PPG Industries Data Shows White Most Popular Car Color Globally

PPG Industries released its annual automotive color trend data, which shows that white continues to be the most popular car color globally based on 2013 automotive build data.

According to PPG’s global data, white ranked first (up 3 percent from last year to 25 percent) and silver and black tied for second (18 percent each). These were followed by gray, red, natural hues, blue and green, all of which maintained the same share of popularity as in 2012. In North America, white remains most popular (21 percent), followed by black (19 percent), gray (17 percent), and silver (15 percent). These were followed by red, blue, natural hues and green. 
In South America, however, silver leads in popularity (33 percent), followed by white (29 percent), black (13 percent), gray (11 percent), red (8 percent), natural (3 percent), blue (2 percent), and green and other colors (1 percent total).

“While white continues to be the most dominant choice in car color, we see growth in the variety of whites being offered to consumers,” said Jane E. Harrington, PPG manager, color styling, automotive OEM (original equipment manufacturer) coatings. “Car manufacturers are seeking ways to create variations of white, silver, black and gray that are specific to their brands and that complement different vehicle types. Distinct effects such as micas, glass flakes, fine bright aluminum and hue-shifting pigments help them achieve this.”

In fact, across North American vehicle types in 2013, PPG found that:
•       Sport models are most likely to feature shades of red and blue,
•       The largest percentage of gold and beige vehicles is in the minivan segment,
•       Luxury vehicles, 57 percent of which were gray in 2013, are most likely to feature effect finishes in black metallic and white pearl, and
•       Color varies most across sport utility vehicles (SUVs), with relatively equal distributions finished in shades of white, black, blue, red and gray.

Looking ahead, Harrington said drivers may see more blue in 2014 models. PPG’s data has shown increases in the popularity of blue for certain regions and vehicle types, such as an increase in North America this year and more than double the popularity in sport models there between 2011 and 2013.

2016-2017 Automotive Color Palettes
In response to the continued demand for color innovation in automotive coatings, PPG has introduced more than 60 exterior shades to manufacturers for consideration in styling 2016-2017 model year vehicles. Titled “Colorography,” the collection includes five palettes:
•       Hi-Breed emphasizes the new design harmony between man and nature with a palette consisting of neutrals, pastels and bright hues such as Lapis, a brilliant gemstone blue that uses ANDARO(R) tint dispersions by PPG.
•       Mosaic is based on the wealth of artisan patterns, shapes and prints, as well as their strong colorations, and it includes colors such as Autumn, a vivid metallic orange with colored aluminum flake that evokes an image of fall foliage.
•       New Spirit reflects the primitive, natural colors of a desert sunset with shades such as Sunray, an intense yellow tri-coat color with a high-sparkle glass flake.
•       Magnifigance combines the words magnificent and elegance, and the palette recaptures elaborate styling details and opulent, regal colors for a post-recession world with colors such as Mystic Magenta, a vibrant purple with a unique hue-shift effect.
•       Theorem is a precise and minimal contemporary palette that uses rich brown, red and deep blue as accents for balanced neutrals such as Crisp Grey, a graphite color with a surprise highlight of green metallic.

PPG engages a network of 23 internal color experts with a focus on automotive, architectural, aerospace and consumer products markets. These specialists analyze design trends, consumer preferences and priorities across regional, cultural and global markets to determine factors that will influence future color choices. The new colors and palettes introduced this year for automotive manufacturers reflect developments across all these markets and influences.