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Lotus will bring Evora GTE Formula 1 inspired edition to Geneva
  Just a few days ago, Lotus announced they would be bringing a convertible model to the 2012 Geneva Motor Show and we’re betting on it being a convertible version for the Evora. Now the company has announced that their stand in Geneva will be a bit more crowded with the new convertible and the addition of a special edition Evora GTE inspired by the Formula 1 car. Lotus hasn’t offered any details on the new Evora GTE just yet - surprise, surprise - but the standard Evora GTE is smoking hot and race ready with its carbon fiber front and rear bumpers, a carbon fiber rear wing, and carbon fiber doors. This matches up with a 3.5-liter V6 engine delivering 444 HP for a delectable combination. Whatever Lotus does to the new special edition will just be icing on the cake. More details about the Lotus Evora GTE Formula 1 Special Edition will be unveiled on March 6th during its official launch at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, so stay tuned! Lotus promises to "blow the top off" in Geneva: Do we smell a convertible?
The 2012 Geneva Motor Show is less than one month away and, taking into account all of the cars scheduled to appear, it’s going to be a hell of a show. This is especially true if we consider the fact that Lotus has just announced they will "blow the top off" in Geneva this year. Signs point to a convertible, or strategically placed bait for the media. The British company hasn’t revealed any details on the exact model that will be blowing its top, but their press release says that the new car will have "something breezy, something loud, something ice-cold, and some other interesting elements." Logically speaking, the "blow the top off" part seems pretty self explanatory, but the other elements have definitely sparked our curiosity. A whole new model would certainly not be out of the question, but highly unlikely. The next Lotus Exige was rumored to debut at the Geneva Motor Show, but that’s a Coupe so Lotus is either throwing us for a loop or debuting something different. A possible convertible model could be the convertible version of the Evora that was rumored a few years ago, which would suit us just fine. Whatever the case may be, the mysterious Lotus will show its face, and it’s possible drop top, when the Geneva Motor Show opens its doors on March 6, 2012. Stay tuned! Video: The Lotus Club GT introduces itself
Group Lotus has announced the start of one of the world’s most elite clubs – the Lotus Club GT. This special club was created to bring together people with a passion for Lotus and motorsport for a racing driver program that is unique, unforgiving, and unforgettable. All you need to enter this amazing club is to be the owner of one of Lotus’s premium race-bred models – the Evora GT4 and Evora Enduro with club specification. Club events come courtesy of the marque’s professional works drivers and the Lotus F1 Team. Club GT will ensure members get the most from their cars and from themselves, and become legends in their own lifetime. The club was officially inaugurated at this week’s Autosport International Show at the Birmingham NEC that started on January 12, 2012. The perfect place to enjoy bucket seats, carbon-fiber and the smell of burnt rubber. 2012 Lotus Exige S
Ladies and gentlemen, the wait is over! After months of speculation, Lotus has finally unveiled the new Exige S. This "ultimate lightweight high performance sportscar" comes bearing a new look inside and out, as well as a brand new engine that adds over 100 HP to the car’s output. The look of the 2012 Lotus Exige S still claims it as an Exige, but the add-ons provided smooth out the sports car’s look, while still adding a certain degree of aggression to the design. The Exige S now carries a new front splitter that reveals a cleaner line across the front of the car and a smaller rear spoiler, both of which still improve the vehicle’s aerodynamics. As for power, the Exige S is now working with a mid-mounted, transverse 3.5 liter DOHC V6 VVI-i engine that delivers a total of 345 HP, a far cry from the previously used 257 HP 1.8L Toyota supercharged I4. The reason for this massive upgrade is clear when the car’s weight gets introduced into the equation. The previous model claimed 2,077 lbs, while the new Exige S plumps up at 2,380 lbs. Once the added weight gets brought in, the Exige S’ 0-60 mph time is still better, coming in at 3.8 seconds (from a previous time of 4.0 seconds) and its top speed hikes up to 170 mph (up from a previous 145 mph). Lotus will also be offering a Lotus DPM (Dynamic Performance Management) switch that allows the driver to switch between three driving modes: Touring, Sport, and DPM off. An optional Race Pack also gets thrown in to add a fourth driving mode (Race) to the mix, for the ultimate Lotus Exige S experience. UPDATE 12/08/11: After having to yank the Exige and Elise from the US market due to airbag restrictions, Lotus is throwing the US market a bone by bringing the new Exige S over to our side of the pond as a track-only car. This race version will feature a full roll cage, racing seats and harness, and an electrical cut-off switch, in addition to all of the features found on the road car. Pricing will start between $85,000–$90,000. (duPont Registry) UPDATE 01/06/12: Lotus has unveiled a new video of the new Exige S with Lotus Renault F1 test driver Bruno Senna behind the wheel. In the video, Senna looks to be rather impressed with the sports car, but then again, who wouldn’t be? Hit the jump to read more about the new Lotus Exige S. Full story TopSpeed’s Best of 2011: Coupe of the Year
Last year’s picks for the coupe of the year raged a war between the Chevrolet Camaro and the Ford Mustang, but this year things are a bit different. In fact, neither one of these muscle cars made the list, simply because the new Camaro ZL1 isn’t available for purchase just yet. With the two major muscle cars out of the running, we were still left with a ton of vehicles worthy of some time in the spotlight. Our choices for the top coupes of 2011 are kind of all over the place. From the Audi TT-RS’ return to the States to the Lotus Exige S and its road-going capabilities on the other side of the pond, there’s pretty much a flavor for anybody. In fact, if we’ve missed one of your favorites, make sure to hit us up. Hit the jump for our picks for the 2011 Coupe of the Year, in alphabetical order. Full story Proton may be forced to sell Lotus; Is the new Esprit worth the gamble?
 Thirty years ago, when James Bond pulled up in an Esprit S1 in The Spy Who Loved Me and an Esprit Turbo in For Your Eyes Only, Lotus execs had big, shit-eating grins on their faces. When the famous spy dropped the contract with Lotus, these same execs began scrambling to figure out their next step. That next step came with a buyout from Proton in 1996, but things haven’t gotten much better and Proton may be ready and willing to snip the cord and let Lotus become someone else’s problem. It took Proton 15 years and zero profit to come to terms with the fact that the Lotus purchase wasn’t a highlight of their business plan. After all, Proton builds sedans and taxis, while Lotus builds sports cars and wants to compete with makers like Ferrari and Porsche, so the oil and water scenario comes to mind. Now Proton is in trouble itself, and investors such as Gan Eng Peng say selling Lotus may just be what they need to get back in gear, but they’ll have to find a buyer first. As of right now, no one has stepped up to make an offer, which isn’t all that surprising considering Lotus doesn’t stand to make a profit until the new Esprit comes out in 2014. Lotus Chief Executive Officer Dany Taner Bahar (formerly a Ferrari executive) backs up that statement saying he’s confident Lotus can become profitable by 2014. Of course, that will be really hard to do unless they get some financial backing sooner rather than later. Does anyone have millions of dollars they would use to bet on the success of the new Esprit? 2012 Lotus Exige R-GT
Hiding behind the shadow of the bigger and better 2012 Lotus Exige S at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show is Lotus’ brand new Exige R-GT. This new racer marks the brand’s return to the rally world, 30 years after their World Rally Championship victory in the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus. The Exige R-GT will participate in the newly formed FIA GT category of the FIA Rally Championship on asphalt in Monte Carlo, Tour de Corse, and San Remo. The new Exige R-GT shares the new Exige S model’s mid-mounted, transverse 3.5 liter DOHC V6 VVI-i engine, but power has been brought down to 300 HP because of the 34mm air restrictor required for racing. The Exige R-GT will also have to pack on ballast weight to meet FIA requirements of 1200 kg (2645 lbs). "With the new R-GT rules in rally, it’s a very interesting time for us to return to the sport. Naturally our approach this time around will be different to when we won the championship with Talbot three decades ago but I think our philosophy is definitely the same, we want to compete and ultimately we want to win. Our new rally car, the Exige R-GT is a dream come true for those who are passionate about GT racing – this will be their car," said Group Lotus’ Director of Motorsport Claudio Berro. UPDATE 12/28/2011: After its official debut in Frankfurt, the Exige R-GT headed to the Dallara’s headquarters in Varano Melegari, Palma on December 22, 2011 for its first track test under the watchful eye of Group Lotus Director of Motorsport, Claudio Berro, and technicians from the team. According to Lotus, the results were delightful and the team will continue to test the car until the 2012 FIA World Rally Championship season where the Exige will contend in the FIA GT category on asphalt at events in Monte Carlo, Tour de Corse, and San Remo. We have also added new images from the testing days. Enjoy! Does the Lotus World Car Concept preview their City Car?
  It was only a few days ago that Lotus announced their intentions on building a small city car to rival the new Aston Martin Cygnet, and now they have unveiled details on a project they have been working on with the International Council on Clean Transportation that was undertaken with the California Air Resources Board, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The project is for a Lotus World Car Concept and only exists in a computer somewhere for the time being. It features the Toyota Venza’s interior package, capability, performance, wheels, and tires. As of right now, all of this sounds like a normal beginning point for a new, cleaner model, but Lotus has also announced that the Word Car may go into production fairly soon. Does this mean that we may be looking at a concept that previews their City Car? Stranger things have happened. We are all used to concept cars coming out with extravagant details that we only wish would make it on the production version, but most of the time, we are left with just a shadow of what the concept was. Following this trend, it would seem fitting to start off with a World Car just to downsize it to a City Car come production time. The Lotus World Car Concept offers interior room for two passengers and a 9-cubic-foot luggage area or fourth occasional seat. There’s no instrument panel, so the driver will need to get all the necessary information from a smart phone or tablet. As far as power, on paper, the Lotus World Car Concept is powered by a 50 HP 600cc engine placed ahead of the rear axle and combined to a shaft-drive motorcycle transmission. It is said to weigh just 1,150 lbs and will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in the 8-9 second range. Top speed is supposed to be about 120 mph and fuel economy has been reported at 84 city/127 highway. Not much information was given on Lotus’ future City Car, but images released of both vehicles illustrate a similar exterior look. They did, however, offer a price on the City Car - about £29,000 (or about $45,300 at the current exchange rates) - which is a far cry from the intended price of the World Car - less than $9,000 if put into production. 2012 Lotus Evora GTE
The Evora GTE Concept’s engine is still a bit warm from its 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance debut, and Lotus is already revving up the production version for the Frankfurt Motor Show. The Evora GTE road car was originally designed as a special limited edition for the Asian market, but Group Lotus has decided to expand its production to meet demand and reach further markets. The Evora GTE is powered by a race-tuned 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers a total of 444 HP, making it the most powerful Lotus road car ever built. It also delivers a comfortable and refined element to its high performance driving characteristics. Commenting on the Evora GTE road car, Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar said: "The response to this model in China has been so incredible, within days we had sold out with 114 orders. In response we decided that the only logical step from a business perspective was to increase production and widen our reach. "What is unique about this car, is not just that it’s a serious race car – it’s a serious car. People get so excited when they see and especially hear it for the first time. It’s a very special car and will appeal to a very special type of driver – and they won’t be disappointed!" UPDATE 09/13/2011: The new special edition Evora GTE has finally been unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show today. The new model comes with carbon fiber front and rear bumpers, a carbon fiber rear wing, and carbon fiber doors. This measure, next to the lightweight Recaro carbon fiber seats, help to reduce the total weight by 231 lbs. UPDATE 12/19/2011: Lotus has dropped new images of the special edition Evora GTE - and we have to admit it looks great in yellow. See all of the images in our picture gallery! Base Lotus Esprit will be hybrid; powerful versions will be lighter
Lotus seems to be taking their "five-year, five model plan" very seriously and the new generation Esprit set to be released at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show will be the model to set that plan in motion. New details about the future supercar revealed that the Esprit will, in fact, be offered in two versions. A base model will combine a 100 HP electric motor to a normally aspirated V8 engine and a more powerful version will drop the hybrid system and focus on weight-saving measures. "There will be no hybrid system, the engine will have more power, but the major performance gains will come from losing weight," said Bahar. "The ‘Racing’ versions of each model will always be pure, driver’s cars. There will be never be anything unnecessary on them, and we will use materials such as carbon fiber." Sales for the new Lotus Esprit will begin in Europe in Summer 2013. | featured reviews:Lotus cars reviews2020 2015 2014 2013 2012
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