High-tech colors drive car sales

When you buy a new car, undoubtedly one of the first questions people ask is, "What color is it?" Knowing the color helps people picture what you describe, and the color itself communicates a message about the car and even the driver's character.

It is no wonder then that car color is very important to buyers when it comes to choosing a new car. Color ranks among the top features people look for in a new car, along with attributes such as air conditioning, fuel economy, and sound systems, according to CNW Marketing Research.

At the dealership, many consumers choose to either wait for their desired color vehicle to be available, will not purchase a vehicle if they can't get the color they want, or even shop another brand to get the right shade. In fact, color can be 85 percent of the reason people buy a specific product, according to the Color Marketing Group (CMG), which represents color experts across industries. In other words--color sells.

New technologies
Automotive color follows the same trends as many other industries and just like any trend, car color is ever changing. But more than that, technologies are emerging that enable more sophisticated paints such as adding texture, hue-shifting qualities, and matte finishes. One example of a new matte finish is on the GM concept "triplets" that were unveiled at this year's New York auto show. They were shown in new shades and a new matte finish--the Beat in bright green, Groove in a lunar quartz color, and Trax in bright orange. Matte has been difficult to consistently produce, but there has been some progress recently.

Color shifting paints are also becoming popular. A company called JDS Uniphase produces what they call ChromaFlair colors, which use multi-layer pigment flakes that gives paint the ability to change color when viewed from different angles. The special-edition 2006 Scion xB Release Series 4.0 has a color called "Scorched Penny." The color changes from a copper color to black. JDS Uniphase also produces SpectraFlair, which uses pigments to generate the appearance of rainbow prisms at various angles. Both these processes are expensive to make and manufacturers charge extra for them.

Another example of a new paint technology is on the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG. It's not your traditional silver, but a new color called Alubeam (Liquid Metal paint). According to Mercedes-Benz, this metallic color is made possible by smaller pigment colors, which reflect light more evenly and more intensely. This is the only color that will be available on this 40th-anniversary vehicle. Liquid Metal is produced by BASF, a chemical company that produces automotive coatings. This coating stretches around the metal parts like skin and emphasizes the lines and contours of the vehicle. Mercedes is the first manufacturer to use this color process.

Many of these new paints are shown on special edition or concept vehicles, but as the technology develops and consumer interest and demand increases, you will most likely see some of these new colors on mainstream cars in the near future.

In a future blog, we will explore current and future car-color trends.

--Liza Barth

Comments

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The dominance of white and green in automotive finishes yielding to natural and high-tech colors.The palette that consumers are choosing is diversifying to include beige, gold, brown and blue hues...