Color thoughts -- (don't shoot the messenger..)

[fbodfather]

Detroit Free Press:

By Zlati Meyer
Oct. 6, 2011

When it comes to car color, white is white-hot, according to PPG Industries, a leading international coatings company, which released its annual color trend popularity survey Wednesday.

Twenty-one percent of 2011 model-year vehicles around the world are white, bumping silver, which fell to second place, where it's tied with black. Both silver -- the most-popular vehicle for 10 years straight -- and black claimed 20% of the market, with gray coming in next at 13%.

In North America, white was No. 1 with 20%, followed by silver with 19%, black with 18% and gray with 15%.

These four colors are popular because they not only are available in every vehicle segment, but look good on any type of car, according to Jane Harrington, PPG's manager of color styling and automotive coatings. Plus, a car is a big purchase -- and an item that will be owned for a while -- so many buyers don't want to get locked into a too-trendy shade.

She theorized why white has become so beloved: It connotes cutting-edge.

"Silver, at one time, was considered high-tech, innovative," Harrington said. "Think about white. What has Apple (introduced) their product in? White."

PPG, whose automotive group is based in Troy, also unveiled 70 shades of automotive exterior colors for the 2014-15 year, including hazy sunshine, a soft yellow; pea**** blue, a rich teal with a sparkle, and ovaltine, a pearlesque soft brown.

A recent PPG survey found that 77% of car buyers said that exterior color was a factor in their purchase, and 31% said they'd be willing to pay extra for a color that expresses their personality.

Harrington's personal favorites include delicate sky, a soft green-cast blue with a little yellow, and chandelier, a matte-finish gold.

But what would the father of the modern automobile -- who famously said customers can have a car any color they wanted as long as it was black -- say to all these choices?

"Henry Ford would be confused, because I'd say, 'What black do you mean? Green cast? Black cast? A little sparkle? A lot of sparkle?' " Harrington said.

Another trend the 28-year veteran of the business noticed is the move away from a single-color car-scape.

"I used to call it the dipped look," she explained, referring to the days when everything from the exterior paint job to the carpeting to the leather was the same hue. "Now, we're seeing more color combinations and attention to details. Color is very noticeable in the marketplace ... When a person says, 'I got a new car,' someone asks you, 'What color?' "

Ashley Lindon of Canton bought her first car in March -- a white 2011 Hyundai Sonata.

"I think white cars look so classy," said the 25-year-old compliance officer. "I've had so many people tell they love my car in that color ... It's becoming more popular for younger people to buy white cars. It used to be more older people. My best friend just bought a white Ford Mustang."

[AnnaBear@SpartaChevy]

'Too Trendy'...


haha

Do you think Synergy Green Metallic is 'Too Trendy'?

I thought it might be, but I don't care! I LOVE it!

[h2oplay]

guess I'm old school, I'd love to see the return of "tahoe turquise"

I would never own a white car, silver is sexy, black is just a "bi--h...

[KMPrenger]

Thanks for sharing!

I also feel that white is a great color and does make the vehicle more "classy". I also feel that white and silver keep a car looking cleaner longer.

But I'm the type that didn't want such a common color on my Camaro...and thus Aqua Blue was for me. I Love It!

[heRS]

What a drab society. I love my IBM, gazing into the sparkling depths on a sunny day is something I love to do. White, black and silver just don't do much for me. Having said that, my white pickup is nearly invisible on the road, which has it's benefits as well.

[Urthman]

Does that 20% include company vehicles like delivery vans?

My last vehicle was white, a White Hot G8 GT, and it was awesome. I hate white cars, but that car looked great in white. My new vehicle, a Jeep Wrangler, is black.

Honestly I don't see that many white cars around D.C. (except delivery vans) a TON of silver though.

[SSSugar]

I love my Summit White with IOM stripes and accents. You can do so much with white!! My first camaro was also white, bought in 1976 brand new.

[BlueDragonVT]

I still don't get that. I can understand black, grey and silver, but I think white is the most boring color. No offense to those of you that like it, everyone has their own taste. To me, though, when I see a white car, I just see a blank canvas. If the vehicle has stripes or something to offset it, then I like it a lot better, but I will always see white as the blank canvas you start with, not the finished product.

[rolnslo]

Originally Posted by AnnaBear@SpartaChevy

'Too Trendy'...


haha

Do you think Synergy Green Metallic is 'Too Trendy'?

I thought it might be, but I don't care! I LOVE it!

I'm right there with you!

Don't care if SGM is "trendy" or not, I LIKE IT!

[bee sting]

White is classy no doubt . My new Silverado Z71 looked sweet all white with the chrome package . But it was traded in for my Bright Rally Yellow Camaro !!!

[cab2g]

I've grown to love my white and may have been converted from the blue camp. I wanted ABM, but since it wasn't available, I got white, but now I feel like white really would've been the right choice for me even if ABM had been available!

[dutchnrican]

my dad hates white cars. he says that it looks like they forgot to paint them.

i like white. depends on the car though.

[STL20102SS]

I love white cars and have had them since 84. White, especially on the Camaro looks so classy as another member noted.

[armysig]

Maybe I'm old, but I remember when Milk Trucks only came in white...