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Lotus Esprit cancelled? [UPDATE]

Two years ago, we were gobsmacked when humble Lotus shocked the automotive world by wheeling out no fewer than five new models - admittedly in various stages of development - at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. The ambitious onslaught of new sheetmetal came at the behest of then-CEO Danny Bahar who aimed to broaden the British marque's appeal by dramatically expanding its portfolio. Bahar was later thrown out by new Malaysian owners DRB-Hicom in a management shakeup that seems to still be, well, shaking out. Bahar was deposed over accusations of financial wrongdoing and the controversial executive has fired back with a $10.6M lawsuit.
Against this chaotic background, a cornerstone of Lotus' revival plans hinged on the rebirth of its Esprit supercar (shown in 2010 concept form above). According to new reports, however, the Esprit has been cancelled, a victim of the company's uncertain finances and direction. Depending on which rumor you choose to believe, the two-seat coupe was slated to receive a house-built V8 and possibly turbocharging or hybrid power. That may all be moot now, however, as DRB-Hicom is reported to have scrapped Bahar's plans wholesale, a development that apparently includes killing off the mid-engined Esprit, too.
UPDATE: And this, friends, is why we have this story with a question mark and a Rumormill tag - Lotus is denying that the Esprit has been killed off.

EVO "2012 Car of the Year: The Track Battles" is a sports car salmagundi

EVO has come out with another gotta-watch-it video, throwing its 2012 Car of the Year contestants around the UK's 1.5-mile Blyton Park track. It's actually a 15-minute teaser for the full-length DVD detailing the magazine's Car of the Year selection, but the tease is worth every penny free second.
Tiff Needell and sports car racer Richard Meaden handle the wheel duties, the two driving five pairs of sports cars: Lotus Exige S vs. Porsche Boxster S, Morgan Three-Wheeler vs. Toyota GT86, BMW M135i vs. Porsche 911, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series vs. Alpina B3 GT3, the marquee event pits the McLaren MP4-12C vs. the Pagani Huayra. After a head-to-head lap with commentary during drifts, Meaden takes each car out to set a representative lap time.
You'll find the verdicts, lots of tire smoke, and lines like "Anything you can do sideways I can do sideways" in the video below.

Lotus CEO busted doing 102 mph uses 'Test Driver' defense

A UK police officer busted Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales doing 102 miles per hour in a Lotus on the A11 motorway near the carmaker's Hethel HQ. Doing 102 mph in a Lotus isn't a problem. Doing 102 mph in a Lotus in a 70-mph zone, however, is. The even bigger problem for Gales was that according to the sentencing guidelines, the minimum spanking for such hijinks is three points added to the driver's record and a GBP100 fine. The biggest problem for Gales was that he already had eight points on his license for previous offenses. At 12 points, a UK driver can be banned from driving for six months, and Gales did not want to be one tiny point away from that fate. Gales could have explained himself in court, but he had his solicitor, Simon Nicholls, do it for him. Nicholls prepared an arcane quodlibet that could be called the "Test Driver Defense." The premise was that as CEO of a sports car company, Gales felt compelled to test drive his company's newest products, and that Gales' hands-on, wide-open-throttle approach to his job is partly "responsible for the remarkable turnaround in the fortunes of the company." As such, it would be "vital" for Gales to continue doing his work, beneficial to the country as it were. The cheekiest bit came when Nicholls said, "Of course [Gales] was driving very carefully but was not driving in accordance with the speed limit," and that sentencing guidelines are "handrails not handcuffs." The solicitor furthermore suggested that instead of assessing points, the court should issue a 30-day driving ban and a fine. And the court agreed. On top of ordering Gales into the shotgun seat, the magistrate instructed Gales to pay GBP666, plus GBP100 for court costs, and GBP66 for a victim surcharge. That's about $1,400 in US funds, but no points. Then the magistrate said Gales - who wasn't present - should stick to test tracks instead of public roads for his triple-digit duties. The episode proves that Lotus not only knows how to add lightness to cars, it knows how to do the same for justice. Related Video: