Every year around this time, Lexus runs a version of its ‘December to Remember’ Christmas commercial. Originally designed as an end-of-year promotion, the spot features a ‘heartwarming’ holiday story, which invariably ends with the unveiling of a shiny new Lexus wrapped in a big red bow. Considered a ‘cornerstone of Lexus marketing,’ the campaign has run for over 25 years; its obsequious presence has been parodied to great effect on Saturday Night Live. Although the commercial has never encouraged me to put a Lexus on my gift list, it did make me wonder if not a Lexus, what automobile would I love to find under my Christmas tree?
I have been fortunate in my later years to be able to own the automobiles I admire. But that wasn’t always the case. When I was younger I used to imagine myself behind the wheels of cars that were very much unattainable, which made them all the more desirable. So I thought it would be fun, in the spirit of the holiday, to remember the cars that I would have loved to have received for Christmas, or any other time of year.
When I was in college, driving my rusting VW Beetle, I would gaze longingly at the occasional Triumph TR6 convertible that passed me on the highway. With its distinctive wedge shape and Lichfield Green exterior, it was, to my mind, the iconic sports car. Its impracticality for Michigan winters never crossed my mind. I only imagined my younger self with the top down, leaving beat up VWs in the dust. Unfortunately my infatuation with the Triumph led me to eventually purchase a similar vehicle – a Fiat Spider convertible – which was a disaster of a car. So much for that dream.
The 1960s and 70s romanticized the vagabond hippie life. Although I was as straight arrow as they come, I thought it would be fun to own a VW Westfalia Camper and spend the summer touring the USA. Since I had to work to put myself through school that was never an option, but it didn’t stop me from thinking about the possibility. I had an opportunity to drive a VW bus when visiting California, and with the engine in the back, the lack of a hood coupled with the right-on-the-road experience of driving took some getting used to. Unfortunately I got in a bit of an accident with the bus which put a bit of a damper on my desire to own the ‘box on wheels.’
As a fan of Volkswagens, I always imagined trading in my Bug for a sporty Karmann Ghia. One of the single female co-workers at my first full time job had one, and it seemed to represent freedom and fun, something that was lacking in my newly [and short lived] married life. As noted on a classic car site, the Karmann Ghia was an instant success when it was first introduced, especially among ‘starry-eyed Americans who wanted to cruise around in something cool.’ As I was neither stylish nor cool, nor did I have the funds to achieve such status, I continue to pine after my co-worker’s Karmann Ghia as I watched my VW slowly rust away.
The 1978 Vietnam drama Coming Home featured Jane Fonda driving a 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster. Fonda’s character, Sally Bender, acquired the Speedster while her US Marine husband was deployed. When in California on a commercial shoot around the same time, I had the opportunity to see a similar vehicle up close and personal. As one of the crew members pulled up in the classic vehicle, I was star struck. by its simplicity and timeless design. Nearly 60 years later, my heart still goes a flutter whenever I come across a Speedster at a car show.
Christmas has come and gone, and unsurprisingly, there was no gift-wrapped automobile waiting for me. But it’s fun to remember the cars that I wished for so very long ago.
Happy Holidays, and may your car wishes come true.
In a recent article in Curbside Classic – a popular automotive blog for devotees of older cars – a contributor creates an ‘auto’ biography out of the cars of his childhood. The author, who could be described as a bona fide auto aficionado – not only recalls the make, model, year, and color of each car that made its way into his driveway, but calls upon the family automobile to recall the everyday events of his young life. This recollection cause me to think about my own family automotive history, which, as it turns out, couldn’t be further removed of that of the man who ‘grew up loving cars.’
Although I grew up in Detroit during the Golden Age of Car Culture, I was aware of cars in only a general sense. I remember being able to recognize the makes of cars quite easily; the ‘planned obsolescence’ of the 1950s, which resulted in new and distinctive designs every model year, made it possible distinguish one auto manufacturer from another without having an extensive automotive background. Games of ‘I spy’ during family road trips also gave me an awareness of the different car makes and models. However, in terms of our family cars, my memory is quite shaky, most likely because there was a significant amount of time when we as a family didn’t have a car at all.
I remember the first car that we owned was a 1950ish Kaiser which was dark green in color. At some point it was traded in for a 1951 or 1952 light green Oldsmobile. I don’t recall much about these cars other than they were roomy enough to hold two adults and three squirmy kids. We took this car on trips to Camp Dearborn for picnics and to a rented cottage on Lake Avalon, one of Michigan’s many inland bodies of water. However, the car I remember most from this era didn’t belong to us at all, but to my oldest brother. When we ventured on a road trip to Texas, with my cigar-smoking grandfather in tow, my brother allowed us to use his brand spanking new fire engine red 1957 Oldsmobile. That was a fun ride.
In the winter following the Texas trip, my father died, leaving us carless as my mother never learned to drive. Consequently we spent the next five years bumming rides and relying on public transportation until my brother turned 16. My mother purchased a 1960 white Ford Fairlane – why and from who I don’t know. My brother drove the Fairlane until he totaled it driving down our neighborhood street. My mother replaced that car with a 1960 Corvair which was the car I learned to drive on. I was able to get a driver’s permit at 15 with the stipulation that an adult was present in the car while I was driving. This requirement made absolutely no sense, as my non-driving mother and very nervous was appointed to make sure I was competent behind the wheel. I remember my mother grimacing and holding onto the door handle tightly whenever my gear shifting was less than perfect. It is no wonder that I never became a confident driver.
At some point the Corvair was replaced with a 1964 Pontiac Tempest, no doubt selected by my brother for its resemblance to a GTO. That was the car I shared with my brother until he purchased a 1967 VW Beetle on his 21st birthday. My mother knew nothing about cars; consequently, she concluded if she paid for insurance and gas we were good to go. The cars were never maintained properly; the muffler on the Tempest was replaced only after I received a ticket for excessive noise.
My younger sister and I shared my brother’s VW while he was off at school. The car was a bit beat up; my brother had repeatedly smashed in the front end. He didn’t get it repaired until I ran into something and paid for my damage [and his] out of my own pocket. When I turned 21, I purchased my own Beetle and drove it for seven years until it was totaled while parked in front of my apartment building.
It is often said that music is the history of our life. Yet the same could be said for the automobiles that carried us through our childhoods and teenage years. Just as a song often serves as a connection to a particular event from the past, a car can bring back memories of family vacations, sibling dynamics, or a young life on the verge of adulthood.
The Michael R. Argetsinger Symposium on International Motor Racing History was started in 2015 as a joint effort between the IMRRC [International Motor Racing Research Center] and the Society of Automotive Historians. Other than a break during COVID, the symposium has been held annually, and has grown exponentially from three presenters in 2025 to 20 in 2024. The symposium has been traditionally held at the Watkins Glen International Speedway Media Center. This year the conference was scaled back; it was held in a new venue – the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel – and limited to 14 presentations. This revised setup eliminated the ‘run over’ presentations and provided ample time for questions. Although the Speedway location was an interesting place to visit, it involved a long drive out of town on very hilly roads. Having the symposium in the hotel also provided a better environment for networking and camaraderie. The two-day conference also included a film festival and reception at the Watkins Glen Chamber of Commerce. Despite its historical significance as the origin of road racing, Watkins Glen is a sleepy town, especially during the off season. Being from the western part of the Eastern time zone, I was not used to darkness falling before 5PM which made for interesting walks around town.
Presenter Jim Miller
I became involved with the Argetsinger when I travelled to the IMRRC to conduct some research for a paper on women-only racing a number of years ago. I presented at the conference the following year, and subsequently became part of the SAH contingent that organized the event. I presented a paper in 2024, but attended this year as a spectator. Although I am quiet and have often felt invisible at the gathering of so many motorsports experts [of which I am not], there was a perceptible difference in how I was regarded this year, no doubt due to my new role as SAH President. I received a dinner invitation for the first time in five years! But my new position allowed me to connect with many of the attendees in interesting ways, which I ultimately enjoyed. The only downside to the two days in Watkins Glen was the 3:15AM wake up call for my flight out of the two-gate Elmira airport.
Tech wiz Eric Monteraselli
The symposium was live streamed and converted to youtube for future viewing. If you have any interest in motorsport history, I suggest you check out the videos from this and past years. The presenters come from many disciplines – from academics to motor racing enthusiasts – so there is certain to be something for everyone.
At the close of the last SAH board meeting, I officially became president of the Society of Automotive Historians. I am not quite sure how this happened as it was never my intention to run for the position. But here I am. I enter my two-year term quite overwhelmed; there is so much to do right from the get go and I am not quite sure where to start. In addition, in the over 50 years since its founding, there have only been two other female SAH presidents, which will no doubt result in additional scrutiny. But I have a supportive board and an excellent vice president, so hopefully together we can develop an approach and agenda that will serve current and future members well.
My overreaching goal is to make the organization more accessible, inclusive, and to encourage more membership participation. Like many automotive organizations, SAH membership has aged without a sufficient influx of younger people with new ideas to make up the loss. Many of the current members have been discouraged by the lack of communication and feel as though they don’t have a voice. I believe that in order to succeed in the near future, the organization needs to be more attuned to the interests of a more diverse population. We need to employ new means of communication to expand our reach. The new members of the board have added youth and different kinds of experiences that can make a difference. Some of the long term objectives, therefore, are to explore going digital with our publications, expand our social media presence, communicate with the membership on a consistent basis, and open communication channels so that folks will be comfortable making suggestions to improve any and every aspect of the SAH.
I am not a natural leader. I am soft spoken, have difficulty taking charge, and am non confrontational. Therefore I am hoping that my strengths – creative thinking and hard work – will be enough for me to become an effectual president of the Society of Automotive Historians. I’ll have the next two years to find out.
During the 1980s I was working in the creative department at McCann-Erickson on the Buick account. Although the import market had been promoting smaller vehicles for a least a decade, American manufacturers were hesitant to enter the compact car market. Buick, especially, was known for its rather large vehicles; in the classic film Annie Hall, Woody Allen’s character Alvie proclaims, “there’s a spider in your bathroom the size of a Buick.” Thus when the 1984 Skyhawk was introduced, the smallest vehicle in the Buick lineup, I thought a unique strategy would be to cite it as the perfect vehicle for short people. As someone who is barely 5’ 2”, I was tired of sitting on cushions to see over the steering wheel or propping pillows behind my back to reach the clutch in behemoth American cars. However, my idea was quickly shot down; perhaps the popular Randy Newman 1977 hit with the lyrics “short people got no reason to live” influenced the creative director’s decision. Or more likely it was because promoting a sporty vehicle as appropriate for individuals of shorter stature, primarily women, was considered a marketing nightmare. At any rate, Buick, like the majority of US car makers, continued to sell the mantra “bigger is better,” which no doubt contributed to their eventual decline.
The 1984 Skyhawk ad that eventually ran. No short people mentioned!
Fast forward forty years, and the automotive site Jalopnik produces an article titled “The Best Cars for Short Drivers.” As auto writer Collin Woodard notes, “sometimes it feels like automakers just completely forget that short drivers exist, too.” The article goes on to provide a list of eleven vehicles that Consumer Reports deems suitable for the vertically challenged. The selection includes not only compacts, but also SUVs, minivans, crossovers, sports cars, and luxury sedans. Woodard explains how each vehicle has the capacity to adjust for shorter drivers, particular in seating and steering wheel positioning. The vehicles run the gamut of automotive needs, including functionality, affordability, roominess, and the elusive “fun-to-drive” vibe.
The Kia Soul. Recommended for the short among us.
Although I have owned a few larger vehicles to accommodate very big dogs, I have preferred smaller daily drivers since I purchased my first car – a Volkswagen Beetle – in 1970. I have stuck with VWs throughout the years and have owned a series of Golf GTIs and Golf Rs, which are easy to park, a blast to drive, and fit my smaller body perfectly.
2025 VW Golf R Black Edition – Just my size!
Yet despite the positive spin on cars that accommodate a slighter frame, the Jalopnik comment section leaves no doubt as to how the automotive population feels about these cars. As one poster snarkily remarks, “Old lady cars are great for short people. Who knew?” As the comments suggest, although cars have adjusted to accommodate all body types, including that of the smaller driver, the disparaging attitude toward women and cars remains, sadly, the same. Proclaims another Jalopnik reader, “short people got no reason to drive.”
The Society of Automotive Historians Banquet has traditionally been held each October in Hershey, Pennsylvania, where the organization was founded over 50 years ago. It took place in conjunction with the AACA [Antique Automobile Club of America] Eastern Division Fall Meet, a massive antique and classic car show, swap meet, and flea market held on the expansive grounds of Hersheypark.. This year, for the first time, it was decided to move the banquet to the historic Durant-Dort Factory One in Flint, Michigan. The Durant-Dort Factory One was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1978. Considered the birthplace of General Motors, it is where visionary William C. ‘Billy’ Durant made his first fortune in the horse-drawn carriage business with his business partner Josiah Dallas Dort during the late 1800s. After falling into disrepair over the next century, the building was purchased and restored by GM in 2013; the goal was to preserve an early cornerstone of the global auto industry in Flint and create a modern meeting and exhibition space.
SAH President Kevin Kibbutz welcomes the banquet guests (Photo by John M. Galloway for General Motors)
As it turns out, the Factory One operations manager is the current SAH president, who generously welcomed the organization into this incredible edifice for this special occasion. Moving the banquet to Flint provided an opportunity for Midwest SAH members, as well as those who work during the week, to attend, many for the first time. Somehow, as I didn’t volunteer nor was I asked, I was put in charge of the banquet. This resulted in nearly one year of freaking out, as I had never in my life been responsible for an event of this size. However, eventually it all came together and it turned out to be a lovely weekend of fun, camaraderie, and celebration.
Attendees touring the Sloan Museum (Photo by Mary Elton)
I arranged for a number of automotive-centric activities over the weekend for those coming to Flint. The first was a special tour of the Sloan Museum History and Automotive Collections by Curator of Collections Malcolm Cottle. A video program was offered in the Durant-Dort Carriage Company Building across the way from Factory One. Before the banquet, the Kettering Archives opened its doors for a tour of its impressive collection, guided by interim Director of Library Services Dawn Winans. On Sunday, folks were invited to attend the Golden Memories Car Show on the Flint Cultural Center grounds. While I was uncertain as to whether folks would be interested in these offerings, each was very well attended. In fact, one of the award winners drove his 1954 Nash Ambassador from Milwaukee to the Awards Banquet so that he could enter it into the car show the following day.
Me announcing the Benz Award Winner (Photo by John M. Galloway for General Motors)
The Factory One conference space was an incredible venue for the banquet. The audio and visual capabilities were outstanding, and the members enjoyed socializing among the antique vehicles and vintage signage. As for the guest speaker, I convinced Jim Secreto, a retired automotive photographer I worked with over 40 years ago on the Buick account, to give a presentation focused on his automotive advertising art collection. The audience seemed truly engaged and Jim seemed to be enjoying himself.
Jim Secreto speaking on the history of Detroit automotive advertising art (Photo by John M. Galloway for General Motors)
Although I hadn’t slept for many nights before the banquet, the weekend turned out to be a success. However, as I take over the reins of the SAH presidency later this year, one of my first actions will be to delegate the awards banquet to someone, anyone, else.
Being the ‘first’ in any endeavor represents a breakthrough moment – someone or something has crossed a boundary that had not been crossed before. The celebration of firsts suggests possibilities – something that was once considered impossible or off-limits can now be achieved. However, acknowledgement as a groundbreaker also carries the weight of expectations. An individual’s success or failure can influence how others in the same role or field are perceived. While this phenomenon exists in all fields of endeavor, it especially relevant for those whose “firsts” challenge existing power structures and societal norms. Although attention to female automotive firsts may diminish the achievements of those who follow, the determination and tenacity of women who were able to succeed in a culture in which they were not welcomed should not be disregarded. As Nanette Braun, of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women, exclaims, “as long as women face barriers, it’s important to celebrate first-time achievements to show other women that such accomplishments are possible” (qtd in Morgan).
Joan Newton Cuneo – first female star of motorsports
It is not surprising, therefore, that in automotive history, many of the celebrated women are ‘firsts.’ Bertha Benz was the first person, man or woman, to engage in a long-distance, internal-combustion-engine, automobile trip. Alice Ramsey was the first woman to drive across the US in an automobile. The ‘first female star of motorsports’ was a title bestowed on Joan Newton Cuneo for her racing acumen. Other female racers have also been honored as firsts – Louise Smith is regarded as the ‘first lady of racing;’ Betty Skelton was known as the ‘first lady of firsts.’ Janet Guthrie was the first woman to qualify at Indianapolis; Lyn St James was the first woman to be awarded the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year. Not only was Sarah Fisher the first woman drive for her own team, but was the first female owner to earn an IndyCar victory. The first woman to win an IndyCar race was Danica Patrick. Due to her record breaking accomplishments, Shirley Muldowney is often referred to as the ‘First Lady of Drag Racing.’ The three Force sisters – Ashley, Brittany, and Courtney, hold a collection of drag racing firsts. Other firsts include Nellie Goins, the first African American woman to succeed in Funny Car racing, and Cheryl Linn Glass, the first Black woman to race professionally.
Betty Skelton ‘First Lady of Firsts’
Female firsts are also noted in the auto industry. Helene Rother was the first woman to enter the field of automotive interior design at General Motors. Audrey Hodges Moore is recognized as the first full-time designer at an automotive company. The first female industrial designer at Studebaker was Helen Dryden. Betty Thatcher Oros was the first female exterior automotive designer on record. In more recent history, there is no more prominent ‘first’ than Mary Barra, the first woman to serve as CEO of a US automotive manufacturer. Whatever their automotive endeavor, these female firsts stood out as exceptional. They were women that through daring, perseverance, and a little bit of moxie, broke barriers and emerged victorious despite incredible odds. Exceptional women in history, notes Helen Antrobus, are those who lived and worked outside the stereotypical gender norms of the time. They are those “who subverted the conventional role of women, who shouted loud enough to be heard” (56).In automotive history, they are celebrated as pioneers, female heroes, and invaders of the male domain. They appear as long distance adventurers, auto industry interlopers, and motorsport legends.
Cheryl Linn Glass – First Black Female Professional Racer
However as a category of female success, the ‘exceptional woman’ both hinders and helps how women are considered in automotive history. The exceptional label can imply rarity rather than equality; it can suggest an individual’s accomplishments are unusual because of her gender, thus reinforcing the idea that success is the norm for men but not for women. It can give the impression that what a particular woman has accomplished cannot be easily duplicated by others; that she is, in fact, an anomaly, an outlier, a recipient of extraordinary circumstances, relationships, opportunities, coincidences, or luck. It can reinforce gender stereotypes, upholding the idea that women don’t belong in certain areas, and that those who succeed must be ‘special’ rather than talented or learned or skilled; any shortcomings can be generalized as evidence that ‘women aren’t suited’ for the role. It can be condescending, as though the person’s gender is more noteworthy than what she has accomplished. It can isolate rather than normalize, thereby slowing broader acceptance and inclusion.
Audrey Hodges Moore – first full time female automotive designer
However, the importance of female representation in automotive history cannot be underestimated. Research focusing on women’s participation within male-dominated environments repeatedly demonstrates how one woman’s success can serve as motivation and inspiration for those that follow (Lockwood et al). Asking “Do Female ‘Firsts’ Still Matter” in the US judicial system, Frick and Onwuachi-Willig note how the firsts of female judges all over the nation not only held important symbolic meaning for the advancement of women, but also “helped to change societal perceptions about who is and should be a judge” (1531). Female representation is considered crucial to the retention and recruitment of women in male-centric STEM fields. Write Drury et al, “female role models assist in both of these efforts by improving women’s performance and sense of belonging in STEM” (265). One of the barriers that perpetuates women’s exclusion from Formula One, argues O. Howe, is a lack of ‘representation and (in)visibility” (454). The younger generations need to “see it to be it,” Howe argues. “If a team were required to have a woman on their team, it could provide inspiration for the next generation of women race drivers […]” (460).
Helene Rother – first female designer at General Motors
Research, notes Forbes contributor Margie Warrell, demonstrates that “role models have an amplified benefit for women due to the gender biases, institutional barriers and negative stereotypes women have long had to contend with across a wide swathe of professional domains.” As Warrell concurs, ‘”seeing is believing”. In terms of automotive history, attention to the firsts of exceptional women has the potential to inspire young women to think about a future as a designer, engineer, racer, owner, or even, perhaps, CEO.
Helen Antrobus. “Anonymous was a Woman: Collecting Cultures at the People’s History Museum.” Anonymous Was a Woman: A Museum and Feminist Reader, ed. Jenna C. Ashton (Cambridge: Museums Etc Limited).
Benjamin J. Drury, John Oliver Siy, and Sapna Cheryan. “Do Female Role Models Benefit Women? The Importance of Differentiating Recruitment From Retention in STEM.” Psychological Inquiry 22 2011, 265.
Amber Fricke & Angela Onwuachi-Willig. “Do Female ‘Firsts’ Still Matter? Why They Do for Female Judges of Color.” 2012 Michigan State Law Review, 1531.
Olivia Howe, “Hitting the Barriers – Women in Formula 1 and W Series Racing,” European Journal of Women’s Studies 20, no. 3 (2022): 454.
Penelope Lockwood et al. “To Do or Not to Do Using Positive and Negative Role Models to Harness Motivation.’ Social Cognition 22 (4) 2004: 422-450.
Gwen Morgan. “The Missing Story Behind Women’s First-Time Accomplishments.” Fastcompany.com Jan 1, 2017
Margie Warrell. “Seeing is Believing: Female Role Models Inspire Girls to Think Bigger.” Forbes.com Oct 9, 2020
Our annual trip to the Minnesota State Fair took us home through Wisconsin where we had the opportunity to visit the Dahl Auto Museum in La Crosse. The museum was founded by the Dahl family, who have owned dealerships in the area since 1911, making them the eighth oldest Ford dealership in the country. The museum is attached to their current automotive compound, surrounded by other Dahl auto-related businesses. It is a small museum but very well executed; the exhibits are informative, attractive and well-maintained. There is a lot of historical information on the walls as well as on placards next to the automobiles. The cars are lined up pretty tightly in the museum; the staff member informed us that the 40 cars revolve as there is not enough space to put them all on the floor at once. The museum is dedicated to the history of the Dahl’s involvement with cars as well as the accompanying history of Ford Motor Company. The museum also includes an extensive collection of hood ornaments from various automotive brands.
In terms of women’s representation, it is found primarily as consumers through advertising, symbols in hood ornaments, stereotypes, and as historical markers. There is also one interesting car story attached to a pink 1957 Thunderbird convertible.
1957 Ford Thunderbird convertible, passed down from one Dahl woman to another
The car was originally purchased by Henry Dahl’s aunt Loraine in 1957 and has been in the family ever since. It resurfaced in 2013 when it was restored and presented to Andrew Dahl’s wife Jamie at her 40thbirthday party which took place in the museum. The car is driven only in the summer; it is normally displayed in the museum during the winter months.
Another car of interest was the 1911 Ford Model T ‘Mother-in-Law’ Roadster. The car got its name due to the single spare seat added between the rear fenders. Because the seat was isolated from the passenger and driver, and completely open to the elements, it was dubbed the ‘mother-in-law’ seat, no doubt due to the back-seat drivers jokes of the time. By the 1920s the extra rear seat was repositioned into the body of the car and was thereafter known as the ‘rumble’ seat.
Nash ‘Flying Lady’
The hood ornament collection included the Nash Flying Lady, created especially for the 1950 Airflyte by renown pinup artist George Petty. In the creation of this ornament, Petty combined the popular Petty girl with Airflyte styling. The real life model for the hood ornament was Petty’s daughter Marjorie Petty-Macleod. As noted in Curbside Classic, ‘Nash struck a marketing coupe with Petty’s involvement, and brought some of that known Petty Girls glamour into Nash.’
Other ‘feminine’ hood ornaments in the collection included the 1920s Windswept Girl, the 1926 Butterfly Lady Swirl, the Packard Goddess of Speed, 1920s Diving Nymph, and three versions of the 1950s Cadillac Flying Lady.
Electrics for women
The promotional materials in the museum included a number of ads for electric vehicles that featured women. Women were considered the perfect market for electric cars due to the automobile’s cleanliness, slower speed, and limited range. However, after the introduction of the internal combustion engine, women decided they too wanted to go further and faster which led to the eventual failure of electrics. Ford ads for the Thunderbird and Mustang on display also featured women as consumers and drivers.
I had made a point of visiting the Dahl on this trip. There were a number of posts during Women’s History Month which featured female automotive innovators, such as Florence Lawrence, who developed the auto signal arm extension that influenced the development of turn signals, Mary Anderson who patented the windshield wiper, Charlotte Bridgwood who improved on Anderson’s design by adding an electric component, Helen Rother, the GM designer who was the first hired in such a capacity in Detroit, and Margaret Wilcox, the original designers of the automobile heating system. Unfortunately, as I discovered, the spotlight on these industrious women was apparently limited to the month of March.
The Dahl Auto Museum was a pleasant diversion on the drive home. There are some beautiful cars, much historical information, and a very helpful and knowledgeable staff member to answer visitor questions.
As legends go, in the late 1960s, a young woman by the name of Mary Kay Ash approached a Lincoln dealership to request a custom car to help promote her growing cosmetic business. When rebuked by the dealer, who told her to go home and get her husband, Ash took her business to a Cadillac dealer across town. She asked for, and received, a custom new Cadillac in a color to match the blush of her compact. When, after seeing the gleaming Cadillac, a number of Ash’s sale directors requested pink cars of their own, an idea was born. Beginning in 1969, the top five Mary Kay sellers each year were rewarded with a brand new, blush-colored Cadillac Coupe de Ville. The tradition – through model changes and various shades of pink – has continued for over five decades. For 2025, the iconic Mary Kay Cadillac is going electric; top salespeople are now offered a pink pearl Cadillac Optiq, the first fully electric vehicle awarded by the cosmetic company. The automobile’s current advertising themeline – ‘Drive Your Ambition’ – cleverly combines the personal motivation of Mary Kay and its representatives with the prestige and affluence associated with the Cadillac brand.
Mary Kay’s Pink Cadillac program has always been somewhat controversial. Critics argue the Mary Kay model and allure of the Cadillac mask a structure that resembles a pyramid scheme. Others find the color of the car problematic; the pink hue stereotypically marks the luxury automobile as a ‘woman’s car,’ a label that is devalued in masculine car culture. The longstanding association between pink and femininity also suggests adherence to traditional gender roles, which conflicts with contemporary notions of business acumen and female empowerment.
However, supporters view the pink Cadillac as a symbol of women’s financial independence and success. To Mary Kay champions, the pink Cadillac is not a symbol of feminine submissiveness; rather, the flashy automobile represents women’s achievements in the business world, a culture long dominated by men. The Mary Kay organization is often commended for inspiring women’s entrepreneurship in a landscape that has historically presented barriers to female advancement. As for the pink-is-for-girls association, Ash brilliantly coopted the stereotype and transformed it into a recognizable and valuable brand identity. The automobile has a longstanding association with male identity and power; by rewarding associates with Cadillacs that are uniquely pink, Ash transformed a masculine symbol into one of female empowerment.
The Cadillac has always had cultural significance, particularly among those who held a less-than-dominant position in American society. During the 1950s and 1960s, if a woman drove a Cadillac, it was assumed a man purchased it for her. A woman behind the wheel of a pink Cadillac, earned through hard work, perseverance, and a bit of moxie, would stand out as someone who had made it at a time when female success in any endeavor was difficult to attain.
Certainly there is something ultimately intriguing about the Pink Cadillac. To Aretha Franklin, the pink Cadillac served as a self-propelled ride to romance on the ‘Freeway of Love’. Bruce Springsteen also wrote a song about it, expressing his admiration for the car while wondering just what a woman could be doing in it. Of the new EV version, Jalopnik journalist Logan Carter writes, ‘I’m happy to see that the most driven cosmetic-wielding Capitalists now have the option to go all-electric without compromising their allegiance to Mary Kay.’ As for the women who drive them, the pink Cadillac shows the world they are successful, ambitious, and empowered. They are, in the words of Springsteen, ‘cruising down the street, waving to the girls, feeling out of sight’ in a shiny, ostentatious, and hard-earned Pink Cadillac.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of presenting at the Studebaker Museum Speaker Series in South Bend, Indiana. The event is held once a month in the museum’s Wiekamp Auditorium. The presentation topics vary widely, often touching on both South Bend and automotive history. I was asked to speak on the rather broad topic of women and the automobile. Since I am currently working on a book project focused on women’s representation in automotive museums, I thought it would be an appropriate subject for the talk. As I was putting the presentation together, I made sure to include Studebaker artifacts whenever possible, an effort that did not go unnoticed by the audience.
There was a nice crowd in attendance, mostly seniors from the area, as well as a few fellow SAH members. Women made up a good portion of the audience, which I was surprised and pleased to see. Although I am pretty nervous in these situations, the presentation went pretty well with only a few glitches. The audience seemed interested in the topic; the women in particular asked good questions and came up to speak to me afterward. They appeared appreciative that my project focused on women, something that in the context of automobile culture they rarely experience.
I left not only relieved that the presentation was over, but also gratified that the topic resonated with so many women in attendance. This positive response served as a form of gratification that I am on the right track with this project, as well as a little encouragement to keep moving forward.
Many thanks to the Studebaker for providing me with this great opportunity to present my work.
