1986 Lotus Espirit Turbo, Manual, 78k Miles, All Original on 2040-cars

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Lotus Emeya 'hyper-GT' teased before September 7 debut

The Lotus Type 130 became the battery-electric, 1,972-horsepower Evija coupe. After an ICE diversion for the Type 131 to become the Emira, the Type 132 became the battery-electric Eletre "hyper-SUV." The Type 133 four-door is nearly upon us, and we now know its name will be the Emeya. This corrects the error of thinking the sedan will be called the Envya, based on Lotus filing to trademark that name. A brief Emeya teaser for the "hyper-GT" before a debut September 7 announces a challenger to EVs like the Porsche Taycan, spicier variants of the Lucid Air, the Tesla Model S Plaid, and less obviously, the Polestar 5 from the also-Geely-owned sibling brand.  Naturally, the teaser offers just a small taste of what's ahead. We see a quartet of thin, hockey-stick LED headlights, finally exposed after Lotus hid the upper lights behind camouflage on prototypes. There's a full-width LED light bar in back, underneath the active spoiler at the base of the rear window. And a brief moment 18 seconds into the video shows a large front brake caliper in yellow, painted with the automaker's name and the words "Carbon Ceramic."    The Emeya will be based on the same internal package as the Eletre. If the sedan gets two output ratings like the SUV, the template indicates baseline performance from a dual-motor powertrain of around 595 or 893 horsepower, and battery packs of either 92 kWh or 120. European range estimates for the SUV come in at 373 miles for the less powerful S trim, 304 miles for the stouter R. With the sedan having less of a battle to fight against the wind, we'd expect those spec-sheet numbers to improve. Practical use could tell a different story, engineers saying they tuned the Emeya to be a driver's car and benchmarked the Taycan. The feature list should include an 800-volt architecture and fast charging up to 350 kW, all-wheel drive, rear-wheel steering, active roll control, and the Eletre's active front intake shutters. Figured to be less than two inches longer than a Taycan, spy shots from last year showed the same minimalist driving space as the Eletre, but a dedicated four-seat interior. That extended center console could have been part of an option package, though. The SUV isn't making it to the U.S. until next year. We figure the sedan should arrive here afterward, likely for the 2025 model year. We'll know more on September 7.  Video Green Lotus Electric Future Vehicles Luxury Performance Sedan

2015 Ram ProMaster City Tradesman First Drive [w/video]

From the perspective of a reviewer, there's a refreshing clarity to be hand when approaching a vehicle like a small commercial van. Where the inherent value equation for most vehicles is composed of both objective facts (price, fuel economy), and subjective opinions (looks, emotional response while driving), the reckoning of something like the new Ram ProMaster City is more straightforward. The light commercial van segment in the US has seen a remodel over the last half-decade, moving from paneled-over minivans to the versatile, economical, European-style boxes on wheels you see with increasing frequency today. Ford, Nissan and Chevrolet are all players here (though Chevy's City Express is essentially a rebadged version of Nissan's NV200), and though Ram's entry could be seen as late to the party, it also matches up very nicely in many of those straightforward areas of measure. Kindly, Ram brought along both the Nissan and the Ford for us to test alongside its new product, so we could get firsthand comparative impressions. The 2015 ProMaster City is roomier, more powerful and more maneuverable than its competition, though it trades those advantages for a higher price and a thirstier engine around town. We headed down to Texas where, between breaks for tacos and Topo Chicos, our goal was to see if Ram had created the new best box van in the US. Based on the already successful Fiat Doblo van from Europe, the baby ProMaster's visual transformation after its continental hop isn't radical. Ram has fitted a crosshair grille, new headlights and taillights, but largely the curvaceous, nose-forward styling remains the same. As we mentioned at the top: style is going to be very low on this list of priorities for a buyer of light commercial vans. Still, we'd rate the City as mid-pack for the options in the US; more attractive than the Nissan/Chevy twins and less so than the crisp Ford Transit Connect. (Though the optional five-spoke wheels of our test vehicle make it seem downright sporty in this group). Open the driver's side door and slide into the almost totally flat front seat, and any notion of "style" goes right out the window. Surfaces are almost exclusively black and gray, with workaday textures and frustratingly easy-to-scratch-plastics. This is a functional space though; trays, cubbies, cupholders and bins are far more numerous than you'd expect from a compact, two-seat cabin.

Kimi Raikkonen moving to Ferrari?

Kimi Raikkonen, easily one of our favorite current drivers in Formula 1, may be making a move from Lotus to Ferrari, according to a Finnish tabloid called Ilta-Sanomat. Raikkonen, who won the driver's championship in 2007 with the Italian brand, is in high demand and is also rumored to have options on the table from Red Bull and his current team.
Of course, a move by Kimi to Ferrari means at least one of the Maranello-based outfit would need to find another ride. Driving ace Fernando Alonso has publicly voiced his displeasure with the Ferrari chassis, and rumors have the Spaniard considering a move to Red Bull to replace Mark Webber. Buckle up, folks, this Silly Season is shaping up to be bumpy...