BASF report shows shift toward green car finishes

Green has recorded the highest increase among chromatic colours in the global automotive market, rising into the top three behind blue and red, according to the latest Color Report for Automotive OEM Coatings from BASF Coatings. Gray has grown by two percentage points within the achromatic palette, while solid colours have shrunk to 18% of the market as consumers move toward more expressive finishes.

Blue dropped by one percentage point and red fell to just 3% of total market share, marking a retreat from traditional chromatic preferences. White showed a slight decline while black remained strong but with fewer solid finishes.

“The green trend was already making waves in EMEA a few years ago,” said Florina Trost, Head of Design EMEA at BASF Coatings. “Different shades have been featured in our Automotive Color Trends collection, hinting at the huge variety of shades we see fitting to this movement today.”

Regional variations showed green overtaking red in EMEA, while the Americas saw chromatic colours rise by almost two percentage points with growing interest in beige, brown and violet alongside green. In Asia Pacific, gray strengthened while green expanded its range from light tones to traditional natural shades.

Source: BASF