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Lotus Type 132 crossover EV teased five ways in video

Lotus has combined its series of video teasers of the Type 132 crossover into one reel. The result provides peeks at five of the features we can expect on the electric CUV when it launches next year. Under the "Breathe" section, there's the active lower grille, divvied-up hexagonal openings that twirl open or closed to provide the right combination of powertrain cooling and vehicle aerodynamics. Titled with "See," there's what looks like a sensor detection unit rising from the roof; it looks like a LIDAR unit pointed toward the rear, but it's impossible to know from the clip. In the "Stretch" section, we see an active rear spoiler moving into a higher drag configuration, connected to a fender with lines that evoke the Evija and Emira. Finally, in "Awaken," there's what looks like a giant screen canted toward the driver and towering over the instrument panel. The Type 132 will commence Lotus' EV-only series production future, the first of four models due in the next few years, and the largest. After it will come a sedan marketed as a four-door coupe known as Type 133, expected on sale in 2023, a smaller crossover called the Type 134 that will debut in 2025, and a sports car currently dubbed Type 135 that's planned for 2026 and could get an Alpine-branded sibling. The four-door models are expected to ride on Lotus' Evolution architecture for "premium" vehicles, with available dual-motor powertrains that might get up to 750 horsepower powered by batteries up to 120-kWh. The sports car will get the E-Sports platform Lotus will share with Alpine and sell to other manufacturers, the junior relative of the Extreme platform that supports the 1,973-hp Evija.  Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Lotus Type 66 is the Can-Am race car that never was

Most car reveals for Pebble Beach are all-new luxury and supercars, faithful recreations of classics, or some unique restomods. What Lotus has revealed isn't really any of those. The Type 66, while looking like a reproduction of a classic race car, is actually completely new, since it was never built in the first place. Apparently Lotus was considering entering the Can-Am racing series back in 1970, a time when the company was seriously competitive in Formula 1. A designer by the name of Geoff Ferris was put in charge, and drawings and models were made, but the project, called Type 66, never went any further. Those Type 66 designs survived, and to help celebrate the company's 75th anniversary, Lotus decided to bring the car to life. And the result is not exactly what it would've been built for 1970. The design is very similar, and the red, white and gold paint is what Lotus would've used. However, the body has been formed from carbon fiber (something that was definitely not used) and makes much more downforce thanks to more than 1,000 hours of aero development. Specifically, it can produce 1,764 pounds of downforce at 150 mph, more than the weight of the vehicle. The frame is more traditional, though, being made of extruded and bonded aluminum and aluminum honeycomb panels. The powertrain is a similar blend of vintage and modern. It uses a pushrod V8 of unknown manufacture, but with forged internals as well as modern fuel and engine management. It makes a huge 819 horsepower at 8,800 rpm and 550 pound-feet of torque at 7,400 rpm. It also has functional and classic-looking gleaming intake trumpets sticking out the back. Safety and features that are thoroughly modern are also included in the Type 66. It has electric power steering, ABS, a modern fuel sell, sequential manual transmission and an anti-stall multiplate clutch. Only 10 Type 66s will be built, one for every race in the 1970 Can-Am season. Each one will cost more than GBP1 million, or $1.27 million. And, unsurprisingly, it's for the track only. Related Video:

Lotus is giving the electric Evija a V8-inspired soundtrack

Sound is a big part of the Lotus experience, whether it comes from a four- or a six-cylinder engine, so the company doesn't want its first electric car to be completely silent. It enlisted the help of music producer Patrick Patrikios to remix the Type 49 Formula One car's V8 into a series of sounds that will be programmed into the upcoming Evija. Patrikios comes from the music industry, he has notably worked with artists like Sia and Britney Spears, but he welcomed the collaboration with Lotus because he's been a fan of the brand since his father showed him an Esprit when he was a kid. He set out to create a new range of sounds that fits the Evija's character while honoring the carmaker's heritage, a task that's difficult to accomplish. Luckily, Lotus has several sonorous engines on its resume. "There's a purity to that V8, a raw edge and an emotion that stirs something in your soul, just like the best songs," summed up the producer when asked why he chose the eight-cylinder that powered the Type 49 to victory. Lotus Evija and Lotus Type 49 View 3 Photos After recording the Type 49's exhaust note, he began digitally remastering it and realized that slowing it down put it on a frequency similar to the natural driving sound emitted by the Evija. "I adjusted the replay speeds and digital filtering of the Type 49 to generate a soundscape for the Evija – it was a very organic process," he said. You can listen to the sound created by Patrikios in the video above; it's what pedestrians will hear when the Evija speeds by. He also developed the various chimes and tones that will resonate through the cabin, like when the turn signals are activated or when a seatbelt isn't fastened. Lotus previously confirmed that the Evija will influence future cars, and we know additional EVs are in the pipeline, so the sound could spread to other models.