NYT says Miata "gay by design"?

Folks;

See http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/12/fa...=1&oref=slogin
for the whole story, but the gist of it is that some cars are seen as
"gay" and the Miata is one of them. Other gay cars are the Volkswagen
Beetle, Mini Cooper, and Subaru Outback. Does it make sense to you to
say that a Subaru is a "Lesbaru" or that a Miata is "gay" and an
Escalade is "manly"?

Don't construe this as some kind of sexual preference bashing, I just
want to know if some people really think that the choice of a car can
say something about their sexual preference, or anything else for that
matter. I know some people prefer certain emblems because they cost
more, but when I see that fancy Mercedes tooling past, I know it's a
lease with a nasty downside and my Miata is all mine for a long time.
But is that cool lady behind the wheel looking at me and thinking I'm
gay because I know which car is the most fun to drive? The NYT says
"Yes, she is."

The article goes on to say that automakers are interested in targeting
their marketing to different demographics, so if Mazda decides to
advertise in the gay media, will that make the Miata a gay car? :-)
For all I know, they already do advertise specifically to gays and why
not? It's a desirable demographic.

I can't imagine I'm going to switch away from the Miata if someone
thinks it's gay. What would I switch to? I don't have any idea how to
tell what models are for gays and which ones are for straight
guys. :-)

OK, got my flame retardant underwear on ...

I've heard that before and I don't buy it for a second. My dad, a 75 yr
old retired Army colonel drives a Miata while my little brother,
decidedly gay and a little "flamboyant", drives a late model Z-28. I
haven't detected any gay agenda at the few Miata Club events I've
attended. I think it's a clever covert marketing ploy by GM to lure
buyers to the new Solstice.

JD



my_two_cent wrote:
> Folks;
>
> See http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/12/fa...=1&oref=slogin
> for the whole story, but the gist of it is that some cars are seen as
> "gay" and the Miata is one of them. Other gay cars are the Volkswagen
> Beetle, Mini Cooper, and Subaru Outback. Does it make sense to you to
> say that a Subaru is a "Lesbaru" or that a Miata is "gay" and an
> Escalade is "manly"?
>
> Don't construe this as some kind of sexual preference bashing, I just
> want to know if some people really think that the choice of a car can
> say something about their sexual preference, or anything else for that
> matter. I know some people prefer certain emblems because they cost
> more, but when I see that fancy Mercedes tooling past, I know it's a
> lease with a nasty downside and my Miata is all mine for a long time.
> But is that cool lady behind the wheel looking at me and thinking I'm
> gay because I know which car is the most fun to drive? The NYT says
> "Yes, she is."
>
> The article goes on to say that automakers are interested in targeting
> their marketing to different demographics, so if Mazda decides to
> advertise in the gay media, will that make the Miata a gay car? :-)
> For all I know, they already do advertise specifically to gays and why
> not? It's a desirable demographic.
>
> I can't imagine I'm going to switch away from the Miata if someone
> thinks it's gay. What would I switch to? I don't have any idea how to
> tell what models are for gays and which ones are for straight
> guys. :-)
>
> OK, got my flame retardant underwear on ...
>

I Guess the Miata is kinda impractical as a family car, & gay people often
have procreation problems. On the other hand, the vehicles I would say that
has "gay icon" status are usually made by Harley Davidson. The local
(Perth) & Sydney Gay mardi gras both regularly feature dozens of "Dykes on
Bikes", never seen a Miata there anywhere.


"my_two_cent" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Folks;
>
> See http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/12/fa...=1&oref=slogin
> for the whole story, but the gist of it is that some cars are seen as
> "gay" and the Miata is one of them. Other gay cars are the Volkswagen
> Beetle, Mini Cooper, and Subaru Outback. Does it make sense to you to
> say that a Subaru is a "Lesbaru" or that a Miata is "gay" and an
> Escalade is "manly"?
>
> Don't construe this as some kind of sexual preference bashing, I just
> want to know if some people really think that the choice of a car can
> say something about their sexual preference, or anything else for that
> matter. I know some people prefer certain emblems because they cost
> more, but when I see that fancy Mercedes tooling past, I know it's a
> lease with a nasty downside and my Miata is all mine for a long time.
> But is that cool lady behind the wheel looking at me and thinking I'm
> gay because I know which car is the most fun to drive? The NYT says
> "Yes, she is."
>
> The article goes on to say that automakers are interested in targeting
> their marketing to different demographics, so if Mazda decides to
> advertise in the gay media, will that make the Miata a gay car? :-)
> For all I know, they already do advertise specifically to gays and why
> not? It's a desirable demographic.
>
> I can't imagine I'm going to switch away from the Miata if someone
> thinks it's gay. What would I switch to? I don't have any idea how to
> tell what models are for gays and which ones are for straight
> guys. :-)
>
> OK, got my flame retardant underwear on ...
>

"my_two_cent" wrote:
> Folks;
>
> See
> http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/12/fa...=1&oref=slogin
> for the whole story, but the gist of it is that some cars are seen
> as
> "gay" and the Miata is one of them. Other gay cars are the
> Volkswagen
> Beetle, Mini Cooper, and Subaru Outback. Does it make sense to you
> to
> say that a Subaru is a "Lesbaru" or that a Miata is "gay" and an
> Escalade is "manly"?

Heh, I always felt that a guy driving an Escalade was trying to make
up for lack of size in another area. <g>

Iva & Belle.)
'90B Classic Red.)
#3 winkin' Miata

In article <CwdVh.9121$uF1.7320@trndny04>,
JD > wrote:

> I think it's a clever covert marketing ploy by GM to lure
> buyers to the new Solstice.

Oh, you mean like this one?
http://i.walmart.com/i/p/00/68/06/74...07_500X500.jpg

my_two_cent > wrote:
> Folks;

> See http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/12/fa...=1&oref=slogin
> for the whole story, but the gist of it is that some cars are seen as
> "gay" and the Miata is one of them. Other gay cars are the
> Volkswagen Beetle,

Makes some sense. A Golf with a less practical body will appeal mainly
to childless people.

> Mini Cooper,

IIRC, Jeremy Clarkson has not insulted it, so it can't be very gay.

> and Subaru Outback.
> Does it make sense to you to say that a Subaru is a "Lesbaru"

That is a marketing choice by Subaru to sponsor lesbian athletes, that
Women's golf tournament that has become a lesbian happening (Dinah Shore
Weekend), the L-Word series, etc.

There is nothing gay about a Subaru Impreza WRX, STI or WRC (I still
have dust on my knapsack from Petter Solberg's and Chris Aktinson's
cars in the Portuguese Rally, a couple of weeks ago).

> or that a Miata is "gay"

There was also an episode in the "Yes, dear" sitcom in which one of
the male characters buys a Miata and then is annoyed that a lot of
people say it is a "girl's car". That episode includes a little girl
telling him her Barbie has one, and several girls driving or washing
their Miatas.

Maybe the Miata needs a stronger engine to get a more masculine image,
although in the last review I read the journalist liked the 2.0
(relatively low weight does miracles: the competition (BMW Z4, Honda
S2000) has more powerful engines, but also 200 kg more).

> and an Escalade is "manly"?

Only if your definition of "manly" is derived from rap singers...

--
http://www.mat.uc.pt/~rps/

..pt is Portugal| `Whom the gods love die young'-Menander (342-292 BC)
Europe | Villeneuve 50-82, Toivonen 56-86, Senna 60-94

my_two_cent > wrote:
> OK, got my flame retardant underwear on ...
>

I drive a Miata and the wife just got her Subaru. Wonder what that
tells.

:-)

cu
.\\arc

my_two_cent wrote:
> Folks;
>
> See http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/12/fa...=1&oref=slogin
> for the whole story, but the gist of it is that some cars are seen as
> "gay" and the Miata is one of them. Other gay cars are the Volkswagen
> Beetle, Mini Cooper, and Subaru Outback. Does it make sense to you to
> say that a Subaru is a "Lesbaru" or that a Miata is "gay" and an
> Escalade is "manly"?
>
I don't really see any of those cars that way nor have I experienced
anyone saying my MX-5 is anything besides "cool", "very good looking"
and stuff along those lines.

However I do think the Bettle and the Mini are both over designed
fashion items trying to capitalize on the original models. The original
models was both affordable and intelligent designed for their time while
the Bettle and the current Mini are neither.

The term "girl car"/"Wife car" is in use here in Denmark but it's a
label put on cheap small cars like the Opel Corsa, the Ford Fiesta and
similar. There is also a term best translated as a "Hair dresser" car
which is reserved for cars trying to look sporty and fashionable while
not really being neither - Cabrio versions of most smalle cars are often
labels as "girl car's" or "Hair dresser" cars. The terms are used very
relative so when discussing Porsche's The Boxter and even The Cayman
model's can be refered to as "girl cars" or "Hair dresser" cars because
they are less models to the 911!

My guess is the MX-5 is to expensive* for people to label it as a "girl
car" since price also somehow has something to say and also those who
know about cars has a lot of respect for the MX-5 as being a clever car.

(*Expensive as in a new one costing around $60,000 - $70,000 and
therefore about 3 times the cheapest car you can buy here in Denmark.)



> Don't construe this as some kind of sexual preference bashing, I just
> want to know if some people really think that the choice of a car can
> say something about their sexual preference, or anything else for that
> matter.

For sure cars say a lot about who we are but it's not very clear what
they say since the statement is very much in the eyes of the one's which
look at the car. For example a Hummer may for some signal the owner is
strong, rich and ready to face anything while other's may think the
owner is a "new money" trying to hard sort off guy with more brawn than
brain.

It's also very much about who you are that defines the statement you
make with your car. For example a Porsche seems to be viewed as the car
for a young(ish) bloke with success but the average age of a Porsche
buyer is 53 so for at least some buyers I'm tempted to thing they are
buying the car not for it's performance but because they want to appear
younger.

Kind regards
Bruno

On 2007-04-18, my_two_cent > wrote:

> Outback. Does it make sense to you to
> say that a Subaru is a "Lesbaru" or that a Miata is "gay" and an
> Escalade is "manly"?

No, it doesn't.

> Don't construe this as some kind of sexual preference bashing, I just
> want to know if some people really think that the choice of a car can
> say something about their sexual preference, or anything else for that
> matter.

It says something about what kind of car you like.

> I know some people prefer certain emblems because they cost
> more, but when I see that fancy Mercedes tooling past, I know
> it's a lease with a nasty downside and my Miata is all mine
> for a long time. But is that cool lady behind the wheel
> looking at me and thinking I'm gay because I know which car is
> the most fun to drive? The NYT says "Yes, she is."

Who cares?

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! Will the third world
at war keep "Bosom Buddies"
visi.com off the air?

>
> (*Expensive as in a new one costing around $60,000 - $70,000 and therefore
> about 3 times the cheapest car you can buy here in Denmark.)
>
I think that ratio would work in most places. Here in Australia, the
cheapest car I could think of was a Hyundai Getz, at $13990, the MX-5 starts
at $42870. (prices from manufacturers web site). That makes the MX5 a
little over 3 times the cheapest. A 94 MX5 in good condition is more than
the price of a new Getz. I suspect our 94 will retain it's value for the
next 20 years or so if we maintain it well.