Have you ever wondered about the differences in the tastes of men and women when it comes to cars? Clearly, men prefer cars that look tough and masculine and ooze power while women prefer cars that are “cute” and stylish, right? Well, that’s true to a certain extent, according to a recent study on car ownership between the sexes. However, what may be surprising to some is that there are areas of common interest between men and women and that both actually share a liking for the same favorite cars.

According to registration records for new 2005 and 2006 car models (January 2006 to the present), men love luxurious, high performance cars, preferably with a horsepower of 367 or more. On the other hand, women prefer cars that are affordable, practical and safe. They also put a premium on design flair in their cars as evidenced by the popularity of the Eclipse Spyder convertible, which had the highest percentage of female registrants of any car on the market. The preferred horsepower for the women’s cars were way below the standards of men, with the top five models having only an average 172 hp compared to 367 hp in the men’s favorites. It was just like you expected, right?

It was interesting to see the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder on top of the list of women’s favorite cars. If you take a good look at it, it does somehow seem like a feminine-looking car. But hold it. The Eclipse Spyder also happens to be the car of choice among 34.2% of male registrants. In fact, the study showed that registration records indicate that men sometimes buy feminine cars but women rarely purchase male-oriented, testosterone-fueled sports and luxury cars.

The thing is, what really makes a feminine car? I mean, I always considered the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder to be a masculine car ever since I first saw it in the 2003 movie “2 Fast 2 Furious,” particularly since it belonged to the angry, muscular ex-convict played by Tyrese Gibson.

The next popular cars for women were the Toyota RAV4 sport utility vehicle (SUV) and another Mitsubishi favorite, the hardtop Eclipse coupe. The men’s favorites were the Honda Acura NSX sports car and DaimlerChrysler’s Mercedes-Benz S55 AMG performance sedan.

The redesigned 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder convertible, which goes on sale in March, has a base price of $25,984, including shipping. The base GS model has a 2.4-liter inline-four engine that can produce 162 hp. It is mated to a five-speed manual transmission.

The 3.8-liter V-6 engine in the GT model makes 260 hp and is mated to a six-speed manual. Its price starts at $28,864, including shipping. Mitsubishi Motors North America expects sales to be evenly split between the two models.

Designed to appeal to convertible and sports car enthusiasts of all ages, the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GT echoes the concept-car design of its coupe sibling with sleek, taut, muscular lines and engaging details such as bright finish LED tail lamps and monocle-lens head lamps.

“The new Eclipse Spyder GT captures the essence of Mitsubishi by offering customers a stand-out design and performance at an affordable price,” said Rich Gilligan, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors North America. “Its high-quality automatic top makes Eclipse Spyder GT a convertible for all seasons and is more like a top you would expect to see on a $40,000 car than one that starts at under $26,000.”

The Eclipse Spyder GT challenges more expensive sports models with its 260-horsepower, 3.8-liter V6 engine mated to either a standard six-speed manual transmission or an optional five-speed automatic. The GT’s 258 lb-ft of peak torque gives this model “right now” off-the-line response. With the standard six-speed manual transmission, the Spyder GT can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in about seven seconds.

The 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GT arrives in Mitsubishi dealerships in April.

For the best deals on Mitsubishi models, contact your favorite Mitsubishi Car Dealer, Manly Mitsubishi in Santa Rosa, CA. [PRWEB]

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