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Lotus, Toyota celebrate engine deal

Lotus CEO Dany Bahar presented Toyota president Akio Toyoda with a Lotus Elise this week at the British Embassy in Tokyo, celebrating the companies' long partnership. The Elise was equipped with Toyota's last 2ZZ-GE VVTL-i engine, the same engine found in older versions of the Lotus Elise and Exige. “The presentation of Toyota's last 2ZZ engine in the Elise is a symbolic gesture of our continued respect and deep appreciation for our partner not only acknowledging our past, but also looking forward to our future together,” Bahar said in a statement.

Video: The Making of the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo

In a new video exploring the design of the AMG Vision Gran Turismo, Mercedes-Benz designers speak of their excitement at designing without restrictions. The video, which features figures such as design vice-president Gorden Wagener, traces the car's development from the sketch phase to the final model – unveiled at last month's Los Angeles auto show. Steffen Köhl, director advanced design global, says, "We had the mix between the very far away showcar design – free and pure emotion – and a car that reacts realistically in the game." "The most stunning aspect of this car is the proportion.

New Vivaro van secures 1,200 UK jobs

MOTOR giant Vauxhall has launched a new van, securing 1,200 jobs over the next decade, with the prospect of more workers being recruited. The Vivaro will be built at the firm's plant in Luton, which is the UK's only factory making vans, in a £185 million investment. Up to 70,000 vans will be built a year, with around half being exported.