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Lotus Motorcycles C-01 now 'ready for the road'

When we first laid eyes on leaked images of the Lotus Motorcycles C-01, we wondered if its laid-back, sport cruiser shape was really appropriate for a motorcycle bearing any connection with Colin Chapman and the company's famous "add lightness" mantra. We've now seen official pictures of the bike in multiple color schemes, including classic black and gold, British racing green and even a variant that resembles Martini livery, and while we think it looks pretty cool, our opinion hasn't really changed.
Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that the C-01 isn't an embodiment of the Lotus ethos, as the company that intends to build it isn't really Lotus at all, its builders - German racing firm Kodewa and tuner Holzer Group - merely having licensed the name of the British sportscar maker. It was designed by Daniel Simon, who once worked for Volkswagen and consulted for Bugatti and is the man credited with creating the reborn Tron Light Cycles. Still, looking past its questionable heritage, the C-01 looks pretty darn awesome, and there are some interesting bits that have us looking forward to the production version that's reportedly due within the next two months.
As expected, power comes in at 200 horsepower, courtesy of a modified version of KTM's 1,195-cc V-twin engine. The chassis is made up of steel, titanium and carbon fiber, with a seat height of about 28 inches. Its wheelbase, at about 65 inches, is a full 10 inches longer than a real street-legal superbike, and its front end is raked way out in front with a 19-inch wheel. Those dimensions mean we shouldn't expect much racetrack prowess, unless its rider is only planning on going in a straight line. Indeed, with a claimed dry weight of under 400 pounds, the Lotus Motorcycles C-01 ought to be mighty quick down the quarter mile.

Volvo-based, Chinese-built Lotus SUV allegedly due out in 2020

Lotus will set foot in the lucrative SUV segment before the end of 2020, according to a recent report. It's preparing to unveil a high-riding model named Lambda that will be made in China with Swedish parts. Five-plus years in the making, the first Lotus-badged SUV will share its SPA platform with several members of the Volvo range, including the XC90, and with the plug-in hybrid Polestar 1. Citing unverified reports from China, Holland-based AutoWeek reported the Lambda will land in the same segment as the Porsche Cayenne Coupe and upmarket variants of the BMW X6. Patent images (pictured) suggest it will wear a fastback-like roof line. Using the flexible SPA platform will allow Lotus to offer a variety of powertrains, including gasoline-burning four-cylinder engines with forced induction and at least one plug-in hybrid option. SPA wasn't designed to accommodate six- or eight-cylinders, so leveraging electrification will likely be the easiest way for engineers to unlock more performance. An electric variant will reportedly join the range a little bit later in the 2020s. Production will begin in Wuhan, China, in late 2020, according to the same source. Whether the model will be sold in the United States is up in the air. It would make a significant amount of sense: Americans have an insatiable appetite for SUVs, and the company has often stressed it wants to increase its sales in our market. Lotus hasn't commented on the report, and it has remained quiet about its long-rumored SUV. We heard a lot about the model from Jean-Marc Gales, its former CEO; he notably said it will be to the Cayenne what the Evora is to the 911, and he pledged it would become the fastest and most agile model in its segment. He's gone, replaced by Phil Popham in 2018, so that strategy might have changed. If the rumor is accurate, we won't have to wait long to see how Lotus can apply its design language and its unique engineering philosophy to an SUV. Related Video:

Radford Type 62-2 John Player Special takes the coach-built sports car even higher

Radford revealed its Type 62-2 a month ago, and today the coach-building company is releasing its first 62-2 variant. It’s simply called the JPS, short for John Player Special. YouÂ’d be able to guess that just by looking at the car, though, as itÂ’s completely done up in the traditional John Player Special black and gold livery. This JPS Type 62-2 isnÂ’t just a livery either. ItÂ’s the most extreme version of the car, even more so than the Gold Leaf version of the standard Radford that improves matters over the “Classic” model. Engine output sees a sharp turn upwards from 500 horsepower to 600 horsepower in the JPS. ItÂ’s still using the 3.5-liter supercharged V6 youÂ’d find in the Lotus Evora (an engine Lotus borrows from Toyota), but this one is heavily modified. Radford says it uses upgraded pistons, new connecting rods, camshafts and an upgraded supercharger. Plus, itÂ’s running a more aggressive engine calibration. Hauling it to a stop are upgraded brakes — Radford uses carbon ceramic rotors and AP calipers. New and larger carbon composite wheels (18-inch front and 19-inch rear) from Dymag are fitted and wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. Plenty of appearance and aero changes are made to separate the JPS from the other Type 62-2s. Radford says itÂ’s either lightly massaged or made big changes to every area of the bodywork. YouÂ’ll notice a giant new splitter up front, larger side air intakes to cool the more powerful engine and a more extreme diffuser in back to produce more downforce. WeÂ’ll also note that the JPS “livery” is not a sticker package; itÂ’s all painted on, requiring hours and hours of work by hand. Pricing for the JPS hasnÂ’t been revealed, but itÂ’s guaranteed to be expensive. This special model will be sliced out of the total production of Type 62-2s. Only 12 of the 62 total cars will be the John Player Special cars, so theyÂ’ll be incredibly rare — Radford says itÂ’s currently taking build slot applications, so you still have a shot at buying one. If you want to see the JPS in person, Radford says it will be on display at this yearÂ’s Goodwood Revival. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.