As one might expect the US will be doing things a little differently than the rest of the world when it comes to the new 2006 colors. First off here’s a recap of what colors are coming and which are leaving us for that big used car lot in the sky:
Being introduced: Space Blue, Solar Red, and Royal Grey
Going away will: Jet Black, Electric Blue, and Solid Gold
Now, the rundown on model availability of the new colors:
- Solar Red (Cooper hardtop and convertible only)
- Space Blue (Cooper/Cooper S hardtop only)
- Royal Grey (Cooper/Cooper S hardtop only)
The new silver bonnet stripes, silver roof, and silver mirrors (seen on the Checkmate package) will also be available as options on both the Cooper and Cooper S for most colors across the range.
You can get a better look at all three new colors below (those in the US can disregard the stickers on the Solar Red and Royal Grey MINIs – we won’t be getting those):
[ Space Blue ] [ Royal Grey ] [ Solar Red ]
We also have a couple of color availability changes to mention:
- Liquid Yellow will be dropped from the MCS altogether and will
now only be available on the Cooper hardtop and convertible. - Pepper White will now be available on both the Cooper and Cooper S convertibles.
Finally, one important note for all you Solar Red fans: you’ll have to wait for 10/05 production before it’s available.
<p>i guess EB S’s will be worth more?</p>
<p>Color question: From what people have ‘seen’ is the space blue the bright blue like in these pictures, or more of the teal-blue-grey color from other pictures posted. Thanks. (’06 on order)</p>
<p>I think the best answer I can think of for the discrepancy is that it changes due to the sun. The real answer is probably somewhere in between.</p>
<p>well this makes my color decision easier. it was between SR, SB, and CR. but now that SR is only available on Coopers, i only have to decide between 2. this seems a lot like my dilemma with my first MINI, a dark blue (Indi Blue at the time) or Chili Red</p>
<p>Is that royal grey just some tint of green?</p>
<p>Can’t wait for those new bonnet stripes :^)</p>
<p>I seem to recall reading somewhere that since Jet Black was going away, Astro Black would be added to the Cooper S choices. Is this not going to be the case?</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I seem to recall reading somewhere that since Jet Black was going away, Astro Black would be added to the Cooper S choices. Is this not going to be the case?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>That is not the case. I think that was mosts wishful thinking for some out there.</p>
<p>wait.. so there’s NO black available for the MCS?</p>
<p>I still can’t believe there will be no black. Not that I planned on getting a new one, but I liked the idea of black w/silver instead of black w/white.</p>
<p>Are there any other car companies that don’t offer black? It’s unheard of.</p>
<p>Well at least I alerady have mine…</p>
<p>WOAH!! the space blue in that picture is waaaaaay to blue for my tastes. in all the others it looked more of a dulled out darker blue with a hint of grey in it. now these. Gabe is that picture’s color alittle off or is that right? if so i need to get myself a last run 2005 MCS in jet black. my time is running out.</p>
<p>The Space Blue looks kind of close to Hyper Blue to me. hmm… It will be interesting to see them in person.</p>
<p>Just thought I’d say in Australia.. we went to the Mini dealer and for MC… we can opt for any kind of stripes we want such as the checkered flag and so on.. Whilst it doesn’t come up on the website or in the official options list, the computer modelling program which the Mini guy had could show us what the Minis would look like with all the different options. He said they will be fitted at the dealer though- I thought stripes were done at factory?</p>
<p>Sing me up for royal gray & silver roof.</p>
<p>Man, with the potential of JCW factory parts I was really starting to contemplate ordering an 06 JCW S to replace my 04 S. But I really wanted LY/W with a checkered top like my current car. The other color I thought seriously about when I ordered was Indi Blue and I really have started liking EB lately so I am pretty much screwed on color!</p>
<p>Gabe, do you know which, if any, of these colors are metallic/non-metallic?</p>
<p>I’m curious how the Royal Gray looks in comparison to the Dark Silver. The DS is such a great, metallic, no-nonsense color, I wonder how the RG compaires. I’m really liking the idea of DS or RG with Silver roof/mirrors/stripes for my ’06 MCS.</p>
<p>I also agree that it’s a poor decision on MINI’s part not to have black available on the MCS. I wouldn’t own another black car myself ’cause of heat, but I can’t deny how good it looks.</p>
<p>Gabe, is there any news about whether colored dashboards are available in the new colors? How about the piano black offered with the Seven edition?</p>
<p>allan MICHAEL: Indi blue S’s had a much shorter run than Electric Blue S’s. However, I doub’t there will be any additional value to them based on color.</p>
<p>As I read the article, a thought occurred to me: MINI has effectively added $420 to the price of most S’s by eliminating all but two of the non-metallic colors. The only ones left appear to be Pepper White and Chilli Red.</p>
<p>Lee L,</p>
<p>Indi Blue and Hyper Blue are SO close in color, it’s hard to tell the difference unless they are side-by-side. If you liked Indi Blue once, I recommend you take another look at Hyper Blue.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>WOAH!! the space blue in that picture is waaaaaay to blue for my tastes. in all the others it looked more of a dulled out darker blue with a hint of grey in it. now these. Gabe is that picture’s color alittle off or is that right? if so i need to get myself a last run 2005 MCS in jet black. my time is running out.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The photo of space blue looks a little too saturated to me. However I wanted to keep it exactly how MINI delivered it. If it’s wrong they can take the blame 🙂 BTW we <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.motoringfile.com/2005/05/24/space_blue_38_solar_red_spotted">featured a real life pic or Space Blue</a> last month. That’s probably a better example of how iit will look in person.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Gabe, do you know which, if any, of these colors are metallic/non-metallic?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>They’re all metallic</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Gabe, is there any news about whether colored dashboards are available in the new colors? How about the piano black offered with the Seven edition?</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.motoringfile.com/2005/07/13/the_us_checkmate_specials_options_package">Check out this previous story for your answer</a> (near the bottom)</p>
<p>Damn … no YELLOW for the MCS .. and this is the color I was goign to get when upgrading from my MC to an an MCS in 06 … Damn!!!</p>
<p>TBH none of the new colors seem that exciting to me, and restricting availability so much makes the choosing all the more complicated..</p>
<p>My 05 Hyper Blue MCS is now about 1 year old and I still dig the color, if I was going around again I would conside BEP with silver for a tintop, and I’ve long thought a PW cabrio with r90s would look like a million bucks…</p>
<p>No Black at all?!? Say it ain’t so!</p>
<p>Thinking of trading my solid black 03 MC for a 06 MCS and was looking forward to black + silver roof and stripes. </p>
<p>Grrr.</p>
<p>PEPPER WHITE HAS FOUND THE CONVERTIBLE! I have a 05 PS MCSc and would probably own a PW should it have been available . . . moreso, each of my parents, upon hearing that the pepper white was available for the convertible, immediately said that they were selling their SLK.</p>
<p>2 MINI family = twice the motoring</p>
<p>So what is the real benefit of the checkmate package then if you can get the blue/silver roof mirrors combo anyway? Is it just to bundle all of those ‘sporty’ options? and the special interior?</p>
<p>Huh?</p>
<p>No black? That’s the oddest thing I’ve ever heard.</p>
<p>Welcome back!
Well done Matt & Gabe.</p>
<p>Grab the last of the Jet Blacks before time runs out!</p>
<p>Got mine in 04′ =D</p>
<p>Thanks for the info Gabe.</p>
<p>I think MINI hates me, the only new color I was looking forward to was Solar Red, and it’s not on the S.</p>
<p>Is it just me, or are most of the MCS colors really alike? Just shades of gray?</p>
<p>Guess I’m lucky that I got a LY/B MCS while I could.
That should make that combo rare, (although not a “collectable”).</p>
<p>Yea, I’m glad I got my ’05 LY/B MCS. As Dean mentioned that should make it a rare combo. Don’t see to many of them around. And with the Aero kit and black bonnet stripes probably even more rare.</p>
<p>count me among the ones who was going to upgrade my LY/Y MC to an MCS.</p>
<p>my first choice for my 06 MCS JCW was LY/B.
me second choice was JB/W (or silver).
now what i do? sheeeesh.</p>
<p>Oh, great. More metallic colors that only subtley different from ones already available. Mini continues its proud history of missing a huge opportunity to change the contemporary automotive color palette. Bravo.</p>
<p>I totally disagree with whoever said that Indi Blue and Hyper Blue were so close in colour that you can hardly tell the difference. IMHO there is a huge difference…Hyper Blue is so much brighter & lighter than Indi. IMHO the best blue that has been offered so far is Indi Blue…that is a perfect blue.</p>
<p>Oh, and I have a LY/W ’05 MCS and am so glad I got one while I could.</p>
<p>I too disagree Hyper Blue and Indi Blue are alike, Hyper Blue is indeed much brighter (which means I personally like it better than Indi Blue).</p>
<p>I’ve seen a sample of Space Blue at my dealer, and it is a whole different ballpark. It’s on the dark side if Indi Blue, and I actually detected a hint of green in it in certain lighting. Very nice.</p>
<p>So can we confirm the dash/door color options for th 06 MCS?</p>
<p>So far I’ve got:</p>
<p>Alloy Patina
Anthracite
Hyper Blue
Chili Red
Royal Gray(?)
Space Blue(?)
Piano Black/Seven pattern(?)</p>
<p>i second any mention that the colors pictured are way off. cr, hb and well some green-grey. No photos have I seen that are so wacked as these. as i’ve seen, the sb is a darker, muted NYYankee Blue, and the sr is an oranger red. i admit to having seen the rg with a greenish cast, but not to that extent. If sunlight is somebody going nuts with curves… :P</p>
<p>I wish there was a better pic of the Royal Gray is there one any where else</p>
<p>Jack</p>
<p>start here, jack</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mini.com/com/en/general/homepage/index.jsp" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.mini.com/com/en/general/homepage/index.jsp</a></p>
<p>and here – for sure!
<a href="http://www.mini2.com/news/news306.html" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.mini2.com/news/news306.html</a></p>
<p>I Like the Royal Gray alot! I’m not to partial to the new racing stripes though. I also like the Silver Roof. As for LY, that was going to be my first choice back in ’04, then I saw it and it was just to light a yellow.</p>
<p>The brochues MINI had out showed it to be a more glossy darker yellow. For me the shade of yellow Mini had didn’t do it. </p>
<p>It sure would be nice if MINI had decided to bring the entire Park Lane Mini to the US.</p>
<p>I like the new colors…especially intrigued by Royal Gray. Can’t wait to see them in person.</p>
<p>take a look around as you motor about and name the colors of other cars…white, white, black, silver, champagne, white, silver, white, white, silver, white, silver, maroon, dk blue, white, silver, silver…BORING…Too many bland MINI colors for my taste.</p>
<p>That said, I love my EB/B! and after 3 years still have people come up to me in gas stations and on the street and say how much they love the color!</p>
<p>And as it is an S only color in the states :)</p>
<p>It is a shame MINI has dropped such nice vibrant colors. Why are the colors for all cars lack lusters EB and SG just stand out in a crowd.</p>
<p>the space blue picture on this website looks a hell of a lot different from this website’s picture : <a rel="nofollow" href=http://www.autocar.co.uk/news_article.asp?na_id=215676>Text Click here</a> (it’s the same picture.)</p>
<p>photoshop?</p>
<p>Oh, yeah click on the gallery (with the camera on it) to see it.</p>
<p>I have a 04 MC in Solid Gold and Black. I constantly am told how cool and unusual it is. MINI goes bland, thats the headline. I’ll just stay cool and unusual, it seems. MINI has had a good run, It was only a matter of time b4 they shot themselves in the foot. Not having Black as an option at all is the tell tale sign of a sales dept gone wrong.</p>
<p>Motor On… Marbles Mahoney
Owner and Operator of The 24KMINI</p>
<p>Can’t believe Gold is disappearing. That’s the most beautiful color of them all, IMO. Tired of red, blue, silver gray and white. Oh, well, can’t have customers happy all the time, eh?</p>
<p>Will the SR be available with a White top? I am now deciding between the Chili or the SR for my first MC.</p>
<p>Have CR/B MCS for nearly 3 years. Delighted and continue to get comments that ‘that is the best looking color combination I have seen’ from > half those that take the time to comment.</p>
<p>Curious on Solar Red v. Chili Red…?</p>
<p>I just can’t believe they have dropped yellow for the MCS.</p>
<p>The new colors for 06 are just flat boring.</p>
<p>Good thing I didn’t wait for the 06’s</p>
<p>I am glad I ordered an 05 yellow MCS which is on the way.</p>
<p>For god sakes, paint it yourselves. It’s a tiny car. I’m going to make it look like a taxicab….</p>
Hey-
That Red Mini has a black grille. Is that going to be available? Or am I going to have to use the mesh grilles from the body kit?
<p>I bought my car used without a manual and can’t download the online one. Does anyone know at how many miles I have to buy the renewed warranty?</p>