Black is back as the colour of choice for the UK’s new car buyers, knocking white off the top spot.

Demand for orange paintwork on new cars grew by 9.4% to its highest-ever level of 19,064 units.

The figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show more than half a million (515,970) buyers opted for black last year, putting it back in the number one spot for the first time in five years.

The return back to black has sent white tumbling to third place after four years at the top, with grey now the nation’s second favourite. Almost 60% of the 2.54 million new cars registered in 2017 ordered in black, grey or white – with a primary colour not making the top three for seven years.

Blue is now the only primary colour to feature in the top five, with red falling one place to sixth in favour of silver

The rest of the top 10 was made up by green, orange, bronze and yellow – with orange and bronze both seeing particularly strong demand. Demand for bronze was up 39.5% to 12,421 unit while take-up of orange rose by 9.4% to its highest-ever level of 19,064.

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