Manufacturing Biz #2 - Magazine - Page 12
More motorists go
green but grey is still
the colour of choice
B
ritain’s drivers cemented their
preference for monochrome cars as
grey topped the new car colour chart
for the sixth year in a row, according to the
latest figures published by the Society of
Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Boasting a market share of more than a
quarter (26.8%), more than half a million
(509,194) grey cars were registered in 2023,
with volumes rising 22.6% as the new car
market enjoyed its best year since the
pandemic.
Completing the podium, black and white
held second and third place, also for the
sixth consecutive year, and recorded their
best volumes since 2019. Almost two thirds
(63.5%) of all new cars joining UK roads in
2023 were decked in monochrome, while
blue rose 10.9% to take fourth place and
red remained in fifth – although it also
recorded its lowest market share since
2005 and has seen its popularity steadily
decline since 2019.
variations, with maroon, pink and cream
remaining at the niche end of the colour
palette – comprising just 604 registrations
combined. Orange, bronze, turquoise
and brown fell in popularity compared
with 2023 volumes. Green, however,
experienced a comeback, reaching its
highest volume since 2005 at 53,426 units
and a market share of 2.8%, the highest
since 2004. While the colour may have
environmentally friendly associations,
‘zero emission cars’ reaching Britain’s
roads in record numbers last year followed
the same grey colour trend as their internal
combustion engine counterparts.
While Britain clearly has a preference for
monochrome cars, drivers determined
to stamp their style on their motor were
able to choose from a variety of colour
Grey also remained the most popular
choice across the majority of segments,
including the three bestsellers – supermini,
dual purpose and lower medium. Three
12
M A N U FA C T U R I N G B I Z M A G A Z I N E | A P R I L 2 0 2 4
segments went against the grain, with
black the favoured shade among executive
cars and luxury saloons, and white
appearing as the top choice for the multipurpose segment. Fleets, which drove
investment in the new car market in 2023,
also favoured monochrome, with grey
making up more than a quarter (26.9%)
of all registrations. Private sales saw more
variation, brightening up roads as they
were marginally more likely to opt for a
green or yellow tint over fleets, with 29,919
and 6,964 units registered respectively.
The British regions were unanimous in
preference for grey, with white ranking as
the second most popular in the Channel
Islands, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Black was the second most popular in
England, Wales and the Isle of Man.