Britain's ideal car revealed

Posted on 11/02/2006 under: News

This startlingly attractive car represents everything the UK’s driving public wants in a motor, according to a survey carried out by motorists’ online buying guide, NEW CAR NET. The theory was simple – invite motorists across the land to choose which elements of existing vehicles they particularly like, from body shapes and engine power to their top safety features and accessories, put them all together and, hey presto, everything Britain’s car buyer seeks! During the last two months, visitors to NEW CAR NET have been taking part in just such a survey and now, (with a little help from the art department), NEW CAR NET is proud to unveil the collective motoring desires of the UK’s car-driving population.

The result is this stunning vehicle, which features the front end of a Porsche Boxster and the roofline of the Jaguar XK, stretched to accommodate the 3-5 seats favoured by a whopping 68 percent of respondents. The overall effect bodes well for future sales of the much-anticipated upmarket four-door coupes - the Aston Martin Rapide and Porsche Panamera. Mercedes-Benz can feel especially smug since their CLS-Class is one of the few cars currently on sale that meets the four-door coupe criteria.

Confirming the growing appetite for greener motoring, almost half of the respondents rejected petrol power in favour of diesel or hybrid engines. And, despite the muscular look of the car, 1 in 2 people opted for a medium-powered engine rather than anything gas-guzzling or sporty.

As far as mod cons go, it seems the simple pleasures are enough to satisfy, with the trio of air conditioning, electric windows and power steering getting the thumbs-up from 1 in 5 drivers, while more luxurious items such as rain-sensitive windscreen wipers and heated seats got short shrift.

Meanwhile, seat belts and ABS brakes are the must-have items when it comes to safety, with 36 percent choosing this pairing over more active safety options such as seat belt pre-tensioners.

NEW CAR NET’s Massimo Pini said: “All the bodyshapes including the wheels were displayed in silhouette to ensure completely unbiased choices. Who would have thought, for instance, that the wheels of a Toyota Avensis would be the most popular, ahead of designs from Lamborghini and Maserati? The resulting machine doesn’t have a hugely powerful engine or lots of trick bits, but this elegant four-door coupe is clearly the type of car the British public want. More manufacturers should take note….”

Source: NEW CAR NET