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Lotus planning new 400-hp 2-Eleven successor [UPDATE]

UPDATE: A previous version of this post suggested the Evora's new 400-horsepower V6 might find its way into the Elise, but sources indicate that it wouldn't fit. The text below has been updated accordingly. It's been nine months since Jean-Marc Gales took over as the new head of Lotus, and as Top Gear recently discovered, the former Peugeot chief is cleaning house. Gales doesn't put himself in the camp of past Lotus execs (Dany Bahar chief among them) who've reasoned that the company can only succeed if it introduces new and more upscale products. Instead he's focusing on the brand's existing models – namely the Elise, Exige and Evora – but don't think that means they'll just be skating by. On his watch, Lotus recently introduced the Elise S Cup (apparently the first model it ever introduced on schedule) and the new Evora 400 (ahead of schedule), and there are plans for more. Though Gales apparently has no intention of producing an engine in-house, the Toyota-based 3.5-liter supercharged V6 – now producing 400 horsepower and 302 pound-feet of torque – is slated to be slotted into the Exige as well. Perhaps most exciting, though, is the prospect of a successor for the 2-Eleven. That windowless speedster was the most extreme interpretation of the Exige, packing just 252 hp but weighing less than 1,500 pounds. The next version would weigh considerably more – closer to 2,000 pounds – but pack that new 400-hp engine to drive the power-to-weight ratio through the roof (if it even has one) in pursuit of a Nurburgring lap record. Don't expect it to switch to carbon fiber construction, though: Like his colleagues at Ferrari, Gales is convinced that aluminum is the way to go, offering comparable weight-saving benefits but at a fraction the cost. To ensure that these new products don't disappear in a cloud of tire smoke and irrelevance, Gales is also overhauling the way Lotus markets its cars. For one thing, he's opening new showrooms in key markets like Paris, Berlin, Monte Carlo and Abu Dhabi. For another, he's making sure Lotus actually keeps a database of its customers, something which it almost unbelievably didn't bother with until now. Those might not be the most exciting aspects of the business, but if that's all it will take to keep Lotus in the game, we're all for it. Featured Gallery Lotus 2-Eleven track car View 18 Photos News Source: Top GearImage Credit: Lotus Lotus lotus 2-eleven

Lotus electric sedan due in 2023 to take on Porsche Taycan

Lotus took a massive step towards the mainstream when it released the Eletre (pictured above), an electric crossover developed with volume in mind. It will continue walking in this direction by launching its first sedan, and a recent report suggests the model will be aimed at the Porsche Taycan. Known as the Type 133 internally, and referred to as a four-door coupe, the sedan will join the firm's portfolio of so-called "lifestyle" EVs. It will borrow some styling cues from the Eletre (pictured above) but it won't be merely a scaled-down crossover. "There has to be some continuity and family identity," explained Peter Horbury, Lotus' senior vice president of design, in an interview with British magazine Autocar. "Families aren't made up entirely of triplets or quadruplets. Every member of a family can have their own character," he added. While the Type 133 — a name that won't make the leap to production; the Eletre was called Type 132 — won't be as basic as, say, an Elise, it will be positioned as a driver's car. Gavan Kershaw, Lotus' director of attributes and product integrity, told Autocar that the engineering team benchmarked the Porsche Taycan during the Eletre's development process and the lessons learned will be applied to the Type 133. Like its taller sibling, the sedan should feature a long list of technology features, including an air suspension system and rear-wheel steering. Powertrain specifications haven't been released yet, but the fact that the Eletre and the Type 133 will be closely related underneath the sheet metal gives us some idea of what to expect. Power for the first Lotus crossover comes from a pair of electric motors that zap the four wheels with around 600 horsepower. The battery pack's capacity checks in at over 100 kilowatt-hours, and an 800-volt electrical architecture enables fast-charging technology. Lotus pegs the Eletre's maximum driving range at 373 miles on the testing cycle used in Europe. It's reasonable to assume that the sedan, which should be lighter and more aerodynamic, should be capable of going further on a charge. Lotus is expected to unveil the Type 133 in 2023. The model will be built alongside the Eletre in Wuhan, China. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Evora GT430 revealed, Lotus' most powerful road car ever

A new Lotus grows in the English garden of lightness and speed. Lotus bills the Evora GT430 as the company's fastest, "most powerful and accomplished road car to date." And the stats seem to back that up. Lotus says the GT430's 0-to-60 time is a brilliant 3.7 seconds, the logical result of putting a 3.5-liter V6 supercharged and charge-cooled engine producing 430 horsepower into a car with a curb weight of 2,858 pounds (2,768 pounds exsanguinated). Lotus, in continual pursuit of its fetish for lightness, used carbon fiber (some of it exposed) and lightweight chassis innovations to knock 81 pounds off the curb weight of the already-quite-light Evora 410. Other comparison points: The 410 makes 410 horsepower, hence the name, with a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds. The GT430 also gains torque over the 410, generating 325 pound-feet, though higher in the rev range at 4,500 rpm, to the 410's output of 310 at 3,500. The GT430 comes only with a six-speed manual (you can get an automatic in the 410 if so inclined), and its top speed is 190 miles per hour. Tack on aero, notably the large carbon wing, that generates up to 550 pounds of downforce (that's at top speed, but there's plenty far slower), and Lotus says the result is "tremendous real-world speed and handling unheard of in its class." It's the first new product announcement since news broke of Lotus' sale to China's Geely. Only 60 Evora GT430s will be built, at a base price of 112,500 pounds (VAT included) that will escalate quickly with options. That's around $125 grand, assuming you could get one here. Check out Lotus' website for details. Related Video: Featured Gallery Lotus Evora GT430 View 15 Photos Image Credit: Lotus Auto News Lotus Technology Coupe Performance Geely