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Lotus is giving the electric Evija a V8-inspired soundtrack

Sound is a big part of the Lotus experience, whether it comes from a four- or a six-cylinder engine, so the company doesn't want its first electric car to be completely silent. It enlisted the help of music producer Patrick Patrikios to remix the Type 49 Formula One car's V8 into a series of sounds that will be programmed into the upcoming Evija. Patrikios comes from the music industry, he has notably worked with artists like Sia and Britney Spears, but he welcomed the collaboration with Lotus because he's been a fan of the brand since his father showed him an Esprit when he was a kid. He set out to create a new range of sounds that fits the Evija's character while honoring the carmaker's heritage, a task that's difficult to accomplish. Luckily, Lotus has several sonorous engines on its resume. "There's a purity to that V8, a raw edge and an emotion that stirs something in your soul, just like the best songs," summed up the producer when asked why he chose the eight-cylinder that powered the Type 49 to victory. Lotus Evija and Lotus Type 49 View 3 Photos After recording the Type 49's exhaust note, he began digitally remastering it and realized that slowing it down put it on a frequency similar to the natural driving sound emitted by the Evija. "I adjusted the replay speeds and digital filtering of the Type 49 to generate a soundscape for the Evija – it was a very organic process," he said. You can listen to the sound created by Patrikios in the video above; it's what pedestrians will hear when the Evija speeds by. He also developed the various chimes and tones that will resonate through the cabin, like when the turn signals are activated or when a seatbelt isn't fastened. Lotus previously confirmed that the Evija will influence future cars, and we know additional EVs are in the pipeline, so the sound could spread to other models.

Lotus hiring 100 after securing lb100m investment

Lotus is getting a shot in the arm courtesy of corporate parent DRB-Hicom, which has announced a 100-million pound ($152.3M USD at today's rates) investment in the Hethel, UK-based manufacturer. The troubled brand was also in the news last week, with DRB announcing a new, three-year plan that would see variants of existing models introduced.
The money will create 100 new jobs in Hethel, with 45 new engineers, 40 manufacturing operatives and 18 university grads joining the team. Lotus has already seen an uptick in sales this year, according to a Norfolk-based news site, with 40 to 45 cars being produced per week and 722 road cars and 45 race cars sold between January and May. Even sales in the UK have seen a big jump - Lotus only moved 70 units in 2012, but it's already sold 80 cars in the first half of 2013.
Better yet, Lotus is citing an increased demand for its cars around the globe as the motive behind the new hires. While still quite uncertain, Lotus looks like it might finally be on the right track.

Alpine joins forces with Lotus to develop an electric sports car

Renault's performance-rooted Alpine division linked arms with Caterham to develop the current-generation A110, but it brought the project in-house after the partnership collapsed. It's again looking across the English Channel to design the model's replacement. It teamed up with Lotus to examine ways to create a nimble electric sports car. Both companies issued a statement to cautiously explain the project remains at the embryonic stage. Development work hasn't started yet. Executives simply agreed to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study for the joint engineering, design, and development of a battery-powered model. On the French side, the car (assuming it's approved) will replace the A110. In the United Kingdom, it's unclear whether the Lotus-badged variant will take the torch from an existing model (like the Elise), or if it will be positioned as a standalone car. While it sounds like nothing is set in stone yet, the match makes sense. Alpine and Lotus are both niche players in the automotive industry, though they're part of much larger groups (Geely owns Lotus). And they both made a name for themselves by building light sports cars. Neither has ever offered a rival to the Lamborghini Aventador, for example. Working together will allow them to find a common solution to the problem of offsetting the mass of an electric powertrain. Overlapping is certainly possible, but Alpine and Lotus can stay in opposite corners of the same room if they put their respective DNAs front and center. Their jointly-developed electric sports car will need to be small, nimble, and quick. From there, Lotus could shape its version as a convertible (or at least with removable roof panels) while Alpine could turn its model into a coupe, the body style it's most closely associated with. Design will be a major differentiating factor, too. Lotus previously hinted its future cars will borrow styling cues from the Evija. We don't know exactly where Alpine is headed, but nothing suggests its future cars will also look like the Evija. Alpine's reshuffling won't end there. Renault announced that the firm will gain responsibility for Renault Sport and Renault Sport Racing in the coming years, and that it will become 100% electric. It will introduce at least three new models during the first half of the 2020s: a car that looks like a city-friendly hatchback, its first crossover, inevitably, and the aforementioned A110 replacement.