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Fitness-focused autonomous vehicle pedals to victory in Interior Motives Design Awards

Earlier tonight, on the eve of the first Paris Motor Show press day, the world's top designers and automotive journalists assembled at L'Espace Clacquesin in Paris to witness sponsors Ford and Volkswagen announce the 2014 Interior Motives Student Design of the Year: ‘Life Cycle' by Jason Chen and Dirk Wan of the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, USA. Launched in January of this year and themed ‘Beyond Styling: a Design for Life', the competition asked students to create projects around three diverse but specific briefs: ‘Beyond Autonomous', which posed the question of what would happen if we were to combine the latest developments in computing and robotics with automobile design; ‘An Interior for Life', in which students were asked to focus on one feature or element of a car's interior and adapt it for dual use in a user's ordinary life; and ‘Pickup Truck of 2030', which challenged the young designers to extrapolate what the future might hold for this popular and versatile mode of transport. This year's contest attracted more than 200 entries from students based at 57 schools in 24 different countries.

Smart Fourjoy concept (2013) at Frankfurt motor show

Nauseating name aside, the Smart Fourjoy concept isn’t just a spot of fun from Daimler’s city car arm: it’s actually a preview of the new Smart Forfour supermini, which will go on sale in 2014. This latest concept car follows on from the ForUs and Forstars concepts first show in 2012. Why doesn’t the Smart Fourjoy (cringe) have any doors?

Aston Martin Vanquish Volante public debut at Pebble Beach next month

Aston Martin Vanquish Volante (pictured) will make its public debut at Pebble Beach in August Aston Martin is 100 years old this year so they’re pulling out all the stops for this year’s Pebble Beach, with the first public debut for both the new Vanquish Volante and V12 Vanquish S. The Vanquish Volante was revealed last month as an impressive soft top take on the new Vanquish, with Aston Martin claiming the new Vanquish Volante as the stiffest convertible ever built by Aston and promising the same performance as its tin-top sibling – 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds and 183mph – as well as a distinct like of the shimmy and shake many Aston convertibles exhibit. The month before the reveal of the Vanquish Volante, Aston Martin also revealed the new V12 Vantage S as the quickest production Aston ever, offering 565 willing horses, a new 7-speed Sportshift 3 automated manual ‘box, new sports exhaust and ceramic brakes.