By pure coincidence I parked my 2019 Signature beside a 2021 Signature at the gym. Both cars were apparently “Machine Grey” but the two colors were different. The new one had a slight olive tone…definitely could see the difference side by side. I don’t see any new colors on the Mazda website and it’s subtle. Wondered if anyone else had noticed?
Has “Machine Grey” changed recently?
- Thread starter MX693
- Start date
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- 2019 CX-5 Signature
That color was discontinued several years ago, plus it looks brown, not gray.
Yours is just really clean?
Yes, but so was the other one LOL.Yours is just really clean?
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- Canada
Is it possible that different waxes/coatings can make the paint colour appear differently? I could see that happening with PPF, but I don't think there are many CX-5 owners who would spend the money to do a full PPF wrap on a CX-5. I have heard of some waxes that are made for black/dark paint, maybe that's what was applied?
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- 2021 CX-5 Sig
I have a `21 Signature in Machine Grey and yes, I've noticed that when it's in certain lighting, it has an olive tone. I find myself looking at other Machine grey Mazdas to see if there's looks the same...most of the ones I see are older models and they do seem to look darker, but then again, it was in passing so maybe the light hit it differently. I do remember parking next to a Machine grey cx30 (I believe an older model), and it did have the slight olive color as well...
itsmike
CX-5er
As someone who has worked in the collision repair industry for the last 19 years, I can tell you from my experience that all manufacturer paint codes usually have more than one variant. Like glass, electronics, and car batteries, there are really only a few actual paint manufacturers in the world. Each of the auto makers simply purchase paint from one of these suppliers, and they have color development teams that work to craft and formulate colors for their specific brand. Once the color is formulated, it’s assigned a paint code that is used for the aftermarket repair world. The paint code, 46G in the case of Machine Grey, is then applicable to each of the paint manufacturers’ repair catalog and computerized mixing bank systems. However, most colors will have multiple variations (variants) of each paint code depending upon when and where the original paint was applied to the vehicle, or sometimes depending on which market the vehicle is being sold in originally. Because of the nature of the way paint colors are formulated, it can be difficult for multiple batches of paint to exactly match each other. This is magnified with some of today’s auto colors, especially those that are of a 3-stage or tricoat formula. 46G is a very unique color, one that even the most tenured painters can have great difficulty with.
Below is a link to more info from PPG, and those that own a vehicle with 46G should definitely take some time to educate themselves about the color in case the need ever arises to have paint repairs completed. There are tons of bulletins and videos out there that show how complex this code is. It’s extremely important for this particular color to make sure you find a repair shop that has significant experience and success with reproducing Machine Grey.
ca.ppgrefinish.com
Below is a link to more info from PPG, and those that own a vehicle with 46G should definitely take some time to educate themselves about the color in case the need ever arises to have paint repairs completed. There are tons of bulletins and videos out there that show how complex this code is. It’s extremely important for this particular color to make sure you find a repair shop that has significant experience and success with reproducing Machine Grey.
Repairing Mazda 46G Machine Gray
Thanks for the reply itsmik. I had a couple of serious enough bumper scratches that it required repainting. Luckily, the shop was excellent and I’m pleased with the result, especially comparing the bumper next to the metal. I know the manager was shocked at the complexity but they now have a scan and file of my unique “machine grey” if I come back.