Car Colors Are Getting Bolder

DETROIT -- (WWJ) With better economic times, car companies are moving away from the recession-era silvers and greys, and more toward vivid colors like, reds, greens and even purples.

"There's a sense of renewed optimism and enthusiasm," says Paul Czornij, technical manager of the BASF Color Excellence Group.

BASF invited auto designers to Detroit's Eastern Market, where they showed off sixty potential future colors.

"We're seeing now a lot of people looking towards a bolder expression of themselves."

Color preferences, Czornij says, are related to the economic mood. He says people who didn't want to look "showy" during the recession, are now willing to draw a little more attention to themselves.

"You're seeing a much stronger color palate here, that has more saturation in the colors, deeper, more expressive colors."

And the names for potential colors--described in a BASF press release, are also pretty expressive:

o La Garra Charrua – a light blue color representing an unpretentious look at mother nature reminiscent of the prairie spaces in middle America.

o Haymaker – a rich orange that seems dirty, but upon a second glance, sparkles much like the charm of a rusty factory in one of America's Rust Belt cities.

o Fitted Green – a soft green exemplifying the look of fresh mowed grass and a gentle reminder of a simpler, sustainable life.

o Gray Elevator – a dark silver that has an imprint of American culture woven through it as the tone harkens to a connected world where people come together.

o Take 10,000 – a brownish color with a lot of sparkle that reminds individuals to remember the specialness of natural experiences.

Designers will take the color ideas back to the studio, and decide which ones work best. They are expected to start showing up on vehicles in 2018.