Porsche owners are among the most likely to be suffering from a midlife crisis, new research has shown.

The figures reveal the average age of the owners of over 800 different car models from almost 90 manufacturers. They were based on over half a million car insurance comparison quotes on Tescocompare.com.

Primarily, the average Porsche owner is 39 years old, with the Cayenne, Boxsters and 911 being the most typical ‘mid-life crisis’ models.

Fiats and Peugeots are usually owned by younger people, with the average ages being 31 and 32 years old respectively. Minis are also popular with the younger generations, with 33 being the average age.

Mature motorists tend to choose Volvos, Mercedes and Jaguars, with the alleged ‘granny car’ – the Nissan Micra – having an average user age of a surprisingly low 35.

Paul Baxter of Tescocompare.com said: “This research has thrown up some surprising results – with cars we think are normally owned by the young having a surprisingly high typical age and visa versa.

“It seems the image of the driver created by car manufacturing advertising campaigns is not always the reality.

“Just because you are turning 40 and want to splash out on a Porsche doesn’t mean you need to pay as much for your insurance as all other Porsche drivers.

“Regardless of what age you are and what car you drive – you should shop around to make sure you get the cheapest and most appropriate insurance for you. Using a car insurance comparison site such as Tescocompare.com helps you do this quickly and easily.”