How attractive can your car make you?

Carmakers advertise their product as doing all kinds of things for you - making life easier, unleashing your adventure side, and yes, making you more attractive. And while you might think that last hook is an outdated advertising approach --relegated to the female-draped supercar posters of the last century, or at the latest, the Ford 'pulling power' commercials of the last decade -- you'll still see it in a lot of current ad campaigns.

But can a car really make you more attractive? According to the latest survey it can. But some of the most exotic cars can also make you unattractive.

But only 10 per cent would date somebody they weren't otherwise attracted to if that person drove an exotic car. Which means that 90 per cent of the guys who buy those cars to impress -- or acquire -- dates have wasted their dough. Or the 10 per cent of women they'll attract are shallow and possibly fake.

Around 56 per cent of women thought a fast car meant the driver was an arrogant attention-seeker, and 17 per cent believed such a car meant the owner was insecure.

The survey results suggested that women sometimes use a man's car to weigh up his more dependable potential, with 46 per cent believing the car reveals his image of himself, and 11 per cent thinking it reflects his views on family and his future plans.

The exotic cars seem to work better for women, with only 38 per cent of men thinking a woman behind the wheel of one would be arrogant, and 6 per cent believing they would also be emotionally insecure.

This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott