Doron Levin
Citizen Special


Friday, May 05, 2006


CREDIT: Land Rover North America
Land Rover LR3.


Shortly after the shops open each day on Palmer Square in affluent Princeton, New Jersey, a few Land Rover LR3 sport-utility vehicles usually show up. Most likely, the driver is a woman.

On the odd chance that a Hummer H2 roars up, odds are better than 80-20 its driver will be a man.

Land Rover didn't go out of its ways to pitch its LR3 (formerly known as Discovery) to women, nor has anyone to my knowledge labelled it a "chick car." Likewise, a gender was never officially assigned to the super-sized H2 from General Motors Corp.

Yet some vehicle brands and models uncannily gravitate to a specific gender. And when that gender is female, automakers face a perplexing problem since women are willing and sometimes eager to own guy cars; but guys -- well, most guys -- are turned off by cars they deem cute or girlie.

And if you have trouble believing that, just ask your favourite guy if he'd drive a pink Cadillac, the vehicle once awarded to successful Mary Kay cosmetics salespeople -- even if it were presented free of charge. (Elvis Presley might be an exception; a 1954 pink-and-white model was the first of many Cadillacs he owned.)

Automakers traditionally regard women as more practical shoppers than men, less interested in power and more in design. Tall vehicles such as pickups and big SUVs often don't make the cut because women feel awkward getting in and out when wearing skirts, dresses or high heels. At the same time, female shoppers are pickier about value, fuel efficiency and thoughtful features, such as vanity mirrors and built-in child-safety seats.

Guys need unusual self-assurance to drive a vehicle singled out by the distaff set. In the 1970s, my sister sold me her pale turquoise Toyota Corolla, a pretty reliable car I enjoyed driving even though police officers I interviewed on reporting assignments often ridiculed it as "sissy." Toyota eventually realized turquoise cars can start fist fights in America, and stopped importing them.

Automaking's sensitivity to gender has evolved. Jason Vines, vice-president of public affairs for DaimlerChrysler, said he last year told Dieter Zetsche, the automaker's chairman, that "our Jeep Liberty has turned out to be a chick car."

"Dieter replied 'Yes, but there are a lot of chicks out there, ' " Mr. Vines said. The Jeep brand tries to be outdoorsy and rugged. So DaimlerChrysler undertook a minor facelift, in part to make Liberty's exterior tougher-looking. Jeep changed the front end with a new grille, bumper, fender flares and fog lamps, giving it an aggressive appearance.

To draw women to Hummer's new and smaller H3 sport-utility, the division's agency created advertising that spoofed the Three Bears fairy tale, with Goldilocks driving away in an H3.

"I'm prepared to drive guy cars as well as chick cars," said Diane Swonk, chief economist for Mesirow Financial, a Chicago investment company. "Women have gained financial independence. I have a mommy car, a Cadillac SRX (station wagon). I had a CTS (sedan) and I want to drive a Corvette," which GM said men buy 85 per cent of the time.

Decades ago the U.S. auto industry intentionally designed models that executives referred to as "secretary cars," low- priced versions of vehicles such as the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang, with fewer features and less power. Secretary cars were meant to appeal to young women entering the work force who often earned less than male counterparts.

The gap in pay has narrowed. "Women these days are getting more interested in horsepower and not so reliant on husbands and boyfriends," said Art Spinella, an auto sales forecaster with Bandon, Oregon-based CNW Marketing Research Inc.

CNW's surveys show that men gave BMW, Porsche, Jeep and Hummer their highest positive ratings and Mercury and Saturn the highest negatives. Women gave Volvo, Lexus, Land Rover, Saturn, Porsche and BMW their highest positives, and Hummer, Jeep and GMC the highest negative ratings.

Volkswagen must have understood that when it equipped its New Beetle with plastic dashboard flower vases, lots of male car buyers would just as soon mount a gallows as be spotted in a VW dealership.

The New Beetle -- surprise, surprise -- skews 73 per cent toward female buyers, according to Steve Keyes, a VW spokesman. Still, the automaker has drawn enough buyers over the last eight years since the redesign "to far exceed what we thought it would do" in sales -- about half a million units in the U.S.

VW has attempted to "male up" the New Beetle over the years by adding a turbocharger to the engine and a spoiler to the rear. And I must say, a friend and former jock who builds homes, drives a big pickup and is about as macho as one can be, just loves his.

Bringing to market a car that women adore and men loathe doesn't have to spell disaster, though to paraphrase Dieter Zetsche, there better be plenty of female buyers -- because the men will be no help.

Doron Levin is a columnist for Bloomberg News.

© The Ottawa Citizen 2006

 

Great read

 

Nice find. I'm sorry I dont care what you do to a VW Beetle. That car will always appear feminine to me.

 

I have last gen Rav4L I see more women driving that here in nyc

 

Where is mmarshal???? We need your input on the feminine cars please!!!!!

 

Nope...I'm outta this one. You guys argue that " chick car " nonsense yourselves. Besides...I've got another auto review to post.

 

I used to drive a Celica. And I occasionally drive my girlfriend's Celica. So what?

 

I guess I drive a "chick car" but I love it.

 

A twin turbo Cayenne wanted to race the "chick car" the other day. I found it to be very odd I kept up with him from 40 all the way up to about 90mph. Then I backed down he headed off to the expressway giving a thumbs up.

 

I drive a chick car, i dont really care...my windows are tinted and im usually going too fast for people to tell whos in it anyways. LOL.