This was on the NYT site today regarding car colors:
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2007...lor-of-boring/

It only caught my eye because the picture for the article had MINIs in it.

The best 2 quotes:
"Of all the cars sold in America, I give Mini the award for the most creative and varied uses of color."
"For instance, the Honda Civic Hybrid is a car I love, but it unfortunately only comes in seven shades of boring."

 

And here I've always felt that Mini could do better with their colors!

 

Me too. I feel like the MINI colors are getting on the boring side but I guess the NY Times disagrees

 

I told Mini that we needed a return to bright, flamboyant colors.

I'd really love to see an homage to old racing colors, without the metallic crap. British racing Green, McLaren Orange, Matra Blue, Tyrrell Blue, etc. A couple of current colors are good, like Mellow Yellow and Red.

 

I want pumpkin orange like the Porsche G T 3 I will pay more for it also !

 

I am with ya mostly but mellow yellow for me is on the blah side. Bring back Liquid Yellow & thrown in a lime green too

 

Porsche G T 3 also comes in a nice lime green ! Mini feel free to use both colors for the 08"s !

 

People thinking that MINI has boring colors apparently haven't done much car shopping lately. Ugly, boring, muted colors seem to be in. (The only exception I've noticed seems to be VW, who've put out New Beetles in some pretty sly colors.)

 

Compared to the colors offered in the early generation 1 years the colors have gotten more boring

 

It seems that way but I don't think it's so. When the dealerships have Mellow Yellow, Laser Blue, Chili Red, Oxygen Blue and Nightfire Red on the lot w/ the rest of the colors the place is a feast for the eyes. In their absence, the MINI palette is far less vibrant. Trouble is, one doesn't see all these colors in one place very often. Uncle John, Skuzzy, and I have breakfast now and again and it's pretty darn colorful sight!!

 

Mellow Yellow fits into the competition color idea: Look at what color the Vette's are painted in ALMS. It's also close to Renault Yellow on their old F1 cars.

Most of the current crop of colors, I call "Highway Camoflage." All the cars blend together. Like a herd of sheep.

 

Sweet. Looks like MINI owners are starting to take over in the 'comments' section.

 

There are other colors than red?

MINI blew it with metallic BRG (it's a nice color, just misnamed). The primary colors always work on a MINI.

Regarding the muted pastel pearl hues, look at fingernail polish. And don't Priuses look funny in white?