GIVE an average-looking bloke a fancy car and as far as most women are concerned, he'll suddenly look a lot better. That's according to a nationwide poll of 500 women aged 18-40 that reveals men can improve their sex appeal by driving a smart car.

The results show that switching cars can increase your sex appeal by up to 65 per cent. Even if you are not considered good looking, the right kind of car will make you more attractive to one in four women (24 per cent).

The UK-wide research presented the women with two series of photographs. First of all, they were asked to "rate" three men on a scale of one to 10.

The survey identified three men who were categorised as Mr Ugly, Mr Average and Mr Handsome according to the preferences of the women.

The women were then shown photographs of three cars – a Renault Clio, a D Reg Volkswagen Passat and a Lotus Elise. They were then asked whether the cars increased each of the three men's sex appeal.

The verdict was that if you are good looking, 65 per cent of women think a sports car such as a Lotus Elise makes you even sexier. If you are average looking, that figure goes down slightly to 51 per cent. For an ugly bloke with a fast car, his added sex appeal drops to 24 per cent.

However, that’s still one in four women who will give a second glance to someone they’d normally leave on the scrap heap.

Almost one in 10 (nine per cent) women even thought that Mr Handsome looked better with an old banger and for Mr Ugly his desirability increased by a mere four per cent.

When shown a Renault Clio, 12 per cent of respondents said the attractive guy was suddenly sexier, eight per cent thought the same for the average man and five per cent said it added to the unattractive man’s sex appeal.

"The results prove what film makers and advertisers have known all along – men can make themselves more attractive to women by investing in the right kind of car," said Russell Scott of Fish4Cars, who organised the survey.

Finally women were asked to think of the sexiest car a man can drive.

In the poll, Audi's TT was rated sexiest car, leading the pack with 14 per cent, followed by the Aston Martin (12 per cent), Lotus Elise (10 per cent), Ferrari (10 per cent) and Lamborghini (nine per cent).

The sexiest cars a man can drive:

1 Audi TT 14 per cent

2 Aston Martin 12 per cent

3 Lotus Elise 10 per cent

4 Ferrari 10 per cent

5 Lamborghini 9 per cent

6 E-Type Jag 7 per cent

7 Porsche 7 per cent

8 BMW Z3 6 per cent

9 Mercedes 6 per cent

10 VW Beetle 4 per cent