Is your car simply a means to get from A to B? Or a crucial signal to potential mates that you are worthy of their affection? The question, or ones similar to it, were posed to 1,993 people by vouchercloud.com. The results are rather interesting.

If the figures are to be extrapolated across the UK population, then 57% of people believe the car a person drives directly affects how attractive they are.

This figure tops the lot – beating other factors such as a person’s occupation (21%), confidence (19%), intelligence (17%) and good old-fashioned ‘having things in common’ (just 11%).

But the figure that is most interesting (shocking?) is this one: of those who said a person’s car type influences how attractive they are, 26% said they would use this information when deciding whether or not to begin a relationship with that person.

After a quick calculation, that means that nearly 15% of the UK population would use a person’s car make and model as a crucial factor in deciding whether to spend the rest of their lives with them – or not.

If this data is a true reflection on what arouses British romantic sensibilities, one has to wonder if car manufacturers are making enough of their wares’ potential sex appeal. Not since Renault Clio’s Nicole and Papa (and the campaign’s less impressive descendants) has there really been a marketing drive that overtly says: “this car is good for your love life”.

With oft-pedalled benefits such as generous boot space, free breakdown repair insurance and driver-and-passenger airbags – are today’s car makers barking up the wrong tree?

It could be time to give Nicole a ring.