As Ford has been coming out of a sales and quality slump for the past several years, the automaker has been gaining more customers and restoring its reputation. As a boost for the auto company, mogul Kirk Kerkorian is investing millions of dollars into the Ford Motor Company to boost its efforts.

Earlier this week, the investor disclosed that he acquired nearly five percent of the automaker’s stake to help Ford once again show a profit.  To do this, his Tracinda Corporation investment company made an offer of $170 million for nearly 20 million shares of stock. The shares had a price of approximately $8.50 at the time of the deal.

You might be wondering why a 90-year-old billionaire would want to invest so much money into the Dearborn-based automaker. In the last few years, he’s involved himself in the auto industry by trying to buy Chrysler and invest in other automakers, too. But analysts think he wants people to remember him as one of the main investors who helped the Ford Motor Company, an icon of the United States and the auto industry as a whole, come through its troubled times.

Others say Kerkorian respects the impressive way Ford managed a comeback in such a short time, overcoming its dismal standing to regain a top industry spot.  A spokesperson also stated that the investment reinforces the recognition that Alan Mulally earned by doing such a great job in turning the automaker’s situation around.

You might not be able to afford a multi-million-dollar investment in the company, but you can still purchase a vehicle from your local Ford dealer. It’s not only a great investment in Ford but also an ideal investment in your family and your future.

The relationship between sex and cars has been a long standing one, but nowhere has it become more obvious than in India where three design students recently received recognition for their vehicle designs based on the Kamasutra. This isn’t your average new Ford truck but high end Italian designers are sitting up and taking notice.

Ramesh Gound, Neerav Panchal, and Shailendra Petwal, three students from India’s National Institute of Design, recently entered a design contest. The contest was held by designers from numerous auto companies, including Ford. The contestants were challenged to develop a luxury car for the Indian market. The competition had many entries, but the Kamasutra one took the cake.

When asked to comment on the designs, Pradyumna Vyas, head of academics at NID, said “The designs are contemporary but rooted in Indian culture. It’s a big recognition for the students, which comes right after a good show at the design competition”.

More conceptual in nature, the car designs are made up of flowing lines and virtually no corners. According to Ramesh Gound, the Kamasutra represents “two objects coming together and moving in one direction with a force of passion.” He incorporated this idea into his designs and came up with a vehicle that seats two people, one behind the other, much “like a bike, but with a back-rest”.

While it’s hard to say if designing cars after sex manuals is a new trend, apparently someone seems to think so. All three students received internships at the leading design house Pininfirina of Italy. The design isn’t likely to make it onto your local new Ford truck lot, but it’s great to see students getting more creative than your average sedan.

If Kamasutra motorcycle cars are a little too racy for you, you can always hop over and check out the new Ford and Mercury specials at Sunset Ford.