Lotus V8: the new engine plan in full

Lotus has confirmed details for its new inhouse V8 engine family, which will make its first road car appearance in the 2013 Esprit. Responding to feedback which said the 'New Era' plan to launch five new models was weakened by its reliance on Toyota engines, the new management team decided last Christmas to design and develop its own engine. 'The feedback from customers was "how can you justify a £100,000 car with a Toyota engine?",' said chief executive Dany Bahar.

2013 Subaru Forester: Price from £24,995

The new 2013 Subaru Forester, which debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, will cost from £24,995 in the UK for the Forester 2.0D X. Those improvements for 2013 include new bumpers and a bigger crease down the side, some new alloys and more toys, like a new Infotainment centre and a SatNav with reversing camera. But the big news is that the new Forester gets a new engine option too, a new 2.0 litre turbo petrol good for 240PS which should make the Foresters ‘last forever’ appeal more enticing when you can have fun forever too.

Skoda has its best year ever

Skoda UK - Record sales in 2011 Skoda UK has reported sales for the first 11 months of 2011 have already beaten total sales for 2010. Long gone are the days when Skoda was thought of as a skip on wheels. In the little over a decade since it was brought in from the cold by VW, Skoda has gone from strength to strength.