It’s rather a salacious headline we know, but this survey is genuine. There is a dating website for married people called Illicit Encounters, and what they’ve done is compile information from over 750 000 of their members. The survey set out to find whether cheating on one’s partner was based on the make of car they drove. This could just be a bit of clever piggy-back marketing for the website, but we’re more than just a little intrigued by the results.
According to Illicit Encounters and the users of their website, Audi owners are the most likely drivers to have an affair, with 22.2% of them saying they are currently engaged in adulterous behaviour or had cheated in the past. Never fear Ingolstadt; Audi are not alone at the top of the adultery pile.
The other premium German brands dominate the list as well, with BMW drivers taking a distant second place for adulterous behaviour, at 13.8%, followed by the rather sensible but still adulterous Mercedes-Benz drivers at 8.7%. Last year, BMW drivers were found to be the most likely to have an affair.
Rather interesting that German brands dominate the top three and exotic machinery doesn’t guarantee you’ll get more action than the next guy/gal. Is it perhaps because Italian exotics like Lamborghinis and Ferraris are sold in such small numbers that they don’t figure? Depending on whom you are and how you interpret the results, the best ranking German brand is Volkswagen, of course. Just 5.7% of the adulterers drove Volkswagens.
“Cars can reveal a lot about their owners. All the cars in the top five represent our members – they are typically successful, motivated, high-achievers who are less likely to settle for something they find unsatisfying, be it a car or a relationship,” said, Mike Taylor, of Illicit Encounters website.
What about a sure fire safe bet when it comes to adulterers? How do you know your partner isn’t cheating on you? Well, the survey found that owners of French cars were the least likely to cheat on their partners: Only 0.4% of Peugeot drivers, followed by 0.5% of Renault drivers.
So ladies, if you’re looking for Mr. Reliable, you’ve been warned. That flash German car that attracted you in the first place may just be the ticket to him scampering off to a dodgy online dating site for married people. Visa Versa, chaps, if you’re hoping to have an illicit encounter, you’re less likely to get anywhere if she’s driving a Peugeot.
