Lotus

Lotus has been teasing a new Emira for around half a year, but the track-only speed machine is finally here.

The British marque debuted the new Emira GT4 on the famous Hethel test track in England last week. The racecar completed laps of the legendary 2.2-mile circuit with a Lotus exec and former British GT championship winner at the wheel. Basically, it was a flex of the four-wheeler’s sheer power and speed.

The new Emira was built exclusively for national and international GT4 class competitions. It will be the automaker’s final gas-engined model, and thus the team’s gone all out on the mill. Under the hood lies a tuned 3.5-liter Toyota 2GR engine with a Harrop TVS 1900 supercharger. The V-6 is mated to a paddle-shifted Xtrac 6-speed sequential transmission and churns out 400 hp at 7,200 rpm. The Lotus can reportedly soar from zero to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds on its way to a top speed of about 180 mph.

The tuned Toyota V-6 can churn out 400 hp at 7,200 rpm. 

Lotus

The sleek beast, which measures a fraction over 14 feet, weighs a scant 2,866 pounds dry. That’s all thanks to the marque’s signature aluminum chassis and lightweight composite bodywork. Naturally, the car’s equipped with an aero kit that features a front splitter, a rear diffuser and a giant rear wing to help it cut through the air. It’s also fitted with a forged aluminum double-wishbone suspension setup, competition-spec brakes with six-piston front calipers and adjustable Bosch Motorsport ABS for improved handling and stopping power. All of that rides on aluminum wheels wrapped in Pirelli GT4 rubber.
Inside, meanwhile, the racer is fitted with a six-point roll-cage, a certified racing seat with a six-point harness and a high-tech Motec display with data-logging capabilities.

The Emira will set you back $203,750. 

Lotus

As mentioned, the Emira will be the only non-EV in the Lotus lineup from 2022 and beyond as the marque focuses on zero-emissions rides like the electric hypercar Evija.
Priced at $203,750 (£165,000), the 2023 Lotus Emira GT4 has sold out for the first year of production. The automaker is aiming to fulfill all the current customer orders this year at the new $140 million facility in Hethel. The marque will also be increasing production in 2023 in line with global demand. In other words, let Lotus know if you’re interested via motorsport@lotuscars.com.

Lotus may have only unveiled its second EV, the Eletre crossover, last month, but it’s not ready to slow down yet. The British automaker has now shared some enticing details with Autocar about what drivers can expect from its next battery-powered vehicle, the Type 133 saloon.

The electric car—which, in typical Lotus fashion, will eventually have a name that starts with an E—will be another departure for the brand, which was acquired by China-based Geely Group in 2017. Until this year, the automaker really only produced one kind of vehicle during its 74-year-history: sporty two-seaters. But, like the Eletre, the Type 133 will have two sets of doors and two rows of seats.

Lotus Eletre 

Lotus

With the car still in development, details are scarce, but the company told the British publication it will feature same twin-motor powertrain that can be found in the launch-spec Eletre. Last month, Lotus said that driveunit will be able to produce at least 600 horses. That won’t make the Type 133 as powerful as the 2000 hp Evija hyper car, but it will allow it to match up quite nicely with the 590 hp Porsche Taycan GTS. Managing director Matt Windle said that’s where the EV is “starting at,” too, which suggests it could be even more powerful.
The saloon’s design has yet to be finalized, but it will share several style cues with the Eletre. Despite this, don’t expect the Type 133 to just be a shrunk down version of the SUV. The marque’s senior VP of design, Peter Horbury, told the magazine that each of its EVs “can have their own character.” One thing we’d be willing to bet on: Similar to its siblings, the Type 133’s final design will emphasize aerodynamics.

Lotus Evija 

Lotus

The Type 133 is expected to enter the final stages of development in the very near future, with production slated to begin next year. When it arrives, that’ll push Lotus’s lineup of EVs to three, with more to follow. Last fall, when Lotus first announced the Eletre and Type 132, the marque also revealed that it would introduce another SUV in 2024, followed by an all-electric sports car in 2026.
One thing is certain: There will be plenty of Lotus EVs to choose from before long.

Electrification isn’t the only new thing Lotus is trying.

The British marque unveiled its latest vehicle on Tuesday, an all-electric SUV called the Eletre. The vehicle is a true outlier for the Lotus, but if it can deliver on what’s been promised it will more than live up to the brand’s high-performance reputation.
We may have known it was coming but it really can’t be stressed how much of a departure the Eletre is for Lotus. The automaker’s vehicles tend to be two things: sports cars and two-seaters (although a few have featured four). The Eletre is neither of these things, but Lotus’s largest vehicle—it’s 16.7 feet long, 6.6 feet wide and 5.4 feet tall, according to the brand—still has the kind of flamboyant design enthusiasts expect from the brand. It may not be as aggressive as the company’s first EV, the Evija hypercar, but it’s bold, with a heavily sculpted body that looks athletic and fast. It features a dramatic lighting package from front to back, multiple active aero elements, including a three-position rear spoiler, and sits relatively low to the ground on a massive set of 23-inch rims. It chunkier than its predecessors, but like Lamborghini’s Urus, it’s an SUV that will actually turn heads.

Lotus Eletre 

Lotus

The Eletre’s cabin is spacious, something that’s rarely, if ever, been said of a Lotus interior. Up front, you’ll find a relatively spartan leather and microfiber-covered dashboard broken up only by a digital gauge cluster behind the squared-off steering wheel and a large, 15.1-inch OLED infotainment screen positioned above the center console. There you’ll also find two sports seats covered in advanced wool-blend fabric. In the back, you’ll have your pick of two seats or a three-person bench. Other creature comforts include LED backlighting, a 15-speaker surround sound audio system (you can upgrade to 23 speakers) and an optional panoramic glass sunroof.
Lotus is calling the Eletre a “hyper-SUV” and it’s easy to see why. In addition to its stylish design it also looks as if it’ll be a powerhouse. We’ll have to wait for the full engineering details, but it’s built on the brand’s proprietary Electric Premium Architecture platform, which combines an aluminum and high tensile steel chassis with an 800-volt battery pack, with more than 100-kWh of battery capacity. There will eventually be three versions available, each of which will feature two motors, one on the front axle, another on the back, according to the brand. The least powerful variant will produce at least 600 hp, accelerate from zero to 62 mph in less than three seconds and top out at 161 mph. Adaptive dampers and an air suspension will come standard.

Lotus

Just as impressive as the Eletre’s baseline power figures is a driving range of 373 miles (although, as Car and Driver points out, that figure would likely be closer to 315 using the EPA’s rigid testing process). When you do need to top up the battery, Lotus says you’ll be able to add 248 miles of range in just 20 minutes when connected to a DC fast charger. It still takes less time to fill a vehicle with gas, but that short of a charging time could prove to be a real difference maker, especially on long trips.
Although it has the kind of flamboyant design you’d expect of a concept, Lotus plans to put the Eletre into production—and relatively soon. The brand expects to start selling its hyper-SUV by the middle of next year. Pricing has yet to be confirmed, but there are reports that it’ll start at around $100,000.
Whatever the cost, we have a feeling quite a few drivers will be interested.
Check out more photos of the Eletre below:

Lotus

Lotus

Lotus

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If you’ve been eyeing the newest release from Lotus, the British automaker just announced more specifications and the cost for its Emira V6 First Edition. Fully loaded examples of the mid-engined Emira, packed with a supercharged Toyota-built, Lotus-massaged 400 hp V-6, rings in at £75,995 (close to $104,000 at the current exchange rate), although US pricing has yet to be announced.

Reasons abound to consider these first Emiras over offerings from equally storied rivals. In the official price announcement, Lotus managing director Matt Windle describes the model as the “most accomplished Lotus we’ve ever made,” a car that offers significantly stepped-up levels of handling, power and comfort over recent models such as the Exige and Evora. While the Emira employs the marque’s familiar bonded-aluminum chassis, the overall package is a far cry from the Lotus Elise of the 1990s and early 2000s—a bare-bones go-kart of a vehicle that, arguably, kept the company from permanently shuttering.

The Lotus Emira V6 First Edition in Hethel Yellow. 

Photo: Courtesy of Lotus Cars Limited.

However, anyone with a stable of old-school sports cars should also take notice. As suggested by its 2,000 hp, all-electric Evija, Lotus, like many other manufacturers, is committing to fully electrify its lineup and has said the Emira will be its swan song for the internal combustion engine.

Racer Jenson Button tests the Lotus Emira on track. 

Photo: Courtesy of Lotus Cars Limited.

The Emira V6 First Edition certainly seems to be one for collectors. In keeping with its track-friendly DNA, the low and wide car comes with a proper six-speed manual transmission, although a paddle-shifted autobox is an option. The Emira is offered in six paint schemes—from the launch-model’s Seneca Blue to a truly British hue referred to as Dark Verdant—and rides on two-tone, lightweight 20-inch wheels. The colors of the branded brake calipers can also be special-ordered at no charge.

The Emira’s cockpit features a wraparound dash, elevated gear shifter and a flat-bottomed steering wheel with integrated controls. 

Photo by Richard Pardon, courtesy of Lotus Cars Limited.

Save for the car’s $1,650 Black Pack option, which blacks out items such as the roof, mirror backs and exhaust, the debut Emira comes kitted with a selection of four special trim packages as standard. These include the Lower Black Pack, complete with front-bumper air blades, a front splitter, side sills and a rear diffuser—all in gloss black; the Drivers Pack, a choice between Tour or Sport suspension, which come with either Goodyear Eagle F1 or Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, respectively; the Design Pack, which adds privacy glass, sports pedals and a black Alcantara headliner; and the Convenience Pack with front parking sensors, rear reversing camera, rain-sensing wipers and auto-dimming mirrors. The only other option is the aforementioned automatic gearbox, a $2,500 extra.

The Emira V6 First Edition will be built at the marque’s new $140 million facility in Hethel, England. 

Photo: Courtesy of Lotus Cars Limited.

In addition to the Emira V6 and four-cylinder First Editions, Lotus is promising an entry-level version in 2023, starting at $80,000. That seems a fair price for what promises to be a piece of automotive history from a company that was founded in 1948 by the legendary Colin Chapman and went on to make a splash everywhere from the F1 circuit to James Bond films. Lotus will kickoff production of the Emira V6 First Edition next spring at its new $140 million facility in Hethel, with the four-cylinder variant following in the fall of 2022.

Learn more about Robb Report’s 2022 Car of the Year at the event taking place in Napa Valley here and in Boca Raton here.

The Lotus lineup is expanding almost as fast as its cars circle the track.

On Tuesday, the British marque announced that it is hard at work on four new EVs, which will be released between 2022 and 2026. The upcoming models will join a lineup that already includes the brand’s first all-electric vehicle, the Evija, and its final gas-powered sports car, the Emira.

The rapid expansion is part of Lotus’s new Vision80 strategy to become a global EV brand by the time its 80th birthday comes around in 2028. Additionally, the Hethel, UK-based automaker has launched a new division focused on EV development, Lotus Technology, and broken ground on a new global headquarters in Wuhan, China, which will be completed in 2024. A new factory built to manufacture battery-powered vehicles for the global market will open later this year.

Lotus knows that in order to become a global EV force it needs to sell more than just high-performance sports cars. That’s why the first of the new EVs will be its debut SUV. The marque is playing things close to the chest, but the vehicle, which is codenamed Type 132, will ride on the brand’s new Premium electric architecture. The brand says it will come equipped with an up to 120kWh battery pack compatible with 800-volt high-speed charging systems and be able to accelerate from zero to 62 mph in under three seconds. The Type 132 is set to launch next year.
The brand’s first SUV will be followed by a four-door coupé (the Type 133) in 2023 and another SUV (the Type 134) in 2024. Don’t worry, though, Lotus hasn’t forgotten its roots. A new all-electric sports car will be released in 2026 to round out the lineup.

Lotus Evija 

Lotus

“Transforming Lotus from a UK sports car company to a truly global performance car company has always been at the core of Vision80,” the automaker’s managing director Matt Windle said in a statement. “The launch of Lotus Technology is a major milestone on the road to making that a reality, while adhering to the unwavering Lotus principles of pure performance, efficiency, motorsport success and, above all, being ‘For the Drivers.’”
Before that, though, comes the release of one of the most anticipated Lotuses of all time—the Evija. The first British all-electric hypercar boasts a quad-motor powertrain that can generate 2,000 hp, can go from zero to 186 mph in nine seconds, tops out at over 200 mph and can travel 215 miles on a single charge. The automaker has yet to announce a firm release date for the Evija, but it will be part of its 2022 lineup. Regardless of how soon it gets here, it’s a good time to be a Lotus fan.

Richard Hammond is offloading part of his legendary private collection all in the name of classic cars.

The world-famous Brit, best known for co-hosting Top Gear and The Grand Tour alongside James May and Jeremy Clarkson, will auction off eight cars and motorcycles from his curated fleet during The Classic Sale at Silverstone this August. All proceeds from the auction will go toward the Hamster’s new classic car restoration outfit The Smallest Cog.

“The irony of me supporting my new classic car restoration business by selling some of my own classic car collection is not wasted on me,” Hammond said in a statement. “It is with a very heavy heart that they go, as they have a great deal of personal sentimental value, but they will be funding the future development of the business and giving life back to countless other classic vehicles.”

Hammond’s 1999 Lotus Esprit Sport 350 is one of just 48 in existence. 

Silverstone Auctions

Naturally, the famed petrol head’s haul is jampacked with showstoppers. Four-wheeled highlights include a stunning, low-mileage 1969 Porsche 911T, a vintage 1959 Bentley S2 that’s been described as a “much-loved family heirloom,” and a classic 1999 Lotus Esprit Sport 350 that is one of only 48 examples built.
As for the two-wheelers, Hammond is selling a prized 1976 Kawasaki Z900 A4 that he bought himself for his 40th birthday and a limited-edition 2019 Norton Dominator 961 Street that he bought for his 50th birthday, along with a rare 1927 Sunbeam Model 2, a classic 1932 Velocette KSS Mk1 and a highly collectible 1977 Moto Guzzi Le Mans Mk1.

Hammond is selling the 1976 Kawasaki Z900 A4 that he bought himself for his 40th birthday. 

Silverstone Auctions

Each lot will go under the gavel without reserve on Sunday, August 1. Given the collection’s pristine condition and its previous owner, you can expect each rarity to fetch a hefty chunk of change. That’s a good thing, too, since Hammond’s fledgling business can put the money to good use reviving forgotten vehicles.
The world can keep an eye on The Smallest Cog’s work, too. The restoration shop will also be the subject of a new docuseries with the working title Richard Hammond’s Workshop that’s due to debut this fall. Stay tuned.
Check out more photos of the collection below:

1959 Bentley S2. 

Silverstone Auctions

2019 Norton Dominator 961 Street. 

Silverstone Auctions

1969 Porsche 911T. 

Silverstone Auctions

1927 Sunbeam Model 2. 

Silverstone Auctions

1932 Velocette KSS Mk1. 

Silverstone Auctions

1977 Moto Guzzi Le Mans Mk1. 

Silverstone Auctions

Lotus may be speeding towards an electric future, but it’s not ready to give up on gas-powered cars just yet.

The British marque unveiled its final combustion sports car, the Emira, on Tuesday. Set to go on sale early next year, the modern-day speed machine is a replacement for both the Elise and Exige and will be its only non-EV from 2022 and beyond.

Lotus Emira 

Richard Pardon/Lotus

The mid-engine Emira is Lotus’s first all-new sports car since the Evora made its debut in 2009 (the Exige is the coupé version of the Elise, which launched in 1996). Despite this, it’s not the only new model the company has in the works. There’s also the brand’s first electric hypercar, the Evija, to which the Emira bears a striking resemblance. This is best seen in the new vehicle’s front fascia and the bold contours of its carbon-fiber body. Sadly, it doesn’t retain the Evija’s spaceship-like rear, but it’s still quite the head turner.

Inside the Emira 

Richard Pardon/Lotus

The style isn’t limited to the outside of the car. Open up the coupé’s doors and you’ll find a thoroughly up-to-date, two-seat cabin. The driver’s cockpit and dashboard have been fitted with 12.3- inch and 10.2-inch touchscreens, respectively. The infotainment system, which was developed in house, has integrated Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for those wondering how easy it will be to connect their smartphone.
As impressive as the Emira may look, it’s also got plenty to be proud of underneath its hood. The new model is the first built using the brand’s new Sports Car Architecture, which features the same bonded extruded aluminum chassis technology that debuted on the Elise, according to a press release. The car, which weighs in a relatively lightweight 3,097 pounds, will come equipped with either an AMG-sourced four-cylinder or a Toyota-sourced supercharged V-6 engine.

Richard Pardon/Lotus

Whichever engine you choose, you’ll be able to mate it to an automatic, dual-clutch or manual transmission. The former will produce 360 horses, while the latter can generate 400 hp and 317 ft lbs of twist. Neither of those mills can compete with the Evija’s quad-motor powertrain—which produces 2,000 hp and 1,250 ft lbs of torque—but they both provide plenty of pep. The automaker says the quickest Emira, which is almost certainly the V-6, will zoom from zero to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and will have a top speed of 180 mph.

“The Emira is a game-changer for Lotus,” Matt Windle, the company’s managing director, said in a statement. “It stands as a beacon of everything we have achieved to date in the transformation of the business, the embodiment of our progress.”

Richard Pardon/Lotus

The Emira will be built at Lotus’s new renovated manufacturing facility located in Hethel in Norfolk, England. The marque has yet to announce pricing for the sports car, though it said the model will likely start below £60,000 (about $82,000) when it goes on sale early next year. While the Emira may not be nearly as powerful as the Evija—which also doesn’t have a firm release date yet—it’s loads more cost conscious. The company’s first EV will start in the $2 million range.

The new Radford is taking a page out of an old Lotus design book.

The British coachbuilder has just announced the first original car in its 73-year history, the Project 62. And the luxury sports car will look familiar to Lotus aficionados because it’s inspired by the UK automaker’s legendary Type 62 race car.
Radford isn’t ready to show off it’s first born just yet, but expect something that looks straight out of the Swinging Sixties. Race cars, even from that era, don’t come much more flamboyant than the Type 62. The mid-engine coupé is all sleek, flowing lines and a massive set fenders in the front and rear. It’ll be interesting to see how much of the original’s design carries over, but we hope as much as possible.

In addition to providing design inspiration, Lotus will also help Radford build the Project 62. It’s unclear what this will entail, but the coachbuilder has promised more info, including, one hopes, whether or not the car is street-legal, in the months to come. One thing we do know, though, is that it will be lavishly appointed. Radford—which was recently rebooted by former Formula 1 champ Jenson Button, automotive designer Mark Stubbs and industry personality Ant Anstead—has said each example will be completely bespoke and crafted to its owner’s specifications. It’s unlikely to be as distinguished as the old Radford’s most famous builds, like the Aston Martin DB5 Hatchback or Bentley “Countryman,” but we expect it’ll be plenty luxurious.

A rendering of the Lotus Type 62 race car 

Radford

“For me, a key purpose of Radford is to celebrate iconic automotive moments by bringing them back to life for a new, modern audience,” Button said in a statement. “Our first car, Project 62 embodies that ethos to a tee. As a British car lover I am excited that Radford has the honor of working alongside Lotus to pay homage to the truly stunning original Type 62 from 1969.”
Radford has yet to announce pricing for the Radford 92, but considering its bespoke nature it will probably be steep. You can reserve yours now, though the coachbuilder’s website. But you might want to hurry, as production will be limited to just 62 examples. Don’t be surprised if slots fill as fast as the sporty racer moves.

As strange as it may sound, a new car isn’t always fresh off the production line. In fact, sometimes it’s seven years old.
Last week, a Lotus dealership in New London, Connecticut sold what is believed to have been the oldest new car in America: a 2014 Evora S Coupe. And no, it’s not a stretch to call the sporty two-seater “new,” because even after seven years of test drives it has less than 100 miles on the odometer.

The 2014 Evora was sold to a Long Island customer who already owned a Lotus Elise, according to Car and Driver. They ended up walking away with quite the deal, too, as they only paid $70,000 for the Evora, $20,000 less than its original sticker price. But even without the discount, it’s easy to see why someone would be drawn to the Aspen White-on-Ebony sports car. The rear-wheel speedster isn’t the most imposing vehicle, but it has a pleasingly modern shape and is powered by a peppy 3.5-liter V6. Mated to a six-speed manual transmission, it’s capable of churning out a very capable 345 horses and 295 ft lbs of twist.

2014 Lotus Evora S Coupe  Secor Lotus

The car also remains in remarkable condition. That’s because Secor Lotus’s general manager, Steve Plota, took steps to fight off any deterioration brought on by age. The Evora was plugged into a trickle charger to keep its battery fresh, had almost all its fluids changed and was taken out of climate-controlled storage for the occasional run, according to the magazine. Its factory warranty is expired, but it’s in as good a shape as any driver would hope.
A big part of why the car lingered on the dealer’s lot for so long is because Plona refused to steeply discount the car earlier, something that set Secor Lotus apart from the brand’s other American dealerships. “It was a protest to some schemes of the pricing people had,” he told Car and Driver. “I think it’s an undervalued brand.”
Inside the 2014 Evora S coupe  Secor Lotus

“Zombie cars,” or vehicles that continue to sell years after they are released, are actually a bit of a thing. Last month, Dodge revealed that it had sold four examples of the Dodge Viper in 2020, despite the car having been discontinued three years prior.

The new EV would replace the Alpine A110.