Body Colors of Japanese Cars…

The other day, when I was back at my parents’ house talking with my dad—who has absolutely no interest in cars—he suddenly said this:

“Japanese cars don’t really have good colors. European cars seem to have a lot of mature, understated colors, but Japanese cars don’t seem to have those attractive options. So in the end, people just pick safe colors like black or white.”

Wow… I never thought my dad was thinking about that. When I asked, “Dad, what color do you like?” he said,

“Hmm, I guess something grayish would be nice. A mature, calm color—like the ones you often see on European cars.”

I wondered if he meant crayon-like colors. But actually, my mother-in-law once raved about crayon colors, saying, “I love this color! If it’s a Porsche like this, I’d really like it!” and kept saying that, haha.

Maybe for my parents’ generation, colors like gray or matte beige are easier to accept.

Body Colors of European Cars

Then my dad continued,

“When it comes to color, Japanese culture and Western culture are totally different. Maybe they have a stronger attachment to color over there. It feels like they have a richer variety of car body colors and carefully select from many options compared to Japan.”

That reminded me of an interview I once read with the former president of Porsche Japan, where he shared an interesting story about Italians’ perception of color.

When I said, “Colors should be the popular white or black,” I was immediately told, “Boss, in Italy, white and black are not colors. Red, blue, and green are colors. Do you understand?” That shocked me. White and black are excluded from limited editions from the start.”
*Source: Nikkei BP “Strict Dress Codes in Banking Days: Shoes Were the Only Form of Self-Expression”

Classic Italy…! It’s so cool how they can just say that to the boss like it’s nothing.

At that moment, I suddenly remembered an Instagram account my husband once showed me: “porsche.sport.germany.” It features photos of Porsches spotted on the streets of Germany, showcasing body colors and combinations of soft tops and bodies that you rarely see in Japan, and it’s really fun to look at.

*Image source: Instagram “porsche.sport.germany”

My husband checks it often too, saying things like, “I never thought of this color combo~” or “If I buy next, I want a color like this.” When I showed this Instagram to my dad, he said,

“Really, this green is nice, isn’t it? It’s super cool.”

and kept looking at it, haha.

Of course, some cars are wrapped in colors outside what manufacturers offer, but having a culture where you can freely play with your car’s color is wonderful. And these Porsche colors really stand out beautifully against the backdrop of old European towns.

In Japan, if you don’t choose “white, silver, or black” for your car’s body color, resale value drops, and more than that, you stand out too much on the streets. So there’s a big part of “I want a playful color, but it’s actually hard to do so.”

Dad Loves Toyota, But…

After hearing my dad’s thoughts, I realized that I had always thought “Dad has no interest in cars at all,” but maybe it’s because there aren’t many attractive Japanese cars that make him say “I want this!” and that’s why his interest in cars faded over time.

Surprisingly, when he rides in our family car, he asks, “What’s the engine displacement?” or “How much horsepower does it have?” and even talks about my brother’s Subaru, saying things like “Subaru is the only one in Japan still making boxer engines, huh?” with a knowing tone (laughs).

In the end, he started with the reliable, trouble-free “Toyota” and trusts it completely, but if he had had a chance to drive a European car when he was younger, maybe he would have become more interested in cars than he is now. I think there are probably many people from my dad’s generation who feel the same way these days.