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  • Color Check: Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II in Gunmetal

    Color Check: Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II in Gunmetal

    Rolls-Royce recently dropped basic color and specification from the Cullinan Series II and Black Badge Cullinan Series II global media drive held in Ibiza back in June. Alas, we weren’t on that drive, but we are able to share the basic color information in order to help inspire those ordering Rolls-Royces of their own, or considering Rolls-Royce hues in build specifications from other manufacturers. 

    We’ve been adding each car in our Color Check over the last few weeks. Next up is this Rolls-Royce Black Badge Cullinan Series II christened ‘Captain’. It’s finished in Gunmetal (gunmetal; metallic uni; 7G0N / FW47 / FW47-7G0N / W24 / WW24; Rolls-Royce).

    Given the long and non-specific history of gunmetal grey paint on cars and Rolls-Royce’s own long history, we haven’t yet identified the origins of Gunmetal at Rolls-Royce, but the company’s own diverse nature over the years gives us a clue. Rather than simply a catchy name for a grey paint imagined by a carmaker, Rolls-Royce actually has some provenance as a gun maker as well. This includes its 40 mm cannon as well as experimental heavy machine gun.

    Rolls-Royce didn’t detail the rest of the spec on ‘Captain’, but its distinctive green interior is also worth noting.

  • Market Find: Mislabeled Suzuka Grey Audi RS 6 Avant in SC

    Market Find: Mislabeled Suzuka Grey Audi RS 6 Avant in SC

    What: 2024 Audi RS 6 performance
    Color: Audi exclusive Suzuka Grey Pearl (suzukagrau, pearl effect UNI; LY7F / M1 ; Audi)
    VIN: WUA1DBF28RN904811
    Mileage: 5,018 miles
    Price at Time of this Writing: $133,700
    CarFax: Link
    Window Sticker: N/A
    Location: Benson Ford, Easley, SC
    Dealer listing: Link

    Why we love it:

    Unless you look closely, Suzuka Grey is virtually white. It’s also slightly on the cool side of the grey spectrum, as is Glacier White Metallic from the standard palette of the RS 6 Avant. So, when a 5K mile RS 6 Avant pops up at a Ford dealership, you’d forgive them for mislabeling the car. We found this car auto-listed (probably due to vIN) as Audi exclusive paint on a major listing site, and followed it through to the dealer site to find more information. While there, we found its listings where it’s mislableled as Glacier White while also listing its VIN. Since we suspected it was Suzuka Grey, we ran the VING and found it confirmed it is indeed Suzuka Grey.

    As Audi exclusive colors go, Suzuka is a subtle one. Rather than an eye-searing attention getter, it’s more of an if-you-know-you-know shade that dates back to the B7 RS 4 Avant. Since that time, it’s been present in other RS models like the B8 RS 5 and Mk2 TT RS.

    From the looks of it, the dealer is pricing it like pretty competitively for its age and mileage of RS 6 performance, making it an excellent if-you-know-you-know opportunity for buyers. If you’re interested, go see it in person as these photos are low-resolution and not great.

  • Color Focus: Audi Suzuka Grey – LY7F

    Color Focus: Audi Suzuka Grey – LY7F

    CODE: LY7F / M1

    TYPE: Pearl Effect

    CONTENT ARCHIVE: Suzuka Grey

    SUMMARY:

    So far as we can tell, Suzuka Grey Pearl Effect (SuzukaGrau; pearl effect; LY7F / M1 ; Audi) first started appearing on quattro GmbH company cars at the Audi factory facilities in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm during the early B7 RS 4 days. Typically paired with black optics, it’s been mostly an RS model only offering here and there over the years, most recently being a model year color palette offering on the RS e-tron GT.

    Likely named for the Suzuka Circuit, a 3.6-mile road course located in Suzuka City, Mia Prefecture Japan. The track is home to F1’s Japanese Grand Prix amongst other races, and it’s operated by Honda Mobilityland, a subsidiary of Honda Motor Company.

    As greys go, Suzuka Grey is so light that it is often mistaken for white. Look closely though and you’ll find it’s slightly darker than white and slightly cooler than a desaturated grey of equivalent brightness. In as much, it’s a subtle shade that leaves most guessing thanks to a strong if-you-know-you-know quotient. Its strong association with Audi RS cars also gives it an extra level of performance cred… at least in Audi circles.

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  • Market Find: 2022 Porsche Paint to Sample San Marino Blue 718 Cayman GTS

    Market Find: 2022 Porsche Paint to Sample San Marino Blue 718 Cayman GTS

    What: 2022 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS
    Color: Paint to Sample San Marino Blue (sanmarinoblaumetallic; metallic UNI; W87; Porsche)
    VIN: WP0AD2A85NS268322
    Mileage: 28,694 miles
    Price at Time of this Writing: $93,366
    CarFax: Link
    Window Sticker: Pictured below
    Location: Tom Wood Porsche, Indianapolis, Indiana
    Dealer listing: Link

    Why we love it:

    It’s often said (or at least inferred) that the BMW M3/4 is the last stop on a car enthusiasts way to Porsche ownership. If that’s the case, this Paint to Sample San Marino Blue 718 Cayman GTS is one hell of a proof of concept. Initially a BMW color (code B51/5), San Marino Blue was added to Porsche’s Paint to Sample program as part of their ‘approved’ list in 2023 (code W87). So here we have a non-911 in a Paint to Sample color that required additional approval for production, with a naturally aspirated four-liter flax-six paired to a manual transmission. For those looking to place a bet against depreciation, this seems like a great opportunity.

  • Market Find: 2017 Audi exclusive Nimbus Grey R8 V10 plus

    Market Find: 2017 Audi exclusive Nimbus Grey R8 V10 plus

    What: 2017 Audi R8 V10 plus
    Color: Audi exclusive Nimbus Grey (Pearl Effect; LZ7X; Audi)
    VIN: WUAKBAFX8H7903497
    Mileage: 19,527 miles
    Price at Time of this Writing: $192,500
    CarFax: N/A
    Window Sticker: N/A
    Location: Muscle Motors, Reno, Nevada
    Dealer listing: Link

    Why we love it:

    Audi exclusive Nimbus Grey, a supercharged V10 nestled behind your ear, and carbon bits sprinkled throughout… what’s not to love? This R8 has clearly been enjoyed based on mileage and mods, both of which we’re happy to see. Personally, we’re intrigued by the Audi Sport Performance Parts rear spoiler, QuickSilver exhaust, and the VF Supercharger kit which raises total output to a claimed 830hp and 610tq. Rather than blabber on, we’ll just let the selling dealer’s video do the talking.

  • Market Find: 2004 Porsche Paint to Sample Zircon Blue Metallic 911 Turbo X50 Cabriolet

    Market Find: 2004 Porsche Paint to Sample Zircon Blue Metallic 911 Turbo X50 Cabriolet

    What: 2004 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet
    Color: Paint to Sample Zircon Blue Metallic (metallic UNI; W49; Porsche)
    VIN: WP0CB29994S676705
    Mileage: 29,325 miles
    Price at Time of this Writing: $92,996
    CarFax: Link
    Window Sticker: N/A
    Location: Ferrari of Naples, Florida
    Dealer listing: Link

    Why we love it:

    In terms of rarity, 996-generation Paint to Sample Porsches are up there. Graded on that curve, this particular 996 Turbo Cab with X50 package is simply off the charts. Draped in Porsche Paint to Sample Zircon Blue Metallic- a color so rare that Rennbow can only muster a shrug and a Google search of the color shows this car as the only result- this Tailored Driver also represents a bit of a question mark for us. Undoubtedly a true ‘match this’ request from Tailor to Factory, touch up paint for the color points to code W49, Zircon Blue and the color is further confirmed by an old Bring a Trailer listing. Oddly enough, per Rennbow and other sources W49 was later used for Grigio Granito Metallic, a fairly dynamic Grey with pronounced metallic flake. While full details are yet to be revealed, finds like this are the stuff of Tailored Driver dreams, and we’re incredibly excited to have preserved it in our records.

  • Color Focus: Audi RS Blue – M8

    Color Focus: Audi RS Blue – M8

    CODE: LY7F

    TYPE: Pearl Effect

    CONTENT ARCHIVE: RS Blue

    SUMMARY:
    In the world of OEM paint colors, we sometimes see name changes without reformulation. One example is Audi’s RS Blue (rsblau; pearl effect UNI; M8; Audi) that is perhaps the most iconic (and likely most popular) color of the Audi RS2 stock color offerings. By the time the color returned on Audi’s B5 S4, it had undergone a name change to Nogaro Blue (nogaroblau; pearl effect UNI; Z5M; Audi), but the color itself remained the same.

    Given the lineage, tracing its roots to the wagon project conceived between Audi and Porsche and built in Stuttgart by Porsche themselves, Nogaro Blue has become an icon in and of itself, highly sought after in Audi exclusive builds or the rare times when Audi offers it on the occasional limited production special edition.

    Few, other than RS2 aficionados, know it as RS Blue though. And whatever the name, the color can likely point towards the pre-war national racing color of French Blue for its inspiration. Rumor has it that Audi designers in the Simi Valley design studio sprayed out a marine blue in a request back to the factory for company car specification, which inspired the development of RS Blue.

    Don’t confuse RS Blue (or Nogaro Blue) with Porsche’s Maritime Blue, a then-current Carrera Cup color at the time the RS2 rolled new out of Porsche’s factory. Models wearing Porsche badges such as the 911 Carrera RS (type 964) and 968 were rolling out of that same manufacturer painted Maritime Blue. The timing, Porsche DNA and and their similar appearance would suggest they might be the same code by another name, but park them next to each other and you’ll see a difference.

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  • EU Market Find: Red-on-Red 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 MFI

    EU Market Find: Red-on-Red 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 MFI

    What: 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 MFI
    Color: Peru Red (perurot; non-metallic UNI; 042; Porsche)
    Chassis Number: 9114600829
    Mileage: 40,877 km, 25,399 miles
    Price at Time of this Writing: €169,911
    CarFax: N/A
    Window Sticker: N/A
    Location: Witmer & Odijk, Warmond, Netherlands
    Dealer listing: Link

    Why we love it:

    Nothing like a highly unique car in a highly unique build. In 1974, one year after producing the legendary 911 Carrera RS 2.7, Porsche introduced the 911 2.7 with mechanical fuel injection (MFI). And while it had gone to G-body construction including bigger and heavier bumpers, it made up for that with countermeasures such as lighter seats an aluminum arms in the rear suspension. All told, it weighed in at 1075 kg (2370 lbs) and was capable of 0-62 mph in 5.5 seconds… in 1974. Though they don’t command the premiums of the Carrera RS 2.7, there’s no question that 1974 911 Carrera MFI specimens are sought after. Now throw in a sensational build specification and you have something really special.

    Having had just two owners, the first was an Italian show manufacturer and that’s likely the reason for the very unique specification. Color over like color is always an interesting choice, and this Peru Red over red example would be already very distinctive, though that’s made even more unique due to the presence of the 1974 Carrera sport fabric also seen here in red that is both very rare and appears to be very well kept.

    Peru Red was not a Paint to Sample affair, but it was offered during the 1974 model year. For the casual observer, it might be hard to spot the differences from Peru red to more common Porsche reds such as Guards Red or Signal Red. Park it next to the others though and it’s immediately obvious that Peru Red has more of a brick or terra cotta quality to it.

  • Market Find: Pink on Pink Final W12 Continental GTC in Beverly Hills

    Market Find: Pink on Pink Final W12 Continental GTC in Beverly Hills

    What: 2024 Bentley Continental GTC Mulliner W12
    Color: Pink Frost (pinkfrost; unknown; unknown; Bentley Mulliner)
    VIN: SCBDT4ZG3RC017079
    Mileage: 33
    Price at Time of this Writing: $459,260
    CarFax: N/A
    Window Sticker: N/A
    Location: O’Gara Coach, Beverly Hills, CA
    Dealer listing: Link

    Why we love mention it:

    There’s no doubt the Bentley Continental GTC you see here is polarizing. When the Bentley dealership in Beverly Hills commissions a special order car from Mulliner to celebrate the final W12 twin turbo delivery to the store, maybe it shouldn’t be so surprising that they’d go with something as bold as pink over pink.

    Not much is known about Pink Frost at this time, though it’s an incredibly light and almost white pastel pink, light pastel in the vein of Porsche Chalk or Audi Cumulus Blue… but pink.

    We also don’t know much about the interior specification. The car’s listing states it as “Beluga”, though it’s definitely got Bentley’s Mulliner – Bespoke Interior Color Split on the build list and we’re guessing that may have been to mirror the Pink Frost exterior color.

    Whatever, the car is a one of one build by Mulliner for Bentley Beverly Hills, with other options including Mulliner – Personal Paint – Solid & Metallic, Mulliner – Bespoke Interior Colour Split, Bang & Olufsen for Bentley, Mulliner PCG – Pinstripe Fascia/Door WR, Mood Lighting with Personalised TP, Mulliner PCG – Bespoke Treadplate Plaques, Mulliner PCG – Mulliner Overmats (Front) and Mulliner – Quilted Tonneau Cover.

    There’s no doubt this is a fascinating build, and a significant one named explicitly on the sill plate. For the right buyer seeking this sort of car, it is spectacular. For many others, it will no doubt cause discussion.

  • Spirit of Le Mans Taps Rothaman’s Colors with Latest SOLM Rally Tartan

    Spirit of Le Mans Taps Rothaman’s Colors with Latest SOLM Rally Tartan

    Our focus is typically factory specification, though we deviate from that in certain cases such as firms creating remasters of iconic cars. So, should we cover a fabric manufacturer that remasters iconic color combinations of racing liveries and remixes them as a tartan? That seems noteworthy, particularly when we’re checking out these first-look photos of Spirit of Le Mans’ next Rothman’s inspired pattern dubbed SOLM Rally.

    Okay, the “rally” name may be a bit broad as we can think of any number of iconic rally liveries – Alitalia, HB Audi Sport, Subaru 555. Even still, Rothman’s is no lesser player in this space so we’ll give them a pass yet keep hoping they branch out into the aforementioned others. SOLM already does a take on Martini, so we’re liking this trend even if the Porsche association is quite obvious.

    Why Porsche? Most reading this site probably don’t need to ask, but we’ll tell you anyway. Porsche owners love to retrofit tartans. Add in seats with modular center cushions like the current Porsche shell seats and you get companies who make whole businesses on assembling swappable seat centers for an extra bit of retro flare that doesn’t require a Sonderwunsch build allotment. We’re not so sure Gulf fabric inside a Gulf livery build isn’t just a bit too much Gulf, but if that’s what an owner wants then Spirit of Le Mans seems ready to provide it.

    For instance, there are a lot of Porsche 911 Dakars out there wearing Porsche’s “Rough Roads” livery. Why Rough Roads? Well, while they mirrored the period Rothman’s colors of the Paris Dakar 959s (and many other Porsche race cars), they probably didn’t want to pay licensing or deal with the negative P.R. of putting a cigarette manufacturer’s name on the side of their new Safari-from-the-factory Carrera 4s. Even still, we’re guessing that Spirit of Le Mans is guessing lots of owners may want some tartan to match their cars.

    SOLM Rally is just one of many incredible looking fabric patterns Spirt of Le Mans offers. They’ve even got a Gulf Racing houndstooth should that be your speed. Check them out at SOLM.co.uk.