OEM & Lieferant - Ausgabe 1/2021

90 New products and markets The current report shows that the range of col- ors in the automotive industry increased in the past year. The achromatic colors, white, black, silver and gray, remained relatively constant and still lead the field in the coating of new vehicles. However, various colors such as blue and yel- low are gaining ground in some regions, while red and violet are slowly closing the gap to achromatic colors in other parts of the world. The expanding color spaces make the overall spectrum broader than 2019 and add a flash of brilliance. Despite the shift in colors, the achromatic col- ors, white, black, silver and gray, followed a fa- miliar pattern. White remains theworld’s most popular vehicle color. It has a classic, timeless beauty and a connection to both the environ- ment and high technology. From Asia to South America – Diverse color range in 2020 In Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), vehicle manufacturers followed the trend towards chromatic colors. A share of 11% of new vehicles were coated in blue, making it the most popular chromatic color in the region. Other chromatic colors, such as violet, also gained in popularity, especially in the grow- ing SUV segment. With 28%, white took first place in the achromatic spectrum, followed by gray and black. In North America, the range of chromatic colors was smaller than in other regions. However, as designers had expected, blue gained in popularity and edged out red. The only other chromatic color worthy of men- tion is green, as beige and brown have nearly dropped off the list. The colors in Asia-Pacific re- main diverse and colorful. Lo- cal vehicle production is similar to a microcosm reflecting the global color popularity and distribution. White remains on top, followed closely by black and gray, both of which gained in popularity. This re- gion is characterized by the greatest diversity of chro- matic colors. Color distribution in South America can be described as conservative, with achromatic colors reaching a share of 87%. Red is the most popular chro- matic color in the region. How blue is gaining popularity in the SUV segment A closer look at the EMEA region reveals that more than a third of all vehicles manufac- tured are SUVs, and the tendency is rising. Since SUVs are now available in all vehicle sizes, it is worthwhile to assess the popu- larity of individual colors in this segment. Chromatic colors are especially popular for smaller SUVs, with blue and red being in the lead. These two colors are also the favorite choice among chromatic colors for compact and medium-sized SUVs. It is notable that violet, for example, enters the field with a share of 2%. Generally, it was observed that the larger the SUV, the more likely car buyers were to choose the color blue. The popularity of blue increased from 9% in the smallest SUV category to 15% in the largest. “Color variety changes with size. For example, where violet has a unique home in mid-size SUVs, it does not appear in great numbers in smaller or larger SUVs,” said Mark Gutjahr, head of Automotive Color Design EMEA. “The opposite is true with yellow, which shows up in both the very small and the very large, but not the middle. These are specific and unique color positions that appear and disappear throughout the segments.” Greater color diversity on the world’s roads By Jörg Zumkley, BASF Coatings GmbH The annual BASF Color Report for Automotive OEM Coatings by BASF’s Coatings division retrospectively analyzes the color distribution in the automotive industry. The analysis is based on global automotive production data and the coatings used on cars in 2020. Graphics: © BASF Coatings BASF Coatings www.basf-coatings.com Website PDF: BASF Color Report for Automotive OEM Coatings https://t1p.de/nigp S H A R E Global overview of the color distribution in 2020 Color variety of SUVs in EMEA