Hi all,

I've noticed most cars have sills painted black like mine and some match the colour of the car. Is this an indication that some spraying has been done? Doesn't seem to be any pattern in terms of the year of the car. I've seen it on non turbo and turbo cars, and cars that are not pluses or LEs. Actually I think it looks better when they are black.

colour coded sills came on the late 20vt 6 speed cars .

But are a common change on many cars. Doesn't mean one thing or another. I prefer black, too, but my car is black anyway

Great thanks chaps. Handy to know if it's not a 6 speed car and the sills aren't black then it's been painted.

As far as n/a's go, I think the colour coded sills came in with the later four spoke alloys.
I prefer colour coded sills - finishes the car off.
Black sills make the car look like an off -roader

I prefer black sills, with colour coded ones the body looks too heavy, the black sills slim it down.

Black sills have the advantage that the owner can do a "touch-up" paint job with a spray can of automotive satin black after first removing the sill kick plates and masking up.

Heh. I used mine for years dragging along farm tracks to get to paraglider launch sites...

I couldn't put it into words that made any sense but that's what I think too.

I agree. Much prefer the more svelte look of a Coupé with black sills. I’m not a fan of side skirts for the same reason.

Colour coded for me as the black sills make the look of the vehicle aged imo, especially Porto with standard silver wheels.

What I've never understood is why they fully colour coded the car then added the black. I personally prefer the car without the black! I was gong to say you wouldn't see a coupe with stone chip black LE lips and side skirts but I'm sure at some point I have.

I'm with Joe on this one, makes the coupe look dated, can't wait to get our 'Rosa' in the paint shop and get the sills colour coded.

I think the LE sills look great don't get me wrong. I just think it doesn't look right when the sills are colour coded but there are no side skirts.

I agree, but some colours suit coloured sills, some don't, some do make the height of the car too high [ fat ]. Think I will stick with black.

IMO black sills make the car look as though it's sitting higher, accentuating how small the wheels are.

I've had black (on a sprinty), colour coded (on another sprinty) and sills (blue Plus)..in order I prefer sills, colour coded then black.

I have been told it was coloured black to give the visual impression of being slimmer, several Ferrari's also had this design.

Slim Shady.

As Bangle intended for me, gives the car a nice waistline, think there is a resurgence in black sills going on... the GTR, some Audi's and Renault Clios etc.

For me the sills on newer cars look nice but a bit Too Fast Too Furious

Colour coded every time. The car doesn't look 'finished' for me with black sills.

Seems like a pretty even split of opinion on this one. We'll have to arm wrestle for it.

I prefer colour-coding



I think.....

Black sills makes the coupe look dated and like a 4x4 , colour coded sills or skirts for me .

Black. The coupe is dated and there is nothing wrong with that.

I 'm with the colour coded guys, it suits the overall look of the coupe in my opinion.

My W reg NA had colour coded sills as standard. I like it personally.

This might split opinion even more; half painted sills!!









I thought the black sills made the car look like it rode higher and was a lot thinner, but the colour coded looked like an aftermarket change. Somewhere in the middle is best

Ooh that looks nice Trappy, given me something to think about

My W-red VIS has red sills, it has not been resprayed. My P-reg N/A has black sills.

Interesting... Mine is a 1999 20V VIS and has black sills and yours is a year 2000 20V VIS with colour coded sills. Guess they only switched to colour coded sills in the final year of manufacture.

Are your alloys like Annies, in the sig pic above? I think they coloured the sills when these alloys where fitted, and yes, at the end of the production run.
Also, do you have an oil temp gauge or a voltmeter? Wonder if they changed at the same time too