2011 2+2 Canyon Red Metallic on 2040-cars

Auto blog

The Lotus Evija is the company’s first all-electric hypercar

Internally known as the Type 130, the new Lotus Evija combines several firsts for the British company into one wild shape. First of all, it’s the companyÂ’s first in-house all-electric car – the Lotus chassis provided to the likes of Tesla for the first Roadster doesnÂ’t count. ItÂ’s also the companyÂ’s first hypercar, claiming an astonishing (and provisional) 1,973 horsepower. Perhaps more importantly, itÂ’s the first all-new car from the company since the Evora, and the first to be conceived entirely under the ownership of ChinaÂ’s Geely. Yup, thatÂ’s a lot of firsts. ItÂ’s not the first EV hypercar – itÂ’ll have competition from the likes of Rimac and the upcoming Pininfarina Battista, plus the next-gen Tesla Roadster assuming that does eventually hit the market – but itÂ’s definitely early on the scene. And just look at it – the styling is wild, incorporating some continuing Lotus themes – particularly around the greenhouse – but with an overall direction thatÂ’s much brasher than the companyÂ’s other products. The deep side sculpting resembles is complex and stylized, as are the rounded, narrow quadrangle taillights supported by a massive rear diffuser. The front is arguably the least distinctive and biggest departure for the company. The verticality of the headlamps seems like a blend of the Ferrari F8 Tributo and the old Lamborghini Gallardo, without really aping either. Look closely and it appears to be an evolution of the shape of the EvoraÂ’s lamps, but without that context fresh in your mind itÂ’ll appear more generic supercar than something uniquely Lotus. The bodywork has some neat party tricks. Active aerodynamics allow for an F1-style Drag Reduction System, and thereÂ’s a deployable rear spoiler. There are no fixed side-mirrors; little cameras deploy from the front fenders and another camera embedded in the rear of the roof provides a rear view. ItÂ’s also different. The extruded, bonded aluminum architecture weÂ’re familiar with from the Elise/Exige line and the similar but unique Evora are gone, replaced by a company-first one-piece carbon fiber monocoque tub. Lotus is targeting a curb weight of approximately 3,700 lbs, and the lightweight tub (just 284 lbs) contributes to that.  The battery is housed behind the seats, and feeds power to four individual motors, providing all-wheel drive and infinitely variable torque vectoring.

The black and gold Lotus Evora Sport 410 GP Edition is heading to America

Few race teams have such deeply iconic liveries as Team Lotus. From the Gold Leaf cars from the late 1960s to the bright yellow Camel cars that lasted until the early 1990s, arguably none is more iconic than the John Player Special cars that brought world championships to Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti. Now that same sleek black and gold paint scheme can be had on the new Lotus Evora Sport 410 GP Edition. Even better, it's heading to America. While the GP Edition isn't anything more than a special paint scheme, what a wonderful design it is. The livery is based on the John Player Special Team Lotus cars that competed in Formula One between 1972 and 1986. The black paint is accented with gold stripes along the hood, fenders, doors, and rocker panel. Gold Evora Sport 410 logos adorn the rear while a "Word Champions" emblem flanks the engine cover. The Evora Sport 410 is the lighter, faster version of the thoroughly reworked Evora 400 that we drove last year. Lotus says it's the fastest road car the automaker has ever built. It hits 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds and tops out at 190 mph. They US version has been specially curated by Lotus engineers in order to be both light and meet federal crash test standards. Unfortunately, Lotus is only building 150 total each year for worldwide markets. Related Video:

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.