DriftGirlMay 21, 2007
#61423What Your Car Says About You
Article by By Dan Lienert.Whether you drive a Chevy Monte Carlo or a Rolls-Royce Phantom, your car sends a signal. Does yours give off the right one?
2007 Chevrolet Monte CarloAsk a Chevrolet dealer what kind of message a $22,000 Monte Carlo coupe puts out.
He's likely to say that Monte Carlo buyers are "motor sports enthusiasts who want to show off and stand out from the crowd; Monte Carlo is the sport coupe that embodies legendary American performance. These motor sports fans are image conscious, responsibly self-indulgent and looking for an acceptable way to rebel."
At least that's what Chevy spokesman Travis Parman wrote in a recent e-mail message.
But different people have different ideas, of course. For example, you might think that driving a Lexus makes you alluring, but if you opt for the $60,000 Lexus LS sedan, you might seem attractive only to older, single parents. According to the company, LS drivers are in their 60s, are family-oriented and value politeness. In other words, if you're looking to make a more dramatic statement, you should go for something more bold.
Racy Drives
Perhaps a Corvette? General Motors says the car's drivers are "aggressive and in control" and seek adventure. The Corvette "represents freedom and what is best about America."
Then there is the Ferrari. People who have driven Ferraris know the vehicles feel like race cars. The cars are all about technology, innovation, design and racing heritage. And lest you forget: Ferraris are Italian, which some say makes them sexier.
"The identity of the brand is wrapped up in the history of Italy and vice versa," says a company spokesman. "Everything that is grand and great about Italy and the approach to life in Italy ... is a big part of it."
Telling Data
2007 Bentley Arnage RWe have looked into over a dozen vehicles, from the Monte Carlo to the Rolls-Royce Phantom, asking their manufacturers to tell us a bit about the cars' buyers. The information in this story comes from buyer demographics and from what carmakers call "psychographics"--or customers' beliefs and attitudes.
Sometimes, psychographic profiles can be quite detailed. Take the Accord. Honda Motor reports that the car's owners like to vacuum their garages. You can't say they're not clean.
We also found that sometimes messages sent out by seemingly similar cars can be quite different.
Consider two premier British luxury sedans: Bentley's $210,000 Arnage and Rolls' $330,000 Phantom. Both are stately and fast, but each one attracts a different kind of customer.
The Bentley buyer wants an understated heirloom that he or she can pass down through the generations; over 80% of all Bentleys ever made are still on the road today. The Phantom buyer, on the other hand, is looking for instant recognition.
"You look at the styling of the Phantom. You look at that upright grille," says Bentley spokesman David Reuter. "The car has a presence that really demands attention wherever it goes. When you look at the Arnage, it's far more understated."
Rolls spokesman Bob Austin agrees. "There is simply no sneaking around in a Phantom," he said in a recent e-mail message. "As you drive down the street you can see camera phones tracking your every move. If you treasure anonymity, this is not the car for you."
What messages are other cars sending out? The car companies, the cops and normal people all have different ideas.
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So, what does YOUR car(s) say about YOU?
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Article by By Dan Lienert. Whether you drive a Chevy Monte Carlo or a Rolls-Royce Phantom, your car sends a signal. Does yours give off the right one? 2007 Chevrolet Monte CarloAsk a Chevrolet dealer what kind of message a $22,000 Monte Carlo coupe puts out. He's likely to say that Monte Carlo buyers are "motor sports enthusiasts who want to show off and stand out from the crowd; Monte Carlo is the sport coupe that embodies legendary American performance. These motor sports fans are image conscious, responsibly self-indulgent and looking for an acceptable way to rebel." At least that's what Chevy spokesman Travis Parman wrote in a recent e-mail message. But different people have different ideas, of course. For example, you might think that driving a Lexus makes you alluring, but if you opt for the $60,000 Lexus LS sedan, you might seem attractive only to older, single parents. According to the company, LS drivers are in their 60s, are family-oriented and value politeness. In other words, if you're looking to make a more dramatic statement, you should go for something more bold. Racy Drives Perhaps a Corvette? General Motors says the car's drivers are "aggressive and in control" and seek adventure. The Corvette "represents freedom and what is best about America." Then there is the Ferrari. People who have driven Ferraris know the vehicles feel like race cars. The cars are all about technology, innovation, design and racing heritage. And lest you forget: Ferraris are Italian, which some say makes them sexier. "The identity of the brand is wrapped up in the history of Italy and vice versa," says a company spokesman. "Everything that is grand and great about Italy and the approach to life in Italy ... is a big part of it." Telling Data 2007 Bentley Arnage RWe have looked into over a dozen vehicles, from the Monte Carlo to the Rolls-Royce Phantom, asking their manufacturers to tell us a bit about the cars' buyers. The information in this story comes from buyer demographics and from what carmakers call "psychographics"--or customers' beliefs and attitudes. Sometimes, psychographic profiles can be quite detailed. Take the Accord. Honda Motor reports that the car's owners like to vacuum their garages. You can't say they're not clean. We also found that sometimes messages sent out by seemingly similar cars can be quite different. Consider two premier British luxury sedans: Bentley's $210,000 Arnage and Rolls' $330,000 Phantom. Both are stately and fast, but each one attracts a different kind of customer. The Bentley buyer wants an understated heirloom that he or she can pass down through the generations; over 80% of all Bentleys ever made are still on the road today. The Phantom buyer, on the other hand, is looking for instant recognition. "You look at the styling of the Phantom. You look at that upright grille," says Bentley spokesman David Reuter. "The car has a presence that really demands attention wherever it goes. When you look at the Arnage, it's far more understated." Rolls spokesman Bob Austin agrees. "There is simply no sneaking around in a Phantom," he said in a recent e-mail message. "As you drive down the street you can see camera phones tracking your every move. If you treasure anonymity, this is not the car for you." What messages are other cars sending out? The car companies, the cops and normal people all have different ideas. ----------END ARTICLE----------------------- [B][COLOR=red]So, what does YOUR car(s) say about YOU?[/COLOR][/B]