For the MCS hardtop - what the hell happened to Lightning Blue???? Or any other deep blue for that matter? I'm potentially in the market to trade in my '04 Indi Blue, and I LOVE the color. But I see a smurf blue (which I like ok) and a very muted blue (looks like teal in the configurator, but like cool blue in pictures). WTF? The cool blue - sorry - Horizon Blue - looks like it should be on a Honda. NO offense to those that like the more muted colors on the MINI. I'm just a fan of color. But now MINI has three shades of silver. *Yawn* Where's the rich blue?

 

That's a good question .. if lightning blue would've been available on the 09's, I woulda chose it in a heartbeat. I test drove a used 07 model in that color and it was absolutely gorgeous in person.

 

I think that Lightning Blue was discontinued in January 09, not sure though. I do know that I ordered a Lightning Blue MC on Dec 30, 2008 and took delivery on Feb 13, 09. It seems that all the best colors are only available on the MCS.

 

MINI's color palette is very puzzling. When it comes to blues they seem to have lots of them (No pun intended). But in my opinion, Indy Blue (2002-2004) was the best hue of the color they ever offered and has yet to be replaced.

Hyper Blue and Lighting Blue were nice in their own way (And cars painted with matching body color roofs look best IMHO in these colors) but blues at MINI have pretty short lives:

Indy Blue Metallic: 2002-2004
Electric Blue Metallic: 2002-2005
Hyper Blue Metallic: 2005-2006
Space Blue Metallic: 2006 only
Cool Blue Metallic: 2005-2006 (Convertible only)
Oxygen Blue Clearcoat: 2007-? (R56 Cooper hardtop only)
Lighting Blue Metallic: 2007-2008
Horizon Blue Metallic: 2009-?
Laser Blue Metallic: 2007-?

It seems to me that if you insist on a blue MINI and want it to stand out, your only choice is Laser Blue.

 

That's what I picked (Laser Blue) this time around. Space Blue looked cool in the showroom, but in person it just looks like another dark blue unless you get it in JUST the right light, then it has a nice green tint to it. I have a feeling Horizon Blue would be very similar to Space Blue. It's also interesting to note how different some blues look with different roof colors - Laser Blue with White looks completely different to Laser Blue with Black....

 

Must be a BMW thing. The last few years BMW has come out with very few really good looking colors. Now it is rubbing off on the Mini.

 

That blue color history is interesting. It's obvious that they don't want to go very long with any one color. Keeps threads like this alive

 

Laser blue FTMFW!!!!111one

 

I'm glad I bought my Lightning Blue MINI when I did!

 

I really wish they offered OB for the MCS, that was my fav. of the 3 blues when I was looking, so different.

 

This.

I thought about Lightning Blue, but I'm quite pleased with how the Laser Blue has turned out. Amazing how many shades it goes through depending on the lighting.

 

I love my laser blue. I went to the dealer to look at colors, because the Mini site doesn't do the colors any justice. Colors I thought I would like looked bad in person and some I thought I would hate looked good.

 

I thought Laser Blue was too smurfy but seeing it up close really sold me on it.

 

If you really want Lightning Blue i am looking to get into a Horizon Blue cooper S pretty soon, you can take over my lease if you want it. PM me.

 

I had an 09 Lightning Blue MC...picked it up end of Oct, wrecked beginning of Dec....after orignally being told that it was not totalled (cost less than 75% of the value to fix it) for 2 months....the day before im going to go pick it up from the shop, my ins guy calls (GEICO) and says...sorry...i didn't have the right NADA book value and so by law we have to total ur car out and pay you out for it....this is now Feb 09.....so I go back to Westchester MINI and find out that I missed the cut off on getting another Lightning Blue by like 1 week.......I was soooo pissed....so I got Chili Red....

but all in all...the blue was and is my favorite color still....such a brilliant looking color... like the green, but can't do the white and green/black is just too dark....same wiht the nightfire red...too dark...

 

if you're a big fan of color, what's wrong with Laser blue? it's pretty stand-outish..

 

I'm with you, MiniEnvy! I picked up my 09 Lightening Blue on Dec 22. Just in time!! I love it!

 

You'll love Chili Red. By far the most stable and nicest color in the MINI range. MINI has been offering Chili Red uninterrupted since the car began production in July 2001. There is something "right" about a red MINI

It is very easy to maintain, looks awesome freshly polished/waxed and very easy to touch up and repair because it is not a metallic paint finish

 

I'm glad Lightning Blue was still available when I got my 09. My backup was BRG, which looks great but.... more distinguished, I think. And there's no matching two-tone leather or color line for it.

 

2x!. laser blue is too light and horizon to muted. lightning blue is where it's at...

 

I'm sad that Lighting Blue is gone; i was thinking about a JCW in that color...but never pulled the trigger.

 

to help the discussion along...

 

Yeah, I'm super happy I got my Lightning Blue before they discontinued.

I gotta tell ya tho, at least there's other pretty blues to choose from... Almost got Oxy until I realized how flat the color was in person.



AND HEY! Artfulmini, I'm super flattered that you used my MINI in your little color comparision banner there... I gotta update my sig with my new wheels.

 

The best blues I have ever seen are Nagaro Blue on an Audi S4 and the Laguna Seca blue on the M3. I also think the Cool blue is pretty spectacular also. I have the O2 blue. Seems most either love it or hate it. I love it and have gotten lots of compliments on it.

 

Indi Blue was an awesome color!