Rumormill: Next Lotus Esprit could be powered by Lexus V10
Lotus' relationship with Toyota could extend beyond supplying drivetrains for the Elise, Exige and Evora, with three new engines sourced from Lexus rumored to be fitted to the 2012 Lotus Esprit. According to EVO, a choice of three Esprits will be available for any (thick) wallet, including a 300 hp version packing Toyota's direct injected V6, a 417 hp model that would make use of the Lexus IS F's 5.0-liter V8 and, at the top of the range, a V10-powered Esprit packing the yet-to-be-released Lexus LF-A's 500+ hp engine.
Additionally, the alliance with Toyota could make good on Lotus' recent push for eco-friendly motoring. The Hethel-based automaker has repeated said that lightweight platforms and fuel-efficient drivetrains are a top priority, going so far as renaming its powertrain engineering arm the "propulsion systems" division. As such, an "Eco Esprit" could be available with a reworked version of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive.
The recently launched Evora will be the basis for the next Esprit, and considering the quick turnaround – a mere 27 months – for the Evora to go from concept to production, Lotus has the ability to bring the new Esprit to market quicker than ever. If the Evora's a hit, then we should be seeing the Esprit on roads in Europe, the UK and the US by 2012, with a price somewhere north of £100,000 for the V10-powered variant.
[Source: EVO]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Chris 2:07PM (5/27/2009)
Gallardo?
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zamafir 2:14PM (5/27/2009)
should be a bit quicker. this would explain why toyota keeps digging that LF-A over and over again.
Aprime 2:14PM (5/27/2009)
Galleardough is more like it.
lol brits
geo.stewart 2:14PM (5/27/2009)
they SO have to move that front axle forward!
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BoxerFanatic 2:17PM (5/27/2009)
That looks much more like one car swallowing another car than even the R8 does, with it's blade visuals.
Hardly as iconic as the original Guigiaro, or the Peter Stevens re-fresh of the original Esprit.
A high-tech longitudinal V8 could be cool, in a car that has lotus' focus on weight reduction techniques.
V10 will probably be better, and I know they are powerful, but somehow an engine not devisible by 3 or 4 seems odd to me. V8s are nice, V12s are insane... V10s seem like the limbo between them.
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Serge 2:18PM (5/27/2009)
Lexus IS F - 16/23 MPG : 3780lbs : 8 speed A : 5.0L V8 416hp 371lb-ft : 1/4 mile in 13 seconds
Camaro SS - 16/24 MPG : 3750lbs : 6 speed M : 6.2L V8 426hp 420lb-ft : 1/4 mile in 13 seconds
Now tell me again... why are DOHC Toyota engines superior in power and efficiency? The only thing they have over Detroit pushrod power is complexity and cost...
I'd buy an Esprit in a heartbeat if it had an LS engine in it :)
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zamafir 2:24PM (5/27/2009)
You're asking why Lotus, who sells quite a few cars in europe, chose toyota due to toyota's broad availability of powerplants from 4 banger FI mills to (presumably) V10 NA powerplants and you're citing 1/4 mile times and overall car weight between two different classes of car? Does it get any more disjointed? Are you really that befuddled by Lotus' choice to use an engine supplier with 100% parity between Europe and the US?
Jim 2:33PM (5/27/2009)
@ Serge:
Not sure what the weight on a sophisticated DOHC V10 runs these days. The LS3 is about 415lbs. Nothing to laugh at definitely. I'd be curious to see how much the LF-A's V-10 weighs considering its mounted behind the front axles for weight distribution purposes.
Serge 2:33PM (5/27/2009)
@zamafir
I compared those two cars because they have similar power outputs and are within 30lbs of one another... Lotus needs a light, powerful, efficient and reliable engine... Judging by the numbers provided the LS3 is more powerful than the 5.0L and provides better MPG numbers and similar performance in a car with two less cogs and less efficient gearing (due to the missing cogs and manual shifting).
I'm just saying that a Lotus with a lighter and more powerful LS engine will be a faster and better handling car than with the engines they chose. And there hasn't been a flame-war here for a while :)
Serge 2:57PM (5/27/2009)
BMW S85B50 (5.0L V10) is - 529lbs
Chevy LS3 (6.2L V8) is - 415lbs
Chevy LS7 (7.0L V8) is - 458lbs
Toyota 2UR-GSE (5.0L V8) is - 489lbs
Serge 3:01PM (5/27/2009)
So the LS7 makes as much power as the BMW V10 and is 71lbs lighter,
and the LS3 makes more power than the Toyota V8 and is 74lbs lighter...
Please vote me down some more for speaking the truth!
aj121489 4:23PM (5/27/2009)
But seriously, does anyone really care how fuel efficient it is?
Chase 4:27PM (5/27/2009)
Short of the IS-F, Toyota doesn't even make performance cars anymore. Why would you take the "silky smooth" (flacid) and "whisper quiet" (boring) heart-of-a-camry and put it into something that is actually supposed to evoke feelings, like the Evora. The V8 and V10 I'll give some leeway, because they are actually designed for sports cars, but even still, there are better options.
/rant
zamafir 4:33PM (5/27/2009)
"Why would you take the "silky smooth" (flacid) and "whisper quiet" (boring) heart-of-a-camry and put it into something that is actually supposed to evoke feelings, like the Evora. "
Judging by that statement, you've not driven an Evora, or any toyota based lotus product. Go do yourself a favor and take a test drive then refrain from making statements like that again. What next? The Gumpert's a pos because audi's base 4.2l makes crap hp in the A6? Weeee. Whatever you're on, I'll take a hit.
Chase 5:43PM (5/27/2009)
Zamafir, the Evora isn't out in the US.
For an Elise it's not a big deal that they have sub-par motors. They aren't about the motor. They are momentum cars. They are about getting up to speed and dancing around corners.
The Evora is supposed to be a 911 competitor. This Esprit thing is supposed to slay Lamborghini. The motor plays a huge role in those kind of cars. Out of the 911s I've personally driven, the motor was a tremendous part of the experience. I've never driven a Ferrari or Lamborghini, but I could imagine the motor is the focal point of the experience.
Every review I've read on the Evora says it is lighter on its feet than a 911, but the motor is boring at best and a disappointment at worst. Want to know why? Its the 2GR-FE, which is found on everything from SUVs to Grandma-mobiles. It wasn't designed to be sporty. It was designed to be efficient, unnoticeable, and cheap.
Blah.
zamafir 6:56PM (5/27/2009)
"The Evora is supposed to be a 911 competitor."
surre...
"Porsche Cayman rival" - EVO
But do keep arguing engines even after you've reaffirmed it's not the engine that makes a lotus, it's the chassis/weight savings.
Chase 8:16PM (5/27/2009)
The Cayman is a two seater. The Evora and 911 are 2+2s. All of the original Lotus releases specify the Evora is shooting for the 911 market ($75k+, 2+2).
I said the Elise can get away with an unexciting motor. Anything larger can't. That's why the Evora isn't stacking up in reviews. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for whether they are successful with the Esprit.
The Artega GT is a better execution of a Porsche-beater using a sourced motor.
AIL 2:22PM (5/27/2009)
Blech, I wish lotus would get out of bed with the builder of the most boring cars on the planet, and really wish they would get some sweeter engines. The 2ZZ is acceptable but a K20 elise just lays waste to the competition. I am sure it will be a similar story with any espirit.
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larry a 2:28PM (5/27/2009)
I'll believe it when I see it
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artandcolour 2:42PM (5/27/2009)
"bring the new Esprit to market quicker than ever..."
what? the last one was designed in '72, and the 'next' one has been in the works for at least 10 years. i think they need to stop using an Etch-a-Sketch and move on to papyrus. at least.
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