A list has been compiled over several decades to group together all the paint references used on different Fiat vehicle models. This is the database containing Italian car colour codes - in this case, the Fiat colour codes - which are held, more or less, by all automotive paint manufacturers or body shops.
We say "more or less" because only the ...
A list has been compiled over several decades to group together all the paint references used on different Fiat vehicle models. This is the database containing Italian car colour codes - in this case, the Fiat colour codes - which are held, more or less, by all automotive paint manufacturers or body shops.
We say "more or less" because only the Fiat manufacturer actually possesses all of the precise formula for Fiat colour codes. These paint recipes are never disclosed to other companies. However, It is not prohibited to copy or recreate them - and this is what most automotive paint manufacturers do.
Each manufacturer has carried out this long and painstaking work independently.
Unfortunately, these efforts are not pooled, and competition prevails between the various players in the paint industry. The job consists of analysing an applied colour sample, then identifying the formula by recreating it using common components - mainly pigments - and, one by one, matching colours as exactly as possible.
In the world of automotive refinishing, even a slight colour difference is unacceptable: the colour match must be absolutely perfect. If a touch-up is done on a section of the vehicle, even the smallest mismatch will be clearly visible.
Since the post-war period, a common operating method has been adopted in the automotive industry for cataloguing bodywork paints.
Each manufacturer has developed its own colours over the years, aiming to make vehicles more appealing and to meet the desires of customers who - following the Second World War and the democratisation of automobile ownership - became a mass market numbering in the millions.
With the multiplication of brands and, naturally, the multiplication of models - each available in several colours - thousands upon thousands of colour codes have been created over the decades.
Fiat colour codes, for instance, now number well over a hundred references.
The classification of Fiat and other car colour codes has been intelligently structured to regulate, catalogue, and list paints by manufacturer - leaving no room for error.
A Fiat colour code is always accompanied by a name - a commercial label composed of several words describing the colour. This name complements the Fiat colour code, which could otherwise be identical to a code used by another manufacturer, creating possible confusion. This double verification - code plus name - ensures accuracy.
This information is not always easy to obtain, and in some cases, a trip to the dealership is required to get the correct references.
The name Fiat is an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino, meaning Italian Automobile Factory in Turin.
This major player in the global automotive market - now part of the Stellantis group (which also includes Chrysler, Peugeot, Citroën) - was founded in 1899.
Unlike many manufacturers whose origins lie with a single individual, Fiat was established by a group of determined shareholders.
From the beginning, Fiat had a grand industrial vision, with an initial factory covering nearly 12,000 m² and employing 150 workers.
From the early 20th century, Fiat took part in automobile racing. Then demonstrated remarkable versatility by producing trucks, trams, buses, and even engines for the navy and aviation. By 1930, Fiat had become a true industrial empire. It benefited from the post-war economic boom to continue expanding. Today, the Fiat group is a solid manufacturer that has made major investments in emerging markets, such as Brazil.
Since dealers prefer to sell their services - particularly bodywork paintwork - they are not obliged to give you the paint reference you're asking for, and may even claim not to know it. In fairness, over the decades, the Fiat group has issued so many colour codes that is sometimes difficult to know them all. To quickly and reliably your Fiat colour code yourself, here are some pointers :
Most plates displaying the Fiat paint code are located inside the engine bay, or on the door pillars inside the front doors. The paint code typically consists of numbers, or sometimes letters and numbers combined.
As previously explained, the code is usually accompanied by a name.
Both pieces of information are needed to accurately identify the paint and its formula.
The most crucial data is the Fiat colour code, which is often composed of three characters - either numbers, letters, or a mix of both.
Code / Name / Year
695 GRIGIO QUARZO / SFRENATO - MET. 2006-2020
249 AMBIENT WHITE 1993-2020
KAJ ELECTROCLASH GREY - MET.
Ferrari car colour code
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