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Lotus reveals new LMP1 at Le Mans

Lotus is at Le Mans this week where it has unveiled its new LMP1. Only it's not racing at Le Mans. And it's not really a Lotus, either.
The prototype belongs to an independent German team that ran a Lotus chassis in the LMP2 category last year, but was granted license by the FIA and ACO to step up to the top-tier LMP1 category to dice it with the front-running hybrids from Audi, Porsche and Toyota this year. Unfortunately, the team - which licenses the Lotus name from the automaker, much as the F1 team does - faced some setbacks. Not the least of those delays resulted from a mid-stream switch in engine suppliers from the Audi-sourced, naturally aspirated V8 it was originally set to use to a new turbocharged V6 from Advanced Engine Research.
As a result it wasn't ready for the Silverstone race that kicked off this season's World Endurance Championship in April. Nor was it ready for the second round at Spa in May or not for the headline event this weekend at Le Mans, but it aims to be on the track at the next round in Austin.

Lotus and Proton might be sold to Peugeot-Citroen after Geely bails

Despite some strong initial interest, Chinese automaker Geely changed its mind about purchasing a controlling stake in Proton, parent company of Lotus Cars. This leaves Groupe PSA, owner of Peugeot, Citroen, and now Opel, as the sole remaining interested party. This is mixed news for Proton, as Geely's hands-off, cash-flush approach may have helped Lotus. On the other hand, it isn't like Groupe PSA is bordering on bankruptcy. According to Malaysian automotive news site Paultan.org, the reasons behind Geely's change of heart are unclear. In fact, it may seem that the indecision about the deal may have been coming more from Proton, not Geely. Reports say that Proton's parent company, Malaysian manufacturer DRB-Hicom, was uneasy about the potential partnership. DRB-Hicom assembles cars for a number of automakers, including Honda, Isuzu, and Suzuki. A deal with Groupe PSA would give the French automaker access to both DRB-Hicom's facilities and an expanded foothold in Southeast Asia. As only one contender remains, look for news of the deal going one way or another in the next few months. Related Video: News Source: Paultan Lotus Citroen Peugeot Geely groupe psa

Lotus rolls out new and improved Evora 400

Having canceled its overly ambitious plans, Lotus is going to have to get by on its existing lineup for a while longer. But if this is what "getting by" looks like, count us in. What you see here is the Lotus Evora 400, the latest evolution of Hethel's 2+2 sports car and the fastest, most powerful production model the legendary British automaker has ever offered. Lighter and more potent than previous versions of the Evora, the new 400 packs a revised 3.5-liter supercharged V6 with – you guessed it – 400 horsepower, or 55 more than the Evora S, and backed up by 302 pound-feet of torque. In pursuit of its founder Colin Chapman's enduring ethos of "adding lightness," Lotus has found nearly 50 pounds of excess weight to trim from an already lean machine. While they were at it, the engineers also tweaked the electronics, re-adjusted the suspension, fitted a revised aero kit for increased downforce, bolted in a new limited slip differential, retuned the gearbox and mounted new brakes. The styling has also been revised inside and out, with new doors allowing for easier ingress and egress as well as more interior space. The result of all these improvements – aside from making the Evora look cooler – is a 0-60 time now quoted at 4.1 seconds, a top speed quoted at 186 miles per hour and a lap time of the Lotus test track a full (and very impressive) six seconds faster than its predecessor. Lotus is increasing its workforce by 50 percent in order to increase output at its UK factory from 45 cars per week to 70 in the coming months, and will distribute the new Evora 400 through an expanding dealer network that's set to grow from 168 locations worldwide at present to around 200 by year's end. THE ALL NEW LOTUS EVORA 400 - All new supercar from Lotus - Fastest and most powerful production Lotus ever - Lighter and more efficient than before The new Lotus Evora 400 is the latest pure and focused supercar from Lotus, combining high performance with the legendary Lotus benchmark handling. It is faster and dynamically more capable than the previous Lotus Evora leading to greater agility and a more involving drive. Maximum speed is 186 mph (300 km/h) and acceleration 0-60 mph is just 4.1 seconds (0-100 km/h in 4.2 seconds). This enables the new Lotus Evora 400 to lap the challenging test track at the Lotus Headquarters in Hethel, Norfolk, a scintillating SIX seconds faster than the previous model.