‘Women and Cars’
Back in the day the automobile was a revolution, a carriage on four wheels. Little has changed, or has it?
Cars have evolved in so many different ways that are significant to current trends and demands.
But one thing that really hasn’t changed all that much is the way cars are sold in the media and who the manufacturers are trying to appeal to, and that is predominantly to men!
It wasn’t that long ago that scantily clad young women were draped across cars in adverts and dealerships to lure men to part with their hard-earned cash.
Well, times have changed big time! And we women want to be included and directly spoken to about the performance and practicality of the vehicle – this includes on the forecourt and in the media, to close the gender gap inequality for good.
Don’t get me wrong, we know the words torque and horsepower, but the language we women use is far more expressive and emotional when we describe our cars and driving experiences. We are passionate about Carbon Footprint, Sustainability and Supply Chain – words that belong in the 21st century. I doubt this was ever considered in the early days. But now we have to stand up and listen to our overheated planet and protect it for future generations.
Did you know:
41% of all privately owned cars were owned by women at the end of 2020 (17% increase in 10 years vs 9% increase for men)
19 million women hold a driving licence in the UK
Women would rather shop for a car online because they feel dealership environments are uninviting and masculine.
1 in 5 haven’t even looked into electric cars and 1 in 4 think they are much too expensive to run and 2 in 3 don’t know about government grants.
Last year, the Government announced that the sale of exclusively petrol and diesel cars will be banned by 2040
I recently had the pleasure of test driving a Ford Mustang Mach-E with a group of like-minded women with Ford and Erin Baker – an award-winning Motoring Journalist. I have always loved Mustangs – for their power and design prowess.
This is what I discovered about the Ford Mustnag Mach-E.
Stylish, spacious and comfortable interior
Standard 15.5 portrait-style touchscreen
Heated front seats
Smartphone charging pad
Front and rear parking sensors and 360 parking camera
Between 248 and 379 miles of range
SUV with instant acceleration
No congestion charge
Handy App to access info within the car and to lock and turn on heated seats remotely and more
Starting at £42,500 it has captured my attention (and heart) – so much so I didn’t want to return it.
We visited the Grid Serve Electric Forecourt in Braintree, Essex where there were multiple charging points and shopping experiences. Currently, electricity can be bought for 40p/kiloWattHour making £35 for 370 miles of range on the biggest battery, taking in the region of one hour to charge.
This sounds like simplicity on wheels, and I like the sound of that.
Over my past 4.5 decades as a passionate car owner and automotive photographer, I’d like to pitch to car brands to connect more with women.
As they say I’m your (wo)man.
Thanks very much
Stella