Metallic colored paints should cost more but none of the other colors imo! I believe VO was free originally because MINI was pushing this new color with the F56 plain & simple. Now that it's not "new" anymore they are reverting back to the more standard colors I suppose, if it's true that VO is no longer free (or more correctly put - not extra $).
I haven't bought a new car in many years, and the last time I did very few colors "if any" were more cost! But, like I said metallic colors are not a one step process so they do take more work to apply, at least that used to be the case,
VO is still one of my favorites, but I prefer going stealth & not drawing attention so VO did not get the box checked on my order sheet....love it nonetheless!