Car News

Lotus boss Jean-Marc Gales has confirmed the company is working on two new sports cars, including a new hero model available by 2020. Speaking to Autocar, Gales said the new star car will reside "in an upper segment, above the Evora", meaning it will inevitably be compared to the Esprit, which ceased production in 2004.

Mercedes-AMG loves a launch special, so this debut shouldn't come as a surprise. The folks in Affalterbach have announced the AMG 4-Door Coupe GT 63 S Edition 1 – a mouthful, we realise – with a raft of unique styling touches, a revised interior and a 470kW V8 engine. Offered exclusively on the range-topping GT 63 S 4-Door Coupe, the Edition 1 package will only be available for 12 months.

Car manufacturers have a knack for stretching to create interesting metaphors for their technology. Kia is no stranger to creative marketing campaigns, having featured Stephen Tyler in a Benjamin Button-style Stinger commercial earlier this year.

A development prototype believed to be the Audi RS Q8 has been spied this week, giving us a first look at the flagship version of the company's upcoming SUV coupe. While the quad tailpipes out the back would indicate an 'S' model not an 'RS', the design of the front intakes and massive brakes with six-piston calipers up front hint at a Rennsport variant, and photographers noted a "deeper sound"– Audi tried a similar trick with an RS Q3 prototype spotted recently.

The Japanese government, battery makers and three key automakers (Honda, Nissan and Toyota) have joined forces to develop solid-state lithium-ion batteries. According to the Nikkei Asian Review collaborative work begins this month with research being spearheaded by the Consortium for Lithium Ion Battery Technology and Evaluation Center (Libtec).