Toyota Hard Kandy Yaris Sweetens 2009 SEMA Auto Show for Female Buyers

LAS VEGAS — Toyota — like so many automakers before it — has returned to the "pink" well to lure female buyers with the rollout of its Hard Kandy Yaris. The Yaris appears squarely aimed at the Hello Kitty crowd — or at least those who love lollipops — with its swirling ribbons of pink on the car's exterior.

The Japanese automaker hastens to add that the exterior design also contains "flames to add an element of strength." But the pink theme is picked up again in the cabin with the Yaris nameplate scrolled in pink. The door panels and center cluster also get a "pink lightening design."

So as not to completely turn off the hard-core SEMA crowd, this Yaris gets the traditional accoutrements associated with the aftermarket show, including a sport body kit, roof end spoiler and Pirelli P Zero Nero tires. The cabin gets sport pedals, a sport shift knob and a Bluetooth system. Performance modifications include an axle-back exhaust and a Fujita cold-air intake system.

Even as the first decade of the 21st century comes to a close, automakers continue to trot out the pink palette for female consumers. Notable — some might say notorious — examples include the recent Fiat 500 rolled out in time for the Barbie doll's 50th anniversary and the older Dodge La Femme from the 1950s.

Inside Line says: Believe it or not, some women actually get off on flame packages. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent