2007 Ford Edge - Any Color You Want, Not Just Black

Henry Ford had a simple policy when it came to the color of the Model T, "the customer can have any color he wants so long as it's black." Today, vehicle color is so important that according to a recent survey, if a first choice color is not available on a particular model, 34 percent of customers will choose a different vehicle model.

As color palettes change in fashion and home décor, so do the color choices for cars and trucks. Ford designers are adding interesting twists to what once were standard colors.

“We're not just seeing your average colors anymore, we're seeing more complex shades from your basic colors,” said Susan Lampinen, Ford's group chief designer, Color and Materials and Program Interiors..

Some of this year's emerging color trends feature grays infused with hues, warm reds and complex oranges, and majestic tinted silvers such as the greenish tinted silver paint of the Lincoln MKS concept sedan.

Thanks to new technologies, designers are able to leave behind the conservative, neutral looking colors of the '90s, opting instead for bold innovative themes that express individuality. And as people watch in amazement the transformations that designers create on home decorating shows, consumers are looking at vehicle color in a whole new light.

”You can really take the color to the next level when you do things like add micas, pearls and aluminum flakes. It gives the color more depth,” Lampinen added.

With effects, a color may appear brighter, more metallic or carry movement. Just about every color family will undergo some type of makeover with these effects to make the exterior paint job more appealing to the consumer.

Trends play an important role in determining which colors will next hit showrooms. As runway models take to the catwalk in New York for Fashion Week, designers will be paying close attention to what's hot. Plus, they’ll look at global media trends and emerging themes in architecture, interior design, furniture, household products and even wall paints.

Today, color is carefully thought out and designed along with the vehicle, quite different from the past when colors were slapped on at the end of the product development cycle. Designers are finding that consumers want a more refined look where color comes together for a nice contrast.

What will be hot in the near future? Some possibilities include dark colors that appear black; spicy reds and oranges; complex blues; grays with hues of either blue or red; and tinted naturals.