Silver Sizzles as Hottest Car Color

VEHICLE TRENDSSilver Sizzles as Hottest Car Color TROY, MI (Nov. 29, 2006) - For the seventh consecutive year, silver has held its lead as the predominant color choice for vehicles globally. Vibrant colors like red and orange also registered noticeable growth around the world, according to DuPont Automotive's 2006 Color Popularity Report. Since overtaking green in 2000, silver has held the top spot - the longest of any color during the 54 years DuPont has been tracking automotive vehicle color choice. However, there has been a broadening of the range of tones in silver and in gray, another top choice. The trend for the future includes the infusion of these neutral colors with greens, reds and purples, which provides customers a broader palette of choices. The DuPont Global Color Popularity Report analyzes and predicts vehicle color trends, as chosen by consumers. The report includes segmentation by world regions as well as by vehicle type. This year, the report is segmented further to highlight variations within the Asian markets. Global automotive color trends "We are seeing a growing convergence in color preference globally. But while the world is becoming flatter and tastes are harmonizing globally, we think that it is also important to look deeply at the cultural and taste differences in large and growing markets, such as Asia," says Karen Surcina, color marketing and technology manager, DuPont Automotive Systems.

North American Color Popularity.
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(Photo: DuPont)

Black remains among the Top 5 color choices across the global landscape, and has gained ground in specific segments in North America. The 2006 color popularity report sees growth of black in the North American luxury segment with 22 percent, mirroring black's longstanding first place among European luxury vehicles with 37 percent. These gains in North America closely follow the European acceptance and growth of metallic black. Black has also gained ground in the intermediate vehicle segment in North America.

The stronger showing of higher "chroma" colors throughout the world points to a desire by consumers for more personalization of their vehicles. This boldness allows for smaller vehicles to make a strong statement and is most evident in the compact/sport segment, where globally, red and orange have seen a large upswing, notably in the three Asian markets and in North America. Red surfaced as the top color choice in the compact vehicle segment in South Korea, with 22 percent, as well as in the North American market compact/sport category, from 9 percent in 2005 to 15 percent in 2006.

View the breakdown of global color trends
by region online.

Typically, the bottom half of the Top 10 colors point to the growth trend for future colors. A clear trend for the future includes warmer tones such as red as well as the continued strength of blue. Blue and red have strengthened their positions as popular vehicle colors in North America, each with 11 percent share, and in China, with 17 percent share for blue and 9 percent share for red. Blue also remains a top choice in Europe, with a 13 percent share overall and a Top 3 color choice in the compact/sport segment with a 15 percent share.

Economic and social trends According to the Socionomics Institute in Gainesville, GA, color trends provide insight into the larger public mood in North America.

DaimlerChrysler says it has reduced clearcoat air emissions by 25 percent at its Dodge Durango Plant in Delaware by using "SuperSolids" technology developed by DuPont.
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"The popularity of silver has correlated with the optimism that attended the twin financial manias of the past nine years, the stock market boom surrounding the year 2000 and the housing boom since then," says Mark Galasiewski, a senior analyst at the Institute. "The spread of silver's popularity worldwide since 1998 has also mirrored the synchronization of global equity markets."

The Institute's research into historical financial and social trends suggests that such synchronization eventually tempers as society enters a period of dynamic change. The coming period could be remarkably similar to the late 1960s and early 1970s, when white, a color that had championed a long economic expansion, suddenly faced challengers. White's market share, which had peaked at 20.8 percent in 1963, eventually slid to the mid-single digits by the early 1970s. From 1968 to 1972, earth tones such as medium brown-gold, copper-bronze, and medium and dark green dominated the top positions.

The mood of the late '60s also initiated the design of brightly colored muscle and racing cars, highlighted with yellow-influenced colors such as orange. In the positive mood cycle that began in the early 1980s, red dominated that vehicle segment for 12 years until 1997, and has since waned.

"Although yellow never achieved the broad popularity of red, the color may now be having its day in the sun," says Galasiewski. "The currently re-emerging horsepower wars among the automobile manufacturers also support the late 1960s parallel."

Personalization is driving color trends The trend of mass personalization, combined with the ability to provide a high level of customization in consumer goods, has opened up the opportunity for companies to provide differentiation for their customers through lower volume products and special packages and colors.

Titanium dioxide, a product of DuPont Titanium Technologies, is a fine white powder designed to provide opacity, color, ultraviolet resistance and aesthetic benefits to products.
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The automotive industry has responded to this trend with smaller volume vehicles and special packages that allow a consumer to personalize a vehicle direct from the factory. Large volume light trucks and large sedans are making way for a variety of models, including Crossover Utility Vehicles (CUVs). The CUV is starting to dominate the intermediate-sized vehicle segment, and is being called out in this year's color popularity results for North America.

With advances in technology, customers are able to meet or exceed environmental sustainability mandates, improve business productivity goals and respond quickly to changing consumer tastes. The end result is more durable colors and special effects that can differentiate a vehicle for the OEM and the consumer, says DuPont.

According to a separate national poll commissioned by DuPont, 40 percent of consumers are willing to switch vehicle brands for a specific color. It is as important as ever that auto manufacturers provide a range of colors and track consumer preferences, now and in the future, Surcina says.

"The world is becoming more globally oriented, and our customers in the automotive industry are developing their vehicles and selecting colors to address tastes of their consumers worldwide," she adds.

(Source: DuPont)