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Subaru seeks to dump 'quirky,' broaden appeal

When Subaru arrived in the United States in the 1960s, ads used the unflattering slogan "cheap and ugly." The brand has come a long way. But to critics, the concept of "Subaru styling" is still an oxymoron. Even loyalists describe it as "quirky"; the less charitable choose "bland" and "boxy." Subaru is one of the few brands that have been unscathed, even growing stronger, during the U.S.

Mercedes-Benz buys naming rights to the Louisiana Superdome

New Orleans' Louisiana Superdome, home at one time or another to Super Bowl champions and Hurricane Katrina refugees, is now home to a luxury-car brand. The arena was renamed the Mercedes-Benz Superdome this week after the carmaker acquired naming rights for 10 years. "The investment being made by a premier international brand who believes in 'the best or nothing,' is a tremendous compliment to all of those who worked so hard to make the stadium what it is today," said Tom Benson, owner of the NFL's New Orleans Saints.

Behind The Scenes: Hot Wheels Design Studio [w/Video]

Hot Wheels' vice president of design Felix Holst has spent some time chatting to Cool Hunting about the brand's design philosophy at its Design Studio at Mattel's headquarters in El Segundo, California, in a new video. According to Holst Hot Wheels has evolved from being focused on muscle cars and V8 engines to being all about technology as a reflection of the new generation they're designing for.  He explains the benefits of designing over 240 vehicles a year that aren't limited by rules and regulations, saying in a studio that's driven by pushing the boundaries, it's a question of just how wild they can get.  The video really captures not only the men's passion for their jobs but the fun they have doing it. Small wonder Holst says he'd never go back to car design, and reveals the studio is packed with qualified car designers who chose Hot Wheels over conventional jobs in the industry.  We also hear from Hot Wheels Car Maker's designer Julian Payne, who explains how the new Car Maker – which gives you the chance to mold your own custom Hot Wheels at home – works.