Some car colours are timelessly beautiful. Others make you shake your head at first. And then there are those shades that were so far ahead of their time that they only achieved true cult status years later.
We’re taking you on a brief journey through automotive history to showcase seven extraordinary original colour shades that prove: having the courage to be bold with colour sometimes only pays off decades later.
1. Panther Pink – Dodge (1970)
A muscle car in pink? That takes some nerve.
In 1970, Dodge launched Panther Pink – a colour that simply didn’t fit with the classic image of American muscle cars. Instead of understated black or sporty red, there was suddenly a high-performance Dodge Challenger in bright pink.
Incidentally, at sister brand Plymouth, the same shade was called Moulin Rouge. Not exactly understated either.
What raised a few eyebrows back then is now a sought-after classic. Cars with their original Panther Pink paintwork are guaranteed to turn heads at classic car meets.
Original colour code: FM3
2. Plum Crazy – Dodge (1970)
Purple fun on four wheels.
Anyone who thought pink was bold hadn’t seen Plum Crazy yet.
This intense violet was one of the so-called ‘High Impact Colours’ that Dodge deliberately used in the early 1970s to turn heads. And it worked: a Challenger in Plum Crazy was hard to miss.
The colour became so popular that Dodge reintroduced it to its range decades later.
A fine example of how a supposedly crazy shade can become a trademark.
Original colour code: FC7
3. Sublime Green – Dodge (1970)
Low-key is a thing of the past.
This green looks as though someone has run a highlighter over the bodywork.
In 1970, Sublime Green was one of the most eye-catching colours in the Dodge range. Plymouth offered the shade under the name Limelight.
The garish yellow-green was perfectly suited to an era in which cars were expected not only to be fast, but also to look as spectacular as possible.
Today, Sublime Green is one of the best-known colours of the American muscle car era.
Original colour code: FJ5
4. Go Mango – Dodge (1969–1970)
Sounds like a summer drink. But it was actually a car colour.
American car manufacturers were evidently particularly creative when it came to naming their colours in the late 1960s.
Dodge called its bright orange paintwork ‘Go Mango’. Plymouth marketed the same shade under the name Vitamin C.
Whether the colour actually put people in a good mood is not known. One thing is certain, though: on a Dodge Challenger or Charger, this orange made quite an impression.
The shade was later revived and remains popular amongst muscle car fans to this day.
Original colour code: EK2
5. VW Polo Harlequin – Volkswagen (1995)
Four colours, one car. And that was actually the intention!
A blue door, a red bonnet and yellow and green body panels. What looks as though someone had pieced together a Polo from various wrecked cars was, in fact, an official Volkswagen special edition in 1995.
The Polo Harlekin originally stemmed from a marketing idea: Volkswagen wanted to use it to clearly demonstrate the modular system of its trim levels.
The response was so overwhelming that this unusual idea became a genuine production model. A total of 3,806 were produced.
Today, the Harlekin is a sought-after ‘youngtimer’ and a charming piece of motoring history.
And let’s be honest: what other car comes in four colours without the owner ever having to take it to a body shop?
6. Sternrubin (Rubystar) – Porsche 911 (1990s)
Too pink for a Porsche? Not a chance!
In the early 1990s, Porsche took a risk that one wouldn’t necessarily expect from a sports car manufacturer steeped in tradition: the Porsche 911 from the 964 series was also available in a bold pink-magenta.
The shade was called Sternrubin, known internationally as Rubystar or Rubystone Red.
Amidst classic Porsche colours such as black, silver and red, Sternrubin was a real eye-catcher. The unusual paint finish divided opinion – and over the years became a sought-after colour amongst Porsche enthusiasts.
What’s remarkable is that, more than 30 years later, Porsche has rediscovered this historic colour and is offering it once again through its exclusive Paint to Sample programme.
What may have been too daring for some back then is now a statement of individuality.
From extraordinary to iconic. Sometimes a colour simply needs a little time.
Original colour code: 82N
7. Austin Yellow Metallic – BMW M4 (from 2014)
Is that still yellow or is it gold?
With the BMW M4 of the F82 series, BMW unveiled a colour in 2014 that was hard to pin down.
Depending on the angle of the light, Austin Yellow Metallic shifts between a vibrant yellow, a warm gold and a slightly greenish sheen.
For some, it was the perfect colour for a sporty coupé. For others, perhaps a little too eye-catching.
But that’s precisely the point of unusual car paint finishes: they’re not meant to please everyone, but to show character.
Original colour code: B67
Unusual colours deserve a new lease of life
What do all these extraordinary paint finishes have in common?
They show that a car’s paintwork is much more than just a protective coating. It is an expression of personality, the spirit of the times and, sometimes, even a crucial part of automotive history.
But what happens when, after many years, a vehicle like this needs paintwork repairs?
A scratch on the wing, a damaged bumper or a restored body panel: particularly with rare original colours, it’s crucial to match the exact shade as closely as possible.
After all, not all pinks are the same as Panther Pink. And green is certainly not the same as Sublime Green.
SprayMax FillClean – The right shade in a spray can
This is where the SprayMax FillClean system comes in.
With FillClean, custom-mixed car paints can be filled into SprayMax spray cans that have been specially prepared for this purpose. The system is designed to work with compatible water-based and solvent-based paint systems.
The specialist retailer or paint supplier mixes the desired colour shade using the available mixing formula and fills it into the appropriate spray can using the FillClean system.
The result: a custom-mixed car paint that can be applied easily from the spray can – without the need for a traditional paint spray gun.
Ideal for minor paint repairs, touch-ups, restoration work or hard-to-reach areas.
Whether it’s an exceptional ‘youngtimer’, a cherished classic car or a modern vehicle with a distinctive paint finish: with SprayMax FillClean, even bespoke colour requests can be produced in a practical spray can format.
Because some colours are simply too special to be forgotten.
EXCEPTIONAL COLOURS. TRUE-TO-ORIGINAL REPAIRS. SPRAYMAX FILLCLEAN.
Find out more about the SprayMax FillClean system
Please note: The availability of individual colour shades depends on the mixing formula available, the paint system used and the relevant specialist retailer.
Image credits
- Dodge Panther Pink: Photo by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0.
- Dodge Plum Crazy: Photo by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0.
- Dodge Sublime Green: Photo by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0.
- Dodge Go Mango: Photo by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0.
- Volkswagen Polo Harlekin: Photo by Rutger van der Maar / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0.
- Porsche 911 (964) Rubystone Red: Photo by Damian B Oh / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0.
- BMW M4 Coupé: Photo by Koenigseggvibes / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0.
The images are used under the relevant Creative Commons licences. Any alterations, including cropping, must be credited where applicable. Edited images licensed under the CC BY-SA licence are subject to the applicable ‘ShareAlike’ requirements.