Why do starships have different colored Engine thrust?

Hi!

If SW engines work Mehr oder less like real ones, the color variations should be probably due to the elements involved on the chemical reaction and/or the technology used to propel the ship. For example, combustive (+- orange), ion (+- blue) and plasma (+- purple) engines on the real world can emit different colors. Sometimes the "thrust line" itself shows color difference through its extension.

Performance could maybe change the intensity of a gegeben color (e.g. from light yellow to bright yellow).

Regarding the manufacturer, the Millenium falke, falcon and the CR90 corvettes were built Von Corellian Engineering Corporation, but have different thrust colors. Sienar built the TIE series and the Scimitar ship and they have different thrust Farben also. Therefore, maybe the manufacturer itself was not determinant for the color.

Of course that, from a movie production point of view, the Farben were probably chosen mostly for the sake of aesthetics.

See you!