think the pearl is wasted on such a dark color, but people comment on how it makes attractive reflections in the sunlight.

Something for everyone's tastes...

tonybelding · 08-12-2007, 08:00 AM

And while we are on this subject. . . .

I don't think this is Electric Blue, I don't think it's any of the standard Roadster colors. It looks to me like the much darker Magnetic Blue, which is a standard Elise color but isn't being offered by Tesla. This car was only seen in spy photos and presumably was never meant to be seen by the public -- so if they painted it a color which is not actually offered to Tesla buyers, it wasn't considered a problem.

It caused me a lot of confusion for a while before I figured this out.

TEG · 08-12-2007, 08:08 AM

Notice that both the Sweden test vehicle and mystery blue car have foglights installed.

TEG · 08-12-2007, 08:10 AM

How about this guy from the "Blowing Hot and Cold" blog:

And here