At the forefront of automotive colour

For more than 80 years PPG Industries has been at the forefront of colour in the automotive industry. Colour continues to play a vital role in automotive styling.

PPG remains at the forefront by working closely with motor manufacturers and their styling teams to ensure it provides accurate formulations for every vehicle produced around the world.

Vehicle colours have moved on a long way since the black of the first car built in 1885 – the Benz Patent-Motorwagen – and the subsequent, mass-produced Ford Model-T. Today, Motor Manufacturer’s try to differentiate themselves with the introduction of more exotic pigments. Whatever tomorrow brings in terms of automotive colours, PPG says it will  have a formula to match it.

Decades of colour

1950s Solid colours only; black, blue, and green, followed by the successful introduction of white

1960s Metallic pigments were introduced and by the end of the decade accounted for 57% of the market. Blue, green, aqua and beige were also popular

1970s Growth of the earth tones saw yellow, brown, maroon and green starting to dominate the new car market

1980s White starts strongly again but then there is the rise of red and black

1990s Dominated by white and starting to see the growth of silver. Pearls and micas are introduced

2000s The height of silver and black. Xirallics®, ChromaFlair® and ColorStream® pigments emerge

2010s The decade has started with 3 out of every 4 new cars produced are either white, black or grey/silver. New pigments in development to create liquid metal, glass flake and next-generation pearl finishes