As car enthusiasts, many of us despair at the sea of monochrome cars that flood our modern streets. Against such a mediocre backdrop, color makes a car stand out. They help highlight the magic curves penned by the designers, and can reflect the owner’s taste and personality. To that end, I ask you: What car color would you put back into production?
For me, the answer comes from my roots. I grew up in the shadow of the Holden factory in South Australia. Whenever a new Commodore came out, it wasn’t long before I saw them on the streets, many of which were emblazoned in the latest hero color of the moment. The most memorable of all was a striking shade called Hothouse Green.
The color debuted in 2002 with the launch of the VY Holden Commodore. Bright, metallic, and with surprising depth, it was known internally by the paint code 870J. It was available on all the performance models, and looked stunning on the V8-powered SS and the bonkers Maloo ute.
As is typical for hero colors, it didn’t stick around forever. Future high-performance Commodores appeared in a range of other shades, but none that left quite the same impression, at least on my budding automotive mind. It also didn’t trickle down to the lower-end models, which were still primarily sold in a range of silvers, dull blues, and maroons. In any case, the color had enough cultural impact that it became a popular shade in the tuner and muscle scenes. I’ve seen earlier generation Commodores resprayed with shiny Hothouse Green paint jobs, as well as a particularly nice Honda Integra DC2. The striking metallic worked well for show cars that were trying to make a visual impact.
Regardless, Holden wasn’t the only company putting out great colors in the early 2000s. In particular, Ford had some shockingly good colors available back in that era, as well as via its subsidiary, Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV). The BA Falcon introduced a range of bold solid colors, often without metallic components, and the trend continued with the BF generation. Colors like Octane and Breeze were instantly eye-catching and were far more interesting than the dull fleet-like colors of generations past.
Ford’s boldness saw it diverge from the mainstream, but with great effect. The rich, saturated colors on its fleet of brawny muscle cars put the brand’s vehicles right back in the public eye, at a time when the Australian arm was eager to recover from the ugly, unappealing Falcons of the New Edge era. The color served a purpose, and many buyers were more than happy to pick up their new Falcon in a daring shade.
I’d love to see all these colors come back. I can see Ford’s solid colors working well on cars like the Mustang, and maybe even the Mach-E. Meanwhile, I think Holden’s Hothouse Green would look particularly sharp on something like a new Chevy Blazer. In any case, you’ve heard my opinion; now it’s time to share yours. What classic color would you bring back, and what car are you sticking it on?
Top graphic image: Holden
Every carmaker needs to do what VW did a few years ago w/ the Golf R. You could pick any color out something like 70 different tones. Upcharge was only $3k. I’d gladly pay $3k extra to get snakeskin green.
Kinda a boring one, Lipari Gray. As far as I’m aware it was only available for 2019 on the Giulia. I really like how it shifts from blue-gray to bronze in the sunlight.
Back in the ’90s Dodge and Plymouth had a colour of green that was available on the Neon called Nitro Yellow Green, paint code RF2/PF2. It was so bright you couldn’t be negative around it. It made winter feel more like spring, even with snow on the ground. It was a happy colour. We haven’t seen it since 1995. Someone murdered it.
Also Citroen’s Bleu Royale. It’s the blue that camera’s can’t capture. It will look aquamarine in the highlights and ocean blue in the mids, or it might look navy blue in the highlights and midnight blue in the mids. It’s an amazing colour that changes depending on the harshness of the ambient light. If it’s a cloudy day where shadows are soft and fuzzy it’ll look lighter. If it’s a bright day at noon with sharp shadows on the ground it’ll look darker. It’s amazing.
Mystichrome since it was so iconic
The “mood ring” paint that changed colors.
There are many, but coral for the purposes of this exercise.
Every single colour except for shades of white, grey, silver or black. Those should be banned forever.
My current car is “sunny melon” (admittedly with a black roof and black wheels, but it looks very yellow).
I’m voting for USFS Green, AKA Federal Standard 34350 Forest Service Green. I spent much of my childhood riding in either this color truck or my dad’s white truck on the way to the office to get the official vehicle.
Jeep/ Mopar’s Patriot Blue. Why they stopped is beyond me.
Saffron offered on the 98 V70R
Saab Beryl Green. And since you didn’t specify it had to be a car currently in production, I’m gonna stick it on the reborn Phoenix concept.
Anything besides black, white or silver/gray.
Green! Always will be green. When I decided to buy my 2004 Acura TL, it was to be blue with tan interior. Then I saw the pearl green version and knew that was (and still is) my car. Have a green 2001 Highlander, too. I’m a double 1%er.
The best of the greens.. Honda Midori Green Pearl.
Idk, honda had some good blues and reds, along with a neat purple on the civic hatchbacks.
Mitsubishi Monaco Red. The problem is which Mitsubishi today can wear it properly
That metallic pastel green on B4 Audi A4s.