What women want!

Believe it or get left behind: women determine 90 per cent of all car sales. What do they look for in their wheels? And are automakers in India ready to win this race?

Did you know that the Boxster, inspite of being marketed as a male sports car, is bought by more women than men? Or that, way back in 1955, Daimler became the first automaker to customise a car for women? The ‘104 Ladies Model’ came with a cosmetic pack, fitted luggage, an umbrella, and even a shooting stick! Soon after, Dodge introduced the La Femme, a pink car with cosmetic cabinets built into the seats. While only 50 Ladies Models were sold, the La Femme didn’t do too well either. That’s probably because most customers were men back then.

Now, though, things are significantly different. Over 50 per cent of all car sales are made by women and a massive 90 per cent of all car choices are determined by women. Are automakers listening? They have to do a great deal more than add that token vanity mirror to woo the women. We decided to take a look at what women want in cars, and how well manufacturers are responding to their requirements. Beyond the vehicle itself, we also asked women what they expect from automakers so that the buying of a car can be a pleasant experience.
More storage, adjustable seat, safety features, ease of cleaning and power steering / automatic transmission are some of the determinants for women. Indu Prasad has answered all these and more in our April issue of WheelsUnplugged...
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