Choosing a new car usually involves weighing up stats, performance, practicality and of course price, but FIAT reckons there is another consideration worth taking seriously: whether the paint colour actually suits you. The Italian brand has launched a colour matching service in the UK, applying techniques traditionally used in fashion styling to help motorists identify the vehicle shades that best complement their personal features.
The initiative coincides with the launch of the new Fiat 500 Hybrid and continues FIAT’s push to bring more colour to the automotive world. In 2023, the manufacturer pledged to stop producing grey cars, arguing that roads already have enough neutral shades and could benefit from a little more personality.
Finding your (automotive) colour palette
Developed in partnership with Colour Me Beautiful, the service uses established colour analysis techniques to place individuals into one of six tonal palettes: light, deep, warm, cool, clear or soft. The idea is to identify colours that complement a person’s natural features, then use that information to help guide their next car purchase. No gravitating towards the same black, white or grey: buyers now have other ways to narrow down their options.
To mark the launch, FIAT UK is offering 20 people the chance to win a complimentary one hour virtual colour consultation, along with a personalised pocket guide. The competition is being hosted through the brand’s UK Instagram account. Colour expert Vicky Booker, from Colour Me Beautiful, says car buyers often concentrate on practical considerations before thinking about how a vehicle’s colour reflects their personality. The consultation aims to bring that personal element into the decision making process.
It is deeper than it might seem
FIAT commissioned a survey of 2,000 UK adults to explore the relationship between colour, confidence and car ownership. The research found that 60 per cent of respondents considered their car’s colour important when making a purchase. More than half, at 51 per cent, felt their vehicle reflected who they were, while 40 per cent viewed it as an extension of their appearance.
Despite that, neutral shades remain popular. Black was the most common car colour among respondents, at 22 per cent, followed by blue at 18 per cent and grey at 15 per cent. Similar preferences emerged in clothing, with black the most frequently worn colour at 66 per cent, followed by blue at 60 per cent and white at 29 per cent. Some 82 per cent admitted to choosing neutral colours at least occasionally because they felt like the safer option.
The findings also suggest that confidence plays a role in personal colour choices. While 72 per cent said they felt more confident wearing colours that suited them, 22 per cent admitted they had little or no idea which shades complemented them. Of course, a car is a considerably larger commitment than a new shirt, and colour consultations are unlikely to become a deciding factor for every buyer. Still, the results highlight how often people default to familiar shades, even when colour remains an important part of the purchasing decision.
FIAT wants more colour on the road
For FIAT, the campaign is another opportunity to reinforce a brand identity built around accessible, characterful city cars. Kris Cholmondeley, managing director of FIAT UK, says the new 500 Hybrid provides an ideal opportunity to celebrate colour, describing it as an important part of the brand’s personality and approach to everyday motoring.
The company’s decision to move away from grey paint in 2023 was an unusually bold statement in an industry where subdued colours remain a safe commercial choice. The new consultation takes that philosophy a step further, encouraging buyers to think about colour as an expression of individuality rather than simply a matter of resale value or personal taste.
Whether a virtual styling session will convince motorists to abandon their favourite shade remains to be seen. But in a market where many new cars can look remarkably similar, FIAT is making a case for treating paint colour as more than an afterthought. The consultation competition is currently aimed at UK customers, so availability in New Zealand has not been announced.
