Henry Ford was quite content to offer one color on the Model T--black. Take it or leave it, as the legend goes.
But that was in the days when horses were still considered primary transportation for many Americans. A century later, a wide range of colors is available to meet nearly every taste and whim, and companies increasingly are using color as a way to differentiate new car segments and technology.
In keeping with the eco-conscious times, greens and blues often are the choice for hybrids, said Jane Harrington, manager of color styling and automotive coatings for paint specialist PPG. Stately blacks and silvers remain popular for luxury cars, and of course, head-turning reds (think Corvettes) and jaw-dropping oranges, á la the Dodge Challenger SRT8, are staples of sports cars.
“The right color can really make it memorable,” she said, while illustrating the company's extensive paint collection for AutoWeek.
Nowhere is that more apparent than in the compact-car segment, where automakers are using color as a way to dress up basic transportation. This is key for companies as they try to persuade consumers to buy the fuel-sipping rides but still convince them that the new cars are better than the cheap econo-boxes of generations past.
Ford has been among the leaders in this area, where it's shown off the 2011 Fiesta compact in a piercing shade of green, dubbed “lime squeeze.” Color has also helped the F-150 SVT Raptor off-roader carve an identity in the Blue Oval's stable of big trucks with a shade of “molten orange,” while “grabber blue” is popular on Mustangs.
“Color can really define a vehicle in a crowded segment,” Harrington said.
Still, no color is quite as universal as silver, which shows up on cars the world over. PPG said the silver category, which includes gray and charcoal shades, is on 25 percent of the rides in North America. That's actually up 5 percent from last year and it marked the ninth straight year that silver has been on top. It's no different in Europe, where silver is on a whopping 35 percent of vehivles, or better than one in three cars, and in Asia, where it checks in with 34 percent.
The reason? There are a lot of versions of silver, and it can be modified to fit the appearance and personality of the car. It's also elegant and sporty but at the same time conservative--and (usually) doesn't show dirt.
“It defines the lines on a car really well,” Harrington said.
In North America, white was second (18 percent) followed by black (16 percent) and red (12 percent). It's a dramatic reversal from 15 years ago, when green towered over other colors with 21 percent, and silver claimed just 8 percent, PPG's research found.
The Pittsburgh company played host to many of the global automotive players last week at its tech centers in suburban Detroit and Europe, when General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Nissan, Volkswagen and others observed the latest in PPG's color selection. It's come up with 60 new colors for exteriors and 10 for interiors for this year's show, which will be considered for 2012-13
But that was in the days when horses were still considered primary transportation for many Americans. A century later, a wide range of colors is available to meet nearly every taste and whim, and companies increasingly are using color as a way to differentiate new car segments and technology.
In keeping with the eco-conscious times, greens and blues often are the choice for hybrids, said Jane Harrington, manager of color styling and automotive coatings for paint specialist PPG. Stately blacks and silvers remain popular for luxury cars, and of course, head-turning reds (think Corvettes) and jaw-dropping oranges, á la the Dodge Challenger SRT8, are staples of sports cars.
“The right color can really make it memorable,” she said, while illustrating the company's extensive paint collection for AutoWeek.
Nowhere is that more apparent than in the compact-car segment, where automakers are using color as a way to dress up basic transportation. This is key for companies as they try to persuade consumers to buy the fuel-sipping rides but still convince them that the new cars are better than the cheap econo-boxes of generations past.
Ford has been among the leaders in this area, where it's shown off the 2011 Fiesta compact in a piercing shade of green, dubbed “lime squeeze.” Color has also helped the F-150 SVT Raptor off-roader carve an identity in the Blue Oval's stable of big trucks with a shade of “molten orange,” while “grabber blue” is popular on Mustangs.
“Color can really define a vehicle in a crowded segment,” Harrington said.
Still, no color is quite as universal as silver, which shows up on cars the world over. PPG said the silver category, which includes gray and charcoal shades, is on 25 percent of the rides in North America. That's actually up 5 percent from last year and it marked the ninth straight year that silver has been on top. It's no different in Europe, where silver is on a whopping 35 percent of vehivles, or better than one in three cars, and in Asia, where it checks in with 34 percent.
The reason? There are a lot of versions of silver, and it can be modified to fit the appearance and personality of the car. It's also elegant and sporty but at the same time conservative--and (usually) doesn't show dirt.
“It defines the lines on a car really well,” Harrington said.
In North America, white was second (18 percent) followed by black (16 percent) and red (12 percent). It's a dramatic reversal from 15 years ago, when green towered over other colors with 21 percent, and silver claimed just 8 percent, PPG's research found.
The Pittsburgh company played host to many of the global automotive players last week at its tech centers in suburban Detroit and Europe, when General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Nissan, Volkswagen and others observed the latest in PPG's color selection. It's come up with 60 new colors for exteriors and 10 for interiors for this year's show, which will be considered for 2012-13
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