Published: January 14th, 2022
Purple may not be a popular color for automobiles, in fact, it might be one of the rarest. But that doesn’t mean purple cars aren’t cool.
In the right hue, purple cars can look fantastic, like those Mopars finished in the color we unapologetically stole for the title of this article; Plum Crazy. Thankfully, there is still a selection of vehicles that can be painted in various shades of purple, even if it is in small numbers.
Whether it be lavender, mauve, periwinkle, or violet, we’ve assembled a list of the best purplish cars currently available. What’s interesting is that the few offerings that do exist stretch across multiple automotive segments. Compact hatchbacks, muscle cars, SUVs, and sedans are all represented in our list below.
Dodge Challenger / Charger
Dodge might have taken Plum Crazy off the menu for a few years, but a color this good couldn't stay away forever. For the final year of Challenger and Charger production, the American brand brought the the silly shade back, and we loved it on the Jailbreak Charger we drove. What's great about Plum Crazy is how different it can look, depending on lighting; just look at the lead image and the one managing editor Mike Schlee snapped of the Jailbreak.
Mercedes-Benz G-Class
Mercedes-Benz‘s off-roading luxury box on wheels can be had in a purplish shade. With no fewer than 37 exterior color options for the opulent G-Class, it shouldn’t be much surprise that there is at least one purple choice.
Officially called Rubellite Red Metallic, the color is designed to reflect the shade of the purplish-pink rare gemstone. In some lighting the exterior of the G-Class looks positively pink, while in duller lighting conditions it takes on more of a purple tone. It might be a bit of stretch adding it to our list, but we think it qualifies.
Honda Civic Hatchback
The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback is available in an exclusive color not found on the sedan, Smokey Mauve Pearl. It can be applied only on higher end Civic Hatchback models, like the EX-L and the Sport.
It is a darker purple than most featured on this list, but is a purple hue nonetheless. Most likely it will not be a huge seller for Honda, but it’s great that the choice exists as this is one of the cheapest ways to get a brand new purple car.
Chrysler 300
The second Stellantis vehicle to enter our list, the Chrysler 300 is available in purple, but sadly not Hellraisin. Instead, the 300 makes due with a more subtle shade of purple that is officially called Amethyst, named after the quartz crystal.
Offered only on the Touring trim level of the big Chrysler sedan, it’s a dark shade with some red undertones, but sparkles purple in the sunlight. It might not be the most vibrant hue on our list, but we feel it suits the 300 Touring’s character.
BMW X6 M60i
Another big SUV available in Purple is the BMW X6 M. This makes a bit more sense than the Mercedes-Benz G-Class as the X6 is a flashier vehicle; especially in the high performance M specification.
Called Ametrin Metallic, the color is named after yet another quartz crystal that is actually part Amethyst. To ensure this color remains as rare as the crystal it is named after, BMW only offers it on the M versions of the X6, or the equally exclusive M8 Coupe.
Mitsubishi Mirage
At completely the other end of the pricing spectrum we have the Mitsubishi Mirage subcompact hatchback. Finished in Wine Red Metallic, it can be argued that the Mirage is indeed purple. Of course, lighting conditions need to be in favor as it can also come off as a reddish-pink.
If you consider this a purple shade—and we do—it is easily the cheapest way to buy a new car painted this way today. The Mirage starts at just $17,790 USD, and Wine Red is a zero-cost paint option.
Dodge Durango
Stellantis clearly likes purple as this is the brand’s third entry in our list, and the third different shade. Okay, the Dodge Durango finished in Octane Red Pearlcoat is more burgundy than red, but we’re going to to allow it anyway.
It’s another one of the those shades that looks different depending on the lighting conditions. At night, it can easily pass as a purple-like color. But in bright sunshine, the red pearl really does pop out prominently.
BMW 2 Series
For those true aficionados of purple cars, BMW’s Thundernight Metallic is about as purple as it gets. Offered on any version of the 2 Series coupe, it is a bright, deep shade that pops regardless of the lighting conditions. It perfectly suits the youthful, sporty character of the compact performance coupe; especially the M240i.
Porsche Panamera
Like the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, the Porsche Panamera can be had in a multitude of colors. There’s a total of 17 preset colors, but it’s also possible to make a Panamera any shade imaginable right from the factory, if one is willing to pay the $11,000+ customized paint fee.
But of those 17 standard hues, two can be considered from the purple family. Copper Ruby Metallic (as pictured above) and Amethyst Metallic (no relation to Dodge) are both purple by nature and adds even more personality to Porsche’s performance family car.
Acura RDX
Last but certainly not least, let's give it up for Phantom Violet Pearl, available on the Acura RDX (and MDX). This $600 optional paint is a near-black hue, but it's a rare one with little to no red in the mix. On the brands' respective configurators, Phantom Violet is notably different from the Civic's Smokey Mauve, though we'd need both side-by-side in person to know for sure.
Update History:
October 10, 2023: Updated Dodge Charger, Mitsubishi Mirage, and BMW X6 entries. Added Acura RDX.
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