You don’t have to check your vision if it seems the majority of new cars are white, black or silver. Those monotones (some may simply label them as “boring”) are the paint colors of choice for the majority of buyers. It’s been that way for decades.
But if you like cars that are as colorful as your personality, there’s some good news ahead, says at least one designer for a major automotive brand.
Car color and personality
“Color is always shifting, and our color perception is always evolving depending on what we see, what we observe, and what we live with,” said Volkswagen Senior Color and Trim Designer Jung Lim “Limmy” Park.
VW notes that with so much of our lives seen through and on the lens of a digital screen, some people crave a pop of color in tangible things. And few things illustrate that better than the car we drive.
The automaker notes that white, black, gray and silver colors account for over half the market, whereas just 21 percent of cars sold last year were in the red, green or blue family.
For its part, Volkswagen says it continues to experiment with bold hues to appeal to those who see their car’s color as part of an overall statement. They cite the bright yellow variants of its Atlas SUV and sleek Arteon sedan, plus the Spektrum program that offers custom color choices for the Golf R performance hatchback.
If you’ve ever seen a classic VW like a Beetle or bus, none of this should come as a surprise. VW’s have been standing out for a long time. And it plans to continue to do so not just with vehicles you can buy now, but with future ones like its ID. Buzz electric bus.
“The colors found on the original Buses and Beetles are iconic to Volkswagen and continue to be recognized even as the colors are no longer in production,” Park said. “The bright contemporary yellow on the Volkswagen ID. Buzz concept is a great example how the original color image could be reinterpreted for the high-tech and it is not available in other places but in Volkswagen.”
If you’re a fan of cars with both fun manners and colors, you might just find both in a VW.