Scientists prove link between perceived penis size and sports cars

University researchers claim to have established a link between perceptions about manhood and the desire to own a high-performance sports car. Photo / 123RF

British scientists believe they have established a link between penis size and the desire to own a sports car.

Investigating whether there is “any truth to the cliche that a man driving an expensive sports car is compensating for his male inadequacy”, a team from the Department of Experimental Psychology at the University College London surveyed 200 men aged between 18 and 74.

They claim to have established “a casual psychological link between fast cars and small penises for the first time”.

Their report, Small Penises and Fast Cars, explains that “we made male participants believe that they had a relatively small or large penis by giving them false information about the average size of other men”.

“They then rated sports cars as more desirable if they felt they had a small penis.”

The study found men, particularly those over the age of 30, “rated sports cars as more desirable when they were made to feel that they had a small penis”.

The team behind the survey told some participants that the average penis size was 18 centimetres (7 inches), while others were told it was 10 centimetres (4 inches).

Men who were misled by the former claim were more likely to desire a sports car.

The trial manipulated self-esteem in different ways and measured ratings for other luxury products, but found no connection between anatomy and the desire to own objects.

Participants were presented with misleading information about personal finance, friendship, charity work and physical health, but none of those factors increased their desire to own a sports car.

Scientists expect their findings to continue to be reflected in “dad jokes”, but believe “the luxury automotive industry may be unwilling to acknowledge this link”.