Step aside Guards Red lovers, molten Lava Orange is coming in hot. While it’s relatively new to the Porsche color wheel, Lava Orange has been stirring up flame wars amongst fanboys everywhere ever since it appeared on the latest GT3 RS. Even though the p-car we recently protected might not be as tracktacular as the aforementioned, there’s something undeniable about a smoldering C4 GTS that combines the right creature comforts with Porsche’s proven performance pedigree.
To start the 991 off right, the guys set to work on a standard 24-step hand wash & clay bar. Fortunately enough, the Lava Orange was relatively blemish free, requiring a single stage of correction to alleviate any minor swirls & scratches as part of its standard New Car Detail.
With the painted surfaces completely free of any topical contaminants, it was time for Blake & Thomas to get to work polishing the Porsche GTS out to perfection. As you may notice, rear tails on a standard issue Porsche 911 C4 GTS aren’t offered in a darkened finish as seen here. There was something visually off about full red tails on a bright orange car, so we took a little creative liberty to smoke them out, emulating the black optics available on the GT3 RS.
Once the Porsche had been prepped & polished, the XPEL ULTIMATE paint protection installation could begin. As with most unique hues & sport-centric automobiles, Full Frontal protection is absolutely paramount for preservation of the original paint. The added coverage of a full hood and full fenders means no rock chips or topical damage to worry about during spirited driving sessions, ensuring that bright Lava Orange stays pristine for many, many years to come. Of course, the C4’s kit wouldn’t be complete without all the little bits & pieces to go with it – Full Frontal always includes components like door edge guards, handles, cups, and mirrors, but this Porsche also received a set of custom cut rock guards to factory spec.
As soon as the paint protection had cured up, the C4 GTS was positioned in the cyclorama for a quick photoshoot with the Lava Orange looking glossy as ever thanks to a thorough New Car Detail & XPEL ULTIMATE paint protection.
Initially in auto show press photos, the color came off with hits of salmon pink and a much flatter appearance. Under the simulated sunlight of the studio, the Lava Orange has quite a dynamic finish. While it might not sport an aggressive rear wing like the RS, there are still quite a few key components to the GTS that separate it from the standard issue Carrera. The first dead giveaway are the large center lock wheels.
There’s no denying the everyday-racecar appeal of having center locks on a Porsche. The black satin finish and large split spokes fit the bill just right for a Lava Orange GTS, filling out the wheel wells nicely without an overly aggressive stance. They’re a little meatier than the rubber found on a base 991, and are basically the same wheels offered on the new Turbo S. They’re fashionable, functional, and totally necessary for maximizing grip, considering the GTS is running a much heartier powerkit than a normal Carrera S.
Interior wise, this Porsche 991 keeps it very low key. You can’t really go wrong with all-black-everything & plenty of Alcantara no matter what car you’re driving. Coupled with such a bold exterior color choice, some no-nonsense guts feel right at home in this C4. It’s also worth noting that there’s no PDK to be found in this particular Porsche — for the diehard manual gearbox enthusiast out there, this is the next best thing to getting a new RS with a 6 speed.
Venturing around the back, it becomes a bit more clear that the C4’s tail lights are far from the original shade. While there may be a black-optic replacement offered out on the web somewhere by a 3rd party, the factory lamps darkened up plenty & look great with a simple light smoke.
Emulating the optional RS tails at certain angles is a nice visual touch, plus there’s still plenty of light streaming through while illuminated. The subtle addition of the optional black exhaust tips tie in beautifully with the window trim & rear venting, while minimal matte black “GTS” badging brings it all together.
Spoiler popped, the C4 GTS really starts to look the part.
As luck would have it, the weather decided to cooperate on delivery day so we pulled the GTS out to bask in the sun before it had to hit the road. While we enjoyed having the Lava Orange Carrera 4 on deck, it’s hard to deny that just about any color would look good on the signature Porsche silhouette.
Planning on taking delivery of your own Stuttgart special soon? Don’t hesitate to contact us for details about personalization, the benefits of a New Car Detail treatment & protecting your latest acquisition with Full Frontal XPEL ULTIMATE PPF. Thanks for reading!
LAVA ORANGE PORSCHE C4 GTS NEW CAR DETAIL PHOTO GALLERY
