Dream cars come in all shapes and sizes; practical-minded people may be dreaming about a big boot and economical engine, whilst tech lovers could be craving adaptive cruise control and automatic braking. There are lots of factors that shape what our perfect car would be, everything from where we grew up to our favourite TV shows and movies. Our dream cars can also be influenced by our age; our opinions on the world grow and develop as we get older, and our dream car choices can reflect this too.
In our latest study, we have explored what vehicles are most commonly regarded as the dream cars of today, and whether dream cars change between generations.
Using Pinterest board data (one of the most popular social media platforms for collating inspiring ambitions) our research reveals which car manufacturer has been added to people's vision boards the most. And to dig deeper into the generational differences in dream cars, we also surveyed 300 people from five different generation groups to discover each age group's most lusted-after vehicle.
With so many world-renowned automotive brands established in Britain, we were curious to find out which manufacturer Britain would crown as their dream car maker.
We asked 1,500 people based in the UK to name their 'dream car' brand, bearing in mind that “money is no object”. The resounding response was… an Audi. When further questioned as to which particular model they most longed for, the majority of respondents singled out the Audi A3 as the car they want to drive the most.
| Rank | Car | Model |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Audi | A3 |
| #2 | Ford | Fiesta |
| #3 | Volkswagen | Golf |
| #4 | Mercedes-Benz | G-Class |
| #5 | BMW | X5 |
| #6 | Tesla | Model S |
| #7 | Porsche | 911 |
| #8 | Aston Martin | DB9 |
| #9 | Nissan | GT-R |
| #10 | Lamborghini | Aventador |
| #11 | Jaguar | E-Type |
| #12 | Bugatti | Veyron |
| #13 | Rolls Royce | Phantom |
| #14 | Ferrari | F40 |
| #15 | Mazda | MX5 |
The other manufacturers that round out the top ten list include Tesla (6th), Porsche (7th), Aston Martin (8th), Nissan (9th), and Lamborghini (10th).
By surveying a minimum of 300 people per generation, our study was able to reveal the dream car brands of five different age groups.
Audi came out as the dream car brand for all generations except one. Audis are the dream car manufacturer for Gen Z, Millennials, Boomers and the Silent Generation, but the majority of those born between 1965 and 1980, aka Generation X, named Ford as their dream car brand.
For those born between 1997 and 2012, also known as Gen Z, Audi takes the top spot as the dreamiest vehicle brand to drive, with one in six people in this age group naming it as their ideal car brand. Whilst Ford takes second place in the general population's rankings, it does not feature in the top three dream brands for Gen Z's. Those spots instead are occupied by Tesla and Volkswagen in joint second place. Despite Tesla cars coming with a pretty hefty price tag, the green engineering of the brand is likely to have a huge appeal to the younger generation who are leading the way in the eco-revolution.
For Millennials (people born between 1981 and 1996), Audi once again features as the most popular dream car brand. It's the most desired vehicle brand for one in nine Millennials, with the next most popular dream brand - Volkswagen - topping the list for one in eleven Millennials. Third place in the Millennials' dream car brand rankings is BMW.
Gen X is the only age group that doesn't hail Audi as their number one manufacturer; instead, Ford takes the top spot with one in 10 people born between 1965 and 1980 naming it as their dream car manufacturer. Audi takes the second place for Gen X, followed by Volkswagen.
Although Audi also claims the top spot for Baby Boomers, their second and third dreamiest vehicle brands are completely original. The second-choice dream car brand for Baby Boomers is the luxury manufacturer Aston Martin, a global brand that prides itself on being synonymous with style, performance and exclusivity. Third for Boomers is Mercedes-Benz, which was named as their dream manufacturer by one in 13 people from this demographic (anyone born from 1946 to 1964).
Finally, for the Silent Generation (those born in 1945 or earlier), Mercedes-Benz is the car brand that they associate with being the ultimate set of wheels, with almost 21% of those surveyed naming it their dream brand. Luxury labels lead the way for the more mature drivers, as Jaguar is revealed as second on the list for this age group, followed by Ferrari.
| Rank | Car Brand Name | Number of Pinterest Boards |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Jeep | 998 |
| #2 | Lamborghini | 992 |
| #3 | BMW | 921 |
| #4 | Jaguar | 888 |
| #5 | Mercedes-Benz | 866 |
| #6 | Audi | 861 |
| #7 | Ford | 364 |
| #8 | Porsche | 320 |
| #9 | Ferrari | 215 |
| #10 | Mini | 199 |
For the Pinterest research, we analysed the number of live published Pinterest boards which include ['dream car' + 'brand name'] in their title, for over 200 different car brands. The number of boards created per brand was sorted from highest to lowest to reveal which brand has the most 'dream car' boards dedicated to it, and thus dubbed the world's 'dream car'.
We ran a Censuswide survey of 1,500 British people (aged 17 and above) to reveal which car brand Britain hails as their dream car if money wasn't an object. We ensured that of those surveyed, at least 300 respondents from five different generations were interviewed to ensure a fair representation of each generation.
All data correct May 2023.