Top 12 consumer car debuts at 2012 U.S. auto shows

The 2012 calendar year brought a lot of excitement in the automotive industry. Sales numbers show a gradual recovery, and pending federal fuel-efficiency requirements have fueled a slew of mainstream green technologies that don't dampen driving dynamics. Among the glitz of auto shows, some of our most memorable reveals from the year include such high-profile machines as the 2013 SRT Viper and Acura NSX concept.

Webinars: Autodesk presents improvements for Alias 2012

New features and improvements in the latest Alias 2012 release are the subject of a complimentary webinar from Autodesk which took place on July 12, 2011. Presented by Paul Deyo, Senior Principal User Experience Designer at Autodesk, the webinar delved into the many improvements available on the new Alias software for 2012. It focused primarily on the enhanced efficiencies for combined workflows, curves manipulation across multiple surfaces and the multiple time saving features enabled by MS Draft, and the new Panel Gap tool.

New Honda Fit to have three body styles

Honda Motor Co. plans to build three variants of its Fit compact, including a sedan version, at its Mexican plant currently under construction. The two other variants are the standard hatchback and a Fit-based crossover, said an executive familiar with the plans.