It’s a bit of an understatement to say Porsche has a thing for the color blue. Since the company’s start in 1931, they’ve released well north of 70 unique shades that have adorned everything from the 356 to the Cayenne. But no car has benefitted from Porsche’s Eiffel 65 tendencies more than the 911. Ever since it started rolling off the line in ’63, the car has felt like it was meant to be coated in blue paint.
The best example in recent memory of this, perhaps, is the 911 Targa Design Edition, released last year in Etna blue — a flat, light-toned callback to an original paint chip from the 356. We liked the color at first sight, sure. But was it the best blue for the car? An argument in the Gear Patrol office ensued, and after a couple hours and a few broken bones, we ended up with the list of highlights and lowlights provided below — with context where necessary.
1. Oslo
Oslo is a great place. It’s the capital of the world’s fourth-happiest nation and home of the oldest ski museum in the world. It’s also the best 911 blue paint chip there’s ever been. It’s dark but not too dark, vibrant but not too vibrant, flat but not boring. It works best on air-cooled versions with lots of brightwork, but catch a 997 Turbo in Oslo and you’ll realize why it’s number one.
2. Aga
Like a navy blue suit, Aga’s part of the reserved old guard that helps keep pre-’70s 911s classified as timeless.
3. Miami
King of the modern Porsche blues, Miami stays just on the right side of obnoxious.
4. Albert
Albert’s the very serious, slightly moody member of the Porsche blue set. There’s definitely a hint of purple, but it works perfectly.
5. Petrol
If you scroll (very) far down this list, you’ll see how Porsche can screw up the blue-green mix, but Petrol is the perfect execution of it. Get it on an aggressively ’80s 930.
6. Ossi
Like, 99% the exact same as Albert, but with a little less of that cool purple tinge.
7. Mexico
Porsches aren’t visually very loud; a $200,000 Turbo S will look pretty pedestrian next to a $160,000 Audi R8. That is, unless you paint it Mexico Blue. If you want a blue Porsche and are a cocaine enthusiast, this is your car.
8. Etna
9. Baltic
10. Dalmation
If Albert Blue got drunk and decided to let loose a little.
11. Maritime
12. Riviera
13. Lapis
A not-quite-as-good-but-still-pretty-great Aga.
14. Amazon
Not even sure this is technically blue, but it’s great.
15. Fountain
And Those That Missed the Mark…
73. Gulf
Unless you’re being paid by Gulf and have a couple of orange stripes to complement it. Gulf blue just doesn’t quite work. (The RSR is an exception.)
74. Horizon
Just get silver.
75. Ipanema
Some terrible mix of blue and green that was conceived solely to complement a central-Florida tan.
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