1988 Lotus Esprit Turbo Coupe 2-door 2.2l on 2040-cars

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New 2024 Lotus Emira priced at just under six figures

Unveiled in 2021, and delayed earlier in 2023 allegedly due to certification-related issues, the 2024 Lotus Emira is finally ready to turn its wheels on American pavement. The coupe appears on the firm's online configurator, but it costs significantly more than initially announced. Buyers will have two Emira flavors to choose from. The entry-level car uses a Mercedes-AMG-sourced 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that's turbocharged to develop 360 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. It spins the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Next up is a supercharged, 3.5-liter V6 provided by Toyota and rated at 400 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. The six-cylinder spins the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission, though a six-speed automatic that bumps the torque figure to 317 is a $2,150 option. Pricing for the base Emira starts at $99,900 excluding destination fee, which hasn't been published yet, while the V6-powered car carries a base price of $105,400. Note that these figures only apply to the First Edition model; Lotus hasn't detailed or priced the other available trim levels. For context, the Geely-owned British brand initially announced prices of $85,900 and $93,300 for the four-cylinder- and V6-powered models, respectively. An earlier report blames the increases on the supply chain-related constraints that have plagued most carmakers since 2020. Enthusiasts configuring an Emira have a long list of options to choose from. Lotus offers Touring and Sport chassis configurations (the latter brings a firmer suspension system), 13 paint colors, a Black Pack that bundles black exterior trim pieces, and three wheel designs. Inside, you've got several leather and Alcantara upholsteries to choose from plus a vehicle tracker, a HomeLink transceiver, and tinted windows. Lotus dealers across the nation will begin receiving the V6-powered Emira First Edition in the third quarter of 2023, while buyers waiting in line for a four-cylinder-powered model won't get their car until the first quarter of 2024. Additional trim levels should join the range later on. Related video:

Lotus Motorcycles C-01 now 'ready for the road'

When we first laid eyes on leaked images of the Lotus Motorcycles C-01, we wondered if its laid-back, sport cruiser shape was really appropriate for a motorcycle bearing any connection with Colin Chapman and the company's famous "add lightness" mantra. We've now seen official pictures of the bike in multiple color schemes, including classic black and gold, British racing green and even a variant that resembles Martini livery, and while we think it looks pretty cool, our opinion hasn't really changed.
Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that the C-01 isn't an embodiment of the Lotus ethos, as the company that intends to build it isn't really Lotus at all, its builders - German racing firm Kodewa and tuner Holzer Group - merely having licensed the name of the British sportscar maker. It was designed by Daniel Simon, who once worked for Volkswagen and consulted for Bugatti and is the man credited with creating the reborn Tron Light Cycles. Still, looking past its questionable heritage, the C-01 looks pretty darn awesome, and there are some interesting bits that have us looking forward to the production version that's reportedly due within the next two months.
As expected, power comes in at 200 horsepower, courtesy of a modified version of KTM's 1,195-cc V-twin engine. The chassis is made up of steel, titanium and carbon fiber, with a seat height of about 28 inches. Its wheelbase, at about 65 inches, is a full 10 inches longer than a real street-legal superbike, and its front end is raked way out in front with a 19-inch wheel. Those dimensions mean we shouldn't expect much racetrack prowess, unless its rider is only planning on going in a straight line. Indeed, with a claimed dry weight of under 400 pounds, the Lotus Motorcycles C-01 ought to be mighty quick down the quarter mile.

Lotus to layoff a quarter of its workforce

Lotus has issued a press release to day, wherein it indicates that a "need to both reshape its organisation and to reduce costs" may result in the loss of "up to 325" jobs. That's a fairly significant number of layoffs for any company, but considering that Lotus currently employs 1,215 people (per the company's bio in the same release), it could mean a full 25-percent of the automaker's workers could soon be sharpening their resumes.
CEO Jean-Marc Gales says in the statement that Lotus has "worked very hard to avoid the need to make this proposal," but admits that it is now "essential" to the future of the company. The chief indicates that post-restructuring, he expects Lotus to be a "leaner" and "more competitive" organization, one which - and we can all see a little silver lining here - is focused on "producing class-leading sports cars and innovative engineering."
The 325-job number appears to be soft at this point, with the statement indicating that some negotiation about which and how many posts will be cut is yet to come. Further, the company may "redeploy" some employees, and may even recruit new blood for "key roles," all with an eye toward running the strongest possible team going forward. Though, we imagine that the recruitment bit won't fly well for those employees getting the sack.