What your car colour reveals about you

Colours play a key role in our lives, in the clothes we wear, in the choices we make and even the cars we drive. The colour of the car you drive ‘speaks’ a lot more about your personality than you think. In fact, it reveals what you would want the world to think about you.

Colour reflects a lot more than light. It also reflects cultural changes and sociological shifts. For instance, did you know grey is fast becoming popular in many countries which are facing an economic slowdown? That’s because people in these countries are feeling grey and their colour choices reflects their emotions.

There was a time when the only colour you could have for your car was black – think Ford Model T – but the world of automobiles is now hugely different and you can have your car painted in the colour of your choice, for a price of course.

Vehicle manufacturers today employ psychologists and colour analysts to learn more automotive colours in demand, what consumers desire in the colour scheme of things and what the colour trends of the future will be. Colour psychologists and analysts have come up some pointers about what colours reveal about the car owner and his/her personality.

White cars – the most popular in the world – reveal a person who is optimistic, extroverted but also simple at the same time. A friend on four wheels. In the colour wheel, white depicts cleanliness, purity, peace, innocence and newness.

Black cars are chosen by those who prefer elegance, stateliness and those who prefer to be left alone. Colour-wise, black is meant to denote elegance, sophistication, formality, power and strength.

Blue is what loyal, trustworthy and friendly people choose. Blue signifies peace, professionalism, reliability, trust and honour but also conservatism.

Silver along with grey are reflective of a person who is calm, somewhat aloof and focused.

Red, a strong colour for any car, points to an extroverted personality. It is typically the choice of ambitious, bubbly people who are on the move, full of energy and vigour, aiming to make a statement of their dynamism.

The colour red is all about warmth, anger, danger, excitement, desire, passion and determination.

Brown is said to be indicative of commonsensical people who are practical and simple. Brown reflects confidence, casualness, earthiness, solidity, reassurance and endurance.

Yellow is the choice of colour for someone who is warm, intelligent and most likely artistic. It is also the colour of someone who wants to be an attention-grabber. Yellow is reflective of summer, comfort, energy and happiness. Think sunflowers.

WHAT'S THE MOST POPULAR CAR COLOUR IN THE WORLD?
According to research conducted by PPG, while nearly 60 percent of consumers identified colour as a major factor in their vehicle-buying decisions, automakers continue to sell a vast majority of cars (nearly 75 percent) in conservative colours such as white, black, grey and silver.

“Our research indicates that global car manufacturers have good reason to give their brands and models a unique appearance using colour and effects,” said Jane E Harrington, PPG manager, colour styling, automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) coatings. “Colour and styling choices by OEMs must be responsive to these differences among potential buyers. They need to consider everyone from technology-focused millennials to family-focused baby boomers, monitoring sales data and style trends to try to predict two or three years in advance of a model year what colors and effects they will offer.

GLOBAL COLOUR TRENDS BY REGION

Asia Pacific: In Asia Pacific markets, white remains most popular (44 percent), followed by black (16 percent), natural and silver (tied at 10 percent each), and gray (7 percent).

North America: In North America, white remains most popular (23 percent), followed by black (19 percent), gray (17 percent), silver (15 percent), red (10 percent) and blue (8 percent).

South America: In South America, white leads in popularity (36 percent), followed by silver (31 percent), black (11 percent), gray and red (tied at 9 percent each), and blue (2.5 percent).

Europe: In Europe, white remains most popular (31 percent), followed by black (18 percent), gray (16 percent), silver (12 percent) and blue (9 percent).

Illustration courtesy: colour-wheel-pro.com

Also read: Demand for grey grows among car buyers globally

Metallic colours on the rise globally, fresh blue-green emerging choice in APAC