Yellow, the colour of sunshine – signifies hope, happiness, freshness, intellect, loyalty and joy. For all reasons considered, we here at Carlist.my love the colour yellow, even more, when it’s painted over the striking silhouette of a car.
Yellow, when applied on a VW Kombi – reveals a gentler, more fun side to the vehicle for instance, or when outlined over a striking JUN Nissan Silvia, can be made to strike fear and excitement in equal amounts to all who come across it.
In any case, cars present the perfect canvas to this most joyful of colours, so here are five very cool cars that came in yellow.
Renault Megane RS
Why it’s here:
First introduced in 2010, the current generation Renault Megane (III) which is nearing the end of its stellar run, combines the perfect symbiosis of performance, handling and driver engagement. After all, when the people responsible for developing World Championship-winning Formula One cars are tasked with creating a hot-hatch, you can bet the results will be pretty staggering.
The Megane is powered by 2.0-litre twin-scroll turbocharged four-pot that churns out 250PS, this number has been massaged through the years with the swansong RS275 version churning out, you guessed it, 275PS. A slew of industry awards and (class leading) Nurburgring lap times ensure the Megane RS will go down as one of the coolest hot-hatches of all time.
Would we have it any other colour?
Perhaps in white otherwise, the Trophy version which was supplied with an icy white hue, contrasted by red body highlights and black wheels looks pretty slick. However, wearing the official colours of the Formula One team always carries a greater significance.
Chevrolet Camaro
Why it’s here:
Who could forget that scene, Hollywood starlet Megan Fox nestled up close with lead actor Shia Labeouf in the passenger seat of the “crappy ‘ol Camaro”, shortly before who we’d would come to know later as Bumblebee, transformed into the coolest yellow car to ever light up the silver screen. Besides being a masterstroke of marketing, the fifth-generation Camaro (first introduced in 2010) also re-lit the flame for Chevrolet’s junior sports car which was nigh-on dead after 2002.
Would we have it any other colour?
And have it not look like Bumblebee, pfft!
Range Rover Camel Trophy
Why it’s here:
The Camel Trophy came to be known in its time (1980-2000) as the Olympics of 4×4 – this annual saga of exploration and adventure drew teams from all over the world; and pitted man and machine against the toughest challenges nature had to offer. Defeating the odds meant as much about human endurance and cunning as the trusty 4×4 vehicle under you. Although the inaugural event was undertaken by just three Jeep vehicles, organisers and participants alike soon turned to Land Rover for their hardy 4×4 range. Every single model was used, with the marque swiftly becoming synonymous with the yearly expedition itself. Of all the models used, which included the Series III, Discovery and Defender – the flagship Range Rover which combined Fifth Avenue style and brutish off-road ability was as cool as it got.
Would we have it any other colour?
It’s like asking a Zebra to change its stripes.
Nissan Skyline GT-R Nismo 400R
Why it’s here:
The Nissan Skyline GT-R Nismo 400R was built to celebrate the firm’s involvement in the 1995 and 1996 Le Mans races. Only 44 hand-built examples were ever completed making it the holy grail of the Skyline GT-R family. The 2.6-litre RB26 engine was stroked to 2.8-litres and massaged to produce a whopping 400hp and 470Nm of torque making it among the most powerful products to ever roll-out Nismo’s factory doors – and when draped in yellow, simply looked menacing.
Would we have it any other colour?
The PlayStation generation will only remember the Nismo 400R in yellow, however, there were some black examples too.
Ruf CTR ‘Yellowbird’
Why it’s here:
Not satisfied with the Porsche 911’s (964 Series) inherent performance, German based tuner Ruf Automobiles decided to turn up the wick – all the way to 11. Ruf’s efforts included bespoke tuning of the 3.2-litre flat-six engine which later produced a ‘minimum’ of 469bhp and 553Nm of torque. The Yellowbird also featured upgraded suspension, brakes, gearbox and a host of aerodynamic tweaking and chassis strengthening. In April of 1987, the Ruf CTR Yellowbird made its first appearance on Road & Track’s ‘World’s Fastest Cars’ contest where it blitzed the competition with a 4.0 second 0-100km/h sprint all the way to a top speed of 342km/h instantly making it the fastest production car in the world.
The car famously received its Yellowbird nickname from the Road and Track testers, as the bright yellow paintwork drew a sharp contrast against the overcast skies on the day of the shoot.
Would we have it any other colour?
What, and change the name? Check out the video below to see the Yellowbird in action on one of the coolest laps of the Nurburgring.
Keyword: Feature: Five Cool Cars That Came In Yellow