Porsche Adds Longtime 911 Owner’s Custom Color To Official Palette

Porsche offers a wide range of colors for its cars. The automaker says it has 170 different ones available across all its vehicles thanks to its Paint-to-Sample program launched last year. Michael Essmann is familiar with Porsche’s custom colors, ordering several cars with his unique green since 1992. However, starting in March, Porsche customers will have the opportunity to add Essmann’s green to their vehicles.

The color is called Essmanngreen (code 24C), and Essmann first ordered the color used in the branding of his family business for his 911 Carrera RS 3.6 964. He ordered it again on his 911 GT3 4.0 997 and most recently applied it to his 911 GT3 Touring 992, adding it through the automaker’s bespoke and individualized Paint-to-Sample Plus program.

This program allows “almost complete freedom” in selecting the color, which underwent the same grueling validation process as the rest of the Paint-to-Sample program colors. The PtS Plus process begins with a dealer sending Porsche AG a sample of the customer’s color. The automaker analyzes it, putting the color through a feasibility study it must pass before approval. The process can take up to a year. If it fails to pass, Porsche will cover the costs associated with creating and testing the color.

“Our customers thus enjoy a very wide range of available colors and many custom paint finishes that meet the highest standards,” said Alexander Fabig, Porsche Head of Individualization and classic. “Every color must be deemed suitable for many different surfaces and materials – perfect color matching is what is wanted.” 

Porsche offers 170 colors across all its models, but not all colors are available on every car. The 911 and 718 have the most options available at 115 additional choices, followed closely by the Taycan at 108. The Panamera and Macan have 59, while the Cayenne only has 52 color choices.

Porsche will add the Essmanngreen color to the 911, 718, and Taycan offerings next month. The new Essmanngreen color required over 100 different ingredients to achieve the desired shade, with Porsche blending several, including binding agents and additives.