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Radford Type 62-2 is rad, a coachbuilt sports car based on Lotus underpinnings

There’s a new coachbuilder out there, and the company calls itself Radford. Today, Radford revealed its first car — the Type 62-2 — and itÂ’s based on the chassis and underpinnings of the Lotus Evora. ThatÂ’s an extremely good place to begin building from. Plus, the company has some big names attached to it. F1 racer Jenson Button is the one who dialed in the carÂ’s driving dynamics. Mark Stubbs, formerly of Bentley, Bugatti, Aston Martin and more, led the design process. And Ant Anstead, now co-hosting "Wheeler Dealers," is handling the build/production work. There may be an Evora underneath all the new bodywork, but this vehicle doesnÂ’t look like one on the outside. Instead, itÂ’s meant to take after the original Lotus Type 62 race car. Take one quick look at both, and it appears as though Radford has done a standup job of getting it there. ItÂ’s even been revealed initially in livery worn by the old Type 62. WeÂ’ll note that there will be two cars with slightly different looks. The first is a “Classic” version without a wing and fitted with staggered 17/18-inch wheels. The other model is called “Gold Leaf,” and it has the Type 62Â’s wings, can be done in the livery you see here and features larger center-locking 18/19-inch wheels. Thanks to the aluminum-intensive structure of the Evora, the Radford Type 62-2 weighs just under 2,205 pounds. Radford saved additional weight by using all carbon fiber body panels. This lightweight body is propelled forward via the 3.5-liter Toyota-provided supercharged V6 used in the Evora. Its base tune in the Type 62-2 offers up 430 horsepower. However, upgrading from the Classic to the Gold Leaf brings an increase to 500 horsepower. Radford says it gets the extra power via upgraded pistons, connecting rods, camshafts and new electronic engine mapping. If you want the extra power in the Classic, Radford says you can still optionally have it. As you may already suspect, a six-speed manual transmission is available on the Type 62-2. Unlike the Evora, though, you can also spec a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. ItÂ’s the only transmission available if you spec the engine up to 500 horsepower, so pick your poison on that front — thereÂ’s no manual available for the high-power version. As for the suspension, Radford says itÂ’s lowered the car more and changed the suspension geometry a bit compared to the standard Lotus design — thanks, Jenson.

Lotus Exige Sport 350 adds even more lightness

Lotus is constantly looking for more weight to cut out of models like the Elise and Exige, as light as they already are. The company somehow found 112 lbs to carve out of the Exige, and the result is the new Sport 350 you see here. Following the reveal of the Elise Sport and Elise Sport 220, the new Exige Sport 350 weighs just 2,480 pounds. That's 112 pounds less than the existing featherlike Exige S, with its aluminum chassis and composite bodywork. To cut weight where there was so little to be cut, the engineers in Hethel fitted a new louvered tailgate, battery, engine mounts, center console, HVAC piping, and insulation materials. All of those new components are lighter than the ones they replace, fulfilling company founder Colin Chapman's ethos of "adding lightness." The 3.5-liter supercharged V6 carries over with the same output of 345 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. But with less weight to move, the Exige Sport 350 will now reach 60 from a standstill in just 3.7 seconds, topping out at 170 miles per hour. With it, Lotus also retuned the suspension and the six-speed manual gearbox, which now features a deliciously exposed linkage. A six-speed automatic is also available, adding 12 lbs to the curb weight and altering performance only negligibly. Deliveries will begin in February across Europe before reaching markets overseas in March (around the same time that the Exige Sport 350 Roadster will follow). Unfortunately North America isn't one of those markets, since both the Elise and Exige were withdrawn from these shores in 2011. Hope springs eternal, however, that the next generation will reach us sometime after 2020. New Lotus Exige Sport 350 – Light is Right · 51 kg lighter than previous Exige S · 345 hp and in excess of 300 hp/tonne · 0-60 mph in 3.7 Seconds and top speed of 170 mph · Heritage Tartan interior and new colour and trim options As the ultimate incarnation of the world famous Exige, Lotus has revealed the Sport 350, the latest version of the class-leading and award winning sports car, that's lighter and faster than ever before. The new Exige Sport 350 is the next model in the range to mark the reintroduction of the renowned 'Sport' naming designation. It joins the recently announced Lotus Elise Sport and Elise Sport 220 – delivering a lighter and even more performance-focused driving experience.

Lotus CUV sets sights on Macan

The idea of a minimalist sportscar brand like Lotus actually building a crossover, as opposed to its APX concept, is still a bit hard to comprehend. But survival in the modern automotive landscape isn't easy, and a higher-volume model could do a lot to keep the lights on. Hot off the debut of the feather-light 3-Eleven at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, company CEO Jean-Marc Gales is now divulging some more details about the future model. At the moment, Lotus plans to launch the crossover in 2019, and the company has some rather specific targets in mind. "We want to get SUVs to be light and fast. The nearest rival will be the Porsche Macan – but ours will be better," Gales said to Auto Express. Rumors suggest the use of aluminum and composites with the goal for a weight as much as 400-500 pounds less than Porsche's smaller CUV. The model will be exclusive to the Chinese market at launch. While the Lotus crossover is under serious planning, actual development isn't underway yet. According to Auto Express, the company and its Chinese joint venture partner are still waiting for a license to build cars there. Once that comes, they intend to kick things into high gear. Gales also suggested that a Toyota-sourced powertrain, possibly a hybrid, was in the cards.