White Hot

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/412/white-hot;_ylc=X3oDMTE2MDVocjJhBF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEc2VjA2ZwLXRvZGF5BHNsawNob3QtY29sb3Jz

White Hot
Silver loses its long-held top spot as the most popular car color.
by Althea Chang

After seven years wearing the color crown, silver has been dethroned.

For the first time this century, more white cars were manufactured in 2007 than those in any other color, according to DuPont’s most recent color study.

In North America, 19 percent of vehicles manufactured in 2007 were either white or "pearl white," which is white with an iridescent or metallic sheen. Eighteen percent of 2007 vehicles were silver, and 16 percent were black, including black with metallic effects.

White has also taken a decisive lead in other countries, including Japan and Mexico. In Europe, however, black was far and away the top color.

White had an even stronger showing among luxury cars, where it made up 22 percent of vehicles manufactured in 2007 (5 percent of those were pearl white) and tied with the color black. Silver was the next most common color for luxury cars in 2007, at 20 percent. "Our report is based on quantities of paint sold to OEMs [original equipment manufacturers], production data they share with us, and other sources,” says DuPont spokesperson Rick Straitman.

The color white is increasingly dominant, not just in the auto industry, but in home furnishings, fashion, consumer products, and industrial design, says Leatrice Eiseman, director of the Pantone Color Institute.

White was the most popular color among Chevrolet and Ford buyers, according to J.D. Power and Associates' Power Information Network, which tracks consumers’ buying habits. Dodge buyers preferred red, while BMW, Cadillac, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz buyers gravitated toward black.

White is also a popular color for so-called fleet vehicles, which are cars and trucks used commercially, such as by power companies and rental agencies, says Global Insight analyst John Wolkonowicz.

Despite white's victory in 2007, silver will still likely be the dominant color on the roads for some time. "Given silver's popularity over the past seven years and the fact that it is still a popular color choice, you should expect to see a high number of silver vehicles on the road for the coming years," says Karen Surcina, color marketing and technology manager at DuPont.

Considering that the average vehicle is on the road for 13 years, according to U.S. Department of Transportation estimates, it could take a decade or more for silver cars to start thinning out, and that’s only if the color decreases in popularity. "When silver first came on the scene [in the mid to late 1990s], it was a high-tech color that corresponded with people's interest in technology and the future," Surcina says. Then the tech bubble burst and the economy started to suffer. As time went on, silver became a “safe” color that consumers could opt for and not worry about it standing out too much, or turning off potential buyers when it came time to resell their vehicles.

Even if white continues to swell in popularity and sparkling particles give the color new life, the trends may not be seen on highways and in driveways for some time. "While palate-cleansing white is expected to usher in a new era in car colors and iridescent paints, and sparkling mica particles and unusual effects are gaining popularity among more adventurous types, most car buyers are still sticking with safe colors like silver and black,” says Christopher Li, industry analyst at the Power Information Network.

Toyota to replace GM as world's largest automaker

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/newstex/AFX-0013-21884179.htm

Toyota to replace GM as world's largest automaker in 2007, to widen gap in 2008

TOKYO, Dec. 25, 2007 (Thomson Financial delivered by Newstex) -- Japan's largest automaker Toyota Motor Corp (NYSE:TM) , which is set to replace General Motors Corp (NYSE:GM) as the world's largest automaker this year, said Tuesday it plans to boost group output by 5 percent to 9.95 million vehicles in 2008 to meet growing demand in emerging markets, allowing it to widen the gap with the US giant.

The Nagoya-based Toyota said it expects output this year to reach 9.51 million vehicles, edging out GM as the biggest car maker in the world in terms of output. GM, which is recovering from a devastating 10.6 billion dollar loss in 2005, was expecting to produce 9.26 million vehicles this year.

The Toyota group includes minivehicle maker Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd and truck maker Hino Motors Ltd.

Toyota is expecting an 8 percent rise in overseas production to 4.74 million vehicles in 2008 while domestic output is seen increasing by 2 percent to 5.21 million.

The company recently built a new plant in Russia where it plans to make the Camry model, and now produces 10 car models at a plant in Tianjin, China.

Toyota also launched production of the RAV4 sport utility vehicle at a new factory in Canada and is planning to boost output in South Africa and Guangzhou, China as well.

In North America, the company will start consigning production to partner Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd in the near term.

For 2008, the Toyota group is projecting a 5 percent increase in global vehicle sales to 9.85 million units, following an estimated 6 percent increase this year, as demand for environment-friendly automobiles, including hybrid vehicles, is expected to continue to grow.

Spurred by brisk global demand, Toyota is projecting group sales overseas to rise 7 percent to 7.58 million units while domestic sales is expected to be flat at 2.27 million amid sluggish consumer spending.

For the Toyota and Lexus brands, Toyota expects domestic sales to be flat next year with overseas sales up 6 percent.

At the parent level, Toyota is expecting a 1 percent increase in sales in North America to a record 2.84 million units. It is projecting a 2 percent surge in sales to Europe to a 1.27 million units, also an all-time high, and a 43 percent jump in China sales to a best-ever 700,000 units.

The automaker also plans to sell 450,000 gasoline/electric powered hybrid vehicles next year, up 7 percent from 420,000 units projected for this year.

By the early 2010s, Toyota said it is aiming to sell 1.0 million of the hybrid cars globally.

Despite the difficult sales climate in Japan and uncertainty about sales in the US due to the subprime crisis and higher gasoline prices, Toyota sees further growth going forward.

In August, Toyota said it plans to sell 10.4 million vehicles globally in 2009, up 18.2 percent from 2006, by capitalizing on growing demand in China and other emerging economies.

If Toyota hits its 2009 sales target, it will become the world's first automaker to sell more than 10 million vehicles in a single year, according to analysts. GM sold a record 9.55 million vehicles in 1978.

(1 US dollar = 114.04 yen)
yasuhiko.seki@thomson.com