Ever wonder how carmakers come up with the colours available
for your next ride? So have we.
Northern Life's automotive journalist Justin Pritchard talks to
Ford's paint expert, Jon Hall, in this interview for some
answers. The lead designer of colours and materials at Ford,
Hall explains how colour offerings are decided, which colours
are the most popular, and what to look for in automotive paint
in the coming years.
JP: Where do the available colour selections come
from? Who decides on which colours are available? Is it
strictly an internal decision?
JH: Colour selection is led by our design team, but we have
lots of input and resources to draw from in making those
choices. Most importantly, we have a group with expertise in
automotive design, fashion, interior design, textiles, art, and
even technical product experience. We have information to help
us keep abreast of such industries as fashion, automotive and
other industrial design. Also, information comes from many
worldwide trade shows for things like furniture, interior
design, and materials.
We also do market research to seek customer feedback on new
ideas. Getting feedback from customers and dealers provides us
with a good grounding for what people want.
 
JP: How much does brand image have to do with the
colours available on certain models? Why can't I get a Lincoln
MKZ painted in bright yellow?
 
JH: colours are evaluated for how well they fit with certain
brands and designs. You might be perfectly happy with a bright
yellow Lincoln, but through our research and dealer committees
we are able to gauge that an exotic colour would not appeal to
the majority of Lincoln customers. We want colours that fit
right to the vehicles that customers see on the road and in our
dealerships - and colours that are desirable and beautiful.
JP: How often through a model's life are the available
colours updated? Does it depend on the model, or is it a
company-wide standard?
JH: We are developing new colours every year, and to the extent that we can introduce them, we try to refresh colours to fit with new trends. For example, by 2009 we will have replaced 45 per cent of our colours across vehicle lines from our offering in 2007. This is the biggest change in colour choices in Ford Motor Company's history.
JP: What's the next big thing in automotive paint? Is there a particular technology or trend we'll be able to see in the near future?
JH: More colour and more effects. We're at the pinnacle, and
maybe on the downswing, of the volume trend for such colours as
silver and gray metallic. We see many indications in automotive
trends and many indications in other industries that more
colour will be important to our market in the near future. In
addition to that, such effects as white pearls and
tinted-clear-enhanced colours sell quickly on our products. New
kinds of sparkle and other effects will be successful in our
new colours.
 
JP: What are some of the most common colours? Do they
vary by vehicle type? By brand? By gender?
JH: In the midst of traffic, the most popular colours seem kind of invisible. Colours like white, silver metallic, gray metallic, and black make up more than 60 per cent of colours. The brighter colours that you notice like reds, blues, oranges, and greens are very much in the minority, and are most popular on performance or sport utility vehicles.  We also see that brands sometimes will have specific colours or types of paints that are more popular. For instance, we find with Lincoln or luxury brands in general that there is a high take-rate in metallic colours, and that customers are willing to pay a premium for these opulent paints.
For the latest on Ford's colourful line-up of cars, call Cambrian Ford at 560-3673, or visit them at the dealership at 1615 Kingsway Blvd. in New Sudbury.
