British International Motor Show reveals UK’s real first love

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News
on 02/20/2008

We remember our first car more passionately than our first love according to research* released today from the British International Motor Show. The UK’s biggest motor show found that getting our first set of wheels ranks above our 18th birthday, first boyfriend or girlfriend and even above our first kiss, as the best memory from our teenage years. The bonds go so deep we remember them like old friends, with over half (61%) referring to their first car as female and a quarter (25%) giving them names. Many Brits (59%) saw passing their driving tests as a life-changing event and one in eight (12%) even felt more attractive to the opposite sex once they had passed.

The adventures we had in our first cars may hold the key to why they are so special. The research found two thirds (62%)hit the road and went travelling abroad with friends, half (51%) used their first car to move out of home for the first time and a third (37%) had sex on the back seat. Being able to give friends a lift was also cited by half (46%) as the most exciting aspect of having a first car.

Kirsty Perkinson, marketing director at imie, the Show’s organiser, said, “People develop powerful bonds with their cars, especially their first. First cars represent an explosion of independence and a gateway to untold adventures, which is why they are so special.”

Other findings include:

Brits display a surprisingly patriotic choice in first car colours, with blue as the top choice (25%), followed by red (20%) then white (14%)
Contrary to the popular stereotype it’s not people from Essex who are most likely to have sex in their cars (35%), but the Welsh (46%)
Half (43%) remember their first car’s registration number
Most first cars were between 6 and 10 years old
Three quarters (62%) said that their first car had to be scrapped
One in five still owns their first car
Over half (58%) passed their test first time; a quarter had to have another go and over one in ten took over three times to pass their test.
Half (47%) passed their driving test at 17 years, 35% passed between 18 and 20 years whilst only 2% passed their test in their thirties
The top first car is a Ford Fiesta, followed by a Ford Escort, MINI and a Nissan Micra Celebrity first cars include:
Bill Bailey: Citroen 2CV
Dame Helen Mirren: MG Midget
David Beckham: Ford Escort
Denise Van Outen: Austin Metro
Fay Ripley: Mini
James May: Vauxhall Cavalier MkI
Jamie Oliver: Ford Fiesta 950
Jennifer Saunders: 1978 Alfa Romeo Spider
Joanna Lumley: 1948 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith
Jodie Kidd: VW Polo
Lewis Hamilton: Mini Cooper
Martin Clunes: Hillman Minx
Michael Schumacher: Fiat Cinquecento
Richard Hammond: 1976 Toyota Corolla Liftback 1600
Ronnie O’Sullivan: BMW 318i
Sir Ranulph Fiennes: Peugeot 203
Tim Henman: Peugeot 306
Vinnie Jones: Mini Traveller

*Survey was conducted by Survey Monkey for imie, organisers the British International Motor Show. Survey Monkey surveyed 2,011 adults.