Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.
It is not a secret that cars are chosen by their owners for certain reasons. For the simple man, the reason may be because of the vehicle's safety, fuel efficiency, or reliability. But for top level executives of large companies who can afford just about any vehicle, it is more about showing off a bit of themselves. A survey conducted by TheLadder.com showed that the majority of polled respondents who are C-level executives said that their vehicles say something about themselves.
Nearly 3,000 individuals responded in the study. Of that number, 116 individuals are C-level executives. The study found out that 76 percent of those top level executives said that their vehicles say something about them. Seven percent of the C-level executives' respondents said that they intentionally try to hide their vehicles from co-workers. Five percent of them also said that they time their departure at the end of the day so that a lot of their co-workers will have a glimpse as to what they drove. It only shows that CEOs have different approaches in flaunting their vehicles.
A similar study also found out that BMW vehicles are popular among top level executives. USA Today's study showed that 13 percent of the CEOs they have surveyed are driving BMW models with its reliable auto parts like BMW 325 radiators. Mercedes-Benz units come a close second with 12 percent. Surprisingly, ten percent of the polled CEOs said that they drive a Toyota which is more than the 7 percent who drive a Porsche.
Different CEOs though prefer different vehicles. There are those who prefer expensive cars. Neil Gaydon of Pace Micro Technology drives a $100,000 Porsche due to the fact that he is "obsessed with performance, speed and design, the traits that I apply to my responsibilities". Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelley also drives an upscale vehicle, a 2005 Porsche 911 Carrera. He said: "You have to drive; it might as well be fun."
On the other end of the spectrum are CEOs like Dixon Thayer, the top level executive of health care facilities operator I-Trax. Thayer drives an '86 F-250 pickup, the worth of which is estimated to be at around $2,000. Jimmy Wales, the founder of giant online encyclopedia Wikipedia, drives in a 2004 Hyundai Accent worth about $7,000.
The study shows that the shakers and the movers in every industry have their own taste when it comes to the vehicles that they drive. There are those who can afford expensive cars and buy them, while there are some who can likewise afford expensive vehicles but choose not buy them.
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