Car selection is a lengthy and thoughtful process. People have to go through the model, features, brand, and everything else to select a car that is the perfect fit for them. Aside from the features, aesthetics are also quite important for buyers. And when it comes to looks, the most prominent thing visible from miles away is the car’s colour.
Colours hold great significance in a car as the right ones can make your car a running luxury and the wrong colour theme can undermine the other great features. The history of car colours is as old as the cars, and it has been a long and wonderful journey of different coloured cars that we see and embrace today.
Let’s take a trip down memory lane to the colourful journey of car colours.
Car Colours History
Car colour can be a reflection of the owner’s personality. You can often tell a lot about the car owner by the colour. Certain colours can distinguish between a luxury car and a conventional one. The importance of car colours is fully understood by the authorities, and they accommodate the request of people who want to change their car colour. There is a well defined procedure to change car colour in the UAE.
While there are colours like black and dark grey seen on most vehicles, the history of cars shows us how bright colours entered the scene and made their presence felt. Below is the timeline for the history of car colours and the major turn of events witnessed during those times.
THE 1890s – BLACK AND GREY
Before four-wheeled cars became a reality and started rolling out on the streets, carriages were the primary sort of transportation. It won’t be wrong to address carriages as the first cars. In the early days, not all cars were painted, and the painted ones were mostly dark grey or black. Black was considered the most inexpensive option, although it was still costly. Car paints had no binding in those days, so the colours did not last long.
THE 1910s – ENTER SOME COLOURS
The 1910s saw the introduction of some more colours, such as shades of red, green and grey. During this era, cars were mostly luxury, affordable only by the affluent ones – hence, seen as a symbol of status and privilege. People often got their vehicles painted in unique colours to showcase their status.
Ford’s assembly line played a huge role in making cars accessible to the general public. Check out these interesting facts about Ford to know more about the brand.
The 1920s – THE ROARING YEARS FOR CAR COLOURS
The 1920s saw some great innovations in the automobile industry. Besides the new and improved vehicles, manufacturers also understood that people want to portray themselves through cars. Blue, maroon, and dark green became popular colours for cars. This was an important event in car colours history.
1930s-1940s – ENTER THE SHADES
The process of car production evolved, and along with it, the car designs too. Cars were now available in a variety of colours and some new shades too. These decades also witnessed the addition of metallic paints to the catalogue. Metallic paints were expensive but the wealthy class went for them anyway.
The late 1940s saw the rise of chrome trims, and single-coloured cars began to gather attention. The history of car colours saw a big turn as sun-resistant colour coating emerged. It prevented the fading, yellow colouring of metallics, and the paint lasted longer.
1950s-1960s – YEARS OF GLAMOUR AND MUSCLE CARS
Pop culture was on the rise during that time and people were inclined towards imitating celebrities and public figures. Cars, wagons and buses witnessed multi-coloured themes which largely gathered the public’s attention. The 1950s also saw the rise of two-toned coloured cars designs. Typically, one colour was dark and the other was a lighter one on these cars.
These years were also known as the muscle cars era. Automobile manufacturers were focused on producing the most powerful engines. Muscle cars not only gathered huge fame but they brought bright yellow and violet colours into fashion. The history of car colours saw a change of interest from two-toned cars to these bright colours.
1970s – THE CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE
The 1970 oil embargo, where the world witnessed a rise in oil prices, saw a change in perspective among the people and organisations. Manufacturers saw the need to look beyond petrol cars, and the focus shifted towards electric cars. The world has become more aware of the environmental crisis and the need to promote green initiatives.
People’s interest shifted towards natural colours, especially earth tones became people’s preferred choice for car colours. The 70s saw the rise of colours like brown, olive, tan, and green. These colours were a total contrast to the bright and bold colours of the early years.
1980s – PROGRESSING SOCIETY
The car colours history witnessed society’s progress during the 1980s. Minivans became the preferred choice for large transportation and growing families. Black and red became the most famous car colours during that time. The journey of car colours saw two-toned paints now used for external wood panels in general.
1990s – ENTER THE SUVS
Sports utility vehicles (SUVs) gathered noticeable fame during the 1990s. As people became more environmentally conscious, green colour increased demand in cars. SUVs also brought the two-toned colours back into the scene. Fusion colours like aqua and teal combined with green-blue gained popularity. The quality of paints grew better with time and people did not shy away from reflecting their preferences through their cars. Nice paints are also a way to upgrade your car and make it look expensive.
2000s – SILVER IS THE NEW FAVOURITE
The start of the 21st century saw silver rise as the most popular car colour. For sports cars, SUVs, or sedans, silver was seen everywhere. Light colours were a preference for many people during the early 21st century. However, silver wasn’t the only colour making rounds. Red, black and white pearl metallic, and bluish hues were also becoming famous. Black, the most famous colour of the early car days, was somewhat out shadowed and was mostly seen on all luxury vehicles and SUVs.
MODERN CAR COLOURS
The 21st century has seen technology reach new heights. Unique cars with extraordinary features have been introduced and the manufacturers haven’t stopped experimenting with colour themes. While the basic colours like black, blue, white, grey, green, brown, silver, etc continue to be the most sought colours, you can also see other colours making the cars attractive.
The history of car colours has seen many colours come into fashion and fade away. Two-toned colours or striped themes on cars were a sensation when they were introduced but car colours and painting techniques have evolved greatly. Nowadays, car enthusiasts go over and beyond to give their cars unique colours like animal-themed colour themes, fire-blazing colours and many more. If your car paint is affected by a scratch or anything else, you can select the car colour code and get it fixed without getting the entire car repainted.
This was everything about the history of car colours. The evolution of car colours has seen many colourful turns of events and today we stand with a plethora of car colours to choose from. Car colours can be a reflection of your personality and preferences and since you are spending a fair amount of money, it is advised to choose the colour wisely.
That said, if your car’s colour has faded or if it is worn out, you can always go for feasible options such as used cars. Check out these used cars for sale in the UAE and select the ones that best meet your needs.
Stay tuned to UAE’s top auto blog for the history of other car components and more.
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