Women in the World of Exotic Cars - Henderson Edition

Women Drivers and Collectors

Perhaps the most obvious is the presence of women as drivers and collectors of exotics. Lyn St James broke through big-time as a woman in racing, and Danica Patrick has become a star. Today, women are racing everything from pink Cadillacs to motorcycles to NASCAR, and a new generation of drivers is emerging and winning at an age some men don’t even begin to compete in. They don’t think they can’t.

On the women’s front, female collectors are becoming more common too. One such is Sandra Button, chairman of the esteemed Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance who, while not only buying exotics, has played a powerful role in catalyzing change in the classic car scene. The rising influence of women collectors undoubtedly adds some ‘different’ viewpoints to the scene, often prizing aspects of design and heritage, as well as performance.

Women in Design and Engineering

Even in the competitive field of exotic car design and engineering – where it has been exclusively a hypermasculine field predicated on unabashed male aggression, power, machismo and showmanship – women such as Michelle Christensen, whose work on the Acura NSX (Asian Automotive Design and Engineering Magazine) helped to elevate the work of women in the field, and Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, are challenging not just the stereotypes of the male gaze but also revolutionizing the realm of cars and driving. Christensen’s work on the NSX was an attempt to make supercar design more than just a vehicle for power and self-expression based purely on masculine fantasies of heroic automobile design. The NSX is stylish, well-designed, and fast. The message of the NSX is as much aesthetic as it is practical.

Women in the engineering departments are also making important contributions to the development of new technologies and the evolution of the automotive field, playing pivotal roles in pushing the limits of the exotic car in terms of performance, safety and ingenuity.

The Business Side

In business, women are increasingly taking the helm at major automotive companies, including Mary Barra of General Motors, whose leadership has helped guide the company through an industry upheaval including transitioning to electric vehicles.

One of the other notable individuals is Annette Winkler, who was the head of Smart Automobile, a subsidiary of Daimler AG, and contributed to the brand to go through difficult market conditions and develop a product responsive to changes in consumer taste.

Car Culture and Media

Not only are women indoctrinating car culture and making inroads into the media, but an untapped audience is benefiting from increased choice and exposure: female automotive journalists, bloggers and influencers are adding their voices to the mix, with new and different views and reviews, and presenters such as Jodie Kidd, the former model turned petrolhead, who presents a weekly show for Amazon called Head to Head about the greatest cars in history, and Vicki Butler-Henderson, the presenter on the TV show Fifth Gear, both helping to shift and break down perceptions of exotic cars.

Social media has been a powerful aid in this endeavor too, through the work of female influencers and YouTubers who post video essays, reviews and behind-the-scenes footage of car shows and events to their loyal subscriber bases. The involvement of women in the exotic car community has the knock-on effect of undermining feminine stereotypes, while empowering more women to become a part of this scene.

Challenges and Opportunities

While some progress has been made, stereotyping and bias against women in the world of exotic cars can still pose challenges. Women say, every day, they must demonstrate their knowledge and skill, and must frequently overcome the perception they are just looking for a date. The cost of entry is also a common detractor for women.

But these challenges also represent opportunities: mentoring programmes, networking groups and organizations supporting women’s advancement in automotive fields are increasingly available. The Women’s Automotive Association International (WAAI), which was founded in 1994, offers networking and training opportunities for women in automotive careers.

Automobile/vehicle manufacturers are also aware of the need for diverse environments and are working towards achieving it by providing more opportunities for women in design, engineering and leadership positions and promoting gender equality in their corporate cultures.

The Future

Overall, women are doing it for themselves in exotic cars and, as more women find their way to the forefront of the industry, they can continue to change and be changed by what the cars and the people around them represent.

In turn, a young girl or woman can look up now and see exactly what she can do: can she race in Formula 1? Absolutely. Can she be a designer too? Perhaps one day she will start her own car company. Or maybe she will simply design some beautiful one-off exteriors for one of the world’s most distinguished and dynamic brands? Why not?

This isn’t a fad; it’s a gender gap reversal, a bigger change reflecting other changes towards gender parity in wider society. The mix is changing, and the contributions of women will enrich the exotic-car world and everyone who benefits from it.