I feel awful for the poor salesman helping me wrap up my 2014 Cooper S order. I am completely stuck on exterior color and every time I feel like I have settled on one, I begin to obsess on whether I will regret it. I love a bold red vehicle, most reflected in the Chili Red that will only be offered in the JCW package/model for the new 2014 hard tops. My consolation is the blazing red, which actually looks great on the showroom floor, but coming upon the demo car outside on a very overcast day it seemed muted and kind of bland for a car with such personality. Beside that, I have no idea which combo of the red to go with, white, black, or body colored roof. They can all look fantastic or meh depending on the lighting used in the photo.

On the other hand there is Volcano Orange... I have not seen this color in the flesh, but so many of the review videos on YouTube seem to feature that color and it looks pretty fantastic from what I can tell. It's unique, eye catching, and really fits the character of the car, but I cannot help but wonder if its something that will get old quickly, also harder to resell (even though I lease I usually end up selling to a private party) and with the black wheels and racing stripes I really feel the bumble bee (not to mention I hate that damn transformer Camaro) or NYC cab similarities.

Yeah so, I know the whole thing is subjective, and I am driving my loved ones absolutely nuts over this and thought maybe I would find a more sympathetic audience on the boards.

Would love to hear your subjective thoughts on the colors as well, especially if you have had first hand experience with both colors!

 

One thing, VO is not even close to a bumble bee. Not sure why it looks yellowish on photos. It's even like a "darker" orange in person.

 

Picking colors can be difficult, especially when you have more than one preference. Add in all of the available interior colors/materials and it can be maddening. It would probably help if you could find a Volcanic Orange car at a dealership. Is there another MINI dealer within driving distance?

 

I've seen both colors on the lot at the same time on the new F56. The wife loves the red w/white roof and white stripes. I like the volcano orange with black roof black stripes. MINI has colors that come and go and some GOOD colors you can't get anymore. I guess what I'm trying to say is the Volcanic orange may not be around forever.

 

I saw the Volcanic Orange at my dealer yesterday and it is absolutely gorgeous. VERY orange, and not even close to yellow, as it appears in pictures. The dealer had it with a white roof and white wheels, which was not really my taste. I think I'd like it better with a black roof. As far as the choice of roof colors, traditionally, MINIS/Minis have had a contrasting roof. However, the choice of white or black is up to you. I've seen Blazing Red with both color roofs, and while I prefer it with a black roof, I also did like it with a white roof. Don't overthink it. Just go with what appeals most to you. Once you make a choice, commit to it.

 

My MA told me that they were expecting white, red and orange to be the top 3 F56 colors -- don't know the ranking.

While the red is not my favorite shade of red, it does look pretty good. I knew what to expect. I'd call it a good red with a bit of yellow added. I went with the standard black MCS interior and am quite happy with it.

 

I ordered a volcanic orange F56 and I was not even remotely thinking of that color till I saw it in person. Mine is orange with a black top. The all orange car was just to much for me. I would recommend you try to see one before you order because like the others said the pictures of the orange do not do the color justice. It is more orange in person than yellow.

Hope that helps and good luck on your color picking!

 

The first S my dealership got in was VO. It is definitely striking n person. The one they got looks almost dead on like the one on in the commercials and on the website.

Not my choice for a daily driver, but it is striking and pretty cool looking.

 

All fantastic reply's and although I am not really any closer to a decision, your thoughts help. Since I am going for a contrasting roof and HK upgrade, my build has been slotted to the first part of June. Just gotta reach out and see when that build is locked and loaded and give him my final answer before that happens. Maybe by then they will have a Volcano Orange on the lot I can have a look at.

You are a fantastic group, thank you!

 

Interesting that this thread is Blazing Red VS Volcanic Orange as I have a similar story for each. I think both of these colors need to be seen specifically in person.

Blazing Red: I saw this in person and was incredibly disappointed. I really like the chili red, and the blazing red is more like an orangish tomato soup version of the red, rather than the beautifully simplistic chili red. I thought I was going to like the blazing red, but in person didn't like it at all.

Volcanic Orange: Ironically, I had the exact OPPOSITE reaction with this color. From the online photos I saw, I never even considered this as a color I would he interested in. Then I saw it in person. Wow, I loved it. I could best describe this color as "mango" I guess. Not only does it look beautiful, it works so well in conjunction with black trim that it's simply gorgeous to me. By seeing it in person, it went from a color I never anticipated liking to my main color choice if I do buy an F56.

 

How representative of the color is this pic? Lighter/darker?

*not sure why the pic won't post... here is the URL http://photos.leftlanenews.com/photo...ni-ri4_653.jpg

Here's another

 

Fourflys' picture is very close. The main car here is PW but the orange behind it came out good. Direct it was yellow.

 

Oh, and here's a Blazing Red, this is close in color.

 

I would do Blazing Red with a Blazing Red roof. You almost never seen color matched roofs with red but it looks amazing in person.

 

Yeah, but put a white roof and stripes on it and you have:

 

I'm going VO/black. My only question are black wheels or silver, and stripes or not. I tend to favor no stripes because they're tape, but they look OK. I just wonder if they'll fade over time.

 

Just my opinion but that is nowhere near as good looking as:



It's funny that MINI offers the contrasting roof to be unique but the most unique combo is usually body colored. They're so rare :(

 

You won't be sorry w/ the VO -- I pretty much flipped a coin between that and the red. I wish the red had a bit of blue in it instead of the yellow, but it, the VO and white are supposed to be the three most popular.

 

I really did not like the all VO car. It was way to much orange for my taste. That is why I got the contrasting roof. The red on red is awesome though.

 

VO is the only color I would get black wheels with.

 

Wait, you did not like the VO car? Your signature says you ordered one. Very confused.

AGAH, sorry just re read and saw the ALL VO car. SORRY

 

So, I think I am set on exterior color. VO orange with black stripes, roof, and wheels. I think the Blazing Red would be fantastic too, but at least the VO is a brand new color that will really call out the fact that its a NEW new Mini.

Interior wise, do you think I can get away with the red trim? Anyone seen the Double striped carbon black seats and have any thoughts on those?

 

I'm not sure anyone else brought this up... but volcanic orange has ZERO metallic in it, its a flat paint hence the $0 cost. If you're a detail guy, you will be annoyed by the ease at which swirl marks show when the sun hits it.

The red at least has some metallic which will hide swirls.

 

Red trim in an orange/yellow car?....NON! I'm gonna go for the Pearl seats, which are grey. Grey and yellow goes. As my wife says: "it doesn't have to match it just has to go".

 

Grey and yellow are fantastic colors together. One of my favorite combos.