All-women auto event took attendees on test-driving frenzy

High heels aren’t the preferred footwear for putting the pedal to the metal, but they do work well in a logo for an all-women’s automotive event.

In this case, the event featured 14 vehicles totaling $667,430 and 4,293 horsepower. The event is Heels &Wheels. It’s the brainchild of entrepreneur Christine Overstreet, president of Overstreet Events, based in Portland, Oregon. She saw a need for women involved in the automotive world to get together and talk shop. Her own career includes many years in the industry.

Now in its third year, Heels &Wheels took place last week in Southern California. Women from around the country attended, including members of the automotive media, lifestyle and automotive bloggers, and automotive manufacturer representatives. A presentation by Kelley Blue Book revealed results of their gender analysis research into how men and women differ when it comes to buying cars. Autoliv gave a demonstration of its Night Vision driver-alert system, which uses infrared technology to actively detect pedestrians or animals on a dark road.

Alison Rahm, chief engineer for the Dodge Charger, Dodge Challenger and Chrysler 300, gave a lively presentation about her interesting work experiences. Now, back to those 14 vehicles. Thirteen cars and one truck, specifically. We spent a whole day taking turns driving them on highways and curvy backroads near Westlake Village and Agoura Hills.

In alphabetical order, here’s what we drove:

Click here to see photos and reviews of the 14 vehicles test driven at Heels &Wheels.

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