Just to put the Eagle's dimensions into perspective, its wheelbase is approximately 275mm (about 13 inches) longer than the Elise/Exige, or slightly shorter (80mm) than the Porsche 911. The extra space makes for a more livable cabin for at least two of its occupants and allows Lotus to use the international automotive metric for measuring capacity – it can fit one golf bag in the boot.
As previously reported, a 3.5-liter Toyota-sourced V6 will send 276 hp and 250 lb.-ft. of torque through a Toyota-derived six-speed transmission that's been re-engineered by Lotus with a new clutch and a revised gear set. The Eagle's weight is estimated at just over 3,000 pounds.
According to Autocar, Lotus plans an eight-year life cycle for the Eagle, and a convertible version will be released two to three years after sales begin in May of next year.
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lotus E-somethingoranother.
Lotus hasn't done something silly, like just spill the beans on the name of its new 2+2 that's set to debut at the British International Motor Show on July 22nd. The new four-placer's moniker will start with an E, and it will be an all-new name. Naturally, Esprit has been reserved for the new range-topper, so that's out. Ethos has reportedly been registered by Lotus in the United States, though it's reportedly not the front runner among the three contenders rumored to be under consideration. Eagle, the name of a much-spied mule, is probably going nowhere, lest Lotus pick a fight with Chrysler. If this one-legged name dance is any indication, we're going to go with Excruciate.
Reports indicate that the highly-anticipated Lotus Eagle will be making its debut next month at the British Motor Show. The 2+2 sports car will be the first all-new Lotus in about 13 years, and will reportedly be powered by a Toyota-sourced 3.5-liter V6 lifted out of the Camry family sedan but highly modified for the task by Lotus' own engineering gurus. Output is pegged at 268 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque in naturally-aspirated guise, with a turbocharged version also reportedly in the works.
Along with the latest reports comes this teaser image reportedly released by Lotus ahead of the vehicle's debut, which joins the image of the front suspension module released way back in February and the spy shots that have been trickling in ever since. The teaser shows an unmistakably Lotus front end draped by a sheet which we hope to see lifted on July 22 from the show in London.
The London Motor Show is coming up quick and that means Lotus engineers are working overtime to get the Eagle ready for its time in the spotlight. A video of Lotus' new 2+2 doing its thing on the 'Ring surfaced today that gives us a very brief glimpse of some of the Eagle's details. The cloaked prototype's Metallic Persian Blue mirrors are peaking through the camo, and it appears that the tail lamps are remarkably close to the units fitted on the Elise/Exige. The more we look at this oft-spied prototype, the more we're imagining an Elise that's been upsized by about 30-percent. The bulging fenders, low front end and ducktail spoiler all lend credence to that assumption, but we somehow doubt that Lotus' designers would be that lazy. Regardless, we'll have to wait another couple of months before we get an eyeful of the Eagle.
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.
Fresh spy shots have surfaced of the upcoming Lotus project Eagle coupe. Lotus released some teaser shots of the front suspension a couple of months ago and we've seen the prototype wearing the over-sized fender camo before. These new shots, however, give us the clearest view yet of the new 2+2 sports car. The Eagle is expected to be derived from the architecture of the Elise/Exige, although it will be longer accommodate a pair of 911-style pseudo-seats between the front seats and rear firewall. The four-pot engines used in the current models are expected to give way to a more highly tuned variant of Toyota's 3.5L V6 as used in the Camry and assorted other vehicles from the Japanese maker. The Eagle should get a proper name and shed the extra bulk at the corners in time for this summer's London Motor Show. Fans of Hethel products should be able to to get one around the end of the year.
Click above for more high-res spy shots of the Lotus Eagle
The bald eagle has made a comeback, and in some parts of the U.S. can easily be spotted hanging out again in tree tops and going after unsuspecting field mice. The Lotus Eagle, however, has been a tough bird to spot. Spy photographers for KGP Photography, however, have caught this prototype out testing in the snowy wilds of the arctic.
The Eagle is Lotus' upcoming 2+2 sports car slated to go in between the Elise and Esprit revival when it goes on sale in the Spring of 2009. Yes, the Eagle does have a backseat, but Lotus itself admits that it's suitable only for children up to 9 years old. Those kids in the back, however, will have a good time in the Eagle thanks to Lotus' trademark all-aluminum platform, as well as a pair of V6 engines from Toyota that promise power in the range of 200 to 300 horsepower. That should give the Eagle a 0-60 time in the low five-second range, though we're sure it will feel a lot faster. It is a Lotus, after all.
While this Eagle is shrouded to conceal its shape, we can tell despite the muzzle that Lotus' newest addition will be a looker. If you're in the bush with binoculars at the London Motor Show this summer, you'll get to see the Lotus Eagle debut in person for the first time.
Large high-res gallery of all of the Lotus models available by clicking above
This week in LA, veteran Lotus development engineer Roger Becker told the assembled press about the changes we'll see in the Elise and Exige for 2008. He also talked a bit about some of the changes happening at the factory and even gave us some info about new models in the company's future.
The biggest recent news for Lotus was that the Elise SC and Exige S were given an optional power boost via a Magnuson-developed supercharger that raises horsepower from 190 to 218 or 240 depending on the application. Other changes were made to all 2008 model year cars in the lineup.
Aside from upgraded brakes and a few other tweaks, the biggest changes came inside, where a new security system has been installed that for the first time ever allows a single key for Lotus owners. As a nod to American driving habits, TPMS and a new information display were also added, because as Becker put it, we aren't too aware of when a tire is going down and need to have it pointed out. That line was delivered without missing a beat and expertly showed a typically dry British sense of humor. Funny guy. Follow the jump for individual model news and to hear more about the upcoming Eagle and Esprit replacement too!
Yes, we know it looks like the Esprit. Please don't bombard us with comments about how it looks like the old Esprit. It really is the new GT from Lotus, known for now as the Eagle. It's wearing Esprit body panels, so yes, we know it looks like the old Esprit. Based on a heavily revised Elise structure and powered by a Toyota V6 plunked down in the middle of the chassis and kicking out 300 hp, the coupe will cost about $100,000 (£48,000). Even though Lotus isn't fond of them, the transmission will be a paddle-shift automated manual. Lotus cites market desires for the about-face on the transmission. The Eagle will spawn several different models, including a convertible and a replacement for the reviled Europa. When they're done, the Eagle won't look like the Esprit. Instead, the bodywork will more closely follow the M250. Cramming four seats into a mid-engined chassis takes some cleverness, and who's more clever than Lotus?
Lotus has plans: the Elise is going to get a detuned Exige engine (220 BHP without an intercooler), a new Exige SR model will feature launch and traction control systems, California series Elise and Exige models are in the pipeline for the boulevard cruising crowd, and Lotus is also going to inject some luxury into the Europa.
But the big news -- which isn't the Esprit -- is the Lotus Eagle, which will be "a mid-engined four-seater" made of aluminum for the luxury lifestyle set. Lotus CEO Mike Kimberley said there will be seven (count 'em, seven) versions of the car, and in a crow-eating first for Lotus, the car will have paddle shifters. Lotus had previously sworn never to include them on a car, citing purity of the driving experience. But what does the market care for driving purity? (Insert maniacal laugh here.) The Eagle arrives at the end of 2008.
The much anticipated, exceedingly long-awaited Lotus Esprit was sent back for reworking by Kimberley, who said it didn't have enough Lotus heritage in it. In Lotus fashion, the car isn't trying to break any records by being a sub-200 MPH conveyance, but it will be powered by "a very high brand-image engine" and performance will be "exceptional" and "very usable." Lotus: stop dallying -- let's have it.
New KITT Attack Mode revealed at Comic Con
London 2008: Honda OSM concept roadster says, "Cheerio!"
London 2008: Lotus unveils the Evora
2010 Chevy Camaro - Official Details and Images
2010 Chevy Camaro - LIVE from the reveal
In the Autoblog Garage: Aprilia RSV 1000 R
First Drive: Maserati Quattroporte S in Europe
First Drive: 2008 MINI Cooper S JCW
In the Autoblog Garage:2009 Nissan GT-R
North American Exclusive First Drive: Alfa MiTo
