Slashdot Mirror
People Prefer Angry-Faced Cars
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."
This doesn't surprise me too much; people who drive seem to be so much more tense.
"Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it." -- GBS
Yes, you're right. A survey of just 40 people will change the direction of car design, especially since they spend billions on car development, but they haven't thought to ask people what they thought of the appearance of cars.
It's conscious, rather than subconscious, if you ask me. It's not a mystery like "what makes someone attractive" - you look at a car with a "mean" look and you know why. Aggressive angles, sharp lines, etc. And aggressive look equates to engine power and speed with a car.
Nearly everyone likes a "mean" looking automobile; mostly because car makers generally put "mean" looking designs into sports cars or put in powerful engines.
- It's not the Macs I hate. It's Digg users. -
I prefer a car that gets me from point A to point B; safely, efficiently, and comfortably. In that order. This appears not to be the case for most people.
A neighbor of mine one got ~$1500 off the price of his (new) car because it had a bright yellow paint job. His wife was not pleased. His children were furious. He was happy to have "saved" so much money. Most people would say that the paint job saved him ~$1500 off the price of a perfectly fine car. I say instead that the paint jobs of all others cars of that model cost their owners $1500.
When things like a paint job and how "angry" a car looks are determining what cars people buy, you know that the cars themselves are grossly overvalued. If someone can add on 5% to the price of a car because of the shape of its headlights, you have to ask just how much of the original price was based on cosmetics and not on quality. This is important because if its the former, then the modern automobile industry is standing on thin foundations which may end up crumbling when severely undercut by the latest line of cheap Chinese cars, which can be glossed up just as easily as their western counterparts.
There's a simple rule to buying cars. Never buy a new one. You'll invariably be conned out of thousands over silly cosmetic details. Buy used, and put your pocket before your pride. You might need what's in there later on.
May the Maths Be with you!
Comment removed based on user account deletion
This is exactly why I have given up on the Chevy Volt. If you havnt seen it, take a look at the concept version versus the production model. Sure, the changes were made for reasons of aerodynamic efficiency, but it could at least look a little more like the new camaro.
Anyway, I'll just have to win the lotto and get a Fisker Karma.
That is gorgeous... and it's mean too, so I guess it's proves TFA's point.
Collector's Edition
It would be nice to have multiple horns.
For instance a horn with a rising tone for when you are asking to get over, a horn with a cheery toot to thank people, a horn with an upset blat when people cut you off, ect...