fat_louis

Hello all,

Here is what I can tell about the three silvers that have been available on 997.2

Arctic silver--hint of white, most silver silver you can get on Porsche

Platinum silver--hint of brown/beige. Looks brownish in shade, silver in sunlight

GT silver metallic--hint of blue; much less so than BMW Silverstone II metallic

Why was GT silver metallic a $3,400 option? Heard it was hand rubbed between coats. Can anyone shed insight into this, as many manufacturers have "special" paints such as alubeam silver (MB SLS AMG) or super silver (Nissan GT-R)?

Obviously paint is not just paint anymore.

Is anyone bothered when there are colors like "titanium silver" or platinum silver? I mean titanium alloy is grey, not sliver for example. Just a pet peeve.

Chris from Cali

Having seen all three in person, I prefer GT Silver. I think it's worth the premium. Some of the more special colors (like my car's Atlas) can really make the looks of a 911. If I were to order a silver 911 today, I'd do a PTS Polar Silver - very blue silver from the 993.

Mike in CA

Your comments on silver are interesting, especially Arctic Silver which is the only one I've ever owned on a Porsche (several times). I've always thought that Arctic also had a very subtle brownish tone, which is partly why my Boxster S with a brown top and my current Carrera S with Cocoa interior look good with it.

Arctic's brown tint is particularly noticeable when compared to other silvers like Audi's Ice Silver. Althoug the Audi is picking up highlights from the sky, it's actually not that blue in person. The rear quarter panel is closer to the actual color than the doors. But the shot does show the brown in Arctic pretty clearly.

TommyV44

Love Polar Silver!! That being said I'd do something else with PTS

Tom

Eric - Plug Guy

No hand rubbing, promise.

PAG decides from time to time, in no rational way, to take colors off the list, make them 'special order' or not available, simply to bilk customers for even more when they 'want it' bad enough. It's ridiculous. Cost for GTS vs Arctic is negligible, even when we do the small stuff.

GTS has more black in it as well as a few other tints.

If you really want to know why Arctic is called Arctic, drive an Arctic 911 on a sunny or partially sunny morning. Glance at the driver's side front fender/hood as you drive with light coming towards you. You'll understand why.

There are some crazy paints we've used over the years that DO cost significantly more, in some cases due to the various tints involved (multi stage pearls, multi color flake in the metallic, etc), and of course who can forget VoilettaChromaFlair for the Millennium Edition 911 - almost black/purple until you approach, then color flop in the flake makes the paint turn green, purple, blue, black again. That crap was nearly $400 for a pint a year after the car was released to the public (2001).

Polar is still around and was on the 986/996 for quite some time too. Nice bluish undertone to the silver. And the Ice Blue Metallic PAG bit the dust on was a stunner too - we produced a number of things in it, and it's really cool to see in person, but they just could not get it right between bumper, hood, fenders, etc. No idea why, since we pulled it off just fine on Bumper and Door Plugs, and a few other goodies.

But with Porsche, they can price things anyway they want, and it's part of the continuing mystique - and totally without reason.

okbarnett

they are different but not different enough to spend extra money on them.

Chris from Cali

Agreed - I just said Polar if he was committed to silver. I'd go for Meissen Blue, Signal Green, or Malachite Green if I did PTS (assuming Gulf Blue is a no-go).

TommyV44

Hey Chris......I think Gulf Blue is always a no go! I love that Signal Green with the yellow hue to it....what a color!

Tom

paddyh

GT Silver is faster? I have a GT Silver, and that's what I was told.

acao

When my AS is parked in sunlight and side-by-side with my wife's silver BMW, the AS shows a hint of bronze.

Kurt RSF

I think GT Silver was introduced with and was a paint option on the Carrera GT. Porsche has kept it an extra-cost option on their other cars. I think it's a little earthier than arctic, which to my eye is a little brighter. I have an '05 I ordered with GT Silver and full terracotta interior. I think the combination looks great, and I think any of the brown interiors would also look great with GT Silver.

I also like the Platinum Silver on the new cars. It looks great with red full leather on the new Boxster. I'd love to pick up a 993 in Polar Silver, a blueish silver.

Volnomad

I like all the silvers, but i agree with Chris, a PTS blue or green would be worth paying extra for. Malachite Green is one of my favorites.

Mike in CA

I said brownish tint, but bronze may be a more accurate description in some lighting.

j_leder

my vote for Artic Silver
But I'm partial

Chris from Cali

Gorgeous!