Anyone who has read my posts here on CC probably knows that I am sick and tired of the bland, uninspired interior color options on new cars. Gray, light gray, medium gray, basalt (gray), ecru (tannish-gray) and black. Yuck. Remember back in the ’60s and ’70s, when you could get green, blue, saddle, white, and yes, folks, RED interiors?
Oh, look at the choices you had, once upon a time. Not today though–at least, not much. You can get a red interior on some Audis and the Ford Mustang GT, but if anyone has been saving for a rainy day, you could also get…
…this Boxster. Now, I am not a big fan of silver (unless it’s on a W111 280SE), but with the red top (yes, red top!) and interior, it looks pretty good. It would look even better in black.
I thought I was rather Porsche-savvy, but I initially thought this was a 911 convertible. I hadn’t realized the ’13 Boxster had been so heavily revised.
I’ll tell you though, if it hadn’t been for that red top and interior, I don’t think I’d have even noticed it. But notice it I did. I know one of the salesmen here (thanks for all the Porsche brochures over the years, Mark!), and he was nice enough to open up the car for proper pics of that lovely red upholstery.
I think it looks great. After all the washed out grays and stark black interiors of the past 15 years, this was a breath of fresh air.
Yes, the steering wheel is red too. Tach right in the middle, just like a proper Porsche.
So how much was this little beauty? Too much. Still, it was fun to check out. Now, let’s start seeing some red, blue and green interiors on more mainstream cars! Are you listening, manufacturers?
I was in a black BMW 335i with a red interior the other day, although I think only the seats and door panels were actually red. Be careful what you wish for.
A neighbor in Arizona has a 2011 Camaro SS convertible, black with red interior and pin-striping. Didn’t love the cars when they came out (thought them derivative of the Challenger/Charger look), but this car is pretty snappy. He also has his first name in red on the air-cleaner in script in red (nice touch).
Nothings more beautiful than a red interior. Just wish Miata would offer it!
FYI:many new Dodges/Rams can be had with red leather interiors.
That’s right, both the Avenger and Charger can be had with them. I’m still waiting on a red interior for the Challenger…
Any guesses as to when is the new Cayman coming out? Anyone?
Guaranteed to turn pink with enough sun. I don’t think I ever had a red interior and I don’t think that’s an accident. Something about it screams debauchery. When seen on a Porsche it screams future repair bills. Guess I’m just a pickup sort of guy.
Nice find and an enjoyable read Tom.
I have seen a few 2005 and up Mustangs with red leather seats and black interiors. I actually like it.
Hyundai was offering claret leather accents in the Sonata Limited when the current model was introduced.
GM has gotten so cheap with the outgoing Impala that if you order the “neutral” cloth interior you get black carpet, dash, and door panels. For many manufacturers this is the closest you will get to a “color” interior. But that’s how I’d order a current Impala if I was going to. Dark blue exterior, neutral and black interior…
Sigh… I miss my white Cutlass with blue velour.
My mother had a 65 Pontiac Catalina with the Ventura interior option, and my father had a 65 GTO. They were both white with red interiors. The GTO had a red pinstripe and red stripes tires too. I love red interiors.
Let’s not forget the orange interiors available on the Volvo V70-R and S60-R, as well as on the Saab 9-3 Viggen. I think it was just the seats that came that color, but hey, it’s a start.
I have a V70R with the orange leather(or Atacama, in Volvo), the leather on the door panels, as well as the carpets are also orange. The dash, and wheel are black leather, with blue stitching. With the Passion Red paint the combo is very different, but that’s exactly what I wanted.
Very cool, the new 2013 Fiat 500 will now be had with red, or black leather interiors, from the factory, have heated seats with the manual, and come in 2 new colors, one being, I hope a non metallic sky blue!
Now if I could afford it, I’d order the sport, perhaps the turbo with sky blue paint and red leather.
For the record, the Corvette NEVER stopped offering a red interior……
Oh, no, I’ve said something mildly complimentary about a GM car….
run….run…..
I wasn’t sure if the new ones still did; the latest Corvette brochure I have is from 2003. I always liked the Torch Red leather on the C5 Corvettes.
You can get a red interior on the new ATS too….
Darn, thats twice……I better go…..
Camaro has an orange one too……
That’s the interior I’d want if I got a Camaro, with the metallic orange paint and white stripes. Sharp!
Ugly steering wheel!
Infiniti was pretty skimpy with the red in their anniversary edition G37:
While we’re sharing red interiors, I present the 1998 FIAT Coupe Limited Edition’s interior.
Personally I prefer the 20V Turbo “Plus”‘ interior (in black, sorry Tom, though there would at least be yellow detailing on mine) but these are quite nice too, as well as being very comfy.
I am guessing it was earlier versions of the car had a strip of body colour around the interior of the car, running through the instrument cluster section – quite distinctive, as is fitting for the car.
Dear god that thing is hideous. It looks like a paintbomb went off while they were divvying up the loot from the bank…
I not only remember colorful interiors, I remember colorful exteriors too. I suspect the two are related.
…and another vote for red interiors! Not enough of my cars have had them. I didn’t much care for the Seattle Silver paint on the 1992 Accord EX we had, but the burgundy interior that came with it more than made up for it.
The black interior/red seat and trim combo is very attractive. That has all the best aspects of a red interior without looking like a porn theater. That’s way too much red in the Boxter though, which is ironic since it’s exterior color is the most bland overused color you can get
Porsche is probably the only manufacturer that still offers old style (extensive) option sheets. It is the exception rather than the rule. Of course, now that its in the VW Borg…
Anyway, Porsche cars are not what you may call an everyman’s car. People like me have only seen new Porsche interiors from the outside and then only if the top was down. When/if mass market automobiles start offering option lists again, *that* would be something. Same applies to Corvette, Camaro, and Cadillac. Not really common cars.
In the original version [the type 986] Porsche offered a special Boxster S model in 2006, called the 550. It commemorated the 50th anniversay of its Type 550 Club Coupe, notably it was the car in which James Dean was killed. The 2006 car had one color package, GT Silver Metallic with a chocolate brown top and interior. It doesn’t sound like anything great on paper, but its gorgeous in person.
I miss having many color choices for interiors, but I miss red the most. Never had one in my family; I think the closest was my uncle’s 1970 Cougar convertible, which was white over maroon. Offering colored seats and door panel inserts while keeping dashboards, carpeting, and steering wheels black is at least a step in the right direction, though obviously one driven by cost. I’m glad to see that a car that costs as much as this Porsche does has the full interior in color.
I really like colored interiors, but I definitely don’t like them so monotone. I think it looks cheesy, especially in a car like a Porsche. I’m glad to see they seem to be coming back, but I prefer the dash and steering wheel to be black. I had a 1998 Audi A6, the year they introduced “atmospheres” in the interiors. There were quite a few color combinations available. I had maroon/black, which was really more of a dark cherry. Not for everyone, but I loved it.
I remember looking at a ’98 A4 at the Audi dealer in Davenport circa 2004. It was dark blue metallic with cream leather seats and a navy blue dash and carpet. I really liked those colors!
I saw one of the new Boxsters on the road for the first time a little while ago, I was shocked to see how high the rear end of the car has become! It has really changed the proportions of the car, the doors must come to nearly chin height.
The 2006 Holden Commodore SSV had an eye-searing colour interior available with most of the dash matched to the seats. I don’t think it was too popular.
I’m not a Holden man, bur I loved that interior in the SSV!
I had no idea one could order bucket seats in a ’76 Buick Century Station Wagon. Now THAT’s interesting.
I can’t imagine that more than a handful were actually ordered that way. My ’75 Century Custom Coupe had buckets and a console, but the only A-body 4-doors of that era that I’ve ever seen buckets on were the Cutlass Salon and the 73-75 Grand Am.
The Ford Fiesta’s dashboard is available in a wide array of colours, including pimptastic red!
My favorite color combination, and the one car I would love to own, is a 1966 Corvette, white exterior with a red interior. Make mine the 300 horse 327.
We recently bought a new VW Touareg TDi with a chocolate brown leather interior. Wonderful and different compared to the Black and the light Tan other options. People seem to really like it, I know we do. Everything is a couple of complementary shades of brown, door panels, dash, seats, I think even the carpets are REALLY dark brown.
And last week I was in a light green 2005 Chrysler 300C. Tan seats but GREEN dashboard and door panels. Interesting but a bit much. Early Audi Allroads in green also had a green dash and steering wheel, a couple of years later the green ones got a black dash and wheel instead.