Is the color on the body panels the same all the way through?

[Norahs_dad]

I would like to get my hand on one of the black fortwos but I would like to know if they show scratches really bad in black? And if the body panels are panted on the out side or are they polished plastic on the out side? I now have a Black work truck that I love the look of when it is all clean and polished but the have to be so careful with black paint or you will have swirl marks. Is it the same with the smarts of all colors?
Glen

Black is black. You'll have that trouble. Treat it like a painted car. Panels are colored the whole way through. Are not painted. Kind of like the Saturns. The darker the color the more swirls you'll see.

[Norahs_dad]

Thanks mfoster, Nice to know about the color going all the way through. As an owner of two black cars I no they can be a little harder to keep water spots & swirl marks off of but I think they look so good when you get them all cleaned up.
At least for one day!
Glen

[smartie yank]

The solid colors go all the way through the plastic. The metallic colors are painted. As I understand all colors have a clearcoat finish. The colored panels are no longer available from the factory and all panels are supplied in flat black and must be painted unless you can find an old one sitting on a back shelf somewhere.

[smart_hack]

I have owned a black Saturn. Saturn used to use a black polymer panel for the doors and then paint them with a flexible paint. The trunk lid, roof, and hood were steel. The paint then would have the same swirl marks all over after a couple of years. The black Smart I got to examine was a molded in-color plastic with a clear sprayed on. Painted or not, the care it takes to maintain a black car will be the same. I failed at back car care 101 so I am not allowed to buy another black car. Good Luck!