[Ridgemanron]

Examined the official 'paint chip' chart at Valenti today and noticed;
1. Saffron Yellow not as appeared on LA & Chicago Auto Show cars. 'Chip' more closely resembles 'School Bus' or 'Taxi Cab' Yellows.
2. Chrome Orange looks more like a 'Pumpkin Orange' or that 'Lava Orange'
which was offered in Britain.
3. Nightfall Blue was almost 'Black Like' or
'Dark Navy'...and I mean dark
4. Interior Color 'Red Leather' is not presented in a paint-chip color but just a printed one. Looks more like a 'Brownish Red', not a striking red which appeared on sites like 'puresportscar..
5. Biscuit Leather appears to be a darker shade of tan than the much lighter one that can also be seen on 'puresportscar' site.
Wish someone would truly inform us as to what these colors are really going to look like? All other colors seem to be 'as depicted previously'.

 

[JonOrangeElise]

Just one thought on dark colors like nightfall blue: when viewed on tiny little swatches, they probably won't look as colorful as when viewed on a full car.

 

[Ridgemanron]

Just one thought on dark colors like nightfall blue: when viewed on tiny little swatches, they probably won't look as colorful as when viewed on a full car.

True, but I think I know why they called it 'Nightfall'. The Magnetic swatch looks exactly like the color we have been seeing in mags and on site,
wheras the Nightfall Blue looks like a dead-ringer for the dark blue I've seen on BMW 3-series cars. Almost black-like,
except when the sun hits it.

 

[tidalwdave]

Hasn't Saffron be around for a long time? I don't think the color would change from what it has been in the past.

I ordered the Saffron, it better not look like a school bus!

 

[Win]

Ridge, what number are you at Valenti again? Did Bill have any new updates?

 

[Ridgemanron]

Ridge, what number are you at Valenti again? Did Bill have any new updates?

I'm #13 and was told to get my color and options ready in about a week or two.

 

[Ridgemanron]

Hasn't Saffron be around for a long time? I don't think the color would change from what it has been in the past.

I ordered the Saffron, it better not look like a school bus!

I went to Google and plotted in Saffron Yellow Lotus Elise. I then connected to a
pistonheads site to see the last Esprit to be sold, sitting outside the Lotus factory.
It is Saffron Yellow and the color cast is
no where near what has been depicted
at the shows with regard to the yellow Elise. Also: Saffron is defined as 'Yellow, tinged with orange'. I didn't note any orange in the auto show car.

 

[atyclb]

I hope you're not talking about this pic

 

[Ridgemanron]

I hope you're not talking about this pic

That's it! Even allowing for shade affecting color it 'definately' has an orange cast. When I looked up the definition for Saffron it said, "yellow,
tinged with orange." I don't remember seeing any orange in the yellow auto show cars, do you?

 

[babak]

I find it very interesting that Saffron yellow has eluded a clear description for so long. It seems to change in shade from yellow to orange. Poor lighting or do we have color contrast deficiencies?

 

[Ridgemanron]

I find it very interesting that Saffron yellow has eluded a clear description for so long. It seems to change in shade from yellow to orange. Poor lighting or do we have color contrast deficiencies?

It is defined as having an orange cast and is not to my liking.Ii believe people ordering the color will think that they're getting a yellow without an orangy cast, more like the
purer looking yellow on the auto show car and may not be happy when they see what Saffron really is.

 

[babak]

Saffron the flower (and it's extract) is in actually a deep yellowish orange, so their choice of title (if one can put any stock in it) tends to support your explanation.

 

[Ridgemanron]

Saffron the flower (and it's extract) is in actually a deep yellowish orange, so their choice of title (if one can put any stock in it) tends to support your explanation.

If anyone has access to past issues of EVO Magazine,
there is a 'two Elise' car photo on page #142 of either the Jan. or Dec. issue.
One of the cars has the orange cast and the other, looking like the auto show version, doesn't. Would like to know if
we are getting the really yellow one but I doubt it.

 

[ivan1]

Ridgeman - I am # 13 at HRM and got the call today so you should get it very soon....
This car is said to be in saffron...


The Elise 99T features saffron yellow paintwork and blue detailing to mirror its Camel cigarette-sponsored F1 car namesake. Mechanically it's based on the 156bhp 111S and has many of its luxuries - black perforated leather seats, CD player and full carpets. Unfortunately it does without the old F1 car's active suspension. And despite a claimed 0-60mph sprint of 5.2sec, the Elise special edition is found wanting next to the 800bhp twin-turbo Honda-engined Type 99T Grand Prix car.

 

[Randy Chase]

Everything I have seen shows the Saffron Yellow as the same color as this:

As you can see, there is an orangish hue to this yellow, as I would expect from the Saffron name. Nothing at all like those pics of the Esprits.

 

[atyclb]

That's it! Even allowing for shade affecting color it 'definately' has an orange cast. When I looked up the definition for Saffron it said, "yellow,
tinged with orange." I don't remember seeing any orange in the yellow auto show cars, do you?

that's not the last Esprit that was discussed in the article and it's most definitely not Saffron Yellow

 

[atyclb]

It is defined as having an orange cast and is not to my liking.Ii believe people ordering the color will think that they're getting a yellow without an orangy cast, more like the
purer looking yellow on the auto show car and may not be happy when they see what Saffron really is.

dictionary definitions of colors have nothing to do with colors of a car's paint

 

[Ridgemanron]

Everything I have seen shows the Saffron Yellow as the same color as this:

As you can see, there is an orangish hue to this yellow, as I would expect from the Saffron name. Nothing at all like those pics of the Esprits.

Your photo appears much different than the paint chip on the Elise colour chart. Hopefully, that chip is not a true reflection of the color.

 

[Derek]

The car below is saffron yellow. I have the new color chart next to me as I write this.

 

[ChrisB]

That's it! Even allowing for shade affecting color it 'definately' has an orange cast. When I looked up the definition for Saffron it said, "yellow,
tinged with orange." I don't remember seeing any orange in the yellow auto show cars, do you?

That might have been the last Esprit sold in 1980, but it is neither Saffron Yellow, nor the last Esprit to roll off the assembly line a few days ago.