I'm about to get my very first MB E350 Sport on late April.

For the paint color, I've decided to go with Obsidian Black (code 197.) for its metallic look.

Does anyone know the major differences between code 197 and the normal 040?

Also, I'll appreciate it if someone can post some pics about the two colors to compare.

Thnx

I believe that the difference is that Obsidian Black has noticeable flecks of metallic silver in it. I guess its an OK color but my persoanal preference is the normal black as its very rich looking. To me Obsidian never looked quite right for some reason or another.

you wont notice any big difference
I ordered mine as Black coz I didnt want to pay 1000$ (I live in the middle east) to get the obsidian
The advantage of the obsidian is it looks more glossy and doesn't catch swirls but you can see the silver dots in it
The black catch swirls easy and if it is not clean it won't look as glossy as the obsidian but when it is clean, it is like a magical mirror
check this black merc for someone called bigevil
http://gallery.me.com/bigevil#100069
for obsidian you can check Nevada Jack's car in the sticky pictures gallery thread (I am not sure it is obsidian)

Check my pic n my sig. Regular black.

Can you post a higher resolution of your avatar pic it looks awesome

There is a difference which is pretty hard to describe in words. The Obsidian has a certain sparkle up close but from a distance it is difficult to tell from the regular non-metallic black. My GL was Obsidian, my SL was Black, my C was Obsidian and the E is Black. If the car is clean, either is spectacular. The older OB had a rusty brown look to it but with the 200X models they apparently added more black pigment and it lost the dusty look.

My preference is Black... deep and black/black. OB is not worth the extra cost.

Here is a pic of the C in OB and the E in Black.. (the C is in sun and the E shot taken on a cloudy day, hence the lack of highlights.)





The SL in Black:

I had the same dilemma a month ago when I ordered my E350. I ended up going with the normal black. In Canada, the price is the same, so cost was not an issue. I just think that the solid black (040) looks like a deeper, more luxurious black. I've owned a BMW with a metallic black paint and always thought it was a "muddy" black, even when completely washed.

I went with the Obsidian on my C-klass and will probably do the same with my E. The only reason is the swirls.

What's interesting about the dark colors now is that swirl marks shouldn't be as much of a problem as it used to be since Mercedes and several European manufacturers incorporate the scratch-resistant ceramic clearcoat paint. So for anyone hesitating on color choice, consider this fact.

If this is true then I will go with black for sure. I've only had one black car before but I swore that I would never have another one. When it was clean and had a fresh coat of Zaino it was the best looking car you had ever seen but as soon as the swirl marks got started it drove me crazy!

I couldn't decided between the metallic or regular but once I saw them both in person, I liked the normal black more. Obsidian looks the same as regular black at a distance and up close, it looks like a deep silver/grey/blue.

If you are paying extra for Obsidian... don't do it.

Besides, the normal black is nicer when properly maintained.

i like the 040 black. that SL is sick. i love the 07-08 SL's

Many thanks everyone for your beneficial comments..

After looking at Nebada Jack's C class color at his website, I really don't regret paying the extra money for the OB color.

I think that OB color will reveal more of the AMG body kit curves compared to the plain black one.

Once again, many thanks to all for posting the nice pics..I'm still looking for more please

Highly appreciate it..

While the new nano-clear coats on Mercedes help to resist swirls and scratches, I'm afraid that a Black car will always get these.

To the OP: I have regular 040 Black, but I much prefer the Obsidian Black. I saw an Obsidian CLS550 at the New York Auto Show last year, and under he lights indoors I couldn't believe it was that color, I thought it was designo because it looked so deep, rich and metallic.

Really can't tell how the color will look on an everyday basis when its under specially designed lighting at a show. Must be seen under normal outdoor sunlight. You will most likely never see it again like it is at the show.

I completely agree, but either way, I really liked the metallic aspect of the Obsidian Black.

My 07 E350 is black/black, I agree that the OB was not worth the extra cost. My new E 350 will most likely be the same combo. Black is a PITA to take care of, but when clean, it looks like no other color IMHO.

Jack, didn't you have a white S 550 a while back? Or am I confusing you with someone else?

Yes, that was me. I had one of the first S550's, White with Beige interior and AMG package. I switched to a GL550 when it became available in OB on Black and have had that combo ( Black or OB) since. Nothing beats a clean, shiny Black car, especially a MB...

I was going to get the standard black but I saw both at the Philly auto show and thought the OB looked sharper. My detailer and the MB rep at the auto show said that the metallic black will be a lot easier to maintain and will hide finger prints, swirl marks, etc. much better than the standard black ...so you get the luxury of black w/out the hassle of seieng every imperfection magnified.

Also, I rarely see standard gloss black cars look that nice up close after they are several years old -- perhaps if you are uber diligent. Alternatively, the steel gray metallic is also a sharp color and further up the chain in terms of low exterior maintenance. Paired w/natural beige leather interior, it's stunning.

Lastly, if you are concerned about debris scratching your car surface, you may want to consider getting your front end, bumpers and side mirrors covered in 3M film as many Porsches, Lamborghinis, etc are clad.

new link PICS of Black 040

Nice shots...

There is a slew of Black 040 in the top thread of the W212... see the first thread on this site.

Exactly, I'm considering covering my front end with 3M films. Appreciate your suggestion.

Glad to hear that there is another 3M person out there. I drive over 140 miles a day on mostly highways and that is one add-on that I need (get behind a few gravel trucks on the highway regularly and you'll understand why). Expect to pay an extra $900-$1,000 for the E class sedan.

The 3M kits that the dealers use typically cover the:

1. entire front bumper area (including around fog lights)
2. front half of the hood
3. outer part of the side mirrors

To illustrate its effectiveness, an Audi dealer had me dig in and drag a key (hard) across the back of an 'IPhone' that was clad in the 3M film and there was zero damage -- just rubbed out the small line with my thumb. Amazing. The film also allows sun to pentrate so there should be no difference in the clad versus unclad parts of your car in terms of fading if you remove the film down the road. Keep in mind that you still need to wax the covered parts - you just have to pretend it's not there and treat your car normally.

When I was pricing an Audi Q5. they also priced the cost to cover the entire hood so that you couldn't see the faint edge of the film across the hood. Could be overkill but maybe worth a few hundred extra bucks if opting for black (OB or otherwise). I know of someone who covered their entire Porsche 911 in the 3M film -- but then again that is a low-riding car.

Lastly, we know the MB paint is ceramic-based but it's not kryptonite. MB paint will still succumb to scratches, swirl marks, etc. -- the ceramic paint does, however, make it more durable and resistant to fading and chips.

I've had both OB and Black with the Nano paint. You will still see swirls in the 040.
For the 3-5 days after a detail that the black looks fantastic, the OB will look better most of the time. FWIW, my sales rep said most of his customers don't go back to black after having OB.