Car companies are trying to respond to this shift toward women's needs, Redmond said, pointing to such things as lumbar support, moveable foot pedals, seatbelt adjusters and backing-up sensors, all of which now have universal appeal. And while they're working on other things that appeal to women, he said, car companies "need to do a better job designing vehicle attributes and marketing programs for the special needs of women buyers."
At present, Redmond said, "No car company currently has a true women's aspirational vehicle in the cycle plan, and few have a sales or service process that women trust. Exceptions like Saturn and Lexus really only prove the rule."
Women and men feel the urge to buy bi-polar brands, Redmond explained. As a result, the "middle market is vanishing, because it has no aspirational appeal. There are value brands and there are premium brands, but everything in-between is fading away."
This phenomenon is causing luxury lines such as Jaguar, Mercedes and BMW to offer "value" models, Redmond said, which are doing quite well. And value does not mean "cheap," he stressed, since "consumers define value by tangible benefits like quality and functionality, and emotional benefits like prestige. So each brand must be uniquely aspirational in its own right, and a great value at whatever its price may be."
As a result, Redmond predicted, we can look for even more vehicles with indulgence and luxury attributes.