Psychologist David Moxon said his study, which was commissioned by auto insurer Hiscox, involved 40 adults listening to recordings of engines from a Maserati, a Lamborghini and a Ferrari along with the more pedestrian Volkswagen Polo, The Daily Telegraph reported Tuesday.

He said his team took saliva samples from the study participants to measure levels of testosterone, a hormone that indicates sexual arousal, before and after they listened to recordings of the cars.

Moxon said a full 100 percent of the women involved in the study had a significant increase in testosterone levels after listening to the Maserati engine, while only half of the men marked an increase.

However, 60 percent of the men showed an increase in testosterone after listening to the Lamborghini.

"We saw significant peaks, particularly in women," Moxon said of his study. "The roar of a luxury car engine does cause a primeval physiological response."

However, he noted the sound of the more common Volkswagen Polo led to a decrease in testosterone for some participants.