• Porsche patented a special coating that changes color.
  • The system uses particle layers activated by electricity.
  • BMW is also exploring advanced color-shifting tech.

Porsche’s bespoke offerings are already among the most comprehensive in the industry, but that hasn’t stopped them from pushing further into the realm of the extraordinary. If you thought a custom paint job was the pinnacle of personalization, Porsche is quietly exploring something even more dynamic.

More: There’s A Porsche Program Even Rarer Than Paint To Sample

Currently, the Porsche Sonderwunsch division gives customers two main (though hardly standard) options when it comes to color personalization. Paint to Sample (PTS) offers a catalog of more than 220 pre-approved hues, drawn from Porsche’s extensive historical and special collections.

Porsche Wants To Make Paint Color A Thing Of The Past

For those who want something even more tailored, Paint to Sample Plus (PTS+) allows buyers to provide their own reference, be it a scarf, a nail polish bottle, or just about anything else, for a cost typically north of $30,000.

You’d think that level of personalization would be enough to satisfy even the most particular Porsche buyer. Not quite. The only thing better than the perfect shade is a shade that adapts to the moment. Porsche seems to agree, judging by a recent patent that hints at a new approach to automotive color, one that doesn’t involve picking a favorite at all.

Cameras Meet Color Theory

Porsche Wants To Make Paint Color A Thing Of The Past
Porsche Wants To Make Paint Color A Thing Of The Past
Porsche Wants To Make Paint Color A Thing Of The Past
Porsche Wants To Make Paint Color A Thing Of The Past
Porsche Wants To Make Paint Color A Thing Of The Past
Porsche Wants To Make Paint Color A Thing Of The Past
Porsche Wants To Make Paint Color A Thing Of The Past
Porsche Wants To Make Paint Color A Thing Of The Past
Porsche Wants To Make Paint Color A Thing Of The Past
Porsche Wants To Make Paint Color A Thing Of The Past

WIPO

First spotted by Carbuzz, the patent was filed with the German office of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on September 25, 2024, and published on December 4, 2025. The supporting illustrations show what appears to be a Porsche 911 fitted with a system that can shift its exterior color based on visual input from a camera.

According to the filing, a recording device placed inside the car is shown analyzing the driver’s clothing. It’s not hard to imagine the system working with any camera, including one mounted externally or even on a smartphone. The concept seems flexible, both literally and technologically.

The heart of the system is what Porsche describes as an “actively controllable, optically changeable coating.” This would be applied to at least parts of the bodywork, allowing the surface to adapt visually in real time.

Electrons Over Paint

Porsche Wants To Make Paint Color A Thing Of The Past

Illustration CarScoops

The patent suggests that electrical stimulation would activate pigment particles in the coating, using separate layers for red, green, and blue. In theory, this RGB approach could reproduce a wide spectrum of shades, matching anything from a coat sleeve to a passing sunset.

As with most patent filings, there’s no indication of whether the idea is headed for production or when. Even so, if Porsche were to bring this to market as an optional feature, it could redefine how we think about automotive individuality.

More: Forget Paint Jobs, This BMW i5 Art Car Changes Colors On Demand

Of course, practical concerns remain. Durability, maintenance, repair costs, and the specific surface area covered would all need to be resolved before customers could start ordering color-shifting Carreras.

A Color-Shifting Future Is Closer Than You Think

As far-fetched as it might sound, Porsche isn’t the only brand exploring this idea. BMW has also been working on a color-changing system using E Ink technology, which it hopes to roll out on production models by 2027.

The company previewed this tech last year with an i5 art car. Like Porsche’s proposed setup, it relies on electricity to animate the exterior, turning the body into a canvas for moving, customizable graphics.