People Prefer Angry-Faced Cars 473
fatalfury writes "Researchers from the University of Vienna asked 20 males and 20 females to rank vehicles based on their appearance. The list of traits included arrogant, afraid, agreeable, disgusted, extroverted, sad, and others. Cars with 'meaner' traits (such as BMW) ranked higher, whereas cars with 'nicer' traits (such as Toyota's Prius) ranked lower. With billions spent on developing new products in the automobile industry, this could spur a trend in meaner-looking cars and perhaps explain why sales of the Prius and other green cars are slow to take off with average consumers."
That's why I prefer... (Score:5, Funny)
then this is a mutant (Score:5, Funny)
The angriest-looking car in the world... (Score:5, Funny)
... is the Triumph Herald Vitesse [wikimedia.org].
Re:As a non-driver (Score:3, Funny)
but I had to settle for just a pink DS now
Cars are ugly these days, why? (Score:5, Funny)
To tell you the truth, there's been one car in the last decade that I thought looked interesting (under $50K, anyway), and I bought one, the PT Cruiser. Why can't they make decent looking cars anymore? Design by committee?
Re:As a non-driver (Score:3, Funny)
Re:then this is a mutant (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Yes you're right (Score:5, Funny)
Re:The angriest-looking car in the world... (Score:5, Funny)
Here's the same car on a better day [flickr.com]
Re:Emotional Responses (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Fiat Multipla - does not look bad (Score:3, Funny)
I'm still trying to get over the fact that people beside patriotic Italians would buy Fiat or Alpha Romeo at all. ;)
Re:Yes you're right (Score:5, Funny)
Re:As a non-driver (Score:3, Funny)
my dream of owning a pink Prius.
That would be the car with an "O"-face.
Have you seen the honking Prius 2.0? (Score:5, Funny)
Old news ... to boost Prius sales, Toyota are giving the 2.0 a face lift. I can't find any good online reference, but spy photos report looks similar to this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Honking [wikipedia.org]
GEM Peapod (Score:2, Funny)
Re:As a non-driver (Score:3, Funny)
Mad Max
It's part of the mentality that people drive very aggressively. Hard to do in a cute car.
New keep one thing in mind. Of the people who drive/own vehicles, this population consisted only of those with the time and interest in rating the emotional appeal of their vehicles. For the rest of us who don't care... Maybe that is a small part of why the Prius, Beetle, etc are selling better than the H3, Mustang, Cherokee, etc. I think people who take importance in their vehicle tend to be more aggressive drivers and are therefore willing to pay the price at the pump for their personal lifestyle.
So, with this, and other comments already provided I think all they have confirmed is that dicks, on the road and off, are always trying to f#@K you. And the nice thing is that now it is so much easier to identify who the dicks are. A license plate frame might help too.
Re:Yes you're right (Score:1, Funny)
*something* tells me youâ(TM)re voting for McCain/Palin.
Re:A to B (Score:3, Funny)
Cheap bastards get tons of chicks, right? (All of them HOT...)
Re:As a non-driver (Score:5, Funny)
You obviously have never encountered a Chrysler PT Cruiser
I always let a PT Cruiser go ahead of me. About five seconds later, I realize that it's actually not either the start of a funeral procession or Grandpa Munster.
Re:Excuse me? (Score:3, Funny)
Who buys their gas on eBay?
Re:Cars are ugly these days, why? (Score:3, Funny)
So? At least people there know to get into the right lane when not passing.
A lot of highways here, two slowpokes often "race" neck and neck with each other for minutes on end to the detriment of everyone behind them.
Re:As a non-driver (Score:5, Funny)
I hate the new (post 2001) BMWs. Their fronts and back look like they are angry at me. Why a car's ass would be angry at me, I'll never know.
Re:As a non-driver (Score:3, Funny)
I personally avoid hitting BMWs because I suspect they're really damn expensive to get fixed.
YMMV.
Re:As a non-driver (Score:5, Funny)
That's still better than what others think of me.
"The car is yellow, therefore the car is a lemon, therefore the driver had lemon pie for dessert."
Wait, what?
Re:As a non-driver (Score:5, Funny)
Now excuse me, I need to go refill my latte.
Re:A to B (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Fiat Multipla - does not look bad (Score:5, Funny)
I prefer cars that look like a college woman.
- curvy exterior
- firm
- no blemishes or rust
Re:As a non-driver (Score:2, Funny)
Let's all play the Slashdot "How much of this is true" game!
My turn: I guess... 10 percent. Parent owns a car, possibly a dark blue one.
Who's next?
Re:Fiat Multipla - does not look bad (Score:5, Funny)
I prefer cars that look like a college woman.
- curvy exterior
- firm
- no blemishes or rust
You forgot to add
- easy to get in and out of.
Re:As a non-driver (Score:5, Funny)
As an owner of a BMW, I can tell you without any doubt whatsoever that we don't think we own the road, we DO own the road. After all, we paid for it. It was part of the option pack I had to get to get the sunroof. Why do I have to pay an extra 52 million for an interstate highway just to get the sunroof?
My lights come on when they need to, because they are on automatic, just like everyone else's.
As for thanking people for being let out, sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. Just like everyone else. And sometimes when I do, people don't notice it. I think you just happen to notice it more from drivers of more distinctive vehicles. Just like I always look for the drivers of slow SUVs or minivans in the left lane with the "My child is an honor student at..." to be on their cell phones.
I know a number of drivers who have BMWs, Corvettes, Mercedes and other sorts of cars. Some of them are jerks, but most of them are better than average drivers. You don't spend money on a car with any sort of performance and not want to take care of it, and that includes knowing how to drive so that you don't wreck your car. Do you have any idea how much it costs to fix one of these things?
I don't regard my car as intimidating or important. I didn't buy it to be intimidating, I bought it because I like good engineering and style. There are cars significantly more intimidating looking than a BMW of any model and many of them are cheaper too.
Re:JOCK ALERT (Score:4, Funny)
What can I say? I know both how to configure WPA2 under linux, and unhook a bra without looking. Call me a renaissance man.
Further evidence... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:As a non-driver (Score:2, Funny)
Clarkson, is that you?
Re:A to B (Score:1, Funny)
It really depends on the make and model, who you buy from, etc. I bought my 01 Altima used for 6800 and for the last five years I've had it, it's been running strong, despite being exposed to an immature college student drunk driving and crashing in to things. Yup, with a few new control arms, it has still never cost me a single dime to repair that wasn't my own fault.
P.S.
This post is a good indication as to why you should look in to your vehicle's history and prior owner(s) before buying. If you don't, it's really your own fault.
P.P.S
Is anyone looking to buy an 01 Altima in great condition?