Orange cars make the world a better place…

"4x4Pilgrim" (4x4pilgrim)
02/09/2014 at 23:57 • Filed to: Orange, BMW, Lancia, Toyota, VW, Subaru, Enthusiast

After seeing Cherry_Man1's !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! of what appears to be a BMW E21, I got to thinking about how certain shades of orange can actually be successful on certain cars. Then I realized, to my surprise, that several of the vehicles I've found highly desirable recently have been orange, and I began to wonder if the color itself had something to do with it. I think it does.

I think orange cars make the world a slightly better place. As an enthusiast of all things two and four wheeled, I tend to think that ALL cars make the world a better place (with a few notable exceptions), but particular cars in particular oranges have the unexpected effect of making me smile and want one more because of their assigned hue. I've come up with a few explanations for why I think think they are critical to our automobile culture and why they elicit my appreciation.

First, and least seriously: visibility. Hi-vis clothing comes in day-glo yellow, green, and orange for a reason. As any motorcycle rider can tell you, you want to be seen on the road, and you'll always get seen in an orange vehicle. Therefore, if more orange cars traversed our nations highways, I predict that accidents would drop and various road safety metrics would skyrocket. I'm not suggesting that everyone go out and paint their vehicle of choice day-glo orange, but you have to ask yourself: if it's good enough for a Lancia Stratos, why not good enough for you?

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Second, orange vehicles often represent the enthusiast or performance-oriented offerings from their manufacturers, on and off the racetrack. The McLaren 12c that took a heroic 4th in the recent Bathurst 12 hours was unabashedly orange. The Jagermeister 635CSI touring car? Orange. I might even go so far as to call attention to a full 50 percent of the esteemed Gulf livery. Not to mention the national racing colors of the Netherlands. But all that's just on the racetrack. What about vehicles that you and I might hope to attain?

One need only look to our own classic American iron to see that my affinity for orange is a small part of a long and proud tradition. That thing's gotta Hemi!

Or if imports are your particular cup of tea, we mustn't forget the car that took the late Paul Walker from relative obscurity into the Car Guy pantheon.

Autos from the old world more your speed? From the inauspicious beginnings of Volkswagen all the way to the Lime Rock Special Edition E92 M3, ze Germans have obviously recognized the road going efficiency of that great red & yellow combination. The Brits have figured it out as well. No one knows why orange looks so natural on a Lotus Elise or Evora, but it's futile to argue otherwise.

Maybe you shun asphalt entirely… well, the Jeep Wrangler has you covered; and if your reaction to the TRD Pro release was one of excitement rather than Raptor-denied heartbreak, then Toyota will sort you out as well.

While all of these examples show the prevalence of orange among motorsports and halo offerings from auto manufacturers around the world, the burden remains to explain why I think they make the world a better place. Orange vehicles have the potential to remind auto enthusiasts that occasionally a car manufacturer thinks like we do. It's great enough that a 911 GT3 RS exists, but when Porsche paints one orange, we get a peek at the mischievous glint in the eye of an otherwise staid corporation.

It is this glint of mischief (dare we say, enthusiasm) that leads me to the heart of the appeal of orange cars. They don't take themselves too seriously. They are a thumb at the nose toward the fleets of white, black, and silver machines. They are the antithesis of the black briefcase. They don't take themselves too seriously, and they remind us to not take ourselves to seriously. In a world of power bills, tuition, unemployment, and current gas prices, they remind us that driving is meant to be enjoyable. So whether you are driving an orange E21 to your next Jimmy John's delivery or enjoying the televised battles between an orange McLaren 12c and its multi-hued opponents; take a moment to appreciate the color that has the power to bring cars and their admirers of all nations and ages together and remind us that driving is fun.

And remember to mock all those who decided to buy a lime green Subaru. Divisive hippies!

(All photos are property of their respective owners)

DISCUSSION (17)

Manuél Ferrari > 4x4Pilgrim
02/10/2014 at 00:02

I agree

Orange cars rule!

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > 4x4Pilgrim
02/10/2014 at 00:16

My first car was an orange Mercury Cougar XR-7. Good times.

Not mine, but pretty close.

Kinja'd!!!

Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna > 4x4Pilgrim
02/10/2014 at 00:18

Kinja'd!!!

If I can get every car in my future dream list in Orange, my life will be complete.

PRBot II > 4x4Pilgrim
02/10/2014 at 00:22

Kinja'd!!!

Hell yes.

4x4Pilgrim > Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna
02/10/2014 at 00:24

In the course of researching this, I stumbled across several orange Audis. I must admit, I'm somewhat conflicted about them. I think I'm so used to wanting the S4 in blue that seeing them in orange is unexpected. There's definitely a few out there, but I'm assuming they are all aftermarket paint.

Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 > 4x4Pilgrim
02/10/2014 at 00:26

Just a few more

Kinja'd!!!

Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna > 4x4Pilgrim
02/10/2014 at 00:26

I think these two are special order from Audi Exclusive, so I don't really consider them to be colors that the car has more than the examples to support the saying "anything is possible if you have the money."

4x4Pilgrim > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny
02/10/2014 at 00:31

I'm not as conversant in muscle cars, but one of the inspirations for the post was the Joe Dirt Hemi.

Kinja'd!!!

4x4Pilgrim > Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna
02/10/2014 at 00:35

An orange RS4 Avant would definitely be legit. How could you not help but grin every time you walk up to it?

Justin Young > 4x4Pilgrim
02/10/2014 at 00:45

We think similarly, my friend.

Kinja'd!!!

Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna > 4x4Pilgrim
02/10/2014 at 00:57

If I got an Orange RS6, I'd just imagine parking it at the office and everyone has a O_O face and I'm just going to be all smug and be like, that's right, I just bought a bright orange super wagon that blows the doors off your Ferrari.