Discussion
I have very much enjoyed reading the posts in this very fine forum. You all obviously have a tremendous love affair with your sports cars. I am wondering if there ever was much love for the gaurds red color. I find myself drawn to it and just can't seem to be drawn to the the other colors: silver (I have never owned a car in this color - there are so many), or Black (which I have owned a few), White (which I have owned one but it doesn't seem to work on a 911), yellow (a little young for me) etc. Lapis blue however would be my 2nd choice. I am 53, a little old fashioned and will be purchasing a used 996 soon. I am sure you have discussed this in the past and may very well be through with the subject but any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much, Doug
Hi Doug, until recently I owned a Guards Red 1989 911 Carerra Sport Coupe and back in the 80's Guards red was THE colour for a 911. Since then, Guards red has become less popular and by the time the 993 series 911 models appeared in the mid 90's, opting for a Guards red 911 was not good for resale values.
Over in the UK, you see very few Guards Red 996's, so personally I would choose Lapis Blue over Guards Red for a 996. A guy on this forum owns a 996 GT3 in Lapis Blue and it looks wonderful. I also recently bought a 996 GT3 model which is Speed Yellow and it looks fantastic but I'm not sure it suits a standard 996.
Good luck with the new car.
Geoff
Over in the UK, you see very few Guards Red 996's, so personally I would choose Lapis Blue over Guards Red for a 996. A guy on this forum owns a 996 GT3 in Lapis Blue and it looks wonderful. I also recently bought a 996 GT3 model which is Speed Yellow and it looks fantastic but I'm not sure it suits a standard 996.
Good luck with the new car.
Geoff
never realy noticed guards red until I looked a hell of a lot at a certain 965 that was for sale and it really grew on me.
I then saw AdamT's dads RUF Turbo R (same shape as a 996) and what a fantastic coulour it is for a 996.
Black, dark blue, Orange for 911's but Guards red wouldnt put me off
I then saw AdamT's dads RUF Turbo R (same shape as a 996) and what a fantastic coulour it is for a 996.
Black, dark blue, Orange for 911's but Guards red wouldnt put me off

Bright coloured cars are like jewellery; there is no excuse - ever
A gentleman selects his cars like his clothes - sober and understated.
If blue/black/green are not for you and you like the red concept, go for the rosewood red. My 911 Carerra was this colour - a lovely dark metallic red that set the car off beautifully
A gentleman selects his cars like his clothes - sober and understated.
If blue/black/green are not for you and you like the red concept, go for the rosewood red. My 911 Carerra was this colour - a lovely dark metallic red that set the car off beautifully
I confess to some bias as a guards red 968CS owner, but I rather like the 996 in GR. Looks great on GT3's, but I think the base models also carry it perfectly well. It's a perennial debate, but I would like to think that the cyclical tide on colour preferences is due to turn. We have had 10+ years now of sober hues being most popular, but prior to that as far back as I can remember sports cars were always coloured to be noticed (even that 1970's chocolate brown got you noticed !)
I love guards red on the 996 C4S, or on any 911 for that matter. It is a sports car and sports cars aren't meant to be understated. If one wants to be more elegant then one should drive a saloon...it is very difficult to enter or leave the 911 with grace hahah. Seeing them as I grew up it was Grand prix white 911's (up to the 964) then guards red throughout the eighties. It was only when people became more concious of the resale value of the cars and their mass marketing with the 993 and 996 that the 'safe' colours became predominant, and thats a shame.
Rgds
Chuck
(34 years old, Speed Yellow C4S, less said about the 22B the better in this company!)
Rgds
Chuck
(34 years old, Speed Yellow C4S, less said about the 22B the better in this company!)
chuck_ster said:
I love guards red on the 996 C4S, or on any 911 for that matter. It is a sports car and sports cars aren't meant to be understated. If one wants to be more elegant then one should drive a saloon...it is very difficult to enter or leave the 911 with grace hahah. Seeing them as I grew up it was Grand prix white 911's (up to the 964) then guards red throughout the eighties. It was only when people became more concious of the resale value of the cars and their mass marketing with the 993 and 996 that the 'safe' colours became predominant, and thats a shame.
Rgds
Chuck
(34 years old, Speed Yellow C4S, less said about the 22B the better in this company!)
Got to disagree Chuck
Ferraris in navy blue or dark green look great, in Rosso Corsa they look....well...Miami Vice
Bentley Contis - Masons Black
Bristols - French Navy blue or claret
Bright is bling
My warped colour opinions:
A black Bentley looks like a funeral car... when I visited the Crewe 'specification suite' I liked the look of flame orange myself...
Some Ferraris look better in red (355, F40) but others like the 456gt suit more understated ones.
And... SPEED YELLOW for a 996 GT3, of course!
A black Bentley looks like a funeral car... when I visited the Crewe 'specification suite' I liked the look of flame orange myself...

Some Ferraris look better in red (355, F40) but others like the 456gt suit more understated ones.
And... SPEED YELLOW for a 996 GT3, of course!
Getting back to doug's original posting, if its a used 996 then it will be most unlikely to be in guards red, but very very likely to be silver...the staple colour of Mercs and beemers ....with ocean/lapis strains of dark blue metallic probably next most likely ....just ahead of black metallic . You can always repaint it 

Personally I love Guards Red, and if this means it will be cheaper for me to buy then even better
There are far too many bland colours around at the moment, and I just don't understand someone who would buy a car in a drab colour because he is thinking of what will happen when he tries to sell it. Sounds like complete madness to be thinking about selling before you've even bought??????

There are far too many bland colours around at the moment, and I just don't understand someone who would buy a car in a drab colour because he is thinking of what will happen when he tries to sell it. Sounds like complete madness to be thinking about selling before you've even bought??????
Gassing Station | Porsche General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff