Giallo Sole FI 299 (aka 'Sunset Orange')

[gte4289]

My first car was a 1975 X1/9 in PPG FI 299, a medium yellow-orange color available on 1975-76 models. I've only ever seen this color identified by FIAT, PPG, and DuPont as Giallo Sole ('Sunny Yellow'), yet it seems to be more popularly known here in the U.S. as 'Sunset Orange.' Most North American enthusiasts, owners, and even aftermarket paint suppliers refer to the color by this name. Does anyone know why?

I've never seen a factory paint code tag stamped with 'Sunset Orange' (or even the awkwardly-translated 'Tramonto Arancio'). I suppose it may have been used in a FIAT brochure or advertisement created for the North American market, but I haven't been able to find any example of this.

Does anyone here have any images of a factory paint code tag or other official (FIAT/PPG) document showing 'Sunset Orange?'

Alternatively, does anyone here know how this came to be the common name for this color here in the U.S.?

Thanks!

 

[kmead]

My first car was a 1975 X1/9 in PPG FI 299, a medium yellow-orange color available on 1975-76 models. I've only ever seen this color identified by FIAT, PPG, and DuPont as Giallo Sole ('Sunny Yellow'), yet it seems to be more popularly known here in the U.S. as 'Sunset Orange.' Most North American enthusiasts, owners, and even aftermarket paint suppliers refer to the color by this name. Does anyone know why?

I've never seen a factory paint code tag stamped with 'Sunset Orange' (or even the awkwardly-translated 'Tramonto Arancio'). I suppose it may have been used in a FIAT brochure or advertisement created for the North American market, but I haven't been able to find any example of this.

Does anyone here have any images of a factory paint code tag or other official (FIAT/PPG) document showing 'Sunset Orange?'

Alternatively, does anyone here know how this came to be the common name for this color here in the U.S.?

Thanks!

Color naming (or naming any product) is a bizarre process of trying to determine something which is both evocative, not already taken and not pejorative colloquially in any language.

Sorry I can’t speak to how or why the color name was changed aside from the reality that in the US we are rather uncultured in terms of color and would likely never refer to an orange as yellow orange. Its orange…

I think it is just a marketing move to to make describing the color reflect something a consumer has seen in their daily lives which might be pleasant. Most people enjoy sunset, one finds a lot of things named relative to sunset.

 

[Tom Ginefra]

My first X was also a 75, in this same color. While it was definitely considered Orange by "everyone" who saw it... Fiat classified it as a Yellow.
For the record (unofficially) I had only ever heard it referred to as "Sunset Yellow".

 

[Steve Thomas]

FIAT brochure or advertisement created for the North American market,

That would be my bet. Semi-official at best

 

[johnph]

My first car was a 1975 X1/9 in PPG FI 299, a medium yellow-orange color available on 1975-76 models. I've only ever seen this color identified by FIAT, PPG, and DuPont as Giallo Sole ('Sunny Yellow'), yet it seems to be more popularly known here in the U.S. as 'Sunset Orange.' Most North American enthusiasts, owners, and even aftermarket paint suppliers refer to the color by this name. Does anyone know why?

I've never seen a factory paint code tag stamped with 'Sunset Orange' (or even the awkwardly-translated 'Tramonto Arancio'). I suppose it may have been used in a FIAT brochure or advertisement created for the North American market, but I haven't been able to find any example of this.

Does anyone here have any images of a factory paint code tag or other official (FIAT/PPG) document showing 'Sunset Orange?'

Alternatively, does anyone here know how this came to be the common name for this color here in the U.S.?

Thanks!

If your intent is to match the original Giallo Sole, I have an access cover for the headlight motor in the original (never repainted) color. Due to the location of this part, it has probably been exposed to limited sunlite or fading.

 

[Nuvojoe]

Here is the tag on my official fiat colour stamp on my 76 x1/9. We call it giallo sole. Not sure why it has to be translated.
( inCanada color is spelt colour with a “u”!gotta be a reason)

 

[Steve Thomas]

inCanada color is spelt colour with a “u”!gotta be a reason)

Because that is how colour is spelt,,,