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Can I please get your opinion on a color combination?

15K views 39 replies 10 participants last post by  Snydermann 
#1 ·
I've visited my local smart center and I'm considering ordering a 2015 smart convertible. I'm not a fan of the new design, so I'd like to get the newest of the old design possible.

One bump in the road is I can't order my initial color preference Light Metallic Blue (with the blue top) as that color is no longer available. I think smart is down to only 4 colors now according to the dealer computer.

I'd like to get the Crystal Grey Interior upgrade, I think it's awesome.

I ran the car I wnated through Photoshop and came up with some options, but I am so confused at this point I can't make a decision.

Of the colors available I like silver the best. But which Tridion Color with the
Silver and silver grey interior? White, Black, Anthracite or Silver.

I also considered keeping the blue top and possibly putting on the blue panels later.

My first choice car is on the lower right of the montage.

What are the opinions of the smart fans here? Please help.

 
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#2 ·
This is just an opinion. If you like silver the best. I would go with the silver tridion and black top. I am more a fan of single color paint schemes than have the trid in black, white, or anthracite. I also like the light grey interior and think it would look great with the all silver car. Like you, the light blue is a great color on smart, but you say it is no longer available.
 
#3 ·
Thank you ZO6, I've spent so much tome looking at this car, through pictures on the web and in Photoshop I think I am fried. So this site was the only source of educated enthusiast opinions I could come up with to put my head back on straight.

Plus, as with most forums, everyone here has an opinion. :laugh:

I agree, I do like the silver body and silver Tridion, but it just seems so PLAIN for a CUSTOM order car. I'm probably over-thinking it.

The silver on silver looks Brabus-like. I'd consider a Brabus, but apparently you can't get them in a convertible anymore, I asked.
 
#5 ·
Or wait for the 2016 C453 fortwo - some great new colors available then. :)
I've tried to like the new 453, I just don't care for it, in photos anyway, especially the funky design of the interior.

Whereas, I love the design of the 451. I figured I'd upgrade my 2008 to a 2015 and get the best of the best. If I like the 453 I'll wait a few years and get one, let them work the bugs out first.
 
#7 ·
My best friend likes the silver-anthracite too. I do like the contrasting Tridion, it's part of the style of the smart. The different shades of silver would look nice with the interior.

One color makes it look more like a conventional car.

Silver with anthracite Tridion must be rare, I could only find one real photo of it on line.

 
#8 ·
You might photoshop it with a darker blue tridion that would be similar to the blue top and would look good with the blue panels if you are able to get them. Some matching accents could be done in that darker blue that could be attractive.
I too am a big fan of the Crystal Grey interior and it would go with any color.
 
#10 ·
DKB, we're thinking alike, when I couldn't get Light Blue Metallic I started experimenting with different color combinations and designed a Blue-Top-Colored-Tridion. It's extra awesome with the Light Blue Metallic, too.

Smart will paint the Tridion any color through their Tailor Made program, I'm waiting for the dealer to get back to me with a price. I love the blue top with matching blue Tridion.



For anyone not familiar with the Crystal Grey Interior Package ($1400.00). My dealer said there were none (in his computer) in the country but two on the way:

 
#11 ·
The anthracite and Matte Brabus are a match, but I just don't like those wheels. I agree there is a real Mad Max look to it. I have them in my photoshop design studio :laugh: but they just don't work for me.

The matte Brabus are part of an appearance package, it would save a bit of money over ordering all the parts in the package a-la-carte.

I'm like a crow, I like the shiny.

 
#13 ·
Thanks Steven. To me, part of the smart design is the contrasting Tridion. The car just loses something without it, but I do like the monochrome too.

The blue and red tops are available at no extra cost. I almost feel like I should order it cause it's fee and different. I had a silver BMW with a blue top back in the day (bought it used and fixed it up), even the Crystal Grey interior reminds me of the BMW.

My wife likes the silver with a black Tridion, that's what we have now.
 
#15 ·
I agree with not liking the matte wheels...to me they just look like dirty silver wheels. If you like them that is great...I grew up when a new car was always touted as being a "shiny new car."

You might try the red top mentioned above with a matching red tridion...that will spice up the silver. I've always liked red with silver. I think the red tridion is offered at no extra charge. It brings out the red in the tail lights and you could even do the red bolt covers and a thin red line on the crease of the door. With the brighter Brabus wheels you will have a spiced up a silver car. But then I have a hard time putting away crayons according to some.
 
#17 · (Edited)
I agree with not liking the matte wheels...to me they just look like dirty silver wheels.
Agreed about the matte wheels. You'll see them more now because they are part of the Style Package. But, they are the same price as the polished Brabus wheels a-la-carte. I just like a shiny wheel.

I did experiment with the red top, but I just don't care for it. I think my color might be off a tick, but it's close enough.



This is my favorite, Light Blue Metallic, Blue top, Blue Tridion (custom):

 
#20 ·
Well, just to update the thread, we ordered the 2015 smart 451 convertible in Silver with the Anthracite Tridion and a black top. Silver Brabus wheels, Crystal Grey Leather interior and every available option round out the car. It's the fist time we've ever ordered a vehicle and the process went pretty smooth, so far.

The dealer called this morning and said Mercedes has accepted the order and it's in progress. ETA 2 to 3 months. The dealer gave us a nice discount on the new car and a good price on our 2008 smart convertible trade.

My crude Photoshop representation:



We love our 451, but the new 453, not so much. We figured this may be our last chance to order a new 451 before they are gone and we might as well get the best of the best.

Both the Silver with Anthracite color combination and the Crystal Grey Leather package are pretty scarce. The dealer located 5 cars in the country with Crystal Grey Leather and only a few cars in Silver/Anthracite. So far there aren't any cars in the system like ours.

I can keep this thread updated as we progress if there is any interest.
 
#22 ·
Almost two months to the day our new smart has arrived at the dealer. We were able to track it's journey on the Fidelio from Europe to Baltimore.

First photo the dealer sent us, we'll pick it up tomorrow!



Given we only had 5 color choices (black, silver, white, matte silver, or yellow) we're happy with the Silver and Anthracite combination, it's actually quite uncommon. You see a lot of smarts that are silver and black or silver on silver like the Brabus models, but the Anthracite is a relatively late model option and is very hard to find. Even photos on the net are few and far between of the silver with anthracite cars.

The anthracite also goes nice with the painted accents on the Brabus wheels and the details on the Crystal Grey Leather interior.

Will post more photos when we get the car.
 
#24 ·
We looked into the custom color option, but the prices we were quoted were pretty steep (like $3500 for the panels and $2000 for the tridion), the car was already pretty expensive for a smart. There also seemed to be an air of confusion from the dealer about actually ordering a custom color, like they never did that before and we just didn't want to go through the hassle.
 
#25 ·
Nice combo! Make sure you get wheel insurance on those Brabus 6-spokes. Before getting my car, I read that they're very soft and bend easily, so I picked up the insurance. I'm hyper vigilant about avoid potholes and such, and I was recently informed by the dealer that both front wheels are bent at only 4,200 miles on the odometer.

P.S. I see that you're in southeastern PA. We'll have to meet up some time and compare our unique fortwos (mine has the BoConcept edition-exclusive matte white panels) :)
 
#26 ·
Thanks! Not our first color choice, but we like it. It's different without being too different.

I did read that the Brabus wheels are soft, thanks for the heads-up on the insurance. I didn't even know that was an option.

My friend has bent two wheels on his Mini Cooper, luckily he found a set of four of the same on craigslist pretty cheap, we probably wouldn't be so lucky with the smart.
 
#30 ·
Thank you very much. I think it will look even better in person, the anthracite is extra sparkly (Brilliant Anthracite) and silver never seems to photograph well on any car.

Given the options, we went for the Anthracite Tridion just because the other options were too common (black) or too odd for our taste (Strike Red). To me a smart isn't a smart unless it has a contrasting Tridion, so silver like a Brabus was out.

We really wanted blue with a blue top, but perhaps we'd have tired of that and keeping the blue top fresh looking might have been a challenge.
 
#31 ·
We picked up our new smart this morning, couldn't be happier with our selection. The car looks nicer in person than it does in the photographs. The Crystal Grey Leather interior package is outstandingly nice. I think if I could only have one option on any smart, the CGL would be it!

Here is a few photos, I'll add a few of the interior when it warms up a bit outside!

One is a photo with our 2008 trade, we kind of felt sad letting it go.





 
#34 ·
We picked up our new smart this morning, couldn't be happier with our selection. The car looks nicer in person than it does in the photographs. The Crystal Grey Leather interior package is outstandingly nice. I think if I could only have one option on any smart, the CGL would be it!

Here is a few photos, I'll add a few of the interior when it warms up a bit outside!

One is a photo with our 2008 trade, we kind of felt sad letting it go.

I'm usually not a huge fan of grays...but wow, you've chosen a splendid colour combination!

The only thing I would do (because for some odd reason, smart no longer does this), is make the grille surround match the Tridion.

Have fun!!
 
#35 ·
Car looks great! Would love to see it in-person some day.
I'm usually not a huge fan of grays...but wow, you've chosen a splendid colour combination!

The only thing I would do (because for some odd reason, smart no longer does this), is make the grille surround match the Tridion.

Have fun!!
Thank you!

It doesn't always show that way in the photos, but the grill trim is painted body color. I don't care for it in photos, but in person it looks good. I will miss the chrome grill on the 2008, I've considered chroming the 2015 grill somehow, but we'll see.

Other details that you don't notice in the photos are the anthracite Tridion matches the painted shadow areas of the Brabus wheels and also matches the sides of the leather seats. This is very visible when the door is open, of course.

The body crease detail on the door also appears to be shadowed the same color as the anthracite, in certain lighting.

It's a very subtle car but has great details. I think it looks classy for a smart. The brighter colors look more fun, for lack of a better way to put it. My wife and I are in our 50s, so it suits us.
 
#38 ·
We actually did feel sad trading the 2008, I hope it goes to someone nice, it is a nice car.

Smart did a nice job with the interior, the coarse tweed-type dark inserts in the seats and door panels balance out the lighter color of the leather, the interior even has a masculine feel to it, I was concerned the light leather would appear girly.

Oh I know! :)

On the pre-facelift smarts, the grille surround was the same colour as the Tridion, whereas the grille surround only comes in silver now (unless you change the colour yourself or buy a special edition).

And you could get it a chrome wrap? :shrug:
Yes! I've looked into the newer ultra flexible chrome wrap material and I think I might give it a try at some point. We have chrome mirror covers, the chrome hatch trim, and chrome door handle inserts from smart for the car, just not sure how long we'll wait to put them on. Probably when the car doesn't feel "new" anymore.

I guess I'm an old-timer . . . every car needs some chrome!
 
#39 ·
In my opinion, the car looks brilliant as it is. If it were mine, I would not add any additional chrome and I am an older guy than you. I think it has just enough anthracite accents with the tridion and mirror caps. I would paint the brake drums and rotor hats a nice matte black to further highlight the Brabus wheels. You really have a one of a kind smart, you should be proud.
 
#40 ·
I agree with your opinion, thanks. I probably won't chrome anything on the car for quite some time . . . okay, maybe the chrome strip on the trunk.

Good idea on painting the drums and rotors, I can see where covering the grey would look nicer.

Even the dealership said it probably is one of a kind. Crystal Grey Leather is pretty uncommon and the Silver with Anthracite is also scarce. We searched inventory all over the country and only a few Silver w/ Anthracite cars were out there and only a few CGL cars, but no cars with both.

If you've read from the beginning of the thread, it was quite difficult for us to make a decision on the color combination, but in the end we're very happy with the result and we appreciate all of the feedback.

We're hoping the thread will help other people with their choices too.
 
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