Back in the 1950s, American automakers were experimenting with all sorts of ways to attract new customers. Dodge decided to take a very unusual approach in 1955, introducing a pink-and-white car designed specifically for women, complete with matching fashion accessories.
Called the La Femme, it was based on a full-size Dodge hardtop and featured everything from special upholstery to a matching handbag. Unfortunately for Dodge, its idea of what women wanted in a car didn’t translate into strong sales.
The La Femme disappeared after just two model years, becoming one of the strangest footnotes in Chrysler’s history. Seven decades later, however, collectors are showing much more enthusiasm for the car than buyers did when it was new.
Richmond Auctions recently sold a 1955 Dodge La Femme for an astonishing $120,000 at its Fall Spectacular auction, and as Autoevolution reports, that’s over twice the previous auction record for the model, set more than a decade ago.
A $120,000 Surprise for a Forgotten Dodge
The previous auction record stood at $51,000, achieved in October 2015. Another La Femme sold for just $29,700 that same year, putting the latest result into perspective.
The record-setting example was offered without reserve and showed 55,372 miles on its odometer. Finished in the model’s signature pink-and-white combination, it features the color-coordinated interior that helped distinguish the La Femme from ordinary Dodge hardtops.
Dodge Thought It Knew What Women Wanted
The La Femme emerged after Chrysler experimented with female-focused concept cars in 1954. Dodge subsequently introduced the production version for 1955, based on the Custom Royal Lancer two-door hardtop.
Its cabin featured pale pink upholstery with patterned fabric inserts, while specially designed storage compartments accommodated matching accessories. These included a purse, lipstick case, rain cape, rain hat, and umbrella, turning the car into something resembling a rolling fashion collection.
Underneath the distinctive presentation, however, it was still a conventional full-size Dodge with V8 power. In essence, buyers received the same basic American motoring experience, but wrapped in a marketing package aimed at a specific audience.
A Marketing Failure Becomes a Collector’s Prize
Dodge updated the La Femme for 1956, revising its colors and interior while removing some of the original accessories. It didn’t really help, and sales remained disappointing, so the company decided to discontinue the model before the 1957 model year.
Exact production figures are unknown, although estimates suggest fewer than 2,500 examples were built in total. Surviving cars are rare, particularly those that still have their distinctive factory equipment.
That helps explain why this beautifully presented 1955 example attracted such serious bidding. What began as an unsuccessful marketing experiment has become a valuable piece of automotive history, with one collector now willing to pay $120,000 for the privilege of owning it.