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Volvo-based, Chinese-built Lotus SUV allegedly due out in 2020

Lotus will set foot in the lucrative SUV segment before the end of 2020, according to a recent report. It's preparing to unveil a high-riding model named Lambda that will be made in China with Swedish parts. Five-plus years in the making, the first Lotus-badged SUV will share its SPA platform with several members of the Volvo range, including the XC90, and with the plug-in hybrid Polestar 1. Citing unverified reports from China, Holland-based AutoWeek reported the Lambda will land in the same segment as the Porsche Cayenne Coupe and upmarket variants of the BMW X6. Patent images (pictured) suggest it will wear a fastback-like roof line. Using the flexible SPA platform will allow Lotus to offer a variety of powertrains, including gasoline-burning four-cylinder engines with forced induction and at least one plug-in hybrid option. SPA wasn't designed to accommodate six- or eight-cylinders, so leveraging electrification will likely be the easiest way for engineers to unlock more performance. An electric variant will reportedly join the range a little bit later in the 2020s. Production will begin in Wuhan, China, in late 2020, according to the same source. Whether the model will be sold in the United States is up in the air. It would make a significant amount of sense: Americans have an insatiable appetite for SUVs, and the company has often stressed it wants to increase its sales in our market. Lotus hasn't commented on the report, and it has remained quiet about its long-rumored SUV. We heard a lot about the model from Jean-Marc Gales, its former CEO; he notably said it will be to the Cayenne what the Evora is to the 911, and he pledged it would become the fastest and most agile model in its segment. He's gone, replaced by Phil Popham in 2018, so that strategy might have changed. If the rumor is accurate, we won't have to wait long to see how Lotus can apply its design language and its unique engineering philosophy to an SUV. Related Video:

Lotus reveals an even lighter version of the Elise Cup 250

For an automaker with very few resources, Lotus manages to keep things relatively fresh. The new Evora 400 is a blast to drive, even if it is just a heavily revised version of the car that debuted in 2009. The current Lotus Elise debuted back in 2010, and though it may have departed from our shores, Lotus keeps customers worldwide happy with a plethora of new variants. The latest model is the lightweight Lotus Elise Cup 250. Now, this isn't the same Elise Cup 250 that debuted last year, though the two cars are very, very similar. The main difference is weight, as is typical with a Lotus. Colin Chapman's tried and true saying, simplify and add lightness, is still true here. The new model weighs just 1,895 pounds, or 1,948 without the lightweight package. Last year's Elise Cup 250 was already quite svelte at 2,053 pounds. While you may think that shaving that much weight from an already light car must be the result of black magic or a localized black hole, the truth is far more simple. The Elise Cup 250 makes extensive use of carbon fiber, titanium, and aluminum for components like the bodywork, exhaust, and wheels. The rear window is plastic instead of glass, and the standard lead-acid battery is replaced with a lithium-ion battery. The rest of the car remains mostly unchanged. The car is propelled by a 243-horsepower supercharged 1.8-liter inline four. It can hit 60 mph in just 3.9 seconds, quicker than the more powerful Evora 400. There's plenty of aero to keep the car planted, but it's not a pure track car like the Exige. The Elise Cup 250 still comes with a full interior with a stereo, though there's no mention of cupholders. As exciting as all this may be, the Elise Cup 250 won't be coming to the US. Unfortunately, airbags and crash structures all add weight. For everyone else, the Elise Cup 250 is at dealers now. Related Video: Featured Gallery Lotus Elise Cup 250 News Source: Lotus Lotus Lightweight Vehicles Performance

Last Lotus Elise delivered to the person it was named after

Lotus just made an announcement on its social media channels that the last customer-bound Elise has been built — we'll note that Lotus built the very last Elise for itself — and delivered to its final customer, Elisa Artioli. If you havenÂ’t heard of her before, itÂ’s time for a little Lotus history lesson. Back when the Elise came to fruition and was released in 1996, Romano Artioli was the companyÂ’s chairman. When it came time to finalize a name for the two-seat sports car, Romano looked to his granddaughter, Elisa, for inspiration.  For those who find full-circle stories satisfying, itÂ’s hard to get any better than this one. The Elise youÂ’re looking at here is the final customer-bound Elise in the world, and itÂ’s going to none other than the woman who the car is named after. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. As for the spec of the car itself, this is an Elise Sport 240, and itÂ’s painted in “Championship Gold.” The Sport 240 features a 1.8-liter supercharged four-cylinder thatÂ’s good for 240 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. Weighing only 2,033 pounds, itÂ’s capable of a 4.1-second 0-60 mph sprint and has a top speed of 147 mph. What a lovely story! WeÂ’ve asked Lotus for more photos and additional information, and weÂ’ll update when we hear back.