BASF, a German multinational corporation known for its Coatings division, holds a unique vantage point on global automotive color trends, particularly in car paints.
Each year, they compile a comprehensive report detailing the prevailing trends, though its findings often evoke mixed emotions among enthusiasts, leaning toward melancholy rather than elation. The dominance of achromatic colors—ranging from pristine white to profound black—remains unchallenged.
However, a notable shift occurred in 2023 compared to the previous year. White witnessed a three-percentage-point decline, with its share seamlessly transferring to the black spectrum.
Surprisingly, silver saw a slight increase in percentage, edging out the once-popular darker shades of gray in the Netherlands. Despite these fluctuations, white still reigns supreme as the most prevalent car paint color, adorning a staggering 36 percent of non-commercial vehicles sold in 2023, with white vans not even included in the count.
Black commands a 21 percent share of the market, followed by gray at 15 percent and silver at 9 percent. Collectively, these four achromatic hues continue to dominate, accounting for an imposing 81 percent of all car sales, mirroring the figures from the previous year.
This leaves a mere 19 percent allocated for more vibrant color choices. Within this realm, green has surprisingly gained marginal popularity, nudging ahead of red. Of the colorful options available, blue stands out as the most favored, claiming 8 percent of total sales.
