White has continued to gain favour and in 2012 replaced black as the car colour favourite in Europe according to the latest Standox Colour Trend Report. Across Europe, 24 per cent of new car buyers now opt for a white model.

Each year the Standox report analyses car colour trends and developments. The new report says that having topped the ranking for many years in Europe, black has lost two percentage points and dropped to second place making this the first time in five years that black has not featured at the top of the chart.  While grey and silver hang on to third and fourth place respectively, these colours are decreasing in popularity.

Armin Sauer, Colour Coordinator for Standox Germany said, “This development has been apparent for quite a while. Ever since white smartphones and computers started to acquire a cult following, white has symbolised technological progress, ecological sustainability and minimalist aesthetics. Consequently this colour now also enjoys strong demand in the vehicle market.”

Today, white is number one in the entire vehicle market, all around the globe and across all segments, a far cry from the 1990’s when white cars were considered virtually unmarketable. As buyers continue to show preference for neutrals (black, white, silver, grey), chromatic colours such as red, blue and green are losing popularity, with only blue featuring in the European top five. Brown and beige are now seen as emerging colours.

Standox colour experts based in Wuppertal, Germany, constantly monitor not only the new colours created by the automotive industry but also a range of other key colour trend indicators in other areas including fashion, cosmetics and consumer goods. This approach ensures Standox can respond swiftly to new trends offering refinishers the most up to date colours and the corresponding repair processes at all times.