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How to choose a car color, according to Chevrolet

Choosing a car color involves a lot of thought and luck

Earl Lee on Feb 15, 2019

General Motors (GM), the parent company of Chevrolet, color and trim designers meet annually to decide what colors will be offered for the newest models. After much deliberation with regards to the specific region and current trends, colors are chosen to add to the manufacturer’s offerings.

Exterior paint suppliers mix the shades according to GM’s specifications while sending them data to give GM a direction when deliberating the color schemes of their cars.

To offer the right colors and shades, we consider a number of factors, such as increasing or decreasing demand, use in other durable goods such as consumer electronics, fashion, home furnishing trends, and what actually looks good on each vehicle type, for example, bright red may be perfect for a sports car like Camaro or Corvette, but a darker shade of red looks better on a Malibu.

Hongki Kim
Color & Trim Chief Designer at GM Korea

In Asia, most customers choose neutral colors like white, black, silver, or grey, to appeal to a wider audience and ensure high resale value. Other customers would prefer to have a livelier hue to express their personality more. Quirkier cars like the Chevrolet Spark is offered in colors like Merry Berry Me Metallic and Caribbean Blue Metallic, both of which are exclusive to the model.

Related: Which kind of car matches your Chinese zodiac?

One country that is Chevrolet’s biggest influence in choosing its colors is China. Color carries meaning in Chinese culture. For example, the color red represents happiness and positivity, while white symbolizes new beginnings and smart technology. Black exudes power and prestige. Recent data from Chevrolet states that red, white, and black have been increasing in popularity in Asia, whilst silver and grey have experienced less interest.

Colors can also be considered lucky. For Chinese New Year 2019, colors like vivid red, azure blue, white, and gold are lucky colors. GM has also released a chart for you to find your lucky colors this Chinese New Year.