  A non-topological Lorentz gauge model of gravity with torsion based on
Gauss-Bonnet type Lagrangian is considered. The Lagrangian differs from the
Lovelock term in four-dimensional space-time and has a number of interesting
features. We demonstrate that the model admits a propagating torsion unlike the
case of the topological Lovelock gravity. Due to additional symmetries of the
proposed Gauss-Bonnet type Lagrangian the torsion has a reduced set of
dynamical degrees of freedom corresponding to the spin two field, U(1) gauge
vector field and spin zero field. A remarkable feature is that the kinetic part
of the Hamiltonian containing the spin two field is positively defined. We
perform one-loop quantization of the model for a special case of constant
Riemann curvature space-time background treating the torsion as a quantum field
variable. We discuss a possible mechanism of emergent Einstein gravity as an
effective theory which can be induced due to quantum dynamics of torsion.
