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2005 Lotus Sport Exige FA
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Lotus Elite on Paris Auto Show 2010

At the stand of Paris Auto Show Lotus Elite was shown like prototype, and representatives of the company inform that the serial model will appear only four years later. Nevertheless, all basic technical characteristics are already declared. The engine will deliver Toyota. It is 5-liter V8 with a supercharger which in the base version will give out 542 h.p., and as alternative more powerful version developing 612 forces will serve. Dispersal to hundred will occupy 3,5 sec, and the maximum speed will be – 314 km/h.

Experts in automobile history can reproach Elite like artificial Lotus. Which were always the British sport cars? First of all – in a racing way lungs. And consequently mad dynamics was reached even with not the most powerful motors. And Elite will weigh 1 650 kg.

Company Lotus was many years in long crisis, and on one tiny sport cars business won't hoist. Classical Lotuses are calculated on the automobile gourmets which are an expert in ascetic Elise and Exige. And for elite public hardly probable not a leading role, the impressive figure in the column plays capacity.

And the main argument which British plan to win buyers from Ferrari and Lamborghini, is the price. Ferrari California now in Europe costs about 200 000 euros. And the preliminary price for much more powerful Lotus Elite – 137 000 euros.

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Paris Show: Lotus wants to Take on Aston Martin Rapide with New Eterne Sports Saloon

In an attempt to enter the 4-door coupe market, Lotus brought a sedan - you read that right - to the Paris Motor Show. The Eterne is the new Lotus 4-door (other Loti saloons include the 377HP twin-turbocharged Lotus Carlton / Omega of the early 1990s, and they sure are cool); it uses a Lotus-tuned new bad boy engine borrowed from Lexus.

This means that sitting under the hood is a high-output forced-induction 5.0-liter V8. As with the Esprit and Elite, the Eterne will offer optional hybrid power and KERS.

An added bonus is available AWD. The Eterne provides seating for four passengers in an 1,800-kilo package that will cost approximately £120,000 [~ US$190,500 at today's exchange rates] before options.

Clearly Lotus sees a market for a prestigious high-performance 4-door with hybrid power, because Dany Bahar plainly states, "We truly believe that there is a market for the Eterne. There is nothing else like it out there both in terms of design, capacity and performance. The biggest difference between the Eterne and it's class competitors is that it's not an evolution of an existing two-door model, it's a deliberate and considered stand-alone creation. It's the ultimate four door sports car."

Hey, who am I to argue with capitalism? For that money, though, I'd just buy a Fisker Karma and go on a nasty vacation.

By Phil Alex

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2015 Lotus Elise Appears in Paris - With Live Pictures and Video

The new Lotus Elise jumps into entirely new styling territory, not so much evolving from the current model but fully reinventing itself as a baby Esprit. The only similarities are the mid-engine layout driving the rear wheels and 2-seats around corners.

Below, Lotus has been kind enough to provide a nicely-designed chart for your convenience instead of spreading all the car's stats across a 15,000-word press release.

The new baby Lotus will get a standard 6-speed manual (with an optional 7-speed DCT) and be powered by a Toyota 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine putting out 320-horsepower.

If the Elise is putting out that kind of go for a £35,000 [around US$55,500] base price, this is looking to be a bargain basement killer. To make that 320 ponies extra green, it will also offer mild hybrid tech and an optional start/stop system when it comes out in Spring 2015.

By Phil Alex

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