New trend alert: automakers leveraging vehicles as "vegan"

Making vehicles vegan (those who avoid animal products altogether) friendly is a new marketing strategy employed by car manufacturers, as seen in advertising for the Toyota Prius and upcoming Ford Escape Hybrid. Toyota does not offer leather seats in the Prius since that option would offend some customers, and a recent ad campaign for the Escape bragged that 11 members of its design team are vegetarians, and the team leader is a vegan. Even Mercedes will have a non-leather package available in 2005, created by popular demand. Car companies are scrambling to please customers who usually buy stuff like organic produce because they're usually afflunet types who are willing to shell out more for something that harms the planet less, and which (they shelling out more) subsequently puts more coins in automakers' coffers.
Thanks to LA Car Blog