Femme Fatale - The Story of the Dodge La Femme

[@yclepe]

One might remember that colorful,even pastel two tone paint jobs on cars were very popular on cars in the mid 50s. The colors on the female targeted cars were therefore only a little out of the ordinary rather than garish standouts as they might be today

[@donaldstanfield8862]

Right, this doesn't look far off for as garnish as many 50's cars were, tbh

[@vaclav_fejt]

I would have bought one if I were a car buyer at that time, just for the kicks. :D To hell with stereotypes.

[@cardioandfriends]

Funny how we went from pastel colors (40-60s) to neutral colors (60-70s) to bold colors (80-90s) to EVERY CAR BEING BLACK WHITE OR RED

[@actuallyusingmyrealnameher5061]

If you’re in the UK and can get to the Isle of Man, there is a well preserved example at the IOM Motor Museum you can get a good close up look at.

[@jimtaylor294]

Didn't know there was a Motor Museum there (knew there used to be a Tank one though); thanks from the midlands, I'll take a look when next able to go there ^_^ .

[@actuallyusingmyrealnameher5061]

@@jimtaylor294 Yes, it’s worth a visit 🙂. It’s at the old Jurby airfield site so pretty easy to get to.

[@bullibill8277]

Just checked out a fully restored earlier Dodge La Femme a couple of hours ago, pinkish, complete with original drivetrain (rare hemi=equipped) with original colors, gold logos and purse with cosmetics, umbrella, raincoat, etc. Absolutely amazing and beautifully restored Classic. I can't imagine that there are many of these feminine cars left...

[@johnrroberts7900]

5:26 - As a man, I find the exterior and interior colour schemes and layout of this car tasteful and would not mind owning one myself.

[@andrewsmactips]

Fifty years from now there’ll be a video called “Nissan Juke: What Were They Thinking?”

[@joshuanishanthchristian5217]

That said, the Juke actually has a fanbase lol. Plus, there's a genuinely good looking 2nd generation out.

[@lazergaming884]

I can’t stand the looks of the Juke however it’s not a bad car and is fairly good for a variety of stuff.

[@The_New_IKB]

Those frog eye head lights!

[@KevinBower-gy5be]

100% agreed. And then a follow-up on those wacky Citroen C4's with a plastic pineapple glued to the side door. And the Fiat Multipla. And the Range Rover Evoque. And the Suzuki X90. I just want to place on record the fact that I'm massively offended, angry, and disgusted. Not at Ruairihid's usual great video - or your witty reply. Just in general.

[@ewanbuchanan9174]

I’m surprised there isn’t one already😂😂😂

[@williamplatt1680]

Just like Lionel trains and the "Girls Train" set. Just a regular O-gauge train set but with pastel colors and the typical pink motive power.

[@VDPEFi]

Never heard of these, fascinating! Thanks.

[@kevinbarry71]

I presume that Tom Brady Aston Martin came with underinflated tires

[@donaldstanfield8862]

BAHAHAHAAH!!!

[@asd36f]

Back in the 1990s Holden released a limited edition Commodore named after golfer Greg Norman - it was suggested that it should have been fitted with an automatic choke 😃

[@jimtaylor294]

Certainly wouldn't own one. Aston' soft tops never look right, unlike a Jaaaaag ^_^ .

[@railtrolley]

@@asd36f Wasn't that the Statesman Greg Norman International? Came with a set of golf clubs.

[@andysedgley]

Another excellent video of an automotive curiosity! Thank you!

[@Mariazellerbahn]

7:25 in 200 in UK there was a Ford Focus Elle based on the women's magazine. Basically a 3-door Zetec with full leather trim, alloy wheels, Elle badging and keyring. All were silver metallic.

[@gromit3315]

In the mid 1970’s British Leyland made a limited edition of the famous ‘Issigonis’ Mini. They named it “Lady Mini”. Painted in dark blue with some nice matched striping on the flanks and on the seats. Came with an umbrella in the same colors. Looked nice.

[@Reddsoldier]

"Gee Bob, these women are getting a lot of that there equality recently! We might need to treat them like normal people and include them in our lineup" "I got you Chuck, we should build a painfully stereotyped model to show just how much we value their independence!" -Genuinely some Chrysler execs in the 1950's (probably)

[@peloi111]

Simp

[@cesariojpn]

In Japan, there are cars geared towards women, but it's more function over form. For example, added hooks for grocery bags, extra storage slots strategically placed, etc.

[@fireballfireball1067]

In Australia Holden did a model of the Gemini called The Sandpiper. It was aimed at the woman driver

[@asd36f]

In 1985 Ford released the Carla Zampatti Laser, with interior styling by the well-known Fashion designer.

[@Martin_Adams184]

A fascinating story. Thank you for a high-quality documentary - as usual. I knew nothing about this car, or about the idea of designing a car specifically for female customers.

[@SeanBodine]

I remember seeing a lot of your stuff on Deviantart. It's great to see these videos as well 🙂

[@georgemcmillan9172]

Mom had a 1958 Desoto, the name of which I cannot remember, that was a 4 door sedan that was pink over black, with a Fireball Hemi. She met my Father drag racing him in his 1950 Ford 2 door, and she beat him!

[@W7DSY]

When I went to college in Wyoming in 1966-68, one of the guys, repeat guys, in the dorm had a La Femme. I wondered at the time what that all meant.

[@Vokabre]

3:39 "...a pink umbrella, a pink raincoat, a pink rain bonnet, a pink handbag, a pink lipstick holder..." really makes one exclaim "what were they thinking" considering how it has nothing to do with a car. The only thing lacking for total irrelevancy is a toaster. Like, it's not hard to imagine the potential buyers having their own selection of handbags and raincoats already, not to mention the personal style choices and not willing to spend not an insignificant sum for all of these irrelevant accessories. Rather funny imagining if this would've done for "manly" cars would would've been included 5:30 one thing for sure, this colour scheme and fabric style is absolutely lovely

[@MoultrieGeek]

I asked my wife if she would like to own a pink car named "La Femme" complete with pink accessories. The look she gave me suggested in no uncertain terms that she would not.

[@Mariazellerbahn]

"Parker, fetch the Rolls Royce".

[@米空軍パイロット]

I was looking for a comment like this

[@jimtaylor294]

If only RR *had* done a 6x6 car with an autocannon in the radiator :D .

[@johnpinckney4979]

How about a show on the (in)famous Chevrolet Corvair? And, itr's light truck cousins?

[@andrewmcphee8965]

Incisive thoughtful video, thanks mate.

[@highdownmartin]

I’ve always aimed my cars at women I’m currently doing a five stretch

[@stanthology]

4:25 that's two four barrel carbs? Pretty brutal. Gas was 25 cents a gallon then , if that.I think a pack of cancer sticks was $0.25 also.

[@c0smoKram3r]

Absolutely beautiful

[@johnd8892]

In 1986, Ford Australia had the Carla Zampatti Ford Laser optioned model after input from an Australian fashion designer. Did not impress my mother who went with a standard Laser GL as her first new car. Not a success. I would be surprised if any survive. Normal Lasers and Telstars were very successful for Ford replacing poorly regarded UK Ford's in Australia. Helped them get to number one for the first time since the twenties. Only Ranger utes sell well for Ford now, without which they would be sub LDV and MG Chinese oddities in Australian sales.

[@johnd8892]

@John Jalas More successful than I thought. I only knew of the later KC model.

[@railtrolley]

The 1980 Ford FC series LTD Cartier edition. Came with a 2 tone leather interior, Cartier branded wallet, purse, keyring etc.

[@FerrariCarr]

Honestly, it’s not a bad looking car, and the concept is cute (on paper)….but yeah, it definitely appeals to a small niche market.

[@oldgysgt]

Ford also offered a pink and white factory paint and pink and white interior option in 1955 and 1956. My best friend's sister had a 1955 Ford Victoria in that color scheme.

[@barron204]

Like the cars in this video the previous model JDM Toyota Vitz had a ‘Jewela’ package that could be considered aimed at the the female purchaser, with a bright pink paint colour and optional love hearts.

[@mudgetheexpendable]

My elderly lesbian aunties bought one of the 1956s. My father refused to be seen riding in it! Even my mother was a little embarrassed by its gaudiness.

[@Vokabre]

I'd imagine at the time the unwillingness of husbands|sons to be passengers let alone seen driving the car if their own car breaks probably put off a lot of families from buying the option.

[@howardkerr8174]

@@Vokabre What's interesting is that Chevy and Ford, as I remember, offered cars in quite similar colors, so it wouldn't be the colors that were off putting but the badging: " Le Femme ". BTW, my very conservative great aunt bought a new car in 1956, probably the only relative that I remember doing so. Her purchase? A 1956 Chrysler product, but her's was a 56 Plymouth 2 door hardtop in very conservative grey. Being the penny puncher she was, $125 for this option, had it been available on a Plymouth wouldn't have been appealing. She bought her cars with as few options as possible...not even a radio.

[@KapiteinKrentebol]

3:00 How on earth do you stow and retrieve your lugage from the trunk without getting a hernia?

[@baronvonjo1929]

Do you step on the bumper maybe? It looks almost like a platform. I guess in reality you just get what you need while standing on the side of the car

[@howardkerr8174]

I own a Ford Crown Victoria and the factory placed the spare tires on a shelf in the trunk that is under the rear window. Aside from having to reach to the front of the trunk, you have to drag the heavy tire/wheel over the large pit of the trunk. But you bring up an excellent point, instead of feminine colors and color co-ordinated accessories, Chrysler/Dodge might have looked at making the car more "user friendly" for women. If nothing else, making the package available on 4 door models.

[@railtrolley]

And being careful going out of certain angled driveways onto the road. Lest the long overhang rear end gets either scraped or hung up on the concrete.

[@dankatz1080]

That color isn't pink, it's closer to dyed farm-raised Atlantic salmon.

[@paulaharrisbaca4851]

I looked this up for other people when we were talking about the new Ford Bronco coming out and they were joking about it and the discussion was about having an OJ Simpson special edition. It would have to be in white, of course, with a wig, glasses, $10K in cash, and a cutout of AJ Cowlings included, and a signature in either chrome or blood-red on the fender and the tailgate. For an extra $2800, you get a special edition .44 Magnum handgun and a NFT of OJ's slow speed pursuit.

[@JayDubCustoms]

I just acquired a 56. Are they worth anything if restored to a factory/concours level? Thanks!

[@donaldstanfield8862]

First of your vids I've seen...nice

[@lesterscott646]

Had a 1956 Dodge convertible in Canada. It was a cross between a Dodge front end and a Plymouth tail.

[@maxpayne2574]

The problems with the Brady Austin Martin were a constant whining noise and it would flop on it's back if a different brand car got within 4ft of it.

[@kevinbarry71]

A wonderful example of a company not having a clue about the people who buy their products. Ever notice how many women buy tough looking trucks?

[@cris_261]

Or the largest version of an SUV.

[@peterhaan9068]

...to go with their flannel shirts no doubt!

[@howardkerr8174]

Folks, we are talking 65 YEARS AGO. Women rarely bought trucks back then, and the number of different available SUVs equalled the number of fingers on one hand. My father was a salesman and put A LOT of miles on the family car. He didn't know a lot about cars, and bought a different brand every 3 years. My mom had almost no input in his car buying decisions aside from color....until 1958. That year, my father traded a 55 Ford for a 58 Chevy, which my mother grew to hate so much, my father was told " no more Chevrolets, EVER."

[@drscopeify]

The Range Rover Evoque of it's time :)

[@bradleythomasburdentrainta366]

Honestly, if there's one thing TV shows have taught me (mainly Thomas & Friends and Transformers), is that pink is not every female's favorite colour.

[@sumisusan1517]

7:25 I have no idea why SEAT named the mii after Nintendo’s avatars in Wii Sports

[@highdownmartin]

Personally I love the colour and interior of these, a bit brighter than dull greys etc. And anyway aren’t the “ masculine “ cars of that era dripping with chrome bling and flamboyant styling? I’m off to see Oklahoma! for the sixth time

[@howardkerr8174]

I thought that I knew all that there was to know about this model and therefore almost skipped this video. But thank you, I learned quite a bit about this fairly well know (among REAL car enthusiasts in America) model. I was not aware that it was produced for 2 model years. And that each year of this car was subtly different. IMHO, Chrysler should have made this available on the 2 door sedan and/or 4 door models. Interesting that in this time period Chrysler would display show cars with " glass roofs ", but it's rival would decide to actually produce them. And, in the mid 50s, Ford and GM BOTH decided to produce sporty station wagons...the prototypical MOMMYMOBILE, while Chrysler thought this was the car women (and men?) wanted.

[@robertojuarez959]

One question, how many units are there currently😍🤩💖🤔😅⚠️⁉️

[@pcno2832]

3:06 Imagine trying to back out of the garage and onto a busy street with that godawful extended bumper and possibly fake spare tire hanging off the back? I don't think either males or females would appreciate that for long. I can see the reasons for putting a tire there if there is no room for it anywhere else (as on a '56 T-bird and some modern SUVs), but adding one for show, along with a huge bumper extension, is something I could never understand. With many vehicles, the added weight, that far behind the wheels, adversely affects the handling of the car.

[@auteurfiddler8706]

At 4:17 that is not the right engine. Dodge didn't have Dual quads those years, and that is a Chrysler engine shown, not a Dodge. Different engine family. At 8:28 that is not even an engine from the same decade. This is why I say never buy British published books about American cars. I am curious if this was actually written by a bot rather than a human. I think the sales were pretty good for a trim package. As for it being overtly feminine, pink was a common color in two and three tone paint options in the 50's. I doubt anyone that didn't know the model would point to it ans say "that's a chick car." I'd buy one of these cars if I could find one.

[@evo5dave]

Surely the Micra Convertible was marketed solely at women

[@jimtaylor294]

Misread the name as *La Flamme* at first; which sounds a lot better. Can kind of imagine a french hot hatchback with such a name XD.

[@pdsnpsnldlqnop3330]

Making cars for female buyers just got more sophisticated. Renault pioneered the art by accident in France. The story is told here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paule_Marrot Fashion designer writes in asking if Renault cars could be made more appealing with colour. Renault say yes. Later the Renault 5 is designed specifically with the female buyer in mind. There are no back doors because the kids are therefore trapped in! Today's female buyer friendly Fiat 500 is remarkably similar - there are no back doors!

[@juslangley]

I'm fairly certain that all late model VW Bugs were only bought by women or for women.

[@ewanmcgregor146]

The colour scheme of the first generation is quite reminiscent of the “Rose Gold” iPhone.... But although it came with a pile of “feminine” accessories, it was not as garishly pink as some other 1950’s cars.... The candy pink colour option of the 1959 Cadillac comes to mind.... I would say that the main reason it didn’t sell well is that most people buy cars for more than just their style. Most women want cars to be more than just pink & lipstick, just as men won’t buy a car just because it’s blue or black and has golf clubs!

[@mehdim3493]

There is some kind of static noise behind your voice.

[@lumpyfishgravy]

For the lulz I showed a female colleague a hot pink convertible Evoque. She was speechless for some seconds. Fortunately she's a good sport when she knows she's being wound up. Even when I remarked it looked like my daughter's Barbie Doll car.

[@AtheistOrphan]

Choke knob doubles as handbag holder.👜

[@Peter1Europe]

Now you know women's car from the way it goes not from the look.

[@baronvonjo1929]

I think nowadays lots of women love masculine cars. Just see how many drive big SUVs. Or have you ever seen all the girls driving 4Runners and Wranglers. And my Mom drives a 2009 Lexus RX. It is a very good car but she hates how girly it looks.

[@mebsrea]

Huge SUVs seem to function as penis prostheses for anxious men, and fortresses for women concerned that driving anything less than a 3-ton, 7-foot-tall tank will put her precious children at risk if she ever, say, hits and obliterates a normal small car.

[@daveZ4143]

Today we have the Kia Soul to cover this niché.

[@robertojuarez959]

😮😯😲🤩😍💖👍‼️

[@petersimpson5859]

And now we have the Fiat 500. I wonder if women were consulted/employed or if this was as patronising as it seems. Ford had the Edsel though.

[@alan6832]

It should have been their smallest car. Was it? and they should have at least offered a smaller engine, an inline 6 since I don't think they made a 4. Since most women don't care much about power and would rather have the easier braking and steering from the reduced engine weight, and better traction too. It should also probably have been a bit baser, more budget conscious since in most cases it is a second car to be used mainly as a back up when the primary car is busy. Plus most mothers prefer wagons/estates. Soon, Dodge would have Dart wagons with slant 6s, which is a far better platform to work with.

[@drstevenrey]

Yeah, women have totally different preferences in cars. I should know. The Missus drives a deep blue Porsche 911 Carrera 4S and I pootle about in a green Fiat Cinquecento 170 from 1993.

[@kdkatz-ef2us]

Evidently women wanted the same cars that men drove

[@neilforbes416]

That last remark, "form over function" basically translates as "style over substance" and sums America up neatly.

[@drstevenrey]

By the way, femme is French and is pronounced fam and not feem. French, one of the 'other' 7000 languages of the world.

[@buggs9950]

I thought the entire modern Mini range was aimed at the feminine customer...

[@brucerideout9511]

A more reliable engine 💡 siggh

[@cameraman655]

A manly mans’s car...

[@woodyofp8574]

Interesting video, but I wish you wouldn't use metric displacements. It makes me have to stop the video and do the math in my head to figure out the size in real inches. I'm sure other viewers would agree, especially considering these are *American* cars, not some funny Volkswagen or Jaguar.

[@woodyofp8574]

To rephrase this, I meant not using *only* metric displacements, but if anything else, to accompany cubic inches with the metric equivelent.

[@JFinnerud]

Dodge La Fatale

[@patolt1628]

I just watched it by chance and to understand how a car could have been named "La Femme". I really thought it was a joke. But I'm French: this would be unthinkable in France, like naming a car "The Female" or something even more crude. But OK I don't have a pb with this as long as Americans like it: I'm just surprised and it makes me laugh since to us it's weird and in poor taste, to say the least. Even the pronunciation is not correct: funny ...

[@robinsattahip2376]

Yes, no man would want his future ex-wife to be without a cigarette holder or lighter.

[@thomasholland1750]

Cars markers ,will not get away today.,Because it sounds very feminine in today’s world

[@oliverstemp9132]

I was just thinking how patronising the La Femme is

[@thomasholland1750]

@@oliverstemp9132 Yes Oliver it is

[@cameraman655]

And SJWs, Feminazis going berserk.

[@CJSHM]

Say "pink" again I dare you.

[@baronvonjo1929]

P I N K

[@warmstrong5612]

Nowadays cars are generally geared more towards women with things like pickups and muscle cars being some of the last true hold outs of masculinity. Hell most crossovers are so gender neutral in styling/demographic that they're neither.

[@tubedude26666]

Don't foget the Fiat 500 Barbie Edition.

[@neilforbes416]

12.3 MPG is pretty bad, even for imperial measurement of the mile and the gallon. The crime is compounded when translated to the US mile and gallon, both significantly shorter or smaller, by length and volume respectively than the British measurement.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

gas was like $.50.....

[@neilforbes416]

@@WALTERBROADDUS Petrol may well have been cheap, but 12.3 MPG is still a figure any automobile maker should be thoroughly ashamed of. especially as it's the lesser American mile, shorter than the proper British mile, and the lesser American gallon, lesser in quantity than the proper British gallon. And no, I'm not British, I'm Australian and we used the British Imperial measurements until the 1970s when we began using the Metric system.

[@oldgysgt]

@@WALTERBROADDUS; try $.25. Even in the 1960's when I was in high school, gas never got over $.32. For driving only to school, my gas bill was about $2.00 a week. For dates, I would splurge and put $3.00 worth in the tank. My '55 Ford got better than the Dodge's 12.3 MPG, but with cheep gas, we never worried about mileage.

[@neilforbes416]

@@a1c3c3u There was *indeed* a difference between British Imperial and US Miles but, I'll concede the difference was eliminated in 1959 by international agreement. This would''ve also applied to measurements of volume in liquids, as well as weights. Nonetheless my original comment still stands.

[@neilforbes416]

@@a1c3c3u We don't run our cars on gas(unless it's Liquid Petroleum Gas), We run our cars on *Petrol!*

[@paulaharrisbaca4851]

Supposedly these cars were popular amongst the sporting men who employed women and also among the transvestites of the day, who simply ADORED them....most of the young women of the day were hauling kids and groceries in a 4-door station wagon. And the working women were generally secretaries or nurses driving a used business coupe or perhaps the more liberal drove a Volkswagen Beetle or a small Plymouth or Chevy coupe....

[@MrSvenovitch]

Look up words in foreign languages you are clueless about please. La femme is pronounced 'la famm'.

[@The_New_IKB]

What is it with the Americans and automatic transmissions, anyone able-bodied person who can't use a clutch is a fool.

[@howardkerr8174]

Try driving a car with a manual transmission in rush hour/stop and go traffic twice a day/5 days a week. Why do you think there is such a big push to develop " driverless cars "? BTW, I grew up in a town, like many in the northeastern U.S. that was built on the side of a mountain. After many near misses when her car stalled and rolled backwards down hills, my mother DEMANDED a car with an automatic transmission. I can't say that I would blame her.

[@The_New_IKB]

@@howardkerr8174 I do!

[@ollie2sik]

Even the most feminine american car is more manly than anything to ever come out of Britain 😭😂

[@buggs9950]

Like the American people...

[@mebsrea]

Given that most American *male* drivers don’t even know how to operate a manual transmission, I’m unconvinced.