Mr. Yangming Zhang used the CAMRY as an example to explain
the design process of vehicles at Toyota, which usually takes about three years
before the vehicle is finally released in the market. The CAMRY is a particular
model the company keeps on manufacturing because of its rich heritage. As
expected, every model is modified to an extent, in this case the front (head lights
and bumper) and the rear (back lights) are the redesigned parts.
Toyota Taiwan mainly does consumer research work, mostly
about color trends, and sometimes forwards proposals to Toyota Japan, which are
considered sometimes. Researching color trends in the automotive business is
very important because apart from the type (sedan, convertible, minivan, sport
utility vehicle, etc.) and the brand of the car (Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford,
Toyota, etc.), the most important factor used by individuals to determine their
automotive purchase is the color or hue of the car. The concept of personal
taste and a need to express one’s individuality is not new and one of the ways
people express themselves is through their cars.
For example, the 1990s was a period of renewed environmental
consciousness and during this time, green (of all shades) was the most popular
color, most likely due to the greater environmental or natural interest. Fusion
colors, such as aqua, the fusion of blue and green, became common and popular
as well. Mr. Zhang mentioned how this was also a trend in Taiwan as the
government was trying to promote sustainability. However, this trend didn’t
last long as it was a total misconception of the term. In the first few years
of the 21st century, silver has been the most popular color,
with silver metallic and black metallic the favorite for luxury cars. Analysts
believe buyers choose black today especially for their luxury cars and SUVs
because they give a feeling of mystery and intrigue. Color trends in the near
future can be reported because it takes about 3-4 years from the time a new
automotive pigment is introduced to the time it is implemented on a production
car.
Sometimes the choice of color is influenced by
cultures. For example, Toyota assumed grey color would also do well in China
since it was very popular here in Taiwan, but it turns out to be quite the
opposite because grey means you’ve lost some money. The evolution of color in
the automotive industry has been determined by economic issues facing the
manufacturer, global mood, and consumer taste.http://www.people.vcu.edu/~djbromle/color04/jithin/autocolor.htm
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