What: 2018 BMW M4 Competition Color: BMW Individual British Racing Green (553; 312; BMW) VIN: WBS4Y9C50JAC86736 Mileage: 34,065 Price at Time of this Writing: $54,990 CarFax:Link Window Sticker: N/A Location: Portland, OR Dealer listing:Link
Why we love it:
While not often thought as a Heritage color for BMW, British Racing Green had a fling with the brand in the ’90s, appearing on the E36 M3 GT and Z3 models. Nearly 30 years later, the color still looks the business on this M4 helping it to stand out in a subtle way. We also love that this M4 has been treated to a host of Dinan goodies (Coil Overs, Sway Bars and Intake), none of which fiddle with the ECU tune. On the inside, this Tailored Driver is optioned with extended leather and DCT transmission, making it a nice, comfortable place for commuting. We think it’s a great package.
Firms like Alpina operate in an interesting space. While competing with a broad aftermarket, Alpina and peers like RUF, ABT Sportsline and others are more than just body kit manufacturers or “tuners” in the traditional sense. They’re more of a reimagineer of current cars, and Alpina in particular has long been a brand that will take your new BMW and make it even more tailored to suit your personality or performance needs. We like covering them, but like even more when they build a car based on a more tailored color like BMW Daytona Violet Metallic (daytonaviolett metallic; metallic UNI; 283; BMW Individual).
We don’t have a whole lot on the specification of the car beyond the model, B3 GT – i.e. based on the BMW 3 series) and the color that Alpina confirmed in their social media post that went with the photo set. Nevertheless, we wanted to share it. Check out more information in the aforementioned post that we’ve embedded above.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, BMW M is killing it in the social media game when it comes to showing off the brand’s most interesting colors and promoting their BMW Individual custom paint program. Several times a week, you can count on the team from Münich to share another unexpected paint option and this one certainly qualifies.
The car is a BMW M4 Competition Cabriolet with M xDrive, and the paint is BMW Individual Velvet Orchid II metallic(velvetorchidiimetallic; metallic; L74; BMW). This soft desaturated pink is something you definitely won’t find every day.
There’s no doubt that pinks are becoming more and more in fashion in the automotive paint color space, and it’s a testament to how normal this is. If you’d told us you’d ordered a BMW Cabriolet in a light metallic and red brake calipers we’d have probably made a hairdresser joke… yet here we are looking at this M4 Cabrio and thinking it’d make for a proper entry to a fantasy garage. Well played BMW M. Well played.
One of our favorite manufacturer social media accounts is BMW M on Facebook. Not only have they created a BMW Individual configurator and post historical context on some of their most popular colors on their own corporate websites, they use this account to celebrate that work and highlight exquisite specifications of their cars using those colors.
This week the color is Brass Metallic (messing; metallic UNI; 621; BMW). Yes, brown hues tend to be a bit inside baseball, subtler than intense yellows or blues and less obvious. That may why many buyers of tailored automobiles prefer them.
Over the last few years, BMW has also been great at embracing these earth tones that are nods to interesting metals, with copper accents on some BMW i models, or colors like Brass Metallic. And, there’s no doubt this M8 in Brass Metallic looks great with other brown elements like its cognac style leather.
We’re always fans of those creating tailored specifications electing to cross brand borders in selecting a color. Take for instance this 2025 BMW M3 Competition xDrive at Sewell BMW Plano. Ethan Ledbetter from the dealer posted it over on the BMW Individual market & discussion Group on Facebook and confirmed it’s “Smyrna Green”. Based not eh pictures, we’re next to positive it’s Porsche’s Smyrna Green (smyrnagrün; non-metallic uni; S0A; BMW).
How do we know it’s Porsche’s color? Google it and you’ll see this non-metallic green on the teal side of the green spectrum is pretty unique. While the photos in the post aren’t the greatest lighting, it’s kind of hard to mistake that color.
Here’s what else we know about the car. It’s got Orange/Black extended Merino leather, Parking Assistance Package, Executive Package, M Drive Professional, M Sport Differential, Mobility Kit, Adaptive M Suspension, M Shadowline Lights, M Carbon Bucket Seats, Drive Recorder and M Carbon Exterior Package.
We’re going to go ahead and include a link to the Facebook post along with the associated photos for reference below.
BMW has dropped fresh photo assets of its latest (G90) M5 sedan, including mixes of the car in rare and eye-catching colors. One of those colors is a popular BMW Individual offering – Speed Yellow (speedgelb; nonmetallic UNI; U96; BMW Individual).
In addition to photos, BMW also released footage of the same car. We’ve added them to our YouTube channel and will embed them here as well. Below these, you’ll find the full gallery of shots dropped by BMW in this latest round.
Facebook Marketplace can be an excellent place to treasure hunt for unique specification cars, as evidenced by this 2016 M3 sedan F80 sedan (wildberry; metallic; T09; BMW) painted in BMW Individual Wildberry Metallic (wildberrymetallic; metallic UNI; T09; BMW Individual) paired with Silverstone light grey interior. The car looks modified, though cleanly and minimally so, and well kept. And, for critics of the latest bucktooth BMW M3/4 generation, it’s the better-looking previous generation.
The car has 37,000 miles, making it not exactly unused, but also low mileage for its age. The owner states that he’s installed a GTS style hood, but that he still has the original that can go with the car. And while we’re sure it’s a pain to move or store, we think we’d want it even for the next owner if we purchased this great-looking Bimmer.
We’ve added photos of the car to this post, however you can find even more pictures and video along with the full listing on Facebook Marketplace HERE.
SUMMARY: BMW named this yellow hue after the iconic Dakar Rally, the ultimate rally raid style endurance race that originally trekked from Paris to Dakar, though presently is now held in Saudi Arabia. Though BMW automobiles has never competed as a factory at Dakar, BMW Motorrad won the motorcycle class of the Dakar Rally six times, including its first victory in 1981 when Hubert Auriol won on the R80 G/S. Though we don’t know for sure, it’s a safe guess that these victories are quite likely the inspiration for the name of this almost buttery shade of yellow BMW used to debut the BMW M3 type E36.
Dakar Yellow (dakargelbii; non-metallic uni; 337; BMW) is considered one of BMW Individual’s most iconic colors, and has been a popular choice through BMW Individual since that E36 era. Worth noting, there is also a color known as Dakar Yellow II, though it shares the same 337 color code with the main difference noted by enthusiasts as simply Dakar Yellow with a UNI clear coat.
SUMMARY: Borusan Turkish Blue (borusantürkischblau; non-metallic uni; P9E; BMW) is an intense racing blue on the green side of the blue spectrum, established as a go-to color from its use on the BMW M4 GT4 racing cars of the Turkish racing team Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport. Launched in 2008, Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport, working with BMW Individual to develop this blue as a special color specifically for its cars. In more recent years, mounting success for the team has brought their signature color to the fore.
In developing the blue hue, the team was seeking an eye-catching unique color to give their cars a distinctive look on track. Following their ordering a special edition roadgoing BMW M4 Coupé in the color, the team and BMW were so impressed with the result that the color was made accessible via BMW Individual to a wider range of BMW buyers.
If you’re nostalgic for the 90s era of BMWs (looking at you E36), then you know your way around Dakar Yellow (dakargelbii; non-metallic uni; 337; BMW). The hue was a standard and much beloved color on that era M3, and it remains one of the most revered BMW Individual paint colors as a result. So, when we find another generation M3 Coupe painted the same color from the factory, we take notice. Take for instance this 39,000 mile 2011 E92 M3 Competition Coupe in New Rochelle, NY that we’ve found on Facebook Marketplace.
The car’s a Competition with V8, so already rare and sought-after. The owner reports it is “likely” one of one in the USA thanks to that color. We have not verified the claim with BMW and it sounds like the owner may not be entirely certain, but it’s definitely rare (Editor’s Note: Check below for more information on the rarity). The color is listed as Dakar Yellow II (dakargelb; non-metallic; 337; BMW Individual), with two-tone Palladium and Black Novillo leather. Other options beyond the BMW Individual paint include Style 359 M wheels, Sunroof, iDrive Navigation and DCT dual clutch automatic.
It’s got a few modifications, but nothing extreme. These include KW V3 coilover suspension and an Eisenmann exhaust.
The owner also states that it’s been featured on YouTube, so we’ve embedded that video in this story.
UPDATE#1: The difference between Dakar Yellow and Dakar Yellow II is the addition of a clear coat.
UPDATE #2: David, a commenter below, added this reference information in regards to the rarity of a Dakar Yellow E92 Competition. In it he stated:
Worldwide, 140 E92 M3s left the factory in this colour. – 40 for North America (28 for USA, 12 for Canada) – 30 for the Rest of the World in LHD – 70 for the Rest of the World in RHD
19 of the 28 USA examples came with the Competition Pack.
This particular car was No.14 of the 28 USA cars to be made and the only one of the 28 to come paired with the Palladium Silver & Black Novillo Leather interior leather.
Manufactured on 30-June-2011 it was originally supplied by Winslow BMW of Colorado Springs on 12-August-2011.
