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Autodesk Alias Scan Surfacing webinar takes place on 8 October

Autodesk has announced its latest webinar, which looks at the firm's Alias Scan Surfacing and Quick Surfacing software. The 45-minute webinar will take place on 8 October, and begins at 8am PDT in Los Angeles and 11am EDT in Detroit, which is 16:00 GMT in London and 17:00 CET in Munich. A 15-minute Q&A will follow the presentation.

Honda HR-V small SUV debut at Paris Motor Show

The Honda HR-V small SUV (pictured) debuts at Paris 2014 If the Honda HR-V name sounds familiar, that’s because Honda has already made an HR-V – a small supermini SUV – which arrived in 1999-  but disappeared a few years later before the world fell in love with small, funky SUVs like the Nissan Juke and MINI Countryman. So having been in the small SUV market ahead of the curve – and dropping out again before the market took off – Honda has decided it’s time to bag a share of the seemingly ever-growing small SUV market – a market worth getting on for 100,000 sales a year in the UK – which means only one thing – an all new Honda HR-V. Due to be revealed at the Paris Motor Show next month, Honda are billing the HR-V as a concept, but as far as we can see it’s pretty much production ready, and will arrive in Honda’s UK showrooms in summer 2015.

Wales considers car smoking ban

PEOPLE IN WALES caught smoking with children in their cars could be fined £50. Drivers caught with a cigarette in hand at the wheel while youngsters are strapped up in the back could face an on-the-spot fine. The move aims to protect youngsters from harm caused by second hand smoke, a Welsh government spokesman said.

Apple iWatch illegal to use while driving

The Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed that any driver caught using Apple’s new iWatch wearable technology behind the wheel will receive the same penalty as if they were using a mobile phone. The new “smartwatch” was announced this week and allows wearers to read text messages, make phone calls and browse the internet on the device. On Bing: see pictures of the Apple iWatch Apple to launch app that finds your car The wristwatch is wirelessly linked to the user’s mobile phone, which supplies the data connection to surf the web and make and receive calls.

Brits bamboozled by bizarre rules

EUROPEAN driving laws are leaving Brits in a bit of a pickle, with many people completely unable to separate wacky truths from absurd fiction. To celebrate its new road trip competition, chocolate experts Cadbury dug up a selection of crazy driving laws across the continent and mixed them in with some entirely invented ones to create a quiz that caught many folks by surprise. For a start, 75% of people refused to believe that a dirty car is punishable by law in Belarus.

First Sight: Mercedes-AMG GT

“If I was to buy any sports car that wasn't a Mercedes, it'd be a Porsche 911,” says Mercedes' head of design, Gorden Wagener. “But when you see the two cars together, we think ours has the edge.” He's talking about the new Mercedes-AMG GT, a front-mid engined, two-seater sports car that's unashamedly aimed at higher-end 911s, and we've come to see it at Mercedes' Sindelfingen studio.  The GT replaces the larger SLS, and is seen by Wagener as the best example yet of his 'sensual purity' design philosophy: “The SLS is very much [he gestures] line, line with a surface in between. With the GT we started with the surface and worked to refine and reduce the number of lines.” Elements of the SLS's platform have been carried over, so the GT measures the same 1,939mm wide.

Honda showcases self-driving car

HONDA has shared its vision of the hands-free commute, a car that can safely drive itself on the road while the driver's hands are off the wheel. While the car is just a prototype, Honda says the technology could start appearing on Honda cars in 2020 and beyond. The prototype - an Acura RLX sedan - has cameras that monitor lane marking and multiple radar sensors on the front and sides.

Viva La Viva

VAUXHALL is to resurrect the Viva name as it plans to launch an entry-level car to sit alongside its Mini rival the Adam and soon to be launched new Corsa supermini. For now the car maker isn’t giving much away, although it has revealed that the new car will be a five-door model. And while the new Viva will be a significant step up in terms of refinement and sophistication over its 1963 namesake, it’s clear that Vauxhall is keen to tap into the current trend for producing low cost cars that’s proved so successful for the likes of Dacia.

2015 BMW 2 Series Convertible Price & Specs – costs from £29,180

The new BMW 2 Series Convertible arrives – and there’s an M235i version too As BMW changes its nomenclature, the BMW 2 Series Convertible arrives as a replacement for the old 1-Series Convertible and becomes the third BMW in the 2-Series range, joining the 2 Series Coupe and the FWD 2-Series Active Tourer. Due to go on sale in February 2015, the new 2-Series Convertible is looking to build on the success of the old 1-Series Convertible with a wide range of specs and powerplants – from the 220i and 220d to the range-topping M235i – and prices starting from £29,180 for the 220i Convertible rising to £37,710 for the M235i Convertible. Four power plants will be available in the 2-Series Convertible, with the 220i getting 184bhp, 228i with 245bhp, 220d with 190bhp and the range-topping M235i Convertible gets 326bhp.

Mini hits three million milestone

THE MUCH-LOVED new Mini has reached two major milestones this week. Since BMW took over the brand in 2001, three million Minis have now been produced at the plant in Oxford and the company has also reached the two million mark in Minis for export. The three millionth Mini is a five-door Hatch Cooper S and has a special exterior design to celebrate its heritage and British roots.