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DAWN OF A NEW ERA PARIS 2010

Lotus announce a new fleet of cars:

Esprit

Lotus Elise and Elan concepts

Lotus Elite and Eterne concepts

“Our plan is to change Lotus from its present position as a niche sports car company to a builder of a range of premium sports cars”, says CEO Dany Bahar, architect of the company’s new five-year plan.

A couple of the six new Lotus concepts are intended for production even sooner than the front-engined V8 Elite hybrid revealed as a styling model last week and proposed for 2014.

The new cars, whose launch is being accompanied by developments costing many millions to Lotus’s factories, design facilities, test track and motorsport activities, and there is to be a new museum and heritage centre. The work, which has already started, will involve “fully funded” expenditure running to £770 million over the next decade.

The models include a replacement for the Elise, an all-new Esprit, the Elite and a larger Eterne saloon based on it, a new Elan and even a new city car co-developed with parent firm Proton."

Lotus Elise

Unveiled by Stephen Baldwin.

2 seater. Base and R versions, available as coupe or cabriolet
On sale: 2015
Price: £34k (est)
Engine: 2.0-litre 16v four-cylinder turbo or supercharged, 300bhp (350bhp R)
Transmission Six-speed manual or automated manual, rear-wheel drive
Suspension Double wishbones all round, continuously variable dampers
Length/width/height in mm: 4000/1850/1250mm
Bodystyles: Coupe and convertible
Performance Sub 4.5sec 0-62mph, sub-150g/km
Top speed 270kmh
Weight/made from: 1095kg dry/composite body sides, aluminium closures
Competitors: Porsche Boxster / Cayman, Audi TT

Lotus Elan

This design was inspired by Mario Andretti's 1978 Formula One car apparently, hmmmm.
Unveiled by Mickey Rourke.

On sale: 2013
The Evora replacement
Base Price around £70000
Base and R versions, available as coupe or cabriolet
Price: £75k (est)
Engine: 3956cc 24v supercharged V6, 400bhp (450bhp R), plus optional KERS hybrid system
Transmission Seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, rear-wheel drive
Suspension Double wishbones all round, continuously variable dampers
Length/width/height in mm: 4450/1900/1280
Bodystyles: Coupe and convertible, plus optional 2+2 seating
Performance 3.5-3.9sec 0-62mph, sub-200g/km
Top speed 310kmh
Weight/made from 1295kg dry/aluminium
Competitors: 911 turbo

Lotus Elite

The Lotus Elite is the new Lotus gentleman's car, offering a retractable hardtop

On sale: 2014
Base and R versions, available as coupe or cabriolet
Price: £115K (est)
Engine: 4969 32v supercharged V8, 550bhp (620bhp R) @ 8000rpm (approx), plus standard KERS hybrid system
Transmission Seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox with integrated epicyclic hybrid transmission, rear-wheel drive
Suspension Double wishbones all round, continuously variable dampers
Length/width/height in mm: 4600/1900/1320
Bodystyles: Folding hardtop 2+2
Performance: 3.5-3.7sec 0-62mph, 215g/km
Weight/made from: 1680kg dry/aluminium (TBC)
Competitors: DB9

Lotus Eterne

On sale: 2015
4 door / 4 seat based on the new Lotus Elite
Top speed 315kmh
Weight 1800kgs
Price: £120k (est)
Engine: 4969 32v supercharged V8, 550bhp (620bhp R) @ 8000rpm (approx), plus standard KERS hybrid system
Transmission Seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox with integrated epicyclic hybrid transmission, rear-wheel drive
Suspension Double wishbones all round, continuously variable dampers
Length/width/height in mm: 5000/1900/1430mm
Bodystyles: Four-door saloon
Performance: 4sec 0-62mph, 215g/km
Weight/made from: 1850kg dry/aluminium
Competitors: Porsche Panamera / Aston Martin Rapide

Lotus Esprit

Unveiled by Brian May and Naomi Campbell. "The Esprit is the ultimate supercar," says Dany Bahar, Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus. "In the past when people thought of the Esprit, they thought of the movies, Bond, Pretty Woman, Basic Instinct but this time around, the car is the star of the show."

On sale: 2013
2 seats, base and R versions available as coupe or cabriolet
Price: £110 (est)
Engine: 4969 32v supercharged V8, 550bhp (620bhp R) @ 8000rpm (approx), plus optional KERS system
Transmission Seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, rear-wheel drive
Suspension Double wishbones all round, continuously variable dampers
Length/width/height in mm: 4550/1950/1250
Bodystyles: Coupe and convertible
Performance: 3.2-3.5sec 0-62mph, 250g/km
Weight/made from: 1495kg dry/carbon fixed panels, aluminium closures
Competitors: Ferrari 458 / Gallardo

Lotus City Car Concept

On sale: 2014
Price: £20k
Engine: Either full electric plug-in or plug-in hybrid with 1.2-litre three-cylinder range extender petrol engine
Transmission 1-speed with six-step simulated manual mode, rear-wheel drive
Suspension TBC
Length/width/height in mm: 3400/1720/1500
Bodystyles: supermini
Performance: Sub-9.0sec 0-62mph, sub-4.5sec 0-31mph
Weight/made from: TBC