THREE months after revealing it was scrapping its total established portfolio, British sportscar specialist Lotus has revealed the identify and the primary teaser photos of its new-generation mid-engine sportscar.
Formally dubbed the Emira, the brand new automotive will make its debut on July 6 within the lead as much as the Goodwood Competition of Pace and also will occur to be the final totally internal-combustion engine car the model produces with all subsequent fashions to be electrical.
Stated to be following an analogous design language to the Evija hypercar, just a few darkened teaser photos of the Emira have been launched thus far with the photographs depicting a much more rounded and softer-edged design than the outgoing Elise or Exige with a large set of hips placing us in thoughts of a modernised Evora.
Only a few particulars of the Emira’s mechanicals have been revealed both with Lotus conserving most of its playing cards near its chest, solely revealing that “a alternative of inside combustion engines” from an “thrilling new powertrain partnership” can be supplied.
If the outgoing vary is something to go by, we’d count on the line-up to be made up of turbocharged four- and six-cylinder engines – relying on the brand new provider – with the change from supercharging to turbocharging being in line with the ever-tightening emissions laws.
“The extra powertrain choice will likely be new to Lotus, extremely environment friendly, use cutting-edge know-how and be tuned to assist ship that particular Lotus expertise,” the model stated in a press release.
Constructing on this notion, Lotus managing director Matt Windle stated the Emira can be “essentially the most achieved Lotus for generations”.
“Superbly proportioned, shrink-wrapped, however with consolation, know-how and ergonomics inbuilt,” he stated.
“With a design impressed by the Evija all-electric hypercar, it’s a game-changing Lotus sportscar.”
The launch of the Emira of will in some methods the largest step but in Lotus’ transformation right into a devoted EV model as it is going to fairly actually mark the tip of the internal-combustion period for the fabled sportscar maker.
Lotus’ transformation is being rolled out underneath the Vision80 technique which to summarise, entails the model changing into an all-electric car-maker by its 80th birthday in 2028, pointing to a seven-year manufacturing lifecycle for the brand new Emira (discounting particular editions).
Going forwards, 4 ew architectures will underpin the model’s automobiles, these being the ‘Elemental’ (Emira), ‘Excessive’ (Evija), ‘Evolution’ (way of life autos) and ‘E-Sports activities’ (Alpine partnership) platforms.
Mr Windle stated that 4 years into the Vision80 technique, every little thing was on monitor with the “spirit” of the model set to stay on properly into the longer term as the start of a brand new period approaches.
“I’ve challenged our groups to focus on the identical weight as our newest combustion engine sports activities automobiles,” he stated in regard to the brand new E-Sports activities-based car(s).
Lotus Australia has offered 15 automobiles thus far this 12 months ending March, 50 per cent greater than it managed over the primary three months of 2020 (10).
