ISUK

Yes, carbon and sapphire are very different. If you park the two side by side carbon looks like a very dark navy metallic. There is a strong hint of blue in it. Sapphire is a true black.

The reason I don't like the auburn with carbon is that I think you end up with too many contrasting colours. The interior plastics are black against the dark terracota colour of the auburn then you have a very dark navy blue exterior so it just doesn't work on a tonal shades level for me - dark blue, black and brown. The silver, grey or sapphire work against the black interior plastics much better as they are in the same tone range. Just my tuppence worth.

For what it's worth others who saw my car next to the carbon black agreed that auburn works with sapphire but not carbon.

I hadn't seen the brochure which you say shows black sapphire as an option. If it is available I may have to switch my order from titanium silver to sapphire again as I really like the car in this colour. It would look great with the Individual caramel leather.

By the way, if you order Individual option 3 and take the leather only, it doesn't cost a whole lot more than the top quality standard leather and you get a choice of 5 different colours which you can find in another earlier thread on here if you do a search.

555

I saw an Alpine White with Auburn not long ago. That's the best Auburn combination I have seen.

browellm

White is not on the UK colour chart

browellm

330dse,

stu, one of the UK members here has Auburn w/Black. Not sure where he's based, but why not PM him, he may let you have a look at the combination.

ISUK

Stu ordered his car after I posted pics of mine over on tyresmoke.

browellm

Ah, yes sorry ISUK. I forgot you pioneered the colour combo over here

Steve Gill

Many thanks for your comprehensive reply. I've had a look at the website as well, and Caramel or Champagne are calling out to me! The only thing is I like the 'sound' of Carbon Black, but I'll need to see it in the flesh first. My ideal exterior colour is Orient Blue - I love dark blues.

Any idea how much Caramel or Champagne is extra, and does the price replace the dakota leather amount on the options list?

Finally, any idea on how much ordering individual leather would delay my order?

ISUK

The Individual leather option is ?1400 and adds 12 weeks to delivery times. Well worth it in my opinion to have a "different" car. If you like dark blues, Carbon black is definately the colour for you. It would look better with the Champagne leather IMHO. There are good pics of that colour in the Individual brochure.

I was in Edinburgh last week and Dunedin had a Carbon black sport on site.

Steve Gill

Don't tempt me! It wasn't a 535d was it? I'll take a wander down there this weekend.

Is the ?1,400 in addition to the ?730 for dakota leather, or instead of?

ISUK

The ?1400 is the full cost of the individual leather. Bit of a bargain when compared to the Dakota which doesn't have a very good quality surface texture. The Individual leather is Merino leather which is vastly superior quality.

I can't remember if the car was a 535d sport. They did have a silver 535d sport though which looks great.