1979 Lotus Esprit S2, 2.0l on 2040-cars

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Lotus Esprit cancelled? [UPDATE]

Two years ago, we were gobsmacked when humble Lotus shocked the automotive world by wheeling out no fewer than five new models - admittedly in various stages of development - at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. The ambitious onslaught of new sheetmetal came at the behest of then-CEO Danny Bahar who aimed to broaden the British marque's appeal by dramatically expanding its portfolio. Bahar was later thrown out by new Malaysian owners DRB-Hicom in a management shakeup that seems to still be, well, shaking out. Bahar was deposed over accusations of financial wrongdoing and the controversial executive has fired back with a $10.6M lawsuit.
Against this chaotic background, a cornerstone of Lotus' revival plans hinged on the rebirth of its Esprit supercar (shown in 2010 concept form above). According to new reports, however, the Esprit has been cancelled, a victim of the company's uncertain finances and direction. Depending on which rumor you choose to believe, the two-seat coupe was slated to receive a house-built V8 and possibly turbocharging or hybrid power. That may all be moot now, however, as DRB-Hicom is reported to have scrapped Bahar's plans wholesale, a development that apparently includes killing off the mid-engined Esprit, too.
UPDATE: And this, friends, is why we have this story with a question mark and a Rumormill tag - Lotus is denying that the Esprit has been killed off.

Lotus to produce new crossover in China

Lotus and its parent company recently signed a joint-venture agreement with Chinese automaker Goldstar to build vehicles in China for local consumption, and according to the latest report from Autocar, it'll all come down to a new sport-ute. That's because the market for C-segment compact crossovers in China is huge. So big that it's impossible for Lotus to ignore. Porsche is reportedly selling 30,000 Macans in China alone each year, and is expected to reach 50,000 per annum there in the near future. "Six million SUVs will be sold in China this year, and more than half of those are C-segment models," Lotus chief Jean-Marc Gales told Autocar. "That figure is forecast to rise to eight million in four years. C-segment SUV sales alone will be bigger than the entire German market." Little wonder, then, that Lotus and Proton are keen to dive in. Technical details for the new Lotus crossover are still being worked out, but we'll likely be looking at a steel monocoque chassis clad in composite and aluminum body panels, riding lower than a Macan and weighing a good 400-500 pounds less. Power will likely come (at least initially) from the same 1.8-liter four and 3.5-liter V6 that power Lotus' sports cars, but driving all four wheels. A hybrid system could follow, and the finished product is likely to adopt a nameplate starting with the letter E – in the grand tradition of the Elise, Exige, Evora, Esprit, Europa, Elan, et al. According to Gales, "Our car will drive beautifully. It will be supple and comfortable but the emphasis will be on handling. It will be the lightest and fastest of its class on the track." This would be the first crossover Lotus would design, engineer and actually bring to market, but not, strictly speaking, the first time it has toyed with the idea. There was the APX concept (pictured here) it showcased in 2006 and the T5 that Proton essentially licensed Chinese automaker Youngman to build with Lotus' name on it. But the former was never put into production and the latter wasn't a proper Lotus. The design is currently being worked out before a prototype can be put together so that the joint venture can get the manufacturing license it needs from the Chinese government. So we're likely looking at another year or two before we see something solid. "Let's get the design right, then make a prototype," said Gales. "Let's make it beautiful and very light.

Lotus Exige Sport 410 is just over 2,400 pounds of forbidden fruit

Few automakers short of Jeep love cranking out new variants of a current model like Lotus. Today, the storied British sports car manufacturer revealed the new Exige Sport 410, essentially a more comfortable and road-friendly version of the track-focused Exige Cup 430. This is a mid-engine coupe with 410 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque and a dry weight that's slightly more than an ND Mazda MX-5 Miata. Too bad it's not-for-U.S. consumption. Thanks to U.S. safety regulations, the Lotus Elise and Exige aren't available in America. Europeans will enjoy the Sport 410's supercharged 3.5-liter V6 and 0-60 mph sprint of just 3.3 seconds. The car's top speed is 180 mph. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. Thanks to some sophisticated aero, the car can generate more than 330 pounds of downforce. Under the skin, the Sport 410 uses three-way adjustable Nitron dampers and adjustable Eibach front and rear anti-roll bars. Traction comes in the form of 285/30 ZR18 section rear and 215/45 ZR17 section front Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, some of the stickiest rubber available for road use. Forged-alloy wheels are available in either black or silver. The car uses four-piston AP Racing brakes with two-piece rotors. Options include titanium exhaust, carbon-fiber instrument surround, sill covers, barge boards and roof, electrical cutoff and fire extinguisher controls, airbag deletion, a non-airbag steering wheel, four-point harnesses, a full-leather interior, and a dealer-fitted FIA-compliant roll cage. Of course, with enough cash, Lotus will tailor the car to-taste through its Lotus Exclusive program. Related Video: