a look at the car in your driveway and those of your neighbours. The make and model may indicate a lot about the personality of the owner but, according to colour psychologist, Dr David Lewis, it's the colour that's the real giveaway. A car colour survey produced this week by Vehicle Services, Britain's largest company fleet car firm, says that businessmen - and women - are increasingly opting for silver as a colour to reflect status and aspiration.

Dr Lewis, in an analysis of the survey's findings on colour preferences, says that drivers who favour silver want to "stand out from the crowd"

although they could be "over rigid in outlook and self righteous". Drivers of cars in more conventional hues of blue, green of grey, "lack imagination but work well in groups". Silver reflects "a general sense of business optimism". So if you want to get ahead, it's time for a respray on that three year old Escort.