White Remains Top Choice in Global Automobile Color Preferences

BASF Automotive Coatings Division has released the "BASF Automotive OEM Coatings Color Report 2017," which analyzes the global distribution of automotive colors. While the collected data presents color concepts that will shape the future of the automotive industry, the Color Report focuses on the current market situation and therefore contains data from the previous year. According to the 2017 report, globally, "white" maintains its strong position across all segments, holding first place with nearly 40 percent market share. Achromatic colors, together with black, gray and silver, continue to be the leading colors. When it comes to chromatic colors, blue and red have nearly equal shares, followed by brown. A global review of automotive segments shows that the smaller the automobile, the more vibrant the color. Rising sales figures and model numbers have significantly influenced popularity data for Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs). In this segment, white and black remain strong colors, while red, blue and especially brown are increasingly gaining ground. This reflects the expected growth and diversity in the number of SUV models.

Preventing Surface Heat Gain with Innovative Color Concepts

While color diversity has increased in recent years, there are multifaceted possibilities regarding innovative color concepts. For this reason, BASF is conducting close work with OEMs to create the desired appearance and feel while reflecting the spirit of automotive brands. In a market with hundreds of colors, there are broad options for unique effects. On the other hand, the functions of coatings are increasingly taking on more roles. In this context, coatings with integrated thermal management are strengthening sustainable transportation technologies of the future. By minimizing the heating of the automobile surface and thus the heating of the interior, the savings achieved in ventilation enable a reduction in fuel consumption or extended range in electric vehicles.

Blue and Gray Tones Increasing on European Roads

Figures in the 2017 European Color Report show that achromatic colors remain the most popular. Approximately 78 percent of all automobiles were painted white, black, gray or silver in the past year, indicating the continuation of the trend. Among achromatic colors, the share of gray has risen to 19 percent. Gray now enjoys the same popularity as black. The increasing variety in gray tones has led to an increase in this color's share. With more than 100 varieties, gray is the color with the most tones after blue. In chromatic colors, the blue trend continues strongly. While blue's overall 10 percent share remained stable, its share in the chromatic palette increased. As predicted by BASF Automotive Coatings Division's color designers, nearly one out of every two chromatic-colored automobiles produced in Europe is blue. With approximately 130 different varieties, blue continues to rank first in terms of color diversity.

Achromatic Vehicle Colors with Special Effects Dominate North America

The 2017 North American Color Report shows that new pigment technologies have increased demand for special effects with luster and brightness. This provides great diversity within color segments, particularly among achromatic white, black and silver/gray, which are the most popular vehicle colors in North America. As electric vehicles continue to develop, gray/silver may appear more popular than white or black, yet achromatic colors remain preferred in the growing electric vehicle segment. On the other hand, color aesthetics in electric vehicles are increasingly being considered alongside functionality. For this reason, detectability by sensors has become more important than ever before. BASF is closely monitoring these developments in electric vehicles in the North American market. Blue and red are important chromatic colors in North America and are among consumer preferences. The blue color range is highly variable and diverse tones can be achieved through variations in light, saturation and subtle tone changes. Other colors such as orange also appear in the analysis. These tones provide consumers with more options to match their own preferences.

Bright Reds and Elegant Colors Continue to Be Popular in Asia-Pacific Markets

The automotive coatings market in Asia-Pacific is driven by the growing vehicle population and the diversity of different regional conditions, which is also reflected in the 2017 Asia-Pacific Color Report. With a general distribution rate of 49 percent, white is the most popular color in the region. The cultural structure in Asia-Pacific associates white colors with positive purity imagery and smart advanced technology. For this reason, the number of white automobiles has shown significant growth in Asia-Pacific in recent years. In addition to white, brown tones, particularly in mid-size SUVs, are also gaining popularity. White, especially pearl white, and brown are positioned as elegant colors with a luxury feel that the Asia-Pacific market appreciates. Bright red, as attractive as it is elegant in color range, is extremely popular among chromatic automotive colors in the Asia-Pacific automotive market. In general, red in automotive is an eye-catching color and stands out as an important factor in Asia-Pacific markets.