The MINI and Color Forcasting

Sections: Uncategorized Jan 26th, 2004 38 Comments

Here's are some interesting observations from MINI owner Lee Johnson about color and MINIs:

I don't know about the Chicago area, but here in the western Carolinas there are a LOT of silver MINIs. I always assumed they were just folks who mistakenly thought their cars were small BMWs, people who didn't understand that these English cars have their own proud — and colorful — heritage (it was a red Mini that won the Monte Carlo Rally 40 years ago, right?). I waited an extra two months so I could get my MCS in Indi Blue/white. The color is a big reason that I still smile when I walk into the garage and see the MINI.

According to an article on the front of yesterday's NYT style section — “Coloring America Hopeful — we may be seeing fewer DS/B MINIs and more cars of color. America's post-millennial, post-9/11 depression seems to be lifting, according to consumer researcher Dr. G. Clotaire Rapaille of Boca Raton, Fla., (quoted in the article) and it will affect the colors we choose:

“Colors represent the mood of the time. After 9/11, the mood was not very happy and more sober, so we had more black and white and gray. It was not proper to be too colorful.'

“Now, he added, 'People are feeling better and they want color.”

The Times cited Christopher Webb, a 28-year-old color stylist at GM, who said that bolder colors will soon be appearing in the American car palette:

“The coming trends? More metallic colors, silver blended with bolder shades like blue or orange, in contrast to the past decade of minimalist silver, gray, white and black. There will be more splashes of primary colors.”

Let's hope so; I like seeing brightly colored, happy MINIs on the road. I don't think I'm enough of an extrovert to own a metallic orange MINI, but I know I'll smile when I see one.
Lee Johnson

First off we at Bridger.us/MINI believe that color choice is a very personal thing and there really isn't a right choice for everyone.

That being said as a designer I've seen some of this recent change in color with my own eyes. In fact this has been predicted by such organizations as the Color Marketing Conference for well over a year now. Further it would seem that MINI is uniquely positioned as a brand to take advantage of this general mood swing in our culture. I think MINI clearly sees the aforementioned trend and we'll see next years factory colors that probably reflect this.

Written By: MF Staff

http://users.adelphia.net/~rocketboy/index.html Rocketboy

Good.. no offense to the silver car folks, but I'm just really tired of that color. Not to mention, every time i've seen a silver MINI, I didn't see it untill it was right in front of me. Silver is just not a road-friendly color.
Christopher

None taken. I never ever see a silver mini in the chicagoland area. Im sick of seeing colorful minis:p

I prefer silver because most of everything that I own is silver… My cameras, my phone, my monitor, my desk, my TV, my coffee table, etc. Not to say I dont own colorful things, I just happen to like the metal look to everything. I guess it has to do with my so called “technology” life that I live:)
Paul C.

Is that why they are getting rid of indi blue…….. JK, that reason I know. I was on the the Dark Silver/W boat for the longest time but go figure, when order time came around for me I went Indi Blue/W and I can't wait to get my hands on it!!!!!! Just a few more weeks………….

Motoring soon, Indi Blue style
zakdog

I chose EB because it is probably the best blue I've ever seen on a car. MINI offers several great choices of COLOR! While PS or DS are fine choices, I choose to think that that they are great colors for a Camry or Accord ;) JK I take a different view of the 911-effect: for some, no act of terror or cruelty can rob your joy if it comes from above. Happiness comes and goes…joy remains through difficulties, and color is an expression of joy

Respectfully submitted…
Pook

Before placing my '04 MC order, I absolutely agonized over whether to get PS/B or CR/W. I still hadn't made up my mind when I arrived at the dealership, but that day they had both colors there & after seeing both of them up close & personal, I knew I would always regret not getting the CR/W. I own another silver car, so I obviously have an affinity for that color choice- but for my MINI I couldn't get away from the classic “rally” look of the red/white. Can you really picture Paddy Hopkirk driving a silver & black Mini at Monte Carlo?
vin

Geez… I guess I'm out of fashion again. My dks/dks MCS is at Status 150 as I write this. Oh well. I still like my color combo–punched up with chrome mirror covers and red calipers, of course.

vin
http://www.chicagominiclub.com Matt

ask chuck at Patrick MINI how many times i called and changed my color choice. at least 20. i settled on DS/B. Red fades, my parents have had blue cars as long as i've been alive so Blue was out. Yellow wasn't even a question. BRG seemed a bit cliche, and i had seen alot of them just prior to finalizing my order, a decision i regret, i would have liked a BRG/W MINI. Black is a pain to keep clean to my standards and i'm a detailing nazi so it was down to one of the 2 silvers, and PS does nothing for me.

if Pepper White was available on an S, that's the way i would have gone. that or the sea-foam (don't know the proper name) green/blue.
http://bridger.us/mini Gabe

No worried vln – you're not out of fashion if you have a MINI :)
http://www.dolch.net Matt Dolch

I got the EB/White, just wanted something different. I've owned or leased a yellow car, dark metallic blue, BRG, dark red (two), white and teal before :-) With a mini, it's all about you…
Angie

I like the addition of new, exciting colors but I don't want MINIs to start looking like VW Bugs. Pastel. Bad.

In our household, we have an Indi Blue/Black MINI and a Sunset Orange Metallic Element. They're very cute together!
Robert

I bought my PS/BLK MCS used. I really was not sure about the color but have grown to love this combo. I wanted the LY/BLK combo and had I found a used one in the combo would have bought it instead.

I'm putting on three stripes this week. The BMW motorsports colors. 1″ and a 4″ and a 1″. Starting on the bumper through the scoop to the windscreen, just below the rear window and down the bumper!

There ya go LEE I hope you feel better and can sleep now……….I added some color.

I am also a designer and with most of the other colors there would be limits as to what color stripes could be used.

This debate is LAME!

RB
http://bridger.us/mini Gabe

Personally I don't think it's really a debate – I mean one of the traditional colors of BMWs has always been silver and one of the characteristics of the Mini/MINI has been bold color. I think Lee is just pointing out an interesting situation that has arisen in the time we live in as well as when two car cultures collide as well as expressing his opinion. I kept the opinion in because it's something I've heard from others and I thought it would be an interesting subject to raise.

That being said I really don't think we can look at a right or wrong answer to any of this. I personally don't care for some combinations (all yellow or all red for example) but that's solely my opinion and really is worth nothing to someone who thinks otherwise. That's one of the best aspects of these cars – there is no right answer. They are almost infinitely customizable and there are very few MINIs that are alike.
Ken Endres

Solid MINIs remind me of the originals. Our MINI is Blk with wht roof and wheels. I expected to see more of them but have only seen one or two others while motoring. MINI is about personality and choice. This what makes it so much fun.
Robert

I stand by my post.

Mr Webb's article is one thing, Johnson's comments another.

I'm not mistaken about what the car is and I DO know about the Mini's past.

He has a right to his opinion, I only resent the fact that he seems to suggest that I am fact dumb by association.

Last I would have a metalic orange Mini!

RB
Bear

My lady's MC is a LY/W. My MCS is DS/B. Two unique cars and drivers. We prefer the contrast.

Bear
jim mccarthy

As stated before – colors on our MINI's are a matter of indivdual taste. I would never comment negatively on anyone's choice of colors. But something strikes me as wrong when you start throwing in all of these “off-color” metallic brands. The original classic Mini was designed for the common man with simple taste and a small wallet – when you start adding exotic colors, then I feel the modern MINI loses some of that “classic” lore.
Frank

My wife's Cooper CVT is PW/B which is a classy, sophisticated if not a bit understated color. Reflects her personality perfectly and the car is stil a bit “rare” in a sea of Silver MINIs.

My MCS is CR/W. From the beginning I said to myself that our next MINI would be a colorful car. My wife would have loved for me to pick a PS or DS MCS but I had always had my sights on the “heritage” CR/W color. At some point during the waiting time I also toyed with the idea of LY/W which is far less common than CR.

I love CR although is pretty common but the color is fast, historic and very MINI..love it!

I might have gone with PW/B in my MCS if my wife's Cooper would have been a different color (She almost went for VR/W originally).

Sometimes I like solid body color MINIs and at other times I don't. I think the beauty of this car and what sets it apart from the “me too” crowd is the ability to order it with a contrasting color roof.

Last but not least, Silver colored cars are very difficult to see at night or under bad weather conditions. This is a proven fact. Interestingly black cars are easier to see in the dark than Silver ones

Red is the easiest color to spot even from a long distance (Hence it does grab attraction from law enforcement).
ZAKdog

love is color blind ;)
Les

Ditto.
http://omor.com/mini/ dc

Silver fetish ? I'm surprised nobodyÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s mentioned Mac OS X's silver-look.
Robert

JIm…………It's 2004! Have some fun!
Robert

Gabe………what post got the most response?

RB
Mark

Of all the colors available when I ordered my 04 MC I chose Solid Gold with Black roof and interior. IMHO it's one of the classiest color combo's of all. After I received it I realized it was my High School colors…I guess I'm trying to unconsiously revert to an earlier time in my life.
Robert

A contact at Mini says internally they call it Pimp Gold…..very kool………..RB
Bill Lawrence

It was hard to resist the Chili Red / White with the bonnet stripes. For me, I wanted to have the color that reflected the heritage of the classic Mini Cooper.

It is sort of like having a black Pontiac Trans Am, with the gold “Screaming Chicken” on the hood :D
Robert

I'd have to have the mirrors painted red or blk if I got that combo…….not white…looks like bunnie ears.
http://bridger.us/mini Gabe

I think the white mirrors are one of the most interesting design details of the MINI personally.
Nick Nickoloff

Our 03 Cooper S is solid Pure Silver and we even had the mirror caps painted the body color. Why? It's a BMW baby!!! and we wanted something different from the two tone MINIs that we see everywhere. I'll have to admit though I do like the Red White combination.

My wife wants a solid Pepper White CVT with chrome trim and mirror caps with black hood stripes.

Let's face it….all MINIs are great!
indyGold

The Gold/Black on the MC blew me away. I'm hoping they will add Gold to the MCS line so I can upgrade someday ;)
Bill Lawrence

One interesting thing. When I toured the BMW plant in Spartanburg, I noticed that there were many silver Z4's. Our tour guide said that there were days when the entire production run was silver.

I like all the colors that the MINI comes in, as long as there is variety.
Alex

Hmph! How dare they say green is not a good color! It's always been my fave, and besides that the BRG is just so classic. I think silver's pretty boring (but I like the DS). Haven't seent the gold in person, but it makes me think of a champagne colored accord. Bo-ring. Indi blue is also beautiful. chili red is cute. EB might be a little TOO much for me, but sometimes I love it. But I must say (and no offense)- I hate the yellow. haven't seen any in a while, but for a bit it seemed like every mini I saw was yellow. I don't see too many BRG, which surprises me. But the bottom line is- no matter what color, a MINI is always much more stylish than anything else out there. :)

And did anyone else think the 'colorful' line of model cars in the picture were still pretty boring? silvers and rusts- ick. Ok there was a blue and a red, but it's not like a red car is a new thng.
Robert

Gabe,

I think the white mirrors are adorable………RB
http://bridger.us/mini Gabe

ah sarcasim – gotcha :)
Robert

I love these Debat………uh discussions…….don't you….RB
Tim in MD

I'm probably going to order my MCS in PW/B with black hood stripes when the time comes (hopefully first week in April). I'm tempted by BRG/W and IB/W, but I love how the PW sets off the black trim and red highlights (plus it's a no-cost option!). It'll also look good next to my Inka orange '76 BMW 2002…kinda like a creamsicle. (The golf yellow 2002 in the background was sold about a year ago…I'm not averse to bright colors, as you can see.) That said, if I could get a flat–not metallic–orange MCS, I'd do that in a heartbeat.
Robert

Red headlights?

Love those old BMW's. Almost bought one in 1970 but it was just a little more ($) than the '70 Squareback I eventually bought. New baby and all.

It had these great EMPI mag wheels that kinda look like the MCS sports package wheels I have now………RB
http://bridger.us/mini Gabe

I'd love have a 2002 someday. My parents had a '72 for the first 10 years of my life so it's the only car I knew for quite a while. The smell of the interior is forever etched in my mind. Sadly they sold it when they finally upgraded to a newer BMW.

And orange too – my favorite color!
vbean

Have a 2004 PW/B CVT with racing stripes, black bumper inserts and chromes mirrors. That was my gut choice of colors when I first thought about getting a Mini. And I must say that he looks right at home parked between a 93 black 2500 suburban and a 74 BMW Alpina 2002 tii from the alpina factory in Germany!

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