Henry Ford's first car was an object of utility, but since there has been competition, fantasy is what cars have been about. It's an enrichment of our culture to have objects, to have symbolism and express fantasy. It would be indeed a very dull automotive world if utility and function were the only values. Whatever the designers tell us the identification between body and car is stronger for men than it is for women. It's men who suffer more from road rage, thought to be caused by feelings of anger at invasion of personal space.
Women are also less likely to be deluded into thinking of the car as their second skin.
While men and women want the same attributes from a car, they want them in a different order of priority, with safety a much higher priority for women. Men are also involved in more fatal accidents. In fact insurance companies recognise that men and women present different levels of risk while driving. Overall, more men than women hold driving licences, while women of all age groups over 20 are more dependent on public transport than men. Men use their cars for business trips and long-distance commuting.