Cars maketh the man, say women

Published on Monday 23 March 2009 21:05

TO SUGGEST a woman finds a man attractive simply because he owns a flash car may seem like an outdated concept.

But a new report has revealed women do subconsciously prefer men who own more expensive cars than those who drive a modest vehicle.

In a study carried out by psychologists at the University of Wales, involving 120 people, when women were presented with separate images of the same man sitting in a silver Bentley Continental, then a red Ford Fiesta, they viewed him as ''more attractive'' in the prestige car.

However, when men were shown images of a woman of comparable attractiveness sitting in the same cars, she was judged to be equally alluring.

Dr Michael Dunn, who led the research, which has been published in British Journal of Psychology, said: "In the past, women were very restricted economically and tied to men for financial security but in recent years, through female emancipation, they have become independently wealthy with access to their own financial security.

"But what you find is that there is still a preference for wealthy males, which suggests that these preferences are evolutionary, rather than social factors."

He said the research also bore out the belief that men were hard-wired to view women in terms of purely reproductive attractiveness, regardless of the outer signs of their wealth or status.

Donna Dawson, a psychologist specialising in personality, behaviour and relationships, said: "This doesn't surprise me at all.

"It's hard to fight against our genetic inheritance. I think women have always looked to men for some sort of financial security and the car is proof of that."

Ms Dawson added that she believed the concept of women being fiercely financially independent may be a phase and that younger women were now taking a less emancipated view of wanting a luxurious lifestyle, and would like somebody to pay for it.

Tata launches the Nano, a little car that may have big future

THE world's cheapest car, the Tata Nano, which will cost motorists just 1,300, was officially unveiled by its Indian makers yesterday.

But a European version of the 623cc vehicle will cost about 4,500 when it becomes available in two years' time, because it will need to meet tougher safety standards.

Tata Motors, the company that owns Jaguar Land Rover, expects demand to be far greater than supply for the four-seater car, which is just 10ft long and has a top speed of 65mph. However, the Nano may not be the cheapest car on the British market, where the Perodua Kelisa, which is built in Malaysia, is currently available for just 4,399.

Edmund King, the president of the Automobile Association, said: "The Nano has fundamentally been designed to get people off two wheels on to four and should be a big success in India in sales and improved road safety.

"But for 4,500 the UK motorist can buy a range of used cars which are likely to have more sophisticated safety features, and so demand is likely to be limited."