They both work. My opinion as an architect is that light poplar looks better with beige leather than dark poplar. It has more beige tones in it. However the dark poplar looks great with the black dash and reasonably good with the beige leather. Both work. My opininion is slightly leaning toward dark poplar, but the other looks fine also.

 

Thanks Paul. I agree that the light poplar has more brown/beige tones and the dark poplar has more black tones but the dilemna I'm facing is that the dash color is still black -- no matter what interior color you get.

The part that's confusing to me is that of the lower portion of the dash (and center console). On my gray interior car, the top of the dash is the standard black but the bottom of the dash (below the wood) and the console is gray. The dark poplar looks good with that combination because it blends well with both the top and bottom of the dash.

I'm still not 100% sure how the dash is going to be configured with the beige ventilated seats. Is it going to have the black on top and the beige on the bottom or is it going to be all black? I think the answer to this question will help me determine once and for all if I should be ordering the light poplar or the dark poplar...

 

'the black on top always and the interior color on the bottom'(beige in yours) is the answer to the question.
Mine is gray dakota with light poplar AND gray headliner: gives me roomy interior feel. Love it.
I saw gray dash on 5 series (I do not remember on which - 550 /530 sport ?)
goodluck

 

Rudy,
When I took delivery of my 535i (creme beige w/ light poplar) I noticed a color variation between the wood on the console versus the wood on the dash and doors. My CA also noticed the same thing. The wood on the console is a bit more gray and very slightly more red, while the wood on the dash and doors has blonde and honey highlights with mostly medium brown (and some dark brown) lowlights. The wood on the dash and doors matches perfectly, but there is a variation between that wood and the console. I thought at first that the variation was unique to my car. I have seen pictures on this forum where I have noticed the same variation in other LCI's with light poplar wood. This variation is not "glaring", but it is noticeable if you have an eye for detail and color.

Additionally, to my eye, the black lowlights in the dark poplar trim more elegantly blend and compliment the expanses of black the surrounds the wood in the dash and doors.

Just my opinion, please take it as such, but if I were doing again, I would definitely select dark poplar, and especially with grey interior.

 

To me the dark poplar blends with black dash and black doors trims - no good contrast
I like CONTRAST or wood trim should stand out (not blend) from the adjacent black areas (dash and doors)
I like 2007-BMW.X3. dash (grey leather interior with gray poplar wood. www.bmwusa.com)) Nice lay out and excellent contrast.
It is your choice, Check your combo at local dealers.

 

I don't think "always" is correct in this case. "Usually" is more accurate. Take a look at pics of the new brown interior (or the discontinued auburn) -- in both cases, the dash is black on both the top and bottom (not to mention the door trim). (link to pics of auburn interior)

Since I'm getting ventilated seats, my color choice is either black or beige. I prefer beige with the white exterior. Since the LCI door trim is all different now, I'm worried that they don't have the new parts in beige (since the ventilated option isn't as common) and I'm going to end up with black on the door trim and the lower dash/console.

It's impossible to look at the colors at the dealership since there aren't any examples of what I'm considering...

 

Just go to the German Konfigurator and select beige ventilated seats with Nasca leather and you see the color of the lower dash and doors. They both seem to be beige, just as with beige Dakota.

 

Yeah, I did that already (there's another thread here that is similar to this one where we posted some pics, etc.) I'm really just being a bit indecisive and I'm not sure I trust the configurator's image 100% (maybe 95% though).

If I am going to trust the configurator, here are my choices:

Light Poplar:


Dark Poplar:


As I mentioned before, I'm leaning toward the light poplar...

 

Hi Rudy,

On the German BMW website they have the used car search engine "Gebrauchtwagen Suche" where you can typically find pictures of almost every configuration - even the new LCIs - amazing how many BMW have already listed as "used cars".

Here are some real photos of a similar config to yours. Unfortunately no cars with Nasca leather.

Dakota beige, dark poplar:




Dakota cream beige, dark poplar


Dakota black, light(???) poplar (-not sure, could be dark poplar?)



Hope this helps - should give you a better feel for what they look like, rather than relying on the configurator images.

Decisions decision...