HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH
New Challenges Put a Sharper Point on Popularity of Automotive Colour Joerg Zumkley BASF Coatings GmbH, Muenster – Germany
joerg.zumkley@basf.com
BASF has released its annual automotive colour popularity report, showcasing global coating preferences.
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never faced before. The total number of vehicles built on the world’s
EMEA – Greater diversity of chromatic colours and shades
assembly lines in 2020 and 2021 was significantly lower than the
The share of chromatic colours in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa
n 2021, the automotive industry faced new challenges that it had
years before. That put a sharper point on the popularity of certain colour
(EMEA) is now over 27% and rising – the highest it’s been in two decades.
spaces in the BASF Color Report 2021 for Automotive OEM Coatings,
Blue is driving the trend among the chromatics. There are currently nearly
while knocking some perennial favourites down a few points.
180 shades of blue from sky blue to midnight blue that are elegant, fresh,
The achromatic colours – white, black, grey, and silver – are still the most
and young, and appear on all body types in all segments. Red is in second
popular. They have classic, timeless beauty, and a connection to both
place, far behind blue, accompanied by a fair share of shades of green.
the environment and high technology. But some cracks are showing in
For the achromatic colours, white is still the most popular, but grey is
their armour as new colour spaces emerge.
catching up. Gray has several options, with effects and textures that
As predicted by BASF’s designers years ago, blue is having a moment
multiply its presence. Gray’s 160 shades range from elegant, dark,
in the sun. Red is also rising – taking market share from the achromatic
sparkling colours to light and sporty solid colours.
colours in many parts of the world. Even though the numbers are
“Colours designed for EMEA use familiar colour positions, but change
smaller, green and beige still show up in the data, and the colours aren’t
them with the help of new effects, subtle colour gradients, or a specific
the typical shades you might expect.
sparkle behaviour. They make the chromatics stand out as bold expressions of individuality and sportiness, gaining popularity each year,” said Mark Gutjahr, head of Automotive Color Design, EMEA.
© BASF
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N. 73 - JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 - international PAINT&COATING magazine
