Which Mustang Boss 302 paint color is worth the most?
Cars slathered in eye-catching colors never fail to garner attention. The degree to which those colors impact value, however, can vary wildly from model to model. Corvettes, perhaps unsurprisingly, are most valuable when coated in red, white, or blue. For Porsches, warmer colors tend to do better than cooler ones. That said, Corvettes and Porsches often come in a variety of configurations, and when it comes to values their other options can outweigh the color’s importance. For vehicles with few trims or minimal differences, color can be a much more important consideration.
Such is the case with the 2012–13 Ford Mustang Boss 302. There weren’t many options, and the car was only offered with a manual transmission and only as a coupe. One option package featured Recaro seats and a Torsen limited-slip differential. Another was the track-focused Laguna Seca package (Rapid Spec 501A). In contrast to the rather sparse option sheet, 10 colors were available: Black, Competition Orange, Gotta Have It Green, Grabber Blue, High Performance White, Ingot Silver, Kona Blue, Race Red, School Bus Yellow, and Yellow Blaze. In the Boss 302, those hues are the biggest differentiators (we do factor in the additional value of the Laguna Seca package, so we are able to isolate each color’s impact). Some were only available one model year, and some, like Black and Ingot Silver, were only available on the Laguna Seca edition.
Looking at auction transactions from the past several years and comparing them to the Hagerty Price Guide condition-appropriate value while noting the color, we’re able to determine the premium (or discount) the market attaches to each of those 10 shades.
In another case of rarity resulting from something not selling well when new, the 252 Yellow Blaze cars built (all for the 2012 model year) have an average Hagerty Price Guide condition-appropriate discount of 11 percent. Conversely, common colors such as Competition Orange and Performance White sell for a typical premium of 17 percent. Another highly sought-after color is Gotta Have It Green, with a 16 percent premium.
If you’re looking for a cheaper way to have fun on the track, along with the Yellow Blaze cars, the Laguna Seca cars in Black and the base 302 in Kona Blue both tend to sell at an average discount of between 9 and 10 percent, respectively.
The colors that put the Boss 302 nearer the average value are Race Red, School Bus Yellow, and Grabber Blue.
What’s your favorite late model Boss color? Are you willing to pay more for it, or, armed with this knowledge, would you refine your Boss 302 search to find one at a discount? Or… is your favorite color only available on a Camaro?
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Via Hagerty Insider
My favorite Boss color is whichever one I’m able to park in my driveway.
I like the way you think!
2012 Race Red with white stripes. 1 of 93!
Performance white with the bold, black stripes.
I guess I’ll have to reduce the Hagerty isurance coverage now on my 2012 Yellow Blaze Boss. LOL.
It’s a great color!
Those 2012 LS color combos are tough on the eyes, but hey, it’s an LS. To each his own. These are great cars and a blast to drive!
I was surprised, that would have been my pick for fav color, but it was on the cover as a teaser for least fav? Keep the faith BOSS2X maybe it will make a comeback after some Braptor Bronco comes out in that color! lol
WHITE
Green
Any color is fine, as long as it’s not black, silver, or white.
MAYBE PREVOIUS YEARS GREEN?
I am convinced that the people in the Ford Design Studio are all 30 year old basement dwellers who wear only black clothes and dye their hair black…. they have no concept of the beauty of color…. or nature. They also hate convertibles and fresh air…. Ever had a black interior convertible in summer?
I would order a Mustang convertible if there were decent colors for paint and interior…. Sales dept… are you listening ???????? Doubt it….
They probably don’t cater to just one crabapple.
Meh… I’m old enough to remember the original Mustangs and how nicely they could be done up…. the brochure photos were taken at country clubs. not tattoo parlors…
There is more than one of us out here.
I agree with the black interior on a sunny day, the days when convertibles are most used. I’ve owned 6 convertibles in my life and the first 2 with black interiors made me pass over any ad that described a black interior. I’m currently shopping for another and it won’t have black seats.
I agree on the black interior on a convertible, in the summer sun. With many colours on the GT convertible, one can order a light-gray leather interior.
I guess I’ll just keep driving my Kona Blue as my DD despite its fall from grace :).
Don’t feel bad about it. I have a 2012 GT500 in Kona Blue with thick white stripes. I love it, and apparently so does most everybody else.
Black with single matt black racing stripe – in my driveway and love it to bits..
What ever happened to Calypso Coral?
I will go with black as my Fox body is black! The picture in the article of the black with red trim is awesome!
Deja Vu! As I said before the bright ones attracting a premium does not surprise me. I do like most of them, white is an interesting contrast with the logos/stripes.
I find it interesting that none of the reader comments above refer to the Yellow Blaze as a favorable color. I too wonder about the appeal to buyers of a color that resembles mustard over other choices. Foremost the Mustang has been appealing due to its styling and design. “Mustard” is NOT an approprate color for this style car.
Agreed! That is a terrible yellow!
I’m partial to the Yellow Blaze/black, so this works for me. That hue seems to really channel the 60’s-70’s vibe. I would totally rock a matching turtle neck and black slacks. Interesting on the Grabble Blue. That’s probably one of the more rare colors. I would figure it’d be worth more. Of course this is all academic since the price of a 12-13 Boss 302 has skyrocketed no matter what hues you choose.
I love my Competition Orange ‘12, but would also love a black one. It took me a while to figure out why black isn’t popular and white is so popular. White is the least appealing color on a car to me. Then I realized most Bosses were sold in the south. I bet if I lived in Texas instead of Seattle, I’d want a white one!