MF Exclusive: Laser Blue & Nightfire Red

Sections: R56 (Hatch) Jun 16th, 2006 43 Comments

Through one of our sources we’ve obtained the first image of two new colors set to debut on the 2007 MINI. In the picture above (click for larger view) are Laser Blue and Nightfire Red. Also seen are Hyper Blue and Chili Red for a comparison. Both new colors are metallic and both harken back to a couple of classic MINI colors once seen on the current generation car: Velvet Red and Electric Blue.

It may be worth noting that the image doesn’t mean that these two colors will be replacing Hyper Blue or Chili Red. While it’s unclear if Hyper Blue will be staying in the color palette for the R56, we do know that Chili Red will continue on. Our sources have also told us to expect British Racing Green to make an appearance on the R56 color palette. And yes, a non-metallic black is rumored to be back as well.

Reportedly three other new colors for the R56 are named Mellow Yellow, Sparkling Silver and Lightning Blue. In all we can expect seven new colors for the 2007 model year.

You can see a larger version of the image above by clicking on the thumbnail above and an even bigger one by clicking here.

Written By: Gabe

http://www.hrmini.com dark06mcs

long time listener, first time caller! those are awesome! i personally know a few people that were looking for an electric blue lookalike and a deep red. as always, the scoop here is top notch. -mike
Tim

Anyone know what those colour “swatches” are? Are they an automotive version of a swatch or did someone from the factory nick a rejected piece off a car?

I think the colours look pretty good. When I saw the red I thought of “Solar Red,” which is a good thing. Glad to see that we’re getting some bright colours back for the R56.
Ted

The midnight red might shine like a dark red candy floss. Thanks for the scoops of paint.
Marc

The red isn’t for me, but the blue looks scrumdiddlyumptious!

Good for MINI for bringing back a quasi electric blue color.

mb
Ivor Biggun

I wish the Nightfire red had a different name, it reminds me of a Rover colour which was called ….. Nightfire red. Maybe its the same color ?
GSKChicago

The Nightfire Red almost looks like the color BMW is showing for the M6 as of late. I like it.

Any word on a matte color, similar to the matte silver seen on concepts of the Z4 M that’s out there? Although I’m not sure how that would look on a MINI.
http://vinreddy.blogspot.com vin.

Both new colors are metallic and both harken back to a couple of classic MINI colors once seen on the current generation car: Velvet Red and Electric Blue.

DB is probably freaking out right now.

I like the Safari Red, it kind of reminds me of Porsche’s Arena Red that we saw a lot on the older 993 generation 911′s.
YuccaPatrol

It would be nice if BRG became a real non-metallic BRG instead of the Bavarian Black Forest Green that BMW is passing off as BRG. . .
snid

Yay! Brown is back! ;)
http://www.dickdavid.com dickdavid

Is that RUST I see in that pic? LOL, just kidding.

I really like the Nightfire Red. It doesn’t look as ‘brown’ as the VR (which I like as well).
agranger

Nightfire! YEA

Laser Blue = 1/2 can of Hyper Blue + 1/2 can of Electric blue, stir well.

I’ll vote for the Laser Blue if they will ditch all the other blues and give us another color… maybe a bright, flat orange?
Frank

The Nightfire Red will most likely be my next color.
Teresa

Never been a big fan of metallic burgundy colored cars but to each his own ; )

Here’s hoping that the new yellow won’t be metallic
http://www.motoringphotography.com Dave

Any word if either of these colors will be exclusive to the MC or MCS?
Mark (Ohio)

Cool beans. Chili Red has to stay, maybe they’re change the name to JCW RED? (wink) Maybe Lightening Blue will be even more like Electric Blue? Awesome way to swatch car colors!
Vanwall

Need Coral Blue. And Tangerine.
Laverne

Oh boy – another red and another blue. Please add another silver so my life will be complete.
http://www.hrmini.com dark06mcs

the only thing i hear from my girlfriend is a grass green… i think it’d be cool
speed_racer

I agree w/agranger as to 1/2 EB + 1/2 HB = 1 LB. I have an EB/W MCS and I was worried that I wouldn’t have a bright blue to choose from in the next generation. I want EB again so bad, and at least this Laser Blue is similar.
Adam

Yaaaaaaay!

Any chance of getting a swatch of electric blue in the picture for comparison? The Laser blue looks deeper and darker, but I’m excited that they’re bringing bright back into the picture.
http://www.metroplexmini.org MattG

I see a Nightfire Red MCS in my future, if they offer it on the MCS.
O(=^=)OCapn

Okay fine But KILL Hyper blue it is so Blah Bring back Indigo Blue!!! and I will buy one!
http://www.motoringphotography.com Dave

You mean Indi Blue. ;)

Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â
http://www.newministuff.com mikeythemini

Can they please put these on the last of the current model – pretty please….. I am about to order & want my elec blue back
http://dbmini.us DB

DB is probably freaking out right now.

WOOHOO! That Nightfire Red sure looks pretty close to VR. That’s almost enough to make me hold out for an ’07.

Not quite, but almost
Rollin

How big of a game of chance did you have to play? Nice scoop.
http://mini2 Fabio

Laser blue looks great
rkw

Oh boy – another red and another blue. Please add another silver so my life will be complete.

According to Billy who comments here occasionally and says he works at the Oxford plant, there is in fact a new “Sparkling Silver – A much nicer, more reflective colour than the current Pure Silver” link
http://www.burnlounge.comdigitalchoice jack

Speaking of colors I am having the worst time picking one for the 06 that I plan on ordering. has anyone seen the black and how it looks after a few thousand miles. I have never been a black fan but this one is very unique. I am torn between that and the dark silver and the chili red. I plan on keeping the car for some time so this is holding up the process
Nathaniel Salzman

Jack,

I just ordered a Dark Silver with the Silver roof MCS and the look is tops, but I’m also a big fan of the Chili Red, so that’s a tough one. The CR is very classically MINI but the DS really shows off the lines of the car.

As for Black, I can’t speak to it on the MINI, but I did have a metallic black Prelude back in the day. Black looks so superb when it’s clean – but that’s the catch – keeping it clean. Gabe’s the one to ask about black – with the Vader MINI and all.

As for the new colors, they look great, but the names make me think “American Gladiators.” Ha ha!
http://www.DavidRose.us DUCTTAPE

Why is it MINI insists on taking the ‘safe’ road in automotive colors? Put a fancy adjective in front and wow, instant designer color? These are cars, not Ralph Lauren sweaters.

I’ve owned/I own Yellow, Purple and Orange (as well as black, but that one doesn’t count here.) ALL have been wannabe colors!

The Orange is really a brown in anythng but so bright sunlight you can’t look anyway. Now INKA, THAT was orange.

Yellow? It was a dark yellow. Sure, loud, but still reserved. Not a pure, loud yellow. It was good in the sun, but it should be good 24 hours a a day.

Purple? That’s not purple, unless, again, it’s in direct light. A purple should be purple, even 10 minutes before sundown.

I mentioned Inka. If I recall, that color was wildly successful in the 1970′s. Why not be at the cutting edge in EVERYTHING they do, instead of design and advertising? Is there a VP somewhere who has convinced corporate that the designs are so off the wall MINI had better tone down the colors to make them more mainstream? If I am going to drive something not mainstream, don’t make me take it in Detroit-stlye colors. I recall reading once there is something like 300 billion choices for the car with options included. Well, how about letting the color swatches reflect that!

Which comes around to these colors specifically. Blue? It’s Ok (in my book. I DO realize many will like this and I can’t really fault them for picking it, just for not offering a louder blue too/instead.) But that red? THAT is not red. It is a cranberry of some sort. (Perfect for the midnight bladder infection cranberry juice run, I guess) Either call it what it is, or better, offer a fire engine red!

My .02c David

BTW, although I never owned them, probably my two fav colors off the line were the silk green and pepper white. I wanted the green, but it wasn’t available in the 02 S (What was THAT about?!?) and the white, although an extremely pretty white, just wasn’t ‘loud’ enough for me. And even though these would have lost to an Inka, etc in a heartbeat, they are great colors though, MINI!
ddmini

I love the Nightfire Red. I can see why some will not like it as it is not very bright or attention grabing. I hope it looks as good on the car as the sample.
lTZMTOR

Nightfire looks a little less brown which is good. Laser blue just seems a tad VW/Toyota/GM-ish run of the mill…. bring back Electric blue.
Smoke07

I agree with agranger that we need a bright, flat orange? It would be great if we were able to choose Orange for both car.Orange is one of my favorite colors right now.
Laverne

Why can a smaller company like Lotus have so many awesome colors to choose from? Can’t MINI get the hint that some people buy a MINI to be ubique and want a color to match?
Laverne

Well, I meant unique. But I’m also hic et ubique in my MINI!
MINIAC

I mentioned Inka. If I recall, that color was wildly successful in the 1970ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s.

BMW 2002′s had the best colors …

Taiga, Inka and Golf
Randolph Lee

I Too like the new red and blue shades… not exactly to my taste but the more choice the better i think… in a few years I bet you will be able to take a sample of the color you want your car to the dealer and order your car to match! Another vote for a Real BRG… while I like my metalic green MCS it is not BRG and I would love to be able to get my next MINI in true BRG non metalic… with a red leather interior please! and I too will be sad to loose the Supercharger for a common Turbo… but that is progress and I guess the turbo is more fuel efficient… I also hop the Sat Nav on the 07s will be a bit more up to date than the current alpine based systems that BMW/MINI uses… the Sat Nav Systems that some of the Japanese cars now have is now about 2 generations ahead of Alpine
http://mini2.co.za timmee

Gabe, what are these from? Looking at the largest image they (whatever they are) seem to be sprayed rather than dipped…

Would love to be able to compare EB and LB.
http://www.blokspeed.net Eelke

I wish the Nightfire red had a different name, it reminds me of a Rover colour which was called ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦.. Nightfire red. Maybe its the same color ?

Is there anything wrong with that? My association wasn’t with Rover, but with the classic Mini (objectively, the same thing, but subjectively a world of difference ;)).

In the last years of production it too was available in Nightfire Red and it looked awesome. Only question, indeed, if it’s only the name that is the same for this color, or whether the color itself also it close enough to my taste. From the above sample, it looks a bit darker (and duller) than that “other” Nightfire Red.
Jon

My biggest wish is that Mini would relize that there are other colors than blues and reds in this world lol. Like both of the new colors fine but I must admit that I anxiously await seeing the five other new colors. Keep hoping to see something truely new, not just a slight shift of our current color options.

Must admit that I was rather sad to see the black-eyed purple disapear. However I might just cure this once I take delievery of my new mini.
Jay

I have the 03 VR and was hoping for something like it the 07 – glad to see the Nightfire Red – not so sure about the name.
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