Lotus had a blast at the Paris Motor Show 2010. They reviewed a massive five lineup of new concept cars that seemed to be very production ready, though most of them will only come in two to four years. Let's have a look at them, and see which your favourite is.
Lotus Elan
The first that we will talk about today is the Lotus Elan, which is a surprise from Lotus. The Elan is not a new comer though. Lotus Elan is the name of two convertible cars and one fixed head coupé produced by Lotus Cars back in the old days. The original Type 26, 26R Racing version, 36 Fixed Head Coupe, 45 Drop Head Coupe, and the "Type 50″ +2 Coupe, circa 1962 to 1975, are commonly known as the '60s Elans. The Type M100 from 1989 to 1995 is also commonly known as the 1990s Elan.The original Elan was introduced in 1962 as a roadster, although an optional hardtop was offered in 1963 and a coupé version in 1965.
The Elanruns on a 450-horsepower supercharged 4.0-liter V6 engine with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox from Toyota, which offers enough gumption to scoot to 62 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 193 mph. Lotus also promises that a hybrid will be available using a Kinetic Energy Recovery System similar to those seen in Formula One a season ago.
The interior of the Elan is very high-tech and drifts away from the classic car that it used to be. There's plenty of carbon fiber here and there. Lotus says its new Elan is slated for a debut in 2013. Pricing for the 2013 Elan is set at $118,500 (75,000).
Lotus Esprit
The Esprit is supposed to be the bread and butter of Lotus, but somehow Lotus has gone the other way when it comes to the successor of Esprit. The design might take similar cues from the older Esprit, but engine wise it does not. The old turbocharged four-cylinder that powers the originals has been pushed aside for a much bigger 5.0-liter V8 sourced from Toyota. This engine would be similar to the Lexus IS-F's V8 engine, but tuned to 620 horsepower, and accelerating from 0-100 (kph) in under 3.5 seconds, and it'll continue to roar until a top speed of 330kph. Price wise, it's estimated to be around $175,000, and expected to hit market in the spring of 2013.
In addition to the massive and exciting V8 power, the Lotus Esprit will also be offered with KERS as an option. KERS, or Kinetic Energy Recovery System, is a system used by Formula 1 cars to recover heat energy generated during braking.
Lotus Elise Concept
Lotus Elise is the famous classical car from Lotus, which had a huge reputation for being zippy and lightweight, yet having superb handling. The new Elise has 320 horsepower from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine procured from Toyota, and a six-speed manual or optional paddle-shifted automatic transmission, and a 2,409-pound curb weight. This supercharged model can hit 62 in 4.3 seconds. Pricewise, it's expected to be $55,000. That's slightly more expensive than the current Elise, not to mention heavier. That's not very Lotus like.
Lotus also said that there will be less expensive versions of the 2015 Elise available, presumably without the benefit of forced induction. There will also be both hard-and soft-top models on offer. That's interesting.
What the Elise lack in performance, will be offset by its more luxurious cabin and easier entry and exit. The interior takes on design of pod-like binnacle instruments, with steering wheel like F1-style progressive shift lights and its digital rendering of race circuits for those venturing out the track.
Lotus Eterne Concept
When we think of Lotus, the words "hybrid" and "sedan" aren't exactly the first words that come to mind. Usually you would think of super lightweight track cars. Now, though, Lotus is changing all that with the introduction of its Eterne concept, a four-door sedan with an optional hybrid powertrain. This may be a big step in a different direction for Lotus, but it's nothing new. The Eterne takes the same shape as the Porsche Panamera, Aston Martin Rapide and Audi A7 Sportback. You'll need this in order to have a good fight with the big boys. Since they have it, you'll also have to have one.
Like the new Esprit concept, the Eterne is powered by a 620-horsepower, 5.0-liter V8 sourced from Toyota. The optional hybrid drivetrain uses a Formula 1-style KERS energy recuperation system, and the Lotus sedan will be available in both rear- and all-wheel drive. Of course, this is still a Lotus, so good performance numbers are an absolute must, and we're told that the Eterne will run to 60 miles per hour in just 4.0 seconds on its way to a top speed of 196 mph. Now, I've seen Top Gear UK pitting the Panamera, Rapide, and the Quattropole in a garden. I hope they'll do that test again when this Eterne comes out.
Price wise, it's going to cost around $190,000, and it's slated for production in 2015. It might be a few years before we can actually touch one, so hopefully by then the design cues won't run dry.
Lotus Elite
The Lotus Elite has already been previewed before the motor show. It's Lotus's take on the march towards global sportscar domination. Lotus is hoping that their Elite would be able to bark of some of those supercars in the market.
The Elite ain't lightweight, at 3,600 pounds it's a four-passenger (2+2 setup) Grand Tourer. Why is it that heavy? Well, because it has a retractable, folding hardtop. You'll see it featured in the video below, which I think is very amazing. I specially loves retractable hardtop, as they gives the feel of both cabriolet and coupe. Especially good for tropical countries where you don't know when it's going to rain.
Under the hood sits a modified version of the 5.0-liter V8 sourced from a Lexus IS-F, which will cough out 611 horsepower. The engine is setup in a front mid-engine layout. Zero to hundred in less than four seconds, and it'll fly to a top speed of 195 miles per hour (313kph). The Elite will also feature the KERS system.
Lotus is aiming to bring this sporty road warrior to market sometime in the year 2014. If you invest your money wisely now, you just might be able to save the estimated $180,000 you'll need to put one in your driveway.
KERS explained
Lotus's new concept cars have featured the KERS system. This technology would most probably be taught by Toyota from their experiences gained when participating in Formula One races few years ago before they pull out from the exotic race. Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) were used for the motor sport Formula One's 2009 season, and under development for road vehicles. However, KERS has been abandoned for the 2010 Formula One season. The Formula One Teams that used Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems in the 2009 season are Ferrari, Renault, BMW, and McLaren. One of the main reasons that not all cars use KERS is because it adds an extra 25 kilograms of weight, while not adding to the total car weight, it does incur a penalty particularly seen in the qualifying rounds, as it raises the car's centre of gravity, and reduces the amount of ballast that is available to balance the car so that it is more predictable when turning. FIA rules also limit the exploitation of the system.
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