mmarshall

Not from my memory. From what I can recall, Cadillac, Audi, and Infiniti perfected the color in the late 1980s and early 90s, though you're correct that Lexus has also had that color going back almost as far. No matter who perfected it, and when, I think all three of us can agree it is certainly not an eyesore.

SW17LS

I don't remember a lot of pearl whites out there before 1990...but like I said the LS400 marketed in 1990 was pearl white.

mmarshall

Outside of Cadillac and Audi, I don't think there were any before then. Infiniti, and possibly Lexus, joined about that time.



On or about.

With the possible exception of purplish-gray Amythist, I think it's just about the most distinguished color on the market.

SW17LS

If I remember correctly Infiniti had a pearl color that was a good bit darker when it first came out that was pretty ugly...

blacksc400

iTrader: (4)

White for me! Won't get paid to get a black car after had 3 black cars. :/

LexFather

I don't recall that either. I do recall Caddy adding a pearl to the STS but it was more yellowish than the white of Lexus.

To my knowledge the white they used before then was a flat white and it surely wasn't influential. One of the things Lexus did bring to the table when it debuted was an incredible paint job at
The time and the "pearl white" Lexus debuted and used was highly regarded and influential.

I'll never forget seeing the color on the ES in a 1993 brochure I kept at my desk and my first Lexus, the ES, was the same color back in 1996!

corradoMR2

^^^ I remember the 89 Allante. Now whether it was as "pearly metallic white" as the LS, that's arguable.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

all cadillac colors
http://gtcarlot.com/colors/Cadillac/All/

looks like '89 was when they started doing the diamond pearl - same year lexus was launched!

SW17LS

Yeah and the STS was sharp in that pearl white, but the STS didn't come out until 1992 when the Seville was redesigned. The white on that Allante was a plain white if I remember correctly.

My Dad had a 95 STS and he debated between the pearl white and black and got black. That was a great looking car in any color really.

mmarshall

Pearl White (some people called it Oyster-Pearl), when it first came out, had a stereotype as a pimp-color for the guys in fur coats and wide-brim hats, but, as with most stereotypes, I disagreed. It was, and still is, one of my favorites.

Also, another color I've changed my mind on lately is the metallic Titanium Gray. Those of you who follow my auto reviews know I often complain about a color-palette on new cars that is more worthy of a funeral home than a car. For years, I've found almost any shade of silver or gray to be dull and lifeless. But there now seems to be one exception....the medium-shade, Titanium Gray with the big sparkling metalflake particles in it. When done correctly (I think I've seen it on some Audi and Acura models) it can be excellent.

LexFather

Lol...

It seems that the color was available for the market around that time. Lexus clearly pushed it to the forefront.

Fizzboy7

I didn't include the Caddy's Diamond White as a legit white pearl (compared to Starfire Pearl) because it's almost gold- way too much color in it to be a true, classy white pearl. It's off in it's own league as blingy/gaudy.

PlatinumV8

The platinum silver on my 2000 LS Platinum Edition is absolutely breathtaking. It has this hint of the green that is on American cash bills. Especially in low light. It also helps that they blacked out the emblems on this edition with a color called 'Black Pearl', the owners manual specifies touchless car washes to prevent damage to the emblems. I've had guys ask who did the blackout on my grill and I happily show them the page in the manual and they are amazed it came stock that way.

I love that the color hides the concrete road dust we get here. The big three demanded the roads be able to take double car haulers so we have to deal with a fine off white dust coating our cars day in and day out. I'm done with black and other dark colors, washing and washing, just to look respectable.

Its also nice that foreign cars are look down on so much here, that no one has my car let alone its color. I also get a nice workout each day parking it at the back of the lot to keep from the vandals that want to ding or scratch anything, 'Not 'Murican made.' Big three have plenty of cars, pick one or get out. Then when I mention I have the right to pursue my own happiness, correct? They tend to change their tune as freedom to only buy domestic just doesn't sound right, out loud.

Here is a pic of it and me, next to my friends Viper ACR. Another with it by itself.

mmarshall

Another thing your car's paint color says about you is that you might not have been able to get the color you really wanted LOL.

fearnight

The evolution of car colors ...

My first car was Red, second car Red, third car Black, fourth car Yellow (still owned the black), fifth car Black (now own two black).