Seeing the two Calypso Red S1’s for sale on Pistonheads, and never having seen this colour before, I decided to dig out my old Exige brochure and have a look at what colours they originally offered. There’s quite a list! There are a few though that I have never seen so was wondering whether they did in fact make all these colours
Calypso Red, Monaco White, Black, Mustard Yellow, Nautilus Blue, Azure Blue, Lotus Racing Green, New Aluminium, Chrome Orange, Deep Purple, Titanium and Ruby Red.
I don’t recall ever having seen Monaco White, Black, Lotus Racing Green or Ruby Red. Do they exist?
As an aside, I also notice that there was an alcantara version of the leather seat offered - never seen one of these either.
I think all the black’s I have seen have been resprays - usually with Honda conversions. I’m normally a big fan of black ( I had a black S2 Elise), but for some reason don’t think it works on the S1 Exige!
There are several blacks I know all original, and all looking absolutely fantastic.
Mine - in London albeit with some white bits
Con - in the Midlands
AndyD - his car is in the Midlands, he isn’t
Mike Lane - still running the car I think in the Bristol area, he doesn’t like us any more
Evosal then Anthony - alas the car is no more
Looking at that list, black must attract a certain kind of person because being painted black is one of the few original things about the cars. Mine, Con and Andy all SC Honda, Mike is Audi powered and Evosal’s old car had a TT conversion
The Mustard Yellow is right… “Norfolk Mustard” was the yellow the Elise was originally released in, a flat colour. “Mustard Yellow” was the later, pearlescent metallic that was offered towards the end of S1 production and is often referred to as “Spice Yellow” or “Norfolk Mustard Metallic”. All yellow Exiges were metallic.
Don’t forget that there were also a few produced in Cobalt Blue.
IIRC the full range of colours I’ve seen are:
Flat colours:
Calypso Red (rare)
Monaco White (rare)
Black (rare)
Metallic/Pearlescent Colours:
New Aluminium
Arctic Silver (rare, replaced New Aluminium late in production)
Quartz (rare)
Aqua (rare)
Black (rare)
Azure Blue
Nautilus Blue
Laser Blue
Cobalt Blue (rare)
Ice Blue (silver/blue, think there was one or two late cars released in this colour) (rare)
Titanium
Graphite Grey (few late cars in this colour) (rare)
Mustard Yellow
Lotus Racing Green
Metallic Black (name?) (rare)
Chrome Orange
I THINK that’s all of the original colours covered?
I’m sure there were one or two other colours that also left the factory
[quote=Esprit]I’m prtty sure no Ruby Red Exiges esist.
The Mustard Yellow is right… “Norfolk Mustard” was the yellow the Elise was originally released in, a flat colour. “Mustard Yellow” was the later, pearlescent metallic that was offered towards the end of S1 production and is often referred to as “Spice Yellow” or “Norfolk Mustard Metallic”. All yellow Exiges were metallic.
Don’t forget that there were also a few produced in Cobalt Blue.
IIRC the full range of colours I’ve seen are:
Flat colours:
Calypso Red (rare)
Monaco White (rare)
Black (rare)
Metallic/Pearlescent Colours:
New Aluminium
Arctic Silver (rare, replaced New Aluminium late in production)
Quartz (rare)
Aqua (rare)
Black (rare)
Azure Blue
Nautilus Blue
Laser Blue
Cobalt Blue (rare)
Ice Blue (silver/blue, think there was one or two late cars released in this colour) (rare)
Titanium
Graphite Grey (few late cars in this colour) (rare)
Mustard Yellow
Lotus Racing Green
Metallic Black (name?) (rare)
Chrome Orange
I THINK that’s all of the original colours covered?
I’m sure there were one or two other colours that also left the factory [/quote]
For the record should add Deep Purple to that list as per brochure, definitley at least one in existence.
