Car choices: Men are from Italy, women are from Sweden

In a study result that surprises no one, it turns out that women prefer small cars and crossovers while men like Ferraris. At least according to TrueCar's annual report on the subject, that is. Mini, Nissan, Kia and Honda models are purchased by women about 45 percent of the time.

Mini Paceman

Mini has presented its latest model, the Paceman, as it ventures into a new vehicle class. Appearing – almost to the millimeter, bar colour and trim detailing – to be the Paceman concept seen at NAIAS 2011 in Detroit, the Paceman Sports Activity Coupe features many traditional Mini design cues. Where it moves away from them, it is in keeping the new-style squared off front lamps of the Countryman (with which it shares a front end up to the base of the windscreen) and a roofline which tapers down much more than we've seen in any previous ‘new' Mini before.

Chevrolet Volt, Sonic Super Bowl ads hit the Web

Chevrolet released its Super Bowl ads featuring the Volt with some intergalactic visitors and the Sonic with insects. In the Volt ad, despite the owner's best efforts to explain the concept of a gas/electric hybrid, the aliens are distracted and take an interest in the owner's wife when she comes out of the house. For the Sonic ad, titled “Joy,” for once bugs on the grille of a car isn't a bad thing.