Porsche Boxster is the number one choice for baby boomers. 08/02/2011
Baby boomers, currently between the ages of 46 and 64, are starting to seek out sports cars and luxury vehicles in place of the minivans of their child-rearing years.
"Baby boomers' buying preferences have shifted as their lifestyles have changed and can now afford the luxury vehicles that they have desired, but were unable to purchase due to priorities with raising a family," said TrueCar.com automotive analyst Kristen Andersson.
Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and Porsche are the top three brands that are catching the eyes of the boomer generation, and the Porsche Boxster is the number one car for people in the group, according to TrueCar.com.
The Boxster starts around $48,100 and gets about 27 miles per gallon on the highway. The speedy sports car comes standard with a V6 engine that generates 255 horsepower, which allows it to race from 0 to 60 in under six seconds and reach speeds of 163 miles per hour.
The BMW 6 Series convertible, the Mercedes-Benz Roadster and the Land Rover LR2 were also top contenders for boomer buys in 2009 and 2010. The least expensive new car to make TrueCar.com's top ten list was the Chevy Aveo, at number 8. The subcompact Aveo starts around $12,000, gets 35 miles per gallon on the highway and has a roomy interior - all of which make it a good choice for boomers who want an economical and comfortable ride. It also beat out the Chevy Corvette and the Mercedes M-Class Hybrid, with about 64 percent of its sales attributed to boomers.
Other cars that sold well in the 46 to 64 age bracket were the Volvo C70 and the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder.