The present invention provides a glass composite transparency having a desired color, intensity and a high performance ratio. In particular, the transparency includes at least one rigid transparent ply, e.g. a colored glass or plastic substrate, and a member secured to a major surface of the substrate, e.g. a flexible plastic layer or a coating. The member has a color that generally complements the color of the glass substrate to reduce the overall intensity of the composite transparency. In one embodiment of the invention, the transparency is gray in color and has a performance ratio of at least 1.4, preferably at LTA ≧ 70%.