Colorful projections - The Supply Side - PPG Industries, BASF Corp. new vehicle color trends - Brief Article

Automotive Industries,  Jan, 2002  by John Shea

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A graceful merging of cool technology and warm humanism will lead many of the new color offerings by the 2005 model year, according to new projection reports by BASF Corp. and PPG Industries. The two companies expect to see the following color trends:

Metallic is king. It will influence more than half of the colors coming in the next decade. The metallic hues suggest advanced technology, whether it's a smooth, liquid silver appearance or a diamond-encrusted, crystal silver look.

Warm and natural are "in." Orange hues will lean toward the yellow side, such as amber and ocher, and are warm enough to feel rich and natural without being murky. And beige remains an important color because of its tender, emotion-evoking qualities.

Pure shades of silver and gold will be replaced with variations, suggesting a close relationship between technology and nature. White won't say "cheap rental car" anymore. Porcelain white is making a comeback, thanks to effect pigments used to make the color more dynamic.

Blues will tend toward cleaner hues found in nature's sky, water and light. Darker blues will be redder, giving the color "passion," says BASF. The result is blues that will be very dark, bordering on black, or very light and nearly silver.

Reds will be bluer. Royal reds will make a comeback, and there will be more regal bluish reds to evoke memories of classic cars.

Browns and greens are "out." Particularly in Europe -- although a revival of lighter green shades is expected.

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