When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Atomic is more of a sporty, edgy color, so I was surprised they offered it on the ES. IMO, it's more at home on the IS or F-Sport models. Personally, I have never warmed up to it. It has a "dirt" or earth tone to it, which in my mind clashes with a clean-looking car.
I'd have to plop Glacier Frost Mica at the top of the Lexus color list, with the luxurious, rich, Starfire Pearl in second.
Atomic is more of a sporty, edgy color, so I was surprised they offered it on the ES. IMO, it's more at home on the IS or F-Sport models. Personally, I have never warmed up to it. It has a "dirt" or earth tone to it, which in my mind clashes with a clean-looking car.
Atomic Silver, at least in the D.C. area, is quite popular on the ES...I see them every day. And one of my colleagues just leased one for 27 months...after having two regular silver ones. (he's getting old and frail, and I sometimes drive it short distances for him)
I might wait a couple of years before buying the Lexus RX350h that's built in Cambridge, Onario, Canada as there appears to be quite a few issues that have affected year 1 (year 2 as well?). Aside from this, another major letdown is the fact that Atomic Silver is no longer available. Yeah, sure it's likely a cost issue as it could be more expensive to apply - but every time I see a freshly washed AS, it is just so stunning in different light conditions. Given this, can be tricky to describe, but I might reference a "titanium champagne" as it's definitely darker than your run of the mill silver. Not a big silver fan (maybe some German vehicles but even then, kind of boring), but this AS is complex, deep, elegant and classy-looking. Lexus, you have to get your sht together and demote/fire the person in charge of this ridiculous decision... This new silver pales in comparison imo..
I might wait a couple of years before buying the Lexus RX350h that's built in Cambridge, Onario, Canada as there appears to be quite a few issues that have affected year 1 (year 2 as well?). Aside from this, another major letdown is the fact that Atomic Silver is no longer available. Yeah, sure it's likely a cost issue as it could be more expensive to apply - but every time I see a freshly washed AS, it is just so stunning in different light conditions. Given this, can be tricky to describe, but I might reference a "titanium champagne" as it's definitely darker than your run of the mill silver. Not a big silver fan (maybe some German vehicles but even then, kind of boring), but this AS is complex, deep, elegant and classy-looking. Lexus, you have to get your sht together and demote/fire the person in charge of this ridiculous decision... This new silver is *** in comparison..
Have you seen Iridium in person? I loved that color on my 2021 IS 350. It's a more neutral silver than Atomic Silver, but it has more depth, arguably.
Yes, I've seen Iridium in person. Agree it's more neutral vs Atomic Silver, disagree that it has more depth. I don't like the front 'nose' of this RX (bottlenose dolphin-ish) and seems more prominent on brighter colors, so if I was to upgrade to this, it might have to be a darker color to try to better hide this.. The AS would have been an acceptable compromise.. This silver isn't awful, but not for me. Thanks for the show
I get that colors come and go. Question: how do you know it's not more expensive to apply AS?
It is a five-stage paint, so naturally, it is going to be more expensive than your average auto paint. However, Lexus has a lot of other paints like this, such as Iridium, Infrared, Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0, etc. If cost was a concern, they could just add a line item to your window sticker for the optional paint.
I get that colors come and go. Question: how do you know it's not more expensive to apply AS?
Because I know a good bit about automotive paint and I know people who have had bodywork done on cars that are Atomic Silver. AS is not a pearl coat paint, its not tri stage. Paint is just paint, its single stage (no clear), dual stage (color coat and clear) or tri stage (color coat, pearl coat and clear). Color doesn't really matter.
It is a five-stage paint, so naturally, it is going to be more expensive than your average auto paint. However, Lexus has a lot of other paints like this, such as Iridium, Infrared, Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0, etc. If cost was a concern, they could just add a line item to your window sticker for the optional paint.
Appreciate and I hear what you're saying. Thanks for this
"Its five stage paint" is marketing BS. There is no such thing. Color coat, clear...or color coat, pearl coat, clear. Thats what there is.
OK, how about, it's sorta kinda a three stage paint? lol whatever. I see people referring to it as a five-stage paint all the time. Though, I cannot find anything specifically confirming that this is true from Lexus or anything official.
I will say this. Even for a paint with, supposedly, more than three stages according to mArKeTiNg, when I get a touch-up paint kit, of course it'll only have three stage. Touch-up paint manufacturers don't need to accurately replicate all those coats to get a match that's acceptable to the human eye because touch-up paint is intended for use in small amounts. My Infrared touch-up kit is like this. That does not mean there's not multiple different pearl coats in there somewhere. My body shop took forever to repaint my Infrared car - they said it was multiple coats and was hard to get the exact matches for the color. And, if you look at Atomic Silver, it's got an almost comical amount of metallic flake to it - something must be special about it, is all I am saying.
OK, how about, it's sorta kinda a three stage paint? lol whatever. I see people referring to it as a five-stage paint all the time. Though, I cannot find anything specifically confirming that this is true from Lexus or anything official.
I will say this. Even for a paint with, supposedly, more than three stages according to mArKeTiNg, when I get a touch-up paint kit, of course it'll only have three stage. Touch-up paint manufacturers don't need to accurately replicate all those coats to get a match that's acceptable to the human eye because touch-up paint is intended for use in small amounts. My Infrared touch-up kit is like this. That does not mean there's not multiple different pearl coats in there somewhere. My body shop took forever to repaint my Infrared car - they said it was multiple coats and was hard to get the exact matches for the color. And, if you look at Atomic Silver, it's got an almost comical amount of metallic flake to it - something must be special about it, is all I am saying.
Do you have an atomic silver touchup kit with a pearl coat? Because when I look it up theres no pearl coat. The diamond white on my S560 has three bottles, because it has a pearl coat. Infrared is a tri coat, Atomic Silver isn't
When repainting it thats a different story, its hard to match but that doesn't mean there are multiple stages, and it lays down the same way at the factory as any other dual stage metallic paint.
The body shop who did my friend's atomic silver said it was no different than any other silver, and it matched perfectly.
03-16-18, 12:07 PM
