Nother CarGuy

Earlier this year Lotus announced it was dropping the Elise, Exige and Evora in preparation for the arrival of a range of hybrid and fully electric sports car and crossovers. But there’s just time for one last Lotus ICE adventure before the EVs arrive. Called the Emira, and projected to cost less than £60,000 ($84,500), it’s the natural replacement for the Evora, and will battle cars like the Porsche 718 Cayman when it goes on sale in Europe in spring 2022, and the U.S. at the end of that year. Closely following the Lotus sports car recipe familiar since the introduction of the Elise in 1996, the Emira rides on a new version of the company’s bonded and riveted aluminium chassis. And it’s almost exactly the same size as the Evora, riding on the same 101.4-inch (2575mm) wheelbase, and measuring an additional 0.8-inches (20mm) between front and rear bumpers. Lotus claims the new car represents “a paradigm shift in levels of practicality, comfort, functionality and technology”. And one of ...

Lotus is introducing a new member to the Evora lineup with the GT410, designed to be more usable and practical than the GT410 Sport. The road-focused new Lotus Evora GT410 features Sparco sports seats, air-conditioning, a new infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and DAB digital radio, cruise control, heated seats, rear parking sensors, as well as increased insulation for less road noise and better refinement as standard. In addition, the cabin of the new Evora GT410 also comes with new door trims that now have integrated arm rests and storage bins, offering a more welcoming environment to drivers wishing to daily drive the latest Lotus sports car. There’s also a new tailgate with a larger glass section for better rear visibility. Compared to the GT410 Sport, the new Evora variant sits on revised dampers for a more compliant ride while retaining the iconic Lotus handling character. Exterior changes include 19-inch wheels at the front and 20-inch at the rear shod in Micheli...

Following a teaser earlier this month, Lotus has officially unveiled the new Evija. Set to become the world’s “most powerful series production road car,” the Evija has four electric motors which are targeted to produce a combined output of 1,973 hp (1471 kW / 2,000 PS) and 1,254 lb-ft (1,700 Nm) of torque.  Lotus says this should enable the hypercar to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in less than three seconds.  Given enough room, the model will be able to hit a top speed in excess of 200 mph (320 km/h). The electric motors are powered by a mid-mounted lithium-ion battery pack which should allow the car to travel up to 250 miles (400 km) on a single charge.  When it’s depleted, owners will be happy to know the model has the “world’s fastest charging battery.”  It can accept an 800 kW charge, even though charging units with that capability aren’t commercially available yet.  However when they are, the Evija can be fully recharged in just nine minu...

Lotus has used the Goodwood Festival of Speed to announce its upcoming hypercar will be called the Evija. Previously known as the Type 130, the Evija name is pronounced “ev-eye-a” and means “the first in existence” or “the living one.” Lotus says this makes the moniker “highly appropriate” as the Evija will become the first electric hypercar from a British automaker. The Evija will go into production next year and the company says it will open an “exciting new chapter in the history of the iconic British sports car brand.” The automaker also noted the car is the first major new model to be launched under Geely ownership and hinted this “significance cannot be overstated.” The company has been tight-lipped about specifics, but the car will be unveiled at special event in London later this month. In the meantime, the company has released a new teaser video which shows the model will have a slender center console with hexagonal buttons to start the car and shift the transmission ...

We’d all heard the rumors and Lotus has just confirmed that it is developing its first-ever hypercar and has revealed the first teaser image of the vehicle at the Shanghai Auto Show. The British car manufacturer notes that the car will be its first all-new product in more than a decade and has dubbed it ‘Type 130’. Limited details about the vehicle have been released other than the fact that it will feature an all-electric powertrain. The sole teaser image released of the vehicle reveals that it will feature a very sleek exterior design. According to Car Advice, it will be roughly the same length as the Lotus Evora but be much wider. The teaser also shows airflow making its way across the exterior of the Type 130, confirming that the British car manufacturer is very focused on the aerodynamics of the vehicle. Underpinning the Lotus Type 130 will be a bespoke carbon fiber monocoque with electric motors driving all four wheels and a battery pack located directly behind the passe...

Jean-Marc Gales, Lotus CEO, has reportedly confirmed that the company is working on two new sports cars as investment from their new owner, Geely, begins to materialize. This will include a new flagship model that’s set to arrive in 2020, as reported back in January, and will be positioned above the Evora in the company’s lineup. The new Lotus sports car will be essentially a modern-day version of the iconic Esprit. Gales said to Autocar that the new model will be a significant development, sitting “in an upper segment, above the Evora”, and it will “take the Evora a step further” and will be lighter. The company’s boss didn’t divulge the power output or with which cars the new Lotus flagship will likely compete but he said that the new car will achieve a class-leading status via “efficiency, aerodynamics, agility and braking working together in balance”. Fewer details became known about the second sports car, which is likely to be a two-seater. We don’t know yet if it will ...

The Lotus Exige is getting a little long-in-tooth but that hasn’t stopped the company from introducing the new Exige Sport 410. Billed as the “ultimate road car,” the Exige Sport 410 draws inspiration from the Exige Cup 430 and will be available as either a coupe or roadster. Both models are decidedly aggressive as they have a sporty front bumper with large air intakes. The cars have also been equipped with a number of carbon fiber components including a front splitter, side scoops and rear wing. Elsewhere, designers installed an aluminum diffuser, a center-mounted exhaust and ultra-lightweight forged alloy wheels that measure 17-inches up front and 18-inches out back. The wheels are equipped with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires and are backed up by an AP Racing braking system that has four-piston forged calipers and two-piece J-hook brake discs. The interior is sparsely equipped but drivers will find an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel and carbon fiber sport seats with le...

Lotus has revealed another special limited edition model with the Exige Cup 430 Type 25. As you might have guessed already, the new model is based on the Exige Cup 430 and pays tribute to the Lotus Type 25, the company’s historic single-seater race car that dominated the 1963 F1 season. The new limited edition Exige was created in collaboration with Classic Team Lotus, which is responsible for preserving and promoting the history of the race team that operated from 1954 to 1994. Yes, that’s the same engine found in the Toyota Camry, albeit tuned. As a result, the supercharged 3.5-liter V6 produces 430hp and 325lb-ft (440Nm) of torque. This enables the new Lotus Exige Cup 430 Type 25 to hit 60mph from a standstill in 3.2 seconds (0-100km/h in 3.3) and reach a top speed of 180mph (290m/h). The new Type 25 model gets a unique livery, finished in metallic Lotus Racing Green or Old English White and featuring contrasting pin stripes on the front splitter and access panel. T...

It may be viewed as automotive sacrilege to some but Lotus is serious about producing an SUV and will make the most of Geely’s resources in bringing it to life. Autocar reports that Lotus will look to rival the Maserati Levante and Porsche Macan with the model and wants it to be the best handling vehicle in its class. Forming the basis of the model will be parts from the SPA platform underpinning the Volvo XC90 and XC60. Although the use of such components will limit the Lotus SUV to four cylinder engines, the vehicle will weigh less than two tonnes and the British brand has a knack for extracting serious power from small engines. Consequently, a peak figure exceeding 400 hp is a certainty. Speaking of the vehicle’s handling prowess, Lotus chief executive Jean Marc Gales said, “It will go round bends like nothing else in its segment. If we fail on that we fail the project.” The SUV’s platform won’t be the only thing it shares with Volvo. Numerous electric equipment from the ...

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 c...

Lotus is preparing to usher out the 3-Eleven and replace it (and the rest of the range) with a new generation of lightweight sports cars. But not before it makes one last version of the superlight speedster. Called the 3-Eleven 430, the ultimate edition of the most hardcore Lotus to date packs the company’s biggest engine into its lightest model. That means a 3.5-liter supercharged V6, kicking out 430 horsepower and 324 lb-ft of torque through a six-speed manual gearbox. No trick all-wheel-drive system, no dual-cluch transmissions… just a power-to-weight ratio of 467 hp per metric ton. With just 2,028 pounds to motivate – 11 fewer than before – the new 3-Eleven 430 will hustle to 60 in just 3.1 seconds and top out at 180 miles per hour with the wind in your face (or hopefully a full-face helmet). That’s measurably quicker than the previous version of the 3-Eleven, which took 3.3 seconds to reach 60 on its way to a 174-mph top end. More to the point, the Lotus 3-E...

The new Elise Cup 260 is a limited edition model from Lotus, with just 30 examples to be sold worldwide. According to the British sports car-maker, the Cup 260 is the ultimate Elise, built with racing in mind. Its advanced aerodynamics generate up to 180 kg (396 lbs) of downforce, while lightweight carbon fiber components are fitted as standard. Visually, the Elise Cup 260 features a laurel wreath decal on the left buttress, and the Union Jack on both rear wing end plates. Finally, customers can have the car finish in iconic Championship Gold. "Our philosophy for producing extraordinary vehicles is world famous, but the new Elise Cup 260 goes beyond what many believed possible from our smallest car," said Lotus CEO, Jean-Marc Gales. "It is directly developed from the Elise race cars that are competing in series around the world, giving the ultimate Elise experience on the road. More power, motorsport components and the introduction of aerodynamics unheard of ...

Lotus keeps churning out new versions of the Evora, with the latest member of the family called the GT430 which is also the most powerful road-legal Lotus ever made. One of its most outstanding features is the unique bodywork and aero agenda, with the Evora GT430 getting full carbon front and rear bumpers, front splitter, front access panel, roof and rear wing. The tailgate is also a one-piece part and features a louvered section and is matched by composite quarter panels. The new aero also boost the Evora’s downforce, which now produces up to 250kg at its 190mph top speed (305km/h). And because this is a new Lotus, the GT430 tips the scales at 1,258kg dry, which is 26kg lighter from the already light Evora Sport 410. Power comes from an updated version of the supercharged 3.5-liter V6 which makes 430hp (436PS) and 440Nm (325lb-ft) of torque and enables the latest Lotus to hit 60 from a standstill in 3.7 seconds. A titanium exhaust is standard, as well as a Torsen limited-slip...