Lotus CEO says automaker will again take on Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati
Lotus Evora Type 124 Endurance Racer - click above image for high-res gallery
When most people think of Lotus, a few different thoughts tend to enter their head. One is of little teeny Toyota-powered Elise/Exige track toys buzzing around a racetrack. Another is of an underwater submarine piloted by none other than James Bond (albeit Roger Moore). And then -- maybe -- some of you might think of the racing success Lotus used to enjoy, back in the day, a long time ago. Well, according to Autocar, Lotus' new CEO Dany Bahar is seeking to change all that.
"Lotus was mentioned in the same sentence as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati in the 1970s-1990s," said Bahar. "Then, it got closed into a corner. We believe it's the right time to bring Lotus back to where it was." Not only that, but Proton Group (they own Lotus) managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir (must make for one hell of a business card) says that the new Evora, Lotus's first new car since 1995, is "a turning point."
Bahar is making returning Lotus to a place of prestige a top priority for the Malaysian-owned company. The ex-Ferrari exec claims to have have a business plan to return Lotus to the same plane of existence as Ferrari within five years. Of course, to accomplish this, the Camry-powered Evora just ain't going to cut it. Which more or less guarantees the return of the Esprit, which very well might have a Lexus V10 perched out behind the driver. All of which gets our octane lovin' hearts all aflutter. Also, let's not forget about racing – serious racing. We'll keep you posted.
[Source: Autocar | New Straights Times]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
jcar302 6:24PM (10/07/2009)
It's about time, i used to like lotus until all they started offering were bitch cars.
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Kip 7:01PM (10/07/2009)
Jealous much?
If a track-tuned Elise, supercharged Exige, or minimalist 2 Eleven are bitch cars, that doesn't leave a lot of better performing cars out there for real men like yourself.
jcar302 7:07PM (10/07/2009)
They are glorified go karts.
naggs 7:15PM (10/07/2009)
that is the whole point, glorified go karts
and keep bitching about the non heated seats and bluetooth cruise control while calling the car a bitch car, you dont sound like an idiot at all
OppositeLock 7:34PM (10/07/2009)
To each his own, I guess. The Elise/Exige are uncompromising sports cars that were built for fantastic track performance. They have some of the best suspensions on the planet and light weight. Yes, they're underpowered relative to supercars, but they have plenty of power to get into trouble on the track. You won't win any drag races in one, but you can drive circles around other sports cars in the curves. I'm speaking from experience here; I own a supercharged Elise which I drive on the track against other fancier, more expensive sports cars, and I make out just fine in the end.
If this is what constitutes a bitch car, then call me a bitch.
speed12sil 11:24PM (10/07/2009)
You mean, as opposed to redneck cars like the Camaro, "Musdang", and the Challenger? Or the vette, which are often stereotyped to be driven by old geezers or geezers with gold chains?
Or an asian car driving ricer, maybe a Euro brand Euro-whore?
LOL
Redline 10:04AM (10/08/2009)
Only bitches will complain about Lotus being too hardcore for them. Pussy.
BigMcLargeHuge 6:34PM (10/07/2009)
I'm all about handling the curves.
(pic #5)
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Lucas 6:32PM (10/07/2009)
Evora is the first new Lotus since 1995....eh, only kinda.
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Doug 6:58PM (10/07/2009)
Too bad they're using Toyota engines in all their cars. I used to like Lotus.
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CDN Crockett 7:39PM (10/07/2009)
Oh really now, they use them in ALL of there cars.
WRONG!!! Just for Canada and the us.
Doug 8:03PM (10/07/2009)
I stand corrected.
the4thheat 1:12AM (10/09/2009)
lol if you think the Toyota powerplants are bad then you go and have fun with the 82hp (before turbo) engine in the Europa lol. There's a reason the flagship Evora has a Toyota under the hood.
Now...if they strapped the TRD supercharger from the TRD Aurion onto that V6...
naggs 7:11PM (10/07/2009)
how many times has lotus over expanded to the point of failure next time the economy takes a dip? 3, 4?
lotus should be looking into the fastest 1.2 L car ever, not 911 fighters
elise should be the halo car, go from there
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Rich 8:39PM (10/07/2009)
Absolutely. Lotus should be affordable, too.
Davey_Jones 7:18PM (10/07/2009)
Lotus' CEO saying that they'll take on Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc could mean that the Esprit must be near completion. The Evora isn't in the same class as the other exotics, too mild, too small, and too underpowered to play in the big leagues. In order for them to brawl with the big boys they'll need to bring out the big guns and an Esprit replacement is just the right vehicle for the job. But then again I wouldn't hold my breath on its arrival seeing how the development of a supposed new Esprit has been rumored since the time of the Elise S1.
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Luso 5:02AM (10/08/2009)
"...too mild, too small, and too underpowered..."
It's a matter of balance, and usually Lotus gets that balance just right.
http://www.carnorama.com
mbslrm 8:05PM (10/07/2009)
I like the sound of this!
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UberSil 8:50PM (10/07/2009)
The only thing I can hope for is that instead of a Lexus V10 in North America they use the Audi 90degree V10. A far better sounding engine for the same size. And more than likely cheaper to ship for European cars.
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Temple 2:38AM (10/08/2009)
The Lexus V10 is higher-revving and produces more power; 550hp+ @ 9,000rpm (according to Car Magazine). It sounds amazing...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSRbpNdCTUg&feature=related
The Audi V10 sounds great as well, but is more comfortable and docile. Its derived from the VW inline-5 compared to the completely bespoke Lexus V-10 that is more focused.