PETALING JAYA: Back in the day, the colour blue was associated with one particular car – the Subaru Impreza WRX – and it still holds true to this day.
The combination of blue and the gold rims forever sealed its fate as these high performance cars roared through dirt and tarmac during World Rally Cross stagings.
It’s such a distinct colour that Subaru even named it World Rally Blue Pearl. There is another blue option called Galaxy Blue Pearl.
White is the world’s favourite car colour – again
Fast forward to 2015, and the colour blue in all its shades seem to be a hit with carmakers everywhere and it can be seen in a range of categories from mainstream passenger vehicles to performance compacts to high performance sports cars.
So what does the colour blue say about the car and their owners?
Colour consultant and trend forecaster Leatrice Eiseman told US-based Today news site that blue suggests calmness, confidence and being authoritative.
“Light-to-mid blue is always considered cool to the touch, cool to the eye,” says Eiseman. “Those who drive this shade like the coldness of it in the metal. And they’re the kind of people who have a calm demeanour to the point of really being unshakable. They’re very faithful.”
Whatever the case may be, here is a look at some of the cars launched this year and the special names they give the colour blue.
Caesium Blue – Jaguar F-Pace:
The colour is said to emulate the C-X17 concept car, which featured this shade of blue, and was first seen at the Frankfurt Motor Show back in 2013. The production model however, turned up in 2015, again at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and promises refinement, unrivalled dynamics and everyday usability.
Long Beach Blue – BMW M2:
The new BMW M2 has a striking blue paintjob option which makes this compact high-performance coupe look even more dynamic.
With its high-performance six-cylinder in-line engine, rear-wheel-drive agility, lightweight aluminium M Sport suspension and extrovert styling, the new M2 coupe is said to deliver the last word in driving pleasure.
Deep Crystal Blue Mica and Dynamic Blue Mica – Mazda CX-3:
Yes, this has not been launched yet but it’s coming real soon. The two blue hues are available in Australia and only time will tell if these colour options will be available for Malaysians.
The 2.0-litre Mazda CX-3 compact crossover features the “Kodo – Soul of Motion” styling and has a bold face, and curvaceous body with high belt line and large wheels for an aggressive look.
Dark Blue Metallic and Sapphire Blue Metallic – Porsche Cayman GT4:
The Cayman GT4 represents the first time Porsche is introducing a GT sports car based on the Cayman.
Here are some numbers to make a motorhead drool: a lap time of 7 minutes and 40 seconds on the North Loop of the Nurburgring puts the Cayman GT4 as the new benchmark in its segment.
Sepang Blue Pearl Effect/Sepang Blue Matte/Sepang Blue Pearl Effect (Black Roof) – Audi R8 V10:
The good people at Ingolstadt honoured Malaysia by naming it after the prestigious racing circuit. They also have Catalunya Red after the Spanish circuit. But the fact of the matter is, Sepang Blue doesn’t look slow on this performance beast which spews out 525hp!
Ford Focus RS in Liquid Blue.
Liquid Blue and Nitrous Blue – Ford Focus RS 2016:
Sadly, the Liquid Blue is a show-car colour only – it was the colour used when it was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show this year. Officially, when the RS is released next year, another blue hue will take its place: Nitrous Blue. The Nitrous Blue is a brighter shade compared to the Liquid Blue. Honestly, I’d want the more aggressive Liquid Blue for an RS which outputs 345bhp and 439Nm of torque.
Malta Blue – Renault Clio GT Line:
It is a serene colour so it is aptly named. The Clio is powered by a turbocharged 1.2-litre TCe 120 four-cylinder petrol engine with 120hp and 190Nm mated to a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Twilight Blue Metallic – Honda Civic 2015 facelift:
This colour was previously available on the Honda CR-V and comes in three variants: the entry-level 1.8S, the mid-range 2.0S and the high-spec 2.0 Navi.
Hermosa Blue – Infiniti Q70:
We received a test unit last month in Hermosa Blue, one of five colours available for this facelifted model that was introduced locally in June. It’s a rich shade of blue with a mirror finish that makes the car looks outstanding. Sold in three variants, the base Q70 2.5L V6 we tested comes with a 2.5L engine that produces 218hp and 253Nm of torque. A seven-speed automatic transmission with Adaptive Shift Control and manual shift mode is standard across the variants. In addition, the transmission also has Downshift Rev Matching feature which brings the engines up to the correct rpm for fast and smooth gearshifts.- RIZAL JOHAN and THOMAS HUONG
Keyword: Singing the Blues