Car colours shifting to maintain residual values
New data has revealed a significant shift in the most popular car colours since the turn of the century.
Vehicle Data Global (VDG) analysed car choice colours over the last century to identify shifting patterns.
It found that while primary car colours such as red and blue were the most popular 25 years ago, they have been replaced by monochrome colours like white, black, silver and grey.
The shift has been driven by the growing popularity of company cars, with monochrome colours making it easier to maximise residual values. For example, silver, white and grey mask minor imperfections which are more apparent on solid colour vehicles.
Practical reasons
Ben Hermer, operations director of Vehicle Data Global, said: “While it is interesting to connect car colours with wider cultural trends, UK automotive is one of the most sophisticated markets in the world and not much happens in it without good practical and professional reasons.
“So, although the rise of digital technological design aesthetics doubtless made achromatic car shades appealing to buyers, the focus of fleets in particular on resale values is often overlooked.
“Grey is the perfect colour for the moment we are now in, because it combines business priorities with an aesthetic that suits the increasingly high-tech nature of cars.
“As a neutral, mid-tone shade, grey is exceptionally good at hiding the minor scratches, road chips, and swirl marks from automatic car washes that accumulate over 60,000 miles of fleet service.”
