Silver tops auto colors

Troy, MI -For the lastest proof that all that glitters isn't gold, consider the world's most popular automotive colors. According to DuPont Automotive's annual Global Color Survey, silver overtook white in Europe and North America as the top selling car color.

Silver's triumph seems to reflect a trend sweeping through consumer products-including electronics. "Consumers have embraced that liquid-metal look," says Bob Daily, manager of color styling for DuPont Herberts Automotive Systems.

Luxury vehicles, though, represented one holdout against silver's dominance. In this segment, white remained on top due in part to the popularity of mica-flake pearlescent effects, says Daily. And white also maintained its lead over silver in the light truck, vans, and SUVs that make up 48.8% of today's automotive market, according to the survey.

Other shifts in color preference could be seen too. Yellow cracked the top ten in Europe and Asia, while blue overtook green in North America.