In today’s era of radar and laser detectors—not to mention soulless speed cameras—the easy answer is no. Most police officers will explain that if you’re speeding, you’re going to be pulled over no matter the color of your car. But could law enforcement subconsciously be focusing on brighter colors, and red in particular?

They might be, at least based on research conducted by Dr. Mark Changizi, professor of Human Cognition at 2AI Labs. An evolutionary neurobiologist, Changizi’s online biography details his studies as a means to “grasp the ultimate foundations underlying why we think, feel and see as we do.”

2010 Ferrari 458 Italia

According to his studies of primates, our eyes have evolved to detect subtle changes in blood oxygenation. In layman’s terms: we notice pigment changes when, for example, someone turns red with anger or pale with fright. “It’s all about emotions,” says Changizi. “Our eyes are designed to see these color changes.” Primates with less fur on their face and rump (such as baboons and chimps) can detect these pigment shifts.

Different emotional states depend on how oxygenated your blood is. “Red is a symbol of strength physiologically,” says Changizi, while mentioning recent studies that have proven wearing red sportswear leads to a higher probability of winning. Changizi says cultural factors also play an important role. Think about a red car, and chances are good a low-slung Ferrari or Corvette springs to mind.

Millions of years of evolution, along with some clever marketing, means that brighter colors (especially reds) could simply be hard-wired in our minds as being powerful, fast and strong. Just don’t try to wiggle your way out of a speeding ticket by telling a cop he was genetically programmed to ticket your little red sports car.

“The most popular color in North America for the past three years is white,” says Nancy Lockhart, Color Marketing Manager for DuPont Vehicle Paints. “We’ve also seen that, globally, black has gained in popularity.” Lockhart credits growing consumer interest in metallic and pearl-coat finishes with boosting the appeal of these two colors.

According to DuPont’s annual “Color Popularity Report,” silver remains the most popular choice worldwide. However, more shocking colors are making inroads. “We’re seeing a rise in purple globally,” says Lockhart. “Orange has also been a color space that has really taken notice the last five years.”

Emerging markets like China and India will soon influence car color palettes here in North America. Michelle Killen, Exterior Color Designer for General Motors, predicts a distinctly rose-tinted future. “A trend that is starting to make its way here from China is the use of "pink" or "fuchsia," says Killen. “You are going to start seeing this used more in North American and European markets.”

Killen says she relies on “everything” when studying the next must-have colors. “I use fashion for the "what's hot right now" and for longer term or further into the future I like to use trend sites.” Furniture, product design and architecture all influence the colors GM offers, says Killen. “We are still seeing orange as a "hot" color space. Orange has really become a staple in exterior paint design.”

It sounds silly, but the idea of paying higher insurance rates for a brightly colored car has been around for years. Let’s finally put it to rest. It’s not true and, according to insurance industry experts, it never has been.

“I’ve never heard of a company that does” charge more for a certain color, says Jeanne Salvatore, Senior Vice President Public Affairs at the Insurance Information Institute. “They’re looking at theft records and safety records…make and model, and expense to repair.”

“It’s a myth,” says Luz Correa, Public Affairs Specialist for State Farm Insurance in Metro New York. “[Car color] is not something that goes into a rate.”

Henry Ford certainly made things easy when he stipulated that customers for his rugged Model T could have any color they wanted, so long as it was black. Today’s car buyer faces a vastly more complicated decision-making process when choosing the paintjob for his or her new vehicle.

There’s no way of knowing whether Mr. Ford would have approved of the eight colors currently available with the 2011 Fiesta SE subcompact sedan. Our guess is “Tuxedo Black” might have won his approval—although “Lime Squeeze Metallic” would probably have cost someone his job.

Things only get more complex the higher up the automotive food chain you go. The $330,000 Bentley Mulsanne luxury sedan is available in more than 100 exterior shades. Customers can also order a customized color, should they so desire. During this year’s New York Auto Show, a Bentley representative described the company’s recent efforts to color-match everything from 1950s kitchenware to gowns worn by royalty.

We’re here to present today’s most popular car colors, some dos and don’ts when it comes to choosing a paintjob, and a peek at the hottest colors coming in the future. Along the way—aided by science and industry experts – we’ll attempt to debunk a few common myths related to car color.

Can you be charged higher insurance rates for a car with a bright paintjob? Do police really prefer ticketing red cars? Keep reading to find out…