With less than three months separating us from the official debut of the Lotus Eagle at the 2008 London Motor Show, Car has been able to procure a few more details about Lotus' new 2+2. The latest crop of spy shots shows the Eagle still wearing its form-obscuring camo, but viewed in profile, it's looking more Elise-like than before. The fender terminates into a ducktail spoiler, similar to that on the Elise/Exige, and the doors seem to stretch further back then previously thought to aid ingress and egress into the cramped confines of the rear seats. According to Car, the two back seats are only suitable for children nine years old and younger, or "flexible friends desperate for a lift back from the pub."Motivation is still expected to come from a Toyota-sourced V6, likely the 3,458 cc found in the U.S.-market Camry, pushing out 262 hp and 248 lb.-ft. of torque to either a six-speed manual or some kind of automatic (!) gearbox complete with paddle shifters.
The Colin Chapman philosophy will be well represented with the Eagle, with extensive use of aluminum in the body structure and an incredibly rigid architecture that will be shored up with a carbon fiber roof. Braking duties will be handled by 350 mm cross-drilled rotors in front, mashed by AP-sourced Lotus four-pot calipers.
Production will begin late in 2008 with sales beginning in the spring of next year. Pricing is expected to start at £45,000 in the UK, slotting in nicely between the Elise and forthcoming Esprit replacement, and sales in the U.S. should begin shortly thereafter.
[Source: Car]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Toy Yoda @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:41PM
Well, what's the point of the rear seats if they can only hold two 9 year olds or a couple of desperate friends from the pub?
tuna @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:51PM
What's the point of owning a 911?
JD @ Apr 23rd 2008 4:08PM
Reduced insurance rates? If rules still apply that applied when the 911 was first made (unlikely, I know) then the back seats would get a reduction on the insurance rates. At least that was the reason the 911 had backseats way back when.
BMWsRock @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:55PM
My question is can a tall person fit in it? I'm 6'6" can I actually drive it? Lotus cars are amazing I just want to be able to drive one :)
Yar @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:58PM
I'm the same size, and the answer is probably no...
zmf001 @ Apr 23rd 2008 3:19PM
The answer to that depends on where your height comes from. I am an average build 6'1" male, and I can drive an Elise quite comfortably. If you have long legs you are probably fine, I don't even put the seat all the way back. If you have a long mid-section, that might be another issue.
mk @ Apr 23rd 2008 3:00PM
The rear seats are for insurance purposes only. :D
But Toyota V6??? Meh. the rest of the car sounds quite interesting.
But powered by Toyota? I realize that the Elise is, as well... but still.
It isn't like we are talking about a Lexus V8 here or anything.
I like british cars, but I think Aston Martin is much more attractive. Maybe even the Jaguar XK-R if four seats are needed.
RG @ Apr 23rd 2008 3:13PM
I dunno, the Toyota V-6 is a pretty nice 6 cylinder engine- I think it would make a lot of sense in the lineup
Elise- 4 cylinders
Eagle- 6 cylinders
Espirit- 8 cylinders
Now is this Eagle supposed to replace the floundering Europa, or are the two supposed to co-exist in the marketplace as a kind of luxury and sport, respectively? I am curious to see what comes of this, if it will make it stateside and what it will compete with
zmf001 @ Apr 23rd 2008 3:24PM
I think the idea with the Toyota power plants is to use a reliable low cost engine. The Elise motor isn't modified much from the factory Toyota configuration, that motor came in the Celica GTS.
The reason a Toyota engine feels like crap in a Toyota car has very little to do with the actual engine. It is mostly the engine mounts, poor suspension setup, extra soft rubber bushings, overly dull steering, etc ... you get the point.
Temple @ Apr 23rd 2008 6:54PM
Probably be using the 2GR-FSE(IS350, GS350) instead of the 2GR-FE(Camry, Avalon). The FSE variant comes with direct injection and produces more power.
They are both great engines. The Toyota GR V6 engines have been on Ward's 10 best three years running (2006, 2007, 2008).
However, I was hoping Lotus would use the 2UR-GSE engine found in the Lexus IS-F. I'm sure Lotus could really extract power from Toyota-Yamaha engine like they did with the Toyota-Yamaha 2ZZ-GE engine in the Elise.
jcar302 @ Apr 23rd 2008 3:07PM
I'm hoping that ton of camoflauge is hiding something a hell of alot cooler and better looking than an elise.
If it even resembles the elise, they were wasting their time trying to keep the styling a secret.
With they would use V8's with styling based on an updated version of the Esprit.
tankd0g @ Apr 23rd 2008 3:16PM
Why have ther disguised it as a Lancia 037?
zmf001 @ Apr 23rd 2008 3:32PM
I hope this new model will convince more people to upgrade from and Elise to the Eagle. There might be enough in the used market that I might be able to buy one strictly for track use. :-)
Damon Lavrinc @ Apr 23rd 2008 3:40PM
No need to wait. You can get used '05 Elises right now for around $30k. It's a steal and those models don't have the befuddling e-throttle that stifles some of the great forced induction kits out there.
zmf001 @ Apr 23rd 2008 7:32PM
Damon, you don't have to enlighten me on that fact. I want another one that I can setup strictly for track use. :-)
Two Elises at $30k is a bit much. I will have to settle for one, until the price drops even more.
Jruhi4 @ Apr 23rd 2008 4:33PM
RG: I think the Eagle 2+2 sits above the Europa, which, as you correctly said, co-exists with the Elise in the marketplace as a kind of luxury and sport, respectively. I haven't heard anything about the Europa coming to North America.
One point that baffles me, though, is why is the Lotus Eagle using the milder version of the Toyota 3.5-liter V6 (the 2GR-FE) as found in the Camry, avalon, Sienna minivan and such, and not the 306 hp, direct-plus-port injection 2GR-FSE variant of the 3.5-liter V6 as found in the Lexus IS350 and GS350.
MikeW @ Apr 23rd 2008 9:51PM
Because Toyota doesn't have a transverse 2gr-fse yet.
Anyway, Lotus could raise the output from 272hp in the ES350, to about 294hp [electric power steering, more spark advance-using 98RON instead of 95RON fuel, sportier exhaust system, etc.]
Justin @ Apr 23rd 2008 4:36PM
Note to self: swap the toyota DOHC V6 for an ls4 at no additional weight penalty and little to no mpg penalty, at the benefit of a cool exhaust note.