Hey Calran, glad you like some of the recent content from down under!
Regarding my impressions of Seneca Blue:
Seeing the Seneca sample disks a few months ago, I was somewhat underwhelmed by the relatively low level of metallic fleck in the Seneca paint. Given the Emira has such a curvaceous body, I felt that a strong metallic would give it a richer, more expensive look than a solid flat colour that somewhat hides the body contours. I was also concerned that Seneca would look plastic and make the car look like a shiny Mattel toy. I wanted Seneca to be more like Laser Blue metallic (where the metallic is very visible from afar), but darker.
Seeing a painted domed sample disk that's 20cm in diameter versus seeing the colour on a car are chalk and cheese. The strong "almost solid" Seneca blue works well with the solid, non-metallic black gloss roof. Then you get a nice surprise in the Sun where some silver metallic shines through as a little easter egg. It does look a bit plastic, but in a good way.
So to get to the chase, my first impression of Seneca in the flesh on a real car was its a "bold" and "fun" colour that really suits the car. Being a really strong blue, my gut feeling is that this is a colour that needs a black pack, or alternatively, privacy glass on the rear and tinted windows on the sides to give it some more contrast and offset the loudness of the blue a bit. A loud coloured interior would not suit it (in my opinion). I think it works best with black leather or alcantara only.
It is definitely a head turner and an attention seeking colour. Seneca was my original paint colour choice but I steered away from it because I wanted a stronger metallic, and I'm a bit concerned that Seneca might be a bit of an "in vogue" colour that might date quickly. Planning on keeping my Emira for a long time, I wanted something timeless.
Shadow Grey is not a "loud", or "fun" colour, rather a more mature, somewhat conservative one that I think has got a bad rap because of the bland looking dynamic prototype. Dark grey with dark grey interior does not photograph well and those silver cast wheels look very Kia. There have been some decent shots of Shadow Grey in the sun, but many photos are either under exposed (making it look almost black) or over exposed (making it look too light).
Shadow will hide some of the curves a bit, however it will also light up in the strong Australian sun given its got a strong metallic fleck that includes some hidden mid blue and cyan blue highlights. It is also a bit of a chameleon in that it picks up the hues of its surroundings. So in the dusk it picks up some deep orange tones and on a bright sunny morning it looks more blue.
So my colour approach was to have a loud interior (red leather with silver highlights) with a somewhat subdued "sleeper" but "classy" exterior that won't be a fad colour.
The curves and overall form of the Emira will turn enough heads - I don't need to be screaming "look at me" all the time!
Dark Verdant will be similar to Shadow Grey, but darker. Almost an off black until it pops a bit of green in the sunlight.
Regarding your spec choice, its certainly going to be quite mean looking and batman like! Probably too black for me based on my own preferences, but that's a personal choice. I want my sports car to be bold and shouty - but by its exhaust note and on the inside (where it shouts to me and makes me excited when i drive it!) and not outside to the rest of the universe!
If I had the funds, I'd get two Emiras! A Seneca Blue with Blackpack + Alcantara, and a Shadow Grey without Blackpack + Red leather. One almost the shouty inverse of the other (best of both worlds)!
Garage brothers:
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