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Lotus chief promises upcoming SUV will be true to brand

Lotus isn't the first sports car manufacturer getting into the crossover game. It's just the latest, and perhaps most surprising. That's because the British automaker made its name by keeping things as light as possible, and SUVs are anything but. Still, the company's chief executive is adamant that the crossover will be very light... and very Lotus. Speaking with TopGear.com, Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales asserted, "If Colin Chapman was alive I believe he would have done" a crossover. That's a pretty bold claim made in the name of the man known for his featherweight sports and racing cars, but Gales may not just be blowing hot air. "It will be the size of a Porsche Macan but only 1600kg, and will be the most agile and fastest of that class on a track," Gales told TG. "It's logical for us to make one in the Macan segment - the rest are all two tons, even a BMW X3. They take a normal car platform with big tires and brakes and transmission. We will use a four-cylinder engine." Keeping it light will be a vital part of the equation for Lotus, but it won't be all. It'll also have to bring up the quality, because quirks that owners might forgive in a sports car might not be tolerated to the same extent in a more mainstream product. Fortunately, Gales has been working on that ever since he took charge of the company just last year. He'll have that much more time to get it right by the time the crossover hits the Chinese market in 2019 or 2020. The vehicle is being designed principally for that market, and will be built locally. The design and engineering work is being carried out, however, at the company's headquarters in Hethel, England. Two designs are reportedly being considered, each with signature Lotus design traits to convey the image of light weight, with a profile reminiscent of the Elite four-seater from the 1970s. If the model proves a success in China, it could make its way back to the UK and Europe, though North American availability remains a question mark, and Lotus spokespeople have been cagey at best about plans to expand their US offerings. Gales also told TG that the crossover will end up only helping the company's sports car offerings, not hurting them. Increasing its quality will be one part, but developing more robust components (like air conditioning systems) will be another. At very least, it will help Lotus stay profitable and fund future sports car projects that may not be possible based on their own revenues alone.

Roger Moore dies at 89; a look back at his automotive moments

According to Reuters, actor Roger Moore passed away this morning. The news source reports he died of cancer at age 89. Moore has a place in automotive enthusiasts' hearts thanks to his connection to some of the most famous onscreen cars in history. He portrayed James Bond in multiple films, perhaps most famously in The Spy Who Loved Me, in which his Bond piloted an amphibious Lotus Esprit. That car inspired many, even Elon Musk, who purchased the submarine version of the car. He also included it as an Easter egg in the Tesla Model S. That wasn't the only memorable Moore automotive moment. In two other Bond films, his character was involved in some remarkable stunts. In The Man with the Golden Gun, Moore's Bond drives an AMC Hornet over a ramp and does a barrel roll. Although cheesy, the stunt did happen. According to The Telegraph, a Cornell University aeronautical computer ran a simulation of the stunt and calculated the variables (such as the proper speed: 40 mph). Then British stuntman Loren "Bumps" Willard executed the roll on the first take, earning a GBP30,000 bonus. Which is a lot of money for a scene that uses a slide whistle as a sound effect. You can see the jump below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Moore is also associated with a great car thanks to his other famous role on the TV show The Saint. In that series, he drove the beautiful and unusual Volvo P1800 coupe. The car was enough of an icon that Jay Leno featured it on his Jay Leno's Garage series. Related Video:

Lotus and Aston Martin to hook up?

This has been a tumultuous year for Lotus - to say the least - from the company being sold off back in January to its CEO Dany Bahar being fired in June to its questionable financial status and rumors of the British automaker being sold off to another automaker. First, we heard that Volkswagen was interested in acquiring Lotus and parent company Proton, a rumor that was later dismissed. Now Automobile is reporting that fellow Brit Aston Martin could be in the market to work with or possibly even merge with Lotus.
While this is pure speculation at this point, such a venture could prove to be beneficial for both independent companies. That's because with Lotus focused on lightweight, relatively affordable sports cars and Aston Martin producing high-end performance cars, there is virtually no product overlap between the companies. The article suggests that a person or company wanting to merge these two automakers would have to raise between $1.1 billion and $1.6 billion in order to make a go of it, however.
We're not sure what to think of this latest rumor, but anything that can help get the struggling brand back to health at least has our interest.