Lotus To Reveal Two New Sports Cars This Summer, SUV Four Years Out


Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales recently confirmed the company was working on two new sports cars and it appears we’ll learn a lot more about them this summer.

Speaking with Auto News Europe, Gales said Geely has approved the models and “We will tell you what they are in five months, but both will come in 2020.” He went on to say they will be the first all-new models since the company introduced the Evora in 2009.

Gales wouldn’t be drawn into specifics but he did suggest the cars will set a benchmark in terms of “handling, aerodynamics and lightweight.” That’s not much to go on but Gales has previously said one of the models will replace an existing vehicle such as the Elise, Exige or Evora. A new Elise is considered the most likely option and a 2020 launch was mooted in the past.

The other model is a bit more mysterious but reports have suggested it will be a track-focused car that will replace the 3-Eleven.

Besides the two new sports cars, Gales confirmed they are working on a crossover but it won’t arrive for “about four years.” The executive said the design hasn’t been finalized but he hinted it should be recognizable as a Lotus even though the company “can’t use the same design language as a sports car.”

Gales went on to suggest the crossover will be about the same size as either the Porsche Macan or Cayenne. He also noted the company will use a “mix of new and proven Geely family modules and combine them to create an aesthetically beautiful performance crossover.”

The executive suggested the crossover could be built in two different locations and one of them will likely be in China as it “makes the most sense” given the size of the market.

Carscoops

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Limited Edition Ford GT 'Competition Series' Is All About The Track

Image
Ford's new GT Competition Series was built with weight-saving in mind, but also with an improved center of gravity for better road-holding. Among its features, you'll notice the lightweight carbon fiber racing stripes, A-Pillars and side mirrors, as well as the unique race-inspired Perspex acrylic engine hatch with integrated venting. Thanks to the manual latch and the carbon fiber prop rod, weight near the roof has been reduced, though Ford engineers went even further in their quest to make the car lighter, by making the bulkhead Gorilla Glass behind the driver about half as thick (and as light) as on other models. "The Ford GT has racing in its blood," said Ford exec Raj Nair, while adding that the Competition Series "was developed with the most hardcore track enthusiasts in mind, providing a tailored set of lightweight features and unique livery to match." There are also plenty of remaining performance features from the production car, such as ...
Read more

Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet Is A Crossover For Droptop Lovers

Image
Droptop crossovers have always been rather odd and the T-Roc Cabriolet is no different. It will be the only convertible Volkswagen on sale for the foreseeable future and will celebrate its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Rather than simply removing the roof of the standard T-Roc, Volkswagen has drastically altered the vehicle’s structure and body. In fact, its wheelbase is 37 mm longer than the standard T-Roc while its overall length is up by 34 mm. In addition, the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet features structural strengthening in the underbody, side panels, cross members, doors, and windscreen frame to make up for the lack of a roof. The folding fabric roof developed by Volkswagen retracts in just nine seconds at speeds of up to 19 mph (30.5 km/h) and is similar in operation to the roof of the outgoing Golf Cabriolet. The presence of the soft top reduces trunk space by 161 liters down from the 284 liters of the run-of-the-mill T-Roc. We don’t think bu...
Read more

Alpine A110 Hits Geneva With Pure, Legende And GT4 Versions

Image
Renault’s reborn Alpine brand has been getting rave reviews for its new A110 and now, as promised, it’s revealed new versions of its coupe at the Geneva Motor Show. Following the success of the sold-out Premiere Edition, the A110 will now be offered in Pure and Legende trims. The A110 Pure is targeted at driving enthusiasts. It features one-piece Sabelt sports seats that weigh barely more than 13 kilograms (28.6 pounds) each and, combined with other weight-saving measures, helps keep the curb weight below 1,100 kg ( 2,425 lbs). It’s not entirely stripped out, though, and still comes with features like air-conditioning and satellite navigation. Buyers can also add upgraded Brembo brakes and an adaptive exhaust system and can upgrade to the adjustable comfort seats. Those come standard on the Legende model, which is geared more towards every day driving and grand touring and comes with leather upholstery. Customers can also choose between two Focal sound systems and two wheel...
Read more