Are LGBTI Car Buyers Important to Car Makers?

Gay Cars: Are LGBTI Buyers Taken for Granted?

Over the last few years, we’ve asked many a curious car company if they had queer friendly policies, either for the staff, or the customers.

Almost universally the answer was: no, not specifically, “do we really need one”?.

Most stressed that they treated all buyers and staff equally. Really? If that is so, why spend so much money marketing to a particular demographic? Car makers research and spitball to within an inch of their lives. They focus-group ideas, and spend vast sums to reach groups selected per model.

For example, sports cars might be marketed to singles, downsizers, and middle-age-crisis sufferers. Other models have sexy young things in their ads, and there those designs for families, active sporty types, tradies, and the filthy rich. Yet, they expect us to believe that gay and lesbian buyers aren’t considered?

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Does that make us irrelevant?

You decide for yourself. There has been the odd ad here and there, notably an old Toyota spread featuring handsome young men and their pooch. That was much less a policy than an experiement.

Of the posh brands, only Rolls Royce inquired as to how they might reach queer buyers. It wasn’t a policy, but the Rolls Royce spokesman said the company deeply valued their gay clients, whether current or future. There was a quiet reverence in the response that was quite unexpected.

Kia said they’re proud to be associated with the LGTBI community, and Subaru were chuffed that their WRX and Forester models were popular with gays and lesbians. It would be a great dishonour not to mention Australia’s late, great, Holden. Before went down in a steaming heap, they donated cars to be used in Mardi Gras. Again, not a policy, but it said a lot about what they thought about their customers. It’s a shame that didn’t translate to decent car design, especially in their final years.

Mini said their cars were universally popular with those wanting something different, but stopped short of mentioning gays by name. That was a little odd, since I can’t think of a gayer car.

Porsche didn’t respond, again, odd considering Gay Pride Christopher Street Day with Rainbow Porsches. Bentley likewise, yet Gay Pride: Rainbow Bentley GT happened at their HQ.

Jeep on the other hand, were not at all sheepish about quoting “Wrangler and gays go hand in hand.” They’re right of course, with “Queer as Folk” forever cementing the model in gay folklore.

Then the subject turned to staff, and the fact that some factories were in countries with rabidly anti-gay governments. Of the carmakers that qualified on that count, none had a pro-gay staff policy.

Not every company replied specifically to the question, and it emerged that no car company seemed to focus on the gay buyer, even in passing.

There will be gays rending their pearls, clutching dramatically for effect.

We’ve even found some are offended that there is a website dedicated to gay car reviews, let alone car companies with gay-friendly policies. It is the reason all comments are moderated, so before you bother spewing hate speech willie nillie, it won’t be published.

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