Showing posts with label Lotus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lotus. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Friday, March 25, 2011

Friday, February 18, 2011

Lotus Elise Club Racer

Lotus has introduced a slightly lighter, slightly cheaper version of its Elise.



Aimed directly at track day enthusiasts, the Elise Club Racer sheds 24 kg (52 lbs) thanks mainly to the loss of sound insulation and the fitment of a special motorsport-derived battery. Tipping the scales at 852 kg (1,878 lb), it certainly follows the traditional Lotus ethos of minimising weight to maximise performance.





The Club Racer is based on the 134 bhp (100 kW / 136 PS) 1.6 Elise, meaning it enjoys CO2 emissions of just 149 g/km. In line with its circuit-orientated role, changes to the chassis include retuned suspension settings and an adjustable front anti-roll bar.



Additionally, the Dynamic Performance Management system - which, among other things, controls the electronic differential, cornering brake control and traction control - comes with a Sport setting, and it can also be turned off completely.



Lotus has priced the Elise Club Racer at £27,500 in the UK and €34,450 in the Eurozone (depending on local taxes). Buyers will be able to choose from Matt Black, Sky Blue, Carbon Grey, Ardent Red, Aspen White or Saffron Yellow paint finishes.



Related post:

Lotus Elise facelift

Monday, January 31, 2011

Team Lotus reveals T128

Team Lotus - not to be confused with the Lotus Renault GP Team - has unveiled its 2011 Formula 1 car.





Even if that naming clash is still to be dragged through the courts, thankfully the team has decided not to swap last season’s green and yellow colour scheme for a gold and black one. At least that means spectators will be able to tell the numerous Lotuses apart.



The big changes are under the paintjob, though. Gone are 2010’s Cosworth engines, replaced by motors from Renault which have been combined with gearboxes and hydraulics systems courtesy of Red Bull Technologies.





Together with more aggressive aerodynamics and revised suspension, the Norfolk-based team seems confident that the improved package will be good enough to let drivers Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli score some points in 2011.



Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer, said: ‘I think that basically this car looks like a front-running car in every area. We said very clearly that we want to start challenging the established teams and I think that's very achievable.’ Fighting talk indeed.



Related post:

Two Lotus teams in F1?

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Two Lotus teams in F1?

The 2011 Formula 1 season could see the bizarre sight of two Lotus-branded teams on the grid.



Group Lotus - the Proton-owned manufacturer of Lotus road cars - has just bought a stake in the former Renault F1 Team, also becoming title sponsor in the process. The move coincides with Renault selling its share in the outfit, although the French firm will continue to supply engines to the newly renamed Lotus Renault GP Team.






Lotus Renault GP Team - 2011 Livery


A black and gold livery has been revealed too, which harks back to the cigarette-sponsored Lotus F1 cars of the 1970s and 1980s. It might look striking, but why the team would want to give free subliminal advertising to a tobacco company is anyone’s guess.



Confusingly Lotus Racing, which competed for the first time during 2010 but is nothing to do with Group Lotus, has already announced a couple of significant changes for next season: not only will it be switching from Cosworth to Renault power, but it will also be painting its cars black and gold. What a coincidence.



To make matters even more complicated Lotus Racing has, according to the official FIA 2011 Formula 1 entry list, now rebranded itself as Team Lotus and intends to race under the Lotus Renault name.



However, Group Lotus is claiming that Lotus Racing / Team Lotus / Lotus Renault (take your pick) was only using the Lotus moniker under licence this year, but that licence has now been revoked.



Consequently Team Lotus and Group Lotus are now involved in an escalating battle for the right to continue using the name. But with neither side looking likely to back down, the dispute will probably end up being resolved by the UK High Court sometime in the new year.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Rinspeed iChange Concept Lotus Elise 2009 Pictures

Rinspeed iChange Concept Lotus Elise 2009 Pictures
Rinspeed iChange Concept Lotus Elise 2009 Pictures

Rinspeed iChange Concept Lotus Elise 2009 Picture #144523 | 800x600 Wallpaper
Rinspeed iChange Concept Lotus Elise 2009 Pictures

Rinspeed iChange Concept Lotus Elise 2009 Picture #144518 | 800x600 Wallpaper
Rinspeed iChange Concept Lotus Elise 2009 Pictures

Rinspeed iChange Concept Lotus Elise 2009 Picture #144519 | 800x600 Wallpaper
Rinspeed iChange Concept Lotus Elise 2009 Pictures

Rinspeed iChange Concept Lotus Elise 2009 Picture #144522 | 800x600 Wallpaper
Rinspeed iChange Concept Lotus Elise 2009 Pictures

Friday, October 8, 2010

Paris 2010: Lotus Esprit Concept previews upcoming revival of a legend

Paris 2010: Lotus Esprit Concept

Lotus is ready to make a big impact at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. It brought five concept vehicles to the show (more on the other four in short order), and one in particular has us salivating. Lotus plans to revive the much-loved Esprit for the 2013 model year. Before we see a production version of that car, the automaker is showcasing its Lotus Esprit Concept.

Taking cues from the old Esprit, the Esprit Concept plunks its engine amidship, though instead of honoring the turbocharged four-cylinders that powered the originals, the concept makes do with a meaty supercharged 5.0-liter V8. That V8 will look familiar to fans of the Lexus IS-F. The two-seater will produce 620 horsepower, accelerate from 0-60 in under 3.5 seconds and then blast onward to a 205-mile-per-hour top speed. The plan is to bring the production version to market in the spring of 2013 with a price tag around $175,000.

In addition to the massive, and massively exciting ,V8 power, the Lotus Esprit will also be offered with KERS as an option. KERS, or Kinetic Energy Recovery System, is a system used by Formula 1 cars to recover heat energy generated during braking. The energy is stored until the driver wants a powerful boost and with a push of a button propels the car with more force than two bottles of NOS... the big ones.

Paris 2010: Lotus Elise Concept evolves the sports car

2015 Lotus Elise Concept

There's no denying that Lotus had lost its way prior to the release of the much-loved Elise. The company that Colin built had strayed from its roots of lightweight sports cars and drifted towards the exotic realm... and it had drastic effects on the company's bottom line. Thankfully, the Elise and its hard-core cousin, the Exige, set the company back on the straight and narrow.

All of this begs the question, though: How do you update a modern classic like the Elise? Lotus' answer is currently being shown off at the Paris Motor Show. Here are the basics: 320 horsepower from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine procured from Toyota, a six-speed manual and optional paddle-shifted automatic transmission, and a 2,409-pound curb weight. This supercharged model can hit 62 in 4.3 seconds. Price? $55,000.

For those keeping track of such things, which is to say nearly all of you, that is indeed heavier and more expensive than the current Elise... and that's not good. Fortunately, Lotus promises that there will be less expensive versions of the 2015 Elise available, presumably without the benefit of forced induction. There will also be both hard-and soft-top models on offer.

What all Elises will offer, though, is a more luxurious cabin and easier entry and exit. We're loving the look of the interior, with its pod-like binnacle of instruments, steering wheel with F1-style progressive shift lights and its digital rendering of race circuits for those venturing out the the track. As for the exterior, well, let's just say we're not quite on board yet with what Lotus designers have planned for the brand's future. Fortunately they have plenty of time to change our minds.

Paris 2010: Lotus debuts Eterne hybrid sedan concept



When we think of Lotus, the words "hybrid" and "sedan" aren't exactly the first words that come to mind. Now, though, Lotus is changing all that with the introduction of its Eterne concept, a four-door sedan with an optional hybrid powertrain. This may be a big step in a different direction for Lotus, but it's nothing new. The Eterne takes the same shape as the Porsche Panamera, Aston Martin Rapide and Audi A7 Sportback.

Like the new Esprit concept, the Eterne is powered by a 620-horsepower, 5.0-liter V8 sourced from Toyota. The optional hybrid drivetrain uses a Formula 1-style KERS energy recuperation system, and the Lotus sedan will be available in both rear- and all-wheel drive. Of course, this is still a Lotus, so good performance numbers are an absolute must, and we're told that the Eterne will run to 60 miles per hour in just 4.0 seconds on its way to a top speed of 196 mph.

While merely a concept at this point, Lotus says that the Eterne is slated for production in 2015 and that the sedan will cost around $190,000.

Paris 2010: Lotus Elan Concept stuns the crowds

2013 Lotus Elan Concept

We didn't see this one coming. Lotus' five-car concept explosion at the Paris Motor Show is one of the most welcome surprises sprung on us in recent memory... and the biggest surprise of all may be this Elan. Lotus says its new Elan is slated for a debut in 2013, which makes us wonder what the future may have in store for the current Evora. Pricing for the 2013 Elan is set at $118,500 (£75,000).

In any case, the Elan is powered by a 450-horsepower supercharged 4.0-liter V6 engine with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox from Toyota, which offers enough gumption to scoot to 62 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 193 mph. Lotus also promises that a hybrid will be available using a Kinetic Energy Recovery System similar to those seen in Formula One a season ago.

Take a good look at the awesome cockpit of the 2013 Elan. Plenty of carbon fiber, plenty of high-tech goodies, even including a digital race track readout for track days. And could anything be better than that awesome flat-bottom and flat-top steering wheel? No, we didn't think so.

Weight comes in at 2,849 pounds and there is room for a driver and a passenger, but Lotus will also optionally deliver the Elan with two itty-bitty perches out back.

Paris 2010: Lotus shows off its new Grand Tourer, the Elite

Lotus Elite Concept

Lotus continues its march towards global sportscar domination with the 2010 Paris Motor Show unveiling of the Lotus Elite. The Elite represents a step away from "lighter is better" because it is a hefty, four-passenger grand tourer – it weighs in at 3,600 pounds. One of the reasons it's so heavy? It has a retractable, folding hardtop. Don't let the weight throw you off though, this is a good looking, aggressively styled powerhouse. Under the hood sits a modified version of the 5.0-liter V8 out of a Lexus IS-F. The unit is then massaged to produce 611 horsepower which propels the car to a sub-four-second 0-60 time and a top speed of 195 miles per hour. The Elite will also be fitted with KERS for a quick boost of recovered energy.

The front mid-engine layout should help balance the Lotus Elite and make for an exciting driving experience. We expect this car to represent a slightly softer side for the automaker, but that's like saying we expect a bomb to hurt less than a missile. The entire Lotus lineup is poised in attack position, the Elite just happens to wear clothes from the Big and Tall store.

Lotus is aiming to bring this sporty road warrior to market sometime in the year 2014. If you invest your money wisely now, you just might be able to save the estimated $180,000 you'll need to put one in your driveway.

Monday, October 4, 2010

2015 Lotus Eterne

Of the five sports cars that Lotus displayed at the Paris Motor Show, the Eterne represents the biggest departure.





Setting aside collaborative projects such as the Lotus Carlton / Omega from the early 1990s, it’ll be the first four-door saloon that Lotus has produced. Nevertheless, the firm is convinced that there’s a market for it.



It’s also saying the Eterne is ‘… not an evolution of an existing two-door model, it's a deliberate and considered stand-alone creation’, although it looks suspiciously like a four-door version of the 2014 Lotus Elite. Both cars certainly use the same engine, a 5.0 litre V8 that will first appear in the 2013 Esprit.







At an estimated £120,000, the Eterne will undercut competitors such as the Aston Martin Rapide, but it will cost more than cars such as the Porsche Panamera and Maserati Quattroporte.


















2015 Lotus Eterne Concept Specification
Layout 4 seats, front-engined
Engine Petrol, 5.0 litre V8
Hybrid technology Optional, incl. KERS
Power 611 bhp / 456 kW / 620 PS
Torque 720 Nm
0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) 4.0 seconds
Top speed 195 mph (315 km/h)
Weight 1,800 kg
Transmission Full hybrid
Drive Rear-wheel drive, optional all-wheel drive
Production starts Early 2015
On sale Spring 2015
Price Around £120,000


Related posts:

Five new Lotus sports cars

2013 Lotus Esprit

2013 Lotus Elan

2014 Lotus Elite

2015 Lotus Elise

2015 Lotus Elise

By the time the 2015 Elise arrives in the showrooms the current car will be nineteen years old, and so arguably overdue for replacement.





The next generation model revealed at the Paris Motor Show gains a bit of weight, but it also gets extra power to compensate. That comes courtesy of a four-cylinder 2.0 litre engine, which will be available with an optional start-stop system to improve fuel economy and cut down on emissions.







The styling is said to be ‘young, strong, confident [and] verging on ruthless’, but Lotus is also emphasising that the 2015 Elise will be more practical and much easier to get in and out of. Of course 2015 is a long way off, and so some of the design details included on the Paris concept are bound to change.



An estimated price of £35,000 puts it on a par with the top end of today’s Elise range. However, that’s still quite a jump from today’s entry-level 1.6, which in basic form costs nearer to £27,000. Clear evidence of the Lotus desire to shift upmarket then, but it could alienate some existing customers.


















2015 Lotus Elise Concept Specification
Layout 2 seats, mid-engined
Engine Petrol, 2.0 litre I4
Hybrid technology Optional stop-start
Power 315 bhp / 235 kW / 320 PS
Torque 330 Nm
0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) 4.3 seconds
Top speed 167 mph (270 km/h)
Weight 1,095 kg
Transmission 6 Speed manual, optional DCT
Drive Rear-wheel drive
Production starts Early 2015
On sale Spring 2015
Price Around £35,000


Related posts:

Five new Lotus sports cars

2013 Lotus Esprit

2013 Lotus Elan

2014 Lotus Elite

2015 Lotus Eterne

2014 Lotus Elite

The third new Lotus to arrive will be the Elite, in Spring 2014.





Like the two previous incarnations that wore the Elite badge, this version will also be front engined and have rear-wheel drive. But that’s just about where the similarities end.



Power will come from the same engine that the 2013 Esprit will be using, a 5.0 litre V8. Hybrid technology, including a gearbox with integrated electric motors and a Formula 1 style Kinetic Energy Recovery System, will be optional.









From a styling perspective, the Elite is perhaps the best looking of the sports car quintet that Lotus unveiled at Paris. A retractable roof is a key feature of the compact design which, at 4.60 metres in length, is about the same as a BMW 3 Series Coupe.



With a projected price of close to £115,000 though, the 3 Series won’t be the Elite’s competition. That job will go to more rarefied contenders, such as the Aston Martin DB9 and Bentley Continental GT Coupe.


















2014 Lotus Elite Concept Specification
Layout 2+2 seats, front-engined
Engine Petrol, 5.0 litre V8
Hybrid technology Optional, incl. KERS
Power 611 bhp / 456 kW / 620 PS
Torque 720 Nm
0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) 3.5 to 3.7 seconds
Top speed 195 mph (315 km/h)
Weight 1,650 kg
Transmission Full hybrid
Drive Rear-wheel drive
Production starts Early 2014
On sale Spring 2014
Price Around £115,000


Related posts:

Five new Lotus sports cars

2013 Lotus Esprit

2013 Lotus Elan

2015 Lotus Elise

2015 Lotus Eterne

2013 Lotus Elan

The next new Lotus to arrive after the Esprit will be the Elan, which is scheduled to enter the market during the Autumn of 2013.





Power will come from a mid-mounted 4.0 litre V6 and, despite the packaging issues that such a layout presents, there will be a 2+2 seating configuration available.







With a price tag in the region of £75,000, there’s really only one car that the Elan will measured against: the Porsche 911.


















2013 Lotus Elan Concept Specification
Layout 2 or 2+2 seats, mid-engined
Engine Petrol, 4.0 litre V6
Hybrid technology Optional, incl. KERS
Power 443 bhp / 330 kW / 450 PS
Torque 465 Nm
0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) 3.5 seconds
Top speed 192 mph (310 km/h)
Weight 1,295 kg
Transmission 7 Speed DCT
Drive Rear-wheel drive
Production starts Summer 2013
On sale Autumn 2013
Price Around £75,000


Related posts:

Five new Lotus sports cars

2013 Lotus Esprit

2014 Lotus Elite

2015 Lotus Elise

2015 Lotus Eterne

2013 Lotus Esprit

Rumours have been circulating for a while about a replacement for the iconic mid-engined Esprit, and now it’s here, unveiled in concept form at the Paris Motor Show.





Promising to keep the core Lotus characteristic of lightness, the 2013 Esprit will be powered by a 5.0 litre V8 borrowed from the company’s preferred engine supplier, Toyota. However, for use in the Lotus it will be ‘pressure charged’ (which presumably means that either a turbo or supercharger will feature), allowing it to produce 611 bhp.









The styling is described as giving the car an ‘intense’ look and, as will be seen, it heralds a new design language that is used on all of the other new cars too. Generally it works well, although from some angles the kink in the roof line looks a bit odd.



With a projected price of circa £110,000, the Esprit will comfortably undercut supercar rivals such as the Ferrari 458 Italia and Lamborghini Gallardo. Its projected on-sale date is Spring 2013.


















2013 Lotus Esprit Concept Specification
Layout 2 seats, mid-engined
Engine Petrol, 5.0 litre V8
Hybrid technology Optional, incl. KERS
Power 611 bhp / 456 kW / 620 PS
Torque 720 Nm
0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) 3.4 seconds
Top speed 205 mph (330 km/h)
Weight 1,450 kg
Transmission 7 Speed DCT
Drive Rear-wheel drive
Production starts End of 2012
On sale Spring 2013
Price Around £110,000


Related posts:

Five new Lotus sports cars

2013 Lotus Elan

2014 Lotus Elite

2015 Lotus Elise

2015 Lotus Eterne
 

FREE HOT VIDEO 1 | HOT GIRL GALERRY 1

FREE HOT VIDEO 2 | HOT GIRL GALERRY 2

FREE HOT VIDEO 3 | HOT GIRL GALERRY 3

FREE HOT VIDEO 4 | HOT GIRL GALERRY 4

FREE HOT VIDEO 5 | HOT GIRL GALERRY 5

FREE HOT VIDEO 6 | HOT GIRL GALERRY 6

FREE HOT VIDEO 7 | HOT GIRL GALERRY 7

FREE HOT VIDEO 8 | HOT GIRL GALERRY 8

FREE HOT VIDEO 9 | HOT GIRL GALERRY 9

FREE HOT VIDEO 10|HOT GIRL GALERRY 10

FREE HOT VIDEO 11|HOT GIRL GALERRY 11