What Does Your Car Color Say About You?

Color is a universal language that influences many consumer preferences including color on cars. In turn, the color of a car can reflect the personality of its owner, experts say.

While generation, gender, vehicle segment and cultural differences can change the meaning of car color around the world, color theories generally associate certain personality types with specific hues. For example, red represents energy and passion, and is popular with people who want attention. Black is associated with power and sophistication, and is popular with people of authority. White traditionally signifies purity, and is popular with people celebrating a new beginning. Other colors expand the spectrum of personality types (see infographic).

"Specific personality types have an affinity with certain colors that can influence purchase decisions for anything from clothes to cars," said Angela Wright, author of The Beginner’s Guide to Colour Psychology and founder of London-based consultancy Colour Affects. "A person should trust his or her color intuition when it comes to making a vehicle purchase decision because what they drive is often a reflection of their personality."

With the aim of giving customers more color choices, Chevrolet recently launched two new hues--Blue Me Away for the Colorado pickup truck and Agate Red for the Sail subcompact sedan.

"With all of our vehicles we try to offer a range of colors so that customers of differing personalities can find something that suits them. Dark hues like black and grey can give a vehicle a classic, sophisticated look, but for those wanting to make more of a statement we have brighter options like blue and red," said Krysti Murphy, Lead Designer, GM Global Exterior Color Studio.

The Colorado also is available in Pull Me Over Red, Black Meet Kettle, Summit White, Satin Steel Grey, Switchblade Silver, and Auburn Brown. The Sail also is available in Blue Sky, Syracuse, Black Meet Kettle, Summit White and Galaxy Silver. On average, a Chevrolet vehicle has 10 to 12 color options throughout its lifecycle.

Among the more unusual car colors available in the Philippines are a light bright blue called Mint My Mind and cheerful chartreuse green called Brimstone--both unique to the Chevrolet Spark.

"Exterior color is one of the most important factors in the purchase process," said Lyn M. Buena, Senior Vice President and Director for Marketing of The Covenant Car Company, Inc. (TCCCI), the exclusive importer and distributor of Chevrolet vehicles and parts in the Philippines. "Our new color options provide customers with exciting new opportunities for personalization and further expands the appeal of our iconic American cars and trucks."

When Chevrolet designers develop vehicle colors they conduct extensive research into consumer preferences as well as fashion, consumer products and high-end furnishings.

Metallic hues like those available on many Chevrolet models are increasingly popular on high-tech industrial design products--from smartphones to kitchen appliances--and add contemporary flair to cars.

When assessing color options for production, designers use computer simulation models to see how a new color shifts in tone and shows the shape of the car in changing light as it drives down the road.

"As designers we are always exploring new and exciting applications and technologies that help to bring a color to life," Murphy said. "Your vehicle choice is an expression of your lifestyle and there are certainly different priorities that come with that selection. When designing colors we always keep in mind the lifestyle needs of our different customers while still offering variety for different personalities."