There's little doubt in the assumption that as the price of your car rises, so too does your status on the road. Why else would someone like Birdman purchase a Maybach Exelero – I mean, besides the obvious? Passersby automatically make assumptions about you, your life, your personality and even your sexual prowess based on the crest on your car's hood. And would they be wrong in their assumptions?
And, really, there's something to be said for that. I mean, would someone be wrong in assuming the driver of a Porsche Panamera Turbo has a large house in the hills, a trust fund for his kid and a membership at the country club? Probably not. Yet, as the driver of the Porsche Panamera Turbo, do you want those assumptions to be made solely based on the car you drive?
People often forget a car is like a giant fashion accessory. Time and time again I bring up this point to remind drivers that their vehicles are truly extensions of themselves. Like the clothes we wear, our cars represent something about us as individuals – whether we want them to or not. And so, when you're driving a vehicle that carries a certain stigma – like an Ed Hardy ensemble, or a pair of Converse kicks – you're going to be judged by those around you.
Just because I drive a different car every week, doesn't mean I'm safe from these judgement calls myself. I've experienced the Elite Car Effect firsthand. And while it's usually quite pleasant (admiring looks, thumbs up, general approval), sometimes it's negative and condescending. Not everyone appreciates a blonde behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 Turbo with a bright red leather interior. And I get that too.
We live in a society of haves and have-nots, and when it comes to the cars we drive that gap is further widened. A car is a fantastic way to get across the fact that you've “made it” -- a la Birdman. Whether or not he can truly afford the $8 million the Exelero cost is beside the point: he's driving it, and you aren't. And that makes a statement about him as a person and about his life in general, and it also directly impacts the way others will treat him on the road.
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| Maybach Exelero (Photo: Maybach) |
And, really, there's something to be said for that. I mean, would someone be wrong in assuming the driver of a Porsche Panamera Turbo has a large house in the hills, a trust fund for his kid and a membership at the country club? Probably not. Yet, as the driver of the Porsche Panamera Turbo, do you want those assumptions to be made solely based on the car you drive?
People often forget a car is like a giant fashion accessory. Time and time again I bring up this point to remind drivers that their vehicles are truly extensions of themselves. Like the clothes we wear, our cars represent something about us as individuals – whether we want them to or not. And so, when you're driving a vehicle that carries a certain stigma – like an Ed Hardy ensemble, or a pair of Converse kicks – you're going to be judged by those around you.
Just because I drive a different car every week, doesn't mean I'm safe from these judgement calls myself. I've experienced the Elite Car Effect firsthand. And while it's usually quite pleasant (admiring looks, thumbs up, general approval), sometimes it's negative and condescending. Not everyone appreciates a blonde behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 Turbo with a bright red leather interior. And I get that too.
We live in a society of haves and have-nots, and when it comes to the cars we drive that gap is further widened. A car is a fantastic way to get across the fact that you've “made it” -- a la Birdman. Whether or not he can truly afford the $8 million the Exelero cost is beside the point: he's driving it, and you aren't. And that makes a statement about him as a person and about his life in general, and it also directly impacts the way others will treat him on the road.
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| 2010 Porsche Panamera Turbo (Photo: Matthieu Lambert-Philippe Champoux/Auto123.com) |