Exotic hybrid colors and experimentation in forecast for future automobile finishes.

Petrel-gray. Greige. These are just two of the interesting color combinations that are setting the trend in new car color schemes. According to BASF Coatings, which has issued a new "car color forecast" covering the next three to six years, the color tastes for up-to-date car buyers will lean towards striking, mixed colors that defy the definition of classic colors. These new colors do not fit traditional descriptions like silver, green, blue, or gray. Instead, new names that reflect exotic combinations will be used, including "greige" (a combination of gray and beige). In addition, the full chromatic spectrum of such hybrid colors often reveals itself only under particular light conditions, making their appearance even more dynamic and intriguing. Apart from colors and effects, the tactile quality of car surfaces is becoming increasingly important for car buyers. In the future, reports BASF Coatings, car surface finishes will feature even greater differentiation than today, including high gloss, matte, or a combination of both.

BASF Coatings' color experts study color trends in three major regions of the world: Europe, North America, and Asia/Pacific region. In Europe, silver will remain most popular but will continue to evolve in more colorful directions. Warm, pearly variations of silver will blur the boundaries between silver and beige. Also, the desire for changes in standard colors will allow for new hybrid interpretations that fall between silver and blue.

In addition, silver will be complemented by other metallike colors--such as copper, bronze, gold, and platinum--that will give car bodies an entirely new metallic glow. Warm tones and calming colors, such as those in the beige to brown range, will become more popular. Innovative effects will further enhance these "precious metal" colors of the future. Looking at other colors, red and white are also expected to take on more prominent positions among European color favorites. In terms of effects, the trend towards "soft touch" and matte finishes will gather momentum. As a counter-point, there will also be a trend toward mirror effects and pure reflection. These two extremes, however, do not exclude each other, but open new possibilities for combining materials, colors, and surfaces both on a car's exterior and interior.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Regarding North America, saturated pastels that offer a gentle lushness filled with color are predicted to be the new mid-tone colors in the foreseeable future. Green, a mixture of yellow and blue primary colors, will become a staple in the industry and will continually reinvent itself in new shades and variations. Orange will shift toward copper tones, while there will be a growing interest in deep browns to reflect the influence of colors associated with nature.

Freshwater blue and blue-greens approaching turquoise will keep growing in popularity for sporty vehicles, while luxury blues will trend toward the dark-red side. High-end and luxury vehicles will be enhanced with the introduction of dark, rich blood-reds. Tinted blacks and shades of white with glitter effects and so-called "color travel" will represent the opposite spectrum from classical white and black. Silver is expected to remain a popular choice, but standard silver tones will be reinvented with the addition of fluid tints and colors.

Four color trends are currently influencing color tones in the Asia and Pacific region, and are expected to affect new variations on many traditional colors. The trends and their associated colors include the environment and health (green, blue, and brown), classiness and maturity (champagne gold, slight golden highlights, and dark, rich colors), futuristic expressions (white, black, and silver), and texture emphasis (liquid metallics or mattes). Specifically, copper and brown are expected to play a more significant role in car color, sporty yellow tones are growing in popularity, and shiny purple tones with shades of dark red are also gaining attention. The traditional Asian favorites of silver, white, and black will remain popular but formulators will experiment with color, shade, and texture variations.

BASF Coatings expects the new color experiments that are being formulated today to appear in passenger vehicles by the end of this decade.