Color trends

[RickS]

"I'll pick it up at LAX 10:30 am" Great I will have it washed and waxed. I will also put a mint under the headrest and pull the radio so it doesn't slow you down.

And I would like to ask you a favor; if you could have the 6 month old windshield replaced while you are out I would really appreciate it. I took a rock the other day right in my sight line and its driving me nuts. (I just switched to Haggarty right before the rock hit and really don't want to generate a claim so soon.)

Regards,
Rick

[2POINT7]

Bill Woods (WM711) asked that I post this photo for those who don't believe silver and white can hold their own with cars of color...

[W Scott Shores]

And what about Albert Blue (mine)?

I love it! Gorgeous car you have there.

[JCR]

- That Albert Blue car is stunning.

- News for Matt, brown has already made it's comeback in the auto biz, but METALLIC brown (not baby sh*t brown). Love his column/blog though!

- Thanks for the reminder of the timelessness of my silver car. I'll remember that next time I envy the *of the moment* allure of a signal anything/viper green/tangerine car. HA! Your days are NUMBERED gents!!!

- What's a triptik... gmap/mapquest for old folks? Just kidding, my parents used to get those!

**DISCLAIMER** - I LIKE Sepia 911s (as long as they are someone else's). Seriously - would look cool with an accent color... like orange (at least for a while). :P

[HarryD]

Several years ago I chanced onto an article discussing how the Automotive folks come up with colors they give us to select on a new car. At the time, they said that Purple would be the next great color. Lo and behold about 3 years later I was seeing purple cars. Anyone know who this think tank is?

[Type911]

Ed,
Thanks for posting that great lineup of early cars! After viewing that picture I realized I have a similar shot saved on my computer, from a different angle.
Love the early colors....yes even SAB...sepia

[911T1971]

here we go...



nice color for an 2.2l

[JimR]

I'd love to have a Dalmation Blue or Aubergine Cayman S.

[BAPhotowerks]

This is a slippery slope!

[JCR]

Several years ago I chanced onto an article discussing how the Automotive folks come up with colors they give us to select on a new car. At the time, they said that Purple would be the next great color. Lo and behold about 3 years later I was seeing purple cars. Anyone know who this think tank is?

Harry, every auto manufacturer has a Color and Trim department with people who typically have art/fashion backgrounds and watch many aspects of style and color trends. A lot of it is just an intuitive decision based on what one is observing in the world. They identify trends and make recommendations to marketing and those running design departments. I don't know of an industry wide "think tank" but wouldn't be surprised that one exists. Although, fabric and paint suppliers (like BASF) do have internal designers and show trends and new technologies to their clients.

The overwhelming majority of people are pretty tame when choosing a color for a new car - white, silver and black dominate the charts. Sometimes a particular color makes a run - like teal green in the mid 90s... but they eventually fall away (now nobody wants teal). You would be shocked at how many political, technical and cost hurdles have to be cleared to change a paint color in a typical OEM plant... especially an "expressive" color!