Autoblog

Click the image above for more shots of the 40th Anniversary Lotus Elise.

To commemorate 40 years of dutiful production at the Lotus plant in Hethel, our favorite purveyors of minimalist motoring will be offering 50 lucky customers the chance to pick up a celebratory Elise in a limited edition hue. The 40th Anniversary Elise S comes bathed in Burnt Orange paint, with a color-matched hardtop, rear diffuser, center console, air intakes and brake calipers. The matte-black wheels get some similar highlights, while the leather seats have orange contrasting stitching. Of the 50 vehicles built, 15 will go to Germany, ten are off to Switzerland, France and Belgium each get five, while Italy gets six and a few other countries get to fight over the remaining nine. The regional breakdown deserved note, as each country gets its own flag stuck on the front fender, but Lotus seems to be leaving out the one country in which its attempting to celebrate: the UK.

All the details are in the press release after the jump.

Click image for a gallery of the Lotus Esprit S1

Lotus has been building cars at its current factory location in Hethel near Norfolk, England since 1967 and its throwing a party to celebrate. If you're a fan of Colin Chapman's creations and their successors and you're in the vicinity of Hethel on September 23, you should swing by the plant.

The factory floor, some of the special engineering test facilities, and the test track will all be open to visitors that day. Examples of all the cars built at Hethel over the past four decades including the long-running Esprit, the Elise, the Elan and others will all be on display. As with any good birthday party, all the attendees get a goody bag with some Lotus stuff to take home. The press release with all the details is after the jump, and we've provided a high-res gallery of the classic Esprit S1 for your enjoyment.

[Source: Lotus]

The Lotus Esprit, a car severely missed by a huge number of auto fans, is slated after numerous delays to return from the dead in 2009, perhaps at the Geneva Motor Show. Until then, the Dutch seem to be first in getting details on and spy shots of this most English of cars. Last year it was said that Esprit would have a "much more compact" footprint than than the Gallardo or F430, have an aluminum or composite skin, and be produced at a rate of 2,500 per year.

The latest info is that the engine will be a 4.8-liter V8 from BMW producing in excess of 400 bhp -- possibly with the help of some forced breathing apparatus. This time around, there will be a convertible version to go with the coupe, and word is that the car will sell for 70,000 British pounds. Whenever it arrives, it will find there aren't many chairs left in the affordable sports car arena, what with every month bringing a new entrant. Still, we only have two words for the new Esprit: bring it. For more spy shots of the zebra-striped car testing in Holland, go here.

The Stroopwafels are on us next time, Sam!

[Source: Autogespot]

Well, we knew that Lotus personnel had been working with the folks from Tesla Motors on their sexy electric roadster, and today we received a bit of interesting related news. According to a report on EDP24.com (the Norfolk Eastern Daily Press website), Group Lotus' involvement with the Tesla Roadster project is now very much official: the Roadster will be built by Lotus at its Hethel facility.

The move is part of Lotus honcho Mike Kimberley's ongoing plan to increase the company's involvement in outside design and engineering projects. It comes on the heels of Lotus' new deal with Nanjng Automotive to aid in the development of new MG vehicles.

We'll bring you more info on the Tesla/Lotus deal when the companies issue formal announcements in the coming days.

[Source: EDP24]