1999 Lotus Esprit V8 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Elise Time Attack could be most extreme Lotus yet

The Lotus Elise has given birth to some seriously fast and varied machinery. Aside from Lotus' own models like the Exige, 2-Eleven, 340R and Europa, electric vehicles like the Tesla Roadster, not to mention the never-released Dodge Circuit and Detroit Electric SP:01, are all based on the Elise's platform. As were/are the Melkus RS 2000, the Opel Speedster/Vauxhall VX220 and the Hennessey Venom GT. But this could be the most extreme use of the lightweight chassis yet.
This Series 1 Elise has been built by one performance-obsessed Brit with a single purpose: to compete in the UK's Time Attack championship. For those unfamiliar, Time Attack is something like a rally or a hillclimb event, only it takes place on a racing circuit. Each vehicle goes out on the track by itself and sets the best time it can, without needing to worry about other competitors until the finish line is crossed and it's the next racer's turn. That's what drove Lee to modify his Lotus so thoroughly, with more wings, diffusers, flaps and carbon fiber than a Boeing factory. Check it out in the video below.

Lotus to add 2 new sports cars by 2020, SUV by 2022

British sports carmaker Lotus will bring two new sports cars in 2020 with an SUV right behind them in 2021 or '22, becoming the brand's first all-new vehicles since it began production of the Evora back in 2009.CAR Magazine reports the news in an interview with Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales. Of the two cars, he said only that one will be a replacement for an existing car, with the other likely to be a limited-edition, track-focused car slotted above the Evora. It'll base the cheaper of the two on an evolution of Lotus' bonded aluminum chassis, while the other will get a new carbon-fiber chassis and become the brand's new performance flagship. Chinese automaker Geely, which also owns Volvo, purchased a majority ownership stake in Lotus last year, adding what's hoped to be a measure of stability and badly needed investment to years of ownership changes and endless re-iterations of existing models. With Geely money backing the operation, it's likely these two vehicles will be more likely to come to fruition than the last batch of ambitious concepts from the company, which included a new Esprit, Elite, and Elan. Those never progressed beyond the concept stage. The company soon after revealed the Evora GT430 as its fastest, most-powerful road car to date, with a 0-to-60 time of 3.7 seconds, and it put the same supercharged V6 in the Exige to bump up horsepower to 430 and increase torque to 325 pound-feet. Meanwhile, Lotus is ending production of the 3-Eleven this year, and Gales has previously said the company was developing a new Elise for 2020, so it's likely that's one of the new cars. The Elise and Exige were withdrawn from the U.S. back in 2011. The new vehicles will benefit from technology from Geely's network of suppliers, and Geely is also apparently hiring new Lotus staff and investing "millions" in Lotus' production lines. Lotus said its sales were way up in both Europe and the U.S. during its last fiscal year, and while the brand still lost money it narrowed its financial losses and said it expected to be profitable before tax for the current fiscal year.Related Video:

Lotus Evora Sport 410 will come to North America this year

Just a year after debuting the 400-horsepower Evora 400, Lotus now reveals the Evora Sport 410, which sharpens the coupe even more. As the name suggests, power creeps up to 410 hp, but the more impressive change is the 154-pound drop in weight. Like the 400, the new model is even on the way to the US. "A specific North American version of the Evora Sport 410 will be announced later in 2016 along with the price," Alastair Florance, Lotus Group PR Manager, told Autoblog. We hope it's as light here as in the rest of the world. The Evora Sport 410's extra power and fewer pounds translate to improved performance. The run to 60 miles per hour now takes 3.9 seconds, versus 4.1 seconds for the Evora 400. The top speed remains the same at 186 mph. The latest model is also three seconds per lap faster around Lotus' Hethel test track compared to the 400. Lots of new carbon fiber parts are the key to the significant weight loss, which takes the coupe down to 2,921 pounds. The front splitter, roof, tailgate, rear diffuser, sport seats, and front access panel are now made from the lightweight material. Inside, there are single-piece door panels, which no longer have armrests or stowage pockets. Lotus plans to build 150 Evora Sport 410s a year, but it's not clear whether that figure includes the North American specific model. Prices in the UK start at the equivalent 79,900 pounds ($112,000 at current exchange rates). We don't yet know US numbers, but the Evora 400 sells for $89,900 here. You can assume a higher cost for this model's greater performance. Lightening strikes again: The Lotus Evora Sport 410 • 0-60 mph in 3.9 secs and a top speed of 186 mph • 70 kg slashed from the weight of the Evora 400 • Comprehensive carbon fibre package as standard • Increased power, reduced mass, sharper handling • Total production limited to one-hundred and fifty vehicles per year In a move that should surprise no one, Lotus has raised the bar once again by lightening the Evora in order to develop the sensational Evora Sport 410. Following on from the recently announced Elise Cup 250, and the Exige Sport 350, Lotus' famous Lightweight Laboratory has been hard at work cutting the weight of the Evora 400 by a massive 70kg. With a host of high-performance carbon fibre components as standard, and sharing the 410 hp supercharged engine with the track-bred 3-Eleven, the Lotus Evora Sport 410 clocks 0-60 in 3.9 seconds on its way to a top speed of 186mph.