UK cars and the great British weather are clearly a match made in heaven - as they both come in shades of grey!
New stats revealed by industry experts show grey is Britain’s most popular new car colour for the SIXTH consecutive year, topping half a million registrations.
Black and white exterior paint schemes held second and third place - also for the sixth consecutive year - according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Meanwhile red motors are clearly falling out of fashion, with their numbers dwindling since 2019.
An SMMT spokesperson said: “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.”
When it comes to the most popular hues seen with different types of car, executive vehicles and luxury saloons bucked the grey trend by installing black as the most popular colour option.
Meanwhile Strathclyde, Cheshire, and Berkshire deserve praise for registering more brightly-coloured vehicles than anywhere else in the UK.
Our SMMT spokesperson adds: “Strathclyde proved the best place to play the ‘yellow car’ game, ranking the most registrations of the bright shade, with 677 sold in the area and, while orange wasn’t quite the new black in Cheshire, drivers there registered the most cars in this colour of any county, at 1,140 units. Berkshire was home to more than one in 10 of pink cars registered (22 units) and was also the top spot for red motors at 8,034 units. Drivers in Greater London snapped up more green cars than any other county (3,650).”
The march of the grey motors shows no sign of slowing, then. Which is interesting, considering attempts have been made by some manufacturers to really push vivid paint schemes.
In June last year, Italian manufacturer FIAT announced that it was going to cease making grey vehicles, full stop.
Exclaiming ‘goodbye grey, welcome colours’, Olivier Francois, FIAT Chief Executive Officer and Global Chief Marketing Officer at Stellantis, said: “We broke the rules: we decided to stop the production of FIAT grey cars. This is challenging and disruptive and it is aimed to further reinforce FIAT’s leadership as the brand of joy, colours, and optimism. Italy is the country of colours and, starting from today, FIAT’s cars too.”
Speaking of which, you can lease the FIAT 500 in limited edition (RED) trim from just £131 per month* with Select Car Leasing.
*Prices include VAT. Credit is Subject to Status, Ts and Cs and Arrangement Fees apply. Excess mileage may apply. Stock levels and prices correct as of 23/01/24.
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