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Nissan to alter design philosophy to attract females and younger buyers

Nissan will transform its design philosophy in an attempt to reengage with its female and younger buyers, the carmaker's director of Global Upstream Planning Rachel Nguyen has revealed. Speaking at the Nissan 360 event in the US, she announced Nissan is planning new gender-specific concepts to explore what women expect from their vehicles. "When we study the ideal vehicle partner qualities that women customers want, we hear that they want vehicles with effective technologies, especially intuitive navigation systems," she said.

Designers dress up Mini Cooper

Canadian design duo DSquared2 has released initial sketches of the Mini Cooper Countryman it outfitted for this year's Life Ball, which is on May 21 in Vienna, Austria. Each year, the small-car maker commissions designers to dress up a Mini to be auctioned off at the Life Ball, which donates proceeds to the fight against HIV and AIDS. The “Red Mudder,” as the car is called, is branded with a maple leaf on both doors and a DSquared2 logo on the front shield and wheels.

Eight hot rods compete for Ridler Award in Detroit

The 59th Annual Autorama has taken over Cobo Center in downtown Detroit with hundreds of hot rods, customs classics cars and motorcycles in what has been billed as America's greatest hot rod show. Judges have selected eight vehicles--dubbed the Great 8--as finalists for the coveted Ridler Award that will be presented Sunday evening at the show's conclusion. The Great 8 are: -- Jim Marciniak from Andover, Minn., with a 1963 Buick.