Lotus gives Toyota chief Akio Toyoda his very own Elise

For the longest time, Lotus has been sourcing its power plants from Toyota and recently, the Proton-owned manufacturer gave Toyota boss Akio Toyoda a little token for a partnership that has successfully lasted for years.

Okay, it’s not so much a little token as it is a new car, and a pretty special one at that. Lotus CEO Danny Bahar recently flew to Japan to personally hand over the keys of a brand new Lotus Elise. What’s more, this particular Elise actually comes with the last Toyota-sourced 2ZZ-GE VVTL-I engine to come in a Lotus.

"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," said the Lotus CEO.

The partnership between Lotus and Toyota looks to be stronger than ever with the former bringing a few of its Toyota-powered models – the new Evora S and IPS models - to the Paris Motor Show.

For Toyota’s part, the alliance with Lotus allows the Japanese manufacturer to stamp its imprint on a brand that it thinks pretty highly of. “A Toyota engine in a Lotus car creates a completely unique drive feeling,” said Toyoda.

“It creates a special blend featuring the best of Lotus and Toyota that we hope many car lovers continue to experience and enjoy."