Driving In Cars With Boys: Is This Any Way To Sell A Sports Car?

Ronnie Schreiber
by Ronnie Schreiber

Jaguar is getting ready to launch their F-Type, the long anticipated successor to the fabled E-Type of yore. If there ever was a car that was associated with the word “sexy” it’s the E-Type, first introduced at the Geneva auto show in 1961. The two-seater F-Type will get its debut next month at the Paris auto show and it looks like Jaguar is trying to sex up the launch by announcing that indie music and YouTube sensation Lana Del Rey will “collaborate” with the car company on that launch and be the F-Type’s public face.

Del Rey, aka Elizabeth Grant, affects a sultry, retro look and sound that Wikipedia tells us is akin to a “gangsta Nancy Sinatra”. Considering some of the real Nancy Sinatra’s father’s associates, I wonder if that’s intentionally ironic or hip. I wasn’t even hip when Nancy first put on her walking boots and I’m certainly not hip now so when I read of Jaguar’s announcement I had to find out who or what Lana Del Rey was. We won’t know how sexy the F-Type is until we see it without camo next month but I’m pretty sure that most folks would consider that Ms. Del Rey meets a standard for sex appeal. As a matter of fact, she’s come into some criticism for using that sex appeal to further her career. Small wonder, then, that she wore a bathing suit with considerable décolletage for the photo shoot Jaguar arranged for the announcement. Of course this is nothing new. Automobile marketers have used sex to sell cars since before that steer-roping, bronco-busting girl was driving a Jordan Playboy somewhere west of Laramie, and according to Ralph Gilles, the new SRT Viper was modeled after the mental image of Halle Barry lying on her side.

Exit question: Jaguar cars had an important role in the most recent season of Mad Men. Jaguar design chief Ian Callum has said that a Jaguar has to have sensuous curves, including what some call hips and others call haunches. Did Jaguar go with Lana Del Rey because Christina Hendricks wasn’t available?

Ronnie Schreiber edits Cars In Depth, a realistic perspective on cars & car culture and the original 3D car site. If you found this post worthwhile, you can dig deeper at Cars In Depth. If the 3D thing freaks you out, don’t worry, all the photo and video players in use at the site have mono options. Thanks for reading – RJS

Ronnie Schreiber
Ronnie Schreiber

Ronnie Schreiber edits Cars In Depth, the original 3D car site.

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  • Redtruck Redtruck on Aug 23, 2012

    She's awful. Jaguar could have done better. Just like her entry to the music business, I'm sure her daddy paid them a pretty penny. Had to look her up when she was on SNL a while ago, to find out how someone like that would be given that spot.

  • Probert Probert on Aug 23, 2012

    I'm not sure that not selling too many records makes you indie. She's more of an internet phenom than a music world phenom and I'm not sure she's a phenom any more.

  • FreedMike This is before Cadillac styling went full scale nutty...and not particularly attractive, in my opinion.
  • JTiberius1701 Middle of April here in NE Ohio. And that can still be shaky. Also on my Fiesta ST, I use Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires for the winter and Bridgestone Potenza for my summer tires. No issues at all.
  • TCowner We've had a 64.5 Mustang in the family for the past 40 years. It is all original, Rangoon Red coupe with 289 (one of the first instead of the 260), Rally Pac, 4-speed, factory air, every option. Always gets smiles and thumbs ups.
  • ToolGuy This might be a good option for my spouse when it becomes available -- thought about reserving one but the $500 deposit is a little too serious. Oh sorry, that was the Volvo EX30, not the Mustang. Is Volvo part of Ford? Is the Mustang an EV? I'm so confused.
  • Mikey My late wife loved Mustangs ..We alway rented one while travelling . GM blood vetoed me purchasing one . 3 years after retirement bought an 08 rag top, followed by a 15 EB Hard top, In 18 i bought a low low mileage 05 GT rag with a stick.. The car had not been properly stored. That led to rodent issues !! Electrical nightmare. Lots of bucks !! The stick wasn't kind to my aging knees.. The 05 went to a long term dedicated Mustang guy. He loves it .. Today my garage tenant is a sweet 19 Camaro RS rag 6yl Auto. I just might take it out of hibernation this weekend. The Mustang will always hold a place in my heart.. Kudos to Ford for keeping it alive . I refuse to refer to the fake one by that storied name .
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