Car colors aren’t the most commonly talked about aspects of a car. But why is that? It’s true that not everyone indeed cares about their car’s color, but most of us can recall seeing a car color that really dazzled us. Whether paint quality or color combo, a car’s color can really make or break the look. Well, Dodge has recently upset fans by axing the fan-favorite Destroyer Gray colorway that is quite popular with Dodge Charger and Challenger owners, in particular. 

Say goodbye to the Dodge fan-favorite colorway, Destroyer Gray

Before we say goodbye, let’s take a quick look at what makes Destroyer Gray special. As explained by Motortrend, Destroyer Gray is dialed into a scientific truth: 18 percent gray (the same shade as Destroyer Gray) was used to balance brightness for photography and, eventually, video. 

This same principle was adopted by the U.S. Navy and other major naval ships to help conceal the deadly sea monsters. So, not only is this particular shade of gray quite old, but it also boasts some practical applications. 

Why is Dodge canceling Destroyer Gray? 

Dodge introduced Destroyer Gray in 2017. It was only given to the performance line, meaning the Dodge Challenger, Charger, and Durango got the military-esque color, but models like the Caravan, for instance, wouldn’t see the standoffish gray. 

To be honest, calling Destroyer Gray a color seems like a bit of a stretch. It’s kind of the ultimate non-color. By definition, this shade is technically devoid of color. It has pigments but not color. For this reason, maybe Dodge felt that people found it boring or that brighter colors were getting more popular. Although killing this color seems strange, maybe it’s a play to bring it back in the future? Honestly, we aren’t sure exactly why Dodge is doing this, but either way, only Dodge knows for now.

Should a Muscle car be understated or flashy? 

This is a divide that has split the muscle car world for decades. Since the mid-’60’s, American carmakers have always offered muscle cars in insane colorways like Hugger Orange, Grabber Green, Plumb Crazy Purple, and more. However, others wanted to keep their muscle cars under the radar with matte black and gray primers. 

Although some modern sports cars and muscle cars still offer some brilliant colors, Destroyer Gray is the opposite. It offered a “mainstream” version of the old sleeper street racers from back in the day. Not only was it an option for your Dodge Challenger or Dodge Charger, it was one of the most popular color choices for these models. 

By 2019, Dodge quietly but officially canceled Destroyer Gray. Since its disappearance, it became one of the most searched colors for Dodge’s performance models. It really does make sense, though. Destroyer Gray touches on American military history, alt-muscle car history, and the current performance accolades for these models. 

Does your car color affect speeding tickets? 

The sleeper car scene served two purposes; one being a way to con other racers out of money with a car that seems to be a rust bucket. But another side of it pertains to evading the watchful eye of Johny Law. 

Multiple studies over the years show that red cars get more tickets than any other color, except for white. However, white doesn’t really count because it is the most common car color by a long shot, which skews the numbers a bit. Seeing as how color matters, it would stand to reason that plenty of muscle car owners would prefer a color that might help them skate under the radar. 

Regardless of which camp you find yourself in, Destroyer Gray was a cool color that we will miss sorely. Although subtle, it was a cool tip of the hat to American military history and car culture sectors.