Most Popular Car Colors: Americans Love White, Europeans Stick with Black and Asians adore Silver

As every year, DuPont Automotive has released its Color Popularity Report, a study that analyzes color trends around the world. For 2008, white is the top vehicle color choice in North America for the second straight year while Europe is dominated once again by the popularity of black vehicles in all car segments. From a global point of view, DuPont's study reveals that preferences are converging around the world, but within the convergence there is subtle differentiation between markets.

In North America, white and white pearl scored 16 and 4%, respectively, black and black effect scored 11% and 6%, while silver, which led the pack for six consecutive years, garnered a 17% market share. In Europe, black/black effect colors dominate the market with 26%, followed by silver with 20% and gray with 18%. Though not as well-liked as in North America, white/white pearl saw a slight increase in popularity, rising from 8% last year to 10% in 2008. The neutral tones of beige and brown also regained popularity in 2008, reaching 4%, up from 2% last year.

Moving East to Russia, DuPont's study finds an overwhelming use of silver at 30%, black and red at 14% and slight differences between green (13%), blue (12%) and white (10%). Though Russia leans toward the silver and black color spaces, red and green are more popular there than in any other region, representing the diversity of color trends around the world.

In Asia, India's market shows a very strong preference toward white and white pearl with 17 and 11% respectively, followed by silver with 27%. As in Russia, strong chroma colors made a good showing with red at 12% and blue at 8%. Black and black effect with 6% and 1%, respectively, was even with yellow and gold at 7%.

Silver is the dominant color in the Asian countries of China, South Korea, Japan and India. In South Korea silver represents a mind-blowing 50% of the market - up from 39% last year. Silver is the top color in China as well at 32% for 2008, up from 23%. in 2007. Japan reports white/white pearl in the top color position with 8 and 24%, respectively, with silver making a strong showing with 28%.

As for the Americas, white and black are tied for the most popular color in Mexico at 20% each, with silver at 17% and gray at 13%. Following these neautral shades, blue shows strength with 12% and red follows at 11%. Neutral spaces dominate Brazil with silver (31%), black (25%), gray (16%) and white (11%). Red is the most popular chroma color with 8% of the market.