But change is in the offing! Not only is blue starting to grab some significant market share, but soon those pure silver tones will take on a fresh appearance as blues, browns and greens become infused with silver to create a bold new look, according to this annual survey by PPG Industries.
Silver surpassed all colors among North American vehicles produced in the 2006 model year with 24 percent, down 2 percent from last year. Silver also remained the leading color for luxury cars at 29 percent.
"Silver is going to remain popular," predicts Jane E. Harrington, manager, color styling, automotive coatings for PPG. "It's a preferred hue because it defines character lines and features on the exterior of a vehicle better than a darker color. But blue is going to start grabbing some of silver's market share. Both pure tones and light values of blue are going to be strong, emerging color trends within the next few years."
The top 8 car colors:
1. Silver: 24 percent
2. White: 16 percent
3. Black and red (tie): 13 percent
5. Blue and naturals (tie): 12 percent
7. Green: 7 percent
8. Niche and specialty colors: 3 percent
While bright silver will remain a favorite for several years to come, PPG Industries' color experts predict five major trends in colors for 2009-2010 model year:
*Blue
The color blue will increase in popularity, with updated rich classic blues featuring sparkle effects for a unique iridescence and some shades featuring green and red casts. Medium-valued blues with silver highlights also add new dimension to the palette.
*Green
Nature-inspired textures and patterns will expand the range of greens, especially with continued consumer interest in the environment and "green" products. The color will be enhanced with a light, almost translucent hue on one end of the spectrum, while a combination of green with brown will create a new dark khaki on the other.
*Naturals
The metallic looks seen in fashion, packaging and product design are strong influences on the natural color family. Medium values will showcase subtle tones of copper and bronze, while special-effect pigments will help create contemporary and luxurious browns influenced by wood and leather products.
*Red
This classic color palette will be highly influenced by interior design, resulting in deep burgundies and bright, saturated reds. With new effect pigments, the depth and brilliance of red can be expanded.
*Neutrals
Comprised of silvers, blacks and whites, the neutral family has strong ties to fashion. Blacks with metallic effects will be the new focus. Tonal whites and pearl colors will continue to become established. Silvers will continue to develop with the addition of metallic flake and effect pigments, while a move to darker graphite colors with slight tints of brown and green will add new interest.
--From the Editors at Netscape
