In hindsight, Musk wouldn't use Lotus for Tesla Roadster

The world will be a different place after Elon Musk builds a time traveling device (don't ask us how we know that will happen). For one thing, the Tesla Roadster of the rewritten future will not have been built using the chassis of the Lotus Elise. Also, verb tenses will be becoming even more confusing and, possibly, awkward.

"We ended up changing most of the damn car" - Elon Musk

We know about the not-using-the-Lotus thing because the Tesla Motors CEO said as much yesterday at the World Energy Innovation Forum at the Tesla Factory in Fremont. The two-day event, which also offers Model S test rides and a factory tour for attendees, featured a fireside chat with the electric automaker's CEO and Ira Ehrenpreis. During the discussion, Musk revealed that if he had to do it over again, he would have built the Roadster from the ground up instead of using the Lotus Elise chassis. "We ended up changing most of the damn car, so we thought later, why did we do that," he said.

Another problem with the original idea for the car was the drivetrain. At first, Tesla had meant to use the motor and other propulsive bits from AC Propulsion, only to find that powertrain didn't work well in a commercial application. Instead Tesla only licensed the reductive charging patent, which allowed some integration of the inverter and charger.

Besides knocking Tesla's own early efforts, the outspoken entrepreneur took a couple swings at other technologies with quotable quotes such as: "The internal combustion engine is a ridiculous thing!" and "Current lithium ion technology is better than theoretical fuel cell limits. So, game over. Why bother with fuel cells?" Looks like there are some things Musk is not interested in going back in time and changing.

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Lotus Evora Belonging to Bob Lutz Up for Sale!

Former GM chairman, and current spokesman for VIA Motors, Bob Lutz commissioned a special Lotus Evora S for himself, yet it seems that he didn`t fancy the car very much, as it is now for sale with just 40 miles on the odometer.

It features special kit like a reversing camera, FGD Design rims, and a green exterior finish, with contrasting longitudinal yellow stripes. It also has the optional Technology package fitted as well as the Premium Sport pack. It is now priced at $95,015, for those interested.

Nevertheless, for a car with so many features and a famous former owner, it will most likely get sold rather quickly. We particularly like how the exterior body finish is nicely complimented by the yellow stripes and the great-looking rims.

However, the red calipers clash a bit with the overall colour, and the dashes of yellow, and we say they should have been painted to match the stripes, or they could have been left plain metallic grey.

News Source: lotustalk.com

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Report: Lotus pondering 'fake shifting' for Evora 414E plug-in hybrid

Some would say Lotus has some credibility among the green-car set since it supplied the body for the Tesla Roadster and has always been obsessed with extracting maximum performance from light weight. Now, our friends at Green Car Reports are suggesting that the UK boutique sportscar operation could lose that reputation by simulating the acceleration of a conventional geared transmission for its Evora 414E extended-range plug-in.

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Video: US Students Drive Electric Lotus Esprit Across the Country

The idea of giving an old car electric power is a great way to keep classics on the road, without offending the more green-minded among us. One such classic, which is not known for being particularly efficient, the Lotus Esprit, has been chosen by a group of students from Kansas to do just that.


The students, from five different schools and part of a non-profit after school program called MINDDRIVE (official site), got the 1977 Esprit as a donation, and proceeded to convert it into an EV. They got the car last year, and since then have worked weekends, along with their mentors, to get it ready.

Now, the car is ready, and it has been taken on a coast-to-coast road trip, giving presentations and interviews at every stop they made, for charging purposes.

The trip began on June 11, and the Lotus went on its way, being followed by support vehicles carrying additional team members. By the end of the trip, on June 20, they had racked up 1,800 miles or 2,900 km under its own power, of the total distance traveled of 2,400 miles or 3,860 km.

Via gizmag.com

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Autosport 2013: Lotus Exige V6 Cup R

While visiting the 2013 Autosport International event, GTspirit was able to take a look at the brand new Lotus Exige V6 Cup R sports car released by the famous British sports car manufacturer.

The new car is based around the standard Exige V6 Cup, but features a selection of new aerodynamic components as well as some new equipment under the hood. The most notable visual changes are the inclusion of an aerodynamically-designed body kit featuring a new front splitter, front canards and rear diffuser.

Under the hood, the Exige V6 Cup R produces 20hp more than the standard V6 Cup, lifting horsepower to 366hp and 296lb-ft of torque. This engine is then mated to a six-speed manual transmission and can sprint to 100km/h in just 3.8 seconds and onto a top speed of 274km/h.
Inside the car, you’ll find an almost completely bare interior stripped of all the non-essentials and completed with a roll cage, fire extinguisher and racing seats with 6-point harnesses.

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Lotus announces race-ready Exige V6 Cup and Cup R

Lotus has pulled off the wraps on two new versions of the Exige: the V6 Cup and the V6 Cup R. Based on the Exige S, the V6 Cup is built to be a dual-purpose street and track machine. The 0-60 dash should take just under 3.8 seconds thanks to a full 345 horsepower from a supercharged 3.5-liter V6 engine. Weighing in at 2,380 pounds, the V6 Cup should be an absolute riot to drive, and with a full FIA-approved roll cage, fire extinguisher and six-point race harnesses on board, it's plenty safe, too. Two-way adjustable dampers are standard, as are AP Racing four-piston calipers on all four corners. More importantly, drivers can expect to find the Lotus Dynamic Performance Management system in the cockpit, complete with Touring, Sport and DPM Off modes.

The V6 Cup R, meanwhile, is both lighter and offers more horsepower than the standard V6 Cup. The same blown V6 dishes out 366 horsepower in R trim, and the whole contraption tips the scales at 2,292 pounds. Of course, the same spate of race hardware is stock, minus the DPM system. A lightweight battery, track-spec tow loops and quick-release engine cover help separate the Cup R from its more civil sibling, as do performance brake pads and better oil and water cooling systems.

LOTUS RACING SET TO REVEAL ITS MOTORSPORT METTLE AT AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL WHERE VISITORS CAN WIN A DRIVING ACADEMY EXPERIENCE

09 JAN

Lotus Racing, the motorsport arm of Group Lotus Plc, tips a nod to its enthusiast racing heritage with its plans to unveil two new Exige models, both set to wow race car aficionados during the 2013 Autosport International show.

With links to its award winning cousin the Exige S, the two new derivatives are set for their first public debut and will be another exclusive for the show. The cars, the Exige V6 Cup, the latest Cup version for track or road and its pure race-bred sibling the Exige V6 CupR will be unveiled on stand 2550, in Hall 20. Both new

Exige race cars will make up part of a three car line-up, where the race winning Evora GT4 will also be on display as a perfect contender for race teams looking to compete in, amongst others, the newly announced SRO GT4 European Trophy. Plus, for those that visit the stand there is the opportunity to win a Driving Experience Day courtesy of the Lotus Driving Academy*.

Around the show, visitors can also get close to the championship winning Evora GTC, the car that romped to victory last season in the MSA British GT Endurance Championship under the guidance of Richard Adams and his Bullrun Team. The car will be on display courtesy of Britcar, stand 2200.

In addition, the award-winning Exige S and Evora S road cars will also be drawing the fans as they have been selected to take part in Autocar's 'Best of British' parade which can be seen at regular intervals in the Live Arena. All models are in current production at the Hethel factory and available to order.

News Source: Lotus

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Lotus Plans to Increase Sales Five Times by 2015

Lotus, like all well-known but small sports car manufacturers nowadays, wants to become more mainstream, more widely-known and, of course, sell more of its cars. Now, with the ambitious Malaysian company behind Lotus, DRB-Hicom, pushing hard, the famed UK automaker has now set itself a very ambitious target.

They plant to sell 4,000 - 5,000 cars per year, by 2015, which is about five times what they sell now. They aim to do this by tapping into a very promising market - China. Along with the US market, and Japan (and even Malaysia), they hope to sell a lot more than the 1043 units they sold in 2012 (down from 1457 in 2011).

According to DRB-Hicom boss, Datuk Seri Mohd Khamil Jamil, “To change something that has been there for 16 years is not easy, but the management team is very innovative and forthcoming. We know there is competition in the market [ . . . ] However, with our quality and standard enhancements of the Lotus, we are confident we can compete.”

Still, they will als need new and better quality models if they want to even get close to the desired sales figure, and since they have not conclusively announced any new models any time soon, they either have to, or give up on the 5,000 sales per year dream.

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