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| Mini Cooper S |
"These cars all have something in common: they are very fashionable. They are fashion statement cars," deduces Gray. "Although we were very surprised at the pink Rolls Royce; I can't believe that many members can remember Lady Penelope's pink Rolls from Thunderbirds."
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| BMW Z8 |
The Top Ten is a pretty eclectic collection of cars. Not all of them are automatically recognisable as potentially pink in their pulling power. "Gays are looking for good design and quality. If they are 'out' then they won't worry about making a statement and will look for a car that turns heads," says Gray. "Minis and Smarts are not just popular because of their looks. A large number of gays are urban and these cars are practical [for city living]. Then there are cars like the Jeep Wrangler, which is popular because it was in the show Queer as Folk."
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| Porsche 911 Targa |
Smart then, is the gay car of choice on both sides of the Channel. But is Smart glad to be gay? Given that gays make up one in eight of the population, you would have thought yes. "It is quite flattering. Gays have an eye for design. But whether we are being bought by 20-year-old gay guys or 80-year-old straight grannies, [we are not] attempting to target one segment," says Sam Bridger, Head of Marketing for Smart UK. "[Sponsoring gay events] is not a cynical attempt to tap into the pink pound. It is true, we have been at Pride for the last couple of years, but gays are not a specific target group."
Despite dressing up one of their cars in black leather straps for Mardi Gras, the British arm of Mini is not keen to be seen actively targeting the gay market. Mike Gray believes this is because car companies fear alienating their mainstream customers. "The UK is not a massive market and if a car gets a rep for being a gay car, then the manufacturers fear it might have a negative affect on sales," Gray says. "A car with a 'gay' reputation could cut down the number of people who will buy your car."
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