Day: 2 October 2010

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Lotus Motor Shows

Paris 2010: Lotus Eterne

Lotus Eterne

The fifth and final installment from the Lotus surprise pack at Paris this year is this four door sports saloon, the Eterne. It’s the company’s answer to the Aston Martin Rapide. So much so they even dared to borrow the swooping detail along the window line leading into the C-pillar.

Throwing Chapman’s lightness mantra even further out the window the Eterne weighs in at 1800kg. Still, for a big cruisy GT that’s probably not too bad in this day and age. The 620PS 5.0 litre V8 form the Esprit gets another guernsey here and propels the Eterne to 100km/h in 4.0 seconds, with a top speed of 315km/h.

Contradicting himself slightly Dany Bahar says, “We truly believe that there is a market for the Eterne, there is nothing else like it out there both in terms of design, capacity and performance. The biggest difference between the Eterne and it’s class competitors is that it’s not an evolution of an existing two-door model, it’s a deliberate and considered stand-alone creation. It’s the ultimate four door sports car.”

More pics, video and official press release are available after the break.

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Paris 2010: Lotus Elite

Lotus Elite

You’re looking at an all new model for the Lotus brand, it’s called the Elite. In the video below it is described as a “gentleman’s car”. Basically it’s a 2+2 grand tourer fitted with the same 620PS 5.0 litre V8 from the new Esprit.

Lotus CEO, Dany Bahar, says the company is moving with the times by providing a more luxurious sportscar. What he’s really doing is softening the blow made by the Elite’s 1650kg weight, which is starting to push the boundaries of Colin Champan‘s legacy of “simplify and add lightness”.

Bahar continues his defence accordingly, “Make no mistake, there’s a definite market requirement for the Elite – it’s the ultimate sports car feel with comfort and space. There will always be those who believe that Lotus should stick to small sports cars but we didn’t take the decision to design something like the Elite lightly, it’s based on months of careful research and planning.”

The Elite continues the new visual language so clearly defined at Paris this year and it’s certainly no slouch. Able to reach 100km/h in 3.7 seconds before achieving a v-max of 315km/h the Elite is due to go on sale in the second half of 2014.

More pics, video and official press release are available after the break.

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Paris 2010: Lotus Elise

Lotus Elise

Continuing the Lotus revamp is this new Elise concept. The car is not due until 2015 so there’s a whole heap of spy shots, testing images and information to come. For now, though, we can tell you the car will be powered by a 320PS 2.0 litre four-cylinder engine and with a very light 1095kg to shift around the new Elise is sure to build on the current model’s razor sharp handling prowess.

Lotus say the new Elise do the 100km/h sprint in 4.3 seconds and will have a top speed of 270km/h. The interior pics supplied are just renderings at this stage, but you can see enough to know it’s the bare essentials only, albeit presented in a slightly more upmarket finish than the current Elise.

Lotus CEO, Dany Bahar, hopes the all-new model wll attract an all new generation to his brand, “The design of the Elise 2015 is perfect for the target market, it’s young, strong, confident, verging on ruthless, it mirrors the engineering and technology. It’s the next generation Elise for a new generation of Lotus drivers.”

More pics, video and official press release are available after the break.

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Paris 2010: Lotus Esprit

Lotus Esprit

“The icon is back.” That’s how Lotus has titled their press release for the new Esprit. It’s only back in concept form right now, but Lotus says the car will be on sale in 2013. The new aggressive lines and sharp edges make a bold statement and position the Esprit right in the heart of supercar territory. A fact mentioned many times in the promo video below.

The Esprit will be powered by a 5.0 litre V8 producing an inspiring peak power figure of 620PS (456kW) and a very encouraging 720Nm of torque. Tipping the scales at 1450kg (roughly the same as a Golf R) the Esprit rockets to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds and can reach a top speed of 330km/h.

Lotus CEO, Dany Bahar, is pumped, “Not only does the Esprit look incredible but it has the performance to match. We’ve stuck to the Lotus core values of performance through lightweight and teamed them with future technology and exceptional engineering to ensure that the Esprit will be the leader of the pack. The design is aggressive, you have to see it to appreciate how low and wide the proportions are but it still retains a level of dignity, of class and most of all exclusivity. I’m very proud of this car.”

More pics, video and official press release are available after the break.

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Paris 2010: Lotus Elan

Lotus Elan

Lotus has come to the Paris Motor Show, and it means business. In total they have presented five new concept cars. This is the new Elan. It’s due for release in 2013 and features a 450PS V6 engine with a 7 speed DCT. The car weighs 1295kg and can reach 100km/h in 3.5 seconds with a top speed of 310km/h.

It looks pretty good don’t you think? Inside, there’s a hint of Ferrari 458 Italia with the digital display and centre console design.

Lotus CEO, Dany Bahar, reckons they’re on to a winner, “If there was ever a car to make you drive the long way home, it’s the Elan. Perfect for both road and track, the Elan not only ticks all the boxes, it creates new ones too.”

More details after the break.

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