McGrath Auto Blog

News from Around Our Family of Dealerships

  • Blog
    • Staff Profiles
    • Women of McGrath
    • News and Events
    • Auto News
    • Vehicle Reviews
    • Maintenance Tips
  • About Us
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Contact
Home » Car Colors: What a Paint’s Name Says About a Vehicle

Car Colors: What a Paint’s Name Says About a Vehicle

July 31, 2013 By Kif Richmann

Cadillac ATS

What’s in a name? Shakespeare wrote “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”. Translation: it doesn’t matter what something is called, it matters what it is.

If that were really the case, however, why do automakers have such imaginative, elaborate, and sometimes confounding names for their car colors? A truck isn’t just red, it’s Victory Red. A Cadillac ATS can’t simply be blue, it must be Opulent Blue. Looking for a new BMW? Would you like Moonstone Metallic or Mojave Metallic?

So why do automakers put so much creative energy into the names of their paint jobs?

The Names of Car Colors Say A lot About the Brand

Overall branding and brand management is one of the most important aspects of a vehicle’s success, and naming paint colors needs to be in line with that brand’s theme. Branding can apply to different makes, such as Ford or Chevrolet, as well as models, such as Mustang and Camaro.

Ram trucks, for example, have a brand theme of outdoors and hard work, particularly angled towards agriculture (see “So God Made a Farmer”), so Ram trucks come in colors such as Western Brown and Prairie Pearl Coat. Sure, Ram could call them dark brown and light brown, but that doesn’t help move the brand’s theme forward.

GMC Sierra trucks, on the other hand, have the “Professional Grade” mantra, with a theme of precision engineering and industry. On this note, GMC pickups can be found in Steel Gray Metallic, Bronze Alloy, or Iridium Metallic.

The Ford Mustang, which is branded with a theme of excitement, power, and speed, comes in colors like Race Red, Deep Impact Blue, and (a personal favorite) Gotta Have It Green.

BMW, one of the leading European luxury brands, focuses on elegance, refinement, and top-of-the-line quality. With cars coming in colors like Orion Silver, Sparkling Bronze, Imperial Blue, and Sophisto Grey, the Bavarians keep the elegance going, all the way down to the paint job.

While the names of colors are far from the biggest factor in spreading a brand’s theme, they do play a role in maintaining the overall focus and feel of individual nameplates.

Car Colors by Automotive Brand Names

Here’s a (relatively) short list of some creatively named car colors from a few of the biggest car brands:

Ram Trucks:

StockPhotoThumb
Ram 1500 in Copperhead Pearl
  • Copperhead Pearl
  • Western Brown
  • True Blue
  • Black Gold
  • Prairie Pearl Coat
  • Case IH Red
  • Construction Yellow

Cadillac:

StockPhotoThumb
Cadillac ATS in Opulent Blue
  • Opulent Blue
  • Silver Coast
  • Glacier Blue
  • Mocha Steel
  • Radiant Silver
  • Sapphire Blue
  • Black Ice

Ford:

Gotta Have It Green
Ford Mustang in Gotta Have it Green
  • Blue Flame
  • Tuxedo Black
  • Blue Jeans
  • Green Envy
  • Storm Grey
  • Performance Blue
  • Gotta Have It Green

Chevrolet:

  • Blue Granite
  • Tungsten Metallic
  • Blue Topaz

Surprisingly, when building a 2014 Silverado on Chevy’s website, you can select simply “Black”.

2012-BMW-X5-xDrive50i-Color-Sparkling-Bronze-Metallic
BWM X5 is Sparkling Copper

BMW:

  • Tanzanite Blue
  • Moonstone Metallic
  • Deep Sea Blue
  • Mojave Metallic
  • Space Gray

Mercedes-Benz:

  • Dolomite Brown
  • Iridium Silver
  • Palladium Silver
  • Lunar Blue

These are just a few examples of the creative, imaginative, and sometimes downright ridiculous names that automakers have given to their paint colors.

So the next time little Jimmy says “Oh look, a blue car!”, you can turn to him and say, “No, son, that’s an Atlantis Blue Metallic 2014 Chevrolet Cruze LTZ.”

McGrath Auto: Serving Iowa City and Cedar Rapids

If you are looking for a new or used car in the Cedar Rapids or Iowa City area, contact McGrath Auto.

We’ll help you find the high quality new or used car you deserve, so work with us today.

BROWSE OUR NEW CAR INVENTORY

BROWSE OUR USED CAR INVENTORY

Filed Under: Auto News

Recent Posts

Introducing the Kia EV9

March 17, 2023 By Seth McDuffee

McGrath Toyota of Iowa City Announces “Spirit of Iowa City” Photography Contest!

October 14, 2022 By Seth McDuffee

Most Popular Posts

Categories

  • Auto News
  • Community
  • Maintenance Tips
  • McGrath Emerging Leaders
  • News and Events
  • Our Family
  • Promotions
  • Vehicle Review
  • Women of McGrath

Our Mission

Do the Right Thing. Exceed Expectations.
Make a Difference.

Do the Right Thing.
Exceed Expectations.
Make a Difference.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Shop New
  • Shop Used
  • Shop Specials
  • Auto Repair
  • McGrath Jobs

Copyright © 2023 · McGrath Family of Dealerships