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People Prefer Angry-Faced Cars

Posted by timothy on from the researchers-like-to-anthropomorphize dept.

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."

3 of 473 comments (clear)

  1. The article lacks important detail by Kupfernigk · · Score: -1, Troll
    Who were the 40 people? Were they all Austrians? Austria still seems to have a bit of a love affair with far-right politicians, even if they do kill themselves while speeding in BMWs, so this could conceivably tell us more about Austrians than people in general. People usually support the far right because they feel insecure, and aggressive looking cars might add to their feeling of security. After all, the French often seem to have a passion for cars that look quirky, while many US cars just look too brutish for Europeans. Perhaps Californians like the Prius because they tend to be more laid back and less insecure (I know, pop psychology is scientific junk...but so is the article.)

    The other interesting question is whether manufacturers should be allowed to make aggressive looking cars. They are supposed to be a form of transport, not an external dick waver. Perhaps making them look friendlier would make the roads safer.

    --
    From scarped cliff or quarried stone she cries "A thousand types are gone, I care for nothing, no not one."
  2. Re:That's why I prefer... by Jarik_Tentsu · · Score: -1, Troll

    This survey is stupid.

    People prefer the BMW cause it looks sleek, a tad aggressive and exclusive.

    People don't like the Toyota Prius because it looks *retarded*. I don't know what this is about 'nice'. It just looks stupid.

    Your comparing a car built for stylish and luxurious look to a car that looks like it was put together in two seconds.

    A better comparison would something in the similar level of class as a BMW, but with that more 'nice' look. Such as a Porshe 911, or a Mini Cooper S.

    ~Jarik

  3. Re:As a non-driver by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    I have no trouble barging into traffic in my Hummer!