FRANKFURT, Germany — The Lancia Ypsilon Elle, which will make its formal debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show, is the latest in a historical pantheon of pink cars that are designed to lure in fashion-conscious buyers.
The Ypsilon Elle relies heavily on candy-box colors. The pink exterior is accented by 16-inch wheels that "are painted the same pink as the body," Lancia notes in a statement. The interior gets purple leather with white leather piping. The showcar is a collaboration between the Fiat brand and the Elle brand, a European company that sells women's clothing and accessories.
The Elle showcar previews "a special series of cars that will be manufactured in limited edition and sold in spring 2010 in major European markets," Lancia said.
Pink cars have been around for decades. Notable examples include the Dodge La Femme, which began as a 1955 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer painted in "Heather Rose," with such standard features as a pink purse, and the shocking pink Fiat 500 created last March to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Barbie doll. Mary Kay, the giant cosmetics company, is well known for rewarding its top sales agents with customized pink vehicles.
Volvo gets credit for shunning pink with its 2004 Volvo YCC concept. It was aimed at women but had such sophisticated features as gullwing doors, run-flat tires, a built-in wastebasket and washable seat covers.
Inside Line says: Using pink to lure in female buyers was already a tired cliché 50 years ago, but then, isn't Lancia a tired brand? — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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