If you’re splashing out thousands on a new car to impress your clients, the advice is choose your colour carefully
James Bond’s latest car is always a talking point when a new 007 film is released, whether it be a classic Aston Martin or a stunning Lotus Espirit. But what would the reaction be if the super spy rocked up in bright pink or lime green set of wheels?
Colour can influence moods so, if you’re splashing out thousands on a new car to impress your clients, the advice is choose your colour carefully.
According to psychology expert Kendra Cherry, various shades can have a wide range of effects, from boosting our moods to causing anxiety.
But could the colour of the products you purchase ever say something about your personality?
According to a Fox Business article, a number of experts weighed in on whether or not the colour of your car might say something about who you are as an individual or the image you might be trying to project.
The conclusions are that colour preferences can sometimes make a statement about how we want other people to perceive us; and other factors such as age and gender can also influence the color choices we make.
White: As many of our readers have suggested, the colour white can feel fresh and clean. "If you're driving a white vehicle, you like to present a fresh, young, modern face to the outside world," the Fox Business article guesses.
Black: Our readers often describe black as a ‘powerful’ colour, which might be the reason why black is the most popular colour for luxury vehicles.
Silver: It's the third most popular colour for vehicles and linked to a sense of innovation and modernity.
Red: Dreaming of a red vehicle? Environmental psychologists suggest that you might be a go-getter interested in projecting power, action and confidence.
Blue: People often describe blue as the colour of stability and safety. Driving a blue car or SUV might indicate that you are dependable and trustworthy.
Yellow: According to the experts, driving a yellow vehicle might mean that you are a happy person in general and perhaps a bit more willing that the average person to take risks.
Grey: The experts suggest that people who drive grey cars don't want to stand out and instead prefer something a bit more subtle.
Of course, the colour selections we make are often influenced by factors including price, selection and other practical concerns.
“Colour preferences change throughout time and may differ by region or vehicle type,” Nancy Lockhart, a colour marketing manager with Axalta Coating Systems, told Fox Business. “The personality of the vehicle is as important as the personality of the buyer. The vehicle style, design and branding can influence colour choices.”
But sometimes, colour selection comes down to simple practicality.
Those looking to purchase a white vehicle might be less driven by the need to want people to think that they are young and modern, but more concerned about living in a hot climate, where light coloured vehicles reflect the sun’s rays, as opposed to darker vehicles that absorb and retain the heat.
What is the most popular purchase?
In 2013, white was the world's most popular car colour – again. After white, buyers like black, silver and gray, according to reports from PPG Industries and Axalta Coating Systems.
But times may be changing. Colour experts predict we're about to become more daring.
“The pendulum is swinging back,” Susan Lampinen, group chief designer, color and material, for Ford Motor Company, told Edmunds.com. “Where people are not afraid to express themselves with colour.”
The new willingness is tied to people becoming accustomed to brighter colour appliances and technology, she added, and that is translating into brightly coloured vehicles.
Oranges and browns will become popular, says Jane Harrington, manager of colour styling for PPG Industries. And while green was at the bottom of the latest PPG colour list, Harrington expects it will once again rise in popularity.
Accidents can happen – is there a ‘safe’ colour?
Car crashes and minor fender benders happen daily. But is there a colour of car that is less likely to be involved in a crash?
Research on car colours and crash rates is sparse, but a 2007 report from the Monash University Accident Research Centre shows that white vehicles are roughly 10% less likely to be in a crash during daylight hours than vehicles in lower-visibility colours such as black, blue, gray, green, red and silver.
What about theft-proof?
For that data, we can look to Tilburg University in The Netherlands.
According to Dutch economist Ben Vollaard, an assistant professor at the university, two popular Dutch colours of blue and silver-gray were stolen nearly 40% more often than cars painted in less popular colours.
And the biggest reason for that – according to data that Vollaard gathered between 2004 and 2008 – was that resale value is important to thieves, so they tend to steal popular colours.
So if you want security, says Vollaard, opt for a colour like yellow.
Colour can influence moods so, if you’re splashing out thousands on a new car to impress your clients, the advice is choose your colour carefully.
According to psychology expert Kendra Cherry, various shades can have a wide range of effects, from boosting our moods to causing anxiety.
But could the colour of the products you purchase ever say something about your personality?
According to a Fox Business article, a number of experts weighed in on whether or not the colour of your car might say something about who you are as an individual or the image you might be trying to project.
The conclusions are that colour preferences can sometimes make a statement about how we want other people to perceive us; and other factors such as age and gender can also influence the color choices we make.
White: As many of our readers have suggested, the colour white can feel fresh and clean. "If you're driving a white vehicle, you like to present a fresh, young, modern face to the outside world," the Fox Business article guesses.
Black: Our readers often describe black as a ‘powerful’ colour, which might be the reason why black is the most popular colour for luxury vehicles.
Silver: It's the third most popular colour for vehicles and linked to a sense of innovation and modernity.
Red: Dreaming of a red vehicle? Environmental psychologists suggest that you might be a go-getter interested in projecting power, action and confidence.
Blue: People often describe blue as the colour of stability and safety. Driving a blue car or SUV might indicate that you are dependable and trustworthy.
Yellow: According to the experts, driving a yellow vehicle might mean that you are a happy person in general and perhaps a bit more willing that the average person to take risks.
Grey: The experts suggest that people who drive grey cars don't want to stand out and instead prefer something a bit more subtle.
Of course, the colour selections we make are often influenced by factors including price, selection and other practical concerns.
“Colour preferences change throughout time and may differ by region or vehicle type,” Nancy Lockhart, a colour marketing manager with Axalta Coating Systems, told Fox Business. “The personality of the vehicle is as important as the personality of the buyer. The vehicle style, design and branding can influence colour choices.”
But sometimes, colour selection comes down to simple practicality.
Those looking to purchase a white vehicle might be less driven by the need to want people to think that they are young and modern, but more concerned about living in a hot climate, where light coloured vehicles reflect the sun’s rays, as opposed to darker vehicles that absorb and retain the heat.
What is the most popular purchase?
In 2013, white was the world's most popular car colour – again. After white, buyers like black, silver and gray, according to reports from PPG Industries and Axalta Coating Systems.
But times may be changing. Colour experts predict we're about to become more daring.
“The pendulum is swinging back,” Susan Lampinen, group chief designer, color and material, for Ford Motor Company, told Edmunds.com. “Where people are not afraid to express themselves with colour.”
The new willingness is tied to people becoming accustomed to brighter colour appliances and technology, she added, and that is translating into brightly coloured vehicles.
Oranges and browns will become popular, says Jane Harrington, manager of colour styling for PPG Industries. And while green was at the bottom of the latest PPG colour list, Harrington expects it will once again rise in popularity.
Accidents can happen – is there a ‘safe’ colour?
Car crashes and minor fender benders happen daily. But is there a colour of car that is less likely to be involved in a crash?
Research on car colours and crash rates is sparse, but a 2007 report from the Monash University Accident Research Centre shows that white vehicles are roughly 10% less likely to be in a crash during daylight hours than vehicles in lower-visibility colours such as black, blue, gray, green, red and silver.
What about theft-proof?
For that data, we can look to Tilburg University in The Netherlands.
According to Dutch economist Ben Vollaard, an assistant professor at the university, two popular Dutch colours of blue and silver-gray were stolen nearly 40% more often than cars painted in less popular colours.
And the biggest reason for that – according to data that Vollaard gathered between 2004 and 2008 – was that resale value is important to thieves, so they tend to steal popular colours.
So if you want security, says Vollaard, opt for a colour like yellow.
