View Poll Results: What gender do you think the W205 is best suited for?
MALE
14
25.93%
FEMALE
5
9.26%
UNISEX
35
64.81%
Voters: 54. You may not vote on this poll
W205 - Male or Female Car??
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2014
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Mercedes C250 (W205)
W205 - Male or Female Car??
This is my first Merc that I have ever owned and love it!!, but I'm curious to seek other peoples opinions in regards to their thoughts on whether or not the new W205 is a more "female", "male" or "unisex" kind of car 
I am upgrading from a big sporty V8 muscle car, so very different style for me. I really love the look and styling of the new C Class, but have made mine to look as "manly" as possible by getting the black, adding the sport pack and even getting the brake calipers red.... but most cars seem to attract a more female or male following.....So I'm interested to see how the new C Class is perceived in the public eye
I am upgrading from a big sporty V8 muscle car, so very different style for me. I really love the look and styling of the new C Class, but have made mine to look as "manly" as possible by getting the black, adding the sport pack and even getting the brake calipers red.... but most cars seem to attract a more female or male following.....So I'm interested to see how the new C Class is perceived in the public eye
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 47
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Mercedes C250 (W205)
Frank69m summed it up nicely for me by quoting the below:
"For W205
C300 = Girl
C400 = 50/50 Girl/Boy
C63 = Boy"
Only thing is, that in Australia we only have the C200 and the C250 available at the moment which would make it a girly car .... :-(
"For W205
C300 = Girl
C400 = 50/50 Girl/Boy
C63 = Boy"
Only thing is, that in Australia we only have the C200 and the C250 available at the moment which would make it a girly car .... :-(
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 55
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2015 C400
In general I would say Mercedes is more attractive to women and BMW is more attractive to Men. Mercedes tends to be luxury first sport second. BMW tends to be sport first, luxury second. Women value luxury more than sport.
Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 101
Likes: 3
C-300
Even though the C300 wouldn't be described as "macho" I don't think it needs to be. I don't think Jaguars or Aston Martins are particularly "macho" either. That said, I do think that this is the most masculine I've seen the C300 in years. I had no intention of buying it and yet it impressed me the most out of what I test drove.
Also you can't look at these in a bubble. Although I like the look of the BMW 3 series, I would argue that it was more feminine (or more unisex) than its predecessor. The 4 series looks more masculine but comes at the expense of large trade-offs in terms of rear seat space. Finally where I live, the 3 series can't escape its reputation of being for douchey 20-year olds who can barely afford to buy it but the parents are helping out (and this is coming from someone that had the 3 series as the top choice and we own an X5).
The A4 just looks pedestrian. We will see when its updated later this year.
But I don't know how things are in your country and what defines masculinity. For example, in much of the US the mustang, charger, and camaro (or just buying a truck) define masculinity and all of these entry level luxury cars are for girls. Things are a bit different in the NY metro area.
Also you can't look at these in a bubble. Although I like the look of the BMW 3 series, I would argue that it was more feminine (or more unisex) than its predecessor. The 4 series looks more masculine but comes at the expense of large trade-offs in terms of rear seat space. Finally where I live, the 3 series can't escape its reputation of being for douchey 20-year olds who can barely afford to buy it but the parents are helping out (and this is coming from someone that had the 3 series as the top choice and we own an X5).
The A4 just looks pedestrian. We will see when its updated later this year.
But I don't know how things are in your country and what defines masculinity. For example, in much of the US the mustang, charger, and camaro (or just buying a truck) define masculinity and all of these entry level luxury cars are for girls. Things are a bit different in the NY metro area.
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Super Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 789
Likes: 47
From: Eastern Massachusetts
2021 E450, 2020 C43, 2015 C300, 2007 C280
Nonsense
Real men (and real women) talk about cars, not the cars' (or their own) sexuality (or lack of it). This is a car blog. There must be a sexuality blog somewhere. With a little research, you people who want to talk about sexuality can find it.
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Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 55
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2015 C400
Disagree strongly with this. The C400 will appeal to very very few women. The vast majority of women could not care less about the engine in their C class. The only women I see buying a C400 are women who just want the most expensive C class because they can afford it.
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2014
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2015 C400
Wrong. The OP has a valid and interesting question. You can choose to ignore that some cars have more appeal to one sex or another, but that doesn't make it any less of a fact. I see no reason why the topic should be beneath us.
Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 116
Likes: 1
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
2015 C400 4Matic
im straight man, or at least methinks, and i will choose 250/300/400 depending on my needs and circumstance.
I think cla/glk is a girl car but i definitely believe a lot of people will agree to disagree with me or simply don't give. you can assign a gender/sexuality to any car and people couldn't care less about what you or i think, if they like it.
I think cla/glk is a girl car but i definitely believe a lot of people will agree to disagree with me or simply don't give. you can assign a gender/sexuality to any car and people couldn't care less about what you or i think, if they like it.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 373
Likes: 1
From: Nagoya, Japan
'15 C200 AMG line, '08 C300 Sport Avantgarde, '07 Jeep Grand Cherokee Ltd, '02 CLK 200 (gone)
...it depends on how you're driving it. 
Admittedly, though, our C200 will be my wife's everyday driver. She loves the mid-size benzes. (We have the A-, B-, and CLA-classes here, so the C-class is mid-size.)
I certainly won't feel emasculated when I drive it. I look forward to it. I'll probably enjoy it more than our W204 C300.
Admittedly, though, our C200 will be my wife's everyday driver. She loves the mid-size benzes. (We have the A-, B-, and CLA-classes here, so the C-class is mid-size.)
I certainly won't feel emasculated when I drive it. I look forward to it. I'll probably enjoy it more than our W204 C300.
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 49
Likes: 1
From: UK
VW Golf GTD
Sometimes I give cars names. When I (male) do, it's always a female name. Presumably in your eyes, that has an impact on my own sexuality.
And who are you to judge what "real" (in your eyes) men and women talk about? You also seem to confuse opinion with fact, and forums with blogs.
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
w205
I was about to complain about how silly it is to call a car 'girly' but then I saw the picture just above this post, and think of the white GLK I currently have as a loaner, and agree that there are definitely girly cars.
For the c class at least, its all about color, not engine.
For the c class at least, its all about color, not engine.
Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 171
Likes: 1
Ferrari, Lexus, Toyota
Interesting to read the posts, I'm not sure if you mean:
1- which sex is likely to "prefer" the car as it's built, or
2- sexual preference the car goes after in marketing (leaning masculine/feminine), or
3- if we'd refer to our car as which "gender".
For me on the above
1- I'm a lady and like football more than sewing. I like Porsche more than soccer mom vans, unless I'm hauling kids, then I'll take the van. I'm sure many ages and sexualities were involved in their focus groups, so it's built for anyone who can afford it and likes it, as it should be.
2- Most of the free world has already abandoned putting everyone in masculine/feminine peg holes. Then again, it's already 2015 and Supreme Court just today taking on gay marriage bans, the USA is behind in this sexuality tolerence more than our math scores. I digress. To speculate which genders would like which engine, color or style to me is speculative and is really only in the eye of the beholder.
3- I refer to my cars as both he, she, it, and a variety of terms, depends on the mood, and if the car's in the shop. Probably has more to do with my own preconceived notions than the design of the car though.
In the end, I voted unisexual. Probably more a psychological poll than one about automobiles. And I'm sure has a huge generational component to the answers.
1- which sex is likely to "prefer" the car as it's built, or
2- sexual preference the car goes after in marketing (leaning masculine/feminine), or
3- if we'd refer to our car as which "gender".
For me on the above
1- I'm a lady and like football more than sewing. I like Porsche more than soccer mom vans, unless I'm hauling kids, then I'll take the van. I'm sure many ages and sexualities were involved in their focus groups, so it's built for anyone who can afford it and likes it, as it should be.
2- Most of the free world has already abandoned putting everyone in masculine/feminine peg holes. Then again, it's already 2015 and Supreme Court just today taking on gay marriage bans, the USA is behind in this sexuality tolerence more than our math scores. I digress. To speculate which genders would like which engine, color or style to me is speculative and is really only in the eye of the beholder.
3- I refer to my cars as both he, she, it, and a variety of terms, depends on the mood, and if the car's in the shop. Probably has more to do with my own preconceived notions than the design of the car though.
In the end, I voted unisexual. Probably more a psychological poll than one about automobiles. And I'm sure has a huge generational component to the answers.
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 8
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'15 C300 RWD Luxury
Like all great design, the car combines both masculine and feminine elements in what Mercedes refers to as sensual purity. It's easy to dismiss most design speak, but in this case I think they nailed it. The most striking and feminine aspect is the dropping line harking back to 30s car design as opposed to the ubiquitous wedge shape.
"The core of our design philosophy is sensual purity," Wagener says. "We wanted to create something different. The dropping line strengthens the proportions of a rear-drive car. It visually lengthens the hood and drops toward the rear wheel. It sits on the rear wheel well."
http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars...-class-design/
"The core of our design philosophy is sensual purity," Wagener says. "We wanted to create something different. The dropping line strengthens the proportions of a rear-drive car. It visually lengthens the hood and drops toward the rear wheel. It sits on the rear wheel well."
http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars...-class-design/
Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 161
Likes: 1
From: USA
W205
Which brings me to the original point that I wanted to make.. Most of the votes on this forum say the C-class is more for men or is unisex, which is not surprising since most forum members here are men. Same deal on other forum sites such as Bimmerpost, Mini, Porsche, and of course Miata. Guys would rarely think of their own cars as girly.. unless it's a minivan.. but that's a whole different discussion
Anyways, I think this debate basically occurs for many cars that are: smallish/compact, <$100k, not the fastest in the model range or is outclassed by a similar car, and have a level of creature comforts.
For example:
- People can debate whether 3-series/A4/IS250 is a chick car or hairdresser's car, but few would say the same about the M3/M4/S4/IS-F.
- Same argument for Mini. Mini = chick, Mini John Cooper Works = not chick
- Boxster = chick, Boxster S = less chick
- Lotus = not chick. All hardcore cars here, not much in terms of creature comforts, so not a lot of debate.
It may be fun to debate, but it's ultimately pointless.
