I have a few questions:

1) How many different blacks has MINI produced?
2) What year pertains to each black?
3) Which is a "true" black?

Just curious!

 

Cosmo Black - (2002-2004 Metallic Black)
Jet Black - (2002 - 2005 Non-Metallic Black)
Astro Black - (2005-Present Metallic Black)

A true black is Jet Black...which is due to be back in '08 if the rumors are true. Astro black is more of a blueish black color...

 

OK, so I saw Astro Black in person and it didn't seem black to me.

You have clarified EVERYTHING for me, so I appreciate it. THANKS

 

Astro Black is about as black as the night sky.

 

Yeah, it's a cool color and it (usually) looks black in the shade or in pictures, but in person and in the sun, it's not black.

 

It's British Racing Black.

 

Not to mention that occationally Astro Black gets a little purple in it.

 

The only REAL black is the non-metallic Jet Black (you've seen it on Steve & Dee's convertible). I don't understand why MINI stopped selling cars in the color, since they are still painting 40% of MINI roofs that color anyway. It's not like they aren't already buying and using the paint!

 

I don't know, 40% black roofs sounds a bit high. I rarly see a MINI with a black roof, they are almost always white, occasionally body color (eww!) and more rarly black. Only times I see black roofs are on LY (yum!) and PW. One guy in the local club has a BRG/B, hes the exception to my theory.

 

I think it varies a lot by location, but I saw a fair number of black roofs at AMVIV.
Even if the number is high, the point is still valid. They are painting part of a significant number of cars in the jet black, why not make it available as a body color?

 

Jet Black...Jet Black...Jet Black is the only true black because it is non-metallic. Any black with metallic will give a different sheen (blue, purple, gold, silver) when direct light catches the flat side of the metallic chip. It will also catch direct light differently based on the substrate (metal vs.plastic or fiberglass). True Black = Non-metallic

 

I wonder how many times you can same the thing that was said in post 2, in a different wording...