1978 Lotus Esprit Base Coupe 2-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Evora GT430 revealed, Lotus' most powerful road car ever

A new Lotus grows in the English garden of lightness and speed. Lotus bills the Evora GT430 as the company's fastest, "most powerful and accomplished road car to date." And the stats seem to back that up. Lotus says the GT430's 0-to-60 time is a brilliant 3.7 seconds, the logical result of putting a 3.5-liter V6 supercharged and charge-cooled engine producing 430 horsepower into a car with a curb weight of 2,858 pounds (2,768 pounds exsanguinated). Lotus, in continual pursuit of its fetish for lightness, used carbon fiber (some of it exposed) and lightweight chassis innovations to knock 81 pounds off the curb weight of the already-quite-light Evora 410. Other comparison points: The 410 makes 410 horsepower, hence the name, with a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds. The GT430 also gains torque over the 410, generating 325 pound-feet, though higher in the rev range at 4,500 rpm, to the 410's output of 310 at 3,500. The GT430 comes only with a six-speed manual (you can get an automatic in the 410 if so inclined), and its top speed is 190 miles per hour. Tack on aero, notably the large carbon wing, that generates up to 550 pounds of downforce (that's at top speed, but there's plenty far slower), and Lotus says the result is "tremendous real-world speed and handling unheard of in its class." It's the first new product announcement since news broke of Lotus' sale to China's Geely. Only 60 Evora GT430s will be built, at a base price of 112,500 pounds (VAT included) that will escalate quickly with options. That's around $125 grand, assuming you could get one here. Check out Lotus' website for details. Related Video: Featured Gallery Lotus Evora GT430 View 15 Photos Image Credit: Lotus Auto News Lotus Technology Coupe Performance Geely

Lotus proves it's alive and well by releasing its most powerful road-going car

The future hasn't always looked bright for Lotus, but the British company is skating on much thicker ice under Geely ownership now than it was in the middle of the 2010s. It continues to claw back from the brink by releasing a GT-badged evolution of the Evora that delivers a meaner punch than its predecessors, and comes with a list of options that nearly rivals Porsche's. The GT replaces the Sport 410 and the 400 variants of the Evora. Presented as the most powerful road-going Lotus ever sold in the United States, it's powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine supercharged to 416 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 317 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm. Those figures allow it to hit 60 mph from a stop in a brisk 3.8 seconds, and reach a 188-mph top speed. It's still a little bit slower than the Evora GT430 released in 2017, but Lotus kept that model away from American roads. The Evora GT comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission. Enthusiasts not interested in using a clutch can select an automatic gearbox that they can leave in drive or shift manually with aluminum paddles mounted on the steering wheel. Torque goes up to 332 pound-feet when the six shifts through the optional automatic, but the Evora GT posts the same performance figures regardless of how many pedals are in its footwell. Lotus makes the Evora GT using carbon fiber to keep weight in check. Buyers can honor company founder Colin Chapman by adding lightness if they're willing to add dollars, too. Priced at $10,000, the Carbon Pack includes a roof panel, a tailgate, a front access panel, and a diffuser all made with carbon fiber. Ticking that box shaves 50 pounds; put another way, Lotus charges $200 per pound.  Selecting the $8,000 titanium exhaust removes another 22 pounds. The Evora GT tips the scale at 3,104 pounds in its lightest configuration, but getting there requires paying for a Volkswagen Golf's worth of options. At least downforce comes standard, and the GT has more of it than its predecessors. The new GT designation doesn't bring significant exterior styling changes. It's the same story inside, where Lotus continues to offer the model as a strict two-seater, or with a pair of rear seats big enough for very, very small occupants. Every GT comes standard with a 7-inch touchscreen compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. On sale now, the 2020 Lotus Evora GT starts at $96,950. Deliveries will begin by the end of 2019.

Lotus Type 132 electric SUV gets another teaser

Back in August, Lotus laid out its product plans for the next few years. One of the most significant ones, and soonest to launch, is the Type 132, an electric SUV. A muddy silhouette was all we got with the product announcement, but now we get an up-close look at the SUV. Unfortunately, this look is so close up that all we can see is the lower grille section. It's not a bad looking grille section, with divvied-up hexagonal openings. They even have active shutters that adjust for cooling or aerodynamics. But of course, there's not much else we can tell. The Type 132 is slated to launch next year, so we won't have long to wait. It's one of four electric Lotus models that will launch in the next few years, not including the Evija supercar. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.