You’re sitting at an intersection when you spot a vehicle with a paint job that could be described as “primer gray with a glossy coat!”
If you think you’ve seen an increase in the number of cars and other vehicles painted with solid colors, well, you’re right! The grays and other non-metallic colors, ranging from olive green to vibrant sky blue have been trending the past few years.
Solid colors are not new - quite the opposite. But metallic or “pearlescent” paint jobs gained popularity in the 1980s and 90s and became so much the norm in the years since, that vehicles now sporting the solid colors really stand out.
Randy Bivens, Sales Consultant at Magic City Ford in Roanoke, acknowledges the rise in popularity, “Sometimes it’s trendy. The gunmetal grays, the dark grays, the battleships grays – different variations of very basic colors are really taking off.”
It makes sense that dealerships tailor their stock to give buyers what they want.
Bivens explains, "The management team here tries to order a variance of colors. You know, especially the colors that are good-sellers and they can see that based on what’s selling through Ford and what Ford and Lincoln are – the information is that is given to them. But, you know, we still have customers that come in and say, ‘I absolutely love that car. If it was this color, I’d buy it right now!’”
But who decides which colors will be available for a given model year?
LaShirl Turner is Head of Advanced Color and Materials for Stellantis, responsible for fourteen brands including Jeep, Chrysler, Fiat and RAM. “Making decisions with regard to the exterior paint colors, there’s a few things. It doesn’t just rely solely on the design team. It actually is a collaborative effort between the design team, the brand teams, as well as program. But we also rely a lot on customer feedback as well”, says Turner.
Logistics regarding production and distribution of paints dictates that designers work ahead. Turner says her team and designers typically work as much as two years out.”
Over time, designers know what works. But there’s always an eye toward trying something new.
“We have a library and especially a library for each manufacturing facility, but also each product. Whether it’s a RAM, Dodge, or Jeep", Turner offers. "So, we do take advantage of that knowing we can bring some colors back. Turn them on a little bit faster than, say, a brand-new color. But it’s also our job to make sure that we’re always pushing for the future. Making sure our colors are modernized or up-to-date – we’re trending, we’re being competitive. So, that’s where we really look to bring in some of those new color spaces.”
Dale Hart is proud of his 2025 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X, a vehicle he utilizes in his work. I asked him for the factory name of the color.
"It’s boulder gray pearl", Hart answers with a smile. "They had a couple of grays and this is the one I liked the most. It’s got a flat look but still being glossy".
Obviously, Hart likes the color, but he’s been surprised by the reactions of others, “It’s gotten a lot of comments for…I look at it and think, you know, it’s a nice-looking truck, but I don’t expect it to get a lot of comments cause it’s a basic vehicle. But it cleans up nice, so when it’s shined up, the colors seem to work well with the black wheels, the gray that it is, it’s got an eye-grabbing look to it.”
The solid color paint jobs support the adage of when something old becomes something new. Whether you’re a fan or not – it simply comes down to a matter of choice.
