Have you ever wanted to be Chris Harris? Former presenter on Top Gear, legendary YouTube reviewer, automotive journalist and generally beloved petrolhead about town? Well unfortunately you can’t, but here’s a great opportunity to be just like him.
Nearly identical to his daily driver, this PTS Speed Yellow Porsche 911 GT3 Touring (VIN: WP0AC2A97KS149176) could be your first class ticket to imitation- and they say that’s the most sincere form of flattery. But unlike his daily, this has many, many fewer miles (just 228!), wheels finished in black and features Carbon Ceramic Brakes from factory.
Our more eagle-eyed readers will be quick to note that Chris had his car wrapped in a slightly darker variant of Yellow, which is fair. But if you’ve got the $299,900 to acquire this Tailored Driver, certainly you’ve got the scratch to follow Mr. Harris’ lead, should you choose to do so.
Visit Portland’s Gran Prix Motors to see the full listing, here.
Strangely enough, Audi exclusive isn’t a box that seems to be ticked all that often by SQ5 buyers. Audi’s do-just-about-anything midsize SUV offers the right blend of utility and dynamism, so when one becomes available in a non-standard hue, we’re quick to take note.
Painted in the questionably named Audi exclusive Dark Red Mica (R54), this SQ5 (VIN: WA1C4AFY4K2130448) looks more of a purple or burgundy to our eyes, but that’s not a bad thing. We can clearly see this color pops in direct sunlight, and mutes in the shade.
Offered at a seemingly reasonable $34,900 at Mesa, Arizona’s Rollit Motors, this Audi exclusive Dark Red Mica would be a great fly in/drive home opportunity for the right buyer. But do note, there is a damage report on the CarFax. Learn more about this Tailored Driver, here.
Originally available on the 356, Porsche’s Smyrna Green (smyrnagrün; non-metallic UNI; Z33; Porsche) is one of the more underutilized shades of Stuttgart’s rainbow. But for me, it represents somewhat of a generational conversation. Much like asking “what show is Uncle Jessie from?” to folks of differing ages will get an answer which varies between Full House and Dukes of Hazzard, you wouldn’t be shocked to hear Millennials and Gen X swear this is actually Evergreen from BMW’s M roadster and coupe.
Whichever way you lean, this Porsche GT3 RS (VIN: WP0AF2A91RS272361) represents a display for forceful restraint. Beyond the obvious, you’ll find a long list of options including the Weissach Package, yellow deviated stitching throughout, numerous surfaces covered in Race-Tex, and the extended range fuel tank among others.
Currently on offer at Merit Partners, this GT3 RS has covered just 92(!) miles since new, and pricing is available upon request. If you have the means, we highly recommend picking this Tailored Driver up.
To summarize a point often made during these early days of Tailored Driver– green is good. When paired with a price of entry that’s not completely out of most budgets, it’s even better. But for this one, you’ll need to bring a boat.
Finished in BMW Individual Sea Green Metallic (seagrün; metallic; 393; BMW) and paired with green leather seats and matching soft top, this BMW triples down on a good thing. While not the full ITB experience of a euro-market M3, this 328i sports the M appearance package and a manual transmission which will be a lot easier to maintain properly with parts easily found stateside.
At time of writing, this Tailored Driver has an asking price of €16,999 and is located in Hamburg, Germany. At current exchange rates, that’s about $18,750 plus shipping and handling.
McLaren’s MSO division makes it’s impact by doing just about whatever their clients demand. Multiple colors, gradients, and even full liveries are all well within scope, admittedly to differing levels of success. In my opinion, this is one big swing that really paid off.
When I think McLaren, I think muted exterior and a wild-ass contrasting interior. In today’s example, MSO went full purple-haze by pairing MSO Bespoke Purple leather with the relatively tame Onyx Black. Although Onyx does have a fairly prominent metallic flake, you’d be forgiven if you never noticed.
Is this insane? Perhaps, but if the above is the litmus, we’d happily be certified.
This Tailored Driver (VIN: SBM14FCA6NW006381) is currently available in Bonita Springs, FL at Gulf Coast Motorworks having covered just under 3,000 miles since it left Woking. It could be yours for an at time of writing $309,995.
If you’re looking for a faster or more affordable way into the driver’s seat of a tailored car, buying it built can be a solid strategy. No, it’s not to your exact spec and you don’t get your Instagrammable moment of a sales guy pulling a fake auto show cover off of the car in a brightly lit delivery room, but you do get to skip the line for an allotment and the wait for production… not to mention enjoy a bit of depreciation. This can be especially rewarding when snagging a late model and barely broken in example from a previous owner with impeccable taste. Take for example this 2022 BMW X5 M (VIN# 5YMJU0C07N9M27108).
This BMW Individual touched X5 M is an AutoTrader Private Seller Exchange listing. In the notes, the current owner states, “I personally specc’d this BMW Individual in British Racing Green and waited over 6 months for it to arrive.”
That owner then logged just under 20,000 miles (19,778 to be exact) before putting the car up for sale.
They also shared that the paint wasn’t the only option. This X5 M also got Merino full leather in Taruma Brown, red M-compound brake calipers, carbon fiber interior trim, shadow line lights, shadow line extended trim and BMW 50 Years anniversary emblems.
Other options included: Executive Package, Remote engine start, Soft-close automatic doors, Rear side window shades, Heated and cooled cupholders, Front massaging seats, Front ventilated seats, Front and rear heated seats, M Competition Package, M Sport exhaust system, 21/22 M light alloy wheels, M seat belts, Competition Package 2, Driver Assistance Professional Package, Extended traffic jam assistant, Active driving assistant pro.
Also worth noting, the current/original owner swapped out the tires for the always welcome Michelin Pilot Sport 4S about 10,000 miles ago.
The seller also states: “Clean title in-hand. No accidents, no issues, no concerns. Garage kept and regularly washed/detailed. All services have been completed on-time, including the 1,200 mile M break-in service. Only top-tier 91 gas from Mobil, Chevron, or Shell.
“You will be hard-pressed to find a cleaner X5M, especially in this ultra rare color, which is only available as special order through BMW Individual program. MSRP $124,945 .. 2 keys/fobs included, along with user’s manual and window sticker.”
There’s more detail and more photos in the AutoTrader link HERE.
One of the things we love about market watching for tailored automobiles is when we find an exceptionally cool spec out there on the market and priced so that even someone on a budget can pick up something bespoke. Take for example this 2019 Audi S5 Coupé (VIN# WAUR4AF53JA073988) in what appears to be Audi exclusive Suzuka Grey Metallic that just dropped in the pre-owned fleet of Audi Minneapolis.
The color confirmation is a little confusing because the dealer’s own website (HERE) lists the car as Daytona Grey Pearl. Photos show it’s clearly not that darker grey initially made popular on early R8s and B7 RS 4 models. It’s also not white, that we’d forgive you for mistaking given the lightness of the shade. No, another listing site we use (shhh, it’s our secret weapon) confirms the car as both Audi exclusive and Suzuka Grey.
Suzuka Grey is another early Audi R8 and B7 RS 4 color, though even more rare. It’s also super light, with just a hint of blue or lavender depending on the angle. Nowadays, Suzuka is still used on cars like the RS e-tron GT, and Audi Japan just revealed their own special edition A8 Gran Turismo Limited available in Suzuka Grey as well. As Audi exclusive paint colors go, it’s popular amongst Audi fans though a bit obscure outside the orbit of the four rings.
Given the popularity at Audi, Suzuka is not an uncommon choice amongst exclusive colors from Audi’s palette. That its’ painted here on an early B9 Audi S5 Coupe is also sweet. Audi has just recently ended production on coupe versions of the A5/S5/RS 5, meaning cars like this are probably destined to be even more coveted by enthusiasts. That this one is a fully-loaded Prestige package with black leather and carbon fiber trim cement it as a very desirable spec. That it’s a first year for the B9 S5 with 3.0-liter Turbocharged V6 makes it both the first year for the current B9 generation (pre-facelift of course) assures us it should be priced affordably. In that it’s priced at $35,299 as of this writing, and with 34,365 miles we’d argue these make it an exceptionally approachable specimen should you wish to step into a special build from Audi exclusive.
Check out the dealer’s listing with more photos HERE.
With so many 964 era Porsche 911s getting snapped up for bespoke builds from the likes of Singer, RWB and more, clean examples of coupes are becoming harder and harder to find. Make them later production years (1992-1994) when Porsche was on the ropes, low mileage or laden with exclusive paint or interior trim and you have something extra special. You have cars like this Marble Grey example found over at Ryan Friedman Motor Cars in Glen Cove, NY.
This is a one-owner Carrera 4 (all-wheel drive) example (VIN# WP0AB2969NS420563), with desirable 5-speed manual transmission and with just 38,149 miles logged. It’s the further specification from the factory though that really grabs our attention.
That Paint to Sample Marble Grey almost seems to harken more modern Porsche uber light grey colors like Chalk, Crayon or Fashion Grey. It’s reportedly the only car of its kind to leave the factory in this shade.
The original owner didn’t just stop at a unique paint color though. Subtle touches enrich the cabin, including matching Marble Grey piping around the black leather seats. It also gets additional leather trreatment on the doors, dashboard and center console, plus a wooden shift knob and e-brake handle that would have otherwise been leather as standard from the factory.
Ryan Friedman Motorcars shares the full build list, so we’ve included it here:
Featured equipment/factory-ordered options: L998 – paint to sample (Marble Grey); VD – black; C02 – US Standard Emissions; XC9 – Dark Rootwood Shift Knob; XD4 – Wheel caps with colored Porsche crest; XF6 – Leather covered panel of the center console (under handbrake lever); XF7 – Leather covered tray behind parking brake; X09 – Special center console; X32 – Dark Rootwood parking brake lever; 331 – Cassette-radio Becker Porsche CR-1; 383 – Sports seat, left, electrical height adjustment; 387 – Sports seat, right, electrical height adjustment; 454 – Automatic speed control; 494 Amplifier; 650 – Sun-moon-roof.
Want to learn more about the car or see more photos? Check out the listing on the dealer’s website HERE.
Back in 2016, the purple color offered in the aptly named Mercedes-AMG G 63 Crazy Color Edition was Galactic Beam(galacticbeam; metallic UNI; 171; Mercedes-Benz). It was one of five very distinct hues that were made available on Mercedes’ then-new W463 G-Wagen. Now, we’ve found one (VIN# WDCYC7DF6GX254809) over at Ryan Friedman Motor Cars in Glen Cove, NY.
Check out the attached photos and you’ll glean what’s already been known about Galactic Beam. It’s a very special purple that shifts to different hues when the light hits it at various angles. It morphs from an intense purple, to pink, to even orange or bronze.
Other colors in the Crazy Color Edition included Solar Beam (yellow), Alien Green, Tomato Red and Sunset Beam (orange). However, it was Galactic Beam that was the most expensive to build and thus to order.
One Galactic Beam specimen of the G 63 Crazy Color Edition is now available at Ryan Friedman Motor Cars. As of this writing, it’s reportedly logged 32,918 miles. So, if you’re searching for a very unique G-Wagen, or perhaps just need to see this color in person, check it out at their showroom in New York HERE.
Though EVs are far from traditional and the debate of the ubiquitousness of their future is never ending, we find the tradition of PTS carrying over to electric Porsches like the Taycan to be undebatable. Take for example this MY2023 Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo (VIN: WP0CD2Y1XPSA90074) in classic Underberg Green found over at Porsche Sugar Land.
We see Underberg Green regularly amongst the many green Paint to Sample Porsches that cross our news desk, and for good reason. The legend goes (via @PTSRS) that the origins of the color tend to be attributed to the Underberg family who both owned the Underberg brand of German digestif bitter and the cars they may or may not have ordered in that color… and apparently they were more of a Mercedes-Benz owning clan.
Whatever the case, the color starts showing up on Porsche models during the 991 era and has since enjoyed a lot of followers for its handsome non-metallic dark green that sometimes gets mistaken for Irish Green.
In this case, it’s been sprayed on a now Certified Pre-Owned Taycan GTS long roof with about 15,000 miles on it. If you’re looking for a unique wagon and at the same time are EV curious, this car may very well be for you.
