New Car Colors

[Bill Pritchard]

When did various shades of 'Battleship Gray' become a desirable color for new vehicles? Leaves me cold.

[1967 4K]

I’m glad you brought this up Bill. Some of the most plain looking flat colors I’ve ever seen on cars. Butt ugly IMO.
Been looking at new pickups lately and seems all that’s on the lots a black, gray or white.
👎.

[luzl78]

I’m glad you brought this up Bill. Some of the most plain looking flat colors I’ve ever seen on cars. Butt ugly IMO.
Been looking at new pickups lately and seems all that’s on the lots a black, gray or white.
👎.
It’s all about the money. Mass produced and you buy what they tell you to buy. Porsche,bmw you can get most any color. You just have to pay up.

[Pro Stock John]

It just became popular.

Silver was the first color in a long time to break into the top 3 which stood for a long time.

[Derek69SS]

I ordered a new truck, and had to pick red. It was the only not-bland color available.

I strongly debated ordering the fleet highway department Orange, but all of the plastics come black instead of body color, so it would need paint work to look good, and I figured resale might be tough.

[Too Many Projects]

I was at a Hyundai dealer Thursday and they have a paint on the 2024 models that is almost a velvet texture. Salesman said the 30's genre love it until they are told it is an expensive option and needs special care and washing. It even comes with a kit of washing tools and cleaners to prevent damage to the texture. AND, they have to sign a waiver that the dealer has informed, instructed and given them the kit for proper care, to eliminate any law suits later...:rolleyes2:
I, jokingly, asked a guy what color he was going to paint his flat gray Ford at a show last year and I thought he was going to blow a gasket explaining that it WAS the color and it's perfect !! OK, settle down, I'll just walk away, shaking my head.

[Too Many Projects]

What really chaps my hide is, the elimination of most interior colors to only black. I have spent considerable time over the years of avoiding that color, when searching for and purchasing used cars. The last new car we bought was my wife's '07 TSX, with light grey interior.
I have been trying to find a replacement for my CR-V, that was hit and totaled 6 weeks ago and it gets more difficult with every newer version of more models to find grey or beige.

[169indy]

"Haze Gray and Underway"

Go Navy

[Mr70]

Looked at one about 6 years ago and walked away. https://smithhousedesign.com/color-trends-battleship/

Those days of Chrysler are missed.

[Lynn]

Sherri and I were just talking about this last week on the way to the office.

So many crappy colors on new cars. She does like the blue tinted dark gray. Me; not so much.

[danachevroletfor1967]

I read somewhere probably 2 years ago or more that 70% of new cars sold are white, black, gray, or silver. I honestly would have put it at 85% based on the cars I see locally and their colors. When I ordered my new 2017 Camaro 1SS I ordered it in Red Hot, and I love that color. In a cloth interior I could only get black or gray. I ordered black.

I definitely would not buy a new car in white, black, gray, or silver, or any of those pastel colors that seem to be quite common on Toyotas. I like colors on a car like shades of red, blue, green, even gold. I've always liked interiors in white, gold, bright blue, and red.

[markinnaples]

Could not agree more about the shades of gray these days. So many look like shiny primer with no depth to the color, kind of like a battleship gray. Silver and gray have been played to the end. One color that I think has stood the test of time on newer cars is Mazda Soul Red. It looks great on almost any color vehicle.

[Mr70]

Mazda Soul Red has one huge drawback.. https://hunterautobodyinc.com/manufacturer-questions/problems-we-have-found-with-mazda-soul-red-crystal-chipping-paint-information-for-st-louis-drivers/

[markinnaples]

That's a shame that it chips so much I guess, as I've always thought it looked a lot like candy apple red.

[juliosz]

Grey or battleship grey was a popular color for European cars after WW2. Mercedes, BMW, VW and others like the Fiat I was looking at in Hershey last fall seem to have offered this color up through the 60's.

[L_e_e]

All of my previous trucks have been either black or silver, my latest Ford is Antimatter Blue, it's a great looking very dark blue that really pops in the sunlight.
I'm not on board with the Navy boat gray color as I have flashbacks to when I was a kid driving gray primer beaters...now it just looks like someone got the brilliant idea to spay some clear over gray primer.

[luzl78]

All of my previous trucks have been either black or silver, my latest Ford is Antimatter Blue, it's a great looking very dark blue that really pops in the sunlight.
I'm not on board with the Navy boat gray color as I have flashbacks to when I was a kid driving gray primer beaters...now it just looks like someone got the brilliant idea to spay some clear over gray primer.
Love the antimatter blue ford color. Most of my trucks are painted ford 7n which is dark shadow blue metallic, although most of my trucks are internationals. The colors are close but the antimatter blue is darker.

[1967 4K]

When I worked as an Industrial Services Contractor we called that plain gray, Machine Tool Gray. To me it’s spot on this new flat plain gray.

[bobbezss]

First time I saw one I asked why would you want to paint your car in the same color the Navy uses for its fleet vehicles and ships? Dumbfounded.

[GearheadSS]

When did various shades of 'Battleship Gray' become a desirable color for new vehicles? Leaves me cold.

I have no idea. I do think these battleship grays look OK on some vehicles that have black accents to offset the gray. In most cases though, I just see primer gray.

I had a 2022 ZR2 that was Sand Dune Metallic, which is similar to these grays in that it had no depth and most of the time, the metallic wasn't noticeable, but I loved that color on that truck.

[Big Block Bill]

I Remember when you had to”Pay Up” for Dove Gray on a Lincoln or a Ford. Late 70’s
We called it Primer with Clear. A totally Dead Color in my opinion but I never owned one, just towed a lot of them

[Jonesy]

Haha, just came across this post. Apparently I just bought an ugly truck. :D I just wanted something different from black or white or silver etc.

Here’s my ugly battleship gray shiny primer (AKA Thunderstorm Gray) 2024 GMC Sierra 2500 AT4, Duramax 6.6 Turbo-Diesel.
If they would have made one in Azure Turquoise I would have bought that instead!! :eek2::haha:

I absolutely love it!! :beers: :biggthumpup:

[Ralph Spears]

Big SUV, A pickup truck is a regular cab model

[dykstra]

Haha, just came across this post. Apparently I just bought an ugly truck. :D I just wanted something different from black or white or silver etc.

Here’s my ugly battleship gray shiny primer (AKA Thunderstorm Gray) 2024 GMC Sierra 2500 AT4, Duramax 6.6 Turbo-Diesel.
If they would have made one in Azure Turquoise I would have bought that instead!! :eek2::haha:

I absolutely love it!! :beers: :biggthumpup:

BEAUTIFUL!!:beers:

[OldZ28Owner]

I remember seeing back in the 60's or 70's a color on Lincolns that was called Dove Grey, I think. Sounded and looked good until I saw it in person. So bland and uninteresting! Someone said, "Looks like primer!" at the time!

[1967 4K]

Bridgeport Mill machine tool gray.

[njsteve]

They all look like wet-Sandable Grey Primer. At least it's easy to touch up if you get a chip.

[Jonesy]

:biggthumpup: Love it Steve!! :haha:

[Hawkeye]

I have this coming in October. Guess I’ll send it back since y’all won’t like it. Geez…

[69M22Z]

Haha, just came across this post. Apparently I just bought an ugly truck. :D I just wanted something different from black or white or silver etc.

Here’s my ugly battleship gray shiny primer (AKA Thunderstorm Gray) 2024 GMC Sierra 2500 AT4, Duramax 6.6 Turbo-Diesel.
If they would have made one in Azure Turquoise I would have bought that instead!! :eek2::haha:

I absolutely love it!! :beers: :biggthumpup:

Nice truck!!!

[markinnaples]

I have this coming in October. Guess I’ll send it back since y’all won’t like it. Geez…

If you like, doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

[MosportGreen66]

I have this coming in October. Guess I’ll send it back since y’all won’t like it. Geez…

Stunning Marty! Congrats!

[dykstra]

I have this coming in October. Guess I’ll send it back since y’all won’t like it. Geez…

I’ll take it!!:headbang::headbang:

[Zedder]

Those greys are super popular with the Porsche crowd too. I,picked my new car up on Saturday and it is the only color for me :)

https://youtube.com/shorts/c4A-3GNU-Wg?si=gQb6Mo5s8u8vKRmc

[Zedder]

Sorry for the sideways post…again! I’m on a million car forums and this is the only one that this happens on. I have no idea why?