Laguna Seca Blue. Dakar Yellow. Isle of Man Green. No matter where you look in BMW M’s history, race-inspired color names tend to pop up. It makes sense that these high-performing cars (and SUVs) would pay homage to where they were engineered to excel. Or, at least, it makes for some pretty clever marketing. Here are our top ten BMW M colors named after racetracks.
Imola Red
A storied color for a storied track. This orangey-red shade has appeared on everything from the E36 to the F80 (as an Individual order). It’s named after the town in Italy where you’ll find, officially, Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari. Most people just call it Imola Circuit. Importantly, this circuit held the 1980 BMW M1 Procar Championship.
Daytona Violet
Perhaps one of the most famous racetracks to receive an M paint color, Daytona Violet borrows from Daytona International Speedway. This color is notorious for replacing the desirable Techno Violet on the E36. Today, it’s relegated to BMW Individual orders, which is sad. Throughout the 1990s, you could find this color on everything from 318ti hatchbacks to the vaunted 850CSi.
Yas Marina Blue
The F80 M3 and F82 M4 debuted in two very different shades. The M4 debuted in Austin Yellow – probably named for Circuit of the Americas. But the F80 M3 got a much sweeter shade of blue – Yas Marina Blue. It’s a surprisingly shocking color in person, offering subtle pearlescence that is never accurately captured in photos. This – perhaps underrated – color comes from the Yas Marina Circuit, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix venue.
Laguna Seca Blue
You really can’t have one of these lists without mentioning Laguna Seca Blue. The iconic LSB debuted on the equally iconic E46 M3. Later, in extremely limited numbers, it made its way to the Z3 M Coupe and Roadster, too. Laguna Seca Blue borrows its name from WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, perhaps the most well-known road race track in the United States. FYI: it’s also now officially an available color on the G80 M3, too.
Hockenheim Silver
So far, Hockenheim Silver was only officially available on the M2 Competition. It was a popular choice featuring gold, red, and orange metallic flakes. The track it’s named after is important to BMW, too. Hockenheimring, nestled in the Rhine Valley in Germany, was the scene of the sixth race in the 1980 BMW M1 Procar Series.
Interlagos Blue
Like LSB, Interlagos Blue debuted on the E46 M3. But it was even more exclusive – only cars equipped with the Competition Package (ZCP) could order Interlagos. “Comp” Package cars got bits lifted from the more aggressive E46 M3 CSL, like larger cross-drilled rotors and an M Track Mode. This color returned for the 50 Jahre Edition of the G80 M3. Interlagos Circuit is a nickname for Autódromo José Carlos Pace in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The same track is also likely responsible for the naming of Sao Paulo Yellow, another M color.
Donington Grey
Donington Park Circuit is located in Leicestershire, England, and is named for the castle of the same name. This huge and historic park hosts modern motorsport events like the Donington Historic Festival and Superbike World Championship while still tracing its roots back to pre-war racing. Notably, it was also the first permanent park circuit in England. This – frankly underrated – color has appeared on iconic cars like the X5 M, M5, M8, and more. It was even featured on the i8. Which – maybe technically – doesn’t make it an M color at all!
Lime Rock Grey
Lime Rock Park is an extremely well-known track in northwest Connecticut. It features a deceptively simple design and tongue-in-cheek turn names like “the Lefthander” (the only left-hand turn on the track). Lime Rock Park is prominently featured in the history of BMW M. It spawned the E92 M3 Lime Rock Park Edition, then later the unrelated Lime Rock Grey, which debuted on the F80 M3 CS and F82 M4 CS. It was also one of just five colors available on the 50 Jahre G80 M3.
Jerez Black
This Carbon Black lookalike hails from Circuito de Jerez in Spain. It debuted on the E90 M3 and prominently features blue metallic flake in a deep black paint. The track has hosted Grand Prix and Formula 1 races throughout history, even featuring the South African Grand Prix almost two dozen times.
Kyalami Orange
Even die-hard M enthusiasts might not know the interesting history behind this color. It’s named for Kyalami Racing Circuit in South Africa and, in fact, debuted on a very special BMW Z3 M. The aforementioned roadster was a wild project that paired a six-speed manual to the M73 V12 under the hood. Today, it’s an interior upholstery option. But what a cool piece of history and heritage!
Which BMW M colors named after racetracks top your list?
