TROY, Mich. - For the seventh consecutive year, silver has held its lead as the predominant color choice for vehicles globally. Vibrant colors such as 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.
The DuPont Global Color Popularity 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 marketplaces.
“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,” said Karen Surcina, color marketing and technology manager, DuPont Automotive Systems, Troy, Mich.
Typically, the bottom half of the top 10 colors points 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.
Black remains a top choice across the global landscape. It is among the top five colors in the regions examined 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.
