The stereotype of L.A. BMW drivers as self-satisfied jerks (nothing personal, boss — just reporting the news) just got some scientific ammunition.

AXA Insurance's 2012 annual Motoring Census found that drivers of Bavarian lovelies were the most likely to express “enjoyment” behind the wheel during everyday drives:

Luxury makers topped the list, with 82 percent of BMW drivers expressing driving enjoyment and 78 percent of Aston Martin owners doing so. Lexus came in a close third, according ot the AXA data.

Strangely, Ferraris did not rate in the enjoyment category (and if you've seen drivers try to tame them before crashing, then maybe you know why). That make only got a 57 percent enjoyment rating. (Because slamming $250,000 worth of prancing horse into a roadside barrier is not enjoyable.)

That's worse that Ford owners' 68 percent rate of enjoyment, which beat out Toyota drivers' 64 percent number.

Here are the top five most-enjoyable cars:

1. BMW (82 percent)

2. Aston Martin (78 percent)

3. Lexus (78 percent)

4. Seat [Europe] (76 percent)

5. Peugeot (75 percent)

In general luxury cars seemed to deliver. Amanda Edwards of AXA:

There's an expectation that when you pay extra for a premium car, you'll enjoy driving it more than you would an everyday one.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

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