I was going to get an '05 Jet Black (white roof) mini. Though I got pushed back to Sept. '06. I was thinking of about getting Space Blue, but went back to the black. When I went to the dealer, I paid attention to jet Black. Since no jet black in '06 I have to go with Astro Black. So how black is Astro Black? It looks kinda grey on the mini website, and I read somewhere it is kinda blue-black. I've seen some pics online and it looks good, does it look good and rich black in person?

Thanks!

 

It's a metallic black that has a blue and white sparkle in the sun. At night it just looks like a metallic black. You wouldn't be able to tell from far away if it's JB or AB, but you can tell up close. I love the AB and would not have any other color. Here's a pic- see if you can tell...




Good luck and welcome to NAM!!!!

-Steve

 

Beware, about making color decisions on the internet do not go by what you see on your computer screen. Colors are by no means anywhere's near being accurate on the internet unless you have very sophisticated color calibration equipement and even then the original post needs to be perfectly calibrated as well.

 

Sure MGear, there is no substitute for seeing it in person, but if someone were to ask you what color you thought my car was would you say metallic black or jet black?





Try and go to a local MINI club meeting. You may find some one with an AB MINI.

-Steve

 

Plus, the MINI configurator ma-jiggy shows the AB as a dark silver like the DS MCS. It is really black but with a sparkle. Slightly blue in the sun.

 

To be honest with you Sandtoast I could cannot tell either way, in fact I couldn't even say with certainlty your car looks black. Half of what I do for a living for the past 35 years has to do with evaluating color and I wouldn't guess based on what I saw unless I knew the send was calibrated and the monitor I was viewing was calibrated.

Now I know that 's a bit over the top for the average person but we are all mini enthusiasts here and very particular about such details so although I may seem to be a bit too fanatical I think most would agree.

Your suggestion about going to a meet though is the best advice anyone could give

 

It's seems always best to me to see these colors in person if at all possible. Contact a local club??? It's the nuances that'll drive you mad...especially the dark colors! Pictures just aren't all that accurate.

sandtoast's MINI (very nice, btw) looks black...sorta. It's not JB exactly, but pretty darn close. If it weren't so darn shiney we could tell better! AB is a real winner...if I wanted a black MINI I'd definitely go for AB.

 

I bought my MINI July 1st and it's Astro Black. After I saw the car in the flesh (actually sheet metal) i found I really liked the look of Atro Black. It's black under most conditions, but in the sunlight, it appears to be dark, dark, dark, metallic blue-gray. Everyone has their own opinion, but I sure like it. Hell, anybody can have a black car, but there are only so many "metallic black" ones around. Mine has the "black and tan" (sounds like a beer) interior. It's actually anthracite and beige. It's in leather, with sports seats, (which are really comfortable, I might add) and I feel the interior really complements the metallic black paint and vice versa. In any event, "Get what you like, like what you get!"

Mike Predina
'05 Astro Black, CVT, Premium, Leather, Etc. Etc.

 

I saw a MCC in Astro Black and it's a beautifully inky metallic midnight blue/black. Very subtle and very pretty! I think it's a wonderful color!


Clover

 

Thanks for the pics - that makes me feel better. I am planning on going to a DC event on Sat. and I was hopeful that people would let me check out their mini's (inside and out). I just am not sure if I have seen astro black vs. jet black on the road (in my neighborhood we have a silver, a red, pepper white, hyper blue, and a cool blue - but no black). It was an easy decision with jet black....

Thank you.

Side note: I am a graphic designer/illustrator who dables in color theory.

 

I, too, am a graphic designer and sensitive to color combinations. I am not sure that if I had gone through the lengthy "order and wait" process that most MINI owners have, I would have ordered Astro Black. That said, however, I went to my local MINI dealer and decided to choose "off the lot." And there I saw the Astro Black with Astro Black roof (with all the packages) and I fell in love with it. So I think it was a "meant-to-be" kind of a thing. I will simply echo what others have said...it really looks black until you go right up to it and then there is the hint of dark blue that sparkles a little in the sun, but almost undetectable. There is nothing gray about Astro Black as the MINIUSA website might lead you to believe. I can't say enough how "delicious" the color is. But then, every MINI color is wonderful.