Why is Tiaga Revered?

bavbob

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Taiga is revered because it is a rare color but why is it rare? Relatively low numbers of original Taiga but why is this? Did BMW purposely limit the number or was it just unappealing to an original owner choosing a color? Basically, I wonder if it is sought after today because it was not sought after in the past.
 

Gary Knox

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Rob,

I suspect you are correct in your last sentence. That is also probably the reason that e9's are pretty popular today - they were not highly sought after here in the US in the early 1970's. In that era, only those of us who read Road and Track and perhaps one or two of the European motorcar publications knew that BMW did NOT refer to 'British Motor Works'!! (What was that - probably < 1% of the US car buying public) BMW came up with a great slogan around that time - The Ultimate Driving Machine. Then, the handling and driving enjoyment of their cars really stood out vs. other options in the market. Eventually, the marque was discovered by those seeking prestige more than handling, which changed the character of the label.

My opinion only - critics welcomed!! - ha Note: I bought my first of two e3's in 1971, and first of two e9's in 1973. By 1984 I had moved to different marques [my maintenance costs for daily driver BMW's were exceeding the fun factor]. I returned to the marque in 2015 with the current e9, then the e31 in 2017 (neither is a daily driver). I've owned 'GT' cars made in 1987 through 1994 (actually first sold in 1978) that were similar in character to the e31 that outperformed and had better handling than the e31. So - in 1997 could it - also called a GT car - still be called the Ultimate Driving Machine? Not in my opinion.

Blasphemy, I know- ha.

Gary
 
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dave v. in nc

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My guess is that if you watch any of the Apollo programs currently on the telly, you will see that everyone is wearing the same white shirt and black tie...The "safety colors"(Golf yellow, Inka..) that BMW (and Porsche) introduced in that period were RADICAL back then, and Taiga/acid green slides into that wave of WOW colors. Same with Ceylon. Remember Peter Max? If you had a crazy color car in the driveway, especially a funny furrin car, your neighbors assumed that you had lost your mind or were doing acid.
 

teahead

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It's a cool color that few ordered. Like Panther Pink for old Mopars.

Polaris, Chamonix, Fjord... All common colors. E9 fans like bright colors like Taiga, Turkis, Golf, Colorado and Inka because how different they are.
 

DWMBMW

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The fact that more than a few original Taiga coupes were also painted over in the 80's when the color went out of fashion adds to the rarity (I almost did this).
P.S. - I've owned mine for 35 years and even as typed this I still had to check the color chart to make sure I spelled Taiga correctly!
 

Simufly

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I have a neat book I picked up many uears ago, it allows the viewer to place an outline of the car over a colour palette to see what it looks like! The trim samples are there too!
 

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bavbob

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I have used the Peter Max link to describe the color as well. I am proceeding to return my painted over taiga to taiga at the dismay of my family. I actually love the color though would probably not pick it from a color palette.

Does car color make a difference? Anecdotal experience says yes: I have owned my schwarz 635 for 22 years and got about 2 comments on it. I bought a cinnabar red M6 5 years ago and get positive comments each time I drive it and not because of the M6 badge. Does anyone feel that color impacts value?
 

teahead

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color affects value big time! But it depends.


Original color that's COOL born with it? Highest value.
Original color that's so-so born with it? Next highest IMHO.
Original color that's COOL, but NOT born with it? Next highest.
Original color that's boring, but born with car? Next highest.
Original color that's ugly, but born with car? Next highest.
Not original color that's COOL, next highest.
Outrageous, non-original color that's insane. Next.
Ugly, non-original color. Lowest value.
 
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rsporsche

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yep 2 + 4 are dupes. i also think the original cool color that the car was born with makes a huge difference if the paint is original and the car is concours original. if you built a slight restomod - or a BAT reolica, then i think original born color is less important. then a great (original color) makes a great statement.

a few years ago there was an acid green '74 lambo at amelia island that won its class.
 

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Michael Kaye

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color affects value big time! But it depends.


Original color that's COOL born with it? Highest value.
Original color that's so-so born with it? Next highest IMHO.
Original color that's COOL, but NOT born with it? Next highest.
Original color that's boring, but born with car? Next highest.
Original color that's ugly, but born with car? Next highest.
Not original color that's COOL, next highest.
Outrageous, non-original color that's insane. Next.
Ugly, non-original color. Lowest value.

Would be interested to know what colours you associate with each of your headings:

cool :
so-so :
boring :
ugly :

:)
 

teahead

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Well...don't want to offend anyone who has an E9 w/those colors. But I really like ("cool"):

Colorado Orange
Inka
Garnet Red Metallic
Turquoise Metallic (Turkis?)
Golf Yellow
Taiga Metallic
 

GolfBavaria

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I tell people this: even though you are discussing e9's, I occasionally slum (sarc) here on the e9 comments. This thread subject line caught my eye because of the odd color (pun intended). Ok, I'll get to the point.

I tell people this about my Golf Yellow E3. I think one would have had to have been absolutely out of their mind (probably literally) in 1973 to buy what is essentially the first 7-series car in Golf Yellow. BMW's luxury sedan. I couldn't imagine pulling up to the country club in it or picking up the kids with this colored sedan back in 73'. Now it is very, very, rare and I think super cool because of that. I think a little more popular color in Germany, but certainly not in the States. But as most of you know, I am also color blind, so the Golf on Black color combo to me looks super cool (I still see color, just not like non-colorblind people). It makes my sedan look sporty to me in Golf paint.

Colors and taste also seems to come full circle, look at all the "funky" colors out there now on all makes; that Porsche and BMW essentially pioneered years ago. Anyhow, nice reading all the comments, I obviously think color and originality is important and that is why I kept the engine bay and boot original paint on purpose. Once I pulled everything out of the car, headliner and all it was crazy to see all the yellow paint underneath. Nicest paint on the car is in the spare tire well, no joke, crazy. I had no choice with the exterior paint as it was painted over another color when I bought it. Luckily a $hit job so I was able to retian a lot of the original paint in certain areas.

I also realize it is a LOVE/HATE color, much like Taiga & Ceylon. I was at a BMW dealership in Temecula the other day in my car. I overheard someone looking at new BMW's comment on the car. "What an awful color that is!" I just got in my car, smirked and thought to myself, "not a vintage BMW fan, and drove off laughing." I think he knew I overheard him at that point. Anyways....GO ODD and RARE COLORS!
 

Michael Kaye

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I was at a BMW dealership in Temecula the other day in my car. I overheard someone looking at new BMW's comment on the car. "What an awful color that is!" I just got in my car, smirked and thought to myself, "not a vintage BMW fan, and drove off laughing." I think he knew I overheard him at that point. Anyways....GO ODD and RARE COLORS!

Good for you! Fancy posting a pic of your car?
 

rsporsche

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Would be interested to know what colours you associate with each of your headings:

cool :
so-so :
boring :
ugly :

:)
for each of us this is a different list - not trying to offend anyone ... these are just my thoughts, YMMV ... bottom line, i would have any stock color on a coupe - i added a category something between cool + so-so

cool - turkis / ceylon / inka / taiga / colorado / granatrot / baikal / riviera
excellent - atlantik / nacht / fjord / polaris / golf / agave / granada / malaga / verona / anthracite / chamonix / schwarz / tundra / mintgrun
so-so - amazon / jadegrun / sahara / siennabraun
boring - can't think of any

colors i've not really seen - bristol / florida / caribe / arktisblau / nevada
 

Michael Kaye

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for each of us this is a different list - not trying to offend anyone ... these are just my thoughts, YMMV ... bottom line, i would have any stock color on a coupe - i added a category something between cool + so-so

cool - turkis / ceylon / inka / taiga / colorado / granatrot / baikal / riviera
excellent - atlantik / nacht / fjord / polaris / golf / agave / granada / malaga / verona / anthracite / chamonix / schwarz / tundra / mintgrun
so-so - amazon / jadegrun / sahara / siennabraun
boring - can't think of any

colors i've not really seen - bristol / florida / caribe / arktisblau / nevada

I’m glad to see chamonix falls in your “excellent” list as I’m just about to buy a chamonix car :D

But joking aside I agree....we all have a slightly different take on what is cool (although my favourite has got to be Turkis).
 

rsporsche

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my favorite varies. if i could only pick 3 it would be from ceylon, turkis and baikal ... but inka + granatrot would be close. my coupe is being painted ceylon
chamonix is an excellent color, but i think its best like Stan's GRTWHT - red seats / door panels with charcoal carpet ,,, maybe with black / red cocomats. i have owned more white cars than anything and they were my favorites - my 911s, my e30 m3 + my '82 supra
 
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