BASF recently released its 2019 Color Report for Automotive OEM Coatings. One of the key findings of the report is that approximately 39 percent of all cars build around the world are painted white. Coatings World had the opportunity to discuss this and other color trends in the automotive OEM coatings with Paul Czornij, BASF’s North American lead designer for color.

Coatings World: Year after year white is consistently ranked the number one color choice for automobiles. What is the reason for this?

Czornij: Other industries started using white to demonstrate the face of technology in the last 10-15 years, which encouraged car and truck designers to do the same. White is associated with sophistication, beauty and purity.  It’s a little more conservative and universal, which helps with resale value down the road.  But if you keep the car, white is always in style even when color trends in fashion or other areas may shift. 

Coatings World: In the color report it says that there was a slight decrease in white’s popularity. What colors are gaining in popularity and do you think white can ever be replaced by a different color?

Czornij: That decrease is on the global level, and it’s down just a few percentage points that seem to be absorbed by other achromatic colors — black, gray, and silver. White seems to rule the roost for now, but that’s not to say that it can’t be bumped off. Silver used to be the most popular global color in the 1990s. At the time, silver represented the peak of automotive technology, until white-edged it out in the mid-2000s. The same could happen in the future if some new color family takes on white.

Coatings World: Can you talk about regional differences in color preference? What are the most popular colors in Asia, Europe and North America?

Czornij: In Europe, the Middle East and Africa, gray is rising and beige and greige colors are starting to emerge for the first time.  Our research shows there’s a need for softer and more approachable surfaces that are modern and appealing.  In South America, red is becoming a new expression of individuality. It’s a vibrant color, connected to sportiness and beauty, and always makes you think about cars that are fast.  In Asia Pacific, pearl white is especially popular.  What’s different there is that the prevalence of black is a little lower in Asia Pacific, compared to other parts of the world. In North America, warmer whites, with yellowish undertones, are the most popular, but we’re seeing the beginning of a shift to cooler whites, with bluish undertones and pearl effects.

Coatings World: What are the factors that influence color preference by region?

Czornij: Electric vehicles are influencing color in Asia Pacific, especially in China. A lot of EVs are gray, with semi-opaque and silky colors that add to the futuristic image of technology and autonomy.  Blue and white also support clean hybrid designs, connecting people with the environmental movement and the earth. Here in North America, pickup trucks are the kings of the highway, and have a big influence. Today’s trucks are leather-covered, infotainment-equipped luxury vehicles, and we’re seeing more deep, rich blacks on pickups, like the rest of the luxury segment. There is also a selection of effect pigments that work well with black, giving designers better options to create something that can look sleek or luxurious or mysterious. In Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, blue is the most popular chromatic color. This mirrors what designers across a broad band of industries are working with. There are more than 160 shades of blue that we’ve seen throughout EMEA, and that diversity has a huge influence.

Coatings World: What other trends are you seeing in automotive colors (sparkle, matte, etc.)?

Czornij: We’re using pigments and effects, like metallic and pearlescent effects, that allow us to unlock new possibilities with color to stay fresh. Being a color designer, I can see the beauty in white. The trick for us is to take a popular color like white and come up with something fresh and new each year.