OK, the answer to that question may seem obvious, but you might be surprised.

According to a recent poll, called the Challenge X Survey, about 88 percent of women said they would be more likely to stop and strike up a conversation with guys who are driving the latest fuel-efficient car as opposed to someone cruising around in a hot new sports car. What’s more, about 80 percent of car buyers here in the U.S. say they would rather spend quality time at a party talking to someone in a fuel-efficient auto rather than an exotic sports model.

This kind of information could cause quite a stir among males planning a mid-life crisis – in the past, they’ve been able to buy a Corvette (or some other life-affirming symbol of their manly power) and call it good. But in light of this new information, what’s a guy to do?

Does this mean that they’ll be trading their Hummers for Hondas? They just might, once they discover that more and more women are turning their attention toward cars that are green instead of admiring those fast, mean machines. What’s more, most respondents in the 18-to-43-year-old category said they consider it a fashion faux pas to buy a car that’s not environmentally friendly.

This, of course, poses questions for those tooling around in the kinds of cars that would only be green if you painted them. What does it mean for their future? That remains to be seen.

Until automakers start producing hybrid and electric vehicles that are as sleek and sporty as their gas-guzzling counterparts, auto enthusiasts are in a challenging position. Yes, I want to save the polar bears … but I’m also infatuated with the Bentley Continental. Fortunately, several automakers are trying to follow in the footsteps of the California-based Tesla Motors and give us some sexy yet environmentally friendly cars. Honestly, it just can’t happen soon enough.

A few years ago, a guy (who drove a minivan) tried to convince me that the car you drive has nothing to do with who you are. But we all know that it says as much about you as the music you listen to, the clothes you choose to wear and the style of home you live in. That’s not a shallow indictment of an individual’s strengths and shortcomings, but rather an outward indication of what matters is most important to them.

Perhaps what this survey is saying is that it really is what’s inside – or in this case, under the hood – that counts. What we need now are more cars that take that inner beauty and look as good on the outside as they do under the hood.

• Start-Ups Race To Produce Green Cars [via Zemanta]
• Putting the zoom into electric cars [via Zemanta]
• All About: Greener driving [via Zemanta]

It’s Wednesday, that inevitable middle-of-the-week moment when the end is in sight, but you’ve still got to get through the day before you can claim the joy of sliding toward the weekend.

In my ever-present quest to find new and improved ways to increase my energy, I found the perfect companion for those weekday blahs. And it just might be the best buddy you could have on a road trip, too. If you’ve ever hopped yourself up on a Venti Latte to keep your eyelids open for the drive … only to find yourself in the middle of nowhere desperately searching for a bathroom … this drink’s for you.

Shotz is the latest addition to the burgeoning energy drink market, and it offers a healthier alternative to caffeine-based energy drinks. (Another plus about this particular array of products is that they aren’t filled with the kind of sugary sweetness that makes you feel like you’re sneaking a drink of your kid’s Kool-Aid.) The two-ounce bottles pack an energy punch that will give you a boost for about six hours and, since it relies on vitamins (mostly B6 and B12) for its main source of fuel, instead of sugar and caffeine, you won’t get that jittery feel after you’ve used it. Instead, it’s just a nice little boost to help you make it through the day.

It has about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee, so if you’re not a java junkie you’ll probably feel this a bit more than your caffeinated friends. But it’s not going to send you flying and then leave you face-down on your desk (or dashboard) when it wears off.

My favorite flavors are the Watermelon and the Sour Apple, both of which taste kind of like a Jolly Rancher. And again, I just have to give a thumbs-up to whomever came up with the idea of putting all that fuel in such a small package. Six hours of energy from a two-ounce drink is much better than four or five hours of turbo power from a 12-ounce bladder buster. (Fewer bathroom breaks = more productivity and/or more time on the road instead of beside it.)

So whether you need it to get through this mid-week workday, or want an extra boost on your next road trip, I strongly recommend you check it out.

Calling the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 a beautiful car is a lot like saying Samantha on Sex and the City has “had a few boyfriends.” The Veyron so far exceeds the expectations of most sports cars that it is truly in a class of its own. This stunning mid-engined racer sports a W16 under the hood and an elegant two-tone exterior with sleek, fluid lines that give it instant grace and beauty. The oversized grill gives a nod to its racing roots, while everything else about this car exudes modern elegance. And flat-out speed.

With only 300 of these 1,001-horsepower cars planned for production, however, the chances of sitting in one – let alone driving it – seemed slim at best. For most of the world, the only experience they’ll have with the Bugatti is through web images accompanied by such staggering facts as its top speed (over 250 mph), it acceleration (0-100 in 5.5 seconds) and its price tag (around $1.2 million).

However, for those who really have to add “Driving the Bugatti” to their own personal Bucket List, Beverly Hills Rent-A-Car has a deal for you. They’ve added a gorgeous blue-and-white Bugatti to their stable, and you can spend a day inside this dream car for just $25,000.

At just over $1,000 an hour, it’s cheaper than a good divorce attorney and a lot more fun to spend time with. And who knows – maybe if you just can’t part with it after a day on the road, they’ll give you a special deal on a weekly rate.

Let me know how that works out for you.

The Corvette is arguably one of America’s best-loved sports cars. Throughout its 50-year history, the Corvette has been at no shortage for attracting ink, but few books talk about this car as thoroughly or eloquently as Jerry Burton in his new book, Corvette: America’s Sports Car – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

Packed with previously unpublished photos from the GM archives, as well as interviews with the engineers and designers who first gave birth to this iconic auto, Burton unfolds the car’s fascinating history and then supplements his facts with vintage magazine stories and ads. All in all, it makes for a great read for ‘Vette fans and becomes a must-have reference book for anyone with an interest in sports cars in general.

The pictures alone make this worth an hour or two of your time; the images are gorgeous and are beautifully showcased in this oversized tome. It even includes images of the 2009 ZR1 Blue Devil, which is Chevrolet’s 600 horsepower supercharged 6.2 liter V8.

Pulling it all together is an impressive binding which makes this book an instant eye catcher. The brilliant “Corvette Red” padded vinyl cover is topped off with Corvette’s crossed-flags hood emblem, meaning you won’t want to put this one on the shelf – you will absolutely have to leave it out for guests to admire.

If you already own the car, you might as well read the book! And if you don’t own the car – this just might be the book to convince you to give it a second look. The book retails for $75, and of course you can find it online at Amazon.com.

One of the biggest conflicts facing many auto enthusiasts comes from knowing the atrocities that their vehicles commit upon the environment.

While I won’t drink from a landfill-clogging plastic bottle, I will happily jump inside a gas-guzzling sports car with a carbon footprint that rivals Bigfoot. I know it’s wrong.

And I know I’m not alone in this conflict.

About a year ago, I was talking about cars and biodiesel fuel with Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing to you “Dallas” fans…) and he touted his passion for the Prius. Yep, the man who played the King of Oil in the ’80s drives a hybrid. His wife, Maj, meanwhile, confessed to absolutely loving her Ferrari – even though she knows it doesn’t fall in the eco-friendly category. Not even close. So what’s a girl to do?

Up until now, the options have either been to park it and assuage your guilt, or ignore that pesky conscience and hit the gas. But Fisker Automotive has a better plan.

The California-based car company first introduced its prototype, the Fisker Karma, five months ago at the North American International Auto Show. Since then, they’ve received some 500 orders for the luxury hybrid car, which is slated to be on the market in 2009. The company plans to hit a production schedule of 1,250 cars per month in 2010.

The numbers are impressive – this plug-in hybrid will hit 125 mph in sport mode, and tops out at 95 mph in electric (or “stealth”) mode. And the styling lets you know that this is no ordinary plug-in. With a sleek, low-slung profile, the Karma hugs the ground and stands about as tall as the Porsche 911 and is about as wide as BMW’s M-series cars.

The Fisker Karma goes from 0-60 in less than six seconds, and includes a full-length solar roof to help charge the car – and keep it cool – while it’s parked.

Inside, you’ll find all the electronic creature comforts required for today’s driver, including a built-in navigation system, DVD system and state-of-the art push-button controls. Of course, we’ve yet to see how this dream car translates from the showroom to the open road, but it looks like one of the most promising things to jump off the drawing board in quite some time.

And with a price point of $80,000, it’s easier on the checkbook than many sportsters out there – even before you start saving money on fuel.

Great styling and performance without the guilt? Now that’s what I call great Karma! Maj Hagman, I think your car is calling…

 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.