BMW drivers have found themselves on the wrong side of numerous stereotypes.
Tailgating. Not using their indicators. There are many memes about the latter. But who are we to judge?
And now, those who appreciate sublime Bavarian engineering are having another unflattering label flung at them, all in the name of psychology.
A new study conducted in the UK recently has found that among car owners, BMW drivers are the most likely to display narcissistic personality traits.
Commissioned by a company called Scrap Car Comparison, the survey asked 2,000 drivers of various car brands to complete a 12-question test. This was designed to indicate if respondents have narcissistic personality traits such as a huge sense of self-importance or a lack of empathy.
Respondents were then ranked on a scale of zero to 40, with the latter indicating the highest risk of narcissism. Thankfully the average score across the board was a mere 10.46.
BMW drivers topped the list with an average score of 14.4, closely followed by Mercedes drivers with a score of 12.3. Honda, Audi and Fiat completed the top five, followed by Toyota, Hyundai, Ford, Mazda and Vauxhall, which is the UK equivalent of Opel.
At the other end of the scale, Volvo drivers were deemed to be the least narcissistic, with an average score of just 7.05.
The study also ranked drivers by fuel type and number plate style.
To that end, it found that electric car drivers are more likely to display narcissistic tendencies than those who own internal combustion cars.
It also concluded that car owners who have personalised number plates display almost double the levels of narcissism than those with regular plates, with an average of 15.22, versus 8.92.
Although we are inclined to take the results of this ‘narcissism test’ with a pinch of salt, it could certainly provide some decent ammo to friends of BMW drivers who excessively boast about their rides.
ALSO READ: BMW driver fined R2.3 million for tailgating
“There are often lots of stereotypes about drivers of different car models, so it’s interesting to dive a little deeper into the role our personalities play, and how this could translate to our driving,” said Matt Clamp, Customer Service Manager at Scrap Car Comparison.
“However, with the test being scored out of a possible 40, drivers of all brands scored less than 50%, meaning that there’s ultimately no ‘high-risk’ brand when compared to another.
“The main thing is to have awareness of your own emotions and motivations and leave any that may be more self-serving outside the car when you get behind the wheel.”
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