Wine Red Car Paint | What It Is & How To Match It

One wrong order and the paint on your touch-up panel doesn’t match the door. Wine red is a shade everyone recognizes but nobody codes the same way. Automakers from Mitsubishi to Porsche to Ferrari each have their own version — some are metallic, some solid, some require a clear coat you might not expect. Here’s what the code actually means and how to find the right one for your car.

What Paint Codes Does “Wine Red” Cover?

There is no universal wine red formula shared across automakers. The name is used inconsistently, so the only reliable way to match your car is by the factory paint code printed on the vehicle itself. The most documented wine red paint codes include:

• Mitsubishi P57 — Wine Red, a urethane basecoat that requires mixing 1:1 with reducer and a separate 2K clear coat for gloss and durability.
• BMW 224 — Weinrot (Wine Red), also called Standard Red, with touch-up part number 51 91 1 973 947.
• Porsche L895 / 895 — Red Wine Metallic, used on 911 and 928 models for 1981–1982.
• Volvo 21 and 198 — Maroon red / Wine red (21) and Wine red (198) appear in Volvo color-code references.
• Ferrari 390 — Vinaccia (Rosso Vinaccia), a solid dark red that literally translates to wine red.
• RAL 3005 — Wine Red, an industrial coating/powder-coat standard that is not an OEM automotive paint code but is often referenced for custom or restoration work.

Where To Find Your Car’s Paint Code

The paint code location varies by brand. On most vehicles, check the driver-side door jamb label first — it’s a sticker or metal plate with the vehicle’s VIN and paint information. For Audi, VW, and Porsche, the code may also appear in the spare tire well or front trunk. BMW and Mini often place it on the strut tower under the hood. Once you have the code, you can order a matched paint from a supplier rather than guessing by name.

Picking the wrong system is an easy mistake. If you need a factory-color match for your car, always start with the OEM code found on your vehicle.

Paint System Differences Matter

The chemistry behind the paint determines how it goes on and how long it lasts. The documented wine red paint systems fall into three main categories, and mixing them can ruin the finish.

Some spray-paint listings, like APAR automotive refinishing products, dry to touch in 10–15 minutes and cover about 1.2–1.5 square meters per can — but those are aerosol convenience options, not a replacement for a proper basecoat system. If your vehicle’s original finish is a urethane basecoat, you cannot simply brush on an enamel RAL 3005 and expect it to hold.

How To Buy The Right Wine Red Paint

Start with your paint code. Once you have it, look for a supplier that specializes in that OEM system — Mitsubishi P57 buyers need a urethane basecoat and a clear coat, not a powder coat. If you’re restoring a classic and using an industrial standard like RAL 3005, understand that it was not formulated for automotive body panels and may not flex or weather the same way. Digital color approximations from encycolorpedia and color-name.com give you a visual sense of the shade, but they are not guaranteed OEM matches.
If you’re ready to buy, check our curated list of tested wine red paint options for cars — each listed with its correct system and application notes so you skip the guesswork.