What: 2023 Porsche Macan GTS Color: Porsche Paint to Sample Maritime Blue (maritimblau; non-metallic UNI; 5MB; Porsche) VIN:  WP1AF2A59PLB57316 Mileage: 18,419 miles Price: $87,489 CarFax: Link Window Sticker: N/A Location: Lehi, UT Listing:Porsche Lehi
While it’s not the first Maritime Macan GTS we’ve featured, there’s just something about pairing this classic Porsche blue with the brand’s volume leader. This particular example is newer, has fewer miles, and has more desirable options- which is to say it’s also more expensive. At $87k it may not fit into the ‘budget’ category, but for practical performance that can be used year round in all climates we aren’t sure you can do much better.
What: 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Color: Porsche Paint to Sample Maritime Blue (maritimblau; non-metallic UNI; 5MB; Porsche) VIN:  WP0AB2A98BS721097 Mileage: 33,391 miles Price: $169,995 CarFax: Link Window Sticker: N/A Location: Ryan Friedman Motorcars, Glen Cove, NY Listing: Link
From our perspective, Paint to Sample examples of cars like this 997.2-era Porsche 911 are some of the hardest to find. Paint to Sample services being chosen for a car wasn’t nearly as common in this era, making them so much rarer and hard to find than modern Porsche models.
This particular car is a phenomenal spec. Painted the 964-era Carrera Cup-originating Maritime Blue is already a great choice, though quite obscure on a Carrera 4S. Inside, the spec continues with additional leather, red stitching and more.
We’re always fans of the selection at Ryan Friedman Motorcars in Glen Cove, NY and car such as this one are exemplary of why we’re so quick to express our fandom.
What: 2023 BMW i4 M50 Gran Coupe Color: BMW Individual Maritime Blue(maritimblau; non-metallic UNI; P7P; BMW) VIN: WBY33AW06PFP94302 Mileage: 11,600 miles Price at Time of this Writing: $26,666 CarFax:Link Location: Utica, NY Auction listing:Cars and Bids
Regardless of where your allegiance lies when it comes to mobility- electric, combustion, hybrid, or maybe a little of all the above- we think this Tailored Driver shows that with the right options anything can be exciting. BMW’s version of Maritime Blue is used brilliantly to spice up this i4 M50 Gran Coupe, and it’s currently for sale on Cars and Bids. It’s a welcomed change from your standard greyscale electric, set off nicely with H&R suspension and 21″ aftermarket wheels. Is this enough to make you consider a Driver outside of your comfort zone? Let us know in the comments below.
Events like Air|Water bring a wave of vibrant colors from the Porsche community. When it’s thoughtfully curated, it feels like being a kid in a candy store. @PTSRS and Air|Water teamed up to present “Colors of Air|Water,” and we spent hours capturing content for our site. The rain didn’t stop us. It added mood and contrast, bringing each color to life in both overcast light and the bright California sun.
We’re kicking things off with Maritime Blue, a color we’ve featured on the site before. In our Color Focus series, we took a closer look at its origins and where it stands today.
Here’s a quick recap: Maritime Blue (maritimblau, nonmetallic UNI, 5MB, Porsche) was either introduced or rose to prominence during the 964 era. According to Porsche Club’s Rennbow database, it was mainly available from 1991 to 1995, with a few exceptions, including a possible appearance in 1979 on the Carrera SC. Rennbow also notes it may have evolved from early Porsche Enamel Blue.
At its core, Maritime Blue is a near primary shade that echoes the early national racing colors of France, often called French Blue, made iconic in the prewar era by Bugatti.
We don’t have many details on this particular 964, but chances are you don’t need us to tell you just how rare this car really is. Built by Porsche Motorsport in 1993, the 964 RS 3.8 is one of just 55 units ever produced. Designed as a homologation special for the 964 RSR race car, it featured a widened Turbo body, a 3.8 liter air cooled flat six, and lightweight construction throughout. With most examples staying in Europe and many destined for the track, seeing one in Maritime Blue is an exceptionally rare occasion. Seeing one in the United States is even more rare.
Using the Bramo app, we get more insights on this 718 Spyder. The owner states, “Car was spec’d in collaboration with @PTSRS and our local dealership. The car originally resided in MA but has been enjoyed by myself and friends in CA for the last year and a half.” Pretty rad to spec it with PTSRS and bring it to an event organized by him.
Check out the video and gallery below for a walk around of both cars.
What: 2021 Porsche Macan GTS Color: Porsche Paint to Sample Maritime Blue (maritimblau; non-metallic UNI; 5MB; Porsche) VIN:  WP1AG2A57MLB53533 Mileage: 32,766 miles Price: $69,999 CarFax: Link Window Sticker: N/A Location: Pittsburgh, PA Listing: Porsche of Pittsburgh
One of our favorite current Porsche models in one of our favorite all-time Porsche Paint to Sample hues? Well alrighty then. The Macan GTS has been praised here before, and our Head of Social calls upon his for daily driver duties. In fact, it’s likely only a matter of time until we add another to the fleet, and we can only hope that second Macan GTS is this cool. Maritime’s history was covered here, and while the 964 Carrera RS is a better home for the color, we think this is an incredible way to stand out in the School pick-up line.
SUMMARY: Near as we can tell, Maritime Blue (maritimblau; non-metallic UNI; 5MB; Porsche) as a color was introduced or at least popularized during the 964 era. Porsche Club’s Rennbow website lists it as mainly available from 1991 to about 1995 with a few exceptions since and potentially in 1979 on the Carrera SC. They also suggest it may have evolved from early Porsche Enamel Blue. Whatever the case, the idea is simple enough – a practically primary blue that harks early national racing colors of France, often referred to as French Blue and popularized in those early pre-war racing years by Bugatti.
By the 964 era, the boring tones and colors (or ubiquity of Guards Red) of the 1980s were about to give way to a return to more avant-garde hues. While just colorful and envelope-pushing as were the 1960s and 1970s, the 1990s had their own unique feel. Its in this timeframe that Maritime Blue drops, alongside other colors like Rubystar and Mint Green, and quickly made even more sought after thanks to an association with the just-launched 911 Carrera Cup.
Some will mistake Maritime Blue for Audi’s Nogaro Blue. That’s not surprising given they are both very close to each other in tone, and Nogaro Blue traces its own roots to the Porsche-developed Audi RS2 Avant that came to market during the 964 era. Even still, they’re not the same and that becomes evident on the rare occasions each of these colors find themselves parked next to each other. Worth noting, Nogaro Blue is also a pearlescent paint whereas Maritime Blue is not.
Given its history with the Porsche brand and the much-loved 964 era in particular, Maritime Blue remains a popular Paint to Sample color to this day.
Fans of air-cooled Porsche 911s will want to take note. A 964 Speedster is already a rare bird, but one built to an extremely choice specification such as this Maritime Blue (maritimblau; non-metallic UNI; 5MB; Porsche) example going available on the market is a truly special thing. We’ve just run across it available in the south of France (because of course) and wanted to make you aware.
While the Porsche Speedster became an icon during the early 356A portion of Porsche’s history, the idea of the low-slung windshield and lightweight take on Porsche’s mainstay sportscar didn’t return until the G-body 911 Speedster of the late 80s. And while those G-body cars were very cool with their wider Turbo fender flares, the Speedster would go back even more to its roots in the guise of the 964 when it went narrow body and took even further measures to emphasize light weighting.
According to the ad over on the website for the dealer Alsphalt Classics, only 936 examples of the Porsche 911 (type 964) Speedster were ever produced. That makes them rare, although not altogether unseen as they were federalized and sold in America as well. Even still, many of the ones you tend to see are a standard color such as Black or Guards Red, and when Paint to Sample was used they always seem to be some form of yellow.
Also popularized during the 964 era was a Porsche Carrera Cup color called Maritime Blue. One of many Porsche takes on classic French Blue, non-metallic Maritime Blue became a popular standard color on the 964 generation Carrera RS, often paired with blue interior accent such as color-matched Recaro Pole Position seats with Maritime Blue painted shells and gradients of blue leather on the seat centers.
No doubt whomever specced this 911 Speedster was influenced by the Carrera RS. The car makes use of the same gradient and color-matched Recaros, going several steps further with color-matched leather on the dashboard and one-piece shift knob with boot, plus webbing on the lightweight door pulls. It even gets the optional color-matched wheels also in Maritime Blue.
Interestingly, the background on the Alsphalt Classics website reveals this car to be a pre-production model with pre-series engine and gearbox. Given it’s a 1993, that’s more intriguing than it might be concerning as the 964 had been in production since late 1989 and with few changes. We’re guessing what would have made this pre-series was simply early production of the Speedster body style.
The dealer reports this car has spent its time in Spain and the South of France, while the clear side markers on the fender also confirm it’s not German market specification, as that would have no side repeaters just like North American models.
It’s logged 99,500 km, meaning about 60,000 miles. Looking at the excellent photos from the dealership, it appears to be in relatively original condition with some wear on things like door pulls. Priced at 244,900 Euros, it’s about what we’d expect for a rare and incredibly tasteful specification of the 964 Speedster. Also, being older than 25 years makes it a relatively easy import for any of our North American readers. Check out further details HERE.
