Factory Mistake: Unique VW Golf R Painted Incorrectly

author: FutureCar Staff    

Most new cars these days come in a limited range of colors from the factory, usually consisting of blacks, whites, and greys, with the occasional red or blue. However, every now and then, a car manages to slip through the cracks and ends up with a color that was not originally intended. This was the case with a 2017 Volkswagen Golf R in 2016, which was painted in a special kind of grey that was never officially available for the model.

The car in question gained legendary status after it was listed for sale by Lindsey Volkswagen in Dulles, Virginia. It caused quite a stir due to its unique Carbon Steel Grey Metallic paint, a color that was not offered by Volkswagen for the Golf R. The current owner of the car decided to dig deeper into its history and reached out to Volkswagen to find out how it ended up with this color.

Volkswagen representatives were unable to provide a definitive answer as to what happened, but they suggested that the four-digit paint code may have been entered incorrectly or the wrong paint may have been selected due to a system error. Despite the mistake, the car passed through the production line without any issues during the quality inspection, as inspectors were not specifically looking for cars painted in colors outside of the designated options.

The unique nature of the car sparked a frenzy among car enthusiasts, with over 100 callers expressing their interest in purchasing the Golf R. The excitement caught the attention of Megan Closset, the product manager of the Golf GTI and Golf R in America at the time. She used the community's reaction to support her case for introducing a wider range of paint options for the Golf R in the U.S. market.

As a result, Volkswagen of America launched the Spektrum program, which offered the Golf R with 40 additional paint options, including vibrant teals, ocean blues, striking oranges, and captivating greens. This program was directly influenced by the accidental production of the Golf R in Carbon Steel Grey Metallic.

Volkswagen confirmed that this particular Golf R was the only one produced in the Carbon Steel Grey Metallic color. They issued a special letter of authenticity to the owner, highlighting its one-of-a-kind status and its role in bringing the Spektrum offering to the U.S. market. Now, the owner has decided to sell the car, and it is currently listed on Bring a Trailer.

If you're interested in owning this unique piece of Volkswagen history, the bidding for the car is currently at just over $15,000 with five days remaining on the auction. Documents confirm the car's special status as a one-off factory error, further adding to its appeal. While Carbon Steel Grey Metallic is no longer available at Volkswagen, it can still be found at Porsche as a Paint to Sample color.

FutureCar Staff