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

[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

[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

[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

[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

[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

[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.

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

[Fallus Shempus]

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

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?

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

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?

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.

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

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: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: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.

Further evidence...

[fugue]

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