The world
may not agree on many things, but in 2001, Asia, Europe and the
Americas agreed that silver was their favorite color choice for
automobiles. Silver’s rise in popularity was identified in
both DuPont’s annual Global Color Popularity Report, which
tracks current color choices and predicts future automotive color
trends and PPG Industries’ annual color popularity survey.
Robert S.
Daily, color styling and marketing manager for DuPont Herberts
Automotive Systems, believes that the trend is due to “sophisticated
automotive styling cues” that express technology driven lifestyles.
In North
America, silver rose to the top as the color choice for luxury
automobiles, according to the DuPont survey, and prevailed in
the full/intermediate and sport/compact styles. Silver remained
the second most popular color among SUV, truck and van drivers,
but, according to the report, “is becoming a contender for
the lead.”
The PPG survey
showed that, although silver was the color of choice with more
than 20% market share in three segments, mid-size, sport/compact
and SUV/vans, natural colors led the luxury segment with 22%,
and red was the top choice for trucks.
Silver was
also quite popular in Europe, outselling all other colors. Blue
was still the most popular chromatic color in Europe. Blue is
also becoming more popular in North America in both metallic and
solid versions for sport/compact and luxury cars.
Yellow is also gaining popularity, and it is predicted to continue
gaining popularity. Not necessarily the bright lemon yellow, but
more pale shades and softer golden metallics. Of course, bright
yellow will still be popular for sporty cars and light trucks.
“Based
on color trend research,” stated Marilyn White, manager of
advanced styling- international color styling group for PPG, “future
colors will be more sophisticated and chromatic due to new effect
pigments that add sparkle and provide cleaner colors.”
Several people
I know recently purchased new cars. One was dark silver; the others
were black, dark blue and pale yellow or gold; all colors on the
“top ten” list. What about performance, reliability
and extra features? Consumers are first drawn to the finish, the
color. That is why the manufacturers pay big bucks to achieve
the “perfect” finish, and why there are surveys to find
out exactly what the consumer is looking for.
