Filed under: Car Buying, Chicago Auto Show, Time Warp, Trends
Giving the appropriate sex to a car (and why it's still dumb)
According to Kevin Wilson of Auto Week, there was apparently some emphasis by Jeep at the
Chicago Auto show that the Dodge Nitro is aimed at male buyers, while the Jeep Liberty is geared more towards women
(the latter remarks, of course, were implied as not to receive a scorching glance, lawsuit, or the front tire of a
Porsche Cayenne). The same division was subtly hinted for the upcoming Patriot and Compass where, according to Wilson,
an insider said consumer clinic data showed the two to be “boy car” and “girl car”
respectively.
DaimlerChrysler, who manufactures the vehicles, may be forgetting its own history. Case in
point: the Dodge LaFemme (pictured). Wilson points out that the
minor differences between the sexes are, well, minor. Though sixty-percent of Liberties are purchased by
women, marketeers run the risk of offending the other forty with such broad, stereotypes.
Check out the
posts, What Real Men Drive and What Real Women Driver for some
hilarious views of this continual issue.
[Source: AutoWeek]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
samuel 8:13PM (3/09/2006)
This might be the most pointless article posted on this site for a while. Of course manufacturers (not jusT cars, EVERYTHING) will market this way. Your point is....?
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ANR 8:51PM (3/09/2006)
The original Mustang was marketed toward secretaries, yet is considered to be one of America's greatest automotive icons, rivaling that of the Corvette (especially as it was, and is, cheaper than "America's sports car").
I don't view cars to be "chick" cars or "guy" cars, as either sex can have just as much fun and get just as much use out of the cars. Like the MX-5 Miata, I know plenty of people who think it's another cheap convertible chick car. But those who know a thing or two about cars know that the Miata is Mazda's attempt at the Colin Chapman school of design, and is a pretty fun little car.
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naggs 8:53PM (3/09/2006)
in cars and indeed life in general, if something is recognized as more femme or gay, a man wont be caught dead in it but if its more masculine there is not the same stigma preventing women from buyin it. on any kind of volume model, a seal of disapproval from men relegates it to only 50% of the marketplace
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v8 9:54PM (3/09/2006)
A Honda del sol is definitely for girls or gay men. Also, did you ever see a guy driving a new beetle with a flower in the vase? Very broke-back mountainish.
And back in the 70s there was an iteration of the Firebird called the "blue bird" or something. That was obviously aimed at women, but I would drive one today, fer sure.
Oh, and you brainwashed men morons who might think that's sexist or whatever, you're idiots. Would you wear sling back high heels and a little black dress if it was comfortable? UNless you're a tranny, I don't think so. There's nothing wrong with gender- appropriate style and the del sol and new bug are very obviously for gays or women. The Toyota solara, too.
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Billy C. 10:36PM (3/09/2006)
I agree with #2. Its truly amazing that some guys won't consider an awsome drivers car because it is a "chick" car. The reality is that these guys are so hung up on looks that they can't appreciate performance. To me, that is the ultimate gay personality.
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Fooman 2:35AM (3/10/2006)
No matter what you think, no man should ever drive a VWE Cabriolet... I saw some stat once that 98% of them are driven by women.
The miata while considered by the non-knowing masses as a girly car, any car guy would not, it is an enthusiasts car.
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Neil 3:18AM (3/10/2006)
Masculine and feminine lines do exist in design. A Cadillac CTS is chiseled whereas a Lexus SC (2002+) is curvaceous and maybe more sensual.
I don't think this approach is dumb at all (as trolled in the summary). I would much rather prefer a car with focused style and design than than a bland hermaphrodidic mish mash that will never suceed at either.
Echoing #4, "There's nothing wrong with gender- appropriate style..."
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Neil 3:24AM (3/10/2006)
The Miata is unlike a del Sol or Beetle. It's only crime is guilt by association. I mean, it's as if one day every secretary in America woke up and thought, "I want a Mazda. In fact, I want a red Miata."
Good for Mazda I suppose. There are probably more secretaries in America than auto enthusiasts.
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Richard Warren 6:28AM (3/10/2006)
Man, does this bring back memories, my first wifes mother had a LaFemme the 56 model, she even had the cigarette case and the raincoat/umbrella. She loved that car. At that time the car was 8 years old, but it looked perfect, she took better care of that car than most of us do ours.
In 1965 she hit a deer with it while on vacaion, the car was never the same, but she took it home after the repair, covered it up, bought a new Dodge Dart. The old LaFemme languished in the garage until she passed away.
Now, while I don't care if you're gay, black, white, yellow, purple, from another planet, if you were/are a man driving this particular car, you'd better be awful secure in your masculinity.
And who cares what people think, we all drive what we like.
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Richard Warren 6:53AM (3/10/2006)
#4 It's Sky Bird
1978 Sky Bird based on the 1977 bluebird show car produced in 1977 and 78
also offered:
Redbird built in 78 and 79
Yellow bird offered in 1980
Those 3 models all had the painted snowflake wheels and a painted two tone grille and are very rare today
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JB 7:19AM (3/10/2006)
I seem to remember the Camaro Berlinetta, too, marketed as a car for women who didn't want a Z28, but not a base model either.
Some other chic cars: Nissan Pulsar, NX200(?) egg-shaped car, Toyota Paseo, Mercury Cougar (last model), Suzuki X90.
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GrowUp 8:13AM (3/10/2006)
OK. This is dumb.
Any REAL car guy would never, NEVER support such a debate. You know why? Because a REAL car guy can find something cool about ANY car, and never relegates a percentage of autodom as untouchable.* A REAL car guy can find redeeming value even in such a contraption as a Pacer, a New Beetle, or *gasp* even a Miata (whatever dork decided the Miata was only for women knows nothing of MGs and is obviously one of those guys that has to um, compensate).
* for proof of this, watch the episode of Home Improvement in which Tim can't keep his hands of Jill's new Healy.
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Candy Ann 8:52AM (3/10/2006)
The following vehicles really are "chick cars." Only chicks (and gay men) drive these:
- Jeep Wrangler
- Jeep Cherokee
- any Saturn
- Toyota Echo
- Honda Civic
- Chevy Cobalt
- Chevy HHR
- Dodge Neon
- Chrysler PT Cruiser
- Mazda Miata
- Ford 500
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Billy C. 9:09AM (3/10/2006)
#13
You forgot the Ford Mustang and the Pontiac Firebird and Chevy Camaro, although red-neck lowlifes can also drive Camaros.
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Dustin Tarditi 9:16AM (3/10/2006)
#13 - Jeep Wrangler??? Are you high? Maybe a purple 4cyl one, but the Jeep Wrangler is totally fine with any gender.
Now (as the old joke goes) the worst part about driving a VW Jetta is "telling your parents".
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Pinkerton 10:07AM (3/10/2006)
#4
If it is considered girlish to enjoy a car that...
A) Offers top off driving
B) Is weatherproof and drivable in snow country
C) Handles like it's on rails
D) Gets over 30 MPG
E) Is reliable
F) Is affordable
...then I guess I'm girlish. BTW, what prompted your hate for the del Sol, did one beat your V8 pickup truck in a race?
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v8 12:57PM (3/10/2006)
#10- ah, thanks. I don't think I ever saw a yellow. Wow. I'd love to have a set of them and give one color to each of my daughters. I have 1 over driving age, one approaching it and 1 still in diapers. I always start my kids off with big cars. A '90 caprice for my girl at college- she complains about gas prices, but I feel a lot better knowing she's encapsulated in 2 tons of Amercian steel. My son who's now 24 buys his own cars, but his first was a '79 Dodge PU with a slant six. He was safe, he couldn't go too fast and he learned to drive the "3 on a tree" shifter.
#16. How'd you know I drive a V8 pickup? ;)
I don't necessarily hate the del sol, I just would be mortified if I ever had to drive one. Kind of like how I feel when I have to carry my wife's flowery baby bag while she's trying on clothes. When I take the baby out myself, I put all the baby items in an old Army rucksack I have.
I think it's fun to see women (especially cute ones) driving "macho" cars, but definitely odd to see guys driving girly cars unless I see a gay-nation rainbow sticker on the bumper. Then it's makes sense. Although, here in L.A. the funny thing is that the lesbians are usually driving big PUs and SUVs and the gay men are usually driving the cute little cars. I couldn't care less about one's sexual orientation, but it is great fun observing the social statements made by the car choices of the gender- bending crowd!
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eric 2:14PM (3/10/2006)
Those of us comfortable enough with ourselves drive whatever is fun and affordable. For those males concerned with what other people think of their cars: buy a Trans Am with a screaming chicken on the hood. Then we'll know all we need to know about you.
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Richard Warren 3:39PM (3/10/2006)
#10 and #17
Shows all colors, pretty good page, pretty good history
(I've seen and driven all these models, at the time I was a service manager at a combo Pontiac/Honda/GMC and GMC Medium Duty dealer, we also had the GMC motorhomes, in fact one model of the motorhomes was the same color as the Yellow Bird)
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Richard Warren 3:47PM (3/10/2006)
RE: the last post for #10 & #17
Forgot the link
http://www.firebirdtransamparts.com/redsky/ladybirds.htm
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