Porsche are adding new colors to the Paint to Sample range, named after long-term fan Michael Essmann.
The paint colour, Essmanngreen, will be available to buy on the all-new 911, 718 and Taycan models from March 2023.
Porsche describes the color as “brilliantly rich green”.
It was first used in 1992 on Mr Essmann’s 911 Carrera RS 3.6 after he decided to copy the paint color used for his family-run business, Elektro Essmann.
He has used Porsche’s Paint to Sample Plus option on his range of 911s, and his son has also used accents in this color on his Porsche Sports Cup racing car.
Porsche currently offers a wide range of standard color options for its entire lineup, but if customers aren’t satisfied, they can choose a premium color from within the Paint to Sample range (formerly known as Custom Color) or go all out and create their own color through the process ‘Paint to Sample Plus’.
The Paint to Sample range includes 115 additional color options for the 911 and 718 models, 108 color options for the Taycan, 59 for the Panamera and Macan and an additional 52 color options for the Cayenne.
For customers who want to go the extra mile for their vehicle, Paint to Sample Plus allows them to provide color swatches to Porsche AG for approval. Colors will undergo testing and feasibility before being approved for application.
Paint to Sample colors cost between $16,000 and $20,000 in Australia, while Paint to Sample Plus is even more expensive – customers opting for Paint to Sample Plus can expect to pay upwards of $30,000 depending on market and model.
The process to create the new color takes place at Porsche’s main factory in Zuffenhausen where paint specialists blend several dozen ingredients down to the last milligram to achieve the desired color.
The recipe for Essmanngreen includes more than 100 ingredients.
Once mixed, each batch is then divided into two separate pots of paint to be used on the body and additional parts. There are different application methods and drying temperatures depending on the part being finished.
The Paint to Sample Plus process can take up to 11 months in certain cases to complete.