White is the new silver in cars

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Think all those silver-colored luxury sedans are a big yawn? You're not alone.

After a seven-year streak as the most popular automotive color, silver has been deposed, according to a report released by automotive paint maker DuPont.

The new favorite color in the North American, Mexican, and Japanese markets is white, though black and good old silver trail by a thin margin in North America.

DuPont sees neutral white as a "trend-shifting" color, and predicts that metallic black and other paints with special effects will eventually become more popular. Meanwhile black took an overwhelming lead in Europe, while red is also gaining popularity.

The paint maker plans to unveil a set of neutral-based colors like "Whitney White" and "Roger Rocket" (white with a touch of blue) at its upcoming automotive color show.

White's neutral-ness encourages customization, adds Karen Surcina, DuPont's color marketing manager, who also points out that a preference for neutrals is becoming the global trend.

DuPont's (Charts, Fortune 500) Global Automotive Color Popularity Report measures color popularity in seven different regions. Worldwide, the overall trend seems to be away from silver and towards gray. However, vibrant hues like red and orange, while less common, have been growing in popularity for a those vehicle owners who prefer to show off their true colors.