My 2019 SL is Cardinal Red just like the 2017 yet I have had three people recognize these are different cars. All three said the 2019 looks “more” red than the 2017 looked. These are folks who know nothing about MB cars and I am amazed they see a difference. I also think the 2019 looks more red and less orange-red. With today’s technology are different batches of paint slightly different in color or is this just imagination?
PS- Both cars stored inside out of the sun and the same wash soap and car wax used on both. In other words both sets of paint treated the same.

 

It would not surprise me to learn that MB is gradually attempting to modify the Cardinal Red color from one model year to the next.

Such a shame that MB decided to just 'give up' on Mars Red due to issues with clear coat adherence to that paint color.

Rather than trying to fix their 'acknowledged' Mars Red paint problems, MB just decided to drop the color altogether despite the fact that it was the most popular color of Red that MB had ever come up with.

Worse yet, MB has not shown any willingness to repair the thousands of Mars Red Cars when Owners complained they were experiencing the paint flaw issues MB has admitted to. Even now, there are pending lawsuits because MB has just flat out refused to strip and repaint any of the Mars Red cars despite their acknowledgement of a very flawed paint process that affected all of MB's recent models that were painted Mars Red.

As I understand it, the first sign of trouble on Mars Red Cars are when the clear coat begins to bubble up, then the paint beneath appears discolored and can actually begin to peel off. The greater the sun exposure, the quicker it occurs.

The Cardinal Red replacement color does indeed appear to be more of an 'orange tinted' red, so maybe with the latest models MB may be trying to change the hue a bit in an effort to lessen that 'orangy' appearance somewhat.

You may recall that Mars Red, (for most of us), was a deeper, darker, richer-looking shade of Red than the Cardinal Red we have from MB today, and yet
MB just gave up on it leaving thousands of people with flawed Mars Red paint jobs. That's downright shameful in my book so those pending lawsuits, (perhaps now a Class Action), are certainly well-justified, and I hope MB ultimately will be forced to 'ante up' on this matter.

Fortunately, I learned about the Mars Red Paint problem early on and was therefore able to exclude Mars Red Cars from my search when shopping for my current 231. I wound up with a Palladium Silver Metallic SL550 which I am very pleased with!

 

Yes Color can change and the name stays the same over the years due to MB and or sun fade and/or car care.

Best to go by Paint Color code if matching and even then it will not match due to AGE, fading, care etc.

 

I believe 2017's were Mars Red #590 not Cardinal Red. A Mercedes-Benz Mars Red paint defect lawsuit alleges the clear coat is prone to peeling, bubbling and flaking in models built between 2004 and 2017. Mars Red, also known as Fire Opal, is a paint manufactured by PPG Industries that identifies the color by paint code 905264, while Mercedes identifies the color by paint code 590.

https://www.autobodynews.com/index.p...uit-filed.html

 

My 2017 was definitely Cardinal Red. I do not like Mars Red at all and would not have bought if that color.
Look at my picture to the left of the 2017. I have not had a chance to change the picture to the 2019 yet.

 

Well, this is a topic I can speak to with real knowledge. I sold my Mars Red 2004 SL500 in 2016, mostly because I was concerned about possible hydraulic issues associated with the retractable hard top. It wasn’t so much the potential cost that I worried about, but the fact that the hydraulic lines were never designed to be replaced and that the job of doing so might result in a major disassembly of the interior, etc. Since the car was so pristine, with only 22,000 miles, the idea of having someone pulling the interior apart, while working with messy hydraulic fluid, pushed me to just sell the car. Call me paranoid.

So, It was now early October of 2016 and I planned on waiting until the 2018’s came out the following year, to place an order for a new SL. I wanted another Mars Red car, since I had owned six SL’s previously, all of which were the then current version of a solid “fire engine” red. But then, I started hearing noises about problems with the color and that MB was going to discontinue it. I immediately contacted my dealer and tried to order a 2017 in Mars Red, but it was too late, as the system would not allow that color choice. I then had the dealer do a nationwide search for a Mars Red car with ABC and the Ginger Beige/Espresso Brown, Exclusive Nappa interior—my two “must have” options—but there were none to be found and none on the water that were not spoken for. I was quite disappointed. I even agreed to a $6,500.00 special order to have one painted in Mars Red, but no soap.

A few months later, while fooling around on eBay, I found a 2013 SL550 in San Diego with only 11,000 miles, Mars Red, right interior, gorgeous. I drove down there and bought it. Loved the way it looked, but after a couple of weeks, hated the way it rode, without ABC. I put new Michelin A/S3+ tires on it, which improved things, but was still unhappy with the ride. So, after keeping the 2013 for about 18 months, I sold it and ordered the Polar White 2019 SL450 I now have.

The Mars Red fiasco is just more evidence of how some decisions made by MB are truly idiotic. When you have a bad batch of paint, you discard it, purge the system and use a new batch of paint, maybe you even change suppliers, you don’t discontinue the color. What if the problems had been with plain BLACK? Do you think they would have discontinued black? NEVER! In addition, MB already had a perfect back up, solid color red in their line up, called Jupiter Red, which is still in use today. Frankly, I have put a Mars Red car right next to a Jupiter Red car and I cannot tell the difference. But, in keeping with their long standing, pig headed history of pretty much kicking SL issues under the carpet (audio system?) instead of spending ten cents worth of time handling the Mars Red issue properly, some idiot just decided to drop the truly gorgeous color from the line up. Amazing! A high end, sporty, 2-door convertible and you can’t get a RED one. I wonder what Ferrari would have done with a bad batch of Rossa Corsa? Hmmm.

 

By the way, I agree with Utopia: I believe Cardinal Red Metallic is, indeed, more RED currently, than it was a few years ago. If used to be much more orange.

 

I need to refresh my opinion on red vehicles. Red is actually my favorite car color. My F-250 is red, my wife’s Cadillac is red and my SL550 is red. What I prefer is a deeper red color that pops to my eyes and looks like you are looking through a foot of clear water down to the color. For some reason the Mars red looks too flat even when shiny. Could just be my eyes! Here is the ‘2017 last Winter with a really unusual snow here.

 

How about this one?

 

Yep, That’s the ticket!