Porsche, Mercedes and BMW are just a few of the carmakers who have begun implementing features in their luxury model cars to account for their, ahem, growing clientele.
Luxury car manufacturers are reportedly joining the ranks of their more affordable counterparts in terms of size. It seems that in the past few years, many car companies have been expanding seat sizes to accommodate for the steady rise of obesity in consumers. And now high-end manufacturers are looking at ways to make their cars more comfortable for heavier drivers as well.
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The Telegraph reports that Mercedes is planning on manufacturing sturdier door handles to compensate for heavier passengers lifting themselves out of their vehicles. Porsche is installing steering columns that automatically rise up and, presumably, out of the way of big bellies when the engine is off.
And BMW is apparently looking to tailor their product for the obese driver. The Telegraph reports: “In plans dubbed ‘plump my ride’ – in a play of words from the television show Pimp My Ride – BMW has recruited 800 volunteers, ranging from the slim to the obese, for a study to gauge how obesity affects mobility while driving.”
NewsFeed can’t say we’re surprised. After all, we’ve seen obesity-friendly ambulances and a restaurant with a 600-pound spokesman. Luxury cars couldn’t have been far behind.
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