Blue Hues Most Popular Car Colors for 2018, 2019 Models

Two years ago, we reported that white is the most popular paint color in the world. Now, a new study by paint and chemical producer BASF reported that the consumer trend for 2018 and 2019 is leaning towards paint coatings that are in blue shades.

This comes as no surprise. We said before that blue has been gaining a large following then, and came second to white in popularity. Now, it seems it has gained enough followers to dethrone white and end its long reign over the other, less popular car colors in the market today.

BASF, which is a supplier of exterior coatings to carmakers like General Motors, reported that three colors that consisted of two blue and black were chosen to stand out, with 'Undercurrent Blue' the most highlighted color of the three. This type of blue is expected to gain huge traction, especially for North America.

Paul Czornij, head of design for BASF's color division, explained: "Blue continues to gain strength as an automotive color position, and it has a calming effect and a strong correlation with natural things, which is why we selected Undercurrent Blue as our key color for this region."

The other shades of blue worth noting are "Cabochon, a color that travels from a deep blue to an elegant silver-green, and the intense Preternatural Blue, made bolder by a blue-tinted clearcoat.'"

Czornij also added that blue undertones are still evident even when choosing some neutral colors like whites. Many of them will range from warmer, off-white shades to cooler whites.

Meanwhile, BASF made a general prediction for Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Unlike their North American counterpart, they see more color varieties than blues and neutrals in the future. It predicted that solid brick colors, matte gold, and matte metallic green metallic cars that offer luxurious, newer spins on old styles will predominate in these markets.

Gray will also play a key color, especially in Asia. CNET wrote that BASF's new 'Gray Ambivalence' will "integrate well with a culture that is taking the lead when it comes to humans interfacing with artificial intelligence, although its name for this metallic gray seems more reflective of a baby boomer's stance on millennials."