A Streetcar Named Desire

Gender knowledge pays off quite well in the seduction game.

Gender knowledge pays off quite well in the seduction game.

A study commissioned by the rather aptly-named British insurance company Hiscox has shown that the roar of an Italian sport car does far more for women than the lacklustre sound of your ordinary fuel-efficient vehicle. Forty men and women were made to listen to the taped sounds of a Maserati, Lamborghini and Ferrari, and the amount of testosterone in their saliva, seen as a measure of arousal, was then measured. It turned out that while everyone had elevated levels, the amount in women’s saliva was much higher after hearing the sport cars. The Volkswagen Polo, however, did nothing for anyone (in fact, levels fell). If you do have the cash for such vroom machines, take note: while the Lamborghini had more of an effect on men, women were far more turned on by the Maserati. If the seduction is mutual, try taking your dream date out in a Ferrari.