This page lists the available paint colours for the fourth generation ND models. If you were looking for the NB colours please click here or for the NC colours click here.
There were three types of paint finish produced - Solid, Metallic, and Mica (also called Pearl). Solid colours have a plain finish, metallic colours are mixed with flakes of aluminium for extra shine, and the more expensive mica colours use a ceramic flake to produce a multi-coloured pearlescent reflection. The colour samples in the chart below are indicative only, they don't show the metallic/mica effects and some are exaggerated to help differentiate the 50 shades of grey.
Ceramic Metallic was a new paint colour for 2015 that debuted on the CX-3 crossover model. This is a light grey/silver shade intended to emphasise the different surfaces of the car body by changing appearance under varying light conditions.
Blue Ether and Mercury Silver were two new colours unveiled at the 2015 SEMA show. These colours remain exclusive to the Speedster and Spyder concept models with no word on either being available to customers.
After Soul Red Premium, Machine Grey is the second of Mazda's signature Takuminuri paint finishes. These two colours were specially developed to enhance the Kodo design language. Takuminuri colours use Mazda's proprietary paint technology to achieve a finish that looks hand painted by a master craftsman, despite being applied by robots on a factory production line. Machine Grey was introduced on the MX-5 as part of the world premiere of the RF model in New York. The colour was exclusive to the RF to begin with, only becoming available on the soft top models in 2018.
This new grey uses strong contrast between light and dark to highlight the car's strength and precision, it supposedly looks as though the car body is made from a solid steel block. The paint uses a clever combination of black base under a thin layer of aluminium flake mixed with black, with a final clear coat to create the dark grey finish.
Some models of RF feature a contrasting roof section painted in a solid glossy piano black.
White Ether and Kuro were introduced on the Speedster Evolution and RF Kuro concept models unveiled at the 2016 SEMA show. These colours were not available on production models.
At the 2017 Tokyo Auto Salon, Mazda presented an ND model painted in the Classic Red colour used on the original Eunos Roadster. This colour was then made available to order on new models in Japan for a limited time.
Soul Red Crystal was an evolution of Mazda's signature red paint that debuted on the 2017 CX-5 model. This colour further enhances the Kodo design language with 20% more colour saturation and 50% more depth than the original Soul Red. The new paint features a newly developed highly saturated red pigment for a richer red. In addition to high-brilliance extremely thin aluminium flakes, the reflective coat also features light-absorbing flakes that emphasise shaded areas to achieve a depth of color that previously required two layers.
The aluminum flakes were made a uniform size, the consistency of the paint was enhanced and a technique to shrink the volume of paint during the drying process was employed. This results in even, smooth coverage of the aluminum and light-absorbing flakes on the car's body and more precise control of light reflection, making for a substantially deeper and more vivid color. Very impressive in person.
The Racing Orange colour was launched in 2019 and remains exclusive to the 30th Anniversary models.
Polymetal Grey was made available on the MX-5 in early 2020, it is another metallic variation on the grey/silver theme that seems to suit the Roadster quite well.
Platinum Quartz was new for 2022/3 and combines aluminium flakes with mica to give a metallic shimmering pearlescent effect with a hint of golden tinge. It was intended to look luxuriously premium, but the jury is still out on whether it suits a sports car. Zircon Sand replaces Polymetal Grey but is a colour thats difficult to describe. Slightly tan brown with a greeny yellow tint maybe?
For 2023/4 Aero Gray Metallic was available to order, this new shade has a slight blue tint under certain lighting. Aero Gray replaces the short-lived Platinum Quartz colour, and so the seven 2024 colour options were: Soul Red Crystal, Deep Crystal Blue, Machine Gray, Aero Gray, Jet Black, Arctic White, and Zircon Sand.
The third and fourth Takuminuri colours of Rhodium White Premium and Artisan Red Premium are available elsewhere in the Mazda range but not are not currently offered on the Roadster.
UPDATE: Atrisan Red has just been revealed as the colour for the 35th Anniversary edition.
Soul Red Crystal
| 51F | Artisan Red Premium | Metallic | ||||||||
| A8X | Racing Orange | Solid | 42B | Blue Reflex | Mica | |||||
| 41V | Soul Red Premium | Metallic | 47C | Polymetal Grey | Metallic | |||||
| 46V | Soul Red Crystal | Metallic | 41W | Jet Black | Mica | |||||
| SU | Classic Red | Solid | 42A | Meteor Grey | Mica | |||||
| 45B | Eternal Blue | Mica | 46G | Machine Grey | Metallic | |||||
| 42M | Deep Crystal Blue | Mica | 52C | Aero Grey | Metallic | |||||
| 34K | Crystal White | Mica | 25D | Snowflake White | Mica | |||||
| A4D | Arctic White | Solid | 47A | Ceramic | Metallic | |||||
| 47S | Platinum Quartz | Metallic | 48T | Zircon Sand | Metallic | |||||
| Blue Ether | Concept | Mercury Silver | Concept | |||||||
| White Ether | Concept | Kuro | Concept |
Mazda's robot painters at work
Classic Red
Platinum Quartz
Deep Crystal Blue