TOC Automotive College

View Original

Cars and Colours

Ever wondered why cars have certain set of colours?
Or what does a car colour says about you?
Or facts and fiction of a car colour?
Let’s break it down for you!

The most popular car colours are Black, White, Grey, Silver and Red. Why? A lot of consumers still opt for a safer and more neutral colour when it comes to car purchase. An example; according to Jane E.Harrington (PPG’s Manager for automotive colour), she said, “A lot of times a consumer may have seen that gray-orange in an advertisement or on a billboard, but by the time they make that expensive purchase, they become more conservative and ask themselves, can I really have that colour for five years?”. Another example would be, when 2016 Ford Explorer decided to launch different shades of colour including Caribou and Blue Jeans, statistics show that most buyers will still opt for the common colours.

Photo Source: Pinterest

Black
Black signifies sophistication and power. Black cars absorbs more ultraviolet rays compared to light coloured cars. The interior of black vehicles usually warms up faster and this is due to heat rays from the sun. According to www.edmunds.com, a study has been performed by scientists to park two Honda Civics (Black and Silver) under the sun. About an hour later, the silver car had an internal temperature about 10 degrees colder than the black one. Another fact is, scratches and swirls on dark coloured cars are more prominent and visible. However, many people also tend to choose black because it has its fierceness to it. Black is the number one colour when it comes to luxury and it was the most popular colour in year 2013 based on the Axalta report. Based on another report by Insurer “Elephant”, consumers who opt for black have a taste for acceleration.

Photo Source: Pinterest

Silver
Silver signifies security and style. Silver is the most popular car colour, globally. Silver cars are less likely to be involved in injury-causing accidents. Silver cars also hides the most dirt and scratches. The colour accentuates the design of the car and according to General Motors North America, Silver is the most popular colour for the simple reason that relatively more lights reflects off it. In a 2013 poll, more women than men preferred Silver coloured vehicles. According to adweek.com, the popularity of Silver cars reflects on consumers love for technology (Mobile phones, laptop etc). Researchers concluded that, increasing the population of Silver cars could be an effective passive strategy to reduce the burden of injury from car crashes.

Photo Source: Pinterest

White
White is the colour of simplicity, fresh, young and modern. White vehicles are about 10% less likely to be in an accident during daylight hours. However, white is also one of the colours that are most likely to be stolen. So white car owners, take that extra precaution and install security alarms in your car! Reason? White cars are the easiest to re-spray. On the other hand, consumers who choose white are often associated with honesty and purity and it does not absorb heat like black. However, white cars can also be difficult to keep clean as it requires high maintenance. White is also a very popular colour and is highly sought-after in the used market.

Photo Source: Pinterest

Red
Red car denotes power, sports, and action. According to environmental psychologist, Augustin, he says people who are a go-getter may prefer red cars. A red sports car screams for attention and signifies confidence. However, based on a gender poll by iseecars.com, slightly more men than women preferred red cars. However, do keep in mind that red also shows more dirt on your car. Many also believed that red car equals speeding tickets and being charged more for insurance, however, those are only myths. Dark red usually shows more wear and tear but extra maintenance pays off to show the real dramatic effect of red vehicles.

So there you go, things you need to know about car colours! At the end of the day, choosing a car colour is a personal preference and is subjective. What is your favourite car colour?