Iceman

I personally think that the right color combination on the right car can look significantly better than all the one-color cars we have today. Just a couple of examples: the first two production years of Saturn cars offered limited two-tone colors (for $150 charge). I think they look great!




I also think that the generation of ES300's that came in two-tone were among the most elegant for that particular model.


On the other hand, I recently saw a bright yellow late-model Monte Carlo with light silver ground effects that took an ugly car and made it positively hideous.

So my question is this: why don't more manufacturer's offer two-tone paint jobs as a factory option? It can't increase the unit cost of the car that much, after all the parts have to be painted either way so the factory doesn't care if you're bolting a silver bumper or a green one to whatever else the car is painted. And it seems like this could provide a competitive edge to whatever manufacturer is willing to go out on the limb and offer it.

MSMLexIS

Ive always liked two tone paints one of the reasons why i liked the original ls400 so much. But few car companies want to offer it. And some of these new cars wont look good two tone.

LexFather

Great point! I guess Benz was the leader here and when they abandoned it, so did Lexus and everyone else. Its funny, I remember many cars adding ugly 2-tone paint to cars that were not originally intended to have it.

I miss the 2-tone! I honestly though, think it won't come back.

I like the white with silver accents.

XeroK00L

You can still get 2-tone cars brand new. They're called the Maybach 57/62 and Bugatti Veyron 16.4.

GFerg

yea the two toned was cool. But I guess that was just a passing trend. I do miss it at times though.

And what happened to that Lex?? Someone stole the HID's??

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

**** im planning to paint my car monotone which i think is much better looking, what was the purpose of two-tone anywAy?i never really liked it although it did loo good on some cars

Lexmex

Some of the RX300s looked better with the gray paneling than did the black onyx I had, but I still could not stand it and wanted it ala Silversport. That ES' underpanel color looks a little better than the one on the RX. I ended up painting mine monotone.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

yeah i still remember when i first sat two tone on the es i said that's hella nice! but i have seen some two tone that looks horrible. i think it's definitely from car to car

even the camry, i have seen some two tone that's pretty nice

diablo1

Here's another car (well, not exactly a car) you can still get in two-tone:



In case you can't afford a Maybach or Veyron.

LexLaw

Yeah you still see the Fords with Eddie Bauer 2 tones. Not that they look great.

Seize

I'm not a fan of two-toned cars (even though my car is two-toned). I think cars look better (cleaner) in one solid color. Just my 2cents

encore888

The New Lexus vehicles, which have moved the side trim down low, no longer have that body line which would give the two-tone an area to be applied.

TheRupp

I dont' really like my ES300 being 2 tone, but then again if I picture it monotone, it wouldn't look right (in Silver).

There are, however, a few cars that definitely have no business being 2-tone:

mmarshall

Yes...I have brought this matter up on CL more than once. I like two-tones too. Subaru had a number of them last year but scaled the number way back this year...they only have a couple of them left. The only two-tone Forester left is the L.L. Bean, and only a couple of Outback two-tones are left.
The excuse most of the auto companies give for this is that it is not considered trendy any more....that customers don't want it....but I suspect the real reason is money.....it obviously costs more, and takes more labor and robots to paint a car two-tone unless the second "color" is just gray vinyl cladding like some SUV's used to have.
I also suspect ( though I don't know this for a fact ) that pressure from insurance companies may also have been a factor.............depending on just where the damage is, it may cost more to repair or repaint a two-tone vehicle after an accident.

Gojirra99

Two tone is nice but has to be done right with the right combination of colors in the right places. I've seen some really nice ones and some ugly ones.
Some of those on old style Rolls Royces looks great & I' ve seen pictures of Maybach with 2 tone looking pretty good.