When Henry Ford first introduced the Model T in 1908, he famously said that customers could buy it in any colour as long as it was black.
Much has changed since then and there’s hardly a shade on the colour wheel that hasn’t been painted on something with four wheels.
Just as buyers make their selection on price, performance and safety, so too does colour play an important role. The colour of your car is the first thing that everyone will notice about it and they evoke strong emotional responses and influence driver perceptions.
And as petrolheads like to stylise their cars, so do people choose their car colours. From pink Cadillacs and gold Rolls Royces to purple Ferraris and good old fashioned white, we use them to express our individuality.
Powerful emotion
Colour triggers a powerful emotion and it may not just be about aesthetics but also a reflection of your personality, your driving satisfaction and even an emotional connection to the car.
It can impact resale value and perceived performance which is why manufacturers do a lot of research into colour trends, knowing that the right shade can make a model more appealing to a specific target audience.
It’s a bit easier when it is Ferrari which has to be red of which there are 15 shades or perhaps a bright yellow or black but that’s about it.
Consider these colours that manufacturers have come up with and you get an idea of how wide they cast the net:
Turbo Blue, Ascari Blue, Sanoma Green, Nardo Grey (Audi), Pewter Olive (Kia), Skyscraper Grey Metallic, Isle of Man Green, Sao Paulo Yellow, Marina Bay Blue, Brooklyn Grey Metallic (BMW), Sand Beige, Petrol Blue (Toyota), Prominent Red, Phoenix Red (Toyota GR), Vanilla Green (Omoda), Verdi Mantis (Lamborghini), Rosso Corse (Alfa Romeo/Ferrari), Carmine Red (Porsche), Blue Ember, Frozen White, Performance Blue, Conqueror Grey (Ford), Kings Red, Vibrant Violet (VW), Soul Crystal Red (Mazda) and Alpine Grey (Mercedes-Benz).
Favourite colours
In South Africa, we tend to stick to the tried and trusted and according to data compiled by AutoTrader ,white was the most popular viewed colour in February with 271262.
This was followed by black with 210 657 views, grey with 192 687 views, silver 66 512 with views and blue with 62 530 views.
The top most sales colour enquiries was again white with 106 993 then silver with 35 097, grey with 28 770, blue with 15 985 and then black with 13 396.
When it came to sold cars, white won the gold medal with 14 363 followed by silver with 5 118, grey with 3 362, blue with 1 814 and then red with 1 377.
What does it say about you?
There’s also a perception that certain colours reflect more about who we are and also what others think of us.
Red is associated with excitement, energy and passion (think Ferrari) and commands attention. People driving red cars are confident to express themselves and are most likely known to be the life of the party.
Blue is said to convey calmness, reliability and professionalism. People driving blue cars like to express their individuality.
Black shows elegance, sophistication and power (think Blue Light brigades). It is said people driving black cars value order and rules, and tend to be conservative.
White is the most popular colour (think Hilux and Fortuner) and is said to symbolise purity, simplicity and modernity. According to studies, the biggest reason why white is so popular is because it’s a basic color that never falls out of fashion. But it’s also highly likely that people driving white cars don’t like to stand out too much.
Silver and grey are considered neutral and understated and also mask dirt and minor scratches. People driving gray cars tend to be success-oriented while those driving silver show a leader who is flexible rather than authoritarian.
Orange and yellow are associated with energy, creativity and fun such as some of the smaller SUVs on our roads aimed at the younger generation.
Two-tone cars. There’s also currently a trend towards two tone cars aimed not only at the youth market where Toyota, Suzuki, some Chinese brands and Nissan provide that option on their smaller cars but the BMW 7-Series, M and XM can also be ordered with a two tone option.
Technological advances in paint technology have allowed for matte finishes that provide a unique non-reflective look. Colour-shifting paint is also becoming more popular where the colour changes based on the light angle providing an eye-catching appearance.
There’s also the option of custom wraps that allow for customisation without permanent removal of the original colour while off-roaders are also fond of it because it provides protection against the elements in the bush.
Before you buy
Before deciding on what colour car you want in your driveway, take a few things into consideration.
Lighter colours tend to reflect sunlight, keeping the car cooler, which is an important consideration in our climate.
Also take resale value into consideration. A funky, trendy colour may be to your liking but it limits its appeal when it comes to selling or trading it in.
Meanwhile, darker colours tend to show scratches, dirt and dust a lot more which requires more frequent washing and maintenance.
The choices are endless but whatever you decide, enjoy the ride.