Autoblog

Click above for hi-res gallery of the Dodge EV in the wild

While a lot of the legwork was done for them by Lotus, we still have to give Chrysler a little credit for getting an electric vehicle prototype on the road so quickly. When we first saw the Dodge EV a couple of months ago, it looked like it was ready to roll, with a Tesla-like blend of Lotus platform and electric powerpack. Soon after we heard that the car was likely to make it to production, with a delivery date that would challenge the Chevrolet Volt. While it had appeared that Chrysler was way behind its domestic rivals in developing an electric car, we know that through their GEM subsidiary, Chrysler has actually accumulated a lot of EV expertise and become the nation's leading electric car seller in the process.

The Dodge EV is essentially a Lotus Europa, but uses lithium batteries and a 268 hp electric motor in place of the standard 2.0L four cylinder engine and transmission. It promises a range of 150-200 miles and a 0-60 time of under 5 seconds. It's a full-blown, plug-in EV, just like the Tesla Roadster, and should require a 4-hour recharge from a 220V outlet or 8 hours on a 110. To help launch Chrysler's new ENVI electric car division, the Dodge EV has been traveling the show circuit, but today we spotted it at one of our favorite local cruise-ins.

It attracted quite a crowd. Not surprisingly, many folks at the show mistook it for a Lotus until they saw the Dodge badges. Even then a lot of people figured it was some type of joint venture between the two firms. Most were amazed to learn the car might be in Dodge showrooms by 2010. Try as we might we couldn't wrestle the keys from the Chrysler reps. Hopefully the car and the company make it through our current economic crisis so we can sample one when they hit the streets.


Photos copyright ©2008 Frank Filipponio/Weblogs, Inc.

Say Dino, and people immediately think of something Italian. Most likely, you'll think of either a Rat-Pack crooner or a Ferrari, but there's a third Dino, and that's the one we're talking about. Fiat's thinking of resurrecting its Dino sub-brand with a version of the next generation of Lotus Elise. While the original Dino looked like an Iso Grifo and helped Ferrari homologate a V6 engine for competition, the new Dino will be all about Fiat finding a niche and filling it. Fiat's looking to snag untapped buyers, and if it can accomplish that without having to engineer an entire new car, everyone wins, especially if it looks as good as the old Dino. Aping the Dino 246 wouldn't be unwelcome, either.

[Source: CAR]

Click for updated gallery of the Lotus Clark Type-25 Elise SC

Lotus has a dedicated following around the world, and many of them were undoubtedly disappointed that the first special edition of the new supercharged Elise was limited to just 25 examples, all of which were sold within the UK and Ireland. Although Lotus enthusiasts in the U.S. will surely remain disappointed, a handful of those in Europe will get another lucky chance at limited edition Elise ownership with Lotus' announcement that it will produce an additional run of 25 examples of the Clark Type-25 Elise SC for sale on the continent.

The special edition is named for legendary Scottish racing driver Jim Clark and features an array of special retro touches, including a British racing green paint job with a broad yellow stripe and white circle on the door. It's based on the 218 hp blown Elise SC, which remains mechanically unchanged. An additional 25 examples of the special Lotus are available now in Europe for €44,100 before local taxes, which translates to about €54k in Germany, France and Italy.

Follow the jump for the full press release, and click on the thumbnails to view our updated gallery of images of the special edition Elise.

[Source: Lotus]

Lotus may already have one of the greenest line of vehicles, with both the Elise and Exige easily reaching into the 30-mpg range when driven with restraint, but Mike Kimberley wants Lotus to be pioneers of green engineering.

Lotus' CEO made comments alluding to the automaker's goal of providing environmentally friendly automotive technology after signing a deal to produce a research and testing facility in Saudi Arabia that would focus on green motoring. The center is part of Lotus' strategy to branch out both technologically and production-wise, with a manufacturing center based in the Middle East. Much of this shift will come with the advancement of hybrid development, although Kimberley didn't go into detail about how the hybrid drivetrains would be implemented in this new venture.

The CEO also went on to report that development of Project Eagle is well underway, saying that the Eagle team is doing a great job and that after driving a prototype late last year he was "very impressed".

[Source: BIZOnline]

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!

[Source: 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.

[Source: Channel 4]

Click image for photo gallery

For 2008, Lotus has turned up the heat on its Elise and Exige sports cars. The Lotus Elise SC is a 220-horsepower variant powered by a new, compact, non-intercooled supercharger mated to the standard 1.8L engine. Identifiable by its model-exclusive wheels and a new rear spoiler, the SC boasts a 0-60 time of 4.4 seconds, 10.7 seconds to 100 mph, and a 150 mph top end.

The Exige is not ignored either, as the Exige S can now be fitted with a Performance Pack boosting output to 240 horses. Also includded are upgraded brakes, an upgraded clutch, traction control, driver-adjustable launch control, and a new roof scoop. The traction/launch control combo is the same one found in the Lotus 2-Eleven track car. Performance, as you'd expect, is impressive: 4 seconds to sixty, 9.7 seconds to 100 mph, and a 153 mph ceiling.

Additionally, all 2008 Elise and Exige models get new instrumentation, standard driver and passenger airbags, a new keyfob design with an immobilizer system, a simplified option pack range, and new paint colors. You can read the Lotus press release in full below (it was only available as a PDF, so it's been gallerized). For all the updates, the two most important traits of the Elise and Exige remain the same: they're still light, and they're still fast.

[Source: Lotus]

Time Attack is about the purest a form of motorsport you can get. Take a car, strip it of everything unnecessary, spot weld anything you lay eyes on, throw in the required safety equipment and data systems, then couple the biggest, baddest engine to a close ratio gearbox (sequential preferred), forget the term "quality ride," and then get the meanest driver you can find. One lap, one time, one winner. Exponentially awesome.

So when Clash Productions threw a video collage of the second round of the European Time Attack series, held at Silverstone, we thought it was worthy of a few minutes of our time – and yours. The audio is acting a little wonky (static and such), but all is forgiven when you get to bask in the aural glory of an 800 HP Evo, a 380 HP Elise and the raucous soundtrack of a 650 HP Subie. The video is after the jump, and Clash's body of work is open for your perusal at StreetFire.

Now this is what we call an upgrade: NC State University's Insight Racing team has scored a new set of wheels for the upcoming 2007 DARPA Grand Challenge. The team's Chevrolet Suburban, dubbed "Desert Rat" for the last DARPA challenge, which sent vehicles across the Mojave in the final event, will sit this one out. Instead, Insight will field "Lone Wolf," the new Lotus Elise which was presented to them by the automaker last week. In addition to the car, Insight will be receiving support from Lotus Engineering, who will help transform the sports car into the autonomous machine it needs to be to make it through the preliminary rounds and into the final Urban Challenge event. That task is made even more difficult when you consider that an Elise offers a fraction of the on-board space that was available in the Suburban. Expect to see plenty of innovation as they cram all the required technology into the Lotus' compact package.

The cruelest irony of all is that the Insight Racing team has to rig the Elise -- a driver's car if there ever was one -- to be completely driverless. We have a feeling that, given the chance, this is one instance where the engineering students would gladly forego the high-technology and get behind the wheel themselves. The 2007 DARPA Grand Challenge finale is scheduled for November 2007.

[Sources: NC State Technician Online & PhysOrg.com]

Lotus has jacked up the prices on the Elise and the Exige, according to The Car Connection. The smaller Elise, which has adaptive headlights and an unfavorable exchange rate for 2007, will go for $43,990, up from $42,990 for the 2006 model. The Exige, which is essentially an Elise with a hard top and turbocharged four-banger putting out 220 hp, will go for $56,990 -- quite a steal when you consider its supercar-worthy 0-60 time of 4.1 seconds and top speed of 148 mph.

It's rumored that the two vehicles here aren't the only ones that will be offered in the U.S. market in the coming years. The Esprit, which should become available in the United States in late 2008, has been spotted tooling around Europe as a tester, and other models are expected to be on their way.

[Source: The Car Connection]