Do you drive a BMW or an Audi? Uh oh. A study conducted by 3Gem among 2,000 drivers in the UK has found that those who drive cars from these marques have a proclivity towards psychopathy.
The participants took a test that evaluated their psychopathic traits and they were assessed based on scores out of 36; these scores were then matched to the car brands that they owned. The results showed that those who owned BMWs scored an average of 12.1, followed by Audi with a score of 11.7. Many were quick to point out that these are German brands, but Mercedes-Benz came in at seventh on the list with a score of 5.9, while Volkwagen was ninth with a score of 5.4.
In fact, third place went to the Italian car brand, Fiat, with a score of 7.0, followed by Japanese brands, Mazda and Honda, with 6.4 and 6.3.
- BMW (12.1)
- Audi (11.7)
- Fiat (7.0)
- Mazda (6.4)
- Honda (6.3)
- Ford (6.1)
- Mercedes-Benz (5.9)
- Citroën (5.8)
- Volkswagen (5.4)
- Hyundai (5.3)
The study also compared the psychopathic scores with the car’s body colour, and owners of gold and brown cars tested higher on psychopathic tendencies with scores of 12.7 and 12.2 respectively. Even more alarming are those who drive an electric car – EV owners scored an average of 16, significantly more than those who drove a hybrid and diesel, who on average scored 9.8 and 7 respectively, and much more than petrol-powered vehicle owners who scored 5.2.
So, if you drive a BMW or an Audi or an Electric Car, you should ask yourself honestly whether you are a psychopath and a jerk. If your answer is no, then you are likely one or both. If you drive a gold electric BMW, it’s time to check yourself into a facility.
3Gem did add that “none of (the) drivers surveyed scored highly enough to suggest they do possess clear traits generally exhibited by a psychopath. Psychopathy is a condition that affects lives, and therefore should be taken seriously.”
Another study conducted in Finland and published last year found that male drivers with personality traits that are “disagreeable” have an affinity for cars associated with high status, such as Audi, Mercedes and BMW. Hmm, maybe German cars do attract certain types of disagreeable people. However, this study, which is titled “Not only assholes drive Mercedes” and we didn’t make that up, also found that conscientious male and female drivers are also drawn to luxury cars.
