Lotus

Saving the hardest until last, the new Lotus Exige 350 Special Edition is a fitting completion to the trilogy of Lotus 50th celebration editions. Based on the most extreme Exige to date, the Sport 350, the new special edition adds a number of lightweight, performance-enhancing features, as well as unique paint and interior options as standard.

Marking the anniversary of its landmark lap times when testing at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, two new videos of the Lotus 3-Eleven in full flight have been released, allowing enthusiasts to experience the car’s visceral, white-knuckle ride around the “Green Hell” for themselves. Offering never-seen-before views, the 60 second videos provide a car’s eye view of the facinating track, as it’s piloted by Nordschleife expert and professional racer Marc Basseng, during its Nürburgring testing and development programme. The videos not only show the car’s blistering straight-line speed, but also how fast and composed it is when cornering, thanks it to its advanced aerodynamics. At 150 mph (240 km/h) the Road version produces 150 kg of downforce, while Race version with its twin front canards and adjustable rear wing produces 215 kg. Since the car’s appearance at the Nürburgring, deliveries of the […]

In a celebration of style and lightweight performance, and helping mark the 50th anniversary of the company’s famous Hethel site, Lotus has revealed the latest addition to its collection: the exclusive Elise 250 Special Edition. Based on the critically acclaimed Elise Cup 250 launched earlier this year, but featuring a raft of exclusive components as standard, the new Lotus Elise 250 Special Edition offers an outstanding combination of performance and panache. With a supercharged 243 hp engine, a 0-60mph time of 3.9 seconds, and a unique, hand-finished interior, it perfectly defines the quintessential British sportscar in this celebration year.

Lotus car fans across the world have helped the Lotus Exclusive service by choosing one of the most famous racing colour schemes for a run of extremely limited Evora 400 Exclusive editions. Challenging enthusiasts to pick their preference from a selection of carefully curated designs, penned by Lotus’ design team, the social media poll on Lotus’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages, saw modern interpretations of classic automotive colour combinations, as well as some established Lotus liveries.

The very first production Lotus Elite, bought new by jazz legend Chris Barber, and recently restored for Channel 4’s For the Love of Cars, will be auctioned by Silverstone Auctions at the Silverstone Classic Sale on 30th July. The very first Elite produced as a proper production vehicle rather than a pre-production prototype, this 1958 Lotus Elite Series I, chassis 1009, was displayed at the 1958 Earls Court Motor Show. It was then purchased by one of Colin Chapman’s most favoured customers and personal friend, Chris Barber, in December 1958. The car, the very first racing Elite, has an incredible race history, with Barber racing it extensively for five seasons in top level international sports car racing in both the UK and Europe. As well as competing in three consecutive Tourist Trophy races at Goodwood in 1961, 1962 and 1963, […]

Recognising his significant and ongoing contribution to the Motor Industry, Lotus CEO, Jean-Marc Gales has been awarded the title Commander of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg following a ceremony in the country’s capital. Jean-Marc Gales received the Commander of the Order of Merit from His Royal Highness Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Held at the Luxembourg Philharmonie, during the county’s National Day celebrations, the honour was vested during the annual ceremony, and cited Jean-Marc Gales’ ‘distinguished international career’, ‘exceptional service’, and ‘stunning commitment’.

In 1960, Colin Chapman sought to identify the most straightforward and uncomplicated way of building a Formula 1 car. The result was his first rear-engined design, the trendsetting Lotus 18. Lotus 18 – Colin Chapman’s U-turn by Mark Whitelock, the new book from Veloce Publishing, charts the 18’s competition history, from its inception, up to 1966 – via sensational victories over Ferrari at Monaco and the Nürburgring. Colin Chapman’s previous attempts at producing a Formula 1 car had been a complete disappointment. Despite being technically advanced, extreme lightness led to numerous structural failures. In 1960, Chapman decided to start with a clean sheet of paper, assessing the basic requirements for a contemporary Formula 1 car, and identifying how to achieve them in the most straightforward, uncomplicated way. The result was one of Chapman’s greatest creations – the Lotus 18 – a […]

A 1992 Lotus Esprit Turbo SE ‘High Wing’, one of just two original factory press cars, will be auctioned at Classic Car Auctions’ (CCA) June Sale on Saturday 18th June, at the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre, Leamington Spa. In the year that Lotus celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Esprit, this car is the perfect opportunity to acquire an important example of the iconic model. This rare ‘High Wing’ variant, which appeared on the front covers of motoring magazines in the early 1990s and at various motor shows at the time of the model’s launch, will be offered for sale with an estimate of between £22,000 and £26,000.

A 1972 Lotus Elan Plus 2S first supplied to Formula 1 driver, the late Ronnie Peterson, is one of the undisputed – and very affordable – stars at Historics at Brooklands summer sale in Surrey on Saturday 11th June. With a tempting estimate of  £18,000 – £22,000, this very original Elan Plus 2S 130/5 is sure to attract considerable interest as, besides its proven provenance, it’s also the very first chassis to leave the Hethel production line fitted with the five-speed gearbox. Ronnie Peterson – dubbed ‘Super Swede’ by his legion of fans – was given the car by Lotus boss Colin Chapman in November 1972. Doubtless, it was a great welcome present to Lotus after Peterson left the March F1 team to sign for the 1973 season alongside Emerson Fittipaldi at the wheel of the John Player Team Lotus […]

A significant anniversary requires a significant car and, Lotus is marking 50 years since the founding of its famous factory with a limited Hethel Edition of its benchmark Evora 400. Available in three exclusive colours, with matching trim options and a special commemorative build plate, the Hethel Edition Evora 400 combines high performance with Lotus’ legendary chassis development. Winning the praise of customers and the motoring press since its launch, the Evora 400 weighs in at just 1,395 kg and epitomises Lotus’ approach to efficient engineering. The Hethel Edition Evora 400 is the first in a series of special products and events marking this important milestone in the company’s history, when, in 1966, founder Colin Chapman moved Lotus to the purpose-built facility in Hethel, Norfolk.

Having slashed a substantial 207 kg from its cars this year alone, Lotus remains the leader in the engineering of lightweight, high-performance supercars. From the iconic Elise, through to the hypercar humbling 3-Eleven, every Lotus benefits from the company’s approach to engineering in lightness at every stage of design and construction. With its heaviest model weighing in at just 1,395 kg, it’s still streets ahead of rivals. With a heritage of efficient design, no other car manufacturer can claim a better track record when it comes to honing road and race cars. In its 68th year, Lotus still remains true to the ethos of the company’s founder Colin Chapman, and his approach to design and construction.

An automotive legend comes to Kuwait, with the official opening of the brand new Lotus showroom in Kuwait City’s Shuwaikh district, marked with the unveiling of the exhilarating Lotus Evora 400 sports car. The exciting new Lotus Kuwait facility, close to the SIRBB race circuit, is the result of a partnership between Lotus Cars Middle East, the distributor for Lotus cars in the region, and Alghanim Motors, offering new and existing customers the opportunity to experience the famous brand first hand. Officially opened today by Aslam Farikullah, Chief Operating Officer of Group Lotus plc, Mr Samir Kasem, Chief Operating Officer – Alghanim Industries and His Excellency Mr Matthew Lodge – British Ambassador to the State of Kuwait, the ceremony included esteemed guests, key media and senior management from both businesses. Joining the critically acclaimed Lotus Evora 400 at the new […]

Lotus has raised the bar once again by lightening the Evora in order to develop the sensational Evora Sport 410.

Proving that less is more, Lotus’ high performance Cup version of the famous Elise has shed 21 kg and gained 26 hp. Weighing in at 931 kg, and capable of 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds, the Elise Cup 250 is the fastest road-going Lotus Elise ever. Replacing the acclaimed Elise Cup 220, the new Elise Cup 250 perfectly demonstrates the Lotus ‘light is right’ mantra as all vehicle components were optimised to add lightness and speed. Delivered to the marque’s now famous ‘Lightweight Laboratory’, it emerged with a range of features, including a Lithium-ion battery which slashes 10 kg off the weight, carbon fibre seats, reducing the weight by 6 kg, and ultra-lightweight forged alloy wheels, saving a further 1.5 kg. Designed to suit all sports car fans, the Lotus Elise Cup 250 is available for the first time as […]

The Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA) and Bonhams today announced a new series for under 2 Liter sports racing cars built between 1950 and 1962 to take place at the HMSA’s Barber Historics and The Sommet des Legends in 2016. The U2 series will feature the “giant killer” sports racing cars from the 1950’s such as the Lotus 11, Lola Mk1, Maserati 200S(I), Ferrari 500TR(C), Ferrari 196 Dino SP and Porsche 550/RSK/RS60-62. Drivers will be competing both on and off the track with awards given for race results and best “giant killer” performance, as well as the most period correct car on the grid and for the person and or team who best exhibits the spirit of the 1950’s sports racing scene. “At Bonhams we see the world’s best collectable automobiles at our auctions every year,” commented Mark Osborne. “The […]

The Lotus 3-Eleven is the most powerful road car to wear a Lotus badge and Hethel’s quickest ever road car. It joins the ranks of those rare cars that can reach 60 mph in under three seconds and 100 mph in six seconds. To complement these figures, the Lotus 3-Eleven possesses a purity of the driving experience and the benchmark handling for which all Lotus cars are renowned, enabling a lap of the challenging Hethel circuit to be completed in 1 minute 19.5 seconds for the Race version. Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Group Lotus commented ”The Lotus 3-Eleven is a game-changing car, not only in terms of what has come before it from within our own rich heritage of sports cars, but also in terms of anything else comparable brought to market by any other manufacturer. Extreme, focused and phenomenal […]

Letting Lotus owners set the tone, the new personalisation service Lotus Exclusive offers sports car fans a unique ownership proposition. Combining traditional British craftsmanship with modern design and exhilarating performance, the service allows a comprehensive array of personalisation covering everything from colour coding through to race car preparation. Developed by the Lotus Design team, the Lotus Exclusive scheme has been conceived to inspire customers to further personalise the character of their Lotus cars. With the ability to tailor vehicles to their personal taste, it provides an alluring alternative to an off-the-peg sports car.

As the ultimate incarnation of the world famous Exige, Lotus has revealed the Exige Sport 350, the latest version of the class-leading and award-winning sports car, that’s lighter and faster than ever before. A video demonstrating some of the areas where weight savings have been made, together with a glimpse of the stunning performance of this Sport 350 variant can be found on the Group Lotus YouTube and is included below. The 3.5-litre supercharged V6 engine generates 345 hp and 295lbft of torque at 4500rpm, offering scintillating, progressive power to the road, while revised suspension tuning and wheel geometry contribute to un-matched vehicle dynamics and steering precision. Coupled with the car’s lower mass, this power and torque enables the Lotus Exige Sport 350 to accelerate to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds (0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds) before reaching a top […]