Lotus reveals Supercharged Evora S with 350HP and clutchless Evora IPS before Paris

Now that the somewhat docile Moscow motor show is out of our minds, what everyone should be looking forward to is the epic design-fest that is the Paris Motor Show. While I'm definitely looking forward to Citroen's usual insanity, there will be "normal" cars there, too. Take, for instance, these 'Loti'.
The performance model is simply called the Lotus Evora S, and it doesn't have nearly enough old-school Lotus graphics for my taste. However, what it lacks in vintage what-what, it makes up for with that big, curvy letter which signifies the car's supercharged status. With the blower on top of its Toyota-sourced (i.e. fairly reliable) 3.5 liter V6, its puts down a very Esprit-esque 350-horses.
In what seems like a marketing blunder, or an attempt to piss off current Evora owners, Lotus CEO Dany Bahar says, "You don't realise what you were missing from your driving experience until you get behind the wheel of the Evora S." Glad I held onto original Evora deposit, otherwise I'd be looking like a real sucker.
Extra features on the new Evora S include that supercharger, a standard sport package (with a sport button that adjusts throttle response and engages the exhaust's bypass valve), and a killer rear diffuser with a wide-mouth center-exhaust outlet. There's also a heads-up display and cross-drilled rotors, but hey, that's the kind of stuff one expects in a car like this anyway.
The other Lotus making its debut in Paris is the Evora IPS (Intelligent Precision Shift). Let's see how easily this one can be described: automatic Lotus. Done.
It packs 280 ponies and runs them through a 6-speed auto which has "Lotus-developed transmission control", and then it's also GOD I'M BORED ALREADY. It's got sport mode and paddle shifters and meets every requirement out there for people - Lotus says Asia, the Middle East, and America - who want a sports car but would rather cruise around without actually needing to know what that mysterious third pedal is for.

By Phil Alex

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Evora S Technical Specification

Model Evora S
Engine - Mid mounted, transverse 3.5 litre DOHC V6 VVT-I
Emissions see below due to wheel options
Transmission - 6 speed manual
Chassis - Modular lightweight bonded aluminium structure
Steering - Lotus tuned hydraulically-assisted power steering
Suspension - Forged aluminium double wishbone suspension
Bilstein high performance gas dampers
Eibach coaxial coil springsPerformance data
Standard wheel option
Fuel consumption - urban 14.5 l/100km
Fuel consumption – extra urban 7.4 l/100km
Fuel consumption - combined 10.0l/100km
CO2 Emissions 235 g/km

19/20" wheel option
Fuel consumption - urban 14.6 I/100km
Fuel consumption – extra urban 7.6 I/100km
Fuel consumption - combined 10.2 I/100km
CO2 Emissions 239 g/km

Max power - 350 PS / 257.5 kW @ 7000 rpm
Max torque - 400 Nm / 295 lb ft @ 4500 rpm
0-60 mph - 4.6s
0-100 km/h 4.8s
Maximum speed - 172mph
Vehicle mass (unladen) - 1437kg
Evora IPS Option Technical Specification

Engine - Mid mounted, transverse 3.5 litre DOHC V6 VVT-I
Emissions - 208 g/km
Transmission Electronically controlled 6 speed automatic
Chassis Modular lightweight bonded aluminium structure
Steering Lotus tuned hydraulically-assisted power steering
Suspension Forged aluminium double wishbone suspension
Bilstein high performance gas dampers
Eibach coaxial coil springs
Performance data

Fuel consumption - urban 12.6 l/100km
Fuel consumption – extra urban 6.6 l/100km
Fuel consumption - combined 8.8 l/100km
CO2 Emissions 208 g/km

Max power - 280 PS / 206 KW @ 6400rpm
Max torque - 350 Nm / 258 lb ft @ 4700rpm
0-60 mph - 5.3s
0-100 km/h - 5.5s
Maximum speed - 155mph
Vehicle mass (unladen) - 1436 kg

Paris Preshow: 2014 Lotus Elite GT with Lexus ISF 5.0 V8

Oooohweee, is Lotus getting ready to go big or what? After the announcement of its Evora S and IPS Auto variants, the lightweight brand is getting decidedly heavier with its 1,650 kg (3,600+ lb) Elite grand tourer.
Scheduled to debut in Paris and arrive in 2014, the Elite 2+2 - which inherits its name from a former Lotus looker - will be powered by a front-mid 5.0-liter V8 unit. The engine, which creates 620 horsepower, is believed to be a Lotus-tuned Lexus IS-F unit. Scroll down for the concept's full specs.
Taking a page from the Phil Alex handbook of writing for the blogosphere, here's an excerpt from the Lotus press release:
"So here it is, the Lotus Elite, the first taste of what's to come from Lotus in the future. Look up elegant in the dictionary and you'll find variations on the following 1. dignified grace in appearance, movement, or behaviour, 2. superb taste in design, style and 3. something elegant; the ultimate refinement."
Run-on sentences and grammar aside, let's give them a pat on the back.
Lotus's new Elite (not to be confused with its still mummified Esprit Ferrari hunter), is expected to get a retractable roof like Porsche's Targa and utilize optional systems like a hybrid powertrain and KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System).
Group Lotus CEO Danny Bahar says, "[The Elite is] a car that over-delivers in all other aspects...One could say it's a car of perfect contradictions; it's compact yet spacious, high performing yet low emitting, lightweight yet still reassuringly solid...Make no mistake, there's a definite market requirement for the Elite... It's worth noting this sector has been very successful for us in the past and now the Elite raises the benchmark higher still."
While this is still labeled a "Production Intent Prototype", expect the road-going model to appear very similar to what you're looking at right now. More pics and details will be on their way as soon as we get a little closer to its big unveil in Paris.
By Phil Alex

Lotus Elite Specifications*
Layout: 2+2 seater, front-mid-engined, rear wheel drive
Dimensions: Length: 4.60m
Width: 1.90m
Height: 1.32m
Engine: Petrol, hybrid optional
Hybrid technology: Hybrid gearbox with integrated electric motors and KERS
Cylinder: V8
Capacity: 5.0 litre
Power/Torque: 620 PS / 720 Nm
Rev limit: 8,500 rpm
0-100 km/h: 3.5 to 3.7 seconds
Top speed: 315 km/h
CO2 approx (CO2 /km): 215 g/km**
Weight: 1,650 kg
Seats: 2+2
Transmission: Full Hybrid transmission
Drive: RWD
Start of production: Early 2014
Enters the market: Spring 2014
Price indication: Circa £115,000


[From Lotus Press Release] * Whilst the vehicle shown in this release is a Production Intent Prototype, it represents a concept vehicle being designed and developed by Lotus Cars. Lotus Cars reserves the right to change the external and internal design of the Production Intent Prototypes, the specification, performance, dimensions, weight, fuel consumption, powertrain details and any other product information at anytime and without notice for any reason whatsoever.
Details of performance, weight, fuel consumption and other production information relating to the Production Intent Prototypes are not official or proven figures and represent the intended performance, weight, fuel consumption and other product information of the Production Intent Prototypes.
The design, specification and performance figures for all Production Intent Prototypes will be confirmed following official testing and will be available from Lotus Cars.
The price quoted includes VAT at 17.5%.

Lotus Presents Akio Toyoda with Special Elise to Celebrate Current and Future Partnership

Clearly, it's good to be the boss. How so? Lotus CEO Danny Bahar recently made a trip to Japan to thank Toyota for their companies' long - and soon to be longer - partnership. For those new to the game, Lotus has been sourcing its power plants from Toyota for a while and currently all Loti use one form of Toyota mill or another.
Bahar handed Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda the keys to a Lotus Elise powered by the very last 2ZZ-GE VVTL-i built, saying, "The presentation of Toyota's last 2ZZ engine in the Elise is a symbolic gesture of our continued respect and deep appreciation for our partner not only acknowledging our past but also looking forward to our future together."
Proton-owned Lotus will soon unveil its Toyota-powered Evora S and Evora IPS models in Paris, while the 414E is apparently still in the pipeline and waiting for an investment from the British government.
As for the oft-discussed Esprit, rumors suggest that Lotus's flagship may be powered by Toyota's 1LR-GUE V10. While the Esprit may still be a ways out, we could be getting some information about it as soon as the Paris show, so stay tuned.
On using his company's engines in Lotus cars, Toyoda said, "A Toyota engine in a Lotus car creates a completely unique drive feeling – a special blend featuring the best of Lotus and Toyota that we hope many car lovers continue to experience and enjoy." That, and they're reliable as hell, so you know your car won't spontaneously combust...

By Phil Alex

Paris Show: Lotus Unveils New Esprit, Elan, Elise, Eterne Sports Sedan and Concept City Car

Possibly one of the biggest surprises of the 2010 Paris Motor Show, was the unveiling of six new models from Lotus. Aside from the Elite GT (see here) that we've already told you about, the British sports car maker revealed not one, not two but five more new models and concepts!
We'll bring you more details and pictures of each car separately, but here are the key highlights:


2015 Lotus Eterne: Following in the footsteps of other sports car makers, Lotus is getting ready to enter the luxury sports sedan segment with the Eterne. Scheduled for a possible release in 2015, the Eterne will rival the likes of Aston Martin's Rapide. Like all future Lotus models, the four-door sedan will make use of a Toyota/Lexus sourced engine, in this case, a 5.0-liter V8 unit supercharged to deliver around 620-horsepower.

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2013 Lotus Esprit: The firm's flagship sports car will make a return in 213 and will be powered by Lexus-source 5.0-liter V8 producing 620-horsepower. A less powerful base model with 550-ponies is also said to be offered.

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2013 Lotus Elan: A new mid-engined sportscar that will be available as a two-seater or optionally, as a 2+2. Aimed at Audi's R8, it will feature a 4.0-liter version of the Evora's Toyota-sourced V6 with output ranging from 400 to 470 horsepower, depending on the version.

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2015 Lotus Elise: Set to replace the current Elise in 2015, Lotus' new lightweight and compact-sized sports car will benefit from a Toyota-sourced 2.0-liter four banger helped by a turbocharged to deliver somewhere around 320-horsepower.

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Lotus City Car Concept: Alongside its sport coupes and sedan, Lotus also showed a concept for a small city car based on Giugiaro's Proton EMAS study shown in Geneva earlier this year. There are no current plans to introduce a production version of this car - at least not yet...