Women not impressed by Ferrari for first date

British men’s idea of what car would impress a first date, is out of kilter with what women want, reveals fresh research from car insurer LV=.

Asked which car they felt would impress a new date, men raced to place the iconic Ferrari top of their list. But while 4.5 million men see turning up in a flashy sports car as the sure-fire route to a woman’s heart, the survey reveals less than one in ten (9%) women would actually be impressed by this. Instead, women would prefer to be picked up in a more understated car with a touch of luxury, such as a Mercedes or BMW.

In contrast, the ‘fairer sex’ have their fingers on the pulse when it comes to sending men’s hearts racing. Women showed their intuitive side in the survey by correctly predicting men would like to be whisked away in a top of the range sports car, such as a Porsche or Lotus, the faster and flashier the better. The same percentage of men (16%) confirmed their desire to be picked up in this kind of car.

Harking back to a bygone era, 16% of men said they would always want to be the one to pick their date up – suggesting chivalry is not completely dead. However, it seems the strong independent women of today do not welcome this gesture, with 96% showing no qualms in picking up their male counterparts and only 4% saying they would never want to pick their date up.

Martin Milliner at LV= said: “What impresses your mates may not impress your date, and our survey shows that pulling up in a smart car with a touch of luxury will flick more of the right switches than a flame-red two-seater. Dating experts warn that women look for signs of stability rather than risk-taking from a partner, so even those who don’t have a flashy sports car should keep in mind that safe driving is likely to make a stronger first impression than boy-racing.”

And a final word to the wise – quirky cars could spell dating disaster. People who turn up in vintage Beetles, Campervans or a modern Smart car may fondly imagine it will show off their ‘fun-loving’ personality. But the survey shows that just 4% of people would want to be picked up in a quirky car.