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."

Comments

As a non-driver

[raju1kabir]

This doesn't surprise me too much; people who drive seem to be so much more tense.

Re:As a non-driver

[Chrisq]

A serious follow on from this is what effect does a mean-looking car have on a driver or other drivers. I know that for some reason it is *much* easier to be nice and let a VW beetle out from a side road than a BMW or SUV.

Also when a BMW tries to cut in to your lane you are much more likely to perceive it as an aggressive deliberate move and block them than a "nice" looking car, where you tend to think "oh, someone's not paying attention!", let them in and then shake your head dismissively.

Re:As a non-driver

[Goffee71]

As a driver I look at the driver of the other car, not the model. If its an idiot on their phone, doing their makeup, eating, flipping through radio stations or CDs, having a row with a passenger - I give them miles of road, regardless of model.
As an aside, most cars look pretty cool compared to my little old Renault. However, if I see a Prius on the road, all I'm reminded of is a beached whale - they're just the ugliest things ever.

Re:As a non-driver

[RuBLed]

On another bright side, thieves are people too and this made me more interested in my dream of owning a pink Prius. (who knows, maybe they will steal it and return it piano black to me)

but I had to settle for just a pink DS now

Re:As a non-driver

[cailith1970]

So apparently we don't only need to worry about road rage from the drivers, apparently the cars are angry too!

Re:As a non-driver

[Kokuyo]

You obviously have never encountered a Chrysler PT Cruiser or a Fiat Multipla, if you think the Prius looks bad...

Seriously though, you've got time to look at the drivers? I try not getting into accidents... that takes most of my concentration ;).

I can't say I'm more weary of BMW or Mercedes drivers than I am of drivers of other makes... I'm trying to keep an eye out for 'Stupid Behavior'. The make just determines whether or how much I'm surprised afterwards.

Re:As a non-driver

[caluml]

I know that for some reason it is *much* easier to be nice and let a VW beetle out from a side road than a BMW or SUV.

BMWs, Jags, Mercs tend to never say thankyou for being let out. They seem to assume that they own the road. Therefore I deliberately don't let them out.
Also, I notice - they're the last to switch their lights on when it starts to get dark - or when there's fog/spray on the motorways. I put that down to them assuming that everyone "can see them because they're so important, in their important car".
Psycho-analyze that. :)

Re:As a non-driver

[Racemaniac]

on the other hand, people do tend to go out of the way far sooner when you approach behind them in something like a bmw.
my mother sometimes complains when she's driving the bmw that every car just makes way for her on the highway, rather forcing her to overtake them, even when she doesn't intend to.
the few times i could drive it, i also noticed it. i usually drive a ford focus, people respond less agressively to your manoeuvres, but on the other hand, noone is inclined to get out of your way if you want to pass them -_-.

Re:As a non-driver

[quenda]

my dream of owning a pink Prius.

That would be the car with an "O"-face.

Re:As a non-driver

[tacocat]

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:As a non-driver

[Chatsubo]

When I moved from a rather ordinary looking ford to a BMW, I noticed a sudden and drastic change in the way traffic around me responded.

The biggest of this is, when I'm cuising down the fast lane (my driving habits didn't change all that much, actually these days I tend to cruise a bit slower), people tend to get out of my way much quicker.

From the get-go I've suspected that this is because my car looks "angrier" and that people somehow feel that the guy sitting behind the wheel is exuding that same aggressiveness, and thus just want to get out of the way.

However another theory I have is that people assume BMW == asshole and expect me to be excessively aggressive because of that.

The again, I've thought much about how certain cars (like my poor BMW) get a bad rap for having "asshole" drivers... if a BMW driver doesn't signal, he's a f&^% bmw driver, if another driver does the same, he's just a f&%^ idiot. Maybe it'll turn out to be based more on the cars' looks than anything else. The car looks angry, therefore the driver must be angry, therefore he must be an asshole.

Re:As a non-driver

[ozbon]

Well, I have to say that in my experience it's not because the BMW looks "angry", it's because the drivers tend to see their BMWs as safety cages, and thus can do what they want, when they want.

My other half used to laugh at my rational prejudice against BMW drivers, until I started pointing out how many times the cars that cut us up on the motorway, or failed to indicate (or both), or tailgated, or slammed across all three lanes of motorway to take the turn-off they hadn't appreciated, or jumped red lights, or (ad infinitum) were BMWs.

I don't know *why* so many BMW drivers are assholes, but the great majority certainly fulfil (and thus propagate) that conclusion.

Re:As a non-driver

[Dachannien]

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:As a non-driver

[plover]

Well, there are two kinds of people in the US who buy BMWs: those who love driving and scrape every last dime together to buy one, and those who have a lot of money and buy one because they are owned by other rich people. I think the rich drivers tend to be the bad drivers. In general, it seems that people with money tend to have more arrogance, and that extends throughout their social life, including driving.

In some of the most affluent suburbs around here (especially the ones noted for 'old money'), I've noticed the drivers are exceptionally bad, regardless of make. They are driven as if they were the only driver on the road.

The exception seems to be Volvo drivers. They are the most timid creatures on the road, and seem to be able to happily sit waiting to make a right hand turn until the entire rush hour is over. I believe the whole "Volvo is the safest car" idea to be a self-fulfilling prophecy: Volvos have a reputation for safety, so the overly cautious drivers flock to them and enhance that reputation. The problem is that the traffic around them is less safe because of their penchant for delay.

Re:As a non-driver

[azav]

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

[danbert8]

No, the brick on wheels is the Honda Element or the Scion xB. Which are pretty ugly cars, but the Aztek still beats everybody.

Re:As a non-driver

[hkmarks]

I personally avoid hitting BMWs because I suspect they're really damn expensive to get fixed.

YMMV.

Re:As a non-driver

[Yvan256]

The car looks angry, therefore the driver must be angry, therefore he must be an asshole.

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

[digitalsolo]

I once felt the same way that you do... then I purchased a BMW, and it turns out, with it, you do in fact get a deed stating that you own the road.

Now excuse me, I need to go refill my latte.

Re:As a non-driver

[JoeShmoe950]

This works great on the highway, but try it down a normal road. Drivers tend to have a nasty habit of slowing to five below the limit when they think they have a cop behind them...

Re:As a non-driver

[caluml]

Why a car's ass would be angry at me, I'll never know.

Why you think a car is "angry at you", I'll never know.

Re:As a non-driver

[Cyner]

There is a range in the appearance of cars to match the drivers. People tend to pick cars that reflect their personality. This is why the major manufacturs reuse the same car frame with different facias; usually one very doscile, one more average, and one more agressive.

The guy in the agressive looking BMW is *probably* a more agressive person/driver.

Re:As a non-driver

[ben0207]

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:As a non-driver

[Torinaga-Sama]

You must live in a red state.

Re:As a non-driver

[tnk1]

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:As a non-driver

[mrchaotica]

Are you just mad at someone wanting to drive a bit faster than you because they have a performance car and you do not?

No, he's mad because he perceives those drivers as having a sense of entitlement, despite not having the right of way!

The people already on the highway have the right of way. It is the responsibility of the people merging from the on-ramp to wait until there's a gap and then merge safely. If they try to shove themselves in, and get forced off the road as a result, I have no sympathy!

Re:As a non-driver

[fishbowl]

At least in the US, kids are encouraged to anthropomorphize cars from the earliest stages of cognition.

Now, I had the ultimate "angry" car. A 1959 Chevy Impala. The back of the car looked like an animal face with chrome and steel whiskers and evil looking eyes :-) The front had four-foot long chrome harpoons that ran along the front fenders. The hubcaps when in motion, had an effect of spinning chrome abbatoir blades complete with red and black paint. This car was a real can opener and no matter what you drive, it was a *can* by comparison.

I parted with that car when I couldn't afford $1.80/gal gasoline in a 1950s car, but I have different standards now for what I think looks "mean and angry" in a car.

Here is some advice for those who are getting cut off and tailgated: Drive a car that looks like a complete piece of crap. Make sure it looks like there is no possible way you have insurance or brakes. Nobody who actually cares about their vehicle will get anywhere near you. "Rusty old truck" effect is fun.

Re:As a non-driver

[Rei]

And you instead discover that it's driven by a somewhat butch, middle-aged woman, right? :) That's the stereotypical PT Cruiser driver around these parts.

Out of curiosity, would you say that this car (Aptera Typ-1) looks angry or happy? It's got a bit of a smile line, but the headlights and "nostrils" look kind of devious to me and almost make the smile look like an evil grin.

Re:As a non-driver

[nschubach]

Try driving an '08 MX5 Miata. I get all kinds of mixed responses. People that tell me it's a nice looking car when I stop at places (like the gas station, drive through, or the cop that pulled me over for not having a front plate, etc.) and people that feel the need to scream out their window that I'm some kind of "faggot" or "homo" for driving it while they speed off or pass by. I'm not sure what exactly inspires them to do so, but the record is currently 10 compliments vs. 3 people with some kind of brain trauma.

Re:As a non-driver

[PachmanP]

A significant portion of my driving philosophy is the person with the worst car has the right of way. Who's gonna flinch? The guy in the brand new BMW 7-series or the guy in POS 80's ford escort?

Re:As a non-driver

[shiftless]

No, this study changes nothing. It's not about the car, it's about the class of people who typically drive them. Different types of cars attract different types of people.

I am from Alabama, and if I see a rusted out, primered up '72 Nova with Confederate flag and "Fear This" stickers driving down the road, I would be pretty surprised if I saw a corporate exec in a business suit driving it. If I saw a brand new BMW rolling down the street then I would be surprising to see a mulleted, tattooed redneck behind the wheel.

I guarantee you that a typical good ole boy redneck gettin 'er done in his rusted out POS does not drive in the exact same manner as a snobbish corporate exec who thinks he is hot shit in his $3,000 suit and brand new BMW. The driving society as a whole comes to understand that certain types of people tend to drive certain vehicles, so when you see that vehicle out on the road your mind automatically makes certain assumptions about the person driving it. It's an assumption, yes, but a pretty good one that is borne out by real experience.

Some cars have stronger stereotypes than others. For example, BMW, Corvette, and (new) Beetle all have certain images associated with them that some people seek out and others avoid. Mustangs (my favorite) and Camaros are the same way, but not as strong. A Camry, Accord, or something like that really doesn't have much of an image, it's more of a bland family car. Nobody sees a Camry cut someone off and thinks "yet another stupid Camry driver", but if a guy in a BMW does the same thing it just reinforces the stereotype. If you look closely, you can see a pattern here. The more expensive the car, the more likely it is to have a certain "image" associated with it. I would say that BMWs as a particular example tend to attract a lot of assholes, because it it just nice and expensive enough to be exclusive but not expensive enough to be unaffordable to the typical young hot shot exec--or those who want to be like him. I'd also bet that the typical BMW driver in Europe is not the same as in the States, because BMWs are cheaper to purchase over there.

No guy, at least here in the South, would be caught dead driving a Prius because everything about the car just screams homosexual. Sneer and jeer all you want about how this fact proves your culture (wherever it may be--California, Europe, whatever) is superior to everyone else, but the fact remains. The truth is, if the automakers want hybrids to be more widely accepted, they need to design and market them to Joe Average American and not to So.Cal. metrosexual Starbucks-inhabiting elitists. Build a hybrid with a top speed of 140+ MPH, 100+ MPH trap speed in the quarter, aggressive looks, 40+ MPG, and reasonable cost, and it will sell like crazy. Otherwise, don't be pissed when most people aren't interested.

Re:As a non-driver

[neurovish]

Clarkson, is that you?

Re:As a non-driver

[Arterion]

I wish I had mod points. There is so much truth to this. I have the same experiences as the GP, and I do live in a red state (Nashville, TN). It's the idea that the wealthy folks are royalty, and the average folks are their peasants or serfs. I hear a lot of people here go on about "entitlement" programs, but in my experience, it's usually only the rich ones that really feel entitled to anything. I used to work in an expensive salon in the Green Hills area, and those clients were so overbearing. I ultimately quit because they really weren't worth dealing with.

I mean, there are very very few "wealth-neutral" systems that people engage in. The highway system is one of them. Generally, people with more money get "better" everything -- but put them on the road and they're just another person trying to get from points A to point B.

That's why I prefer...

[n3tcat]

... pop-up headlights. It looks like my car's asleep, which is fairly representative of what's going on in my driver's seat too...

Yes you're right

[superskippy]

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.

Re:Yes you're right

[darinfp]

Well, we recently had a survey of 20 people make the national newspaper with findings about racism and integration issues regarding the Muslim community.

I suppose a slow news day combined with slowing sales might help.

Re:Yes you're right

[Fallus Shempus]

Not only 40 people, but 40 people in Vienna prefer BMWs to Toyotas, anyone got a map?

Re:Yes you're right

[ObsessiveMathsFreak]

A survey of just 40 people will change the direction of car design...

Surveys of 20 people or less can make headlines all over the world these days. In fact, the less people you survey, the more likely it is that you will be picked up by news feeds and your results broadcast all over the world. I suspect that if you surveyed 5 people who liked bananas, and took the time to run half dozen statistical tests on their five answers, we could have any colour car we wanted as long as it it was yellow.

Re:Yes you're right

[elynnia]

Another problem that I see with this survey is that it was restricted to one geographical location. Do people universally prefer similar traits in automotive design or are there regional discrepancies?

I find the Mark 2 Ford Focus to be an interesting case study - the European and American branches of Ford made significantly different cars as a follow-up to the original Focus. The European Focus uses clean-cut, simplistic lines whilst the American equivalent treats it as a scaled-down large sedan with a much more aggressive tone.

Is this a result of market demand or just a difference in design philosophy? Someone here should be an expert in automotive design...=]

-Aly

Re:Yes you're right

[teh moges]

100% of the people I just asked agreed with you on that.

Re:Yes you're right

[quenda]

In Austria they only prefer BMWs because of the better 'roo-bars.

Angry test subjects.

[TwoBit]

I'd be angry too if I wasted my time being part of a "study" that includes only 40 people.

Excuse me?

[John Betonschaar]

and perhaps explain why sales of the Prius and other green cars are slow to take off with average consumers

Uhmm, last time I was in the US (CA), a 2nd-hand Prius with low mileage was actually _more expensive_ than a new one, because everyone wants to have one but Toyota can't keep up with the demand.

Calling Prius sales 'slow to take off' sounds a bit like... Opposite reality?

Re:Excuse me?

[iphayd]

Who buys their gas on eBay?

Re:Excuse me?

[MtViewGuy]

Besides the fact you can get about 45-49 mpg in "real world" driving on the current Prius, don't forget that the car itself sports an amazing amount of interior space (the roomy back seating especially) and the fact you can fold down the back seats to get a big cargo area.

It will be very interesting to see what Toyota does with the 2010 model, the third-generation of this ground-breaking car. We do know that Toyota wants improved performance and even better fuel economy, probably by going to a more powerful electric motor and an improved gasoline engine.

Re:Excuse me?

[NeutronCowboy]

There is another twist to the Prius thing: some used Priuses have a HOV sticker attached to them that allows them to be driven in the HOV lane by a single occupant. There's a quota on those stickers which has been reached, so you can grab about 5K extra if you're selling a Prius with one of those stickers.

then this is a mutant

[i_liek_turtles]

Really, this car can't be described with just "angry" or "happy."

Re:then this is a mutant

[oldhack]

Looks perverted to me - two ugly cars humping.

The angriest-looking car in the world...

[Gordonjcp]

... is the Triumph Herald Vitesse.

Re:The angriest-looking car in the world...

[eclectro]

Here's the same car on a better day

Re:The angriest-looking car in the world...

[shish]

That looks like an angry OAP; For real bad-assery, you really need a truck

Emotional Responses

[Narpak]

Emotional responses to the outwards appearance of a vehicle is why it should be harder to get a drivers license. There are many people that can't be trusted with the responsibility that comes with driving a car. Operating a car isn't a right, it is a privilege.

Re:Emotional Responses

[kklein]

Yes, I agree. People should have no preference whatsoever vis a vis the outward appearance of their auto-mobile contrivances, as it is sure to lead to dangerous driving behavior.

It's conscious, rather than subconscious

[cbreaker]

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.

A to B

[ObsessiveMathsFreak]

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.

Re:A to B

[Hao Wu]

Girls must really admire your efficiency.

Cheap bastards get tons of chicks, right? (All of them HOT...)

Re:A to B

[elrous0]

I think the same thing about women. The pretty ones cost WAY more than they're worth--not to mention the much higher maintenance costs.

Re:A to B

[D Ninja]

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.

Really? Never? Hmmm...let's see...

The first car I bought was a used car. It was $8,000 at purchase price. Not too bad given milage/condition/etc (and I had it inspected by my own mechanic). However, over the next two and half years, I spent ANOTHER $8,000 getting the stupid thing fixed up, etc, etc. There were weird problems that kept cropping up. I kept holding out thinking, "This will be the last thing I need to fix." Of course, that wasn't the case. The breaks giving out (while I was driving) was the last straw.

Instead, I bought a Toyota for $13,500, brand new, and I haven't had a single problem (except for a flat tire) since then. That was almost 4 years ago. I have a warranty, I know all the problems with my car (no shady history), and I keep a good record of all the mechanical work I do on my car (get regular oil changes, etc). I will *never* buy a used car ever again.

Additionally, someone will probably respond and say, "Your car depreciates in value so fast...it's a bad investment." Um. What? When is a car an investment? Last time I checked, anything that DEPRECIATES in value at all is not a real good investment. My car exists to get me to the places I need to go, and I need to feel safe and comfortable while doing so. That's it. I'm not trying to make money off my car. I will drive it into the ground (or until it starts costing me a lot).

Alright. I'm off my soapbox now.

Re:A to B

[JaredOfEuropa]

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.

I read about a study on the psychology of car selection, road rage, etc... Basically the outcome was that most people see their cars as an extension of their personal space. And many people care deeply about how the looks and comforts of personal space. Interestingly, they found that there is a direct correlation between the importance someone places in the looks of their car and the amount of bumper stickers, nodding dogs, furry dice etc they add, and the likelyhood of that person feeling anger at someone else's mistake in traffic. Someone cutting them off in traffic is felt as an invasion of their personal space.

I think there is something to that notion. When I leave the office and get on the train home, I feel like I am still working, right until I leave the train (even when I'm just reading a book instead of doing actual work). But when I leave the office and get in my car, it feels like the work day is already done... because at that moment I am entering my personal space.

By the way, Americans have absolutely no business buying used cars, at prevailing prices in the USA. Here in the Netherlands we usually pay around twice the US sticker price... mostly because we've a 45% special tax on new cars, and the 20% VAT comes on top of that.

why all the Prius hate?

[rarel]

Am I the ony one who actually likes that car? It's a clean and minimalistic without being bland, like the first-gen Prius was. I like it a lot, it's very contemporary. At worst I would call it unremarkable, but certainly not ugly.

Now the Fiat Multipla posted above, that's one ugly vehicle. :x

Cars are ugly these days, why?

[Batmensch]

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:Cars are ugly these days, why?

[rolfwind]

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.

In Germany

[mbierenfeld]

you need angry looking cars on the "Autobahn" to get all the suckers out of the way. Serious this is sick. Families are drivin around with their kids in small Fiats and are attacked by old farts with 160mph.

Re:In Germany

[mschuyler]

Going fast on the average Autobahn is a nice theory, but in practice most of them are old two-laners (two in each direction), in disrepair, and dominated by literally miles of semi-trucks in the right lane that have no problem pulling into the left lane to pass another truck doing half a klick slower than they are. Now throw in construction delays every few miles where you get to drive on the shoulder for awhile or encounter a ten mile slowdown because someone is harvesting white aspargus in a field beside the road and everyone has to slow down to look.

Sure, driving on the A4 past Frankfurt is a joy because the road is modern, wide, and multi-laned, but by far the majority of the fabled Authobahns are more like Autotopia in Disneyland. Your bad-ass BMW 700 series is stuck in traffic like every other tiny SmartCar and tacky Opel in sight.

Fiat Multipla - does not look bad

[Chrisq]

Just weird. Especially the early models, later ones look much more standard.

Re:Fiat Multipla - does not look bad

[Kokuyo]

I'm still trying to get over the fact that people beside patriotic Italians would buy Fiat or Alpha Romeo at all. ;)

Re:Fiat Multipla - does not look bad

[Anonymous Coward]

It looks like a ninja turtle

Re:Fiat Multipla - does not look bad

[FJR1300 Rider]

Maybe because Alfas of old used to be some of the best looking cars of the time. Not the most reliable things, granted, but still stunning machines.

And maybe because Alfas of today are both very good cars _and_ also damn sexy.

Check out google images for Alfa 147, Alfa 159, Alfa GT, Alfa Spider, Alfa Brera, Alfa Mito and Alfa 8C.

Probably the only automobile marque of today that hasn't a single dud/ugly duckling in its line up.

Re:Fiat Multipla - does not look bad

[twistedsymphony]

Tell me this isn't drop dead gorgeous: http://www.gokertuning.com/autodelta-alfa-romeo-brera-j5-3-2-c-2007.htm

That is gorgeous... and it's mean too, so I guess it's proves TFA's point.

Re:Fiat Multipla - does not look bad

[Kokuyo]

It isn't. But that's just my opinion. Obviously, Slashdot Mods don't know humor when it kicks them in the face ;).

(I wan't to see whether I can manage another Troll rating *g*)

Re:Fiat Multipla - does not look bad

[electrictroy]

I prefer cars that look like a college woman.

- curvy exterior
- firm
- no blemishes or rust

Re:Fiat Multipla - does not look bad

[Chris Burke]

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.

What about a flex-faced car?

[bdwoolman]

Hmmmm. Not hard to imagine some simple ways to alter the "expression" on the car. Compressed air components acting like face muscles, lights, rotating panels.

Heading to the beach? Happy face. Heading to work? Angry face. On a date? Depends what you are into. Heading in for service? Sad face. Heck. Why not have mood horns as well? Okay, maybe not. Let's not get too crazy.

Re:What about a flex-faced car?

[ikkonoishi]

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...

Things must have changed...

[karot]

I distinctly remember seeing a TV program way back (perhaps 10 years ago) where the Japanese carried out a study just like this. They wanted to know why a new car would not sell, and discovered entirely the opposite - The car was unpopular because of its not-smiley face - Which is why a large number of Japanese manufactured vehicles have a smiley face on them. I have noticed this quite regularly ever since.

It could be that drivers have changed in 10 years, it could be that Japanese drivers are just "nicer" and prefer a smiley car, or perhaps it is saying something about how the world is changing as a whole.

On the other hand, perhaps it is just so much statistical bullsh*t... You choose :)

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Have you seen the honking Prius 2.0?

[KlaymenDK]

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

GEM Peapod

[Two99Point80]

Well, this thing is right off the scale...

anti greenpower

[nicknamenottaken]

Besides performing a survey on 40 people in a country populated by alot of BMW's, is there perhaps a psychological impairment on the fact that alot of people are still not interested in going green? If they know they are looking at a prius is there mind thinking "well before I actually make a judgement on the looks, its a low powered, environmentally friendly car and I'd never have one of those" before actually considering the cosmetics? Does the car they know to have a fuel guzzling engine in it look better than the car they know to run on batteries?

"Expains why...?"

[pottymouth]

"perhaps explain why sales of the Prius and other green cars are slow to take off"

Yeah, I'm sure the high price, low performance, econobox look, not to mention high maintenance and exaggerated claims of savings (which are actually negative compared to a comparably sized compact gas powered vehicle), has nothing to do with it. It's the fact that it has a sweet face that nobody will buy it. Yeah, that's it....

Reminds of parents telling their nasty fat child that they have no friends because other kids are stupid....

Chevy Volt redesign

[Macblaster]

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.

It's too bad that aerodynamics...

[dpbsmith]

...don't favor angry-faced cars. Alas, anything that has low drag is going to end up looking more or less like a Prius. (Those little longitudinal wrinkles on the roof are not styling, by the way).

The stylists need to get busy on color schemes that suggest angry red faces, or trompe l'oeil designs that make the car look a different shape than it is.Maybe they can design a bunch of terrifying-looking spikes that poke out from the front, but are made of marshmallow and retract harmlessly into pockets on impact.

Re:It's too bad that aerodynamics...

[bill_mcgonigle]

Alas, anything that has low drag is going to end up looking more or less like a Prius.

Sorry, no. Both a Prius and a Lexus LS have a .26 coefficient of drag. The Prius design is largely to create a unique look since its market value is mostly as a fashion accessory.

Re:JOCK ALERT

[Chris Burke]

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...

[fugue]

I see this study as further evidence that people should not be allowed to drive.