The girly concept is insulting but the car still beguiles

The Times Online ^ | 02 December 2004 | Helen Rumbelow

[martin_fierro]

[Lorianne]

I've never had any trouble parking, parallel or otherwise. In fact, I have great Parking Karma.

[mewzilla]

But this is where they are going wrong. The YCC is in fact a beguiling creation. The interior is made of pale wool and blonde wood, the silvery roof fabric interwoven with fibre-optics to create pulsating mood lighting, and the seat covers are as changeable as those for mobile phones.

Gag me. But the women who actually like Lifetime television will probably love it.

[CobaltBlue]

Doesn't look like a chick car to me. Can't explain why, it just doesn't. Unfriendly looking beast.

I love my Disco. Lots of windows, I can sit high up, see the world, leather seats, moon roof, great stereo system, cool cup holders. If I run into anything like a deer or another car, odds are in my favor. Room for the kids, the dog, and lots of shopping.

[Peach]

We call the Lifetime channel the disease of the week channel.

Before all the hype, I got a Chrysler 300C car which I've since found out is considered a "macho" car. So much for car dealers knowing what women want in a car. LOL

[VeritatisSplendor]

obviously not for women with CHILDREN. well maybe changeable seat covers, as long as they are cheap.

[1john2 3and4]

Your karma ran over my dogma.

[Reaganez]

If women outnumber men in buying the 4x4 Suzuki Jimny and the sports car Mazda MX-5, why do they universally hate mass-market estates?

Both of the cars are way underpowered.

The MX-5 is a sports car? Give me a break.It is a convertible with good handling but not a sports car.Why are women buying them is disproportionate numbers? Because anyone over 5'6" can not fit comfortably into one. I shake my head every time a see 6" tall man driving one of these things insisting he fits.

My best friend is 6'2" and I had to go to the dealer with him to demonstrate what a stupid idea a Miata was for him.Ended up buying a Mustang.

[Luddite Patent Counsel]

Looks like a Saab Sonnet with all the crisp corners worn off.

[Southack]

If you want to design a car for women, the first thing that you do is copy what Chysler did back in the 1960's with its swivel chair.

You open the driver's door and the driver's chair swivels to turn from facing the steering wheel to instead face towards the door opening...making it easy for a women in a long dress or skirt to enter or exit the vehicle.

The second thing that you do is embed a very, very good speaker phone into the vehicle, with voice dialing and voice-activated ansering, so that the phone is *only* usable as a hands-free device.

The third thing that you do is add a GPS moving map into the vehicle to display all roads and current position.

The fourth thing that you do is to make the tires half-width, but double them. So instead of 1 tire on 1 wheel at each corner of the car, you have 2 tires on either one wide wheel or two thin wheels at each corner. In this manner a flat tire never strands the driver, as the car can drive on 7 tires with no problem. 4 Run-flat tires are also an acceptable option.

The fifth thing is to add a 2nd, small car battery that is backed by a solar trickle charger such that the vehicle is never unable to start.

Add in appropriate color combinations and you've got yourself a car that *functions* well for what women want out of their daily driving experience for that particular model of car.

[martin_fierro]

Should be fun opening those gull-wing doors in a crowded parking lot.

[spokeshave]

Needs a coating of that new Testosterone medicine on the seat and steering wheel

[Lawgvr1955]

We call the Lifetime channel the disease of the week channel.

I refer to it as "The men-hating channel".

[mewzilla]

Those Chrysler 300s are supposed to be the bees' knees. They've sure given the company a boost! I know more about cars than most of the guys I know thanks to the males in my family. And I don't want a girly car any more than I want a girly lawnmower, a girly power tool, or anything else I just want to run reliably, efficiently, and inexpensively. Sheesh. But if they want to cater to the girly market, fine by me. If my criteria fit what guys buy, I'll happily buy what guys buy. I love being female, but my femininity could care less about having my car cater to it.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

the silvery roof fabric interwoven with fibre-optics to create pulsating mood lighting

Mood lighting? Why on earth would you have mood lighting in a car?

[mewzilla]

I don't know about women in general, but after all the cars we've had I've finally found one I can honestly say I adore. It's my Scion xB. And I wouldn't call it girly :)

[Dead Dog]

I would like my wife to have a single barrel 12 ga. that doubles as a shifter (with quick release). She'd dig it too.

[Lorianne]

If you want to design a car for women, the first thing that you do is copy what Chysler did back in the 1960's with its swivel chair. You open the driver's door and the driver's chair swivels to turn from facing the steering wheel to instead face towards the door opening...making it easy for a women in a long dress or skirt to enter or exit the vehicle.

Actually, a swivel chair would be a great idea for many elderly people. My mom for example has a hard time getting in and out of her car. Are there any cars today being made with them?

[decimon]

Before all the hype, I got a Chrysler 300C car which I've since found out is considered a "macho" car.

It's macho only with the Hemi. Ain't manly lest the fuel needle moves left as the tach needle moves right.