Why are most cars monochrome now?

Post by **matthew1** » 30 Jun 2026, 11:55

Another aspect of this I've been tossing around in my mind: is it a supply or demand problem?

Supply side: they won't offer it in the colors that people want
Demand side: we're not asking for color

To the pro-supply-constraint people, I'd argue this: The US consumer gets what we want. Amazon offers somewhere between 350 and 600 million products to US consumers, and there is no way any retailer in right mind is going to deny what we want.

I say this phenomenon is driven by the Demand side. It's us.

Post by **volvolugnut** » 30 Jun 2026, 13:50

Perhaps to is easier to sell plain colors than bold colors. Perhaps dealers like simple colors because these colors are acceptable to most people but bold colors are rejected by more people. A dealer will not want a car that they have to discount or wait for the right person who will buy the odd (bold) color.
volvolugnut

Post by **scot850** » 30 Jun 2026, 14:55

I watch a couple of used car dealer YouTube channels from the UK. They regularly mention bright colors are harder to shift, red and bright green being particularly hard to move.

I also think it might be that modern cars are all the same so who cares what color they are. No longer do they have soul or are much fun to drive. It is a sad day for sure.

Personally I hate black cars and like the red and blue hues as well as Titanium Grey and Poo (sorry Lava) grey. Those are classy colors in my opinion that have not aged. White cars sell well in hot climates, but not where I live. There are some, but many don't like them because in winter they always look dirty, just like black cars.

Neil.

Post by **abscate** » 01 Jul 2026, 03:59

matthew1 wrote: 30 Jun 2026, 11:55 Another aspect of this I've been tossing around in my mind: is it a supply or demand problem?

Supply side: they won't offer it in the colors that people want
Demand side: we're not asking for color

To the pro-supply-constraint people, I'd argue this: The US consumer gets what we want. Amazon offers somewhere between 350 and 600 million products to US consumers, and there is no way any retailer in right mind is going to deny what we want.

I say this phenomenon is driven by the Demand side. It's us.

More data to contemplate.

How many cars are ordered by buyer vs sold off lot or found at another dealer?

When I bought my only new VW ftom Germany in 2002, I ordered it in Red Red Red

Post by **BlackBart** » 02 Jul 2026, 11:47

"Rare Shades" Sounds like it was an annual show. All those jellybean-colored 911's.

https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/2026/sc ... 42480.html

Post by **BlackBart** » 02 Jul 2026, 11:54

Maybe people have become "monochrome."

Post by **Blacklab467** » 11 Jul 2026, 05:42

For some reason cars have become so bland these day. I've been casually considering buying a new domestic half ton lately, GM offers the trim level I'd be interested in with only four colours: black, white, or two shades of grey. No Thanks! The other thing I cannot stand is grey plastic interior which seems to find its way into 90% of today's offerings. I do like the pastels that are popular on many of the new cars or trucks now, these colour options are available on some models for a premium, often adding $800- $1000 to the base price which I can't understand.
Our two Volvo's both have unusual colour exteriors and two-tone interior leather, I really like that about them!

Post by **Blacklab467** » 11 Jul 2026, 05:57

My Charger in Hemi Orange and my best friend's Road Runner in Seafoam Green. Sometimes I just stand in the garage and admire the mettalic Orange original paint and it generates waves of euphoria, no kidding!

: rr.jpg (97.38 KiB) Viewed 1000 times

Post by **matthew1** » 11 Jul 2026, 09:00

Does Jalopnik read MVS?

In their July 4 story, a week after my post and my essay in the MVS Newsletter, amazing coincidence that it is, they cover this topic, but in quantifiable metrics – excellent, I should have done this but whatever at least it caused them a little time and effort to do the research while they copy my thoughts.

Gray has seen the most significant rise in popularity, adorning just 3.6% of new cars sold in 1996, but the dull hue was slathered on 22.9% of new cars in 2025 — up a mind-boggling 528.4%.

https://www.jalopnik.com/2205561/new-ca ... ular-2026/

And some clarification on my part: if you have a black, white, or grey car I'm not coming after you and I hope you're not offended. That's of course not my intention. My first Volvo was black and my second grey, so I'm part of this too.

Blacklab467 wrote: 11 Jul 2026, 05:57 My Charger in Hemi Orange and my best friend's Road Runner in Seafoam Green. Sometimes I just stand in the garage and admire the mettalic Orange original paint and it generates waves of euphoria, no kidding!
rr.jpg

Amazing... I think when everybody's walking around with 3D goggles in a few years I'll make an app called Show Me The World If We Had Colorful Cars Again, and it would be just normal reality that you're looking at except it colors the cars in real time as they drive past – orange, red, yellow, blue, etc.

Your friend's seafoam green is not a factory color, correct? I'll guess that's a respray from the 1990s or 2000s. I'll bet your friend saw so many cars that looked so good in this he chose it for his Road Runner. That's why they don't want color out on the streets – it makes others want it too and they – Big Paint – can't have that. They want us bored and dull. Big Paint is behind this.

Post by **Blacklab467** » 11 Jul 2026, 10:40

The Seafoam Green was the correct factory colour and the restorer painted it with the correct lacquer single stage paint in 2009. The car was about a 98 point restoration with only NOS parts, it was actually too nice to drive so my buddy sold it 2 years ago for $109000 to a collector in Dallas.