It’s official; nothing is sacred any more. Lotus->ke49 has plans to release an Evora-based crossover. Yep, Lotus, the famed brand that produces small quantities of track-focused, super lightweight cars is building a crossover. It’s almost worse than Porsche,->ke1 BMW,->ke178 and even Lamborghini->ke44 getting into the crossover/SUV business. Nevertheless, the vehicle is already underway, so we might as well accept it.

The news comes from the U.K.’s CAR magazine, which reportedly had a privileged conversation with Lotus boss Jean-Marc Gales last month and is releasing the news just prior to its print publication hitting newsstands.

According to CAR, Lotus is wanting to “expand the appeal of its niche sports car into territories where pumped-up, tougher cars reign supreme,” listing China and the U.S. as the main targets. While it’s true that crossovers do well in those countries, Lotus’ upcoming model won’t live up to even the softest of soft-roaders. It will offer only rear-wheel-drive. A raised ride height and beefier styling will be its only crossover tie-ins. What’s more, the crossover will get an even sportier “track special” model.

In other news, Lotus announced it will release a refreshed Evora (sports car) at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show.->ke228 Gales says, “it will be lighter and it will be faster: there’s nothing this side of £100,000 that will beat it on a track.” Revisions will include a lower and narrower doorsill for ease of entry and added power with charged intercooling. There may even be a convertible Evora on the horizon.

CAR

Click past the jump to read more about Lotus' future Evora family.0}

It’s understandable why Lotus would be looking to expand its market -- its currently suffering from a rather dire lack of cash. Opening up to crossovers has the possibility of growing its customer base, despite the fact the crossover won’t be able to tackle more than a dirt road. Adding a roadster version of the low-slung conventional Evora does make a lot of sense. Folks of small sports cars often like wind in their hair and the slightly easier entry and exit with the unlimited headroom. It’ll certainly be interesting to watch Lotus’ attempts at breaking into the crossover market.

Why it matters

The upcoming 2016 Lotus Evora will definitely be more evolutionary than revolutionary. It will follow much of the same outline as the current car, but come with a few updates. Expect the roadster version, the thinner door sills, and the added power.

Making that power currently is a Toyota-sourced, 3.5-liter V-6 making 345 horses. It will be interesting to see how much more Lotus can squeeze from the same V-6 found in the Camry.