White reigns as most popular car color

10/22/2013

No drum roll needed: The most popular car color in the world for the 2013 model year was white.

One in four new-car buyers chose a white vehicle. That’s up 3 percent from last year, according to data from PPG Industries, the largest supplier of transportation coatings.

Silver and black tied for second at 18 percent each, according to the annual automotive build data, followed by gray, red, natural hues, blue and green, which stayed the course from 2012.

In North America, white remained most popular at 21 percent, followed by black (19 percent), gray (17 percent) and silver (15 percent).

But Americans are showing a growing appetite for red and blue, especially on sporty models, and blue could move up the ranks in 2014.

When it comes to minivans, they want gold and beige.

There are regional differences.

Silver reigns in South America, accounting for a third of all new purchases.

For the white lovers, “we see growth in the variety of whites being offered to consumers,” said Jane Harrington, PPG manager of color styling.

“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,” using different micas, glass flakes and pigments, she said.

More than 60 new colors will be introduced for the 2016 and 2017 model years.

PPG has 23 color experts who focus on auto, architectural, aerospace and consumer products to analyze design trends and consumer preferences that will influence future color choices.