"Wet-putty cars is part of a broader mainstreamification of gray-shaded consumer-good colors heavily targeted at younger Gen-X-ers and Millennials." Basically,

"Wet-putty cars is part of a broader mainstreamification of gray-shaded consumer-good colors heavily targeted at younger Gen-X-ers and Millennials." Basically, it's a design trend from architecture and consumer products that bled into car colors, according to the article. I've been wondering about this for years. At first, I thought it might have something to do with new paint manufacturing techniques or environmental concerns with traditional paint jobs. But probably just a design trend.