The color red is most closely associated with Ferraris, Alfas, and other Italian cars. Former head of GM Performance John Heinricy once said, “All Corvettes are red, the rest are mistakes,” and they even titled a book based on that quote. There’s the old joke whenever someone has a red sports car that the color is “arrest-me red”. While many JNCs look good in red, in all honesty we think very few look their best in red. For example, the Honda S600 often comes in red, but is it the best color for the S600? Well, that would probably be white, albeit with a red interior. Are there any cases in which red is best possible color for the car?
Which JNC looks most proper in red?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What would you do without a car?“.
The question last week was just a thought exercise, because not having a car isn’t possible even if we wanted it to be, which we don’t. Most comments said the car would be replaced by some sort of two-wheeled vehicle. For StreetSpirit and Ian G. it was a scooter. For Franxou it was an electric bike, and for Taylor C. it was a mountain bike. TheJWT would ride motorcycles, but only in fair weather.
As it happens, major cities in Japan are places where you don’t need a car at all. Negishi no Keibajo survived on trains and a bicycle in Tokyo. crank_case did the same in Europe. Perhaps that’s a blessing, because it allows you to get a real impractical driver’s car and not a compromised daily.
In many places it’s not possible to survive without a car, as ynori, BlitzPig, and Kyuusha Corner attested to. JJ would be forced take a cab or walk, while Land Ark would suddenly have a lot of free time.
Not having a car would save a lot of money, but would your life be any richer? The winner this week was Ben E, who has his priorities straight:
I’d save up all that money I’d normally spend on fuel and car parts, and buy a car.
Omedetou, your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop!
1989 AW11 MR2, with the final-year-only body-colored door handles, mirrors, and LED third brake light wing.
Ferrari never sold the F40 in anything other than red, so I’m gonna go with the Yamaha Ami
Not commonly mentioned- Toyota Supra Renaissance Red
I mean, that’s it, you already answered it. The Red Panda can only be one color.
If it isn’t Italian it shouldn’t be red, unless it’s an NA Miata.
I’m so tired of Resale Red.
It’s a good color for the NA, but Mariner Blue is the best color for them.
This
Plenty of the wedgy 80’s cars with pop-ups look fantastic in red – MR2 AW11, Celica T160, Starion, S12 Silvia, RX-7 FC, and the E80 and E90 chassis Corolla Truenos. However, I have to go with the first-gen Acura Integra out of loyalty to my first car and daily driver.
When I think of red JNC, I immediately picture Toyotas. I would say that the SW20 MR2, the A70 Supra, and the T180 Celica all scream “red car”. But you’ve gotta go with the A80. A stock, red A80 Supra is just a gorgeous car. If it were up to me, I’d choose an A70 over an A80 but you can’t deny that it’s legendary and red looks stunning on it.
The answer is always Miata!
(Although i own a ’94 Crystal White)
Classic Red NB here. But yes, an NA or NB Miata looks best in Classic Red.
Miata… Final Answer (Is Always Miata)!
The only true color you can get the ND in that doesn’t look like black at dusk is the only color it needs to come in. That I own a Soul Red one doesn’t bias my opinion in any way.
Personally i don’t care much for cars painted red, i like softer colors, pastels and other shades that convey a sense of soft optimism.
that being said, if ever i paint a JNC red it absolutely has to be an early model Mitsubishi GTO.
The first generation NSX needs to be in red. Nothing else.
I gotta go with the Toyota 2000GT. It always looks good, but the red is just perfection.
My roadster and last S30 are/were red out of happenstance. IMO, any JNC coupe or ‘vert can carry off red fairly well. Not so much sedans or trucks.
For me its more the color than the car. Mazda has a great history with the color red, the best of which is their latest: Soul Red. I have not seen a Mazda in Soul Red that has not caught my eye as it passes. It is the go to color for the ND Miata. I admit it is not a JNC color, but it will certainly will be in 20 years.
I remember the first printed Acura NSX ads showed the car in red with the black roof, so that’s the color I associate with the pop-up light NSX (NA1). Honda had the V8 engine Ferrari 328/ 348 as their target competition, which might be the reason for the color red.
I am not a fan or red cars, but the 1963-70 Datsun Fairlady Roadster in red is a magnificent car. Its usual shade of red makes the chrome pop without looking cartoonish like on a dark blue or black car, and it has just the right amount of brightwork, elegant and more fancy than a simple car, but not enough to look gaudy.
1998 Honda Prelude in San Marino Red. With exception of maybe some Alfa Romeo reds, this vintage San Marino red is my all time favorite. Unfortunately. it doesn’t age like a fine red wine. It is particularly vulnerable to UV damage.
here’s a wild take – Crown Comfort. more specifically the exported Crown Comfort in glorious Hong Kong Taxi red.
growing up immersed in the centre of HK culture in the 90s, these ubiquitous red boxes with silver tops were absolutely EVERYWHERE. they were adored universally by drivers and riders and had something of a near bullet-proof rep. they were so iconic of that busy, prosperous metropolitan image of city life it’s hard to even envision HK without them.
true nostalgic gems of that bygone era
This is a highly subjective question, and I’m excited to see all the responses. Red is arguably my least favourite car colour. It’s exceedingly rare that I think it is the best colour for a car… I don’t even like it on Ferraris – although I think for some Alfas it is the best choice.
Even for JNCs that look good in red, there’s usually another color I think looks even more proper. For example, it’s good on an FJ40, but I’ll take Mustard Yellow. It’s good on the NSX, but I’ll take Midnight Pearl or pretty much any other colour.
However, I think I found a JNC that looks better in red than the other colours offered, and that would be the boxier Mazda B2000/B2200 pickups.
I know I’m late, and I’m biased, but *cough* MA61 Red/black two tone