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In Certain Segments, Especially Compact Cars And Midsize Cars - Women Make Up Nearly Half Of All Buyers

So far this year, women accounted for 36 percent of all new car and truck purchases, according to the Power Information Network, although some in the auto industry say the figure is closer to 45 percent. In certain segments, especially compact cars and midsize cars, women make up nearly half of all buyers. Women also account for at least half of all sales at Volvo, Honda and Toyota, and for about half of all sales of the newly redesigned Ford Mustang.

Some progress has been made: Seven women are among the 52 top corporate officers at Ford - that's up from one in 1996 - and the company leads the U.S. auto industry. Similarly, Ford employs about 2,100 women with engineering degrees, compared with nearly 11,100 male engineers. The number of female engineers has more than doubled since 1990, and the number of men has increased about 21 percent.

"It has improved significantly from five to 10 years ago, but we really still are just beginning to tap (women's) business knowledge," said Felicia Fields, Ford's vice president of human resources, adding that too many women at Ford are in staff positions instead of having responsibility for profit and loss.

But the old, male-dominated car culture will not die easily. Karen Rafferty, who directs Cadillac Motorsports and oversees marketing for the V-series performance Cadillacs, found that out a few weeks ago when she entered an amateur racing tournament and was blocked from competing directly against men. She proceeded to post a faster time than all but three men out of a field of 110.

"That made people stop and look," Rafferty said. "You just have to prove your salt anywhere you go.

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