Uncovering adulterers favorite cars for stepping out

Even the unfaithful have their favorites when it comes to carmakers.

How do we know? Illicit Encounters, the United Kingdom’s top dating website for married or otherwise attached people looking to cheat on their spouses or significant others, recently polled its 800,000 members to see what kind of vehicle they drive. (For the record, it defines "cheating" as anything from an occasional flirtatious online chat or weekly cup of coffee to ringing Big Ben.)

As you might expect, the morally bankrupt tend to gravitate toward sexy, powerful, performance-oriented cars rather than staid, economical and family models. But if you think the IE list is filled with Italian and other high-end makers of super stock, you’d be wrong. No Lambos, Ferraris, or Maseratis here. Apparently, the majority of cheaters prefer mass-market machines.

Since the survey didn’t identify specific cars, just the most and least-driven brands, I've narrowed the choices down to the car most likely chauffeuring someone who's stepping out. Tell us what you think of the choices below:

Audi

According to the survey Audi is the most popular carmaker among the morally-compromise. In fact, more than 1 in 5 (22 percent) of Illicit Encounter regulars pilot a machine from Ingolstadt.

The Adulterous Auto: The R8 Coupe or Spyder would be easy a choices for this roundup. Instead, we picked the new RS7, a model that can serve as a polite ride during the day, but cast its own come hither looks at night. Women will love its elegant, rakish, sexy and athletic exterior and exquisitely styled interior. Men will dig that it handles as well as it looks. Plus, it is fast — thanks to the twin-turbo 4-liter engine, which is basically the same powerplant found in Bentley's Continental GT V-8, only tuned to develop 560 hp and a colossal 516 ft.-lb. of torque.

BMW

Number two on the list is BMW. Last year, the Bavarians topped the list, but this year BMW's numbers dropped to nearly 14 percent of the vote.

The Adulterous Auto: The M6 Convertible is irresistible, with its chiseled good looks and reputation for being fast and loose — especially with the top down. It handles well and exhibits impressive grip on any paved road. Some experts feel the the electronic assists could be dialed back a bit, which would make the car more fun to fling, which might be a turn off if your potential partner is a car enthusiast. The vehicle’s prodigious power is not a deal breaker, though. The beefy 4.4-liter V-8 churns out 560 hp and 500 lb.-ft. of torque and propels this two-ton beast to 60 mph in less than 4.1 seconds.

Mercedes

Third on the list with 9 percent of the vote is another German automaker, Mercedes Benz.

The Adulterous Auto: Who would have thought a wagon could be this sexy, sporty and elegant? Traditionally, the E63 has been a tire-squealing, rubber–burning muscle car with a wonderful burbling exhaust note. However, AMG has decided to transform the vehicle into a more civilized ride this year, one that offers the user both speed and everyday usability. How? By addressing its major shortcoming: handling. AMG cars sound great and go really fast, but they don’t corner well. Consequently, the E63 will only get 4Matic all-wheel drive on these shores. The change makes the car easier to drive ver and a formidable weapon in the twisties. And the twin-turbo 5.5-liter V-8 found under the hood, which is the standard E-Class engine only boosted to deliver 577 hp and 590 lb.-ft. of torque, delivers plenty of thrust in the straight-aways.

Volvo

One might argue that Volvo doesn’t make sexy cars, that sexy and safe cannot go hand in hand. Apparently, we were wrong about the ultimate family car, as the Swedish safety experts came in fourth most-popular with the wandering set, capturing 7.5 percent of the vote.

The Adulterous Auto: The S60 might just be the exception in Volvo’s lineup, especially in R Design guise. It still seen as a safe family sedan, only it looks more aggressive and is a whole lot more fun to drive than most of Volvo’s other models. R Design touches include an updated fascia, frameless grille, unique wheel arches, bespoke rear diffuser, and special exhaust outlets. It’s also outfitted with a firmer suspension to tame the rocking back and forth in the corners, and power is produced by a turbocharged, 3.0-liter turbo six-cylinder engine, which churns out 325 hp and 354 lb.-ft. of torque — enough to race home before suspicion sets in.