2008 US Smart Car Colors - Do they look better?

[marcrhodes]

Hey guys. Has anyone seen the US 2008 red paint? On the web sites the red looks so hot, but when I test drove in Hartford over the summer the red car on display looked h-o-r-r-i-b-l-e! I was so dissapointed. I realize you can't get the exact shade off the computer monitor, but what I saw in person was a very orangy red. Very unappealing. It was pretty nasty, actually. If you go to the canadian site showing the new model, or smartusa site, the car in red looks awesome. I don't want to pre-order red and end up with what I saw in the road show. Thanks!

[jwight]

Ahhh, hopefully Mr_Cash will not see this....

[sisyphus]

Marc, the red is what it is. It is a true red, but with just a touch of yellow, giving it an orange cast in daylight. I would call it a Chinese red, others might call it a tomato soup red.
A bright scorch-your-eyeballs-out-write-me-a-ticket red actually has a touch of blue in it, like Porsche Guardsman Red or Viper Red. It makes the red really pop.
I agree with you, I don't like smart's red much either. I actually changed my order from red after confirming my color choices because I thought I would be none too please with smart's red. That is going to delay delivery of my car. Darn.
Color is such a personal choice. People see and describe it differently. And red is extremely difficult to photograph accurately. It seems to change it's shade in different lighting situations.
Go with your gut and choose the color that makes your eyes happiest. If you like red, get red! If you like black or white or yellow or blue, ditto! And remember, the color panels are changeable!
Regardless what color you choose, as long as it's on a smartie it will look great!

[SmartShanna]

Am I still asleep? Is this another red color nightmare? Someone wake me, please!

[24-42]

"others might call it a tomato soup red."

Is that "Cream of tomato" or just water added tomato ?
Now Mr Cash doesn't have to post. (tongue in cheek, Mr Cash).

[mr_Cash]

all i can say is, if that orange-red un-wanted color makes it thru to the usa 2008 models, some top executive that may be color blind, must have huge decision power weight, to be able force his will for this color on the usa.

no one seems to like it, that has seen it in person, outside, in the daylight/sunlight. everyone i have talked with, after seeing it, decided to go with one of the other five different smart exterior colors.

the company aparently has been repeated warned. but did it fall on deaf ears? even the 800 toll free hot line, said they have gotten many red-orange color complaints. they said the smart president had stated his preference for a more red red, offering a hope it may be corrected.

if the president can't right this, the person forcing the unwanted orange-red on usa customers, must be way up the power tree. and is likely to soon get a good share of bubbling 'badwill', or worse.

this was not a difficult issue to resolve. the warnings were broad, widespread, obvious.

i have never heard anyone, saying they love this red-orange color after seeing it in person in normal outside daylight. Nor heard of anyone with interest to order it, after seeing it in person. I have heard, that once seeing it, they would not order it, even though previously, unseen, it was their first order choice.

the car and driver photos of the red convertible look good, likely because they added blue and/or additional camera filters to change the look of the red, to something better.

its almost become amusing. the company has had a far in advance warning, to change this unwanted color. will stubborness prevail, letting it ride, as is?

in the final moments, did someone with power at the company, finally see the light, and changed it to a more generally pleasing acceptable normal red?

we really wont know, the end of the story, until we see it on the lots.

one good thing, may be, that since the panels can be changed, and since the company may have to face 'red-orange rejection disinterest reality' when they hit usa soil, ... a new normal acceptable red, may only be 12 to 24 months away.

well, we saw what we saw, at the july event. we should reserve additional comment, until seeing in person, with our own eyes in outside daylight, what color red or orange-red, arrives on the usa dealer lots, by march 2008.

we really wont know, for sure, how, or if, the company dealt with the issue, until then.

[spdickey]

I like the red color Mr_Cash. Don't change it. If you want something different, paint it yourself.

[Smart-Trailers]

The nice thing about the Smart concept is that you can buy another set of panels and have them painted anyway, any colour (sorry - color) you like!

You guys have some fantastic painters in the bike industry there, get creative!

[MicroNut]

I saw the red at the street smart tour and didn't like it much. But I think it looks better against the black tridion versus the silver.

Here are some photos from a German site of a red over black Brabus. From my recollection, the red in these pictures is pretty close to the actual color:

[lhoboy]

Those are the colors: Tomato Red, Lemon Yellow, Blueberry Blue.

Take your choice.