The type of car you drive has dictated a part of your status, personality and lifestyle since cars became mainstream in America, and car marketers know this. Cars are marketed to different lifestyles for exactly this reason, and just how marketers go about this task is a peek into the different lifestyles themselves. While there are many logical reasons behind the types of cars we buy, car buying is also highly emotional as few other things we buy say as much about us as our cars do. Car marketers do a great job of knowing their intended audience and tend to hit the nail on the head when it comes to presenting a specific car to a specific lifestyle. Here is how different types of cars are marketed to different lifestyles: 
Trucks: Ah, the truck. At least here in America, the truck will probably always be marketed towards the rugged, manly, git-r-done types. A huge part of this is because trucks are the workhorse of all vehicles, and those in those rugged, manly, git-r-done industries rely on their durability and power. This also means that those looking to buy into that lifestyle are attracted to trucks - office job be damned. However, this isn't to mean that only those types of people are in the truck market. Trucks are great for hauling things around, and even if you aren't in the business of hauling concrete or wood, you might have hallmarks of your own lifestyle to haul around (horses, toys, professional equipment, and musical instruments are just a few things that come to mind). Regardless, it's no secret that truck marketing relies on their necessity, which is why even Hyundai is toying with the idea of getting into the truck making business. 
Sedans: That perfect car-shaped car, the sedan is perhaps the one vehicle that can truly be marketed to any lifestyle. Depending on the individual car, a sedan can be the ideal family car, the ideal second car, the ideal commuter car, or the ideal first car for your teen. Sedans truly appeal to any driver because they can be highly affordable but can also be very luxurious and exclusive. Sedans can be small and compact or spacious and full-size and come with all sorts of features and customization options, allowing drivers to really feel connected to their car. 
Supercars: There really is only one marketing tactic with supercars like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati: you have loads of money and you like fast, sexy cars. The supercar lifestyle is a rather stereotypical one: young celebrities and the decidedly not-young but highly successful drivers, who have likely spent decades dreaming of their perfect car, are the almost exclusive drivers of supercars. Supercars are not apologetic about their exclusive nature, and in fact that's what they depend on to sell their super fast, super expensive cars. 
SUVs: Originally called "sport utility vehicles" and designed for off-roading and more extreme driving activities than the average commuter participates in, SUVs have found a totally new market: parents. More stylish than the minivan (and in fact SUVs are commonly called the new minivan) and more versatile than smaller vehicles, SUVs are highly popular among parents with kids of all ages, and parents often give a smaller SUV to their teen drivers as a first car due to size and safety. SUVs are frequently marketed as the type of vehicle you want more than you need: you could probably get by with a much smaller car, but there is a little bit of status associated with owning more car than you need. 
Electric Cars: Although there is at least one model of electric or otherwise alternative-fuel vehicle in every category, electric cars (and their alternative-fuel brothers), we felt this was a category in its own. It's no surprise that electric cars are mainly marketed towards drivers with a concern for the environment, but they're also aimed at drivers with a long-term approach to finances, as the costs of owning these vehicles is often less than standard fuel vehicles over time. The lifestyle electric car marketers are targeting is the outdoorsy-type: they live near where they work, they appreciate the natural beauty of where they live (even in the city), and they don't want to be hit every time gas prices jump. What type of car suits your lifestyle? Images courtesy of Truckin, Motor Trend, Maserati, Truck Trend, and Car and Driver.