Olive-green, blue-gray setting car color trends

WANT to set a new trend with your next car? Make sure it is either olive green or bluish gray, automotive paint supplier BASF suggests.

The German chemicals giant has released its latest predictions of the automotive colour trends worldwide, with the Asia Pacific region tipped to start favouring shades that show the region’s “strong sense of its growing presence on the global stage”.

“Neutral colours such as black, silver, gray and white will continue to dominate the Asia-Pacific market,” BASF said in a statement released today.

“But as original designs and personal style becomes more important to buyers, BASF predicts there will be a gradual emergence of sophisticated intermediate colours, such as olive-greens and bluish grays.

However, the region does not have the same sense of tone as North America, where “cool, deep and dark-tone colours” such as blue and brown are being “refreshed from their traditional state by changes in depth and brightness”.

“Special effect technologies, which give colours a three-dimensional quality, and matte finishes, offer a wider range of options,” BASF said.

“In addition, greens and bright yellowish-green hues bring new tools for designers to entice potential car buyers. New areas focusing on texture modification are also gaining interest.”

The survey shows three out of five North American car owners drive a vehicle that is painted in neutral colours either white, black or silver.

However, when BASF asked them to pick their next car colour, half leaned towards brighter jewel-toned shades of red and blue.

"This reflects what our colour trend research is showing for colour preferences," Paul Czornij, the technical manager for BASF’s Colour Excellence group, said.

"It underscores the preference for optimism and confidence pointing toward a better future."In Europe, where the economic crisis and changes in energy policy were having an influence, BASF said there was a tendency to “move forward rationally and calmly”.

“This results in a balance between creative, courageous colours such as red and green and calmer, neutral colours such as black and gray,” the company said.

“Two colours that represent this shift are Particular Gray, an elegant black color with a subtle fine metallic look, and Fiberphyllic, a bold, yellowish-green offering a more expressive coarse feel.”

BASF said it predicted a move to even more colour shades than in previous years, and this year is offering a palette of 65 new colours to car-makers to choose from.