About Porsche Body Colors

When buying a car, one of the most common dilemmas is choosing the body color. While some Japanese manufacturers offer unusual colors like pink or two-tone options, Porsche’s palette might seem more limited in comparison. …But still, it’s a tough choice.

In fact, when we purchased our Panamera, we agonized over the color quite a bit. (Up until the last moment, we even considered Sapphire Blue. By the way, here it is ↓)

The tricky part about choosing a body color is that even within the same color family, there are options like “White” and “Carrara White Metallic”, or “Black” and “Jet Black Metallic”.

If the difference was obvious, it would be easier, but usually it’s just a “hmm, maybe slightly different if you look closely…” kind of subtle difference. Plus, the way the color looks changes depending on lighting, time of day, and weather.

So today, I decided to explore how similar Porsche body colors actually differ from each other.

1. White

Starting with white, you can choose the standard color “White” or the metallic option “Carrara White Metallic” (no extra cost). Here is “White.”

And here is “Carrara White Metallic.”

Hmm, I can’t really tell the difference… (*_*)

When placed side by side, it looks like this:

Well… (laughs) The Carrara White Metallic has a bit of metallic shimmer, making it look slightly bluish, glossier, and more three-dimensional. The name “Carrara” comes from the Italian marble quarry “Carrara.”

Since that alone wasn’t enough to grasp the difference, I compared the colors on our own Porsches. Luckily, our 981 Boxster GTS is in “White”, and our previous 970 Panamera Edition was in “Carrara White Metallic.”

It’s almost like I picked these just for the blog (laughs).

Here’s the Boxster’s “White.”

Since I took these photos with a Sony digital SLR camera “αIII”, which is quite good, the “White” might appear clearer and sharper than it does to the naked eye. Still, even in sunlight, I don’t really sense much blue tint.

Next, the Panamera Edition’s “Carrara White Metallic,” photographed on a slightly cloudy day.

And here’s a shot taken on a sunny day at the Higashi Rokko Observatory on the Royu Driveway.

The white looks crisp and fresh.

Looking at photos of the Boxster and Panamera side by side…

Though subtle, I feel “White” looks more matte, while “Carrara White Metallic” appears cleaner and brighter. Either way, both are undeniably beautiful! (w)

2. Black

Next up is black. There are a few types, but first here’s the standard color “Black.”

And here’s the metallic option, “Jet Black Metallic.”

Hmm… the difference is even harder to spot than with white (*_*).

When compared side by side…

Wait, these are actually the same photo (*_*)!

I thought I made a mistake and checked multiple times, but the top photo is definitely “Black” and the bottom is “Jet Black Metallic.” I think when photographed under cloudy skies or in low light, the difference is barely noticeable.

The difference is clearer on sunny days. I once saw a friend’s Boxster in “Jet Black Metallic” on a sunny day, and it looked more like a purplish black than just black.

Here’s “Jet Black Metallic” under cloudy skies.

And here it is on a sunny day.

The blue tint is more pronounced. By the way, my brother-in-law’s Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo is also “Jet Black Metallic,” and when we took photos of it alongside our “Night Blue Metallic” Panamera on a sunny day, the colors looked quite similar.(Left is our Panamera, right is the Sport Turismo)

Curious about how “Black” looks in sunlight, I searched online and found these photos.

*Image source: Porsche 718 Cayman GTS Alcantara Pkg One Owner

“Black” really stands out more in bright sunlight. “Jet Black Metallic” offers a variety of expressions depending on the light, while “Black” stands out as a pure black in any setting. Both have their charm, but currently “Jet Black Metallic” is more popular.

3. Red

Next, let’s compare reds. We’ll look at the standard “Guards Red” and the special “Carmine Red.” The difference here is quite clear. First, Guards Red.

It’s a bright, clear red. And here’s “Carmine Red.”

It has depth and reminds me of red wine (laughs). Comparing them vertically makes the difference even clearer.

Looking at Guards Red indoors, it appears like this.

*Image source: ☆Stock Info☆ 2015 Porsche Boxster PDK Red Stitching, Genuine 19” Wheels, Dealer Car

It’s a vivid, beautiful red — very much a sports car color. How does it look outdoors?

*Image source: Porsche Cayman GTS PDK

The impression of red doesn’t change much between indoor and outdoor settings. Next, here’s a photo of “Carmine Red.”

*Image source: AUTO NET, Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

Indoors, it looks like a rich, deep red. While researching online, I found a great photo on Minkara where the back car is “Guards Red” and the front is “Carmine Red.”

*Image source: Minkara user RanRanRan, Various Reds

Looking at them side by side, the difference is quite noticeable.

Regarding the option price for Carmine Red: on the 911 it’s +482,000 yen (though some 911 models like Turbo don’t offer Carmine Red), the new 911 is +443,000 yen, Panamera +636,000 yen, Macan +387,000 yen, Cayenne +433,000 yen, Boxster +426,000 yen, and Cayman +383,000 yen.

4. Silver

Silver is also a popular color. Let’s compare “GT Silver Metallic” and “Dolomite Silver Metallic.” First, “Dolomite Silver Metallic.”

Next, “GT Silver Metallic.”

Now, comparing the two vertically…?

Hmm, maybe a subtle difference. Indoors, “GT Silver Metallic” looks like this.

This photo was taken when I test drove the 718 Cayman. It has a strong metallic feel and looks very cool. Later, I took outdoor photos of “GT Silver Metallic,” but the metallic effect seemed less pronounced—probably because it was cloudy.

Looking for sunny-day photos of “GT Silver Metallic,” I found some taken by a Minkara blogger we both follow, Goron♪.

*Image source: Goron♪’s “911 turbo S (991.2)” on Minkara

Beautiful, no doubt. Currently, the 718 configurator only offers “GT Silver” as the silver option. I remember the “Rhodium Silver” for the 718 Cayman used to look great too.(Shown below from our Owners File)

Checking Porsche Japan’s site, the new Macan, 911, and Panamera offer “GT Silver” and “Dolomite Silver”, so it seems Rhodium Silver was replaced by Dolomite Silver.

So what does Dolomite Silver look like? I found some Instagram posts.

@porsche.oh

@porschecentrekendal

It seems to have a slightly bluish silver tone.

5. Gray

I also looked into gray a bit. “Fashion Gray,” “Sport Classic Gray,” and “Crayon” are often compared online because they look similar. Here’s “Fashion Gray.”

@elizabethporsche

It’s a beautiful color, definitely grayer than Crayon. Next, “Sport Classic Gray.”

@tonymission

It suits the 918 Spyder well. Finally, “Crayon.”

@maschermxporsche

Looking at these, Crayon has a more matte impression.

Popular Colors Shared Between Europe and America?

Regarding body colors, Porsche Japan’s site states:

The three most popular colors shared between Europe and America are White, Gray, and Black. In Europe, Deep Black Metallic dominates the 911, Cayenne, and Panamera models. In America, Black is the most ordered color for the 911 and Cayenne, while White is popular for other models.
Meanwhile, White and Mahogany Metallic are overwhelmingly popular in China. The top color for the Cayenne there is Mahogany Metallic, and for the 911, after White, the option color Lava Orange is favored.
Speaking of options, only about 1% of customers choose option colors.

*Source: Porsche Japan “The Power of Color”

So White, Black, and Gray are popular worldwide. Body colors are a deep topic, and it’s interesting how preferences vary by region. I plan to explore option colors more in the future.