PPG study says silver continues nine-year reign as most popular auto paint color
Silver just won't give up its nine-year choke hold as the most popular color choice for cars and trucks, both in the United States and abroad. In fact, the silver and gray category actually picked up an additional five percent on the rest of the field with a market share of roughly 25 percent in 2009.
Moving on down the list shows that Americans are also fond of white (18 percent market share), black (16 percent) and red (12 percent). All told, all other colors combined add up to less than one third of all vehicles sold in America. Silver also took the top spot in both Europe and the Asia Pacific region. Why are gray shades so popular with new car buyers? According to Jane E. Harrington, PPG manager of color styling and automotive coatings:
Want to know more? Click past the break for the press release from PPG. Thanks for the tip, Leslie!What helps drive silver's popularity are all of the innovative effects that really make silver shine... much more than just a simple gray. Silver tones work well with today's tinted metallic textural looks. The diversity of silver, from subtle hue shifts to dimensional metallic flake appearances, works with a variety of vehicle styles.
[Source: PPG]
PRESS RELEASE
Silver still entrenched as world's favorite vehicle color, according to PPG data
Company introduces 70 new shades at annual Automotive Color Trend Show
TROY, Mich., Oct. 1, 2009 – For the ninth consecutive year, the silver category, which includes charcoal and gray shades, has ranked as the most popular vehicle color in the world according to data from PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG), the world's leading manufacturer of transportation coatings.
In North America, silver and charcoal saw a strong increase in popularity from 20 percent in 2008 to 25 percent this year. White was second (18 percent), black was third (16 percent) and red was fourth (12 percent). These four color categories comprise well over two-thirds of all vehicles sold in North America. Just 15 years ago, the most popular color on vehicles in North America was green with 21 percent, while silver had only 8 percent in 1994.
"What helps drive silver's popularity are all of the innovative effects that really make silver shine ... much more than just a simple gray," said Jane E. Harrington, PPG manager, color styling, automotive coatings. "Silver tones work well with today's tinted metallic textural looks. The diversity of silver, from subtle hue shifts to dimensional metallic flake appearances, works with a variety of vehicle styles."
In Europe, silver and charcoal (35 percent) were followed by black (22 percent), blue and white (13 percent each), red (9 percent), naturals (5 percent), green (2 percent) and other/niche colors (1 percent).
In the Asia/Pacific region, silver and charcoal (34 percent) were followed by black (21 percent), white (17 percent), blue (9 percent), red (7 percent), naturals (6 percent), other/niche colors (4 percent) and green (2 percent).
"Clearly, the automotive industry is moving toward more color choices," Harrington said. "Palettes are broadening as the number of models decreases and the industry consolidates. Going forward, automotive manufacturers are going to be relying on color more and more to distinguish their brands."
At this year's annual Automotive Color Trend Show held at PPG's offices here, the coatings company presented its ideas for future vehicle colors. Titled "3D Color" – representing "Design," "Dimension" and "Differentiator" – the show included a collection of interior and exterior colors developed globally and inspired by fashion, interior design, industrial design, culture, commercial construction and nature. PPG presented automotive designers with 60 new exterior shades and 10 new interior shades for consideration in their designs of the 2012-2013 model years. The new shades were grouped in four themes based on vehicle type: "Dimension" for compact vehicles; "Perspective" for mid-size vehicles; "Surface" for hybrid vehicles; and "Depth" for luxury automobiles.
PPG introduced automotive manufacturers to new colors such as Champagne Silver, a tinted silver with a slight warm copper beige cast; Outer Space Blue, a deep, dark blue with a slight sparkle effect; Haute Couture, a black base coat with a high sparkle blue mid-coat that gives it an appearance inspired by a black designer evening gown with blue sequins; Quantum Rose, an interior color close to a neon red; and Hulk, a color developed in Australia that is bright green, just like its namesake.
In addition to the new exterior and interior colors, PPG added a computer-generated imaging demonstration to the show. This provides automotive designers with the ability to see some of the new colors as they might appear on new model vehicles.
In addition to color trend forecasting, PPG is continuing to develop new paint technologies that offer automotive design options to enhance appearance and help manufacturers differentiate their brands.
One of the paint systems that PPG previewed at the show is a next generation of glass flake coatings. These are paints that include very smooth glass flakes coated with various metal-oxide layers. "Because of the coating's narrow particle distribution and very smooth surface, this product shows extreme sparkle and brightness," said Jerry R. Koenigsmark, PPG manager of color design, North America automotive coatings. Koenigsmark said that the company hopes to make these coatings available commercially in the next two to three years.
PPG also highlighted its Chaos Sky White mica coatings. These are new shades of white based on synthetic micas coated with titanium dioxide (white pigment).
Additionally, PPG spotlighted its new inorganic infrared-reflective pigments. These coatings have a very high solar reflectivity that helps to keep the vehicle cooler, reduce air conditioning use, and reduce fuel consumption.
On the forefront of innovation in decorative and protective coatings and environmental application concerns since 1924, PPG helps automakers advance coatings technologies and application processes.
About PPG
Pittsburgh-based PPG is a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, specialty materials, chemicals, glass and fiber glass. The company has more than 140 manufacturing facilities and equity affiliates and operates in more than 60 countries. Sales in 2008 were $15.8 billion. PPG shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: PPG). For more information, visit www.ppg.com.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Allen 10:07AM (10/02/2009)
That's because everybody who buys a BMW buys it in Silver. Sometimes I think that's the only color they come in. I'm not bashing, just noticing (I like BMW).
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mk15 10:30AM (10/02/2009)
BMW makes other colours! like that dark blue and... .. yeah... why are so many silver?
McBain 11:17AM (10/02/2009)
Jet Black is a classy color, but the gloss paint makes it very difficult to hide scratches.
DayShifter 10:09AM (10/02/2009)
...and I thought it was the most popular because it's the hardest to tell when you car is dirty..... LOL!!
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mk15 10:30AM (10/02/2009)
And also because silver hides swirls and scratches fairly well.
Mike P. 11:30AM (10/02/2009)
...though it can be aggravating to conceal silver touch-up well, if you don't know what you're doing.
Astonman 10:14AM (10/02/2009)
My preference for color has always been white. It is so easy to make a white car look great. in any season. However my current car is a cardinal red Ford mustang and it is the biggest cop magnet on earth. An officer friend of mine looked up my plates once and told me that my car had been looked up 19 times in a month. Which he seemed to think was hilarious.
In reference to the Nissan, Every time I see a picture of that car , I feel absolutely nothing for it , especially in silver it seems so bland and meh. However every time I see one driving on the road , hear the wail of that beautiful V6. Pass one at a dealership it stirs every automotive sense that I have, as much as if I were seeing a Classic Ferrari or vintage muscle car.
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Rocketboy 2:35PM (10/02/2009)
I've never liked white cars.
Doubly so in the wintertime.
Give me a nice red, blue, orange, yellow, anything other than a color that you'd normally see as part of the road (grey, black, white).
the4thheat 2:57PM (10/02/2009)
Yeah the down side of driving a car like that is that you're almost guaranteed to attract entirely the wrong kind of attention. Same thing goes for cars that the cops associate with younger male drivers. Driving a Civic Si or Subaru WRX gets you a lot more attention than driving a Legacy or Accord.
I think as far as stereotyping goes you probably get the least attention when driving a silver camry that looks well-kept, or maybe even a Buick. Of course you don't want to go too far with trying to make people think you're old and boring because then they might stop you in case you're senile or something ;)
Mr.K 10:18AM (10/02/2009)
I really, really dislike silver.
I had a Trans Am in silver once, but it needed an engine replaced a week after I bought it, so maybe I just have bad memories associated with it.
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nardvark 10:24AM (10/02/2009)
Well to be fair, if they're counting the entire spectrum from dark grey to bright aluminium as "silver," it may be winning simply because the category is broad.
That said, most of the people I know chose silver because they "won't get sick of it." I guess the fear is that bright yellow will become an eyesore after 5 years, or green will go out of style. Personally i think silver is getting quite dated. Give me metallic orange or atlantis green, please.
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dal20402 10:50AM (10/02/2009)
Silver has just been a basic color for many years and can't get dated -- it's like black clothes. Metallic orange, on the other hand, started to look dated about six months after the big orange trend showed up around 2003 and 2004.
Nateb123 3:16PM (10/02/2009)
No dal20402, black would be like black clothes. That truly DOES never go out of style. Silver is just a colour of mediocrity for mediocre people in mediocre auto appliances. It's the only colour that doesn't require a decision, it's an anti-decision because every dealer lot is filled with silver cars. Just say "I dunno what colour I want" and the dealer will answer "We have one in silver". Done deal. Passionless wimps.
nickb304 10:33AM (10/02/2009)
Silver hides scratches really well. I could run my silver truck through a brush pile, then was and wax and it would look like new. I have an Electric Blue dodge now and i don't think it will ever look like new again. You can see every little scratch and swirl in the paint.
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jjd 10:43AM (10/02/2009)
Is silver really a color? Ditto for black, white and grey.
I get really pissed off when I go to (say) the Porsche dealer and they have eight cars out front in the following colors: black, silver, a different silver, white, black, grey, a different grey, guards red.
Well at least they had one in color.
Please take me back to the 70s when Porsche really had colors: lime green, bright blue, orange, yellow, red....
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BoxerFanatic 11:20AM (10/02/2009)
Porsche does have colors.
Mexico Blue, Cobalt Blue, Gaurds Red, a bright green, yellow... and at least if you are willing to pay for it, you can order a Porsche painted any color you want... Techquipment, or some other name for their custom-order process.
But aside from that... I agree.
When I bought my car, they had cut the rich dark blue, AND the dark red from the lineup, and limited each remaining paint color to a specific interior color, no choice, and most being taupe/tan, not black.
They had one pale blue, white, light and dark silver, and black. THAT WAS IT. So I bought used, where I could still get RED with a black interior and a stick shift. I would have otherwise also loved that cancelled dark blue...
But when companies cut colors, and offer few options... what do they think will happen?
I like silver, as a grayscale HUE... (white, all greys, silvers, and black are grayscale hues, not *truly* unique colors. They are a combination of all the other colors, and vary in luminance and reflectivity. White is ALL colors, at full luminance. Mirror finish is full reflectivity.)
But, Silver is so OVERUSED on cars, that I prefer something less ubiquitous, and something a bit more unique an striking.
A very well designed car that you want to see every detail of, silver works very well. White can, too, but I find it a little 'blank', and unfinished, unless it is a pearl coat, or something.
A very bland or ugly car can look better in black, where most of the details are very well hidden.
But a normal car, something that is dignified, but not flashy... looks a bit too pedestrian in silver. A bit too appliance like. White also applies there. Black always looks dignified, like a tuxedo, it is hard to go wrong.
But on such a car, a good hue of blue, or darker-toned red (bright red if sporty...) take a modest design and bump up the visual impact. A good green can make such a car look classy, while being something other than black.
Yellow is hard to pull off on the wrong car for it. Orange doesn't look too bad, but it is a bit of a fashion statement, and can go out of style, as can purple. Brown tends to come and go, but I can't say I ever like it.
I can't understand why any car doesn't have both at least one nice blue and red paint color choice. medium to dark work best, but even a lighter blue is do-able. Those should be de-facto options on everything, along with the white, grey, silver, and black, and then add the less base-line colors like yellow or orange if the car suits it.
jjd 11:35AM (10/02/2009)
Apparently we are in violent agreement. My Boxster is Guards red with black interior and my S4 is Sprint Blue. I know about Tequiment paint-to-order option, which is great. I was just speaking to the "standard" colors that you find in the brochure and what the dealers choose to order and put on their lot. Porsche isn't the worst offender -- also look at VW, Audi, BMW. They all have lousy color selections. I guess as long as 80% of the car buyers are happy with white/black/grey/silver, that's what they'll keep making. Sorry for ranting, but it's a pet peeve of mine.
redandwhite 11:02AM (10/03/2009)
I have to say that, if you don't look hard, VW (and German cars in general) tend to be found in plain bland colours. That said, my '02 VW Polo (dont laugh - its great) is purple
jjd 11:20AM (10/03/2009)
Purple! Very bold - good on you. Given that you drive a Polo and that it's purple, I'd venture to say you are not in the USA. Here in the states, the color palettes of euro automakers are far more restrained that what I've seen in Europe.
Picking a car model at random, the VW CC Luxury, here is the entire choice of colors on the VW USA web site:
moca brown metallic
shadow blue metallic (very dark)
deep black
island grey metallic
light brown metallic
iron grey metallic
reflex silver metallic
white gold metallic
candy white
Is that pathetic or what? No reds. No greens. Only one blue, and it is pretty dark. In fact, the one blue color is the only "color" that I would actually consider a color.
Pathetic.
http://www.vw.com/vwfeatures/cc/en/us/
dal20402 10:52AM (10/02/2009)
Brightly colored cars attract too much attention. I don't think a cop has ever looked at my silver sedan... even though it will do 13 flat.
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