Silver is the new blue for cars

Blue is dead, long live silver! Well, it's not really dead, because the colour preferences of the car buying public changes quicker than a Formula One tyre swap. But the latest king of car colours - according to British Car Auctions - is silver, which has knocked blue off the top spot to regain its crown.

According to BCA, over the first three months of 2009, 25 percent of the cars sold at auction were silver, relegating blue to second place at 21.4 percent. Black is once again moving up in the popularity stakes, with 18 percent of the total - up from 12.5 - while red has dropped from 12 percent to just nine.

However, car colour palates are getting more complicated, as makers try to lure buyers with unusual hues. Tim Naylor of BCA said: "When it comes to colours, manufacturers are clearly flexing their artistic muscles and fashion sensibilities to deliver a bewildering choice of colours and shades."

Among the colours people are choosing from now are Amethyst, Avalon, Mulberry, Mushroom and Psychedelic Azure. And while more people are opting for these shades to stand out from the crowd, the age-old adage of keeping a close eye on residuals when choosing a colour still applies. The BCA warns that "limited editions with over fussy colour schemes tend to date quickly," which puts off buyers.

Mark Nichol