Fiat has stopped making grey cars even though the colour is the most popular in the UK.
Bosses at the Turin-based carmaker said grey does not embody the joyful Italian way of life.
But the decision could seriously backfire in the UK, where grey has been the best-selling new car colour since 2018.
More than a quarter of new cars bought here last year were grey – 415,199 cars in all, official Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders data shows.
Fiat chief executive Olivier Francois acknowledged grey is “the carmakers’ favourite”.
But the Frenchman added: “Italy is joy, optimism, love, passion, life. What has grey got to do with that? Nothing.
“The world doesn’t need another grey car. We decided to stop the production of Fiat grey cars.”
Fiat says a brighter paint palette will make its cars stand out.
But in the UK, black and white make up the top three along with grey, accounting for 60% of new cars between them.
Grey is seen as holding its value on re-sale, and psychologists say it is picked by drivers who like stability.
They add red is for “wild” buyers, blue for “relaxed” motorists, and green for “conscientious” drivers.
