German survey: Men want cars, women want stars

Los Angeles Times ^ | Wed, Nov. 10, 2004 | JEFFREY FLEISHMAN

[presidio9]

Women like men, and men like cars.

''Hmm, it says here that women think George Clooney has more sex appeal than a Ferrari. Maybe that's because women don't know how to drive a Ferrari,'' said Torsten Kadletz, a used-car dealer unafraid of feminists. He was studying a recent German magazine survey that asked men and women how they'd rather spend a weekend: with a fuel-injected sports car or an air-brushed celebrity.

Few things are more invigorating to the German man than a clear windshield, a palm on the gearshift and miles of open autobahn. In 12 pages of statistics leavened with pictures of half-dressed women draped over expensive upholstery, Men's Car magazine sought to find out where cars and lust intersect. The survey of 2,253 German men and women ages 20 to 50 gauged preference and performance, both on the road and in the bedroom.

Such a study is more than a bit of marketing whimsy in a land where cars are an enduring national pride. The sleek designs and meticulous mechanics of the German-made Mercedes, BMW and Audi have for generations been among the country's finer exports. Cars are studied and shined, engine pings and fan belt squeaks are not tolerated, and Sunday afternoon in the fast lane -- where speeds can reach 140 mph -- is no place for the meek. ''Germans buy cars with passion and love,'' Kadletz said.

FREQUENCY OF SEX

And, perhaps, with a bit of hanky-panky in mind. Men who drive BMWs have more sex per week -- 2.2 times -- than anyone polled. (But are they happy? Apparently, yes.) Guys driving Porsches may have more money, but their cars get more action than their libidos. Porsche drivers have sex 1.4 times a week -- lower than everyone else polled, including guys who drive Fords, Opels and Minis.

''I was surprised that Porsche came in last place,'' said Frank Hofmann, editor of Men's Car. ``I'm driving a Porsche myself, and damn, I didn't want the worst sex life in Germany. But then I discovered that the average Porsche owner is 55 years old. So, 1.4 times of sex a week is OK.''

The study found that sometimes people are like the cars they drive. Take the Volvo. Reliable and stuffed with air bags, the Volvo is marketed as an achievement in perseverance that will always get you there. And so will the Volvo owner. Men with Volvos have longer sex -- 7.3 minutes a session -- than any other driver, especially those Casanovas with Italian cars who clock a mere 4.9 minutes per session.

[dfwgator]

"WE" won. Who´s "WE"? Athletes who have the US passport, right. Not you, not your family, and probably none of your friends. The US has the largest delegation, and considering this, the performance was rather bad, compared to other nations (especially the Chinese).

But, many athletes from other countries who medalled, in fact, do live here in the US, even though they still compete for their home countries. That says it all about the USA.

[cartan]

Ain't that the truth? :-p

[cartan]

And now go and lecture someone else.

Hah! -- Try as hard as you might -- you will never be able to escape the wrath of your lecturer!!

Seriously, lighten up, dude! ;-)

[GermanEnglishHistorian]

I am sorry, but regarding WW2 you are simply wrong. Germany was on the defensive LONG time before Normandy ´44. It was not Stalingrad or El Alamein that broke the German army, it was Kursk in ´43, where the German army was finally put into the defense. Calling the defense of ´44 a "retreating guerilla war" is nonsense, sorry to put it that clearly. Surely the US did not "kick Germany´s ass", as the other joker put it. IIRC there is a study that said that Germany imposed a casualty rate of 1.2 or 1.4 US/UK losses for every lost German, and something like 3.0 on the Russians. I can of course come up with the source (American historians) if needed. The German army of 1944 was bascially a beaten one.

"Russian weapons technology was a joke."
Care to elaborate?

"America is certainly made up of individuals, but since America consistenly produces the finest examples of humanity, it is logical to extrapolate that America is the best at producing the best."
This is nationalist bs.

You are right regarding the Olympics though.