Limebug / The everything-of-everything series

Every Shade of Aircooled.

The classic Volkswagen paint code bible, 1948–1979. Look up factory L-codes, browse model-era colour options and compare approximate on-screen swatches for Beetles, Split Screen and Bay Window Transporters, and Type 3s.

Important: The small swatches are illustrative digital approximations, not original VW colour chips or paint mixing recipes. The date ranges are a searchable historical index, not a certificate of what any individual car left the factory wearing. Verify production month, market, body style, special-edition records, and the original VW literature before ordering paint.

VW paint colour catalogue

Browse by model, year, colour family or paint code. The catalogue displays all colours on initial load.

Paint name or code Vehicle family Year Colour family

Colour name	VW code	Model	Indexed years	Colour family
Black	L41	Beetle	1949–1979	Black
Pastel Green	L11	Beetle	1948–1954	Green
Medium Green	L13	Beetle	1948–1952	Green
Reseda Green	L14	Beetle	1949–1952	Green
Bordeaux Red	L51	Beetle	1948–1951	Red
Medium Brown	L70	Beetle	1948–1951	Brown
Dark Blue	L32	Beetle	1950–1951	Blue
Medium Blue	L37	Beetle	1951–1954	Blue
Azure Blue	L36	Beetle	1951–1953	Blue
Sand	L90	Beetle	1951–1953	Beige
Chestnut Brown	L73	Beetle	1951–1954	Brown
Pearl Grey	L21	Beetle	1951–1953	Grey
Jupiter Grey	L225	Beetle	1953–1963	Grey
Metallic Blue	L35	Beetle	1953–1954	Blue
Sahara Beige	L272	Beetle	1953–1954	Beige
Atlantic Green	L19	Beetle	1953–1954	Blue
Iceland Green	L213	Beetle	1954–1955	Green
Texas Brown	L271	Beetle	1954–1955	Brown
Light Beige	L275	Beetle	1954–1955	Beige
Ultramaroon	L276	Beetle	1954–1955	Red
Strato Silver	L227	Beetle	1954–1956	Grey
Nile Beige	L370	Beetle	1955–1956	Beige
Polar Silver	L324	Beetle	1955–1956	Grey
Reed Green	L313	Beetle	1955–1956	Green
Jungle Green	L315	Beetle	1955–1956	Green
Horizon Blue	L331	Beetle	1956–1957	Blue
Coral Red	L351	Beetle	1956–1958	Red
Diamond Green	L412	Beetle	1956–1957	Green
Prairie Beige	L378	Beetle	1956–1957	Beige
Agave Green	L240	Beetle	1956–1958	Green
Light Bronze	L245	Beetle	1957–1958	Brown
Glacier Blue	L334	Beetle	1957–1958	Blue
Diamond Grey	L243	Beetle	1957–1958	Grey
Capri Blue	L335	Beetle	1957–1958	Blue
Alabaster	L473	Beetle	1957–1958	White
Atlas Blue	L338	Beetle	1957–1958	Blue
Bamboo	L241	Beetle	1957–1958	Beige
Shetland Grey	L329	Beetle	1957–1958	Grey
Inca Red	L258	Beetle	1957–1958	Red
Mango Green	L346	Beetle	1959–1960	Green
Jade Green	L349	Beetle	1959–1960	Green
Slate Blue	L361	Beetle	1959–1960	Blue
Arctic	L363	Beetle	1959–1960	Blue
Ceramic Green	L419	Beetle	1959–1960	Green
Indigo Blue	L436	Beetle	1959–1960	Blue
Flint Grey	L440	Beetle	1959–1960	Grey
Sargasso Green	L445	Beetle	1959–1960	Green
Indian Red	L451	Beetle	1959–1960	Red
Paprika Red	L452	Beetle	1959–1960	Red
Rock Grey	L264	Beetle	1959–1960	Grey
Gulf Blue	L390	Beetle	1961–1963	Blue
Ruby Red	L456	Beetle	1961–1966	Red
Pearl White	L87	Beetle	1961–1966	White
Turquoise Green	L380	Beetle	1961–1963	Blue
Anthracite	L469	Beetle	1962–1964	Grey
Sea Blue	L360	Beetle	1964–1966	Blue
Java Green	L518	Beetle	1964–1967	Green
Bahama Blue	L519	Beetle	1964–1966	Blue
Fontana Grey	L595	Beetle	1965–1967	Grey
Lotus White	L282	Beetle	1966–1968	White
VW Blue	L633	Beetle	1967–1968	Blue
Savanna Beige	L620	Beetle	1967–1970	Beige
Clementine Orange	L20D	Beetle	1970–1971	Orange
Elm Green	L60D	Beetle	1970–1971	Green
Pastel White	L90D	Beetle	1970–1973	White
Marina Blue	L54D	Beetle	1971–1974	Blue
Kansas Beige	L91D	Beetle	1971–1973	Beige
Texas Yellow	L10B	Beetle	1972–1973	Yellow
Brilliant Orange	L20B	Beetle	1972–1974	Orange
Kasan Red	L30B	Beetle	1972–1973	Red
Ravenna Green	L65K	Beetle	1973–1974	Green
Signal Orange	L20E	Beetle	1973–1974	Orange
Bahia Red	L30E	Beetle	1973–1974	Red
Phoenix Red	L32K	Beetle	1973–1975	Red
Light Ivory	L80E	Beetle	1973–1976	White
Marathon Blue	L96M	Beetle	1973–1976	Blue
Rallye Yellow	L10A	Beetle	1974–1976	Yellow
Diamond Silver	L97A	Beetle	1974–1979	Grey
Ancona Blue	L97B	Beetle	1975–1978	Blue
Alpine Green	L61H	Beetle	1975–1976	Green
Mars Red	L31B	Beetle	1977–1979	Red
Alpine White	L90E	Beetle	1977–1979	White
Pearl Grey	L21	Split Bus	1950–1961	Grey
Medium Grey	L22	Split Bus	1950–1953	Grey
Silver Grey	L23	Split Bus	1950–1955	Grey
Dove Blue	L31	Split Bus	1950–1967	Blue
Sealing Wax Red	L53	Split Bus	1950–1965	Red
Chestnut Brown	L73	Split Bus	1950–1958	Brown
Light Beige	L75	Split Bus	1950–1955	Beige
Brown Beige	L76	Split Bus	1950–1955	Beige
Stone Grey	L221	Split Bus	1950–1955	Grey
Grey	L28	Split Bus	1953–1958	Grey
Ivory	L62	Split Bus	1953–1967	White
Sand Grey	L260	Split Bus	1955–1958	Grey
Sand Green	L311	Split Bus	1955–1958	Green
Palm Green	L312	Split Bus	1955–1958	Green
Light Grey	L345	Split Bus	1958–1967	Grey
Beige Grey	L472	Split Bus	1959–1964	Grey
Turquoise	L380	Split Bus	1961–1964	Blue
Blue White	L289	Split Bus	1961–1964	Blue
Pearl White	L87	Split Bus	1961–1968	White
Ruby Red	L456	Split Bus	1961–1964	Red
Velvet Green	L512	Split Bus	1964–1967	Green
Sea Blue	L360	Split Bus	1965–1967	Blue
Cumulus White	L680	Split Bus	1966–1967	White
Titian Red	L555	Split Bus	1966–1967	Red
Lotus White	L282	Split Bus	1966–1967	White
Savannah Beige	L620	Bay Bus	1968–1970	Beige
Lotus White	L282	Bay Bus	1968–1970	White
Neptune Blue	L50K	Bay Bus	1968–1979	Blue
Montana Red	L30H	Bay Bus	1969–1970	Red
Brilliant Blue	L50H	Bay Bus	1969–1970	Blue
Delta Green	L610	Bay Bus	1969–1970	Green
Sierra Yellow	L11H	Bay Bus	1971–1972	Yellow
Niagara Blue	L53D	Bay Bus	1971–1972	Blue
Chianti Red	L31H	Bay Bus	1971–1972	Red
Pastel White	L90D	Bay Bus	1971–1979	White
Elm Green	L60D	Bay Bus	1971–1972	Green
Kansas Beige	L91D	Bay Bus	1971–1972	Beige
Kasan Red	L30B	Bay Bus	1973–1975	Red
Orient Blue	L53H	Bay Bus	1973–1975	Blue
Ceylon Beige	L13H	Bay Bus	1973–1978	Beige
Sumatra Green	L61B	Bay Bus	1973–1978	Green
Brilliant Orange	L20B	Bay Bus	1973–1979	Orange
Bali Yellow	L62H	Bay Bus	1974–1975	Yellow
Sage Green	L63H	Bay Bus	1974–1979	Green
Marino Yellow	L20A	Bay Bus	1974–1979	Yellow
Senegal Red	L31A	Bay Bus	1976–1979	Red
Reef Blue	L57H	Bay Bus	1976–1979	Blue
Diamond Silver	L97A	Bay Bus	1976–1979	Grey
Agate Brown	L86Z	Bay Bus	1977–1979	Brown
Panama Brown	L12A	Bay Bus	1978–1979	Brown
Mexico Beige	LE1M	Bay Bus	1979–1979	Beige
Gulf Blue	L390	Type 3	1961–1963	Blue
Ruby Red	L456	Type 3	1961–1965	Red
Pearl White	L87	Type 3	1961–1967	White
Black	L41	Type 3	1961–1973	Black
Anthracite	L469	Type 3	1962–1962	Grey
Pacific Blue	L398	Type 3	1962–1962	Blue
Birch Green	L511	Type 3	1962–1964	Green
Polar Blue	L532	Type 3	1963–1964	Blue
Terra Brown	L571	Type 3	1963–1964	Brown
Emerald Green	L514	Type 3	1963–1964	Green
Manila Yellow	L560	Type 3	1963–1966	Yellow
Nutria	L575	Type 3	1964–1964	Beige
Sea Blue	L360	Type 3	1964–1965	Blue
Safari Beige	L563	Type 3	1964–1965	Beige
Smoke Grey	L594	Type 3	1965–1965	Grey
Fontana Grey	L595	Type 3	1965–1965	Grey
Beige Grey	L472	Type 3	1965–1965	Grey
Velvet Green	L512	Type 3	1965–1965	Green
Arcona White	L582	Type 3	1965–1966	White
Henna Red	L553	Type 3	1965–1966	Red
Roulette Green	L544	Type 3	1965–1967	Green
Sea Sand	L568	Type 3	1965–1967	Beige
Baltic Blue	L539	Type 3	1965–1967	Blue
Bermuda Blue	L288	Type 3	1965–1968	Blue
Cherry Red	L554	Type 3	1965–1969	Red
Delta Green	L610	Type 3	1966–1967	Green
VW Blue	L633	Type 3	1966–1968	Blue
Granada Red	L650	Type 3	1966–1968	Red
Lotus White	L282	Type 3	1966–1968	White
Pastel White	L90D	Type 3	1970–1973	White
Brilliant Orange	L20B	Type 3	1970–1973	Orange
Texas Yellow	L10B	Type 3	1970–1973	Yellow
Sumatra Green	L61B	Type 3	1970–1973	Green
Gentian Blue	L51B	Type 3	1970–1973	Blue
Marina Blue	L54D	Type 3	1970–1973	Blue
Silver Metallic	L96D	Type 3	1970–1973	Grey
Colorado Metallic	L97D	Type 3	1970–1973	Other
Turquoise Metallic	L95B	Type 3	1970–1973	Blue
Gemini Metallic	L96E	Type 3	1970–1973	Other
Kansas Beige	L91D	Type 3	1970–1973	Beige

Click any colour row to open the enlarged viewer with applications and notes.

Swatches are approximate digital representations, not factory paint chips or mixing formulas. Always verify production details before ordering paint.

Understanding original VW paint codes

What does an L-code mean?

Many classic VW exterior colours use an L-prefixed paint code such as L41 Black, L313 Reed Green or L90D Pastel White. The name on its own is insufficient: names can vary with translation, market and date. Other short numeric or letter codes may refer to a paint option on a specific production or M-code plate, not a substitute universal formula.

Build date versus model year

Do not assume January–December dates are always model years. VW often switched to the next model year around August, with different conventions on early vehicles. Some factory charts list exact month and chassis-number cutovers. See the Wolfsburg West FAQ and relevant factory colour books for the precise transition.

Where to identify the original finish

Start with the original data plate, Transporter M-code plate, surviving paint stickers, period service documentation, and unrestored hidden panels. Type 2 records may identify a lower and upper two-tone paint combination separately. Confirmation from the VW birth-certificate/archive process or contemporary period documentation may help when plates are missing.

Restoration paint matching

Give a paint supplier the exact L-code, model and build month; ask for a current verified formula and sprayed sample. Compare a test panel in daylight and under artificial light. Decades of oxidation, repainting, varnish and differing paint systems mean a hex colour on a monitor cannot establish a factory-perfect match.

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The Everything-of-Everything VW Paint Code Bible, 1948–1979

The Everything-of-Everything VW Paint Code Bible, 1948–1979

Every Shade of Aircooled.

VW paint colour catalogue

Understanding original VW paint codes

What does an L-code mean?

Build date versus model year

Where to identify the original finish

Restoration paint matching

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The Everything-of-Everything VW Paint Code Bible, 1948–1979

Every Shade of Aircooled.

VW paint colour catalogue

Understanding original VW paint codes

What does an L-code mean?

Build date versus model year

Where to identify the original finish

Restoration paint matching

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