The story itself, which showed up on MSN's MoneyBlog last week, is kind of a snore (and the videos that started all the hooraw have since been axed), but some of the comments are pure, stereotype-reinforcing gold. It all reminds me of the days when I wrote Camaro catalog copy for a certain musclecar parts supplier and we'd get enraged letters from customers claiming that we were spelling "Camero" (sic) incorrectly on their new emblems, horn buttons, and door panels. Let's read some of the highlights and reflect on the price that owners of all stereotype-weighted vehicles- be they Camaros, Miatas, Priuses, or Porsches- must pay for the love of their machines. Thanks to Craig for the tip!
Note: the original newspaper story that produced the great mugshots of the Muncie Samurai Sword Slashees is gone, but a reader found it copied here.

"not to mention....any and every camaro out there will be targeted to be vandalized! What a bunch of idiots! Head the warning camaro owners....if you already bought one and you don't fit in with this "profile" of buyers....I'd be afraid! I would be absolutely over the edge "mad" if I purchased this and my new car was vandalized!"

"Can I sue? I just bought a Camaro last week, now I am labeled a homo because of a stupid GM marketing campaign? This car is awesome and they just destroyed every straight guy in the world wanting one. I guess I need to list it for sale in the gay newspapers. GM - you are a bunch of idiots. You are destroying the value of the only car that was saving your company. Go F yourselves, you bastards!"

"I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN ONE OF THESE TILL THEY CALLED THE POOP PACKERS. LOOKS LIKE I'M JAPANESE ALL THE WAY NOW!!!"

"california has a state car, and it's the called the camaro!"

"THE FIREBIRD IS THE SISTER CAR TO THE CAMARO. ROCKFORD DROVE A FIREBIRD. HE WASNT GAY. GM SCREWED EVERYTHING UP WITH THIS MISGUIDED INSPIRATION. IF I WAS A MECHANIC AT A GM DEALERSHIP, I WOULD QUIT... WOULDNT WANT TO CATCH ANYTHING FROM THE CARS."

"I hope GM looses their ass on this car. I have owned 3 camaros in the past. Ill be dam if I purchase anoher and be tagged as a ***. What a shame. I hah planned on buying a new 2010. Not now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"FAGOTRON the Decepticon Transform into a Gaymaro!"

[MSN Money, image source: The Star Press]

According to Gaywheels.com founder Joe LaMurgalia, Gay Men tend to look for stylish brands while Lesbians are more interested in fuel economy. This may explain why the efficient and stylish Rabbit tops the list. The one stand-out vehicle on the list is the Maserati Quattroporte, which is larger and more expensive than anything on the list by a wide margain.

VW Rabbit Protects Its Burrow, Volvo C30 Moves Up to Third Among Gaywheels Most Researched Vehicles

Top 10 Most-Researched Vehicles for 1st Quarter 2009

River Edge, NJ – Gays and lesbians continue to do their homework when it comes to buying cars and the Volkswagen Rabbit and Eos remain at the top of their list when searching on Gaywheels.com, the sole source of information specifically targeted to and about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) car-shoppers. Today, Gaywheels.com announced its list of the Top 10 Most-Researched Vehicles during the first quarter of 2009:

Gaywheels.com Top 10 Most-Researched Vehicles -1st Quarter 2009

"The latest Top 10 Most Researched list supports the results of our recent LGBT Auto Owner's survey," said Gaywheels.com founder Joe LaMuraglia. "Volkswagen and Audi are two brands that are over-represented by Gay Men in the study and those brands represent 40% of the Top 10 list."

Other brand positions further supported the recent survey results; the Saab 9-3 has consistently been on the most-researched list and that brand is the most over-indexed for both Gay Men and Lesbians.

"All the vehicles on the most-researched list are expressive, stylish vehicles and with the sole exception of the Maserati GranTurismo, all are fuel efficient and come from gay-friendly manufacturers," added LaMuraglia. "This is also in line with the purchase reasons from the study. The top purchase reason for Gay Men is styling and for Lesbians is fuel economy."

The Top 10 Most Researched list is based on website statistics gathered from January 1, 2009 – March 31, 2009 from Gaywheels.com's New Car section. Gaywheels.com publishes its Most-Researched list quarterly.

Let this be a warning to you Michael Phelps, do not pick up Miss California in an A3.

According to the survey results, 67% of gay male and lesbian car buyers consider companies exhibiting gay‑friendly behavior "very or somewhat important." The survey results found both gay men and lesbians believe Subaru is the most gay‑friendly car company — 45% of respondents cited the company in the survey results. Additionally, Subaru's been widely recognized for its advertising and partnerships targeting the LGBT community. Volkswagen and Ford placed a distant second and third for both segments.

But, and here's the kicker, despite brand awareness as being gay-friendly, Subaru is noticeably absent among the top brands owned by either Lesbians or Gay Men. Toyota held the top spot for both. So what does this tell us? Probably that lesbians and gay men are, sadly, just like most hetero car buyers these days — looking for an appliance rather than a real driving experience. Full press release below:

Perception as Gay-Friendly Doesn't Always Lead to Sales from Gay and Lesbian Car Buyers

New National Survey Indicates Subaru is Considered Most Gay-Friendly but Not Most Purchased and Identifies Brands Most Likely to Be Owned by Gays and Lesbians

RIVER EDGE, NJ – A new national survey of gay and lesbian car owners conducted by gaywheels.com demonstrates the promise and potential of the gay and lesbian market as a source of new car sales for more brands than once thought.

The survey, designed with gaywheels.com market research partner Sorgenfrei, highlights differences in car buying preferences between gay men and lesbians, reinforces the importance of a car company's "gay friendly" reputation and identifies the top brands for both audience groups.

According to the survey results, 67% of both gay male and lesbian car buyers consider companies exhibiting gay‑friendly behavior "very or somewhat important, where gay friendly is defined predominantly by offering domestic partner benefits." The survey results found that both gay men and lesbians believe Subaru is the most gay‑friendly car company – 45% of respondents cited the company in the survey results. Subaru has been widely recognized for its advertising and partnerships targeting the LGBT community. Volkswagen and Ford placed a distant second and third for both segments.

Despite their brand awareness as being gay-friendly, Subaru is noticeably absent among the top brands owned by either Lesbians or Gay Men. Toyota held the top spot for both.

"One of the most interesting findings is that Subaru is not the most popular brand with either Gay Men or Lesbians. Toyota holding the top spot is not a surprise; they sell more cars" said LaMuraglia. "What really stands out is when we compared market share of the LGBT New Car buyer in this study to the overall market. Subaru isn't in the Top 10 for Gay Men and is only fourth for Lesbians".

The survey reveals that Gay Men are 18 times more likely than the general population to own a Saab, five times more likely to own an Audi and four times more likely to own a MINI, VW or Jaguar. Lesbians are 11 times more likely than the general population to own a Saab, five times more likely to own a Scion and three times more likely to own a Jeep, Subaru or Saturn.

The results of the survey indicate that there are two very distinct groups based on gender identity. "While most marketers treat the LGBT consumer as one cohesive entity, the truth is it is the most diverse diversity group in the marketplace" said LaMuraglia. "The data points to differences between Gay Men and Lesbians based around what they drive, what is important to them when considering a brand and how they see themselves".

Purchase reasons also differ based on gender identity. Lesbians are similar to the general population when it comes to the five most important purchase reasons. In order, they are:

Fuel Economy, Price, Safety Ratings, Body Style and Impact on the Environment. Gay men put their highest priority on Styling and then consider Price, Fuel Economy, Body Style and the Availability of the Latest Technology.

While both gay men and lesbians in the survey reported similar car ownership patterns (Toyota, Honda, VW and Ford are the top brands currently owned by both segments), gender differences lead to differences in new car buying intent. Gay men in the survey indicated that BMW, Audi and Toyota were their top three brands for a new car purchase while lesbians indicated that Toyota, Honda and Subaru were their top three brands for a new car purchase.

If you consider the psychographics of these two groups, their brand affinity and purchase reasons begin to make sense. Gay men say their car says they are "successful, sexy and well-off" while Lesbians indicate that their vehicle says they are "practical, environmentally conscious and partnered".

Perhaps most importantly in this economy, the survey results demonstrate the potential value of the marketplace: 40% of the survey respondents that bought their vehicle new reported an annual household income over $100,000. Forty‑two percent of gay men and 39% of lesbians reported a household income above that level.

"Effective marketing to any consumer group requires a complete understanding of the target market's ideals, emotional identities and needs," LaMuraglia said. "The gaywheels.com LGBT automotive survey adds a new layer of understanding to the decision‑making process car buyers go through and provides a clear direction for companies interested in tapping this underserved, yet highly motivated and engaged, marketplace."

About the Study

The LGBT Automobile Ownership survey was fielded in March 2009 and thanks to LGBT marketing partners LOGO, Planetout and the GayAdNetwork, the total number of respondents from the U.S. reached 3,685. The questionnaire featured 34 questions and the data generated includes both owners of new and used cars. The data cited in this release is based on LGBT consumers in the U.S. that purchased their vehicle new (n=1,871). More data and a copy of the survey can be obtained by contacting Sorgenfrei at info@sorgenfreillc.com.

About Gaywheels.com

Launched in 2005, Gaywheels.com is dedicated to promoting responsible consumerism and affecting change by encouraging car shoppers to patronize gay-friendly companies throughout the vehicle purchase process. Users of the site are able to investigate which automakers and other automotive companies offer domestic partner benefits to their employees, thus qualifying them as "gay-friendly," plus read general reviews about cars, trucks and SUVs from those manufacturers. With that information at hand, they can make educated choices during the car-buying process. For more information, please visit www.Gaywheels.com.

About Sorgenfrei

Sorgenfrei was founded on the belief that consumer and competitive research could be more client-friendly, more accurate, more dependable, more inspired, and more affordable. Based in New York City, the firm works with clients across North America. Sorgenfrei is a truly global firm, with strong roots in Europe, and ten languages spoken by the firm's team members. Learn more at www.sorgenfreillc.com

###

Not only that, but Williamson Henderson also pointed out- correctly- that there is no such thing as a Coupe DeVille convertible; only two-door hardtops were so named. So, I was wrong on the year and wrong on the name of the car; sorry about that, Cadillac lovers! During the course of my Cadillac history lesson, I learned a bit more about Mr. Henderson's car, which is known throughout the LGBT world as the "Stonewall Cadillac," and this Cad has quite a story:



Back in 1969, a routine-harassment-of-gays police raid on the Stonewall Inn in New York City touched off the not-so-routine Stonewall Riots. Henderson was there, and his brand-new DeVille was parked in front of the bar. It was spared any damage in the chaos that followed, the police impounded it, and since then the legend of the Stonewall Cadillac has continued to grow. These days it's pretty much a parade car, getting plenty of duty in the annual NYC Gay Pride parade and other events. Check out the official Stonewall Cadillac site here for the whole story.

Gaywheels.com Top 10 Most-Researched Vehicles

1. Toyota Yaris
2. Saab 9-3
3. Mazda MX-5
4. VW Rabbit
5. Audi A3
6. VW EOS
7. VW Jetta
8. Dodge Caliber
9. Toyota Camry
10. MINI Cooper

Of course, in 2007, MINI changed its corporate policies to become gay-friendly. Coincidence or not, its Cooper has joined the top 10. Good work. [Gaywheels]

Toyota Yaris Holds Top Spot; Infiniti Debuts

ATLANTA, GA - Gaywheels.com, the sole source of information specifically targeted to and about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) car-shoppers, today announced its list of the Top 10 Most-Researched Vehicles during the second quarter of 2007. For the fourth straight quarter, the entry-level Toyota Yaris maintained the top position, while for the first time ever, a Nissan product, the Infiniti-branded FX sport-utility vehicle, joined the list.

Gaywheels.com Top 10 Most Researched Vehicles -April - June, 2007

1. Toyota Yaris
2. Saab 9-3 (sedan and convertible)
3. Mazda MX-5
4. Volkswagen Jetta
5. VW EOS
6. Dodge Caliber
7. Toyota Camry
8. Audi A3
9. VW Rabbit
10. Infiniti FX

First of all, good on Ghosn. But, we find it a little odd that Nissan North America waited until after they left Los Angeles for greener pastures in Nashville to announce domestic partnership benefits for all their employees, be they gay, lesbian, bi or transgender. Maybe the South really is changing? Or maybe they figure that peeps in Tennessee will fearfully stay in the closet, hence saving NiMoReNaultCo even more money? You know how bean counters think. We also find it odd that MINI is still gay-hostile, especially as parent BMW is so petrified by vaginas. Maybe they're just anti-lesbian? – Jonny Lieberman

Nissan and Infiniti are Gay-Friendly [gaywheels.com]

Related:
Gay-Friendly Car Companies [gaywheels.com]
Built Ford Gay: Details on Ford's Concessions to the American Family Association [Internal]

You find the most random things via Google News at times. Yes, this is, as far as we know, the only lesbian-penned automotive advice column aimed at homosexuals. "Ask the Diesel Dyke" is written by Lena Thompson, who apparently works for an OEM and teaches at a community college, presumably somewhere in the Metro Detwa area. But the name of the column? Let's just say we've got visions of Large Marge from Pee-Wee's Big Adventure dancing through our head. In a unitard. – Davey G. Johnson

Ask the Diesel Dyke [Pridesource]

Related:
What a Shocker! North Texas Ford Dealers Don't Like Homosexuals!

We've known some fine people from North Texas. We made the decision to move to Central Texas of our own volition, and we still have many fond memories of the place and often miss it. To the coastal types who think all Texans are stereotypical bigots, well, we'd like to deflate that notion right now. That said, there is a reason for that impression, and a coalition of North Texas Ford Dealers sent a letter to HQ in Dearborn presenting their objections to Ford's rejection of concessions to the American Family Association after the Gay Mafia threatened to break some kneecaps.

While the actual letter is less inflammatory than the people at Ex-Gaywatch made it out to be, there's one segment of it that really chaps our hide:

"The folks supporting this boycott are not on the fringe, they are not religious fanatics that or persons typically protest, but are average citizens concerned for the well-being of their families and about an All-American company, like Ford advocating a lifestyle that they find objectionable."

No wonder, with truck and SUV sales tanking, Ford's looking to sell off Land Rover and Jaguar — you know how those Europeans are... [Thanks to CTE for the tip.]

Texas Ford Dealers Don't Want Gay Customers [Ex-Gay Watch]

Related:
American Family Association Renews Ford Boycot Threat [Internal]

So the folks at Gaywheels.com decided to tally up the most-researched vehicles on their site, and guess which car came out on, um, er, top? Yes, boys and girls who like girls who like girls who like boys who like boys who like girls (or however that old Blur lyric goes), it's the Saturn Sky. The Lambda Kappa-platform-based roadster takes the prize. As the Gaywheels pointed out, the list isn't dominated by stereotypically-pricey vehicles, although we have a feeling that Spence wasn't one of the ones doing the research. On the other hand, CTE might've been. The list after the jump. [Thanks to Zerin for the tip.]

1. Saturn Sky
2. Toyota Yaris
3. Dodge Caliber
4. Volkswagen Jetta
5. Toyota Camry
6. Audi A3
7. Toyota Prius
8. Saab 9-3 (sedan and convertible)
9. Pontiac G6 (sedan, coupe and convertible)
10. Mazda MX-5

Also of note, the Caliber placed third, despite outcry from activists that its "Silly Little Fairy" ad was anti-gay. Maybe it's the turning-the-straight-guy factor that sold 'em.

Top 10 Researched Vehicles on Gaywheels.com [Gaywheels.com]

Related:
Are the Dodges Homophobes? [Internal]

We have to admit, when we first read that somebody had used shaving cream to stick pictures of naked men on gay-owned cars in Des Moines, we thought it was slightly funny in a ridiculously childish way. Then we read that the cars were all owned by women. And then we read that racial epithets and phalluses were etched into the cars' paint. At first we imagined a gay merry prankster delivering some post SF Pride Parade merriment to Iowan homosexuals. Now we're just mad. [Thanks to Al for the tip.]

Cars vandalized with nude pix, shaving cream [Des Moines Register]

Related:
More On The Wisconsin Genital Photo Placer: We Don't Wanna See This Guy's Wang [Internal]

Gay Focus driver CTE tossed us a tipoff to what could possibly be the most absolutely homosexual automotive event we've heard of. A group of gay British car enthusiasts will descend upon Somerset on May 20th, though we doubt any will have the foresight to bring Buick Somersets with them. Unless, of course, they're the man-loving sons of dental assistants who happened to have a fetish for American cars. Posits CTE: "This may very well be THE most gay thing in the world — pink Rolls Royces, poofters, brits, tea — it's a quadfecta!"

Geared Up for a Gay Day of Cars [The Weston Mercury]

Related:
Are the Dodges Homophobes? [Internal]

So there's been some debate raging back 'n' forth as to whether Dodge's "Too Tough" ad for the Caliber is homophobic or not. "Warum?" the Deutsch among you may ask? Well, it has to do with a fairy who likes to make things cute and dreamy. (The fairy, by the way, is mad hot — dear Fairy Actress, simply e-mail us and we'll buy you dinner, take you out for a night on the town and show you how roomy the back of our Dodge is with the seats folded down.)

Unfortunately, although she can apparently turn urban blight into a reasonable facsimile of the Big Rock Candy Mountain, she can't seem to tart up the Caliber and winds up getting heckled by Chumpy McChumperson himself. In frustration, she turns him into an Izod-clad preppy with fruity mini-pups.

And thus, the question is raised — is it a bit of tongue and cheek juxtaposition, or is it something more insidious. Given the known gay quotient in the ad industry, we're gonna say it's the former. And after all, anyone who's ever been shouted down in a hail of anti-gay epithets by homophobic bro-hams simply for walking down to the bodega while wearing a bright orange H sker D shirt would love to see said assholes turned into their own worst bent-over-and-lubed-up nightmare. We're thinking the spot was created with that kind of wish fulfillment in mind.

That said, we're not quite sure that the Caliber's entirely butch. Especially without AWD available on the upcoming SRT4. We've got a test coming up. We'll let you know how many assholes in Fords (they're always in Fords) call us "fag" during the course of our drive.

Are Chrysler's new Dodge Caliber ads homophobic? [Leftlane News]

Related:
It's An Exclusive Marketing Blitz! Advance Copies Of Four Commercials For The Dodge Caliber! [Internal]

Man, Brokeback Fever's sweepin' the nation like that Pac-Man strain did back in the early 1980s. And apparently it's driving the Detroit Free Press' Desiree Cooper crazy. So crazy, in fact that she believes Ford should become The Brokeback Car Company, "inclusive, daring and above all, top quality." Well, the F-150's had a Lariat model for years. They could team up with Ralph Lauren and do a "Chaps"-edition Mountaineer, they already offer a Leather interior on the Mustang, advertise "bi-fuel" availability on all of their E85 compatible vehicles, do a special denim-edition Cobra, and, of course, reintroduce the Probe, with a special easily-wiped-down interior. Listening, Bill? Bill? Guillermo? Willie Clay?

'Brokeback' film has key lesson for Ford [Detroit Free Press via DetroitWonk]

Related:
Ford Responds to Gay Community, Gay Community Applauds [Internal]

Readers of the French site Ledorga voted the DB9 Volante the gayest car in Europa. We'd normally make some attempt at humor here, but after the VW Individual Passat post and its surprising aftermath, we're keeping our traps shut for a bit. Although it is a perfect candidate to appear as the protagonist's ride in The Spy Who Loved Manly Love, undoubtedly filming now in the San Fernando Valley. The other contenders after the jump.

1st - Aston Martin DB9 Volante
2nd - Alfa Romeo Brera
3rd - Nissan Micra C+C
4th - Citroen C6
5th - Mazda MX-5
6th - Bugatti Veyron
7th - Peugeot 407 Coupe
8th - Peugeot 1007
9th - Porsche Cayman S
10th - Bentley Continental Flying Spur

[Thanks to Punkey for the tip.]

DB9 Volante voted European Gay Car of the Year [Channel 4, UK]

Related:
B9 Tribeca Doesn't Pass Gay DC Test [Internal]

The trek up from Pedro to the Convention Center took a tad longer than we expected this morning, and missed arriving in time to catch Jay Leno's arrival onstage in a Z06 Daytona pace car, which he'll pilot during the next running of the 500. The paint job was stupid. Mark LaNeve played straight man to Leno's goofball, and after saying that he thought bi-fuel vehicles would go over well in California because he has a lot of friends that're bi, he went for the biggie in the run-up to the launch of the new-and-ugly Suburban and Yukon XL.

"So, what do you have if I want to take seven or eight guys up to Brokeback Mountain? They're big guys." We personally thought this was totally, completely rad. It obviously took LaNeve by surprise, which we liked. Jay Leno! Onstage in front of the auto industry, insinuating episodes of flannel-ripping man-on-man-on-man-on-man-on-man action would occur if LaNeve hooked him up with a Suburban! LaNeve looked like the heel he seems to be to us. If only we'd had the presence of mind to walk up to him and said, "Hey Marky. Dave from Jalopnik here. Wanna go try out the back of that Hummer over there?" Then again, even if we were gay, we wouldn't touch LaNeve with a forty-foot driveshaft.

Carlist's got a summary of the whole presentation if you're so inclined.

Jay Leno Makes Mark LaNeve Squirm [Carlist]

You knew this was coming. We may be city slickers from way back, but we know one thing about good 'ol boys: You cross one over, y'all better prepare for a goddamn ba-rawl. Ford may soon learn that lesson in spectacular (or at least really, really annoying) fashion. The company had averted a boycott with the Reverend Donald Wildmon's Tupelo honeys at the American Family Association, which had been planning a widespread protest over Ford's "pro-gay" support, by cutting back advertising in gay media. Then, Ford quelled outrage from the gay community by effectively reversing its decision, which has now led the AFA to consider renewing its boycott threat. Yep, someone's definitely gonna lose an eye in this here barroom, I'll tell you what.

GM gets earlier start on '07 SUVs [The Detroit News]

Related:
Ford Responds to Gay Community, Gay Community Applauds [internal]

While conservative car guy Mark Tapscott says essentially the same thing as Peter DeLorenzo and Robert Farago in terms of Ford's dealings with special interest groups, we have to say that we don't agree with Tapscott's assertion that that Ford "completely caved." They're doing what they should be doing, which is making amends for listening to fascist nutjobs who would love nothing more than to stamp out any trace of queerness in the culture.

While we've commented that they're making an obvious face-saving move, and the whole thing looks kind of questionable however one looks at it, we'd rather have Ford supporting gay and lesbian causes than not, because when an old-line company so prominent in the nation's history and culture takes a stand for the queer community, it's a landmark. Playing politics might not be smart business sometimes, but at that level, politics is business and business is politics. If Ford's gonna "cave" one way or another, we'd much rather have them do so in favor of the gay community.

Ford Caves, Will Advertise in Gay Publications, Risk Heterosexual, Traditional Families Boycott [Tapscott Behind the Wheel]

Related:
Ford Responds to Gay Community, Gay Community Applauds [Internal]

Ford finally did something proactive in the ongoing mess involving its capitulation to the American Family Association they sent a VP of human resources to meet with leaders in the GLBT community. And afterward, he wrote a letter, which you can read by clicking here. Then GLAAD issued a press release applauding said letter. Is the whole mess over with, just like that? Interestingly, Ford says that they'll run pan-Ford advertising in the publications that are losing Land Rover and Jaguar advertising. Interesting face-saving maneuver, guys. We'll be interested to see what the intolerant dolts over at the AFA have to say about this.

Related:
Autoextremist on Ford's Dunderheaded AFA Move [Internal]