Most of us best recall Alanis Morrissette as the gal who made ex-boyfriends around the world squirm uncomfortably whenever her songs came on the air. But it’s been 13 years since she gave us “You Oughta Know,” and today Alanis is singing a different tune.

No longer the angry young woman, today she is an environmentally minded artist and has gone from being green with envy to simply being green. And for her latest video, she wants to take audiences along for the ride.

To that end, she has partnered with Mercedes-Benz, showcasing their E320 BlueTEC in her latest video, “Underneath.” The first single from her new album, Flavors of Entanglement, the video revolves around Morrissette and her concern for the environment. It shows her wearing a “Save the Earth” T-shirt at a Los Angeles bus stop and then distributing fliers about the environment – presumably on recycled paper.

Mercedes gets in the act when the E320 BlueTEC passes, and she salutes the driver for their environmentally aware choice. So what made the BlueTEC her eco-friendly car of choice?

First off, it uses a state-of-the-art engine and exhaust technology, which produces the cleanest diesels available. That allows the V6 to provide the power of a V8 with the fuel consumption of a four-cylinder compact. Neat trick, huh?

Beyond the immediate benefit of fuel efficiency, the long-term benefit includes significantly lower carbon dioxide emissions. The Benz E320 BlueTEC was impressive enough to be named the 2007 World Green Car by automotive journalists – and clearly that’s good enough for Alanis.

In case the sedan isn’t your style, this fall Mercedes will roll out a trio of SUVs – the ML320 BlueTEC, the larger GL320 BlueTEC and the less-easy-to-define-as-a-SUV R320 BlueTEC. So if you want to help Alanis save the planet, check out these cars. If not, don’t worry – I won’t say anything. We’ve all seen how she can be when she’s mad…

 The idea for On Wheels in Heels is one that has rolled around in my head for a couple of years – but one that I couldn’t ignore. As a freelance writer, I frequently meet women who are passionate about their cars, but I’ve found a noticeable lack of publications that are interested in covering automobiles from a female perspective.

Just as with most things in life, men and women approach cars differently. This truth was accentuated for me a week ago when I participated in one of World Class Driving’s luxury car tours. We spent Sunday morning near Bandera, Texas, at the wheel of such spectacular cars as the Mercedes McLaren (pictured at the top of this page), the Ferrari F430, the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, the Porsche 911 Twin Turbo and the new Audi R8. (I have to say, there are much worse ways to spend the day!)

Afterward, the men I talked to wanted to know how much horsepower the cars had and how fast we went; women talked about the beauty of the cars and wanted to know how they handled. Even when our interests are shared, I think the way the two genders appreciate their particular passions are approached completely different.

On Wheels in Heels is meant to be a place where women can discover more about luxury cars, but also check out the latest gadgets and accessories. (Because, as you know, even in a car, we must accessorize.) It’s a place to “ooh” and “aah” over great new cars and even learn a little bit about what’s happening with other female drivers.

I hope you’ll feel welcome to join the conversation or start one of your own; tell your friends and ask them to join us. Because, like most experiences in life, this journey was meant to be shared.