Local Color: Unusual Paint Hues at the 2022 Chicago Auto Show

Unusual Paint Hues at the 2022 Chicago Auto Show
Auto shows around the globe were dealt a huge blow by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Chicago Auto Show (Consumer Guide’s “hometown” auto show) fared better than most of them. The 2020 edition of the show happened in February 2020—less than a month before the coronavirus hit the United States in earnest and lockdowns began, making it the last “normal” big-league auto show. For 2021, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association (the organization that produces the Chicago Auto Show) was able to work with state and local authorities to pull off a special indoor/outdoor edition of the show in mid-July. For 2022, the show returns to its traditional February time slot. In fact, it’s going on as we type this—the show runs through February 21 at Chicago’s McCormick Place convention center.
At every Chicago Auto Show, we like to scour the entire show floor and hunt for interesting factory paint colors. And, we’ve made it an annual tradition to work up a quick gallery of the eye-catching hues we find—colors that are more exciting than straight silver or white, naturally, but also more unusual than standard fire-engine red. We’ve organized these snapshots below in the order of the rainbow, more or less, and added a few interesting hues at the end that don’t fit into the “Roy G. Biv” spectrum.
Some of these colors are extra “loud,” some are subtle. Some are on pricey luxury cars and spendy sporting machines, some are on budget-conscious mainstream vehicles. Some are new for 2021 or 2022, others have been around for at least a couple years (and may have been featured in one of our previous galleries). A couple are available only on special-edition models, but most are regular-production colors (though several are extra-cost options).
We often hear older car enthusiasts complain that factory car colors today are dull and boring. It’s true that pedestrian silver, white, and beige colors seem to dominate the new-vehicle landscape, but as our gallery here shows, auto manufacturers continue to offer vibrant and unusual hues on a broad variety of vehicles. If you’re fed up with fifteen shades of gray, check out our pics below.
2022 Auto Colors
Unusual Paint Hues at the 2022 Chicago Auto Show
Track bRED

2022 Toyota GR86 in Track bRED
Solar Octane

2022 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro in Solar Octane (a TRD Pro exclusive color)
Ignition Orange

2022 Ram 1500 TRX Ignition Edition in Ignition Orange
Local Color: Unusual Paint Hues at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show
Monarch Orange Metallic

2022 Nissan Sentra in Monarch Orange Metallic/Super Black
Solar Orange Pearl

2022 Subaru WRX in Solar Orange Pearl
Cyber Orange Metallic

2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT in Cyber Orange Metallic
Local Color: Unusual Paint Hues at the 2019 Chicago Auto Show
Grabber Yellow

2021 Ford Mustang in Grabber Yellow
Plasma Yellow Pearl

2022 Subaru Crosstrek in Plasma Yellow Pearl
Verde Montreal Tri-Coat

2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio in Verde Montreal Tri-Coat
Local Color: Unusual Paint Hues at the 2018 Chicago Auto Show
Nori Green Pearl

2022 Lexus GX 460 Black Line Special Edition in Nori Green Pearl (a Black Line exclusive color)
San Remo Green Metallic

2022 BMW M440i xDrive Gran Coupe in San Remo Green Metallic
Eruption Green

2022 Ford Bronco Everglades in Eruption Green
Obsidian Green Pearl

2022 Nissan Pathfinder in Obsidian Green Pearl
Local Color: Unusual Paint Hues at the 2017 Chicago Auto Show
Lucid Blue

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 in Lucid Blue
Mystic Blue

2021 Chevrolet Spark in Mystic Blue
Performance Blue

2022 Hyundai Elantra N in Performance Blue
Rapid Blue

2022 Chevrolet Camaro convertible in Rapid Blue
Local Color: Unusual Paint Hues at the 2017 Chicago Auto Show
Cornflower Blue

2022 Volkswagen Taos in Cornflower Blue
Geyser Blue

2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness in Geyser Blue
Cavalry Blue

2022 Toyota Camry TRD in Cavalry Blue with Midnight Black Metallic roof
Blu Venezia

2022 Fiat 500X Yacht Club Capri in Blu Venezia
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Auburn Metallic

2022 Chevrolet Suburban in Auburn Metallic
Smoked Mesquite

2022 Toyota Tundra in Smoked Mesquite
Bronze Smoke

2022 Ford Bronco Sport in Bronze Smoke
Sand Dune Metallic

2022 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Dusk special edition in Sand Dune Metallic
Cactus Grey

2022 Ford Maverick in Cactus Grey
Boulder Gray

2023 Nissan Z in Boulder Gray
2022 Auto Colors Gallery
(Click below for enlarged images)
2022 Auto Colors
Local Color: Unusual Paint Hues at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show
2022 Auto Colors
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