Blimey!

Elan
Elise
Eterne
Esprit

with Evora as base model - where the fook is the finance coming from?

More like where are they going to build them all? have you seen the production line at Hethel? I am worried that Lotus will no longer even be built in this country.

It seems very do or die :astonished:

[quote=Boothy]More like where are they going to build them all? have you seen the production line at Hethel? I am worried that Lotus will no longer even be built in this country.
[/quote]

Are you aware of the money they’re throwing at Hethel redevelopment?

No doubt that some time in the future some/most of the cars will be produced in the Far East if the “business plan” works, as that’s where the bulk of market will be. At the end of the day, that applies to most mass produced manufactured goods - sad, but true, I fear.

Present plans definately seem to be “shit or bust”, but it’s hard to realistically think that Lotus Cars could continue to survive otherwise.

Unless I win the lottery, I’m never going to be in the market for a new Lotus anyway!

I was not mate.
It really does seem like they are leaving their core values behind sadly. The new elise looks more like some kind of MX5/S2000 rather than a road and track car and they have totally dropped the existing lotus face for a complete new look.
I really wish Mike Kimberly was still in charge.
And what of the Evora? it was released last year and now it looks like they have got rid of it.
My money is on the new elise being �45k plus and I am thinking �75k plus for the Elan.

I was vey sad to hear the elise had grown up and got more mature because if thats what Lotus management think makes the new elise they clearly don’t get the elise :frowning:

I’m really worried for Lotus. The headlines figures for their cars looks impressive, but damn, they are going to be expensive.

There appears to be no new Exige, or 2-11. The Evora looks to be out of their plans as well.

Rumour has it that these cars are 4-5 years away, so my question is, in the meantime, what are Lotus going to sell? The Evora and Elise 1.6?!?! Surely they can’t survive on that alone?

Details of the cars below…

Elise
V4 petrol
2 litre
6 speed dct gearbox
320hp. !
7800 rpm max
0-60 4.3secs
Top speed 270kmh
Co2 150
Weight 1095kgs
Seats 2

Elite
V8 petrol
5 litre
7 speed dct gearbox
620hp. !
8500 rpm max
0-60 3.7secs
Top speed 315kmh
Co2 215
Weight 1650kgs
Seats 2 +2

Elan
V6 petrol
4 litre
7 speed dct gearbox
450hp. !
7800 rpm max
0-60 3.5secs
Top speed 310kmh
Co2 199!
Weight 1295kgs
Seats 2 +2-option

Esprit
V8 petrol
5 litre
7 speed dct gearbox
620hp. !
8500 rpm max
0-60 3.4secs
Top speed 330kmh
Co2 250
Weight 1450kgs
Seats 2

Eterne
V8 petrol
5 litre
7 speed dct gearbox
620hp. !
8500 rpm max
0-60 4.0secs. - WTF - it’s a 4 door!
Top speed 315kmh
Co2 220
Weight 1800kgs
Seats 4

None of them are lightweights are they :wink:- and the body structure will be made from??

Not sure I’m pleased about this move either, Lotus have lost their core values in my opinion :frowning:

well i heard ont he grape vine that…

they arent making any money on the current lineup up of cars, and the owners are not prepared to subsidise it, which is why they have put in this injection of cash.

the thing is… apprrantly although its alot of cash, it works out at about a 10th of what ford spend to develop one single model!!

They’ve spent some money on CGI :wink:

An Elise with a roof, an Elite without a roof and a �75k Elan!!!

They’ve gone barking!

That Carlton replacement looks the best of the bunch to me. :slight_smile:

No-one can say that Lotus aren’t pushing the envelope. With these designs they should be applauded for being so different, with the exception of the 2 big beasts which have elements of Maserati and Aston about them they’re breaking new ground here.

I personally love the new Elise and Elan. Both look like proper mini supercars and the Elise is at last more macho and less feminine looking. Be interesting to see if they bring out an Exige version of the new Elise or are they hoping the Elan will fill that gap?

Meh

I couldn’t give a toss about all the 75k plus cars, although they do seem to answer the issue of the Evora being underpowered compared with others.

�35k elise, base I suspect. R will be more then plus options?

I’d have been more interested in a new elise with alloy tub and new material for the skin. Next gen engine, but agree on the blowers.

Ah well.

Meh, here too. Don’t like any of them. There is another car I would have though. While Lotus goes heavy and luxurious, Santa Agata goes light weight.

“At just 999kg, the car is extraordinarily light, considering that it�s also four-wheel drive and contains the potent running gear from the current Gallardo Superleggera. This gives it a power-to-weight ratio of 570bhp per tonne; by comparison, the rear-drive Ferrari 458 Italia has 370bhp per tonne.
As a result, the Sesto Elemento boasts the kind of performance that only superbike riders and Bugatti Veyron owners will be familiar with. Lamborghini quotes a 0-62mph time of just 2.5sec, with a top speed the same as that of the Superleggera.”

yep it seems bonkers to me when just as everyone is looking at light weight track/road cars that lotus stop making them and strap big V8s in big top end cars.
Yes Lotus needs the Esprit as a flagship but some of these cars are being built in four years time , imagine how un-PC a 600hp V8 is going to be in four years , imagine the road tax.

Picture summary Lotus cars for sale | PistonHeads UK

But remember it is a world wide market! :sunglasses:

Exactly! You can’t move forward by continually looking backwards!

God, I love my Exige. :smiley:

I claim my prize money for a good guess on 12 Sep… :sunglasses: :wink: (see this thread BIG ANNONCEMENT)

"Yeah, I agree and already said so on the Lotus Drivers Club forum yesterday:


Posted Yesterday, 02:30 PM
I fancy a large four-door GT car a la Panamerica, Quattroporto, and a small family car both wearing Lotus badges but built in Malaysia. And possibly the new Esprit built in Norfolk.

Only a guess…

Mike

I’ll bring your “Smartass Prize” on Saturday to Donny :smiley: