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When it comes to car colors, it seems silver is golden

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Old 12-04-09, 07:24 AM
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LexFather
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Post When it comes to car colors, it seems silver is golden

By Joseph R. Perone/The Star-Ledger
December 03, 2009, 8:30AM

silver_cadillac.jpgGETTY IMAGESHenry Ford once famously boasted that you could paint a Model T any color, so long as it was black.

The automotive world has gotten more colorful since then, but less than one might think. For the current model year, just nine paint colors make up 99 percent of all car finishes, according to chemical maker DuPont.

Silver, black and white are the most popular automotive hues, according to the company, which ranked the popularity of colors globally. Previously, DuPont ranked the most popular colors only by region, such as North America, Europe and Latin America.

The color ranking, now in its 57th year, showed silver on top, with one-quarter of 2009 models in the world painted that color. Black was runner-up with 23 percent and white was third with 16 percent. See how the colors ranked.

"The auto industry is an increasingly global business, so regional and global color data are vitally important to designers," said Nancy Lockhart, color marketing manager for DuPont OEM Performance Coatings.

Color preferences can change "from year to year because of a variety of factors, including types of vehicles introduced, reduced vehicle size, consumer tastes and even the economy," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.

"It’s important to recognize that most people today, no matter where they live in the world, have access to cutting-edge information about popular colors from many sources," added Eiseman, who authors the Eisemancolorblog.com blog.

In North America, white is still the top choice for 17.8 percent of all cars. Black is second with 17 percent and silver takes the bronze medal at 16.7 percent. The popularity of black continues to rise, up six percentage points from 2005. Silver and white have dropped in popularity by about two points during the past five years.

Black is the most popular color in Europe for 27 percent of all cars. Silver is the most popular color in Russia and India.
 
Old 12-04-09, 08:19 AM
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Gojirra99
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The most boring color for any car on the road
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Old 12-04-09, 08:27 AM
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mmarshall
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Yep, that color-circle at the top of the post seems to petty much reflect the color-chips found in most of the brochures/web-sites of today's vehicles. I can't argue with it......for the most part, is is accurate. Black, white and silver/gray are indeed the 3 big colors. At the BMW shop I was at doing the 550 GT holiday review, the majority of the new BMW vehicles there were one of those three colors. The new Mini Coopers there, of course, were different...they have much more variety in their colors/trim, but Minis do not reflect the average automotive color choice.

I have noticed some new trends, though, not included in the color-circle. Medium-dark Chestnut Brown seems to be getting more popular, especially on luxury cars, though still not widespread yet. Green, once very popular but having passed from the scene, seems also to be starting a comeback, especially in light-to-medium shades.

I think the reason for the increasing popularity of green and brown is that they are earth-tones, with the emphasis today on environmentalism. Green, of course, has always been a popular color for hybrids.

I, personally, though, would like to see some more brighter shades offered. Those of you who regularly read my reviews know that I often pan car companies for having too many dull, funeral-home colors on certain models, and not enough brighter shades to relieve the boredom. It's fine to have some funeral-home colors for those who want them, but those of us who like brighter, more cheerful shades are often left in the dark. Lexus, for example, FINALLY expanded the range of its gorgeous Matador Red, a paint job that will knock your socks off. Before, it was only available on the IS and GS.
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Old 12-04-09, 08:46 AM
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Originally Posted by Gojirra99
The most boring color for any car on the road
lol, yeah i agree. funny at the LA auto show yesterday, lexus and bmw both displayed almost all cars in silver color. my wife and i both thought that's not a good choice of color coz' that didn't make the cars pop at all, couldn't attract attention...

on the other hand audi used white and white, and wow...
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Old 12-04-09, 08:54 AM
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mmarshall
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Originally Posted by Gojirra99
The most boring color for any car on the road
Not only that, Andrew, but, IMO, many silvers and light-to-medium grays tend to blend into the color of most asphalt roads, especialy in damp weather with gray skies and fog, making them more difficult to see than other colors. (And I know, in your part of Pacific Canada, you get a LOT of damp weather).

That is probably one of the reasons we got the DRL (Daytime Running Lights) requirement for all new cars...to make those silver/gray cars easier to see.
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Old 12-04-09, 08:56 AM
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Originally Posted by meowCat
Wow, black is at 23%. That's pretty substantial number. I would've thought black is less popular due to paint chips and scratches to be seen easier as well as dirt.. Indeed, silver is a boring color.
hahaa, people got addicted to how nice the car looks when clean at dealership. buy the car, and weeks later they regret
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Old 12-04-09, 08:59 AM
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Originally Posted by rominl
on the other hand audi used white and white, and wow...
Yes, Henry, Audi does that Pearl Oyster White extremely well. Audi, Infiniti, and Cadillac were the companies that pioneered and developed that color.

It can be a b**ch to repaint properly, though, because of the difficulty of mixing, processing, and applying the pigments, metallic particles, and pearl effect. Just ask anybody who paints cars or works in a body shop.
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Old 12-04-09, 09:04 AM
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yay! my car is on the top 3!
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Old 12-04-09, 09:08 AM
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Originally Posted by meowCat
Wow, black is at 23%. That's pretty substantial number. I would've thought black is less popular due to paint chips and scratches to be seen easier as well as dirt.. Indeed, silver is a boring color.
Black, of course, is popular for a number of reasons. First, it is the standard color for limos, hearses, and VIP cars. Second, It is popular in cold-weather areas because, with sunlight, it keeps the car warmer and makes it easier to de-ice. Third, like white, it is a classic neutral color and goes with almost any color interior you could put with it...though most interiors, nowadays, come in only beige/ivory, light gray, or dark gray/black. Fourth, it may be difficult to clean, but shines like a mirror when it is properly cleaned and polished. Fifth, while not all owners of black cars are hooligans, it has become the classic automotive rebel color for aggressive drivers, replacing what was once bright red.
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Old 12-04-09, 09:11 AM
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audi a5/s5 coupe in white is sexy.

wooo i chose the 4th most common colour. would've went with 5th most common if they offered ultrasonic blue last year for the IS.
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Old 12-04-09, 09:17 AM
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LMFAO, so all three of my vehicles are in the 1% category!
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Old 12-04-09, 10:21 AM
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Originally Posted by meowCat
Wow, black is at 23%. That's pretty substantial number. I would've thought black is less popular due to paint chips and scratches to be seen easier as well as dirt.. Indeed, silver is a boring color.
Hey - I have to defend Silver. Depends on the model and make... A silver SUV looks weird... and it does not work for some marques. (I don't personally think silver is a natural Lexus color) ...but Silver (and close relatives) certainly works for an MB or BMW sedan or coupe on a warm sunny day... Silver does not show chips or dirt as easily either - so it's more practical. and it is more stealthy and not as in your face...

(Can you guess the color of my car?)

Chris
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Old 12-04-09, 10:31 AM
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I like silver but like pearl white more.
However,I couldn't get starfire pearl with black interior and didn't want the Ultra.
A black gut is more important to me than the exterior color.
Black is great but it isn't a color,it's a profession.

I also own a '08 silver Civic.
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Old 12-04-09, 10:33 AM
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wheres the pink???
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Old 12-04-09, 10:43 AM
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Interesting that gray and silver considered different colors, or the lead would've been much greater. I mean technically silver is just one of the different shades of gray, isn't it?

Last edited by Mister Two; 12-04-09 at 10:47 AM.
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