BRITS still have a fondness for naming their cars, with monikers beginning with the letter B being particularly popular, a study has found.
The survey of 3000 UK drivers by insurance giant Aviva discovered 45 per cent had given their car a name. Betsy was by far the most popular choice, accounting for one in 20 named vehicles in the UK.
Second place went to Betty, while Bessie was third, followed by Daisy and The Beast. Rounding out the top 10 were Bertie and Molly, with Bertha, Rosie, Herbie and Fred sharing eighth spot, Ruby and Baby at nine and Fifi, Milly, Charlie and Sally joint 10th.
A number of more unusual choices included Huggy Blue, Hiccup, Lentil, Godzilla, Golden Nugget, Pumpkin, Marge the Barge, The Custard Whale, The Biscuit Tin, The General and The Dragon.
One motorist noted that their car Gav became Gavin on Sundays, while another named their older vehicle Eileen and would sing “Come On Eileen” as they attempted to drive up hills.
Bollywood movies influenced choices such as Laila and Basanti, while Maddy was so named because she drove her owner mad by not starting.
Flowers appear to be popular, too, with Buttercup, Daffodil, Bluebell, Blossom and Lily featuring on the list. And while not making the top 10, several motorists called their cars Boris.
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Aviva director Nicki Charles said: “Our survey has provided some fantastic insights into the way people feel about life behind the wheel.
“There’s a real enthusiasm for driving and a genuine affection for vehicles – so it’s no surprise that many are viewed as characters in their own right.”
Meanwhile, official stats for 2021 show shades of gray remained the most popular for new-car buyers for the fourth year running.
Some 408,155 gray cars were bought, representing 24.8 per cent of all new cars hitting the roads during the year, according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
Black also remains a strong favourite, with 20.5 per cent of cars sales, while white was in third place with 17.2 per cent, meaning UK drivers were most likely to choose a monochrome car for the 11th year running.
White was the most popular shade for mini-sized and sports cars, while larger dual-purpose, luxury saloons and executive cars were, as usual, most likely to be black.
At the other end of the spectrum, maroon paintjobs are increasingly out of favour, with just 12 buyers across the whole of the UK choosing their new car in the color – the lowest number since 1997.
And Scotland was the least likely place to spot a new maroon car, as none were sold north of the Border.
