For many, the E9 is considered BMW’s best-looking coupe. Yet the car didn’t earn its place in history solely through Hofmeister’s design. Beyond the iconic silhouette, BMW offered a harmonious pairing of exterior and interior colours and materials that set the standard for many years to come.

A COLOURFUL HISTORY
“Any colour they want, so long as it’s black.” Henry Ford’s famous statement during a sales meeting in 1908 wasn’t far from the truth for Decennia to follow. Until the late 60s, cars were primarily painted in solid dark colours, with the odd tones of greys, reds, blues, and beiges. That’s until the late 60s when the big German car manufacturers stepped up to the plate and mass-introduced bright metallic paints.

Paint technology in the early days limited the production of brighter colours, let alone metallics. It would take until the mid-1920s before car manufacturers began to experiment with brighter colours, such as yellow, blue, and orange. As fashion trends changed in the late 40s and marketing strategies aimed at making cars more appealing to women, the car scene saw another change in colour use, including the use of pastels and bright shades of blue, green, and pink. Yet all these colours had one thing in common: none of them were metallic.

Despite luxury brands such as Jaguar and Aston Martin toying with DuPont metallics in the late 1950s, the top lacquer coat tended to deteriorate very quickly due to fading and oxidation, especially under harsh environmental conditions. This was the source of numerous warranty issues for dealers throughout the 1960s. Things, however, were about to change. While British brands struggled, their German competitors had more success with metallic paints.

By 1970, Mercedes offered more than a dozen different metallic options—in fact, their most famous metallic silver colour, “Silbergrau 180,” dates back to the 50s and became the go-to colour for the 300SL Gullwing. At the same time, they introduced bright reds and yellows as well. Opel, another big player, offered five different metallic paints by the spring of 1967 for their Commodore model. And across the pond, Chevrolet and Plymouth introduced metallic silvers towards the end of the 60s. If BMW, still a small player at the time, wanted to make the E9 a success, they better follow suit. Despite Hofmeister’s objections to any intense and bright colours on the E3, the first E9 colour card offered the customer red and orange amongst darker blues, greys, and greens. A collection that steadily grew during the years of production.

Paint Technology & Innovations
In the early days of car manufacturing, paint was derived from linseed oil resin. It needed to be applied manually before drying for many days at room temperature because it was a “single-component” paint that dried by solvent evaporation. Once dry, it still required cutting and polishing by hand. As cars began to be produced in mass numbers, the current process was no longer untenable, and manufacturers began drying the paint in ovens, but even that wasn’t solving the bottleneck issue.

The need for further efficiency drove the paint manufacturer DuPont to create the first true automotive paint, Duco, which was a nitrocellulose-based lacquer. Although this revolutionary paint dried in just a few hours through the same principle of solvent evaporation, it drastically reduced production time from days to mere hours when it came to the painting stage. Yet that wasn’t all; Duco also offered improved durability, toughness, and a broader palette of colours, marking a significant leap forward in automotive paints. By 1924, it had become the standard for modern automotive coatings.

The next advancement came in the form of alkyd paints during the 1930s. Alkyd is a combination of synthetic monomers (small, man-made molecules that can join together to form polymers) and natural oils. First used as primers, they balanced performance and productivity, and their success laid the groundwork for future coating innovations. More importantly, they established the concept of using specialised coatings for different layers of a paint process.

The 1950s saw the next major breakthrough with the rise of thermoplastic acrylic lacquers. These new paints perfectly aligned with a changing societal attitude towards cars as status symbols, as they delivered unmatched aesthetic appeal, especially when applied to the curved body designs of that era. For the first time in paint history, their low solids and high viscosity offered the use of metallics to create the perfect reflective finish for the very first time. Unfortunately, their durability would remain limited until BMW redeveloped them for the E3 & E9 in the early 70s.

First Phase (’68 – mid ’71)
The 2800CS, the first of the E9 models, inherited the basic colour line-up from the older 2000CS model, as both were painted and assembled at Karmann’s factory in Rheine. When BMW introduced their new CS coupe, it offered 15 colours, including four metallic options at a premium: Tundra (068), Baikal (042), Nachtblau (040), and Polaris Neu (060). These colours would have cost the customer an additional 532 DM (£64 / $166), or £1079 / $1253 / €1277) in today’s equivalent.

Nachtblau, perhaps better known under its English name “Midnight blue,” was the E9 launch colour and remained unique to the CS model painted at Karmann’s paint shop. Yet, despite being a unique colour at Karmann, BMW offered the same colour in 1967 at the Glas factory in Dingolfing, where you could choose it for the 1600 GT and the Glas V8 models. Either way, Nachtblau nicely complemented BMW’s other blue options, the solid Atlantic and the metallic Baikal. Riviera (036) was added in late summer 1969. Throughout the E9 production, the blue colours stayed the longest, whereas other colours were changed more often in terms of availability and colour alteration.

Despite being a “unique” E9 colour, it wasn’t a popular choice compared to some of the other options, particularly Polaris Neu. Although Polaris became the colour most associated with the E9 worldwide, other non-metallic staple colours were also hugely popular and lasted throughout the car’s production life, Chamonix (085) being the best known. Their final offering, Schwarz (086) appears unpopular, as data shows only a small number of black E9s (still) exist. In fact, black was a most unpopular colour in most parts of Europe during the 70s, and Opel, Ford, and VW didn’t offer black paint for many years.

The USA received the same colour line-up as the European market, whereas the UK only offered 15 colours as it excluded the option “Florida.”

The 16 colours available on the 2800CS were:

Nevada (001)
Colorado (002) – From 1970
Sahara (006)
Malaga (021)
Granada (023)
Riviera (036)
Nachtblau (040) – Metallic
Atlantic (041)
Baikal (042) – Metallic
Bristol (058)
Polaris Neu (060) – Metallic
Florida (066) – Not in UK
Tundra (068) – Metallic
Agave (071)
Chamonix (085)
Schwarz (086)

Second Phase (mid ’71 – Sept ’73)
For the 1972 model year and the revised 3.0 CS range, BMW introduced a series of much brighter BASF paint colours in July ’71, partially driven by Volvo’s recent research into the use of hi-visibility colours. Ceylon (008), Verona (024), Fjord (037), and Taiga (072) replaced some of the older 2800CS colours. Alongside was the introduction of three very bright colours: Inka (022), Türkis (065 – metallic), and Golf (070). These unusual colours still look fantastic today and perfectly complement the E9’s appearance. In addition, Colorado (002), previously only available to the 1600/2002 models for the early production years, is now also made permanently available to the 3.0CS series.

Despite replacing some colours with new shades, it appears that different markets were offered different options. For instance, Europe and the USA maintained the option of Tundra (068) on early 3.0CS models and was phased out later in June 1972, whereas the UK didn’t have Tundra at all (there is one 3.0CS believed to be in the UK in this colour, but the car hasn’t been seen since 2015). Granada (023) was phased out in October 1971, when Verona (024) replaced it the following month. Türkis (065) was only introduced from July ’72 onwards for all markets. Florida (066) was also phased out once production of the 2800 series had stopped and was in fact discontinued before the Dec 1970 colour card was printed.

With the introduction of the new colours, a shift in popularity was also noticed, especially in Europe, where the red colours became hugely popular and formed the majority of sales during the second phase.

The 20 colours available for the 3.0CS series were:

Colorado (002)
Sahara (006)
Ceylon (008) – Metallic
Malaga (021)
Inka (022)
Granada (023) – Until Oct. ‘71
Verona (024) – From Nov. ’71
Riviera (036)
Fjord (037) – Metallic
Nachtblau (040) – Metallic
Atlantic (041)
Baikal (042) – Metallic
Polaris (060) – Metallic
Türkis (065) – Metallic, from Jul. ‘72
Tundra (068) – Metallic, until Jun. ‘72
Golf (070)
Agave (071)
Taiga (072) – Metallic
Chamonix (085)
Schwarz (086)

Different models received different colour options, especially the CSL, which came with limited options. The original 169 carburettor versions were only available in the following four colours, whereas the later CSL models received a broader offering of 12 different colours.

43        Colorado (002)
69        Inka (022)
  1        Verona (024)
55        Golf (070)
  1        Sonderfarbe (099)

The UK was limited even further, with only eight colours made available for the 500 RHD CSLs (contrary to the entire colour range on the CSi models). Given that the cars were built over a very short period of only a few months in late 1972, BMW UK must have had to order the entire colour stock before they’d received any dealer commitments. This created a major headache when estimating the customer’s colour preferences and managing the subsequent stock amongst the tiny dealership network. The fact that they ordered 500 cars was extraordinary in itself, given that they had only sold 200 cars in 1971. To appeal to the UK market, a City Pack was introduced to all CSLs, which basically put all the comfort options of the CSi series back into the RHD CSLs. Still, it’s hard to imagine BMW UK doing that today. The eight colours on offer are listed below, along with unconfirmed production numbers:

  56      Ceylon (008)
  30      Inka (022)
  44      Verona (024)
118      Fjord (037)
114      Polaris (060)
  38      Golf (070)
  45      Taiga (072)
    1      Turf (073) – Special order
  54      Chamonix (085)         

Interestingly, no solid black (Schwarz – 086) cars are listed, which contradicts the fact that a black RHD CSL was for sale in the UK in 1974 – a suspected respray in the two years it has been in the UK can be the only possible explanation. The Turf (073) green must also have been a special order, although what happened to the car since is unknown, as this colour was an early Neue Klasse colour and not available for the E9 series. It seems that Ceylon (008) was difficult to shift, and the CSL “image” colour of Chamonix (085) proved not as popular as anticipated – possibly because it was the German competition colour before the war.

Looking at the subsequent CSL registration dates, it becomes evident that some colours sold quickly while others took much longer. The majority of the 500 CSL cars were painted in Polaris (060) or Fjord (037), with Verona (024) proving a popular choice for initial orders – probably the result of the red car featured on the brochure cover. In contrast, the other bright colours were produced in much smaller quantities yet sold surprisingly quickly; late VINs with colours such as Inka (022), Golf (070), and Taiga (072), all sold out within a few weeks of importing them to the UK.

Final Phase (Oct ’73 – ’75)
A revised colour palette was introduced alongside BMW’s final model change to the E9 series in October 1973 as the 1974 Model Year colours. Most customers could now choose from 22 colours, although the UK was once again limited in choice, whereas the USA still had access to Baikal (042). Part of the offerings had been refreshed once again and brought in line with the new E12 5-series. BMW introduced a final facelift in May 1974 for European markets, whereas the USA kept the September ‘73 model, for the runout year of the E9 model. These facelift cars are distinguished by items such as the 4-spoke E12-style adjustable steering wheel & column and matt black wiper blades. A vinyl roof was also fitted as standard on the RHD cars, although many surviving examples have had this unpopular option deleted during subsequent rebuilds.

From a paint point of view, Sienabraun (009) replaced Ceylon (008), Arktisblau (045) was a reformulated version of the popular Baikal (042), Anthrazitgrau (055) was introduced while Colorado (002), Riviera (036), Atlantic (041), and Türkis (065) were discontinued. Amazonasgrün (076) replaced the older Agave (071), and Granatrot (025) was introduced as a new colour. BMW also briefly listed three of the new E6/E10 (third series 02) solid colour options: Pastellblau (044), Jadegrün (078), and Mintgrün (079). However, we think these colours were sold primarily in Europe, the USA, and Australia – for instance, there are no records of any (surviving) cars in the UK with any of these three colours.

As with the original model, the updated CSL was once again limited in colour options. For the Bat 1 series (1973), the following two options were offered:

76        Polaris (060)
30        Chamonix (085)
  1        Sonderfarbe (099)

The Bat 2 series (1974) received a wider palette:

  1        Sienabraun (009)
  1        Inka (002)
  1        Granatrot (025)
  2        Fjord (037)
25        Polaris (060)
  1        Türkis (065)
  3        Golf (070)
  4        Taiga (072)
13        Chamonix (085)
  6        Sonderfarbe (098 & 099)

Depending on where the customer was located, the following 22 colours were available during the final phase of the E9 model:

Sahara (006)
Sienabraun (009) – Metallic
Malaga (021)
Inka (022)
Verona (024)
Granatrot (025) – Metallic
Riviera (036) – Until Aug. ‘74
Fjord (037) – Metallic
Nachtblau (040) – Metallic
Atlantic (041) – Until Aug. ‘74
Pastellblau (044) – Excl. UK
Arktisblau (045) – Metallic
Antrazitgrau (055) – Metallic
Polaris (060) – Metallic
Türkis (065) – Metallic, until Jan. ‘74
Golf (070)
Taiga (072) – Metallic
Amazonasgrün (076)
Jadegrün (078) – Excl. UK
Mintgrün (079) – Excl. UK
Chamonix (085)
Schwarz (086)

What became especially apparent in the USA market, was that as each phase changed the colours slightly, their availability also varied. Some shades weren’t introduced in the American line-up until later, mainly due to production, import delays, and regulatory differences, which could explain Baikal’s (042) availability in the final phase of the E9 series. We suspect that, instead of Karmann using discontinued colours for specific markets, it is more likely that cars produced during previous colour runs were sold as new cars, and some of them might have had colours that could not be ordered anymore.

Art Cars
When discussing paints, we can’t avoid the two iconic E9 art cars, the first of many in a long-standing series – A concept that showcased the intersection of automotive engineering and fine art.

The most famous of the art cars was also the very first: Alexander Calder’s 3.0CSL. In 1975, the French race car driver Hervé Poulain invited the American artist to transform his CSL race car into an artwork on wheels. He wanted to combine his passion for art and racing, and BMW enthusiastically supported the project. By using bold primary colours, Calder created shapes that accentuated the car’s dynamic lines, all while emphasising motion and energy, perfectly matching the racing nature of the car. Poulain went on to participate in the ’75 24Hr of Le Mans, although mechanical issues forced him to retire early. Despite the unfortunate outcome, the car became an instant cultural phenomenon and is widely regarded as the beginning of BMW’s Art Car program, inspiring collaborations with artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jeff Koons.

The second E9 art car was commissioned soon after by BMW in 1976. This time, the honour was bestowed upon Frank Stella, an American artist known for his minimalist, geometric style. If anything, it couldn’t have been a more significant contrast with Calder’s vibrant and free-flowing design. Stella’s group 5 CSL race car features a black-and-white grid pattern resembling graph paper, with mechanical-like motives layered across the car. The design creates the impression of a technical blueprint – A homage to the engineering skills behind the model’s success in the touring car championships. Like Stella’s creation, the car competed in two major races: the 1976 24h Le Mans and the 1976 6h of Rheims. However, as the car was fitted with a turbo (which was highly unreliable then), it didn’t finish either race. Stella’s Art Car is the only one that has appeared on track twice.

Today, these cars are the most iconic E9 cars ever produced, and their association with world-class artists amplifies their legendary status within the community. In fact, they became such a success that BMW continued the Art Car series, becoming one of the most celebrated mixtures between the automotive and art worlds. You’ll be pleased to know that both cars are safely preserved as part of BMW’s permanent Art Car collection, as they rightly should be.

Interior Numbering Philosophy
BMW offered options in velour (S), leatherette (K), and genuine leather (L). The first interior denominations had four digits, with the first two specifying the material and colour of the parts the people sat on and the other two the vinyl colour of the seat sides and back. For instance, S19/20 is an interior in Beige (19) velour (Stoff—S) with the sides and back in Gold-brown (20) leatherette (Kunstleder—K).

At some point during production, the slash was dropped, resulting in the new four-digit numbers appearing, although both systems were continued to be used in parallel. For instance, in 1975, customers could get the older S9192 (velour, black) with black leatherette or the new S0010 (velour, light grey) with light grey leatherette.

We’ve elected to use the English translations for BMW’s range of interior offerings for easier reading. However, the interior colour table on the right page will list the original German names. Below is believed to be a complete list of BMW’s interior offerings for the E9:

Early numbers
08        Leatherette, herringbone, gold-brown (until ca. Sep. ’72)
12        Velour, woven, beige (from Sept. ’72)
19        Velour, woven, Beige (2800CS only)
20        Leatherette, smooth, gold-brown
28        Velour, woven, light beige (from Sept. ’72)
31        Leatherette, smooth, dark brown/tan
32        Leatherette, herringbone, dark brown/tan (from Sept. ’72)
39        Leatherette, smooth, navy blue
42        Velour, woven, navy blue (from ’71)
48        Velour, woven, navy blue (2800CS only)
49        Leatherette, herringbone, navy blue (’71 – ’73)
51        Velour, woven, light grey (2800CS, from ’71)
55        Velour, woven, light grey (3.0CS, from ’71)
57        Velour, woven, light grey (2800CS, until Dec. ’69)
91        Velour, woven, black (from Sept. ’72)
92        Leatherette, smooth, black
94        Leatherette, herringbone, black (’71 – ’73)

Late numbers (all from Sept. ’73)
0005    Leatherette, black, seat surface perforated, rest smooth
0006    Leatherette, navy blue, seat surface perforated, rest smooth
0007    Leatherette, dark brown / tan, seat surface perforated, rest smooth
0008    Leatherette, light grey, seat surface perforated, rest smooth
0010    Velour, woven, light grey

Genuine leather was indicated by the letter “L,” and customers could choose from six different colours—four of which remained unchanged during the entire E9 production run. All leather colours were available for any exterior colour choice. Interestingly, the leather upholstery options did not appear in any colour & trim cards before August 1974. Customers would have to pay an additional 1315 DM (£160 / $411), which translates to £2697 / $3103 / €3194 in current values.

L0202  Light beige (until Sept. ’72)
L0303  Bright beige (from Sept. ’72)
L0707  Medium brown (until Sept. ’75)
L2727  Bright red
L4141  Navy blue
L8181  Bright white
L9090  Black
L0034  Medium brown (from Sept. ’75)

First Phase
Phase 1 offered European customers with three colour options. All seats could either be a combination of velour and leatherette, or a full leatherette material. The following options were available:

S19/20 Beige velour with gold-brown leatherette backing
S57/92 Light grey velour with black leatherette backing
S48/39 Navy blue velour with navy blue leatherette backing
K08/20 Gold-brown leatherette
K94/92 Black leatherette
K49/39 Navy blue leatherette

On request, customers could also upgrade to genuine leather in one of six colour options, and were open to all colour combinations:

L0202  Light beige
L0707  Medium brown / tan
L2727  Bright red
L4141  Navy blue
L8181  White
L9090  Black

In line with BMW’s approach to pre-setting colour combinations, the 2800CS model was offered with the following pairing as standard:

S19/20 or K08/20
Nevada (001)
Sahara (006)
Riviera (036)
Baikal (042)
Florida (066)
Tundra (068)
Agave (071)

S48/39 or K49/39
Bristol (058)
Polaris (060)
Chamonix (085)

S57/92 or K94/92
Colorado (002)
Malaga (021)
Granada (023)
Nachtblau (040)
Atlantic (041)
Schwarz (086)

Customers in the USA were limited to leather in tan (L0707), black (L9090), and navy-blue (L4141) options, which was a choice made by the importer: Max Hoffman. Some Canadian cars had vinyl with an embossed pattern on the inset, similar to the door panels. The velour fabric wasn’t available at all (except perhaps for the earliest 2800 coupes), and records of actual pairings aren’t available. It is safe to assume that the USA will have had similar colour pairings as its European counterparts.

The UK market was also given the complete list of fabric and colour options, although BMW Concessionaires did RHD conversion upon import to the UK, which is when the modified dash was manufactured locally and fitted. It remains unclear whether they also offered UK customers the option of having red leatherette interiors, which BMW didn’t offer. We have seen early converted cars with red interiors that don’t look like genuine leather or have the same shade red as their LHD counterparts.

Second Phase
The second phase saw a revised colour offering in Europe. The original three options were still there, although they were updated in line with the colour introductions. BMW offered the following interior colours and materials:

The new standard European pairings became:

S12/20  Beige velour with gold-brown leatherette backing
S55/92  Light grey velour with black leatherette backing
S42/39  Navy blue velour with navy blue leatherette backing
K08/20  Gold-brown leatherette
K94/92  Black leatherette
K49/39  Navy blue leatherette

The standard pairings were also updated:

S55/92 or K94/92
Colorado (002)
Ceylon (008) – Metallic
Malaga (021)
Inka (022)
Granada (023) – Until Oct. ’71
Verona (024) – From Nov. ’71
Nachtblau (040) – Metallic
Atlantic (041)
Türkis (065) – Metallic, from Jul. ‘72
Golf (070)
Taiga (072) – Metallic
Schwarz (086)

S42/39 or K49/39
Fjord (037) – Metallic
Polaris (060) – Metallic
Chamonix (085)

S12/20 or K08/20
Sahara (006)
Riviera (036)
Baikal (042) – Metallic
Tundra (068) – Metallic, Until Jun. ‘72
Agave (071)

The leather offering was slightly altered halfway through the phase in that the colour option L0202 was discontinued in September 1972 and replaced by L0303. And although the documentation is very unclear about the exact date, based on looking at dozens of cars, we think the beige velour also changed that month. In addition, a new black velour (S91/92) and beige (S28/31) were offered, although it is unclear which colour cars received this new option as standard during phase two. However, when we look at both in the final phase, in which they did receive a standard pairing, we can assume it would have been similar during the second phase. The newly offered S55/92 “Hellgrau” (although not new within BMW’s range) complemented darker colours and quickly became a popular choice. Unfortunately, although it looked great when it was still new, it yellowed badly and quickly became scruffy. As a result, only a few have survived in decent condition today, and many have been re-trimmed in alternative colours and materials. BMW never offered an equivalent colour in leatherette, though.

The USA now also had access to the red (L2727) and white (L8181) leather, similar to the European and UK markets. Canada had two distributors, and most of their coupes still had embossed leatherette/vinyl seats. Contrary to their European counterparts, American cars had a different interior pairing. Ceylon cars primarily had black interiors, as did Colorado, Golf, Inka, and Verona. Navy Blue was fitted to Polaris, Chamonix, and Fjord, although red was also a popular choice for Chamonix. A tan interior was paired with Malaga, Sahara, Baikal, Schwarz, Taiga, and Agave. However, as customers were free to choose any leather colour available, it is most likely that the dealer would have requested the car be paid fully in advance if the customer choose something different to the recommended/standard pairings.

It goes without saying that the CSL was different from the other models, least of all because of its Scheel bucket seats, which only came in a black velour/leatherette combination. 

Final Phase
As BMW introduced its final colour offering, the interior options changed significantly. The two-tone seats were no longer available and had now been replaced by matching front/rear colour and material. At the same time, BMW changed their numbering system. From now on, interior materials would consist of four digits, starting with 0001. The options became:

S91/92  Black velour
S42/39  Navy blue velour
S28/31  Beige velour
S0010   Light grey
K0005  Black leatherette
K0006  Navy blue leatherette
K0007  Beige leatherette
K0008  Light grey leatherette

As a result, the standard pairings saw one last change.

Black S91/92 or K0005
Inka (022)
Verona (024)
Golf (070)
Taiga (072) (1974)
Mintgrün (079) (1974)

Navy blue S42/39 or K0006
Fjord (037)
Pastellblau (044)
Polaris (060)
Chamonix (085)

Beige S28/31 or K0007
Sahara (006)
Sienabraun (009)
Anthrazitgrau (055)
Taiga (072) (1975)
Amazonasgrün (076)
Jadegrün (078)
Mintgrün (079) (1975)

Light grey S00/10 or K0008
Malaga(021)
Granatrot (025)
Riviera(036)
Nachtblau (040)
Atlantic (041)
Arktisblau (045)
Schwarz (086)

The USA was mostly matched with the European offerings, except for the colours Antrazitgrau, Sienabraun, and Granatrot, which all received tan interiors.

A MODERN VIEW
Today’s view on colours has changed significantly since the production of the E9. Metallics are pretty much standard, and darker colours have mostly replaced the vibrant options of 50 years ago. That trend has also affected owners’ choices during restorations: keeping the original colour or changing to something else. Using the database as the underlying source, we’ve extracted some interesting data.

Surviving Colours
With all these different colour options, it is hard to say which would have been the most popular, let alone for the different regions. Thankfully, by referencing our extended database, we can extract interesting data that hopefully shed some light on the statistics. Interestingly, the top three is shared across all regions. We only noticed that a larger proportion of cars is Chamonix (085, 13%), which is likely a result of the limited CSL colour options.

1. Polaris (060) – 484 – 24.7%
2. Fjord (037) – 282 – 14.4%
3. Chamonix (085) – 178 – 9.1%

It is important to note that the data above includes the data from the CS Registry, which contains information on nearly 3,000 cars. Due to limited information available, a total of 27.6% of the cars are of an “unknown” colour.

Colour Changes
The previous statistics show which colours are the most popular at the time of writing, but not all cars were born with them. Over the years, many cars have changed as owners opted for a different colour that suited them better. Although information about the original colour is limited for most cars, it appears that Fjord (037) and Chamonix (085) are still popular and have seen an increase during restoration resprays.

Colour changed to:

1. Fjord (037)
2. Chamonix (085)
3. Polaris (060)

Colour changed from:

1. Unknown
2. Other
3. Inka (022)

The Restomod Approach
Not everyone sticks to the standard colour options when restoring their cars. Typical changes are the interior colour and/or material, or changing the exterior colour for one of the other period-correct options.

When it comes to full resto-mods, alternative paints and interior colours are a common theme—these range from modern BMW models to other brands or even custom mixes in some cases.

With only limited information available, we’ve noticed a number of cars using “alternative” shades of blue, as well as brown (dark metallic). Obviously, there are still many cars out there that we don’t have in the database (or only hold limited information on), so these figures are (sadly) incomplete. Factory codes for these colours are not available.

CONCLUSION
It is clear that the colour range for the E9 was more than just aesthetic decisions made by BMW – they were bold statements of innovation, modernisation, and cultural significance. From the early days of pioneering metallic paints that set new industry standards to offering bold and vibrant hues defining an era, BMW quickly established itself as a leader in modern automotive colours. It would influence many other car brands and forever solidify the E9’s status as an icon of elegance.

BMW took it one step further, by carefully curating and matching interior options that complemented the exterior appeal of the model. Whether through factory-matched combinations or rare special-order interiors, BMW ensured that our coupés carried a distinctive character almost unheard of in those days. Even today, and despite the many modern alternatives, their appeal continues to inspire many owners who work tirelessly to preserve, restore, and recreate the original beauty of these vehicles. For some of us, a more personal and unique approach is preferred, where modern offerings in colours and fabrics help create their perfect E9 while respecting their historical significance.

While some colours were more popular than others, the statistics clearly show that metallics such as Fjord and Polaris remain hugely popular. In contrast, bolder colours such as Golf and Taiga are far rarer, let alone the brown hues. Perhaps, despite their bold colour offerings, BMW felt a more toned-down approach would boost sales? What may have played a significant role is that the sales brochures for the second phase are the most boring, dull, and uninviting of all. Most pictures were taken before the fresher colours appeared, meaning that BMW had to stick with Polaris, Baikal, and Atlantic. Earlier and later brochures were warmer and more joyful. Luckily, people still bought the cars nonetheless.

Whether meticulously restored to its original specifications, customised to suit the owner’s vision, or preserved as a historical artifact, the E9 remains as relevant and desirable today as it was when it first rolled off the production line, regardless of your preference. Ultimately, our cars tell a story of passion, innovation, and timeless design through bold, statement colours.

Finally, I thank Christoph Schelm, Scott Perkins, Chris Macha, Nick Hull, and John Castle for their invaluable input and research support.