Popular Lotus Cup Race Series gets a global makeover

Over the years, the Lotus Cup Race Series has developed into one of the most successful race series brands in the world, often with capacity grids of Elise, Exige, 2-Eleven and Europa race cars racing and jostling for position. Previously operated from several countries in Europe and Japan, the Lotus Cup has now expanded considerably to include the USA, UK and Eastern Europe.

Not only has the Lotus Cup grown in size, the organisation of the series has been consolidated. For the first time this year, drivers will now race to one set of rules, regulations and formats in championships around the world including:

• Lotus Cup UK

• Lotus Cup Europe

• Lotus Cup Italy

• Lotus Cup USA (West Coast)

• Lotus Cup USA (East Coast)

• Lotus Cup Eastern Europe

• Lotus Cup Japan

Director of Lotus Motorsport Claudio Berro said: "Lotus sports car racing is one of the most popular forms of accessible motorsport in the world, both at a spectator and participant level. Now is the time to bring these championships under the Lotus umbrella, to ensure consistent look and feel to the competition. This will have obvious benefits to the current drivers and encourage new racers, ensuring that the cars and components remain good value and the competition retains its accessibility."

Lotus will provide increased support and investment for these race series and will also ensure that the new Cup Championships retain the community feel and friendliness that an enthusiast based race series needs.

The Lotus Cup Championships will receive a new identity, logos, branding, website and Corporate Identity which are aligned closely to Lotus' new motorsport strategy and initiatives announced over the last few months and consolidated at the Autosport show last weekend.

Global Calendars for the Lotus Cup Championships (subject to change)

Lotus Cup UK – 2011

19th-20th March

Snetterton

17th April

Silverstone

25th-26th June

Snetterton

22nd-24th July

Brands Hatch

13th-14th August

Donington Park

30 September – 2nd October

Spa Francorchamps

Lotus Cup Europe – 2011

30th April–1st May

Dijon Prenois

14th–15th May

Magny Cours

1st – 3rd July

Nurburgring

22nd – 24th July

Brands Hatch

17th – 18th September

Zolder

30th September – 2nd October

Spa Francorchamps

Lotus Cup Italy – 2011

16th – 17th April

Vallelunga

7th – 8th May

Imola

11th – 12th June

Varano de Melegari

8th – 10th July

Rijeka

30th – 31st July

Mugello

24th – 25th September

Monza

15th – 16th October

Franciacorta

12th – 13th November

Varano de Melegari

Lotus Cup USA (West Coast) – 2011

5th -6th March

Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, CA

9th – 10th April

Firebird International Raceway, Pheonix, AZ

28th – 29th May

Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, CA

25th – 29th June

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA

27th – 28th August

Miller Motorsports Park, Salt Lake City, UT

24th – 25th September

Buttonwillow Raceway, Buttonwillow, CA

15th – 16th October

Spring Mountain Raceway, Pahrump, NV

5th – 6th November

Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV

Lotus Cup USA (East Coast) – 2011

9th – 10th May

Watkins Glen International Raceway, Watkins Glen, NY

11th – 12th July

Virginia International Raceway, Alton, VA

24th – 25th September

Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham. AL

Lotus Cup Eastern Europe – 2011

29th April – 1st May

Hungaroring, Hungary

20th May – 22nd May

A1 Ring, Austria

24th June – 26th June

Slovakiaring, Slovakia

19th August – 21st August

Slovakiaring, Slovakia

26th August – 28th August

PannoniaRing, Hungary

16th – 18th September

A1 Ring, Austria

14th - 16th October

Salzburgring, Austria

Lotus Cup Japan – 2011

Dates yet to be confirmed.

Lotus Renault GP's latest signing takes on development role for Group Lotus

The iconic Senna name is once again united with Lotus as Bruno Senna signs with Lotus Renault GP as third driver and also becomes the latest ambassador for Group Lotus. Bruno's test driving role with Group Lotus is very development focussed and will see him provide valuable input into all Lotus cars, both track and road.

Commenting on the announcement Bruno Senna said: 'It's a really exciting opportunity from both Group Lotus and Lotus Renault GP. To be able to develop my Formula One career within a World Championship winning organisation and to do so in conjunction with some hugely interesting work for such an iconic sports car company as Lotus is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

"Lotus has placed a great deal of faith in me and I am looking forward to beginning work on the technical side of our relationship. Giving feedback into the development of the Lotus road and race programs will be a fun but challenging way to spend time between my Formula One commitments as a reserve driver for Lotus Renault GP.

"My relationship with Lotus is just at the beginning, for me the aim is to continue to make progress in my Formula One career whilst at the same time contributing to the success of the various Lotus projects I will be involved with. There are some fun times ahead!"

Lotus Director of Motorsport Claudio Berro said: "We're delighted to have Bruno on board. In his young motorsport career he's built up a great armoury of skills and experience. He's a fast learner and this talent combined with his ability to shift between different types of race car will make him a great asset to Lotus. Normally people like to talk about the 'technology transfer' between F1 and road cars but in Bruno's case we're opening this up to an intellectual transfer – we're certainly going to keep him busy!"

Group Lotus and Proton are delighted with the outcome of yesterday's hearing in which the Judge ordered a full trial of this matter to be heard as soon as possible given the proximity of the start of the new 2011 Formula 1™ season in a few weeks. The trial has been fixed at the English High Court for 21 March 2011.

Group Lotus and Proton have been made aware of the press release issued by 1Malaysia Racing Team (1MRT), it is completely incorrect and a misrepresentation of the Judge's decision suggesting that Group Lotus' application was "thrown out". No decision was made on Group Lotus' application. The Judge proposed that the better procedural route was to order a speedy trial of all the issues in dispute in the case. 1MRT initially resisted the Judge's approach to resolve all matters quickly and before the start of the 2011 Formula 1™ season but the order was subsequently made and the first available date was 21 March.

Group Lotus and Proton have always held the view that this matter should be resolved as soon as possible in the interests of Formula 1™ and the fans. We therefore welcome this decision and look forward to the full trial. We are confident that at the trial Group Lotus will succeed in preventing 1MRT, Mr Fernandes and his companies, from using the Lotus name in Formula 1™ once and for all.

Lotus Motorsport are delighted to announce a new ambassador in the form of Nigel Mansell. Mansell will also complete the Type 125 test driver line-up as he joins fellow former F1 driver Jean Alesi and Lotus factory driver James Rossiter to put the F1 inspired customer race car through its paces at Yas Marina Circuit™ in Abu Dhabi this week.

Nigel Mansell is no stranger to Lotus, over 30 years ago Lotus founder Colin Chapman spotted him when he was racing in F3 and signed him up as a development driver giving the future world champion his break into the sport. Mansell rejoins Lotus to take on another development role and, alongside Alesi and Rossiter, he will play a crucial role in ensuring that the Type 125 is the most enjoyable and challenging race car experience on the market.

Commenting on the announcement Nigel Mansell said: "I'm really looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the Type 125, I can't wait to see how it handles the new circuit in Abu Dhabi. Returning to Lotus in this capacity brings back a lot of memories for me. I will always be extremely grateful to Lotus and especially to Colin Chapman, who was so inspirational and almost like a second father to me. I've been watching the developments that have been taking place recently at Hethel with their ambitious race and road car projects with great interest. I'm really delighted to see that Lotus is back where it belongs competing with the best in the top echelons of motorsport."

Nigel isn't the only member of the Mansell family to be welcomed into the current Lotus Motorsport fold. Mansell's two sons, Leo and Greg received their Lotus debut just over a week ago as they formed part of the team that took on the gruelling Dubai 24 hour race, the team had a spectacular first outing in the new Evora GT4 Endurance race car, with a great performance resulting in a third place podium finish for the category.

Lotus Director of Motorsport Claudio Berro said: "We're very pleased to have Nigel on board for the test in Abu Dhabi, he brings a wealth of experience to the team and we're looking forward to getting his feedback on the Type 125 experience. In addition to the test, we also have a group of private individuals who will be the first to drive and possible own this incredible race car in Abu Dhabi and these guys will be looking to the professional test drivers for advice on how to get the most out of the car."

Who Says You Can't Buy Style?

Lotus launches luxury lifestyle concept – Lotus Originals

February 2011 will mark the launch of new luxury lifestyle brand, Lotus Originals. Inspired by the Lotus DNA of innovation and design excellence, the debut collection is a range of performance outerwear, refined, luxury knitwear and leather goods that reflect the craftsmanship, heritage and spirit of Lotus. Lotus Originals will be exclusively available from the Lotus website (www.lotusoriginals.com) from February.

The launch of the new range is a natural step in the repositioning of Lotus as a lifestyle brand. As the saying goes, the devil is in the detail and the Lotus Originals range is no exception to this. Lotus have carefully hand picked the very best suppliers and materials to work with ensuring that the range reflects the future of Lotus. Those who appreciate the finer things in life can indulge themselves with 100% cashmere sweaters and hand-treated leather in the form of a stunning leather jacket, inspired by the 1970s drivers' suits.

Photos of the merchandise here:

http://www.midlandslotus.co.uk/forum/index.php/gallery/category/270-lifestyle-range/

Lotus' F1 inspired customer race car, the Type 125, had its first official run out at the Italian track earlier this week as F1 legend Jean Alesi and Lotus factory driver James Rossiter completed over 200 kilometres during the two day test.

Commenting on the test, Lotus' Director of Motorsport Operations, Miodrag Kotur said: "We're very happy with the initial performance of the car, there are still some things that we want to improve on but that's natural at this stage and that's exactly why we test. Between them Jean Alesi and James Rossiter have an incredible wealth of experience and they put this to good use in Vallelunga."

Lotus Type 125 Ambassador Jean Alesi said: "Testing is always a big challenge, it's a different kind of pressure to racing but you still can't relax for a second. I enjoyed my first outing in the car, it's great to be involved at such a crucial stage in the cars' development, I really feel like I can help to make this car as fun to drive as possible."

Lotus factory driver James Rossiter said: "The Type 125 is unique, it's intense, it's extreme and it's very raw. I can honestly say that I think it's the closest a 'normal' person can get to driving an F1 car. Vallelunga was great, we learnt a lot about the car there and I'm really looking forward to the next test in a few days, it will be really interesting to see how the car responds to the conditions of a very different track."

Next week (25^th and 26^th January) the Type 125 will test at Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi's F1 track, where Alesi and Rossiter will be joined by a very special 'yet-to-be-announced' test driver before 15 potential buyers get their chance behind the wheel.

Lotus Renault GP is pleased to announce Fairuz Fauzy as a reserve driver for the

2011 season.

The 28-year-old Malaysian joins the team with a wealth of motor sport experience,

including significant Formula 1 mileage gained during practice sessions in 2010. He

has also raced regularly in the GP2 Series, A1GP, and the World Series by Renault,

where he finished as championship runner-up in 2009.

In addition to his Formula 1 duties, Fairuz will return to racing this year in the GP2

series with Super Nova Racing. His car will carry significant branding from Malaysian

car manufacturer and Lotus Cars stakeholder, Proton.

Fairuz Fauzy commented: I want to thank Lotus Renault GP for giving me this

opportunity. Its a real honour to be part of a top team that has achieved so much in

the sport and its something any driver dreams about. Its feels especially exciting

because of the new partnership with Lotus and Im very proud to be here at the start

of a new era for the team. Its also a great opportunity for me to improve as a driver

and learn as much as I can about Formula 1 so that hopefully one day I can be on the

grid myself.

LRGP Academy

As a reserve driver for the team, Fairuz Fauzy also becomes the first driver to join

the LRGP Academy, a programme designed to bring on promising talents and

prepare them for Grand Prix racing.

As a member of the programme, he will take part in development work for the team

and will have the opportunity to gain further Formula 1 experience in a 2009-spec

Formula 1 car, the R29.

The programme is designed to prepare drivers for the demands of Formula 1

competition both on and off the track. Whether attending fitness camps, undergoing

media training, or actually getting behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car, it gives drivers

the chance to develop a wide range of skills while building a relationship with the

team.

Several drivers will be inducted into the programme during 2011 to complete Lotus

Renault GPs reserve driver line-up.

Lotus Evora GT4 Endurance on the podium in Dubai whilst the Lotus stand at Autosport International wins 'Best Stand' award

After a busy week which saw no fewer than three driver announcements, one international motorsport show, one 24 hour race, one F1 car unveiling and several partnership announcements, the team at Lotus Motorsport are celebrating the fruits of their hard work: a podium finish in the GT4 category at the Dubai 24 hour race and the 'Best Stand' award at Autosport International.

Lotus Evora GT4 Endurance, piloted by Mansell brothers, Leo and Greg, Lotus GT factory driver Johnny Mowlem, WTCC driver Stefano D'Aste and Gianni Giudici, finished 22nd overall and 3rd in the GT4 class.

The result was a minor miracle given that the car began at the back of the grid after logistical delays resulted in the team missing both testing and qualifying. The result could have been better still had the car not been delayed by the substitution of two driveshafts, replaced in record time by the Lotus Motorsport mechanics. This was the only technical issue during automotive marathon that was the Dubai 24 hour race.

Lotus Director of Motorsport Claudio Berro commented: "I am happy with the debut of the new endurance version of the Evora. Due to the high variation of temperatures between night and day, the Dubai 24 hour race is one of the most severe endurance races in the desert, and I think that the car has shown fantastic handling and reliability, important characteristics already demonstrated on the road version of the Evora."

The result of the Dubai 24 hour race isn't the only thing Lotus is celebrating though. Thursday 13th January saw Lotus Motorsport and Lotus Renault GP formally unveil the 2011 F1 livery at Autosport International. The F1 car livery was unveiled alongside a host of further announcements about the Lotus Motorsport programme for 2011. The Lotus stand set-up didn't just please those who patiently gathered around to check out all the race cars on offer, it also impressed the event's judges who awarded the Lotus stand with the 'Best Stand at Autosport International 2011' award.

Undoubtedly most visitors to the Lotus stand came to see the newly unveiled black and gold F1 car but the Type 125, Lotus' exclusive F1 inspired customer race car turned out to be another show stealer. The Type 125 gets its track debut this week with a test at Vallelunga before heading over to Abu Dhabi next week where the first lucky customers will get the chance to put the car through its paces on the F1 track at Yas Marina Circuit.

Lotus' latest signing takes to the track with the award-winning Evora

Less than 24 hours after the announcement of his commitment to Lotus as a brand ambassador for the Type 125 programme, former F1 driver Jean Alesi visited the Lotus Headquarters in Hethel, Norfolk and put one of the road cars through its paces.

During his visit Alesi also took time out to look over the facilities including the production lines before heading out on the test track with one of the current range.

Commenting on his visit Jean Alesi said: "I'm really impressed with the set up here, it's fantastic, so much care and attention to detail goes into the production. Every element from design through to engineering is spectacular. Driving the Evora was a lot of fun too. Perhaps people make the mistake of underestimating the Evora, it handles really well, great power, overall performance and most of all fun - everything I would expect from a Lotus. I really enjoyed driving it."

He didn't just keep the experience to himself though, in the days leading up to his visit, on-site Lotus employees were given the opportunity to enter a competition to win a passenger lap with the F1 legend – as a result, five lucky Lotus staff members had the exclusive chance to ride shotgun with Alesi. Not quite your average Friday at work some might argue.

Gino Rosato, Director of Corporate Operations, said: "It's an absolute pleasure to be working with Jean again and it's great that we can do something fun for the team here too – team morale is crucial to our success. I think Jean's passion for motorsport and determination to make the best out of everything he does perfectly complements the spirit of Lotus."

In the next few days Alesi will be heading to Italy for testing with the Type 125, Lotus' exclusive ultra high performance F1 inspired customer race-car. Given his F1 pedigree, Alesi makes the perfect ambassador for the programme.

Lotus Motorsport and Jetalliance unite to create GTE challengers Lotus Jetalliance

Under the careful direction of Team Manager Jan Kalmar, the newly formed Lotus Jetalliance team will field two Lotus Evora GTE cars in the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC). The two Evora GTE race cars, currently being developed by Lead Designer Nicola Scimeca, will be put through their paces as the team tackles some of the most challenging and competitive endurance races including the six hour race at Spa, Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta and of course the world famous Le Mans 24 hour race.

Commenting on the announcement, Lotus Director of Motorsport Claudio Berro said: "Moving into the ILMC is an exciting step for us and it will provide a good opportunity to showcase what can be done with the Evora. In every motorsport discipline that we participate in we aim to pick the best expertise to partner with and we have very high standards. The Jetalliance racing team has a lot of experience and a respected pedigree in this field so we're delighted that they have agreed to work with us on what is bound to be an incredible challenge. We're looking forward to seeing what ILMC 2011 brings."

Jetalliance Chief Executive Lukas Lichtner-Hoyer said: "We've enjoyed success in recent years at iconic endurance events such as Le Mans and I'm looking forward to repeating if not improving on these results with Lotus. Some people have asked why we would take a risk working with new cars - my answer on this subject always remains the same: we believe in Lotus and we believe that in uniting with them will create something very exciting, very special and most of all very successful."

Lotus Jetalliance will be contesting the following events:

8th May 2011 Spa-Francorchamps 6 Hours (BEL)

11&12 June 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours (FRA)

3rd July 2011 Imola 6 Hours (ITA)

11th September 2011 Silverstone 6 Hours (GBR)

1st October 2011 Petit Le Mans (Road Atlanta, Georgia, USA)

12th November 2011 6-Hours race China

The driver line-up will be announced in due course.

'Motorway Cops' from Central Motorway Police Group take loan of a Lotus Evora to support their campaign to raise awareness and promote road safety.

Officers from CMPG unveil the liveried Lotus Evora today at the 'Autosport International Show' at Birmingham's NEC after which the car will be used on the Midlands' busy motorway network for a two week period.

Gino Rosato, Director of Corporate Operations at Lotus comments: 'Lotus is proud to take part in this and similar initiatives to help create a safer road culture for our customers and other road users. We believe that you do not have to compromise fun for speed and to that effect we build sportscars that are fun to drive within legal limits! We will be working with Officers from CMPG to teach them how to get the best from the Lotus Evora at our test track to ensure that any high-speed activity is as safe and effective as possible."

PC Steven Rounds from, CMPG said: "The Lotus is a visually stunning machine which offers us the opportunity to engage with the public, reinforce and promote the life-saving messages of road safety."

F1 legend Jean Alesi adds expertise to the Lotus Motorsport line-up.

Lotus Motorsport are delighted to announce that French F1 driver Jean Alesi has become an ambassador for the Type 125 and Exos programme.

The Lotus 125 is an exclusive ultra high performance F1 inspired race-car complete with Cosworth 3.5 litre GP V8 engine producing 640bhp linked to a six-speed semi automatic gearbox with paddle shift. Unlike a Formula One car however, an army of technicians and mechanics is not required to start the engine and keep the car running. The start button is all the driver needs to press to get going.

Given his F1 pedigree, Alesi is the perfect person to partner with for the Type 125. He enjoyed a successful and eventful F1 career competing in 202 grands prix and collecting a total of 241 points driving for teams such as Ferrari, Tyrell, Benetton, Sauber, Prost and Jordan. From 1989 to 2001, Alesi didn't stray far from the race track and is still known as one of the most popular drivers in the F1 paddock.

Commenting on the announcement Jean Alesi said: "I'm delighted to be partnering with Lotus, I have a lot of affection for this great British brand and I'm confident that they will achieve great things in the future both on and off the race track. I'm particularly passionate about anything that brings people closer to the racing action and the Type 125 does exactly that, it's the ultimate race experience and I'm really looking forward to testing in Vallelunga and Abu Dhabi."

Alesi joined Lotus Motorsport at the Autosport International Show at the NEC today (13 January) to celebrate the unveiling of many of Lotus Motorsport's racing disciplines including the reveal of the new 2011 Lotus Renault GP F1 car livery.

Gino Rosato, Director of Corporate Operations for Group Lotus, said: "Jean has been a good friend for many years, I have had the privilege of working with him in the past and I really respect and admire the way he operates. With his F1 background, connections and contacts, I think he brings a lot to the table and we're really looking forward to working with him. We think he'll make the perfect Lotus brand ambassador."

31 years after Formula 1 World Champion Nigel Mansell made his F1 debut in a Lotus courtesy of Colin Chapman's eagle eyed talent spotting, his sons Leo (26) and Greg (23) get behind the wheel of the new Lotus Evora GT4 Endurance. The two Mansell boys join Lotus GT factory driver Johnny Mowlem, WTCC driver Stefano D'Aste and Gianni Giudici to take on the gruelling endurance challenge of the Dunlop Dubai 24 hour race which starts on Friday (14 January).With a pedigree like theirs it will come as no surprise that both gentlemen are more than a little familiar with racing, having started out like so many others in karting before progressing through various single seater Formula series. And they're no strangers to 24 hour racing, an unfortunate incident involving a suspected slow puncture prematurely ended their attempt at the Le Mans 24 hour race last year where Leo and Greg joined forces with Mansell Senior to tackle the iconic race.

Commenting on their debut with Lotus, Nigel Mansell said: "It's a great feeling to see both my boys working with Lotus and it brings back some very fond memories for me. But F1 is obviously very different to endurance racing and as with any 24 hour race, the event in Dubai represents a big challenge. What's special about the race in Dubai though is it will not only test their endurance under extreme conditions but they will have the added challenge of adapting very quickly to a relatively new car. I think they'll do well and they have some well established drivers on the team to work with too – so hopefully they'll all complement each other and the team dynamic will be strong. Lotus Motorsport has a great support team set up so everyone will be working together to get the best result out of the race."

The 6^th edition of the Dubai 24 hour race begins at 2pm local time on Friday at the 5.39km Dubai Autodrome and it will be the first competitive outing for the new Lotus Evora GT4 Endurance complete with an updated engine from Cosworth. The Lotus Evora GT4 Endurance will be in full "GT Endurance" specification and the engine has completed substantial in-car and on-dyno endurance testing. Cosworth decided that maintaining the maximum engine speed (at base GT4 level) while increasing efficiency was the most effective route to meeting the performance and durability targets set by Lotus.

The proof of all that hard work and planning will be in the performance of the team on Friday so fingers crossed that both Lotus and the Mansells have something to celebrate together.

This Thursday (13^th January 2011) at 2pm, the NEC in Birmingham will play host to the much anticipated unveiling of Lotus' motorsport line up including F1, GP2/GP3, IndyCar, GT2/GT4 and much more besides. Lotus Renault GP driver Vitaly Petrov will be in attendance alongside F1 legend Jean Alesi as the cover is lifted for the first time on the new 2011 Lotus Renault GP black and gold F1 car livery .

Top BBC F1 pundit David Croft will be hosting the press unveil at the Lotus stand where representatives from Lotus Motorsport and the various race series will present the Lotus Motorsport offering and detail some of the exciting things to come.

Lotus Director of Motorsport Claudio Berro said: "I'm pretty sure everyone will be excited to see the new F1 livery up close at the NEC, but in addition to F1, the show will be the first time so many of our race cars will be united in one location. The event will provide the perfect opportunity for fans of the Lotus marque to come and have a look at the exciting developments we have made in the past year. We're also delighted to bring our IndyCar to the show especially as we will be celebrating the 100^th Indy 500 race with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this year.

"From F1, the pinnacle of open wheel racing, to the Lotus Academy, where the general public can learn to race like a pro, we're confident that there's something to appeal to every race fan."

Alongside the famous race cars on display will be the extraordinary Type 125, the F1 inspired customer race car from Lotus. There will be an exciting announcement around this car as it makes its European debut.

For those race fans who aren't able to make the trip to the NEC, Lotus Motorsport has found the perfect solution – from 9am on Thursday onwards enthusiasts can log on to www.lotuscars.com/motorsport for a series of exclusive interviews with the stars of the stand and unique content covering the extensive Lotus Motorsport programmes.

Jim's contribution to Lotus was legendary and he played a vital role in enabling Lotus to dominate motor racing in the 1960s.Jim died on 4^th January 2011, at the age of 83.

Top Right

Reflections by Nigel Mansell on the return of the iconic Black & Gold livery made famous by one of Lotus' greatest drivers!

Message from Nigel Mansell:

I am delighted to see the return of Group Lotus to Formula One through their acquisition of an equity stake in Renault F1. It is particularly pleasing for me to see the union of Lotus and Renault again and the return of the iconic Black & Gold colours as driven by the late greats Ayrton Senna and Elio de Angelis, Johnny Dumfries and of course, myself in the 80's. I have particularly fond memories of this combination as I drove a Lotus-Renault to its first podium at the 1983 European GP. Ayrton followed that up with an incredible maiden win in Portugal in 1985.

I remember the Lotus-Renault agreement was signed in the middle of the '82 season and provided sufficient turbo-charged engines for only one car – the new Type 93 intended for Elio de Angelis. As a result Colin engineered a second car designed to make the most of the normally aspirated Cosworth-Ford engine for me. In true Lotus innovative style, Colin decided to incorporate the new and pioneering 'active' suspension system into my Type 92 which had been on the Lotus drawing board for months in a brave attempt to equalise the performance of my car with that of the Renault powered version. However, the bold move didn't quite pay off for me, as it perhaps was introduced slightly prematurely, and was removed after a couple of races. However, I know that this technology continued to be developed successfully for road car use and is a great example of how Lotus innovation on the race track translated into road use. No doubt this new venture in F1 will prove equally beneficial in their future road car development.

I am extremely grateful to Lotus and especially to Colin Chapman, who was so inspirational and almost like a second father to me and have been watching with great interest the developments that have been taking place recently at Hethel with their ambitious race and road car projects. I am really delighted to see that Lotus is back where it belongs competing with the best in the top echelons of Motorsport made all the better with the revival of the traditional livery that adorned my cars for so many years and really wish them the best of luck in the future.

The Engineer – Technology and Innovation Awards 2010 is the annual competition of the highly regarded magazine celebrating the years best engineering projects across a wide range of engineering fields. These prestigious awards recognise the expertise and world class research at Lotus Engineering in the areas of advanced powertrain and hybrid vehicles.

OmnivoreIt is not difficult to see how the judges were impressed by Project Omnivore. It is an innovative two-stroke engine that will run in Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) operation on a range of fuels. The research engine will not only run on gasoline, diesel and alcohol fuels, but it also offers a 10% increase in fuel efficiency compared to stratified direct injection engines. Lotus Engineering was lead partner on Project Omnivore, working with Jaguar Cars, Orbital and Queen's University Belfast, with sponsorship from the Department for Environment, Food, & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the Department of the Environment - Northern Ireland through the Renewables Materials LINK programme. The Fuel Cell Hybrid Taxi is a zero emissions series hybrid vehicle that has received extensive attention. It retains the iconic styling of a conventional London taxi, but it is fitted with an advanced hydrogen fuel cell and hybrid drivetrain, giving a range of 250 miles and a top speed in excess of 85 mph with zero tailpipe CO2 emissions. The consortium for the project comprised Lotus Engineering, Intelligent Energy, TRW Conekt, LTI and the UK Technology Strategy Board. Lotus Engineering has designed and built the taxis, including the integration and control of the full drivetrain system.

Fuel Cell TaxiDr Robert Hentschel, Director of Lotus Engineering, commented, "It is a great accolade for Lotus Engineering and our collaborative partners to win these two prestigious awards - it shows the strength of research and the engineering talent at Lotus Engineering. We are continuing to invest in cutting edge R&D to grow our engineering consultancy business in our four core competencies of Driving Dynamics, Lightweight Architecture, Efficient Performance and Electrical and Electronic Integration. This is a very exciting time for Lotus and we look forward to continuing success in future projects ."

Lotus Director of Design Donato Coco awarded Trophee du Design.

We could talk for days about the sublime talents of our design guru but instead, we're going to quote the people who recognized his talent today in Paris – the iconic French l'Automobile magazine.

Here's what they said (translated into English)……Donato Coco, ex-Ferrari and Citroen is not afraid of facing challenges. Joining Lotus in the autumn of 2009, he faced the challenge of designing five complete cars with only ten months in which to deliver. And the circumstances were not ideal. "When I arrived I found tools from about ten years ago and definitely not enough people to support the scale of the project", Donato told us. "These things were not a huge problem for me because I come from that culture (Donato was a sculptor having trained at NDLR), but with the imposed deadlines it seemed impossible. So I immediately concentrated on the design. By the end of March 2010, we already had the first full scale models. I wanted our cars to physically represent their performance capabilities and to express a presence on the road. I wanted the styling clean, athletic, combining lightness and power.

"The difficulty of managing so many projects at the same time helped us in the end and allowed us to have a clearer overview of the range and to articulate each model in a better way. The styling may still change in the future, especially the cars coming out later such as the new Elise and Eterne but the Esprit will have very few changes, its design will be completely defined before the end of the year."

L'Automobile ended by asking: Do we need add anything more about this man to justify awarding him with the Trophee du Design?

Well, we certainly don't think so.

Group Lotus plc and Genii Capital are pleased to announce a partnership which will see the Renault F1 Team renamed as 'Lotus Renault GP' from the start of the 2011 racing season onwards. The association heralds the return of a highly successful Formula 1™ association between Lotus and Renault from the 1980s. Lotus' racing pedigree and heritage coupled with Renault's technology in Formula 1™ will set the united team on a path to future success.

Group Lotus plc will acquire a major equity stake in the team from Genii Capital. The transaction represents a partnership between Group Lotus and Genii Capital and signifies the beginning of a more comprehensive strategic alliance between the two organisations.

The partnership between Lotus and Genii brings the ability to quickly incorporate new technologies from F1™ cars into Lotus road cars including hybrid technology, Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS), aero advancements and lightweight materials. Genii, an investment holding company with a portfolio of automotive technologies, bring non-F1™ technologies such as lightweight braking systems, variable compression engine technology and on board software systems to the partnership.

Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar said: "I can think of no better platform for automotive brand communications than motorsport and F1™. We're well aware that there has been a lot of controversy around the usage of our brand in F1™ and I'm delighted to be able to formally clarify our position: We are Lotus, and we are back."

Dato' Sri Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh, Chairman of Proton, Lotus majority shareholder, said: "We know that Group Lotus has much to offer Formula 1™ and vice versa. After careful consideration, we believe this arrangement will be fruitful, both from a commercial and marketing point of view."

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Proton advisor and former Prime Minister of Malaysia, said: "This is an exciting development which delivers strategic benefits to both Group Lotus and Proton. I fully support the partnership."

Carlos Ghosn, Chairman and CEO of Renault, commented: "This multi-partner alliance will bring a new dynamic to the team and enable it to compete with the sport's best from next season."

In addition to this, Genii is also offering Proton the ability to leverage on its existing business relationships in Russia and other parts of the world, as a means to expand Proton's global reach. Through Genii, Proton can also potentially access advanced automotive technologies by virtue of Genii's association with Mangrove, a venture capital group.

Gerard Lopez, founding partner of Genii Capital, said: "For Group Lotus, access to Formula 1™ opens up new marketing opportunities and a major platform for business exchanges and development. In this regard, Genii Capital possesses shareholdings in, and direct access to, cutting edge companies in the automotive industry. Our tie-up with Group Lotus and Proton, which will enable its future road car ranges to take advantage of significant new technologies, is a natural step."

Lotus add to expertise with two further appointments: industry leader Karl-Heinz Kalbfell and former Ferrari General Manager (EMEA), Guillaume Chabin.

With an unrivaled pedigree in the automotive industry, Karl-Heinz Kalbfell makes a welcome addition to the Group Lotus management team. Based at the Lotus headquarters in Hethel, Kalbfell, formerly of the BMW Group, will provide operational support and advise Group Lotus Chief Executive Officer Dany Bahar on the most efficient delivery of the business plan.

In addition to Kalbfell, Lotus has appointed Guillaume Chabin as Director of Sales. Chabin held senior positions at Ferrari and prior to this he was involved in the re-launch of Bentley.

Commenting on the appointments, Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar said: "We are very pleased to have both Karl-Heinz and Guillaume on board. One of the keys to the success of any business is having exceptionally talented people working together effectively, and Karl-Heinz has incredible experience from working in extremely senior positions throughout the automotive industry to bring to the table - he has proven time and time again to have the qualities necessary to succeed in a difficult and fickle industry. His main role initially will be to bring together all our existing efforts across the departments and ensure that we are working effectively as a united force. It's not enough to have a great business plan on paper, we need to deliver, Karl-Heinz will play a crucial role in making this happen."

"Having worked with Guillaume previously, I'm fully aware of his capabilities – his business skills and understanding of the vision we have for Lotus complement our existing management line-up perfectly."

Karl-Heinz Kalbfell said: "I've been aware of Lotus over the years and like many in the industry, I have watched with growing interest as Lotus has developed under Dany Bahar and his team. It's not often that you get the opportunity to work with such an iconic automotive brand at such an exciting stage of its development and I really feel that now is the perfect time for me to contribute towards the future of Lotus. I have many years and some very demanding positions under my belt which allow me a lot of experience to draw upon. I'm ready for all the challenges that Lotus will bring."

Commenting on his new role, Guillaume Chabin, Director of Sales for Lotus Cars, said: "Joining Lotus was an easy decision for me to make – having previously been involved in the re-birth of an iconic British brand when I was working at Bentley, I know the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead – this is a crucial time for Lotus and I'm very happy to be on board."

Lotus is delighted to announce a marketing co-operation agreement with the car hire company Hertz Italiana to supply the Lotus Evora model for the rental business in Italy. Now driving enthusiasts, fans of the Lotus brand and those who want to drive cars from one of the finest sportscar marques in the world will be able to hire a Lotus Evora exclusively from Hertz Italiana S.p.A.

Dany Bahar, Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus plc, commented: "I am delighted that Lotus has renewed this agreement with Hertz and we've been given the opportunity to make our stunning world class sports car available to the luxury rental market. The iconic, lightweight mid-engined rear wheel drive configuration performs like no other and the 2+2 seated Lotus Evora is the perfect choice for those who desire exclusive and high performance motoring. Driving an Evora during a weekend will be an unforgettable experience for any sports cars enthusiast "

Fabio Spaccasassi, General Manager of Hertz Italy, said: "We like to offer exclusive driving experience. We keep on focusing on the Hertz Fun Collection to give our customers the possibility to drive the cars they have always dreamt of driving. The Lotus Evora is one of these dream luxury cars and by including it in the Hertz's Fun Collection our customers have an opportunity to drive a real sportscar. We are honoured to be able to work with Lotus in worldwide exclusivity and are delighted that Lotus has given us the chance to fulfil our customers' lifelong dream again."

To book a Lotus Evora car hire from Hertz, drivers are invited to visit Hertz on www.hertz.it or to call the Hertz call center on +39-199-11-22-11.

Lotus Sport Italy fielded a strong team in this year's Vallelunga 6 hour endurance race entering two Evora Cup GT4s, featuring the new 2011 production Xtrac gearbox installation, as well as a 2 Eleven GT4

Evora car 21, driven by Gianni Giudici and Johnny Mowlem, stormed to a class win in the FIA GT4 class, also taking 10th overall in the GT Gold CUp and demonstrating both performance and reliability in a challenging race. Evora car 38' driven by James Rossiter and Ollie Hancock could not capitalize on their excellent twelfth overall qualifying position, retiring mid way through the race as a result of accident damage and denying the team a likely top 10 finish.

Gianni Giudici quote " The car felt very strong and the Xtrac gearbox was perfect, the wet conditions made it an interesting race, I'm very happy - grazie".

European GT4 Supersport regular Marco Fumagalli was joined by fellow Italian Andrea Perlini and leading 2010 Lotus Cup Europe racer John Rasse from Belgium to race this year's European GT4 Supersport championship winning Lotus 2 Eleven GT4

The wet conditions were extremely challenging for the only open topped car in the field of 54 cars entered for the race.Despite qualifying 42nd for Sunday's race, each of the three drivers' drove superb two hour stints consistently putting in impressive lap times, which yielded a fantastic class win and a climb up the leader board to 24th overall.

Commenting on his two hours behind the wheel John stated, "There was so much traffic out there, it was incredible and the two hour stint was physically demanding, especially on the neck muscles - but really really enjoyable"

John's only problem on race day was how to get his race helmet, winner's trophy and race bag back onto the Ryanair flight!

On behalf of Lotus Motorsport, thank you to all the team for a fantastic effort and we look forward to working with you all again in 2011.

Lotus unleash new range at the Auto Show in the City of Angels

At 14.15 (PST) at the LA Auto Show, we lifted the covers on our new range revealing the cars to the US audience for the very first time - and oh boy did we do it in style. Hollywood legend Sharon Stone, musician and artist Paul Stanley from rock group Kiss, and Hollywood star William Baldwin we're all in attendance to rip the silks off in true Hollywood style.

The cars are still the stars but only just! Only the stunning new Lotus Esprit could compete with the Hollywood actress Sharon Stone as she stepped forward to unveil the new incarnation of the iconic British super car. And who better to unveil the Esprit than the women who is responsible for one of its most iconic film roles in Basic Instinct.

Commenting on the new range Sharon Stone said: "I think they're very, very beautiful cars. When I sat in the Esprit it reminded me of when we we're filming Basic Instinct.…..driving through the hills in San Francisco, it was great. (They're) really sexy, powerful, beautifully made cars."

But as the saying goes, there's no style without substance and the same could be said for our new range of cars. The iconic Esprit, uncompromising Elan, grown-up Elise, exclusive Elite and breath-taking Eterne are nothing if not cars of substance.

As Lotus CEO, Dany Bahar put it at the press conference: "Creating aesthetically pleasing cars is one thing, and Donato Coco has raised the bar across the range but even more important than this is what goes on beneath the skin of the car – here is where the real fun begins and where the Lotus legacy of exceptional ride and handling teamed with performance through lightweight steps into a new era. We've got the cars, we've got the people and we've got the backing. Our future starts right here."

Dany Bahar added: "The American market is crucial to Lotus and as a British car manufacturer we would be crazy not to make the very most of this moment as we reveal our new plans to the US. What people see here today is a snapshot of the not too distant future for Lotus but what I really want people to remember is that the Elise, Exige and Evora are available right now for people to buy – which other manufacturer can offer so much heritage and yet such a big taste of the future all in one package?"

Lotus unveils new range and celebrates the Baldwin Foundation

Just days ahead of the LA Auto Show, Group Lotus took the city by storm on Friday night (12th November) with a sensational party in the hills of Hollywood. Industry icons, movie stars, musicians and artists gathered at a private residence to celebrate the exclusive US unveiling of the new Lotus range and witness the handover of a Lotus Evora to the Baldwin Foundation. Added into the already packed evening Lotus also showcased the evolution of the brand by revealing seven oversized prints, created by famed award-winning French photographer Gerard Rancinan, that chronicle Lotus metamorphosis.

Today the Ultra Boost project consortium has released details of an advanced research project to produce a new powerful, highly efficient concept engine. The consortium includes engineering experts, a premium automotive manufacturer, innovative suppliers, academics and an oil company. The Ultra Boost engine will use a novel pressure charging technique and advanced combustion system to enable a downsized engine concept that returns diesel-like fuel economy with gasoline levels of engine refinement.

The £2.2 million Technology Strategy Board funding, which will be supplemented by the consortium partners to a total value of £4.2 million, is part of the Integrated Delivery Programme (IDP) Competition for Low Carbon Vehicles. The Ultra Boost consortium is led by Jaguar Land Rover and includes partners: Lotus Engineering, GE Precision Engineering, CD-adapco, University of Leeds, Imperial College London, University of Bath and Shell.

Over the next 3 years the partners will utilise their collective skills and expertise in engineering, design, combustion modelling, fuel and lubricants to develop the highly pressure charged, downsized engine concept that will deliver an expected 35% CO₂ tailpipe reduction compared to a V8 5.0 litre naturally aspirated engine whilst maintaining performance, emissions and transient response, and improving fuel efficiency. It is anticipated the first demonstrator engine will be available in 2011.

Malcolm Sandford, Chief Engineer of Engines at lead partner Jaguar Land Rover, said: "This hugely challenging project will help provide a range of technologies that will form the core of our engine downsizing, down-cylindering and down-speeding strategy. The successful deployment of this technology will help support our wider strategic goals to deliver class-leading sustainability performance, emissions and fuel economy."

The project is being funded as part of the 2^nd competition run under the Technology Strategy Board's Integrated Delivery Programme, which aims to reduce carbon emissions from road based vehicles and accelerate the introduction of low carbon vehicles onto the roads for the overall benefit of the UK auto sector.