Rich Kids Are Buying Flashy Luxury Cars Just to Flex on Instagram

Luxury car brands have noted the rise of a new generation of car buyers that evolved from “The Instagram Effect.”

The phenomenon is a two-way street that involves high-profile celebrities posting ostentatious pictures of their cars on Instagram and automobile executives marketing their cars on the popular social media platform. According to Automotive News, the result is the emergence of a wealthy, younger demographic that demands bolder cars and flashier features.

Rolls-Royce North America Spokesman Gerry Spahn shared his opinion on how Instagram has influenced luxury car consumerism:

“We are attracting a new customer. We’re seeing a change in our customer profile, from people in their 60s to people in their 40s. They want something new from us: New interiors and more vibrant colors.

“[…] We’re seeing among our customers a new sense of ‘I want it, and I want it right now. It’s a sense of, ‘We know the Bentley brand — just give us more of it.’

Gorden Wagener, global VP of design for Daimler AG, told Automotive News:

“There’s a lot of new wealth out there today. People are looking for good places to invest their money and we are asking ‘What more can we do to fulfill that desire for luxury?’”

The director of specialty products for Black Book who also supervises the publishing of its Collectible Vehicle Value Guide, Eric Lawrence, told Automotive News:

“It’s not Frank Sinatra in 1965 with a gorgeous Cadillac — it’s the new-money guys. It’s the athletes. The guys in the entertainment business, the Wall Street people, the tech company people who are suddenly worth $300 million. They’ve suddenly made a lot of money, and they want to spend it suddenly.”

This phenomenon is what Lawrence coined “The Instagram Effect” — having a badass sports car means nothing if it’s not flaunted at the rest of the world. He said:

“You’ve got to put it on Instagram or Tweet it. Look at me. Here’s a selfie of me in my garage with my two new Lamborghinis.”

“It makes everybody you know want to play the game– no matter how much it costs to play. So we get pictures of entertainers hitting golf balls off the roof of their Maybach.

“A new car culture is taking over. And if I were planning models for the future, I’d be looking for ways to bottle it up. Have a more over-the-top option list. Don’t be afraid to make a car that’s expensive. There will be enough buyers for it.”

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