The Cars Of The Filthy Rich And Infamous

by Bertel Schmitt

Published: August 7th, 2012

the cars of the filthy rich and infamous

So what are people driving in America’s wealthiest Zip codes like 10274, Lower Manhattan, where the average annual income stands at $5.7 million? Must be all Bentley daily drivers with a few Aventadors for weekend fun, right? Wrong, says TrueCar, as it publishes the list of the top vehicles purchased in the wealthiest zip codes. Well, you are kind of right: There isn’t a single domestic vehicle amongst the top ten.

Most Popular Cars Sold in America’s Wealthiest Zip Codes

Rank

Make/ModelSegment

MSRP*

Market Average**

% Discount from MSRP†

Mercedes-Benz E-ClassLuxury Car

$51,365

$48,068

6.4%

BMW 328Luxury Car

$35,795

$34,461

3.7%

Mercedes-Benz C-ClassLuxury Car

$36,095

$34,144

5.4%

Lexus RXLuxury SUV

$39,950

$37,628

5.8%

Toyota PriusSmall Car

$30,565

$29,525

3.4%

Volkswagen JettaSmall Car

$26,085

$24,978

4.2%

Honda CR-VMidsize SUV

$29,575

$28,875

2.4%

Honda AccordMidsize Car

$23,070

$21,210

8.1%

Toyota CamryMidsize Car

$25,535

$23,871

6.5%

BMW X5Luxury SUV

$58,595

$54,995

6.1%

Wealthiest Zips data based on IRS Tax table, filtered for zip codes with a thousand returns or more.

Key findings:

The Toyota Prius was the most popular vehicle in Ross (94957) and Century City (90067), Calif.
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class was the most expensive model purchased in top ten wealthiest Zip codes
Manhattan represents the city with the wealthiest zip code (10274) and the most popular vehicle purchased was the Mercedes-Benz E-Class while the Honda CR-V rounds out the top five
SUV’s are popular in Greenwich, Conn. (06831) with four out of the top five
The Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey are the only two minivans to make the top five purchased by residents in Medina, Wash.(98039)

Says Kristen Andersson, Senior Analyst at TrueCar.com. “For affluent buyers who live in places where environmental concerns reign supreme, the Toyota Prius is the ultimate status symbol in eco-luxury.”

Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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2 of 62 comments

MrWhopee on Aug 08, 2012

Old moneys don't seem to be interested in fancy cars. I guess they've become jaded, it's no big deal for them. It's the nouveau riches that adore fancy cars. Rap singers, sports stars, internet enterpreneurs...

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Sanman111 on Aug 08, 2012

There are other issues are well here. If you live in a suburb and commute, nothing beats access to HOV lanes if you have a Prius or other hybrid. In NYC, it is a waste to own a nice car as others have mentioned. You can't go anywhere in it, the roads are horrible, and it will probably be dinged my a cab. You want an exotic or classic? You walk down to Manhattan Motor Club or any one of a number of Dream Car companies and they will let you rent whatever you want that weekend of fun. Out in the Hamptons is older cars and SUVs to get by those flooded roads being so close to the water. Lots of older luxury models as well.

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