We were recently introduced to the team at Paddlup and we're delighted that they've agreed that we can share some of their insights into the specialist automotive sector, specifically the investment aspect.
Their first piece covers the impact different colours have on investment potential and it's a fascinating read.
Does a particular hue spring to mind whenever you see a badge? Some supercars are resigned to being forever associated with one colour. That's not to say a Ferrari can't look the business in blue or a Lamborghini can't appear just as striking in black, but there are certain manufacturer/colour combinations that were simply meant to be.
When it comes to investing in supercars, original paintwork can have a significant impact on whether or not it becomes an appreciating automotive asset. The aforementioned 'brand colours' can be seen as a safe bet when it comes to resale value and ROI as it is often what a prospective buyer will be looking for.
A novel colourway can be considered more 'out there' to some, but because there is rarely more than one example in a similar specification, these cars stand out from the uniformity on overcrowded auction platforms and can subsequently command a higher sale price.
There are of course brands that refrain from focusing their energy on one particular colour, such as Porsche or Koenigsegg, leading to a vast array of colours on the market and no clear preference as far as investing is concerned.
Some models are desirable enough in their own right, meaning the colour doesn't affect value too greatly. The Ferrari F40 is a perfect example of this. Conversely, if you've changed the colour during ownership this can either help or hinder future values depending on the colour, the model and the state of the market itself.
In the heyday of international motor shows such as Geneva or Detroit, launch colour often guided public perception, establishing 'the colour to have' for buyers. In this instance, it can be likened to fashion and in actual fact, follows similar trends a lot of the time (I.e. brown in the eighties). Online influencers can also affect what the latest craze is for car enthusiasts, collectors and investors.
In-house personalisation divisions such as McLaren Special Operations (MSO), Ferrari Tailor Made, Bentley Mulliner, Lamborghini Ad Personam and Porsche's Paint to Sample often dictate what the premium, most desirable colours are for each model, offering exclusive tiple layer paintwork among other things. Naturally, this adds to desirability at auction but may not affect values as dramatically as in other circumstances.
Combinations
Ferrari
Few car and colour combinations can hold a candle to the longest-standing of them all. After its convoluted conception as Scuderia Ferrari, born from the ashes of Alfa Romeo's racing division, the first-ever Ferrari were made for the track and raced in the national colour of Italy – red or Rosso Corsa.
When it came time to manufacture and sell road-going cars to fund Enzo's motorsport habit, that tradition bled through into the production models and stands to this day as arguably the most associative automotive colour combination to date. Although popularity of Rosso Corsa specified Ferrari is dropping, a staggering figure of approximately forty per cent are still ordered in the colour.
It may be hard to argue with the allure of a red Ferrari but a blue or silver example can be just as eye-catching. Both these colours are considered rarer and as a result, more desirable, bumping those all-important auction values higher.
Aston Martin
Popularised by the racing Sunbeams and Bugattis of the first three decades of the 20th century, British Racing Green was initially adopted, like Ferrari's Rosso Corsa, as it was the international motor racing colour of the United Kingdom. Aston Martin, among other teams in the fifties, then embraced the hue in Formula 1 and endurance racing and it has since become synonymous with the winged emblem.
Silver is the other colour associated with Aston Martins of yesteryear. Of course, the elephant in the room going by the name Bond carried significant weight during the era of the DB5, Vanquish and DB9. For fans of the film franchise, of which there are many, the timeless secret agent silver adds considerable desirability.
Known for its traditionalist values and conservative colour palette, any Aston colour that deviates from the norm such as a Cinnabar Orange example sets itself apart from the others, increasing interest and perceived value.
Lamborghini
In Lamborghini's current epoch of best-selling Huracans and Urus', the colour of choice for many of its clientele is Verde Mantis, and that number is on the rise. Seemingly an option tailored for younger generations who want to be noticed, this vibrant green certainly ensures a sense of conspicuousness that only a Lamborghini in such a garish colour can provide.
Historically though, Superfly Yellow was a popular colour choice and became renowned during the Diablo's tenure as the headline model. No less exuberant than the green of today, this vivid yellow helped pave the way for its spiritual successors by making brightly coloured Lamborghini an intrinsic part of the brand's makeup.
An expectation that all cars would follow the same recipe has led to the rise of the monochromatic Lamborghini. Numbers of these examples are more sparse and subsequently, attract more attention on the investment market. Amongst the other rare, more investable options to emerge from Sant'Agata Bolognese are the Diablo in Viola SE30, the Verde Draco Murcielago and the Grigio Telesto Murcielago.
McLaren
Like that of its Italian counterpart, the signature colour of McLaren is derived from its early racing cars. So the story goes that the vibrant orange originally adorning the body panels of the Formula 1 cars was selected to make them more recognisable on the black and white television coverage.
The colour was dubbed Papaya Orange by the avid McLaren fanbase and now officially named McLaren Orange by McLaren Automotive itself. Again, this is a popular choice among those buying a McLaren, resulting in a consistent, reliable ROI for supercar investors.
The Harrods McLaren F1-inspired yellow P1 is one to watch value-wise owing to its iconic look whilst the MSO-defined paint of Lantana Purple or Napier Green does nothing to hurt the values of 675LTs.
