Carmakers' (Female) Secret

"BMWs are built for hair-dressers." - Peter Wheeler. 


An open secret contemporary marques harbor is that 'females' sanction their car-designs before production. From interior trim to exterior shapes, appointments to position of controls, down to design of the door handles are approved by women engineers before cars make the showroom.

It is not surprising, given the majority of car-buyers are women and a fair number of men report that their choice of cars are influenced by females, the feminization of the male bastion in car design has taken root so deep that sight of the stick-shift, a manual spindle-operated window, lack of power-assist, air bags, air-conditioning or the much vaunted vanity mirror and cup holder, would make the contemporary driver cringe.

The trend began in the 50s when General Motors mooted Damsels Of Design, a group of female art professionals equipped with industrial-design training.

A member of the group then said "Not too long ago, management gave the women designers at GM Styling the opportunity to express our viewpoints on cars designed especially for women. Each girl was asked to design two cars for the Divisional Studio in which she worked. We were asked to choose new fabrics and exterior colors and originate new trim design and hardware. It was a designers' paradise, and we particularly enjoyed proving to our male counterparts that we are not in the business to add lace doilies to seat backs or rhinestones to carpets, but to make the automobile just as usable and attractive to both men and women as we possibly can."

At the turn of the century, chief (female) engineer of GM's Cadillac CTS said “Engineers are meticulous in designing each and every system with female needs in mind. For example, we ensure the steering column is not too low and not too high. The same approach is applied to seating, which is designed for petite women as well as very tall men or the 'outside hand placement' (read door-handles) where (female) engineers ensure the handle won’t knock your body when you open the door while cognizant that women drivers who have long fingernails may need a door handle that's easier to grab.”

Culminating with Volvo's YCC all-women concept that witnessed the evolution of the marque's 'tank' doctrine into a literal embodiment of the female anatomy, features the male bastion unwittingly embraced are • Ergovision – seating position, pedals, head restraint and steering wheel that adjust to correct driving position and maximum visibility for driver's personal build • Lower Door Sill that rotates downward when door is opened to expose a clean surface so occupants won't dirty a dress or pants • Easy-Clean paint that resist dirt similar to a non-stick pan • Head Restraint that is grooved to comfortably accommodate a pony tail • Adjustable Pedals that can be adjusted for high heels • Centre Console that translates into a large compartmentalised storage area • Umbrella Compartment behind the scuttle • Interchangeable Seat Trims allow driver to personalise interior • Autopark - that assist drivers when parallel parking by first measuring the space then manoeuvring into the spot • Run-Flat tyres • Rear 'Theatre' style seats for easy storage • Gull-Wing doors with Auto-Open remote function on key FOB • No Filler caps – as it uses a capless ball-valve for fuel filling and washer fluid • Auto-Notification to the Service Centre if the car needs attention and suggests a booking time to the driver to block his or her diary •

A former CEO of TVR (deceased March 2009) balked at the evolving landscape and said that 'female engineering' had permeated a traditional male domain and that the 'brolly compartment' was the last straw. He said:-

“BMWs are built for hair-dressers. Plough a Bimmer fast into an oily roundabout; brake hard and those ‘abbreviations’ kick in. ABS manages the brakes and DSC controls wheel-spin correcting under-steer instantly. Essentially the car is driven by computers, represented by host of ‘letters’ and the insulated Ray-Ban sporting metrosexual drives home with the notion that he actually piloted what he thinks is a Mean Driving Machine. Now, sit the hairdresser in a TVR and let the thing loose. 300 horses, 5 litres. Servo-stopping discs. No ABS. No ‘abbreviations’. Same oily roundabout and the fear of god engulfs the poor fellow. He pees in his trousers as the beast skids and under-steers simply because he has not learned how to drive - in the true sense of the word. He shrieks as he curses the brand. TVR is the real MDM and the only abbreviation that applies.”

Words, Videography - Tommy Peters


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