It is a universally acknowledged truth among car companies that a car sells better when its color has a sexy, glamorous name. Or so it seems.

I believe the evidence is overwhelming.

Car companies have long understood the appeal of colors and have moved away from basic primary tones and simple labels like red, white, blue, and black. Instead, to enhance the allure and appeal, color schemes now often include two or three words to describe the available palettes from which customers may choose for their vehicle’s superficial personality. Terms such as Celestial Silver, Ruby Flare Pearl, Sea Glass Pearl, Sizzling Crimson, Barcelona Red, and Midnight Black act as exterior colors to “announce your arrival in style.” They even make basic brown sound tempting with the name Sunset Bronze. I am not making this up!

Over the years, I have preferred my car to be either blue, gold, or burgundy. My personal favorite has always been burgundy. This might be because I drove a 1969 burgundy Chevrolet Malibu during most of my dating years with my late wife. In fact, we went on our honeymoon in that car. Yep, lots of “ooh la la” memories in that burgundy set of wheels. Years later, with five small children—and before the era of SUVs—we drove a burgundy 1983 Chevrolet Caprice Classic station wagon for over ten years. Many good memories are tied to that one, too, though of a very different kind. 🙂

My preferred SUV over the past seventeen years has been the Toyota Highlander. When I bought my third one in 2016, I was captivated by the burgundy color scheme. Toyota called it “Ooh La La Rouge,” likely in an attempt to make this four-thousand-pound mass of metal sound more alluring. I don’t ever remember thinking I wanted a car that had a sexy-sounding color, but found it hard to say no to anything as colorful as Ooh La La.

So, you might be interested to know that this past week, my wife and I traded in our ten-year-old, 200,000-mile 2016 Highlander for a new one. The 2026 Grand Highlander Hybrid is very impressive. Technology has changed a lot in the past 10 years. No wonder I felt like I was in the cockpit of a plane when I first sat in the driver’s seat.  

You might wonder what color it is. It’s a sparkly dark navy blue. Of course, Toyota has a different label for it — “Blueprint.”

Psychologists say that people who prefer a navy blue color (regardless of its name) tend to be seen as authoritative, trustworthy, stable, and professional. They project confidence, intelligence, and reliability. It can also indicate a desire for calm, focus, and depth, reflecting wisdom and a steady, responsible nature. Those who favor it are often viewed as natural leaders, serious, and dependable, valuing order and mental clarity, although it can sometimes be seen as conservative.

Hmmm.  I thought they captured me quite accurately.  

As we pondered the purchase, I recalled that as a graduate of Georgia Tech, our annual Yearbook was (and still is) called Blueprint.  I told my wife, “It must be a sign.”  The color of “Blueprint” may not be as sexy-sounding as Ooh La La Rouge, but at the age of 74, I prefer the trustworthy, stable, and professional image.

Of course, the color coding nomenclature had no effect on our decision to buy this modern-day technological four-wheeled marvel. 

It was pure coincidence that I was just looking for calm, focus, and depth.

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Advert: We purchased this beastly blue beauty at Augusta’s Milton Ruben Toyota.  In 50 years, this was the best car-buying experience ever.  Our Sales Consultant, Marcus Brooks, is a first-class pro.  If I ever buy another car, I’m calling Marcus.