At our Brooklands meet yesterday there was another dark grey metallic Crossfire. At a glance, you would think that they were both meant to be the same colour, but there was a marked difference. My car has a blue component in the colour, and the other one seemed to have a brown component to the colour.

When I had a matching pot mixed for mine, the colour was matched as Crystal Slate. I’ve heard this colour also called Machine Grey but now I am wondering if there were two dark metallic greys in use. I’ve seen Crystal Slate used on PT Cruisers, and I believe it’s used on other Dodge models as well.

Any ideas? I’ve been told that my colour is one of the rarer colours used in the UK, so I’m interested in the variant I’ve seen this weekend.

 

There was a Graphite Metallic early on in Crossfire production and later a Machine Gray was added. The Machine Gray is a bit bluer in shade (cool gray) than the Graphite Metallic's slightly red cast (warm gray). I've got a 2004 PT Cruiser in Graphite Metallic, a color available on that car in US spec during that model year only. I have seen Crossfires in both shades and must say I can't decide which I like more!

 

Depends on the year. I have a graphite and its an 05, I think 06 on was when they went to Machine Gray. I actually like the Machine Gary, the paint seems to have a brighter flake in it, it just pops out better than the Graphite. By the way the 10th digit of the vin which you can see from the front window of the car, will give you the model year.

 

I guess I be the expert. I have a pair of 05s in graphite gray -- it is a dark gray with very subtle dark flakes. My son's machine gray is a blue-gray with gorgeous silvery flakes. I know this will set off all the owners of black and SSB, but a well waxed gray of either color looks awesome with the flakes...almost irridescent.

 

Ah - that clears it up then. IIRC the car in question was an 05 model, mine is an 06, which would explain the difference in colour. Thanks, all.

I have to say that I do really like the colour of mine - in direct sunlight, it sparkles and the colour has a lot of depth - there seems to be no actual surface to touch.

 

Paul

My understanding of the available colors is as follows: Graphite Gray (dark gray) from 2004 through 2008, with Machine Gray beginning in 2006 (bluish gray), This was one of the "new" colors, including Oyster (light Gold), and a true Silver, different from the Sapphire Silver Blue.

I hope this helps, these were the colors imported into the USA....

Dennis

 

My understanding is the Machine Gray replaced the Graphite.
pat

 

I know what you mean. I love the Aero Blue on my Crossfire but the Graphite Metallic on my PT Cruiser is gorgeous when perfectly polished.

 

Mike I can't even think one of your cars would not be perfectly polished. So you Cruiser must look superb like your Xfire does.

 

Thanks.....obviously working where I do and holding the position I do it's sort of expected of me, but there is just something kind of unique about the Graphite Metallic paint and the way it looks so liquid and, like Goldwing said, irridescent. It really is a great color.

 

I have seen an XF like this one, like Pat's color, before... but I've never seen its replacement like the last pic.

 

I sell automotive paint. Some colors, especially silvers, whites, grays and blacks have a LOT of different variations within the same paint code. I've seen some with as many as 17 different variations of what is supposed to be the same color - some of them extremely different.

There are a lot of reasons for this. The most common is the manufacturer using paint from more than one supplier. Although it is all supposed to be the same, it is rarely an exact match.

 

Crumpy and I saw a Blue Graphite or Machine Graphite yseterday.

It was definitely different with a bluer tone.

One of our Gateway members has the Machine Graphite in the coupe.

This was a roadster.

I was too busy checking out the driver's legs to note if it was a stick or a auto stick. My intention was to view the shifter but, I got side tracked.

Crumpy was in her SRT and I was in the old jeep beater so I'm sure the young lady thought I was just a gawker.

As this one is right here in town I will see it again, most surely.

Would that make me a stalker?


roadster with a stick

 

Franc, Not yet, but you go looking for her or it then maybe