Last week, Pantone announced its Color of the Year for 2022: 17-3938, Very Peri. It’s a deep, cool purple that, according to Pantone, exudes “carefree confidence and a daring curiosity that animates our creative spirit.” I’m not sure a single color can pull all that off, but I can say this about Very Peri: It would look great on a car.
Purple is one of the best automotive colors, and the brands know it. Mopar owners love their Hell Raisin and Plum Crazy, and Nissan fans will talk your ear off about all the variations between the different versions of Midnight Purple. Even Porsche has its Viola Purple Metallic, which only a rube would confuse with Porsche’s Viola Metallic.
Personally, that Viola Purple Metallic 911 GT3 tops my list of purple cars. The flake in the color is subtler than Viola Metallic, giving it an interesting depth and subtle color shift without being too loud. It’s almost a similar effect to Ford Performance’s Liquid Blue, except that you can actually buy it — assuming, of course, you have paint-to-sample Porsche money.
Not that many people do, mind you. Purple is the least popular car color, which is part of what makes it so interesting. No one ends up with a purple car, you really have to seek them out. They’re out there, but they’re rare, and that makes finding one all the more exciting.
But what’s your favorite purple car? Did you own a Chevy SSR in bright purple that you loved, or a Honda Fit in Blackberry Pearl? Was there a Plymouth Prowler poster on your childhood bedroom wall, or were you shuttled to soccer practice in a Deep Amethyst Metallic Cadillac? Tell us your favorite purple cars, and we’ll collect our favorites into a slideshow later in the day.