Marking a reign at the top only bested by the Ford F-150 , silver has taken the title of world’s most popular automotive color for the ninth consecutive year. Silver continues to be the color of choice for North American buyers, with 1 in 4 buyers opting for some shade of the hue.
According to PPG – a leader in automotive paint – 25 percent of new cars purchased in North America over the last year were some shade of silver. That’s up from 20 percent in 2008. White continued its popularity with 18 percent, followed by black (16 percent) and red (12 percent). Just 15 years ago, only 8 percent of the cars on the roads were silver.
Silver remains even more popular in Europe, scoring 35 percent in PPG’s survey. Black checked in at the number two spot in Europe, scoring 22 percent, followed by blue and white – tied at 13 percent – and red with 9 percent.
“What helps drive silver’s popularity are all of the innovative effects that really make silver shine … much more than just a simple gray,” said Jane E. Harrington, PPG manager, color styling, automotive coatings. “Silver tones work well with today’s tinted metallic textural looks. The diversity of silver, from subtle hue shifts to dimensional metallic flake appearances, works with a variety of vehicle styles.”
Silver also took top honors in the Asian market, taking 34 percent of the market.
