The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has formally confirmed that Group Lotus’ bid for funds from the second round of the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) has been successful.

One of the main purposes of the Regional Growth Fund is to support growth within the UK manufacturing sector. Lotus recognised that the Government was seeking applications which would enable private sector organisations to invest in projects that would create jobs and secure long-term growth. Lotus’ growth plans are completely aligned with the Fund’s objectives and will go someway towards rebalancing employment between the public and private sector in the South Norfolk region.

The grant will be put to good use supporting the industrial research element of the production of Lotus’ future product range. This significant development will go towards ensuring that the manufacturing of future Lotus products remains in the UK for the foreseeable future and in the process create a considerable number of new jobs over the next five to six years

Commenting on the news, Group Lotus Chief Executive Officer, Dany Bahar said: “This is great news for all those concerned about Group Lotus moving production overseas, to say that we’re pleased with the result would be an understatement. We are an authentic British automotive manufacturer with an incredible heritage and an exciting future ahead, this funding will play a role in assisting with the realisation of our business plan to produce a new range of sports cars with best in class performance and emissions.

“We would like to thank everyone for their support during the bid process. The local authorities, MPs and the local enterprise partnership have all played a role in helping us secure this funding – we’re very grateful, it’s nice to know people feel strongly enough to act on our behalf.”

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “We need to be doing all we can to enable businesses and organisations to create much needed jobs and inject private investment into the economy.

“We have announced today that a further 162 projects will benefit from the fund, and expect to deliver a huge number of jobs across their businesses and in the supply chain.

“This is a very significant boost to local communities, and the Regional Growth Fund will help businesses like Lotus to drive local growth.”

The incident occurred at Turn 2 where cars touched resulting in a horrific chain reaction. Several cars were launched into the air as they t-boned stricken rivals. With full fuel tanks, some cars erupted in flames including Wheldon's. KVRT-Lotus driver EJ Viso was one of the 15 drivers involved in the accident.

Tony Kanaan had been on pole position that afternoon – KVRT-Lotus’ third of the year – and held that position up until the moment the race was red flagged. He therefore led a tribute procession later in the day, once Wheldon’s passing had been communicated. All the remaining cars drove five slow laps of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in front of a silent standing ovation as a bagpiper played ‘Danny Boy’.

Kanaan later wrote on Twitter: "No words to describe the pain. See you on the other side my dear friend. You will be missed."

"The entire KV Racing Technology - Lotus organization extends its heartfelt condolences to the Wheldon family on this very sad occasion,” stated the KV Racing Techology team. “Dan was a great champion and friend, a loving husband and father. He will be deeply missed."

Dario Franchitti took the 2011 championship title however this was completely overshadowed by the racing tragedy.

Vitaly Petrov: “I tried to defend my position from Fernando but I was in the braking zone on the dirty side of the track which meant I locked my wheels and hit Michael. I was focused on my battle with Fernando as there was potential for me to be ahead of him. We both braked too late as he missed the corner too. Up until that point I was happy with our strategy and how the race was going. I apologise to Michael, it was not his fault, it was absolutely my fault – once my wheels were locked there was nothing I could do about it. But that’s racing and tomorrow is another day.”

Bruno Senna: “It was far from the best race I’ve had. I got a bad start, and from then on it was always going to be an uphill battle. Being stuck behind a number of other cars again restricted my ability to get points today; I don’t feel there were any specific weaknesses in my car itself but I was just unable to progress much from where I was. We will now see what we can do to better the situation, and come out all guns blazing in India.”

Eric Boullier, Lotus Renault GP Team Principal: “Again, I have mixed feelings coming away from this race. If I look at the weekend as a whole, we showed some good pace but perhaps did not capitalise on this. It was disappointing for Bruno not to qualify higher than he did yesterday and as a result the race was always going to be tough. Vitaly had a healthy grid position and was looking good until his mistake cost him."

With the move into karting, Group Lotus becomes the first car manufacturer to have a presence at the entry level of motorsport and provides a very special opportunity for early talent spotting. Some of today’s most famous and successful motorsport personalities cut their teeth in karting – the newly crowned FIA F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel is the perfect example of the benefits of early driver development as are his peers, fellow former World Champions Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.

But Lotus isn’t just interested in spotting the driving talent of the future, the potential to work with young people showing an aptitude for design and engineering is recognised as a very special opportunity for Lotus.

Competing under the ‘Lotus Racing Karts’ banner and forming part of the Lotus Motorsport division, Lotus Racing Karts will field a factory backed team, operated by Jefra Racing out of its headquarters near Treviso, Italy. With a formidable racing pedigree spanning over 40 years, Jefra Racing has competed in many classes of motorsport. Lotus hopes that this invaluable experience teamed with leadership from Team Manager Franc Jerancic will form the basis of a truly competitive team.

And Franc Jerancic is the man to impress – talent spotted and recruited by him will have all the latest homologated material at their disposal, including two new chassis models ‘Colin C30’ and ‘Jimmy C32’ giving the Lotus Racing Karts team the edge as they take on the CIK-FIA international karting events for KF and KZ categories and the World Karting Championship for KF1 category.

The production of karts and components is licensed by Group Lotus to Wildkart, specialists in aeronautics precision engineering since 1996 and manufacturer of karts since 2002. Today, Wildcart is regarded as an authority in kart chassis and components, providing services and solutions to many karting suppliers and brands. The fit with Group Lotus is enhanced by the mutual commitment to innovation, technology and development.

“Our entry into karting is exciting on many levels” comments Miodrag Kotur, Director of Operations for Lotus Motorsport. “Not only are we nurturing new talent and widening our motorsport programme, but we also have an opportunity to join forces with two world-class specialists. It is exciting to see Lotus Motorsport grow in such an authentic, fresh and exhilarating way”.

Lotus Racing Karts will unveil their 2012 karts at the annual AUTOSPORT International event on the 14th January 2012 at NEC - Birmingham, UK.

View attachment: 47824_60_2783_kart.jpg

FORMULA ONE – JAPANESE GRAND PRIX

Lotus Renault GP displayed some promising performance in Japan, which translated into two Championship points on Sunday.

Having been out of contention two weeks ago in Singapore, the team bounced back at Suzuka by getting both cars in the top ten in qualifying. Despite taking a bite out of the barriers on Saturday morning, Bruno Senna managed to claim P9 while team-mate Vitaly Petrov took P10..

Both drivers started on the medium compound tyre, while the other cars around them were on softs. The strategy meant the LRGP drivers had searing pace in the final quarter of the race, but for the start they were at a disadvantage. Petrov switched from medium rubber to soft on lap 39, his final pitstop, and was then unleashed to pass multiple cars and finish in ninth place. Senna suffered from traffic and tyre degradation and finished 16th.

The 15th round of the 2011 season represents Vitaly's seventh points finish. He is now ninth in the Drivers' Championship behind Michael Schumacher: "Ultimately our target was to finish in front of Force India and this is what we achieved. When I put on the soft tyres at the end of the race I felt so much grip; I smiled and then pushed a lot! Then I overtook I don't know how many cars. It's a pity Sergio [Perez] was just too far ahead. Now we go to Korea looking for another top ten finish."

Bruno out-qualified his team-mate for the third time in four races, but was unable to convert this promise into points: "From my perspective, it was a disappointing race having started in such a promising position. I encountered lots of traffic problems and my tyres were degrading quite fast. We certainly looked stronger over three days here than we did in Singapore. Hopefully I will be back in the points in Korea."

Lotus Renault GP Team Principal Eric Boullier was encouraged by the R33's pace in clean air: "First and foremost it's good to be back in the points. We had a different strategy to most teams and it worked reasonably well for Vitaly, but not so well for Bruno who struggled with a lot of traffic. Unfortunately the Safety Car did not help us either, but at least we have two more points to help us hold off the threat of Force India in the Constructors' Championship. Finally, on behalf of the whole team I would like to offer my congratulations to Sebastian Vettel for his second World Championship win."

Group Lotus Motorsport Director, Claudio Berro, is focused on the fight in the Constructors' Championship: "A good effort from Vitaly, he picked up two points which will help the team in its goal to remain fifth in the championship. Lotus Renault GP now has 72 points, a fairly comfortable margin over Force India with 48. Ideally we want both cars to finish in the top ten at each race and, encouragingly, our drivers showed the pace is there in qualifying. We hope to edge further ahead next weekend in Korea, to which the team turns its attentions immediately."

BRITISH GT CHAMPIONSHIP – SILVERSTONE

Lotus Sport UK took its second GT4 victory on the trot on Saturday at Silverstone's two hour sportscar enduro, the final round of the 2011 British GT Championship.

In qualifying, Chris Holmes and Phil Glew put the car on pole for the second race in succession, ahead of Scuderia Vittoria Ginetta's Dan Denis and David McDonald. Glew's lap of 2m 13.478s was quick enough to put the Evora 23rd overall on the 30 car grid, despite some of the GT3 competitors passing him on the straight and then baulking him in the corners, where the Evora enjoys an advantage. The No.49 Lotus of Leyton Clarke and Freddy Nordstrom lined up fifth out of the seven GT4 starters.

Glew led the class from the start ahead of Denis' Ginetta, with the pair battling hard in the early stages before the Evora started to establish a gap. The lead was maintained after the mid-race handover to team-mate Holmes, and victory proved comfortable after the No.50 Ginetta was given a drive-thru and slipped to third.

After 52 laps, the No.48 Evora won a lap ahead of ABG Motorsport KTM's Peter Belshaw and Marcus Clutton, who claimed the GT4 championship honours. Clarke and Nordstrom came home sixth.

"We had a great battle with the No.50 Ginetta at the start," Glew said. "I just couldn't shake it off no matter what I did. All of a sudden the race came to us; we seemed to manage the tyres better, pulled a bit of a gap, which built up a 30 second lead and the rest is history."

Team manager Gary Ayles said: "Overall it was a great weekend for us although we suffered a few minor niggles in free practice we made up for this later. In the race, we had to work for it but by the end of his stint Phil had broken the back on the Ginetta and established a strong advantage. Chris then got in and did an incredible job. He'd had so little time in the car up to that point, I thought his performance was absolutely top draw. The cars ran faultlessly during the race - it was a fantastic end to the season."

Group Lotus Motorsport Director Claudio Berro said: "The progress this team has made this year is very pleasing and we're proud of taking our second consecutive victory. The Evora GT4 had proved an exceptional racing car, and I would like to thank the drivers and the team for their brilliant efforts.

BLANCPAIN ENDURANCE SERIES

Silverstone also played to host to final round of the 2011 Blancpain Endurance Series on Sunday and, after a season long battle between the top contenders and the Evora GT4 of Lotus Sport Italia (run by Gianni Giudici), it came down to the final race to decide the championship honors

The infamous trio of drivers - Greg and Leo Mansell alongside Edoardo Pisocopo – made the perfect start in the Evora GT4 by clinching pole position, however due to the points situation Lotus Sport Italia still needed a race win and a DNF for fellow championship contenders RJN Motorsport for the team to secure the title in the three hour endurance race.

Following a great team performance the honour was left to Greg Mansell to bring the Evora GT4 over the finish line taking first place in the GT4 category but narrowly missing out on the Championship title as RJN Motorsport finished albeit three laps down.

'We can be very proud this weekend finishing both the British GT Championship and Blancpain series with a win, it bodes well for 2012" said Group Lotus Motorsport Director Claudio Berro.

The next outing for the Evora GT4 will be this weekend (15th 16th October) as Zandvoort plays host to the final round of the GT4 European Cup where several Evora GT4 race cars will be in action.

What did you make of the fact that neither driver drove a Q3 lap in order to save tyres?

You can't blame the teams for wanting to conserve tyres, that's intelligent, but the regulation should change to prevent the cars from just sitting in the pits because it can be disappointing for the spectators.

By starting on the medium tyre, while those around them had the soft, both drivers struggled at the start - would you have started them on softs?

I don't think it's that simple. The team has all the data, they process all the scenarios with the drivers and come up with the best gamble. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. In this case it definitely didn't work for Bruno because he was baulked by traffic. Vitaly faired better. It's easy to say it was the wrong decision, but the car on soft tyres with a full tank wouldn't have worked either, often it's advantageous to try something different.

Sebastian Vettel became the youngest back-to-back champion in F1 history. It's been a stunning year for him, hasn't it?

Congratulations to him, and let's not forget about Jenson Button who took a brilliant victory. For Sebastian, I know he wanted to stand on the top step but third was more than enough. He only needed one point, so the suspense wasn't huge and he knew that if he didn't become World Champion this weekend he could do it next weekend. His whole season has been fantastic – fantastic speed, fantastic behaviour – he really deserves to win this title, and I have the utmost respect for what he has achieved these past two seasons.

He's only the ninth back-to-back champ. Given his dominance this year, do you think Vettel will go down in history like Senna, Clark, Schumacher and Fangio?

He is still so young, just 24-years-old, and having two titles in his pocket plus a very competitive team for next year we can imagine he'll break many more records and win more titles. But you know how it is in motorsport: The car is so important, and we need to see how the other teams are for next year.

As part of his five-year plan for taking Group Lotus into profitability, Bahar led Lotus into a sponsorship deal with Genii Capital, the majority owners of the Renault F1 team, in November 2010, with the option of buying a majority stake in the team at a later date.

However, rumours circulating today at the Japanese Grand Prix suggest that Genii Capital boss Gerard Lopez is now on the brink of taking a senior role in Group Lotus as well as investing in the organisation. It is not clear how large Lopez's involvement will be - although some reports suggest it will involve taking a majority stake in the company.

When asked by Autocar about rumours of a possible takeover of Group Lotus by Genii, Bahar responded: "I can only say this: When we made the announcement about our involvement in Lotus Renault GP we made it clear that this was the start of a close relationship and this journey continues."

It is not clear if the possible buy-in by Lopez is related to the naming rights row currently being fought between Group Lotus and Team Lotus.

In 2010 Genii linked up with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone to bid to buy the cash-strapped Saab marque from GM, but their joint-offer was later withdrawn.

At a glamorous, star-studded event at the Savoy last month, the great and beautiful gathered to mark the late Freddie Mercury's 65 th Birthday and boy, was it a party! A guilt-free party at that, for at the heart of the celebrations was a very deserving cause, the Mercury Phoenix Trust who work relentlessly to improve education and awareness of HIV and AIDS in the developing world.

During the evening a bespoke 'Freddie inspired' Evora S was sold at auction to self–confessed "car geek" Chris Evans. Chris' well documented purchase was followed by a visit to Lotus Headquarters to agree the final design and specification of the new addition to his established and considerable car collection.

Chris' visit was a 'behind-the-scenes' view of Lotus, a real treat for any car-enthusiast and their son, little Noah also came along for the day! First stop was the Design Studio, a secure and highly confidential area where all of Lotus' future projects are safely guarded. This was clearly an exciting opportunity for Chris and his enthusiasm extended into a session with the Lotus design team to put the final flourishes to his own Evora, to say Chris was "like a kid in a candy store" is no exaggeration!

The visit also included a tour of the Lotus production line where Chris chatted to staff, signed autographs and posed for photos which was a real treat for his fans here at Lotus HQ. To thank Chris for supporting the Mercury Phoenix Trust and to make a memorable day even more special a track session was arranged. We all had a great day and last night Chris sent us the following email, we thought you'd like to see what he thought of his day with us!

"Great day down with the guys at Hethel/Lotus HQ. I am officially especially excited over what I took a sneak peak at concerning certain future production cars. Time machine required - get them in the showrooms asap so the world can look on in wonder. And as for Gavan the test driver, he should be available on prescription. Woohoo!! I'd also like to thank Gino for his hospitality and muchos gracias to Russ and his design team for helping me spec the Freddie Mercury Tribute Evora S in the spirit with which it deserves. The initial purpose of my visit. There has been talk about a future go in an F1 drive-a-like. Count me in!

…P.S. Noah says he's never had a more enjoyable time at a works HQ but then again he is only two and a half and it was his first one."

When it comes to fan conversion, we at Lotus have one rule; get them while they're young!! Welcome to the club Noah!

Street circuits have been the R31’s Achilles’ heel throughout the season and Singapore was no different, but the reality of the car’s lackluster performance was very hard to swallow. The pace just wasn’t there and the tyre degradation was pretty shocking. The team will have to analyze what caused this. There were some other contributing factors too as to why the team struggled to improve on its qualifying performance: Bruno locked up at the hairpin, which is very easy to do at this bumpy part of the circuit, and hit the wall forcing him to pit for a new nose. Vitaly also lost time with a KERS problem, which made it additionally difficult to overtake. So, a very tough weekend indeed for the boys.

Do you enjoy the spectacle of night racing, and would you have liked to race under floodlights during your F1 career?

This is such an exciting evolution for Formula One. The whole event - the organization, the spectacle, the way the city embraces the event – is unequaled. Sure, I’d have been excited by racing at night, it looks like a lot of fun, but mine was a different era. This is now, and I find it all very positive. It’s an impressive show, and F1 is in show business. Races like Singapore appeal to a big, young audience I think.

Did you find it difficult to adapt to the unusual paddock timetable? A couple of teams broke their curfew by turning up to work too early…

I had no problems at all. I just kept my body clock to European time, went to bed at 4am and awoke at noon. It was very civilized, actually. One feels a bit guilty waking up in the afternoon. It’s great news for all the night owls.

In Singapore you made an important announcement – that in May next year you’ll be racing in the Indy 500. You must be very excited about this latest challenge…

It’s going to be a wonderful experience and I am taking this comeback, this new challenge very seriously. It is rare to get this opportunity, an ambition I have held for some time, and I wouldn’t be able to do it without Lotus so I am incredibly grateful for their support. I have already started work with Dallara on the simulator, and working closely with the engineers to understand what I need to do to be competitive on ovals. We are developing our own Lotus IndyCar engine which will fire up soon, and I can’t wait to test it on the track. There’s a lot to do, not least on the fitness side

It was a trying weekend for Lotus Renault GP who failed to build on recent points-scoring finishes and, on this occasion, never threatened the top ten. The R31 struggled with traction, high tyre degradation and disappointing outright pace, which had also been the case in Monaco and Hungary – circuits with similar characteristics to Singapore.

Vitaly Petrov could do no better than qualify 18 th while Bruno Senna put in a heroic lap to get into Q2 and secure 15th .

In the race there was little improvement on these positions. Vitaly had a KERS problem which cost him lap time and made overtaking and defending all the more difficult. He finished 17 th .

Bruno, meanwhile, made a good start but, having just pitted on lap 10, made a mistake into the hairpin, locked up, and hit the barrier. He pitted for a new front wing, by which time he was down to last place. He fought doggedly to climb back up the field and crossed the line where he started, in 15 th .

Bruno Senna: “My first lap was very good but then we suffered from some very high tyre degradation. Then when I came to the hairpin I hit the wall. This made my race very, very complicated firstly because of the time lost there and secondly because of the extra pitstop. It could have been a much better race for us, but we did what we could and we will now start to think about Japan, where hopefully we can bring out more potential from the R31.”

Vitaly Petrov: “Today we had a race to forget. First of all I had KERS problems shortly after the start, which cost me a few tenths each lap and made it difficult to overtake. Then, the tyres started to behave poorly. As cars came to lap me, I was forced to slow and this caused the tyre pressures to drop severely. We haven’t performed at our usual level today, but the final five venues are all places where the R31 should perform better.”

BRITISH GT CHAMPIONSHIP – DONINGTON PARK

Lotus Sport UK was triumphant in Round 9 of the British GT Championship, with the red, white and gold No.48 Evora winning the GT4 category from pole position. It was the first class pole for the team.

Touring Car regulars Phil Glew and James Nash lapped Donington Park 100 times during the three hour endurance race, which started in wet and tricky conditions. No.48 incurred a stop-go penalty late in the day after speeding at the exit of the pitlane, but the car was already a lap ahead of the competition. Other than a faulty pitlane limiter, the car ran reliably. It was the perfect GT debut for 25-year-old Nash, who is currently fifth in the BTCC standings. They finished a lap ahead of the second-placed No.42 Ginetta of Josh Wakefield and Jake Rattenbury, and even took the fight to a number of the faster GT3 cars which failed to match the Evora GT4’s grip in the wet.

The sister No.49 car of Freddy Nordström and Leyton Clarke qualified fourth. The junior pair were hunting down third when, 25 laps from the end, the car suffered a drive shaft failure.

Phil Glew: “It was a fairly straightforward race. We got a good start, we had great pace in the wet and pulled a massive lead, and we kept that lead pretty much all through the race. We had a scary moment towards the end with the stop-go penalty, but we had a big lead so it didn’t matter too much. James and I got on really well, we have a good team around us, and it’s been a great weekend.”

Gary Ayles, team manager: “The boys drove a blinder and the cars were brilliant. Apart from the pitlane speeding it was an absolutely faultless weekend for Evora 48, and fantastic to claim another victory and our first pole of the year. Phil and James actually had to run an extra 25kg of ballast to get us above the driver pairing minimum weight, but it didn’t slow either of them down. Today it’s my birthday, and this is the perfect present.”

Claudio Berro, Group Lotus director of motorsport: “Lotus Renault GP will be taking important upgrades to Japan and these, as well as the remaining five tracks on the calendar, should produce more satisfactory results for the R31. And while F1 was racing into the darkness in Singapore, our Lotus Sport UK team was braving the daytime conditions at Donington. A dominant victory in the GT4 category from pole position is something Group Lotus and Lotus Sport UK can be very proud of. It was a brilliant demonstration of our Evora’s abilities, and we’re thrilled with the result. Happy birthday Gary!”

The showroom for Lotus Warszawa is situated in ul. Pulawska 361, Warsaw, Poland, one of the longest and busiest streets in Warsaw.

75 people attended  the opening event, hosted by Marcin Dabrowski CEO, Dariusz Wawrzynow, Sales Director and Pawel Kuskowski, Brand Manager.  Press and customers were able to view the latest Lotus models and a Lotus Esprit S1 was also displayed as a special treat.

Also in attendance from Group Lotus were Territory and Sales Managers, Paul Bing and Taddeo Bonelli, and Marketing Manager Cristina Guida La Licata.

Despite his considerable experience, Jean has never before taken on competitive oval racing. Following a 12 year stint in F1 from 1989 to 2001, Alesi moved onto DTM racing and then last year made his most recent competitive race appearance in the Le Mans Series. In January 2011 he joined Group Lotus as a brand ambassador and development consultant on the F1 customer race car, the T125. Although never straying far from the race track, the Indy 500 and oval racing represent completely new challenges for Jean.

Commenting on the announcement Jean Alesi said: “I’m thrilled that Lotus has given me the opportunity to compete in such a world famous race. It’s going to be a very special experience for me but I also know that I have a lot of hard work ahead. I’m very focused on the task I’m facing – I’m taking my training very seriously, I have some amazing support on this front from a ‘comeback’ expert and of course I will be testing extensively. I’m really excited about the race.”

Jean’s development role with Group Lotus will stand him in good stead as he prepares for his new challenge as he will be competing in a Lotus powered by the new Lotus IndyCar engine. Development of the 2.2l twin turbo V6 is going to schedule with the first engine fire up set for mid October and track testing planned December.

Group Lotus Director of Corporate Operations Gino Rosato said: “IndyCar racing represents a really important element of our overall motorsport program. The Indy 500 is the highlight of the race calendar, the atmosphere is always incredible and having Jean racing for us there will make it extra special.

Lotus Driving Academy fits perfectly to this message.

Ever wondered what makes a great driver really great? People often ask us what the secret is to maintaining oversteer, negotiating a slalom or mastering 'heel & toe'. The answer: track time and expert training.

Complete with a newly refurbished Lotus Test track and new Chief Instructor in the form of former Lotus F1 driver, Martin Donnelly, the Lotus Driving Academy (LDA) opens its doors for the autumn term with a brand new syllabus and the 'Lotus Licence'.

The 'Lotus Licence' is a tiered programme that delivers full driving training and qualification to drive the amazing Evora GT4 at race standard. Level 1 covers heritage and an introduction to the Lotus brand, an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the production facilities and general vehicle handling training. Subject to successfully passing Level 1, drivers will advance to Level 2 and eventually to Level 3 where they hone their skills learning everything from the theory of vehicle dynamics and tyre grip to trail breaking and powersliding.

Completion of Level 3 entitles drivers to their 'Lotus Licence' and access to the Hethel track in the Evora GT4 - this is where the fun gets serious! Level 'GT' 4 is the ultimate race driving tuition. All aspects of the circuit for racing are encompassed with special attention to race lines, analyses and a full debrief, after the serious bit it's on to the fun stuff, and that's the car! The Evora GT4 is a real race car with FIA regulated safety features.

The Evora GT4 is a transverse mid-engined, rear wheel drive, sequential 6-speed transmission with paddle shift and twin plate sintered clutch. Shod in slick tyres, it delivers 354hp (257.5kw) at 6500rpm and 328lbft (400nm) at 5500rpm of torque - sounds good? The LDA allows you to find out what it's like to drive on track and really unleash your racing talent.

What's unique about the LDA is that drivers receive dedicated 1:1 tuition for the entire programme. Selected by Martin Donnelly, instructors are not only of the highest calibre, but they are completely focussed on their pupils so drivers can advance at the quickest possible rate and receive a truly bespoke experience.

Chief Instructor Martin Donnelly comments: "Lotus cars are real drivers' cars. The Lotus Driving Academy is the perfect way to experience the special relationship between a car and the track and it's a great opportunity for customers or aspiring customers to push themselves to the limit and experience everything Lotus has to offer. The syllabus we have put together is very technical so the training is comprehensive and challenging. There really is no better driver training out there!"

Managing Director Robert Lechner talks passionately about his plans for expansion: "We are really confident with the Lotus Driving Academy model, we have seen drivers progress and achieve their potential quickly so they keep coming back! Our success is down to creating the perfect learning experience with expert instructors in a world-class environment. We are very happy to run our programmes at the re-launched Lotus track and are planning to open Lotus Driving Academies internationally, our first centre outside of the UK is at the Hungaroring in Budapest and we are looking at new locations at some of the greatest circuits around the world."

Prices start at £399. For more information go to www.lotusdrivingacademy.com .

P1 ALO 1.45.390 Q3

P2 VET 1.45.457 Q3

P3 HAM 1.45.571 Q3

TL best P19 KOV 1.50.915 Q1

2010 Race Result

P1 ALO 1.47.976 L58

P2 VET 1.48.141 L59

P3 WEB 1.49.706 L54

TL best P16 KOV 1.53.051 L53

Quick description

Still very bumpy, even after resurfacing in 2010, especially T13-14

Needs high ride height to avoid bottoming out / excessive plank wear and max. suspension travel

Hard on brakes for temperatures but wear is not usually an issue

High downforce track

Braking stability and traction are the major balance issues

Difficult to overtake

Very hot and humid climate

Very high fuel effect and high start fuel load

Braking stability and traction are the major balance issues

Gears ratio (1st gear/others)

1st gear used in T3 and T13 / Long 1st gear needed for launch Circuit particularity

Bumpiness: Very high

Overtaking chance: Low

Kerbs: Medium / High

Lat/Long grip: Longitudinal

Aero eff ratio: Low

Sensitivities

Engine severity: Low

GBX severity: Highest

RH setting particularity: High RH for bumps

Track and base setup

Track grip evo during WE: Very high

Aero settings: Very high (max)

Brake wear severity: High

Brake cooling necessity: High

Team Lotus Partners

Pirelli tyre compounds in Singapore: Soft / Super Soft

Heikki Kovalainen, Car 20 - Chassis T128-04: "I'm really looking forward to getting back to South East Asia and particularly Singapore. I like the heat and we have a lot of support in Singapore so it's a race the whole team is excited about. Last year was obviously a pretty spectacular end to the race, maybe a little too hot even for me and not quite how I'd like it to have finished, but there were a load of cool photos from the fire and we ended up winning the LG Moment of the Year prize for a shot of me putting it out. This year we go with a similar goal to last year - have a solid weekend, make sure we're there at the end of the race to take advantage of whatever happens around us and do our best to push the guys ahead.

"There are a few obvious talking points around the race weekend - it's a night race so all the drivers and teams stay on European time. In practical terms that means heavy blackout blinds in the hotel rooms, breakfast at lunchtime and our normal race weekend schedule all shifting forwards several hours to replicate the European race schedules. The heat is pretty hardcore for the guys in the garages, but I like it. Physically I have felt good all season and while it's obviously more challenging in the humidity and heat of Singapore, it's a good challenge and it's what F1 should be all about."

Jarno Trulli, Car 21 - Chassis T128-03: "I left Italy after what had been a pretty intense weekend for me and the whole team! On track I enjoyed myself all weekend and if I hadn't got hit by Massa I think I would have finished even better, but it was one of those races where we pretty much gave as much as we could, so I left feeling good about how we'd performed in all the sessions.

"I'll go to Singapore as late as possible, to make sure my body-clock isn't affected by the fact we run at night. I'm excited to get back to somewhere that means so much to Tony, Din and Nasa, and to see the strong fanbase we have out there but once we're on track I treat it just like any another race - the circuit is so well lit you don't suffer from any issues to do with light, and as its layout is similar to Monte Carlo it's somewhere I feel pretty comfortable."

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "We approach Singapore in much the same way we do Monaco. We will be running with a maximum downforce package with a new floor and diffuser and bigger front brake ducts to cope with the brake cooling demands. The numbers from the wind-tunnel look pretty promising for the update to the floor so we will see what we have found when we get out on track. Because the track surface is very bumpy we have to run the cars at almost the highest ride-height settings of the season whilst also focusing on braking stability and maximising traction to generate the quickest lap times. As Singapore is a street circuit the track surface is very green when we first run on Friday, but it has high evolution throughout the weekend and by Sunday the grip levels have improved dramatically. Pirelli are bringing the soft and super soft compounds to Singapore and it will be interesting to see how teams deal with the degradation rates of both, especially in qualifying and in the race itself."

Tony Fernandes, Team Principal: "I have been looking forward to Singapore for the whole year -there is an incredible atmosphere around the whole place and the fact it is a night race just adds to the spectacle. Alongside Malaysia and Silverstone this is our third home race of the year and the support we have in Singapore is fantastic, both from the Singaporean locals and from the thousands of Malaysians and other visitors from around the world who attend what is always a fantastic race.

"The heat and humidity are obviously challenging for the whole team but we have shown throughout the year that our guys are ready to take on whatever lies ahead of them, deal with it and keep learning and progressing. One of the most pleasing aspects for me over the last couple of races has been to see the improvements in the garage and on the pitwall that have seen us perform quicker pitstops, turn the cars around during and in-between sessions more quickly and efficiently, and make the right strategic calls at the right time. This was particularly true in Italy where Jarno performed particularly well all weekend but was robbed of a higher position by bad luck and Heikki also gave his all, giving us 120% all weekend and helping us show what we can do when the opportunities arise. Drives like those, and every step forward for the team, are all part of the process of our development, and while we are working very hard behind the scenes to put all the pieces in place for the next phase of our growth, the team is working equally hard under intense pressure at the races and back at the factory and it makes me very proud to see how far they have already come. The icing on the cake now would be a point - perhaps we can win the LG Moment of the Year for 2011 by recording our first points finish, that really would be daring to dream!"

The race was contested on the 2.983-mile, 14-turn TRM permanent road course for the first time following eight events on the Twin Ring Motegi oval beginning in 2003.

Sato, No. 5 KV Racing Technology – Lotus, who was competing in an IndyCar race in his homeland for the second time, started a team-high 11th.  He overcame an incident early in the race and battled his way into seventh place when on a restart he and teammate Viso made contact.  Both drivers were able to continue with Sato finishing 10th. Sato made his Motegi IndyCar debut last year and had his best oval performance of the season qualifying 10th and finishing 12th. 

“Obviously it was a very disappointing end to the race.  However, looking at the bigger picture, it was a fantastic event.  The competition was very tough and we had a difficult weekend.  In the race, yes I had a few dramas, but we fought the whole race.  The fan support was unbelievable.  It was a great great event and I want to say a big thank you to all the fans, all the people who made all this happen.  I also want to thank the team for their fantastic support.”

Sato, 34, earned 20 points today and now 14th in the standings with 282 points.  The Japanese star has finished in the top-10 seven times this year including his first three IndyCar top-five finishes (career-high fourth at Mid-Ohio, fifths at St. Petersburg and Texas). He has also earned his first two IndyCar poles (Iowa, oval and Edmonton, street circuit) becoming the first Japanese driver to do this and led his first IndyCar race (Brazil) and subsequently three others.  Three of his top-10 finishes, two of his top-fives and one pole have come on road/street events.

Kanaan, No. 82 GEICO – KV Racing Technology – Lotus, for the second race in a row started on the last row.  The team went with an alternative fuel strategy, however at exactly the wrong moment a caution flag came out negating the strategy.  Kanaan continued to battle throughout the contest and during the closing laps several drivers made crucial mistakes moving Kanaan into 17th place. This was Kanaan’s 14th start at Motegi.  In 13 oval events here (five in the CART Series and eight in the IndyCar Series) he finished in the top-10 nine times with five top-five showings, four podiums and a win in 2007.

"It was a very tough race and our strategy didn't play the way we expected,” Kanaan said.  “Starting from the back you got to take some chances in order to move forward but this time it just didn't work out as expected, but I'm glad that we still maintained our 5th spot in the championship. I'm sad that this was our last race in Japan, I'll really miss this place."

Kanaan scored 13 points today and is fifth in the championship race with 353 points.  The 36-year-old Brazilian leads KVRT – Lotus with nine top-10 finishes including seven top-five showings and three podiums (second at Iowa, thirds at St. Petersburg and Baltimore).  Kanaan has not qualified well on the road/street circuits starting in the top-10 just twice in 10 events this year, but he has been extremely competitive in the races finishing in the top-10 six times including four top-five finishes and two podiums.

Viso, No. 59 PDVSA – KV Racing Technology – Lotus, started 13th.  He drove a strong race, took advantage of other driver’s mistakes and passed a couple cars to move into sixth place.  However, when the restart and contact with Sato occurred he dropped to 21st place.

Viso contested his third race at Motegi.  In two previous oval events, (2009 and 2010), he finished 15th both times.

Viso picked up 12 points  today and is 18th in the standings with 229 points.  The 26-year-old Venezuelan has finished in the top-10 four times this year, twice on ovals, a season-high seventh in race one at Texas and 10th in the second plus road-course season-high ninths at Toronto and Sonoma.  His career best finish on a road/street course is fourth at St. Petersburg in 2008 (overall career-high, third in Iowa).  Viso has had competitive races on the road/street circuits this year.  However, his efforts have been stymied by a string of what can only be described as bad luck.

KVRT – Lotus has had some of their best results this season on tracks that require drivers to turn right as well as left and earning 12 top-10 finishes with six top-five showings in 10 road/street events.

Next up for KVRT – Lotus is the Kentucky Indy 300, October 1-2, at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky.  The race will be broadcast live on Versus at 2:00 p.m. ET.

So said, Mark Prisk MP, Business Minister, on his visit to the Lotus stand at the Frankfurt Motor Show yesterday (14 September 2011).

Hosted by Lotus CEO, Dany Bahar, Mr Prisk was shown around the full range of Lotus sports cars, all making their global debut at the biggest motorshow in the industry calendar.

The Minister of State viewed the stunning and ultra high performance new generation Lotus Exige S which sling shots to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds and its big brother, the Evora R-GT Rally car, which will turn a wheel in racing anger next spring, He also took in the new super efficient Lotus Elise range and the range topping aluminium and carbon fibre Lotus Evora GTE, which Lotus announced at the show will be going into production. He also cast an approving eye over the new Evora range with its raft of customer lead changes and improvements.

Mark Prisk was also shown the Lotus Engineering developed Evora 414E hybrid, a technical demonstrator that shows the latest in hybrid and electric vehicle technology and the Technology Strategy Board funded hydrogen fuel cell London Taxi which produces emissions of just water.

Lotus is investing heavily in new cars, technologies, facilities and training to ensure that Lotus remains a leader in the automotive industry not just in Europe, but worldwide. This is demonstrated not only by Lotus' full range of stunning sportscars but also Lotus' engineering consultancy division which has a global reputation as an innovator, especially in electric and hybrid vehicles – an area where the industry is heading as clearly evidenced at the Frankfurt show.

Lotus Motorsport and PETRONAS Lubricants International fledgling relationship will work on many levels including a comprehensive technical and business collaboration agreement with Lotus Motorsport.

PETRONAS will become the Official Lubricants Partner for Lotus Motorsport cars competing in various high profile international GT categories. As a result, The Evora GT4s competing in the British GT Championship, Blancpain European GT and the GTE entry in the ILMC (International Le Mans Cup) will carry prominent PETRONAS and Syntium branding. Syntium is the PETRONAS flagship motor oil brand oriented towards high performance cars and motorcycles.

Group Lotus Chief Executive Officer Dany Bahar said: "For Lotus, motorsport isn't just a branding exercise – ultimately we're in it to win and PETRONAS share this philosophy. They have built a lot of technological knowledge during their time in motorsport and we can benefit in many ways from technology transfer especially when it comes to fuel and lubricants technology used today in race cars. We are all about technology and performance and in PETRONAS we have a partner who share our values and vision."

PETRONAS Lubricants Chief Executive Officer Aldino Bellazzini said: "For PETRONAS this is an excellent opportunity to be associated with a globally renowned iconic brand, with an undisputed racing heritage. For Lotus Cars, this is a great opportunity to take advantage of PETRONAS Lubricants' almost 100 years experience in the world of automotive and racing lubricants to further improve their products' performance on any race track or on the road."

Claudio Berro Director of Lotus Motorsport said: "Motorsport is a strong test for the products as a whole, not only for the engine, but for the transmission and the brakes. The GT category is the most relevant racing platform to enable PETRONAS to develop and test their products for both race and more importantly road application. It is critical to have the right lubricant to give the maximum in performance and efficiency and increase the longevity of some critical mechanical components which endure enormous stresses. PETRONAS will be an integral partner in our quest for success in our ambitions and extensive GT racing programme."

The next outing of the Evora GT4 in the British GT Championship is at Donnington from October 23-25th with the final round of the Championship scheduled to take place at Silverstone on October 7-9th where Lotus Sport UK will enter two cars. They will be joined by Lotus Sport Italy, who will have one car entered into the Blancpain Series European GT Series in a unified race. Both teams are currently in with a chance to win their respective Championships. The Evora GTE will appear at the final to rounds of the ILMC in the infamous Petite Le Mans, USA on October 1st followed by the season finale in Zhuhai, China on November 12th.

Bruno Senna scored his first ever F1 points on his second outing for Lotus Renault GP. It marked the first time since the 1993 Australian Grand Prix that the Senna name has appeared on the points list. The Brazilian finished in ninth place, improving one position on where he started, while team-mate Vitaly Petrov's race ended at the first corner. The Russian, who started an impressive seventh, was battling Nico Rosberg through Turn 1 when Vitantonio Liuzzi lost control of his HRT, spun backwards across the grass and smashed into three cars at the chicane, destroying Petrov's car and his race. Senna, who lost positions during the Turn 1 melee and pitted on lap 2 for soft tyres, dropped to 18th and gained nine positions during the remainder of the race.

Bruno Senna: "I'm happy to score my first F1 points today, especially as it was only my second race for the team. Although I started tenth, it wasn't easy to finish ninth. We suffered some bad luck in the first corner; everybody was cutting the chicane, which forced me to drive around the outside and in the process I lost all the places I had fought so hard for in qualifying. The pace of the car was clear for all to see, but I wish the race was just one lap longer because I may have been able to pass Paul di Resta for eighth. The team did a great job and I am really looking forward to Singapore."

Vitaly Petrov: "Naturally I am very disappointed with what happened today. I had a reasonable start and, as I was heading into the first chicane, Vitantonio's HRT came from nowhere and hit me big time. There's nothing I could have done to avoid this. I'm happy not to be injured. On the upside, the car has felt good since the first practice session here; we definitely made a step forward performance-wise and we should have a strong end to the season."

Eric Boullier, Lotus Renault GP Team Principal: "I have mixed feelings because the first corner cost us dear today. It was good to see Bruno score his first points in F1, and it is clear that if we have a trouble free race we can finish much higher."

GP2 – MONZA

With Romain Grosjean having sealed the title last time out at Spa, the fight at Monza was for second place in the championship. It's an interesting fact that every driver who has finished runner-up in the GP2 series has gone on to race in Formula One and Jules Bianchi of Lotus-ART was one of five drivers in the mix. He arrived in Italy third in the championship, and that's where he stayed after finishing eighth in Race 1 and third in Race 2. Coloni's Luca Fillipi managed to claim second on home tarmac, pipping the Frenchman by a point. Bianchi had had issues in qualifying, starting the feature race in 19th and fighting his way through the field, enabling him to start the sprint race from pole. Meanwhile team-mate Esteban Gutierrez, who started Race 1 on the back row after a crash, recovered to ninth and then had a strong drive to sixth on Sunday. Lotus-ART round off the teams' championship in fifth place with 68 points.

Jules Bianchi: "Starting P1 and finishing P3 is not a great result, and this has been a difficult weekend. I was disappointed not to score more points and finish second in the championship rather than third, but Luca [Filippi] was really quick and he deserves his second place, so well done to him. Still, considering where we were in Valencia – I think I was 14th in the championship – it's been an amazing turnaround, and the team has done a really good job.

Esteban Gutierrez: "Qualifying didn't look good. My mistake in Ascari was a big one, and that's a part of my learning process. But we recovered, got a point, and that's a great psychological boost. I feel happy with the year, because I've learned so much and I've enjoyed racing against drivers at this level. For sure, it was one of the best seasons of my life, and I'm really looking forward to 2012.

Frederic Vasseur, Lotus-ART Team Principal: "Jules could have been second in the championship but he could have been fifth too. It wasn't an easy start to the weekend, with Esteban crashing in qualifying and Jules having a technical problem. If you had told me then that in Race 2 we'd get a podium and Esteban would finish sixth I'd have been very happy. Both drivers made a very good comeback."

GP3 – MONZA

With Lotus-ART drivers Valtteri Bottas and James Calado both fighting for the championship, there was a frenzy of excitement in the team pit. Both raced hard but fair, taking a brilliant 1-2 victory on Saturday, led by Bottas – his fourth win of the season - which handed the Finn the title. He made the best start, moving from fifth to third while Calado held station in sixth. The pair then rose through the field until the safety car was deployed on lap 10, following a crash by Adrian Quaife-Hobbs.

With just three laps left after the restart, and with the Lotus-ARTs leading, the Englishman prepared to attack his team-mate to keep his championship hopes alive. Bottas defended beautifully and took the chequered flag. It took the pressure off for Race 2, and in these carefree conditions Bottas missed his braking point for Variante Ascari and punted Conor Daly into the gravel trap, along with himself. Meanwhile Calado, who started seventh, was in the lead after two laps. With the following driver able to get a tow down the straight, he and Mitch Evans traded positions during a thrilling duel which came to an end on Lap 11. Calado went wide at Turn 1, was launched over a bump, and careered into Evan's Arden, taking the Kiwi out. Calado would receive a post-race drive through but finished the race in second position after losing a place to Antonio Felix da Costa. Lotus-ART finish the year in first place in the teams' championship, scoring 124 points to MW Arden's 69.

Valtteri Bottas: "I feel like the happiest man on Earth. James and I had a really great battle, it was one of the most interesting and exciting races I've ever had, and I think it was personally my best race because it was so tight. In Monza it's not easy to lead because you give the guy behind a tow. In the middle of the season we completely turned it around. I am really proud of the team. Next year, the logical step is GP2 but nothing is confirmed. My target, of course, is Formula One and I hope this win will help me to achieve this goal."

James Calado: "It went down to the last lap with Valtteri, and we put on an entertaining show. It's been good all weekend. Mitch and I had a shunt, I was on the inside and not over the white line. The kerb made me bounce in the air, and that's why I hit him. It was a racing incident. The car has really come on since the Nurburgring, we've got the tyres working correctly for qualifying, and it's been a nice year. We all did a great job and can be happy with that. Congratulations to Valtteri.

Frederic Vasseur, Lotus-ART Team Principal: "It was a very good weekend, securing 1-2 in the championship in the first race. It's a great moment for our team, everyone has worked very hard and I congratulate everyone. It's been a lot of fun."

ILMC – SIX HOURS OF SILVERSTONE

The Jetalliance Lotus team managed to get both Evora GTE's to the finish line at the British round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Championship. The number 65 car of factory drivers James Rossiter, Johnny Mowlem and former F1 driver Karl Wendlinger finished 12th out of 15 in their class, 40th overall, after a faultless race. The sister car, number 64 driven by Jetalliance CEO Lukas Lichtner-Hoyer, Martin Rich and David Heinemeier Hansson, had a more difficult time with an overheating gearbox and, later, a collision. Car 65 finished seven laps behind GTE Pro class winners Gianmaria Bruni and Giancarlo Fisichella's Ferrari, while the 64 car was unclassified.

Tim Wright, Jetalliance Lotus race team manager and Car 65 race engineer: "It was a very strong performance for us, with Car 65 getting through the whole six hours with no problems at all. Car 64 had a shift problem and wouldn't change gear due to overheating. Then it had a coming together with another car which damaged the left rear corner and the suspension. We got it fixed but it cost us 23 laps in the garage. The team did a great job today, we can be really happy. We're only 2-3 seconds off the front-runners, which is not bad considering where we were at in Imola and Spa, having had very little preparation. We have found 3-4 seconds of speed since then and there's still plenty of performance we can unlock."

Claudio Berro, Group Lotus Director of Motorsport: "We saw some really exciting racing this weekend. First of all congratulations to Lotus-ART on a fantastic season, and especially to Valtteri Bottas who has claimed the GP3 drivers' title. Well done also to Bruno Senna who has taken his first Formula One championship points on only his second outing with the Lotus Renault GP team. And encouraging stuff at Silverstone where the Evora GTE once again proved its potential in the hands of our factory drivers."

Bruno Senna scored his first F1 career points – two of them. In just his second race for the team, he's got on the pace remarkably quickly, hasn't he?

Nowadays, without testing, the amount of effort needed for a driver to be immediately in the game, to be competitive, is enormous. So I am very impressed and pleased for him. The pressure his name brings isn't always positive, it can be destructive. Yet he's thriving on that pressure, and I tell you he has brought fantastic energy to the team. Everyone is rooting for him and Vitaly, giving it maximum effort.

Having raced with Ayrton, do you get a special feeling seeing the name Senna on the timing screens?

Of course. Ayrton was a legend. It's not a big name, it's the name. To see the yellow helmet out there, not to mention the black and gold paint, and the way Bruno is performing… It's a special sight for all of us.

How did you feel the first time you scored F1 points? It was on your debut, at your home grand prix no less – 4th place at Paul Ricard. That must have been mental!

It was completely unexpected, of course. I was just happy to be driving and hoped I would be okay and I wouldn't embarrass myself. At one stage I read my pit board and it said P2 – I thought it was a mistake. The quicker you claim your first points, the better the moment feels.

We always love to come to Monza. It must be especially poignant for you, with your Sicilian blood and Ferrari history…

You can feel the rumble of the race track from ten miles away. Monza is a very special place. It has a level of atmosphere far greater than any other track, and when they call it a cathedral to speed they're not exaggerating. Racing is the religion round here. For the Tifosi, it's the Vatican.

As a driver, you feel the pressure from the fans even if you don't drive for Ferrari. For Sebastian Vettel, winning here is the sweetest feeling, and he isn't even Italian. You come here and you know you have to deliver. Stepping out onto that grid is like walking onto a pitch for a world cup game, and you're playing for your national team – you know you have to score.

A lot of people speculated there might be too much overtaking at Monza, with two overtaking zones. Do you think it was about right?

Today the DRS was of limited help to overtake. In Spa it worked better because in Monza the cars run very little wing anyway. So when you flatten the wing it actually makes very little difference, because there's hardly any wing back there anyway.

With both Lotus Renault GP cars top ten on the grid today, is this a sign that the team has turned it around since the August break?

Definitely, they've made a big step forward, which is great. Often, towards the end of a season, teams drop back because they switch focus to next year's car, yet LRGP is continuing the development of this year's car because there's still plenty of performance that can be squeezed from it, and all the knowledge that comes from these gains can be directly applied to the 2012 car.

3 New Models

Exige S: Raw performance, mind blowing agility and unparalleled ride and handling, these attributes are what people have come to expect from Lotus. And we don't like to disappoint. After months of media speculation Group Lotus proudly unveiled the latest addition to the family: the extraordinary new Exige S, the ultimate lightweight high performance sportscar.

With a lightweight 1080kg chassis teamed with a V6 3.5 litre engine delivering 350 PS, the Exige S has a completely new exterior and interior look and feel. The dramatic styling overhaul sees a completely new look for the Exige including a new front splitter and rear spoiler giving it a strong and aerodynamic profile.

Commenting on the Exige S, Group Lotus Chief Executive Officer Dany Bahar said: "Anyone who has ever driven an Exige will tell you that it's not for the faint-hearted. The new Exige S skips a few rungs on the ladder to give the driver the ultimate Lotus experience. Quite simply you can't get more Lotus than the Exige S."

Exige R-GT: What better way to demonstrate Lotus' superior ride and handling than by re-entering the adrenaline filled Rally Championships? Showcasing the new Exige S' phenomenal performance, the Exige R-GT will participate in the newly formed FIA GT category of the FIA Rally Championship on asphalt in Monte Carlo, Tour de Corse and San Remo.

Powered by the same V6 3.5 litre engine as the new road Exige, significant changes have been made to the gearbox and the restrictors on the engine in order to control the power. Lotus will initially partner with several customer teams following the tried and tested method in which Lotus entered IndyCar and returned to Le Mans.

For Group Lotus' Director of Motorsport Claudio Berro the return to rally has an extra special meaning: "My motorsport career started in rally, in fact, I even took part in the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus' Italian Rally championship winning a race in San Marino back in 1981 so this is a very nostalgic moment for me. As we unveiled the car in Frankfurt, alongside the original championship winning car, I had the chance to get back inside and the smell was exactly the same – it brought back many happy memories for me."

"With the new R-GT rules in rally, it's a very interesting time for us to return to the sport. Naturally our approach this time around will be different to when we won the championship three decades ago, but I think our philosophy is definitely the same, we want to compete and ultimately we want to win. Our new rally car, the Exige R-GT is a dream come true for those who are passionate about GT racing – this will be their car."

The beauty of the Exige R-GT is that although it's a professionally set up race car, you don't need to be a pro to drive it – the race car has been developed alongside the road car allowing the technical team to create the perfect race machine, high performance but without losing the sense of fun to drive and ease of use. Developing the race version of the Exige in parallel with the road car has allowed the Lotus technicians to make rapid advances in terms of safety and reliability.

Elise S: Want more torque? Then the new Elise S is the answer to your prayers. The Elise S replaces the Elise SC with a new 1.8l super charged engine capable of delivering 220 PS and a power delivery which results in even more torque.

With the new engine and improved throttle response the Elise S gives an even more exhilarating and lively drive experience. The more efficient engine results in lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions than the outgoing Elise SC.

2 New Options

Evora S IPS: The new Evora S with IPS (Intelligent Precision Shift) option is added to the award-winning Evora line-up with all the power and handling of the Evora S with the versatility of IPS. The S with IPS option features the 3.5l V6 supercharged engine delivering 350 PS and optimised IPS calibration. The paddle shift manual mode allows the driver the full and uncompromised Evora S experience with the added bonus of switching to automatic mode. This is the most versatile Evora yet.

Group Lotus Chief Executive Officer Dany Bahar said: "We're really proud of the IPS option for the Evora S - people loved the Evora S and we had a great response to IPS, combining these two was a natural step and we're delighted with the result. Nothing has been compromised in the development of this model, it's a true Lotus through and through with a great drive experience enhanced through the integration of superior technology and typically dynamic Lotus engineering."

The entire Evora model year 12 range has benefited from over 130 quality improvements including significant changes to the transmission dynamics, engine performance, improved IPS calibration and interior trim upgrades. The model year 12 Evora S IPS on display in Frankfurt showcases the first physical evidence of Lotus new era in action.

1 Special Limited Edition

Evora GTE road car: All hail the mighty Evora GTE road car. Producing over 444 PS from the race developed Lotus Evora GTE engine, this is, quite simply, the most powerful Lotus road car ever built. Yet contrary to its extreme roots, the Evora GTE road car also delivers a comfortable and refined element to its high performance driving characteristics. Originally designed as a special limited edition for the Asian market, production will now be expanded on the Evora GTE road car to meet demand and reach further markets.

Lotus Lightweight DNA: Clever use of carbon fibre has been integrated extensively throughout the exterior and interior of the car, this is one major contributors to the 105kg weight reduction versus the base Evora. Carbon fibre has been used for all the bodywork modifications including the front and rear bumpers, the rear wing and the doors.

Commenting on the Evora GTE road car, Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar said: "To celebrate our successful return to Le Mans this year we created the ultimate road car racer. Initially we introduced this to the Asian market with our partners in China as a 'taste of Lotus' however the response was so great that we received 114 orders from China alone. This justified us looking in to speeding up the process of bringing this car to other territories. We showed a concept at Pebble Beach and are showing this production intent car at Frankfurt. We will bring this car to Europe and the US. People get so excited when they see and especially hear it for the first time. It's a very special car and will appeal to a very special type of driver – and they won't be disappointed!"

Lotus Engineering showcased the best of British technology - previewing what could be the future of transport: with the new and innovative 2-cylinder Lotus Fagor Ederlan Range Extender engine, a hydrogen fuel cell Lotus Taxi which produces emissions of just water and the Lotus Evora 414E hybrid, powered by two electric motors giving 800Nm of torque and 414 PS slingshotting this technical demonstrator to 100 km/h in just four seconds.

So to sum up Lotus in Frankfurt:

Performance + Superior ride & handling + Lightweight technology + Improved quality

= MORE LOTUS THAN EVER

Please note: At time of going to print (September 2011) the fuel economy, CO2 and performance figures have not been witness tested. Group Lotus plc will publish these figures as soon as they become available on the lotuscars.com website.

New Evora S with IPS option added to the award-winning Evora line-up

• You wanted more power so we delivered the supercharged Evora S.

• The market needed more options so we created IPS (Intelligent Precision Shift).

• You demanded improved quality, we responded with over 100 changes and developments to the Evora model year 2012.

Now we bring you the Evora S with IPS option – all the power and handling of the Evora S with the versatility of IPS.

The S with IPS option features the 3.5l V6 supercharged engine delivering 350 PS and optimised IPS calibration. The paddle shift manual mode allows the driver the full and uncompromised Evora S experience with the added bonus of switching to automatic mode. This is the most versatile Evora yet.

Group Lotus Chief Executive Officer Dany Bahar said: "We're really proud of the IPS option for the Evora S - people loved the Evora S and we had a great response to IPS, combining these two was a natural step and we're delighted with the result.

"Nothing has been compromised in the development of this model, it's a true Lotus through and through with a great drive experience enhanced through the integration of superior technology and typically dynamic Lotus engineering."

Evora Range General Information:

Back in March at the Geneva Motor Show the Evora S and Evora with IPS option were unveiled.

The Lotus Evora, is available in two versions - the Evora and the Evora S – and is regarded by some as one of the most exciting and genuinely useable sportscars on the market today. Both cars have a 3.5 litre V6 engine and both produce phenomenal performance so the obvious question is, what's the difference between the two? The answer in a word is supercharger.

The base Evora has 280 PS and tops out at a quick 261 km/h (162 mph) whilst returning an impressive 217 g of CO2 per km. The Evora S has 350 PS (345 hp) and 400 Nm (295 lbft) of torque, courtesy of a supercharger which gives acceleration of 4.8 seconds to 100 km/h (4.6 seconds to 60 mph) and a maximum speed of 277 km/h (172 mph).

The Evora S comes with a sport pack as standard featuring a 'sport' button which allows the driver to increase throttle response. The sport button also raises the instantaneous rev limit and changes the Dynamic Performance Management (Lotus DPM) settings resulting in a total experience change.

There are cross-drilled brakes for improved cooling. And here's a heads up for those who buy into the old adage 'you can tell the men from the boys by the size of their toys': the external emotion of the Evora S has been improved with a completely new active exhaust which means that at the push of a button the car sounds just as dramatic as it feels.

Dany Bahar Lotus' Chief Executive Officer summed it up by saying: "You don't realise what you were missing from your driving experience until you get behind the wheel of the Evora S."

So apart from the obvious power difference, how is the Evora S different to the Evora? It's another question we put to the CEO (given that he's spent a little time behind the wheel, we thought he'd be best placed to answer questions). This is what he said: "It's the next level of Evora experience. It communicates even more with you, the suspension setting has been fine tuned for added power and control so it responds even more to your direction. It's an instinctual car, the experience is pure."

Evora IPS (Intelligent Precision Shift) option.

This option gives the Evora an automatic 6-speed gearbox with Lotus developed transmission control with a 3.5 l V6 engine delivering 280 PS assuring a superior automatic driving experience. The IPS option of the Evora allows the driver to switch between manual paddle shift and automatic drive modes. The driver also has the option of selecting 'sport' mode which showcases the Lotus sport driving experience allowing the driver to really feel each gear shift and be in complete control of the transmission.

Commenting on the IPS option, Dany Bahar said: "The Evora IPS broadens the appeal of the Evora and allows us to reach out to a slightly different market. We expect it to be popular with established automatic locations such as Asia, the Middle East and the US. It's been a long time since Lotus created an automatic and we've spent a great deal of time refining this one to make sure that it perfectly compliments the Evora drive experience."

"We are proud of the whole Evora range, each version does the true Lotus experience justice. With a wider selection of options, the Evora will appeal to a broader audience, even those who don't want to use their left foot to change gear! With higher quality levels, more options available and all round improvements to the whole range, it's a taste of what people can come to expect from the next generation of Lotus cars - performance through lightweight, style, comfort and efficiency."

Please note: At time of going to print (September 2011) the fuel economy, CO2 and performance figures have not been witness tested. Group Lotus plc will publish these figures as soon as they become available on the lotuscars.com website.

Producing over 444 PS from the 3.5l V6 Lotus Evora engine, the GTE is, quite simply, the most powerful Lotus road car ever built. Yet contrary to its extreme roots, the Evora GTE road car also delivers a comfortable and refined element to its high performance driving characteristics.

Originally created as a special limited edition for the Asian market and designed to celebrate Lotus' successful entry to the new global motorsport GTE category, the hand built Evora GTE road car has all the attributes you'd expect of an endurance racer including a sequential AMT (Automated Manual Transmission) racing gearbox and lightweight and forged alloy rims with centre lock hubs shod with Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tyres.

Group Lotus can now announce that production will be expanded on the Evora GTE road car to meet demand and reach further markets.

Lotus Lightweight DNA: Clever use of carbon fibre has been integrated extensively throughout the exterior and interior of the car, this is one major contributors to the 105kg weight reduction versus the base Evora. Carbon fibre has been used for all the bodywork modifications including the front and rear bumpers, the rear wing and the doors.

Complimenting the striking exterior is a stunning, modern race-themed interior providing both occupants with the race car thrill without compromising on comfort. Leather and carbon fibre dominate the cabin and lightweight Recaro carbon fibre seats cosset both the passenger and driver giving a sense of security and comfort that mean that any driver of the Evora GTE can really go the distance as they take command of this extraordinary car.

Commenting on the Evora GTE road car, Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar said: "The response to this model in China has been so incredible, within days we had sold out with 114 orders. In response we decided that the only logical step from a business perspective was to increase production and widen our reach.

"What is unique about this car, is not just that it's a serious race car – it's a serious car. People get so excited when they see and especially hear it for the first time. It's a very special car and will appeal to a very special type of driver – and they won't be disappointed!"

Please note: At time of going to print (September 2011) the fuel economy, CO2 and performance figures have not been witness tested. Group Lotus plc will publish these figures as soon as they become available on the lotuscars.com website.

+ 350 PS 3.5l V6 Supercharged Evora S Engine

= The all NEW Exige S

Raw performance, agility, unparalleled ride and handling and mind blowing drive experience, these attributes are what people have come to expect from Lotus. And we don't like to disappoint. After months of media speculation Group Lotus is proud to announce the latest addition to the family: the extraordinary new Exige S, the ultimate lightweight high performance sportscar.

Alongside the staggering power to weight ratio, the Exige S has a completely new exterior and interior look and feel. The dramatic styling overhaul sees a completely new look for the Exige including a new front splitter and rear spoiler giving it a strong and aerodynamic profile.

There are two new interior package options available: Premium and Premium Sport. The Premium Pack provides added comfort and style where as the Premium Sport option focuses on creating an internal space optimised for ultimate driver involvement.

Built for the adrenalin hungry sportscar aficionado, the Exige S features high performance bespoke tyre package with Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tyres as standard. A Lotus DPM (Dynamic Performance Management) switch allows the driver to switch between three driving modes: Touring, Sport and DPM off. And if three dynamic settings are not enough, an additional Race Pack option is available which adds a fourth driving mode setting: Race. This setting provides the maximum possible traction out of corners. The Race Pack also features Launch Control and an optimised suspension setting making the car perfect for letting rip on the track.

Commenting on the Exige S, Group Lotus Chief Executive Officer Dany Bahar said: "Anyone who has ever driven an Exige will tell you that it's not for the faint-hearted. The new Exige S skips a few rungs on the ladder to give the driver the ultimate Lotus experience. Quite simply you can't get more Lotus than the Exige S."

Please note: At time of going to print (September 2011) the fuel economy, CO2 and performance figures have not been witness tested. Group Lotus plc will publish these figures as soon as they become available on the lotuscars.com website.

Elise S and Elise SPS option added to the iconic Elise model year 2012 range.

Ask anyone to define Lotus in recent years and most people will hold up the Lotus Elise as a perfect example of exactly what makes Lotus such a firm favourite in the hearts and mind of sportscars enthusiasts.

The small lightweight agile 2-seater mid engine sportscar revolutionised the market sector 15 years ago when it was introduced and by aggressively sticking to Lotus' core values of performance through lightweight, the Lotus Elise was, and still is, able to produce supercar performance with city car economy.

But if you know Lotus then you probably know all this already - what you may not know is that contrary to popular speculation, Lotus is not leaving the Elise behind – if anything the Elise is an essential part of the charge into Lotus New Era.

Year on year, Lotus has added to the Elise range, tweaking and improving on the much loved entry level sports car and this year is no exception. Making their joint debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show are the all new Elise S and the Elise SPS (Serial Precision Shift) option.

All Torque – Welcome the Elise S

Want more torque? Then the new Elise S is the answer to your prayers. The Elise S replaces the Elise SC with a new 1.8l super charged engine capable of delivering 220 PS and a power delivery which results in even more torque.

With the new engine and improved throttle response the Elise S gives an even more exhilarating and lively drive experience. The more efficient engine results in lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions than the outgoing Elise SC.

All Action – Introducing the Elise with SPS (Serial Precision Shift) option

This latest gearbox option available for the 1.6l Elise utilises new lightweight robotised automated manual transmission technology to allow the driver to switch between manual and automatic driving modes via paddles fixed to the steering column giving an even more direct connection with the road.

Available later this year, both the Elise S and the Elise SPS option showcase Lotus' clever approach to increasing the pure driving experience through innovative use of lightweight technology.

Elise Model Year 2011 Range General Information:

The 2011 model year Lotus Elise made its debut at the 80th International Geneva Motorshow introducing a number of changes and improvements to maintain its class leading position.

Please note: At time of going to print (September 2011) the fuel economy, CO2 and performance figures have not been witness tested. Group Lotus plc will publish these figures as soon as they become available on the lotuscars.com website.

Lotus announces its latest charitable donation for the HAMMER TO FALL on: a bespoke Evora S for the Mercury Phoenix Trust.

CA LLING ALL GIRLS and boys - September 5th will see the Savoy Hotel play host to a very special celebration, the 65th birthday of THE HERO, the late, great Freddie Mercury.

DEAR FRIENDS of Freddie will unite in GOOD COMPANY at Freddie’s FLASH birthday bash which is set to be ‘a unique night of comedy and rock and roll’ as the climax to this year’s Freddie For A Day. The highlight of the night will be an auction to raise funds for the Mercury Phoenix Trust, the HIV AIDS charity set-up in his honour by band mates Brian May, Roger Taylor and Queen manager Jim Beach after the singer’s death in 1991.

Forget a BICYCLE RACE, on this special occasion FAT BOTTOM CARS (forgive us Freddie) is what it’s all about as the bespoke Lotus Evora S headlines the auction alongside fantastic donations from Brian May and Roger Taylor, Top Gear, Raymond Weil, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the West End stage hit ‘WE WILL ROCK YOU.

The pearl white MADE IN HEAVEN Evora S with Freddie Mercury inspired theme represents A KIND OF MAGIC combination from the Lotus Design team: the power and prowess of the critically acclaimed Lotus with the dramatic styling befitting of a British rock legend. Featuring deep red and gold highlights this Evora S is well deserving of Freddie’s autograph which is also included in the scheme.

The exterior BODY LANGUAGE features a white, red and gold colour scheme inspired by the iconic costume Freddie wore for the 1986 “Magic tour” and features beautiful silver on white iconography. The front fender references the Montreux Freddie memorial statue with the line “Lover of life. Singer of songs” taken from the statue’s inscription.

Inside, the one-off yellow interior, also inspired by Freddie’s 1986 stage costume, includes a union flag on the back of the seats and the incorporation of a crown hints at Freddie’s playful royal role-play. And it goes without saying that the sound system or more specifically the RADIO , will send the lucky owner GA, GA.

Brian May had these words to say of Lotus’ participation: “Our friends at Lotus have donated a stunning Evora S for our auction which I know will be a massive fund-raiser for the Mercury Phoenix Trust. We cannot thank them enough for their generous support on what is a very special occasion for everyone who knew and loved Freddie.”

Group Lotus Director of Corporate Operations Gino Rosato said: “We were only too happy to contribute to this fantastic cause. We have created something very special to raise money for Mercury Phoenix Trust and we hope the car goes to a collector who really enjoys it.”

Although the auctioneer’s final hammer will not fall until late into the night of September 5th, eager buyers don’t have to leave it IN THE LAP OF THE GODS , they can get their offers in well beforehand at: www.freddieforaday.com/auction