In Shakespeare's English, “luxury” and “lust” were synonyms.
Not much has changed in 500 years, apparently, since Bentley dealers are reporting that more people ask about the brand's top-drawer luxury autos around Valentine's Day.
Seems like they are on to something. It's not a night out on the town or a bottle of fine wine, but make no mistake: A new car might facilitate sex and romance this Feb. 14, whether you purchase the vehicle for somebody else or drive it yourself in the hopes of sending out signals the opposite sex can't ignore.
But while having a luxury car sends a message, not all send the right one.
In Pictures: What Your Car Says About You
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; LS drivers are in their 60s, 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.
Flash And Dash
General Motors, for example, says that Chevrolet Corvette drivers are “aggressive and in control,” and seek adventure.
And no car will tell the opposite sex you are passionate and racy like a Ferrari will.
People who have driven Ferraris know the vehicles feel like racecars. They 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.”
GM describes Corvettes in similarly nationalistic, enthusiastic terms.
The Corvette “represents freedom and what is best about America,” wrote Chevrolet spokesman Travis Parman in a recent e-mail.
Do Your Homework
Planning on taking your date out for a spin this Valentine's Day? You might want to make sure your wheels don't scare her away. We have researched 10 upscale cars, asking their manufacturers to tell us a bit about the cars' buyers. The information in this story comes from purchasing demographics and what carmakers call “psychographics”–or a customer's mindset.
Sometimes, research on psychographics can be quite detailed. Take the Accord. Honda Motor reports that the car's owners like to vacuum their garages. 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 Royce's $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 reaction.
“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.”
On the otherhand, says Rolls spokesman Bob Austin, “there is simply no sneaking around in a Phantom. As you drive down the street you can see camera phones tracking your every move. If you treasure your anonymity, this is not the car for you.”
