So many vehicles on the road today are white, black, or gray — but automotive designers find that consumer preferences may be changing lanes. Zachary Crockett surveys the lot. SOURCES:Tom Crockett, classic car enthusiast.Mark Gutjahr, global head of design at BASF.Nikkie Riedel, carline planning manager at Subaru of America. RESOURCES:BASF Color Report 2023 for Automotive OEM Coatings."Beige on an S.U.V. Will Cost You, but for Pickups It’s Golden," by Roy Furchgott (The New York Times, 2021)."A Brief History Of Car Colors — And Why Are We So Boring Now?" (Consumer Reports, 2018)."The Link Between the Colour of Cars and the Economy," (The Economist, 2018). EXTRA:"Car Washes," by The Economics of Everyday Things (2023).