Sakura-colored small cars luring women - is there such thing as a MAN colour

[Meecar]

Sakura-colored small cars luring women

02/07/2008

 

BY AKIKO SUZUKI, THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

 

 

In a country where squeals of kawaii (cute) are heard around the clock, it makes good business sense to market small pink cars.

 

Automakers expect cars in the color of sakura cherry blossoms to win the hearts of female drivers and help revitalize stagnant domestic sales.

 

Subcompacts, which usually come with a 1,000cc to 1,500cc engine, and 660cc minicars are often chosen by young women as their first car. Homemakers also use these small cars for their daily shopping trips.

 

Nissan Motor Co. took the lead in June, rolling out its popular March subcompact in the sakura color.

 

The company added the color variation in response to requests from female customers.

 

The sakura-color version has ranked second in popularity among the 12 color variations.

 

In an attempt to attract female drivers, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. in December released special Bloom Editions of its two minicars with enhanced safety features.

 

The minicars--the "i" and the eK Wagon--feature the new "sakura pink metallic" body color among other color variations.

 

MMC added the color variation to the "i" for the first time in December. The minicar comes in six colors.

 

For the eK Wagon, the "sakura pink metallic" is available only in the Bloom Edition, which comes in four colors.

 

Honda Motor Co. in October launched the fully redesigned Fit subcompact in 12 color variations, including the "cool rose metallic."

 

It was the first time for Honda to use a pinkish body color since the first-generation Fit hit the market in 2001.

 

The color of cherry blossoms received an official endorsement in December, when Nissan's sakura-color March won the grand prize at the Auto Color Awards 2008 from the Japan Fashion Association.(IHT/Asahi: February 7,2008)