New model will also reportedly be the last combustion-engined car that Lotus creates
YOU MIGHT associate words like ‘lightweight’ and ‘low-slung’ with Lotus, but the phrase ‘everyday useability’ probably never popped into your head while daydreaming about these British sports cars. Let’s face it – these cars are great for track days but not exactly ideal for the daily grind.
But that could change with the new entry-level model that Lotus is working on. According to Automotive News Europe, the new Lotus will have enough interior space for everyday use.
The new model will also reportedly be the last combustion-engined car that Lotus creates, and it will be sold alongside the far more expensive Evija. On that note, ANE also reports that the new entry model will take some design inspiration from the aforementioned electric hypercar.
Lotus CEO Phil Popham also revealed, in an interview, that sedan and SUV models could be part of the mix further down the line, although sports cars would still be at the core of the brand.
There are some interesting possibilities here following Geely’s purchase of a majority stake in Lotus three years back. Given that the Chinese carmaker also owns Volvo, it’s very possible that some of these future Lotus creations will have some Swedish genes.
In fact, we’d be surprised if there wasn’t at least some Volvo technology in the new entry-level sports car. The specifics, of course, are under wraps for now.
Lotus is hoping to attract new buyers with the upcoming sports car, which is set to cost from 55 000 pounds (about R1.2 million) in the UK, according to ANE. This positions it between the Porsche 718 and 911 range in pricing terms.
The Lotus Evija
At the other end of the spectrum, Lotus will also be rolling out its Evija electric hypercar, which will cost around 2 million pounds (R46.6m). But for that you will get a car that claims to be the world’s most powerful ‘series production’ road car, with estimated outputs of 1 470kW and 1 700Nm. The Evija will also be the world’s lightest EV hypercar, with a kerb weight of just 1 680kg. This you can attribute to its one-piece carbon fibre monocoque structure.
– IOL Motoring
