Breaking News from the Well, Duh! Department

Like I couldn't have told you this for free? I recall seeing an article a few years back showing three mock-ups of the new Mustang that consumers were asked to vote on. Surprisingly, they picked a middle-of-the-road look, leaving the most evil in the dust. Who were they asking? Not car aficionados! I want my car to look mean and aggressive. Perhaps moms with mini-vans will park elsewhere.

People Prefer Cars That Look Angry, Dominant and Masculine

A new study suggests that people who find the Toyota Prius too friendly-looking are not alone, as most tend to prefer cars that look masculine, aggressive and dominating.
The research into pareidolia, or the tendency to see faces or human traits in inanimate objects, is being used to help automakers design better-selling cars. "If you get the wrong styling, you get problems," said a consultant.
A study that included 20 men and 20 women allowed participants to rate recent passenger car models on different trait scales. Study participants largely preferred models that ranked high in the "power" category, like the BMW 5 series.