Miata...too feminine?

[Guff]

Miatas are awesome. And if you don't think so, then you probably haven't driven one.

[imput1234]

My girly car:



[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7g4XDw1CGLo"]Turbo Miata drifting at Lucas Oil Raceway - YouTube[/ame]

[zohare]

Miaaaahhtaaaaahhhh!!!!!
Haha just got mine running man and I love it to death. I have to choose between the FRS and the Miata In the morning and its a surprisingly difficult decision. also... raced them on a little pad yesterday... was sad to find my Miata held its own if we did a roll above 3500. (vvt swap and dont have a vvt controller so no bottom end) I know the top end like 70+ it would lose but dam they're one of those budget fun cars. I put them with the e30. Similar category. Also... just picked up some adjustable konis and eibacahs w hats and sleeves and an exedy clutch for 500$.... worried it might handle better than my 86 now

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2

[whaap]

I love Miata's. In fact Miata is the only model of a car that I owned more than one in my life. I was always bouncing around trying one car and the trying another but I bought a '99 Miata and loved it. I then gave in to a life long urge, sold the Miata and bought an older 911. After getting the 911 out of my system I sold it and bought an '02 Miata which I traded in on my FR-S. I had always heard the feminine remarks but dismissed them as being stupid. I do have to agree, now that I'm driving a FR-S I do definetly feel I'm driving a more masculine car than the Miata was.

[rice_classic]

Another late night rambling by Mr. r_classic.

I would argue the Miata is the great feminine car for the masses. Unfortunately it wasn't feminine enough IMHO. It looked neither sexy nor angry. I just sat there and smiled. Honestly it's a little creepy.

In reality, pretty much any car in which the top goes up and down is feminine, at least they should be. I find it unfortunate when they're not and if that sounds strange let me explain.

Aren't sexy cars supposed to mimic the shape of a woman's body like something off of Pininfarina's early drawing board? Don't men often give their car a woman's name or refer to them in the feminine sense like "She's a fast one."? Yes, of course we do.

A Ferrari California is feminine and that's what makes it great. The flowing lines, the raised haunches, slim waist and graceful stance. Some great cars were actually shaped after the outline of a hip or a breast the wife or girlfriend of the designer.

At some point in history, and I don't know exactly when that was, femininity as an application of aesthetics died and many sports cars have undertaken an overtly masculine physique. Heck, look at the pony cars in the 1960's, they weren't exactly shaped by the Italians but they had long swooping hoods and "hips" over their quarters... One can also point to the variations of the Corvette but the last generations offered the same wedge shape, year after year after year. But we could always count on the Europeans to bring the sexy with their sports cars. The 1962 California was one of the greatest feminine cars of all times. Alfa Romeo could almost do no wrong with their looks but unfortunately no right with their reliability. And the British, oh lord the British made some gorgeous cars. And Zee Germans weren't free from this either. The boxy E30 became the M3 and with it, wider hips, a lower stance and all the men stood back and said, "Damn she's fine!"

But somewhere, somehow.. the music died. There was no more sexy, no more feminine with curvy hips and flowing waistlines and the innocence was lost as complexity creeped in, while simplicity was pushed out. The few remained specimens that remained were rare and expensive and thus the enthusiastic proletariat is relegated to that of spectator. The Yin/Yang was broken into 2 extremes. We are left with smiling cars and angry cars. Smiling happy cars like the Miatas and Neons or aggressive fuel sucking fire breathers like the GT500, V8 M3, STI's, EVO's and AMG's. The Mustang no longer harkens back to a proud horse but to that of a bull running down the streets of Pamplona. And so we settle with our "hair dresser" cars and our angst ridden "boy-racer" cars, some never knowing what they've missed, others losing hope that it will never be again.

Feminine-as-an-aesthetic-concept needs to make a comeback, one for the proletariat, or at least sing a swan song to take its final bow before we're all driving electric cars. The sexiest cars of all time, I would argue, are the ones that were born from the imaginations of men with a passion for the love of a beautiful woman as opposed to a longing for that of war and death.


Please bring feminine back, it is sorely missed...

[b.e]

Originally Posted by rice_classic

I guess I missed something here. Are you saying that these cars are the feminine ones, or the masculine ones? Because they resemble man junk.

[chappys4life]

All the cars posted by rice_classic in no way seem feminine too me

[Guff]

Mr. @rice_classic


Hit the nail on the head my dear friend!

[rice_classic]

Originally Posted by chappys4life

All the cars posted by rice_classic in no way seem feminine too me

The point was that feminine in regards to car design is not a pejorative, but positive thing. All of those cars have feminine qualities. Slenderness, grace, flowing curves, nimbleness etc... all feminine qualities. Do not confuse "girly" or "petite" for feminine.

Originally Posted by b.e

I guess I missed something here. Are you saying that these cars are the feminine ones, or the masculine ones? Because they resemble man junk.

I lol'd at that one because it's true. But we must not relegate ourselves into thinking that a car can only be one thing or only have one characteristic. While those cars have great womanly qualities in regardless to their styling there are definitely some masculine undertones (or in the case of the Jaguar, over tones). The Jag is both phallic and feminine. A sultry Ferrari might have a roaring V12 in it. The NSX is poised and nimble like a 23 year old Yoga instructor.

But I digress..

[SkullWorks]

Don't you hate that you type up all those nice words to discover the readership can't read.

I thought it was well put, I tend to agree that cars are supposed to be feminine and have always appreciated it.

I also find it entertaining when a stereotype (and say what you will stereotypes are stereotypes because they are true or contain truth) is being defended by a group that makes...again...stereo typical claims....such as "if you think you are too manly to drive a miata it is because you are lacking in the bulge"

well the fact of the matter is, just like the 240sx in america, the car wasn't marketed to men here, it was marketed as a car for women because of the foreign perception of the US car market. which was dead on.

More facts for your enjoyment, (and i mean this in all sincerity and have absolutely zero problem with the gay/lesbian community) Homo's love these cars. PERIOD end of story, there are more rainbow stickers on the back of miatas than any other car i have seen on the road except maybe Honda Elements. why? because they don't have kids so they need not compromise and have back seats, because they are usually more financially responsible and enjoy life more... the Miata is far more affordable than the next in line Convertible 2-seater, and if you are not there for a testosterone fueled race to redline, than you wouldn't care how motivating the engine is.

I'm not here saying that if you drive a Miata (as a man) you need to seek hormone therapy or come out of the closet, but everyone in here pretending like the stereotype is projected SOLELY by haters who have a penile deficiency...and like bro trucks, is lying to them selves and may need to come to terms with that before their opinion is appreciable.


I do not consider the car feminine, I am attracted physically to things that are, and the styling has always left alot to be desired in my mind, but i have always appreciated the potential for fun that the car promises.


Those who know me (actually know me) know I just don't care what anyone else thinks, and would rarely allow even the most popular of opinions to prevent me from doing what I saw fit to be done,

So why don't i drive a miata?

1.) not a convertible person, im too pasty white for all that exposure.
2.) too small for comfort for someone of my size (especially with the top up)
3.) uninspiring engine choices, RX-7 speaks to me so much more, (and has more sexy)

[Ryephile]

Originally Posted by caliboy15

I may be biased here but... I was a hater of miata before I've driven/owned one.

You're less biased than you used to be. Now you have perspective.

[Lonewolf]

I grew up loving Miata's...reputation be damned, they are fun cars to drive. It also didn't hurt that my dad had a prepped (suspension, fat tires) NA we took out quite often...

I've had V8 cars and while it's nice to have torque off the line, the straight-line performance only aspect got old to me.

Let the "real men" drive their land barges with their manly V8's...who cares what they think

[Starscream15]

Originally Posted by Lonewolf

I grew up loving Miata's...reputation be damned, they are fun cars to drive. It also didn't hurt that my dad had a prepped (suspension, fat tires) NA we took out quite often...

I've had V8 cars and while it's nice to have torque off the line, the straight-line performance only aspect got old to me.

Let the "real men" drive their land barges with their manly V8's...who cares what they think

....And if you want to go fast in a straight line there is the Monster Miata. You would think Front/Rear balance would be upset by a V8 but apparently it isn't that bad.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2BSSy7fxOc"]Monster Miata! - The Downshift Episode 27 - YouTube[/ame]

[WingsofWar]

when it comes to aesthetics;

A girls car of choice closely relates to their fashion. A majority of women want a car that is like their handbag. Cute, can fit most things, stylish with plenty of shinny things. Also maternal natures are in play in also.

a girl will likely to buy: SUV, Sedan, Minivan, & choice of sports car varies, mostly mustangs in N/A.

A most male car of choice is about sex appeal; It closely resembles the shape of women, and if it attracts women to it. It has to be Curvy, sexy, fast.

Whats funny is single young men and single young women don't meet in the middle, most men think their car is sexy and gets the *****, (IRL it attracts more men). While women think its cute and attracts men, (IRL men are indifferent to the choices made by women)

So the Miata is neither a man or womens car. Most men don't think its a particularly sexy car, its unattractive to some men, and thus believe its a car for women. Most women think any sports car is cute, and see's no aesthetic attractive difference between a Miata to a Corvette to a Lamborghini, but given a choice they would want a stylish 4 door with leather.

Its pretty clear who has their mindset programmed to meet old fashion/archtype/typical male responses for today's society. Especially when addressing "Miata is girly" when IRL not. Its not feminim, its not any more desirable to women than any other sports car, male owners out number women owners 3:1.

If i said the Mustang is a girls car, most men would be like "WAT?! FU(*#&($@ you", IRL would be true because most women are inclined to buy a mustang than any other sports car in North america. but it would also imply that im attacking/trolling a mans cars, as im threatening the archetype of a "Mans Car".