And the Winner Is…White!
January 13, 2008

By Jane Nakagawa

DuPont has published its latest report about trends in color choices for vehicles, something it's been doing since 1952. For the first time in seven years, white/white pearl outranks silver. According to DuPont, this seemingly benign development is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to color trends.

White Is the New Black

Silver became the top choice in vehicles back in 2000 when it surpassed green, but now white/white pearl has risen to become the leading color choice overall for vehicles worldwide.

White/white pearl accounts for 19 percent of the overall vehicle market in the United States and Canada and 26 percent of the truck and SUV segment. Meanwhile, black ties with white/white pearl in the luxury segment of vehicles, and silver dominates midsize cars, sports vehicles and compact sport-utilities.

Color choices vary around the world, though. Silver dominates in Mexico with 32 percent of the market, followed by gray and red. Europe is characterized by black, which accounts for 25 percent of the market, and this color leads in every vehicle category (although there's strong interest in grays and vibrant shades of blue and red). China chooses silver and black, Japan clearly prefers white and silver, and Korea spends its money on silver by a large margin.

Change Agent

According to Karen Surcina, Color Marketing and Technology Manager for DuPont Automotive Systems, white is a trend shifting color.

“Our customers are looking at niche colors and effects, including matte finishes and warm neutrals with effect,” says Surcina. “The rise in popularity of white/white pearl and the long reign of silver suggest that we can expect a more dramatic shift in the top color choice.”

Surcina expects black metallic and color effects to show an increase in popularity in the years to come. “The growth of white pearl and black effects represents two neutrals with special effects, including metallic and hue shifting finishes,” Surcina adds. “This provides a safe color space for customers with the ability to add a level of customization or flair.”

Red is also continues to gain ground, ensuring a more vividly colored outlook in nearly all segments. Surcina sees reds and oranges as important colors that provide customers the ability to personalize a mass-produced product.

White as Clarifying Agent

For Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, white is a clarifying agent and is necessary before a change is to take place. It also symbolizes purity and minimalism.

Eiseman also links the popularity of white to the desire of consumers for customization: “White also is considered a fashion statement…white pearl itself is a combination of many colors, allowing an ability to change, reflecting, in effect, layers of white.”

The Apple Effect

The popularity of white in automotive also follows global trends in home furnishings, fashion, consumer products, and industrial design. But the biggest influence of all may be coming from Apple, Inc. Before the first iMacs and iPods, white conjured up images of cheap appliances and fleet cars, but now white has become synonymous with high-fashion design.

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