OUTDRIVER MAGAZINE, the leading gay/bisexually slanted automotive insider trade magazine, recently named their "10 most important homosexual movers and shakers in the auto industry", and in so doing destroyed the career of French-born car designer Francois LeFavre. LeFavre, the head designer of the the 2000 CHRYSLER CONCORDE has now filed a discrimination law suit against the CHRYSLER corporation, but the evidence CHRYSLER is using against him may insure that LeFavre never works again. Sadly, the 2001 model is quite a different CHYSLER CONCORDE than its predecessor.

According to Miles St. Clarke, a spokesman for the CHRYSLER company, the OUTDRIVER MAGAZINE article did in fact draw attention to LeFavre, but he was not fired on the grounds of his sexual orientation. According to St. Clarke, the outing made certain aspects of LeFavre's design work come to light. When a full company investigation was conducted based upon the sexual-orientation-inspired aspects of LeFavre's design-work many shocking facts became apparent.

First and foremost, a background check uncovered the startling revelation that LeFavre was the chief designer involved with the ill-fated LeCAR. The LeCAR, voted by OUTDRIVER as "the gayest car of all time", is considered the laughing stock of the Auto Industry. It is an unwritten rule of the Auto industry that anyone involved with the production of either the YUGO or the LeCAR has been permanently blackballed. Apparently LeFavre neglected to mention his affiliation with the LeCAR project on his resume'.

CHRYSLER is using the fact that LeFavre lied about his past as grounds for his dismissal, but insiders say that there is much more involved.

Apparently, after reconsidering LeFavre's work, the CHRYSLER company has come to the conclusion that many of his designs bordered on the "effeminate." Said one high ranking CHRYSLER official who asked to remain unidentified: "We (CHRYSLER) wish to sell only non-gender-specific automobiles, but now fear that some models may have inadvertantly been made available for public consumption with several gender-issues inherent in their design."

CHRYSLER refuses to publicly comment. Several gay-rights organizations have been outspoken against LeFavre's dismissal and the fact that sexually-specific auto design is being surpressed. Said one activist: "this sets gay rights back ten years... we just want the world to know that a car can be gay and still be NORMAL... now CHRYSLER is telling us that it isn't OK to be GAY... even if you're a CAR!"

So one side claims that LeFavre was fired for lying, the other side claims that he was fired for designing an overtly gay car. The anonymous scuttlebut in the middle claims that the real problem was the fact that there was a violation of CHRYSLER's unwritten "we produce non-gender specific automobiles" policy.

A glance at the standard features offers no tell-tale-signs of a car that is too effeminate for public consumption, however the recent revisions made by CHRYSLER show a decided difference between the 2000 and 2001 model that offer a hint as to what the company may have considered too "prissy": Some of these revisions include the standard emergency inside trunk release and a rear center lap/shoulder seatbelt. Front seat air bags are now available along with steering wheel radio controls, added power outlets, and the new LX Proportional Steering/Traction Control option. New paint colors now include Black Clearcoat and Deep Sapphire Blue Pearlcoat. Deep Slate and Light Cypress Green Pearlcoat are no longer available.

Perhaps the change in paint color options are most telling.

The 2000 model of the CONCORDE is now a highly-prized collectors item amongst homosexual car enthusiasts. Perhaps the fact that so many of the year 2000 models are selling at such high prices (some have been seen selling on EBAY for as much as $45,000) will send a message to the "big three" car manufacturers, that the time has come to produce cars not just for various economic classes, but also for various sexual orientations. If the tide turns in this way, then we may eventually see LeFavre being applauded for his pioneering efforts with the LeCAR.

Only time will tell, but for now CHRYSLER is remaining staunchly conservative on the issue and LeFavre is still out of a job.
Amount Paid (US$): 24,000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2001
Model and Options: LE