White replaces silver as most popular car color in the world

According to PPG Industries, a leading manufacturer of transportation coatings, white is now the world's most popular car color, ending silver's 10-year run at the top. Based on data gathered by the company, white accounted for about 21 percent of all 2011-model-year vehicles around the globe, followed by silver and black, tied for second place at 20 percent each.

The rankings in the major geographical markets?

* North America: white (20 percent); silver (19 percent); black (18 percent); gray (15 percent); red and blue (9 percent each); naturals such as browns, tans, golds, oranges and yellows (7 percent each); green (2 percent); and other/niche colors (1 percent).

* Europe: black (26 percent); white (19 percent); silver (16 percent); gray (15 percent); blue (9 percent); red (7 percent); naturals (5 percent); green (2 percent); and other/niche colors (1 percent).

* Asia and the Pacific: silver (25 percent); white (23 percent); black (17 percent); red (10 percent); gray (8 percent); blue (7 percent); naturals (7 percent); green (2 percent); and other/niche colors (1 percent).

PPG also found in an online study of consumer opinions regarding the importance of paint color in relation to new-car purchases, that "48 percent of automotive consumers (who participated in the survey) generally choose products based on color, and that 77 percent of automotive consumers consider exterior color as a factor in their automotive purchase decision."

How about you? What's your favorite car color these days?