The Bob Champion Cancer Trust is dedicated to improving the detection and treatment of male cancers. Awareness is vital to early detection of testicular and prostate cancers and as manufacturers of iconic sports cars Lotus recognises a unique opportunity to raise awareness amongst its male customer and fan base.

Lotus is therefore proud to supply Bob with one of its award winning Lotus Evoras as he travels the length and breadth of Britain visiting 60 racecourses in 60 days. Bob will start his epic journey on Sunday, 18th April driving his Evora to Ascot Racecourse where the first of the 60 events is to be held and will conclude his 10,000 mile marathon with a return to Ascot on Wednesday June 16th for the Royal Meeting.

Supporters for each event will be asked for a minimum donation of £50 entitling them not just to racecourse entry, but also a unique opportunity to see behind the scenes, meet with Bob, `walk the track with a jockey before racing, photocall with Bob and guest jockeys, a £10 bet and the chance to enter the prize draw.

Support for the project has been overwhelming and donations to the prize draw give an idea of the high profile partners involved. Prize Draw winners will receive one of a host of magnificent prizes including an all inclusive holiday to Saint Lucia, a fabulous five day trip to the 2011 Dubai World Cup, a weekend at the 2010 Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp, and many more.

Bob says of the 60:60 Challenge "I thought that this would be a novel way to raise money for two very worthy charities as no one has visited 60 race courses in 60 days before!"

Emma Spensor - Channel 4 Racing presenter comments "This is a unique opportunity to attract a new audience to horse racing and gives people an insight into horseracing as well as supporting two great charities."

Roger Becker Lotus' Director of Vehicle Engineering is retiring from Group Lotus after a long career of 44 years.

Roger, 64, joined Lotus in 1966, working on the Elan assembly line at Cheshunt, but his natural driving and engineering skills came to the attention of Lotus founder Colin Chapman and Roger was quickly moved to the vehicle development team where he worked directly with Mike Kimberley (former Lotus CEO) on the Lotus Europa Twin Cam – his first Lotus car development project.

During his career at Lotus, Roger has been responsible for the development of every Lotus car, including the legendary Esprit, Excel, Elan, Elise, Exige and the new critically acclaimed Lotus Evora. Roger has helped to maintain the philosophies laid down by Colin Chapman and has ensured that the essence and purity of Lotus is instilled in all new Lotus cars. He also has imparted his chassis engineering knowledge and development skills to many of the world's major automotive manufacturers in support of Lotus' consultancy engineering business.

On his retirement, Roger Becker said, "I have had a dream career at Lotus, with the honour of not only working directly for Colin Chapman but also working with some of the finest people in the motor industry. With the Lotus Evora successfully entering the market with unprecedented global adulation, and at 64 years of age, I feel now is the natural time to retire. The Evora has given me my finest hour at Lotus and I leave knowing it will be the foundation of all our next generation cars. The product engineering team will build on this to develop many more award-winning products and I wish them every success for what promises to be a very exciting future for Lotus cars and the Lotus brand."

Dany Bahar, CEO of Group Lotus plc said, "On behalf of all the staff at Lotus, I would like to thank Roger for his contribution to Lotus over 44 years and we wish him well in his retirement. However, I know that he will not go far, as I am looking forward to him taking on a consultancy role for Lotus in the near future."

It was a real thrill for the Lotus workforce to see Lotus F1 Racing Driver Heikki as he was given a personal tour of the production facilities yesterday, and even more exciting for those few employees who got a rare chance to be driven by the F1 star as he tested the Lotus Evora on Lotus' own test track for the first time.

During his day with Lotus Cars Heikki was given a special tour of the Classic Team Lotus workshops by Clive Chapman, son of Lotus founder Colin Chapman during which he chatted to Clive and Engineer Bob Dance about their first hand experience of some of the most successful and iconic F1 racing cars of all time. The tour was steeped in Lotus history and included some of the F1 cars that helped Lotus to achieve 79 GP wins, seven constructor's titles and 6 drivers' championships, including Emerson Fittipaldi's Type 72.

Dany Bahar, CEO of Group Lotus plc said, "Group Lotus is very proud of its racing pedigree and we are all very excited to share our story with Heikki. It was our honour to welcome Heikki to Group Lotus and we wish him and the Lotus F1 Racing team every success for the 2010 F1 season."

Dany Bahar continued, "We take great pride in the sports cars that we produce at Hethel and Heikki's visit provided a great opportunity to show off the multi-award winning cars that we produce and the advanced niche production facilities at Hethel."

Heikki was not on Lotus soil long before he was behind the wheel of the Lotus Evora trying it on for size on Lotus' own test track and commented "The Evora was everything I expected, Lotus is famous for fantastic sports cars and the Evora did not disappoint. The power to weight ratio gives the car a real racecar feel and allowed me to really push the car round the track. I enjoyed every lap and had fun sliding it sideways!"

He went on to say, "The day has been great, I was really excited to see so many happy, motivated people and the support of the Lotus workforce is very much appreciated, I really got a sense of the passion the people have for the Lotus brand."

Heikki concluded, "I'd really like to thank every one at Lotus for a great day, it was an honour to meet Clive Chapman and learn more abut his legendary father and to see Lotus' classic F1 cars. I'm really keen to drive one of the JPS cars and maybe will be at Lotus again sometime soon to drive the Type 72!"

Everyone connected with the brake testing programme, conducted on the punishing corners, climbs and descents of the Nürburgring and Stelvio Pass, has described the brakes as 'phenomenal' with excellent thermal performance and outstanding feel even after extended sessions of extreme use. Part of that testing programme was to finalise settings for the ABS system being developed in conjunction with Bosch. The system is tuned for performance driving and thus has very high thresholds and operates so progressively that drivers are often unaware that they have actually triggered the ABS.

Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA) and Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) are also fitted as standard. HBA detects an emergency braking situation and increases brake pressure up to ABS activation threshold which results in shorter emergency stopping distances.

Related images are here:

http://www.midlandslotus.co.uk/forum/index...=sc&cat=178

By Russell Carr – Head of Lotus Design

Evora, designed in-house by Lotus Design, is our first all-new Lotus since the

iconic Elise and represents the first stage of an exciting three-car model line

up on which we are hard at work.

The bold decision to create a unique 2+2 mid-engine layout was all part of our

strategy to broaden the Lotus customer base by offering a vehicle that offers

greater everyday usability and cabin accessibility without compromising looks

or driving experience. However, we are not about to abandon Lotus' unique

performance through light-weight philosophy and will continue to develop the

Elise-based product lines (Exige and 2-Eleven) for those customers who

demand the purest driving experience. Whereas Elise was originally conceived

as a track car for the road, Evora is perceived as a road car for the track.

The brief we were given by the Lotus Chief Executive, was simply to design a

stunning 2+2 mid-engine sports car which also offered the everyday usability

demanded by modern customers. We knew that we had to move the game on

and create a progressive and dynamic design statement that also retained

strong Lotus DNA. Although aggressive aerodynamic and packaging criteria

dictated that the form would have to complement the function, we never lost

sight of the fact that sports cars are, above all, emotional purchases that

seduce the customer through beautiful design. Therefore we ensured that the

2+2 capability became a hidden bonus rather than the dominant feature of the

design. It was also important to consider the longevity of the production life

and avoid fashionable themes in favour of designs that were contemporary

with a classical twist.

Exterior

We kicked off the programme in the autumn of 2006 with a plan to start

production in January 2009. A three-week exterior sketch programme,

involving all the design team, was concluded by the selection of the three

designs from Anthony Bushell, Steven Crijns and myself. These themes were

then developed into 1/3 scale models for review in December 2006. During

this phase, the studio worked closely with the vehicle architect, Richard

Rackham, and the packaging group to optimise the proportions around this

tight package and challenging 2+2 layout.

Although we don't have a rigid corporate design language there are some

common visual philosophies which guided the early designs. Firstly, the design

should reflect the unique driving experience of our cars, and therefore it needs

to be athletic, agile and sleek. Secondly, we like where appropriate to make a

feature of functional details. Thirdly, and most obviously, we have a distinctive

front intake, the 'Lotus Mouth', which has evolved from the simple elliptical

device applied to our road and race cars of the 1950s.

Unsurprisingly then, the three themes clearly showed some consistent design

ideas but were subtly differentiated by surface language and window graphics.

The themes convey agility through a strong stance which is created by the

short rear overhang and 'cut away' sill that push the large (larger than the

front), rear wheels to the extremities of the body. Athleticism comes from the

taut body that wraps tightly over the package and the strong 'Coke bottle' form

that highlights the muscle of the rear fender. Sleekness is communicated by

the fast, visor screen graphic that sweeps around the tear-drop cabin and by

the fluid surfaces that draw the eye effortlessly over the length of the car.

The ingenious treatment of aerodynamic criteria such as the downforce

generating, top exit radiator vent, diffuser and rear wing clearly demonstrate

the integration of form and function. Elsewhere intakes, such as the shoulder

scoops have been located in the optimised position. However, form and

function is also evident in the distinctive, cutaway sill that not only improves

stance by removing visual weight from the bodyside but also improves ingress

and egress.

The scale model from Steve Crijns was selected in December 2006 for

development as fully feasible full-size clay which achieved sign-off in early

August 2007. Everyone is very proud of the whole design but I think the

greatest success is the way in which we were able to work with the proportions

of a 2+2 layout. We had to play a few tricks to disguise the length of the

wheelbase (the kicked shoulder line and sill cut) and the height of the cabin

(the 'crossover graphic' between the side glass and rear screen) but they

have, ironically, become some of the car's signature features.

Interior Design

In order to be instantly recognisable as a Lotus, the Evora's interior had to be

sporty, pure and driver-focused. However, within this market segment, the

race car inspired technical minimalism of the Elise and Exige was

inappropriate. The cabin had to feel more luxurious, special and surprising. We

have played on our skills as a lowvolume manufacturer by using soft handstitched

leather trimmed surfaces but juxtaposed them against precisionengineered

metal inserts to give a contemporary but classical, British handcrafted

ambience.

Tactile quality is incredibly important within this segment and so we wanted the

interior to use honest premium materials. Much of the switchgear is bespoke,

and every component that looks as though it is made from metal genuinely is

made from metal. High-quality features abound such as the flush-mounted

metal momentary switches that sit within the metal panels. They feel special to

use and their edge-lit design is reminiscent of a high-end hi-fi.

The fluid surfaces and crisp feature lines of the interior perfectly harmonise

with the forms of the exterior design. From the outset the team wanted to

create a cockpit-like environment that would connect the occupants with the

driving experience. To achieve this, careful attention was paid to both layout

and form. Inspired by the

dramatic sweep of the visor screen, the interior surfaces, which are highlighted

by a contrast band of colour, wrap seamlessly around the cabin and cosset the

passengers. The flat-bottomed steering wheel, figure-hugging sports seats,

contemporary instrumentation and ergonomically-positioned controls provide

an intuitive connection between driver and car, ensuring that it becomes a

natural extension of their body.

Prior to the British International Motorshow unveiling, I was frequently asked

whether I was nervous about the public and press reaction. Designing a new

Lotus obviously carries a significant responsibility but I was uncharacteristically

confident because I was 100% sure that as a team we had met and exceeded

the expectations of the brief. So far my confidence does not appear to have

been misplaced and the car has received generous praise from press, industry

and customers. The initial feedback appears to confirm that we have

successfully extended our brand beyond the enthusiast market while retaining

the DNA to make the car instantly recognisable as a Lotus.

Lotus Evora: 205 g/km CO2

32.5 mpg (8.7 litres / 100 km) - Combined Cycle

22.8 mpg (12.4 litres / 100 km) - Urban Cycle

43.5 mpg (6.5 litres / 100 km) - Extra Urban Cycle

Related images are here:

http://www.midlandslotus.co.uk/forum/index...=sc&cat=178

The exceptional working relationship that Lotus has enjoyed with Toyota over

several decades, combined with the overwhelmingly enthusiastic reception for

the company's four-cylinder power units in the Elise and Exige, guaranteed the

Japanese giant's inclusion on the shortlist for the Evora engine supplier.

The final choice was Toyota's all-alloy 2GR-FE 3.5-litre V6 DOHC, with dual

VVT-i ('intelligent' variable valve timing) and ETCS-i – Electronic Throttle

Control System – intelligent. Lotus has painstakingly developed its own T6e

engine management software for this engine to optimise its compatibility with

the unique requirements of the Evora to give a peak power output of 276 hp /

280PS/ 206 kW at 6400 rpm, while boosting its maximum torque to 256lbft

(350 Nm) at 4700 rpm.

In addition to the changes to the engine management system, Lotus has

designed a bespoke exhaust system, a Lotus designed AP Racing flywheel

and AP Racing clutch to allow the V6 to rev more freely and provide rapid

throttle response. The strength of the engine's mid-range torque means that

gutsy performance will be easily accessible without having to thunder through

to the redline. This makes the Lotus Evora a thoroughly satisfying car for

everyday road use and a rewarding one when you just want to drive.

The 2GR-FE V6 engine is mated to a manual six-speed gearbox, again

Toyota-sourced. An optional sports ratio gearbox offers even more driver

involvement. Many Lotus owners enjoy the blend of unique performance and

efficiency that the brand's cars offer and true to the Lotus value of

"performance through light weight" CO2 emissions are class leading at 205

g/km while fuel consumption on the combined cycle is 32.5 mpg (8.7 litres /

100 km). Fuel economy for the urban cycle is 22.8 mpg (12.4 litres / 100 km)

with 43.5 mpg (6.5 litres / 100km) on the extra urban cycle.

Lotus Evora: 205 g/km CO2

32.5 mpg (8.7 litres / 100 km) - Combined Cycle

22.8 mpg (12.4 litres / 100 km) - Urban Cycle

43.5 mpg (6.5 litres / 100 km) - Extra Urban Cycle

Related images are here:

http://www.midlandslotus.co.uk/forum/index...=sc&cat=178

Production Low Volume Versatile Vehicle

Architecture

The Evora's chassis is a low investment cost evolution of the Versatile Vehicle

Architecture (VVA) from the Lotus APX concept vehicle previously showcased

at the Geneva Motorshow, and allows for the development of a range of

vehicles up to a gross vehicle weight of 1,900 kg. This architecture has been

designed to be more applicable to mid-volume applications by utilising our low

capital investment manufacturing processes. The Evora structure progresses

the Lotus 'bonded and riveted' technology used in the Elise family of vehicles

with new and unique extrusions and folded panels, whilst providing production

build modularity and lower cost repairs.

The low volume VVA chassis has been designed for scalability so that it can

be extended in width, length and height. The strength and stiffness of the low

volume VVA chassis can be modified cost effectively by varying the wall

thickness of the extrusions, without altering the exterior dimensions. The ability

to lengthen or shorten extrusions with the option to tailor the chassis stiffness,

vastly increases the number of vehicles that can be developed from this

vehicle architecture. Front and mid engine installations have been considered.

The Lotus Evora employs a composite roof as a stressed structural member to

give an exceptional vehicle stiffness of 26,600 Nm per degree. This impressive

stiffness is also thanks in part to the seatbelt anchorage frame, and partly

because the high-tech composite body panels are stressed items. However,

despite this high stiffness, the complete chassis or tub and front and rear

modules weight just 206 kg, helping to keep the weight of the whole car to just

1382 kg.

To deliver this high performance structure, bonded and riveted high grade

aluminium extrusions and simple and elegant folded sheet elements are used

in the lower structure, building upon award winning Lotus research projects in

this field. Lotus pioneered the technology of bonded aluminium extrusions for

use in road vehicles and has successfully developed high performance cars

for other car companies around the world using these techniques.

The central tub is attached to an extruded aluminium subframe at the front and

a lightweight welded steel subframe at the rear. These subframe modules also

offer advantages in terms of convenience and low cost of repair, and during

manufacturing can be brought to the production line fully assembled, ready to

be attached thereby improving the overall efficiency of space and time of

assembly.

The high technology Lotus Evora chassis is manufactured at the new Lotus

Lightweight Structures Limited (LLS) facility in Worcester, UK. LLS employs

over 100 skilled engineers, technicians and sales staff and will manufacture all

the Lotus aluminium structures, including those for the Elise, Exige, 2–Eleven

and Europa and aluminium components for Lotus' extensive global client base.

With the Elise and its derivatives, the no-compromise character of the car

makes getting in and out across a wide sill and through a comparatively

narrow door/window aperture part of the charm of ownership. For the Evora

and its remit for the serious daily driver, and to attract newcomers to the Lotus

brand, greater convenience and practicality of ingress and egress is provided.

As a consequence the sill is now lower and slimmer (80 mm wide compared

with 100 mm in the Elise), and the whole door aperture taller. The doors open

wider than on the Elise and its siblings, while the height of the front seat is

raised by 65 mm.

Lotus Evora: 205 g/km CO2

32.5 mpg (8.7 litres / 100 km) - Combined Cycle

22.8 mpg (12.4 litres / 100 km) - Urban Cycle

43.5 mpg (6.5 litres / 100 km) - Extra Urban Cycle

Related images are here:

http://www.midlandslotus.co.uk/forum/index...=sc&cat=178

by John Vigar, (Continuous Improvement Manager for Lotus Cars)

The Evora assembly process is the most advanced ever undertaken by Lotus

and is probably also one of the most sophisticated for low volume niche car

production in the world.

The manufacturing process for Evora actually started life alongside its initial

design programme back in late 2006. We had to ensure that the car could be

manufactured and assembled to a high specification, to budget and on time.

Manufacturing feasibility has been extremely important to us right from the

start.

Even before Evora's final design and engineering had been completed, we

knew exactly how to build it and how its dedicated assembly lines would look.

We also needed to get all our suppliers fully on board ready to work with us to

ensure that we met the aggressive delivery target for 'start of production.'

The heart of the Lotus Evora is its special extruded aluminium chassis. This is

manufactured at our new Lotus Lightweight Structures facility, which is based

in Worcester, UK.

The following represents the sequence of how we build the car within our

General Assembly and Final operations at Lotus:

The Evora starts to take shape as it is processed through the General

Assembly part of the Lotus Production System. Superlatively painted body

panels (using specially developed environmentally friendly water based paints)

leave the Paint Shop and are decanted and distributed to their respective

'point of fit' workstations within the production lines. The first part of the

assembly production system for Evora (the Factory 5 chassis line) focuses its

efforts to assemble Evora's unique modular structure. It is here that Evora

presents Lotus with a new way of building cars.

Whereas current Lotus cars have their rear sub-frame and front-end structures

gradually built up in situ (on the chassis to form a single unit); the Evora is very

different. The whole of the chassis structure is made up in three modules i.e.

the front-end structure, the main 'centre body' section and the rear end

section. Each of these sections are pre-assembled separately and as the

main 'centre body' section progresses along the Factory 5 production line, the

other two modules are added as complete sub-assemblies. This takes place at

strategic locations, which allow the sections to be 'married up' to form the

overall support structure of the car. The roof is also assembled and bonded.

This modular approach provides greater flexibility and efficiency. It makes

access far easier to assemble (or replace) parts, and it better facilitate

engineering updates and new model year changes. Evora's modular structure

also offers several advantages in improving ergonomics for the production

team member.

However, that is not to say that assembling Evora isn't complex. There are

over 30 possible option combinations for the rear engine module alone and at

least another 24 combinations for the car's front-end. These represent a range

of customer options e.g. left-hand or right-hand drive steering, painted or nonpainted

callipers, brake discs, different oil cooler options – and this is before

we get to talk about Evora's high-quality interior. This means that each module

can be specified to meet the customer's exact requirements.

Also, within Factory 5, the car's doors, windscreen, bulkhead, roof and body

sides are assembled. All the body panels are imported from France. The

tools that produce these parts are made with chromed steel surfaces. This

ensures that the quality and desired finish of the panels is extremely high.

On leaving Factory 5, the car is then transferred, somewhat counter-intuitively,

to Factory 4 (the numbering of each of Lotus's factory reflects the way the site

has developed over the decades - rather than its sequence in the process

today). Here, the first few stages are laid out as a carousel line, which is

equipped to dispense various fluids (as oils, coolants and brake fluid) into the

car. Evora then progresses through the main trim assembly production line.

A large number of Evora trim components are manufactured on site at Hethel.

We have invested in state-of-the-art cutting facilities, which allows exacting

standards to be replicated and meet our sophisticated CAD interior trim

designs. All leather for the Evora is cut and trimmed using this technology

which also allows for the most cost-effective arrangement of pattern shapes to

be cut whilst simultaneously, minimising 'off-cut' waste from each leather hide.

The trim assembly line, like the chassis line, utilises a 'lean racking' which has

been introduced to house our line-side "Kanban" parts delivery system. This

tubular framed system makes efficient use of line-side space, which also

presents materials in an optimum and ergonomically friendly state. Team

leaders and members have also used its simple construction to create 'tailormade'

sub-assembly benches, parts trolleys and visual control stands. This

flexible system allows for an effective and efficient organisation of the

workplace to support the people who assemble the car.

Lotus has also developed its own 'Visual Process Control' systems for the

Evora line. These help to ensure that the car is built to the highest quality

standards and also track Quality, Costs and Delivery (QCD) performance

measures. Visual Process Control is an important feature of the Lotus

production system. It helps supervisors and team leaders to focus their efforts

on producing Right First Time quality within each work stage.

Evora becomes instantly recognisable once its front and rear 'Clam-shells' are

fitted. These are assembled in Factory 4 where all interior parts are also

installed (including special Recaro seats). Either cast or forged alloy wheels

(optional) are assembled towards the end of that line to conclude this phase of

the production process. The car then receives a standardised Quality

Inspection Process (QIP) audit before it is routed to the next factory (Factory

8) for 'cosmetic' processing and verification.

Factory 8 houses a rolling road test but before the car can be 'passed to sales'

an independent team of quality inspectors inspects it very thoroughly. Every

aspect of the car is checked, which will confirm that it totally meets the

expected quality standards.

There has been considerable pressure on us to make sure that we have all the

relevant parts to cater for all the different global markets. Fortunately, by

having a dedicated assembly line for Evora, we have been able to uphold the

mantra for ensuring 'right part, right place, right time' delivery.

At 27 months, the Evora introduction programme has been a challenge. The

timing plan has been very aggressive for an all new vehicle of such high

quality. However, being fast-to-market required a tight programme. Despite

very short lead times we have done it and its creation is a credit to our

designers, engineers and the whole manufacturing team.

Lotus Evora: 205 g/km CO2

32.5 mpg (8.7 litres / 100 km) - Combined Cycle

22.8 mpg (12.4 litres / 100 km) - Urban Cycle

43.5 mpg (6.5 litres / 100 km) - Extra Urban Cycle

Related images are here:

http://www.midlandslotus.co.uk/forum/index...=sc&cat=178

To achieve exceptionally high driving dynamics and great levels of driver

involvement, Lotus has engineered and developed completely new suspension

systems for use on the Evora.

The Evora suspension wishbones are forged from aluminium to reduce the

unsprung mass. These are similar in weight to the steel items found on the

much smaller Elise, Exige and Europa vehicles, but are stiffer and have a

much increased vehicle weight capacity. They are attached to the front and

rear modules via Lotus designed bushes. The Evora will use Bilstein high

performance dampers and Eibach springs with unique dual path top mounts

for optimised vehicle refinement. Hydraulically assisted power steering is

provided by a Lotus tuned TRW steering rack to give renowned Lotus steering

feel and precision to place the Evora exactly where you want it to be when

cornering.

All in all, the Evora delivers exceptional performance. It has incredible Lotus

handling and provides unsurpassable driving pleasure and confidence to

drivers at all levels of skill. In fact, word from the ride and handling team is that

the new car is likely to become a class standard-setter in respect to it's "over

the road speed and agility feel".

Tyres: 18 inch at the front, 19 inch at the rear.

Tyre choice is a vital component in the ride, handling and steering

performance of every Lotus and for the Evora, Pirelli P-Zeros were chosen to

meet these performance requirements. The Pirelli P-Zero tyres (225/40 ZR18

at the front and larger diameter 255/35 ZR19 at the rear) provide the perfect

balance of ride, handling, grip, durability and safety required by the Evora

project team.

Lotus Evora: 205 g/km CO2

8.7 litres / 100 km (32.5 mpg) Combined Cycle

12.4 litres / 100 km (22.8 mpg) Urban Cycle

6.5 litres / 100 km (43.5 mpg) Extra Urban Cycle

Related images are here:

http://www.midlandslotus.co.uk/forum/index...=sc&cat=178

In common with the Elise and its derivatives, the Evora's bonded extruded

aluminium chassis tub has incredible inherent strength, particularly in regard to

front and side impacts. Additional torsional strength is given to the whole

structure by the tubular steel seatbelt anchorage frame.

Deformable, sacrificial aluminium front and steel rear subframe modules are

attached to the tub using joints which are designed to minimise damage to the

tub, protecting the main passenger cell in the event of an accident.

Driver and passenger airbags are standard as are pyrotechnic seat belts for

the front two occupants. The airbag on the passenger side is cleverly

engineered to deploy vertically and then be deflected rearwards by the

windscreen, to provide protection.

Anti-lock brakes are standard on all models, as is Lotus Traction Control

(LTC); these systems have been specially developed as a collaboration

between Lotus and Bosch engineers and enable drivers to consistently exploit

the braking and performance capabilities of the Evora, whilst allowing skilled

enthusiasts the freedom to enjoy the full Lotus driving experience.

The Switchable Lotus Traction Control (LTC) system has been developed

simultaneously with the ABS and works through the engine management

system to reduce power to the rear wheels when required to maintain traction.

To maintain front end traction or to reduce understeer, the LTC will gently

reduce engine torque to stabilise the Evora bringing the front wheels back into

line – known as "Understeer Recognition". Unlike many traction control

systems, LTC has been tuned to complement the skills of the driver without

taking over. The Lotus LTC is active above 5 mph (8 km/h) and operates much

more quickly than many brake based systems. The system can be deactivated

completely, giving no traction control intervention.

A Bosch Electronic Differential Lock (EDL) is fitted as standard to the Lotus

Evora. This advanced technology controls the speed of individual rear wheels

through the precise activation of the rear brakes, slowing an excessively

spinning rear wheel to ensure that traction is maintained without causing

detriment to the handling – often the case with a mechanical limited slip

differential.

Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA) and Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) are also

fitted as standard. HBA detects an emergency braking situation and increases

brake pressure up to ABS activation threshold which results in shorter

emergency stopping distances.

As with all Lotus cars, the Evora is very driver focussed and therefore all the

electronic intervention systems can be completely overridden by the driver

(apart from the ABS). In standard mode, all the systems above are in

operation; pressing the sport button (Sport Pack option only) sharpens the

throttle response and increases the engine rev limit. The sports mode traction

control is adjusted to give increased slip and yaw angle before intervening,

and also removes the understeer recognition.

Lotus Evora: 205 g/km CO2

8.7 litres / 100 km (32.5 mpg) Combined Cycle

12.4 litres / 100 km (22.8 mpg) Urban Cycle

6.5 litres / 100 km (43.5 mpg) Extra Urban Cycle

Related images are here:

http://www.midlandslotus.co.uk/forum/index...=sc&cat=178

Headline figures

Max Power 280PS @ 6400 rpm

C02 emissions 205 g/km

Weight 1382 kg

0-60 mph 4.9 seconds

0-100 km/h 5.1 seconds

Top speed 162 mph /261 km/h

Fuel economy 32.5 mpg - 8.7 l/100km (combined cycle)

Vehicle Description Technical Specifications

Engine Mid-mounted, transverse, 3456 cc, DOHC Dual VVTi

Engine management Lotus T6e engine control unit

Swept volume (Bore x

Stroke)

94 x 83 mm

Compression ratio 10:1

Max Power 280PS/ 206 kW/ 276 hp @ 6400 rpm

Max Torque 350Nm/ 258 lbft @ 4700rpm

Specific power output

(PS/ litre)

81

Cylinder head material Aluminium

Engine block material Aluminium

Number of crankshaft

bearings

4

Number of camshafts 4

Fuel supply system Returnless Fuel injection

Idle running speed 600-680 rpm (variable)

Ignition 1 spark plug per cylinder

Steering Lotus tuned power steering

Turn radius 10.14 m

Steering lock to lock 2.86

Service interval 9000 miles

Warranty 3 year 100,000km (60,000 miles) whole vehicle warranty with

8 years chassis perforation warranty for EU markets

Fuel Petrol 95 RON

Performance Figures

Maximum speed 162 mph

Maximum speed 261 km/h

0-60 mph 4.9 seconds

0-100 mph 12.3 seconds

0-100 km/h 5.1 seconds

0-160 km/h 12.2 seconds

60-0 mph 33.6 meters – 2.4 seconds

100-0 mph 88.6 meters – 3.9 seconds

100-0 km/h 36.8 meters – 2.5 seconds

160-0 km/h 89.5 meters – 3.9 seconds

Transmission

Gearbox 6 speed manual

Clutch Single plate

Differential Open type

Transmission ratio Sports Standard

1st 3.538 3.538

2nd 1.913 1.913

3rd 1.407 1.218

4th 1.091 0.86

5th 0.9697 0.79

6th 0.8611 0.638

Reverse gear 3.831 3.831

Final drive 1st - 4th 3.777 3.777

Final drive 5th- 6th 3.238 3.238

Emissions

Emissions Euro 4 compliant

C02 emissions 205 g/km

Fuel economy Combined 32.5 mpg – 8.7 litres / 100km

Fuel economy Urban 22.8 mpg – 12.4 litres / 100km

Fuel economy Extra

Urban

43.5 mpg – 6.5 litres / 100km

Fuel tank capacity 60 litres usable volume

Fuel system Stainless steel fuel tank with Onboard Refuelling Vapour

Recovery to capture hydro-carbon vapour given off during

refuelling

Exterior Dimensions

Overhang Front 993 mm

Overhang Rear 774 mm

Ground clearance 120 mm

Overall length 4342 mm

Overall height - 1223 mm

Overall width 1848 mm

Wheelbase 2575 mm

Track Front at ground 1567 mm

Track Rear at ground 1575 mm

Design front ground

clearance

125 mm

Design rear ground

clearance

147 mm

Chassis

Power to weight (PS/

1000 kg)

203

Chassis

Lotus designed VVA (modular lightweight bonded Aluminium

structure)

Vehicle torsional stiffness 26 600 Nm per degree

Front suspension

Double wishbone suspension, antiroll bar, Eibach springs and

Bilstein dampers

Rear suspension

Double wishbone suspension, antiroll bar, Eibach springs and

Bilstein dampers

Wheels

Cast wheels - Silver or Stealth Grey (option) – 18" x 8" front &

19" x 9.5" rear

Forged wheels (option) –Silver or Anthracite – 18" x 8" front &

19" x 9.5" rear - (3.2 kg lighter)

Front tyres 225/40 ZR18 Pirelli P-Zero

Rear tyres 255/35 ZR19 Pirelli P-Zero

Total chassis weight 206 kg

Front module 25 kg

Rear module 58 kg

Chassis tub 100 kg

Seatbelt anchorage frame 23 kg

Weight distribution 39% Front - 61% Rear

GVW 1782 kg

Vehicle mass 1382 kg

Brakes

Operation Servo assisted brakes

Anti lock brakes Lotus tuned Bosch ABS system

Brake technology Hydraulic Brake Assist, Electronic Differential Lock and

Electronic Brake Distribution

Brake calipers AP-Racing four-piston calipers (front and rear)

Front discs 350 mm ventilated (cross drilled optional)

Rear discs 332 mm ventilated (cross drilled optional)

Hand brake Drum in hat

Aero

Drag (Cd) 0.33

Drag (Cd.A) 0.627

Front downforce 3 kg at 100 mph (160 km/h)

Rear downforce 5 kg at 100 mph (160 km/h)

Aero package features Rear diffuser, splitter, flat underbody and floating rear wing

Related images are here:

http://www.midlandslotus.co.uk/forum/index...=sc&cat=178

It's a global car, so the Evora has been tested around the world. From the icy

wastes of the Arctic to the heat of the Australian desert, the high altitude of the

Alps as well as the country roads around the Hethel factory.

A cross functional team comprising of design, CAE and test and development

engineers have been able to develop the Evora into a class leading vehicle in

an exceptionally short space of time. It has spent hours howling around the

Nürburgring and endlessly lapped Lotus's test track at Hethel. By the time the

Evora entered production at the start of 2009, prototypes had travelled for

hundreds of thousands of miles along some of the worst public roads in the

world and been tortured for as many miles on some of the toughest proving

grounds the motor industry has to offer, including extreme pavé tests.

It has been flung into barriers at low and high speeds, at a multitude of angles,

it has even had its roof and doors compressed! By the time the Evora reaches

the showrooms, it will be the most thoroughly tested Lotus car in the history of

Lotus. It will also be one of the company's great milestones.

Lotus Evora: 205 g/km CO2

8.7 litres / 100 km (32.5 mpg) Combined Cycle

12.4 litres / 100 km (22.8 mpg) Urban Cycle

6.5 litres / 100 km (43.5 mpg) Extra Urban Cycle

Related images are here:

http://www.midlandslotus.co.uk/forum/index...=sc&cat=178

Lotus Engineering starts the New Year strongly, announcing significant new contracts and welcoming a new Director of Lotus Engineering.

Major new projects with three Chinese clients ensure an excellent start to 2010 for Lotus Engineering, the automotive consultancy and technology division of Lotus Cars Limited. These projects result in a fourth consecutive year of growth in new orders for Lotus Engineering's global third party consultancy work, with a quarter of the financial year still to go.

To continue to build on the success of both the Lotus Engineering and Lotus Cars divisions, Lotus has also made changes to the senior management structure. Dr Robert Hentschel joins Lotus as Director of Lotus Engineering. Dr Hentschel's task will be to lead the expansion of Lotus Engineering's third party consultancy work and to further develop its position of technology leadership in lightweight architectures, driving dynamics, efficient performance and electrical/electronics. Dr Hentschel will have full responsibility for Lotus Engineering worldwide, reporting to Dany Bahar, CEO of Group Lotus plc. Dr Hentschel brings a wealth of experience from the automotive industry and engineering services sector, most recently from positions at EDAG as Chief Operating Officer for North American operations and previously as Head of the Electrical/Electronics Business Unit.

Paul Newsome, previously Managing Director of Lotus Engineering, takes up a new role as Director of Product Engineering for Lotus Cars to develop an exciting range of new Lotus cars.

Dr Hentschel commented: "This is a fantastic opportunity for me to contribute to the continued success of this outstanding business which boasts talented engineers and an iconic brand. Lotus Engineering has an exceptional heritage with an exciting array of future products, technologies and services that will further enhance its position as a pioneer in the new automotive era. Our key areas of expertise allow us to deliver exciting vehicles and sustainable transport solutions that are exactly aligned to the needs of the global automotive industry."

The Lotus Exige S Type

72 celebrates the most successful F1 car

of all time, the Lotus Type 72 Formula One

car, which achieved 20 Grand Prix victories

between 1970 and 1975.

The Lotus Type 72 was

driven by such Lotus greats as Jochen Rindt,

Emerson Fittipaldi, Ronnie Peterson and Jacky

Ickx and won three Formula One Constructors'

Championships (1970, 1972 and 1973) and two

Drivers' World Championships (the first

being won by Jochen Rindt in 1970 and the

second by Emerson Fittipaldi in 1972).The colour scheme of

the Exige S Type 72 commemorates the famous

and easily recognisable black and gold Lotus

Type 72 livery and is finished by the same

sign writer who painted racing cars for Team

Lotus.

Performance through light

weight has long been a Lotus philosophy.

The 935kg Exige S Type 72 sprints to 60 mph

in just 4.5 seconds and to 100 km/h in 4.7

seconds, before reaching a top speed of 145

mph, 233 km/h. The Exige S Type 72 also offers

class leading fuel economy and emissions,

with fuel economy of 6.5 litres/100 km (43.5

mpg) on the Extra Urban Cycle and CO2 emissions

of 199 g/km.

The Exige S Type 72 is

a powerful supercharged mid-engined sportscar

that is equally at home on the racetrack

or open road. The intercooled engine has

VVTL-i technology ensuring impressive performance

all the way to the rev limiter at 8500 rpm.

The Sport Pack comes as standard

on the Exige S Type 72 which has a bespoke

high quality interior, including black micro

fibre ProBax sports seats with gold stitching.

Each car comes with a special build plate

commemorating one of the F1 car's 20

Grand Prix victories. The exterior of the

Exige S Type 72 features unique black and

gold light weight wheels and is finished

with hand-painted gold Type 72 and Exige

S logos, (the Sport Pack also includes a

T45 steel main roll hoop, Lotus Traction

Control, twin oil coolers and an adjustable

front anti-roll bar).

All Lotus cars

offer outstanding handling and performance,

and the Exige is no exception offering excellent

dynamics and great driver involvement. Lotus

ride and handling gives an inspiring driving

experience and the mid-engined layout of

the Lotus Exige S Type 72 offers fantastic

balance and agility.

Luke Bennett, Operations

Director for Lotus Cars Limited stated, "The

Lotus Exige S Type 72 is an evocative sportscar,

combining cutting edge handling and performance

with the iconic Type 72 colour scheme, one

of the most famous racing liveries of all

time. The Exige provides an intense driving

experience either on road or track and this

limited edition is a worthy car to celebrate

such a legendary racing car."Clive Chapman, Director

of Classic Team Lotus said, "The Type

72 was a very significant car for Team Lotus

and indeed for the world of F1. It was a

revolutionary design that pioneered the use

of side mounted radiators to achieve its

distinctive 'wedge' profile,

which delivered a significant aerodynamic

advantage. Furthermore, by minimising unsprung

weight and using a torsion bar, rising rate

suspension, tyre performance was excellent.

The Lotus Type 72 design was so advanced

that it was competitive for an extraordinary

six years."

The Exige S Type

72 options include: Air Conditioning, Limited

Slip Differential and the Performance Pack,

which includes a power increase to 240 PS,

larger AP Racing brakes, enlarged roof scoop

(compared to the standard Exige S) and Lotus

variable traction control and Lotus launch

control.

To commemorate the impressive

number of Grand Prix wins the Type 72 achieved,

Lotus will be producing 20 of this special

edition for the UK, a further 20 cars for

mainland Europe and there will be a limited

run of cars in Japan and selected markets

around the world.

Lotus Exige S Type 72

prices:

UK Price: £35,995 MRSP,

excluding on the road costs of £950

Euro zone price: €40,332,

including delivery and other on the road

costs, excluding local country tax.Exige S: 199

g/km CO2

8.5 l/100 km (33.2 mpg)

Combined Cycle

11.9 l/100 km (23.7 mpg)

Urban Cycle6.5 litres/100 km (43.5

mpg) Extra Urban Cycle

A new decade begins with considerable changes at Group Lotus and CEO Dany Bahar is strengthening his executive team in order to take the Lotus brand to the next phase of its evolution and realise his ambitious plans for 2010 and beyond.

Lotus is pleased to announce Paul Newsome's appointment to Director of Product Engineering for Lotus Cars. Currently Managing Director of Lotus Engineering, Paul becomes Director of Product Engineering, responsible for the engineering behind all future Lotus cars and for ensuring that they drive and perform in the way that only a Lotus can.

On taking up the challenge of Director of Product Engineering, Paul Newsome said, "Lotus has, through its launch of the all new multi-award winning Lotus Evora, again demonstrated the capability of its engineering. I look forward to building on this tremendous success with the team and delivering the exciting next generation of products we have planned. These will continue to demonstrate Lotus' world leading attributes of performance and dynamics through light weight and take the Lotus brand into more segments of the sports car market."

Dany Bahar commented, "This year will see some very exciting developments to the Lotus product line-up and I have set the Lotus workforce quite a challenge! The success of the changes that I and my executive team look to make relies upon their support and I thank them for their dedication and commitment in joining us on this journey.

"The executive team I am building around me represent some of the industry's most innovative and passionate professionals and I look forward to working with Paul and the rest of the team to make Lotus the brand it has the potential to be."

Trade Days 14th & 15th January 2010

Public Days 16th & 17th January 2010.

announced as driver for Lotus F1 Racing in Malaysia made the trip to the home of

Lotus at Hethel in England, visiting where Lotus history was made.

It was an exciting day, with Jarno enjoying a visit to the

production facilities, meeting Lotus staff and driving the new Lotus Evora – the

first Lotus he has ever driven!

Jarno was also given a special tour of the Classic Team

Lotus workshops by Clive Chapman, son of Lotus founder Colin Chapman. During the

visit to Classic Team Lotus Jarno viewed some of the most successful and iconic

F1 racing cars of all time. The tour was steeped in Lotus heritage and included

some of the F1 cars that helped Lotus to achieve 79 GP wins, seven constructor's

titles and 6 drivers' championships, including, Emerson Fittipaldi's Type 72,

Graham Hill's Type 49 and Jim Clark's Type 25.

Dany Bahar, CEO of Group Lotus plc said, "The family gets

bigger with the arrival of Jarno. It was very special to host Jarno at Group

Lotus, he is an exceptional driving talent and we wish him and Lotus F1 Racing

every success for the 2010 F1 season."

Dany Bahar continued, "We take great pride in the sports

cars that we produce at Hethel and Jarno's visit provided a great opportunity to

show off the multi-award winning cars that we produce and the advanced niche

production facilities at Hethel."

Jarno had a fantastic time driving the Lotus Evora and

visiting the home of the iconic Lotus marque, commenting, "Gino Rosato and I

come from the same region of Italy, Abruzzo, we have been close friends for

years and it was always a dream of ours to work together. Claudio Berro and Dany

Bahar are also old friends and I honestly never thought that I would get the

opportunity to work with these great people."

He went on to say," It was a great occasion and I thoroughly

enjoyed seeing all the fantastic Classic Lotus F1 cars and new Lotus models. The

facilities at Group Lotus are very impressive and I was amazed at the dedication

and craftsmanship that goes into the production of Lotus cars. The Lotus Evora

lived up to all my expectations of what a Lotus would be like to drive. It is

clearly a very well engineered car that provides an exceptionally rewarding

drive and I am looking forward to Lotus' exciting future."

Head of Lotus Design, Russell Carr will continue to work on both Lotus products and third party design work, an area which is growing rapidly especially in the emerging Asian markets.

Dany Bahar, Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus plc said, "The appointment of Donato Coco as the new Director of Design for Lotus puts even more prominence on design within Lotus and strengthens the already talented team. We have a very busy few years ahead of us as we are working on a new strategic business plan which will include the introduction of an all new range of Lotus cars and expansion of our third party design work."

Donato Coco is looking forward to the new challenge, "Lotus has a reputation for designing evocative sportscars and it is a great honour to take on these responsibilities and challenges. Russell Carr and the rest of the Lotus Design team have already elevated Lotus Design to a globally recognised level and the increase in our third party design work for clients around the world is proof of our capabilities. I am looking forward to building on these foundations to deliver beautiful and relevant Lotus cars designs whilst at the same time acknowledging the peerless heritage and core values of this wonderful British brand."

Donato Coco was previously Director of Design and Development – Ferrari where he worked on the Ferrari F430 Scuderia coupé and Spider 16M, Ferrari California, 599XX and the F458 Italia. Prior to Ferrari, Donato worked for Automobiles Citroën rising to the position of Chief Designer and was responsible for, amongst others, the Xsara, Picasso, C3, C3 Pluriel, C2, C1, ZX Paris Dakar and the Xsara WRC.

Donato Coco holds an MA in Automotive Design from the Royal College of Art, London, England. Whilst at the RCA, he was awarded first prize in a design competition, which was presented to him by Margaret Thatcher when she was Prime Minister of Great Britain.

Donato Coco is an Italian national. He will be based at the Lotus Headquarters in Hethel, England.

The detailed research has so far focused on lower speed and load conditions that represent a major proportion of an engine's operation in a real world environment. At 2000rpm and up to approximately 2.7 bar IMEP (Indicated Mean Effective Pressure), the ISFC (Indicated Specific Fuel Consumption) achieved is approximately 10% better than current spray-guided direct injection, spark ignition engines. Emissions results are an impressive 20 ppm NOx at less than 2.3 bar load and has four-stroke-equivalent hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide emissions.

Simon Wood, Technical Director of Lotus Engineering said: "These impressive results represent an important step-forward in Lotus Engineering's strategy of developing an array of more efficient multi-fuel combustion systems. Omnivore lays the foundations for a novel and pragmatic vision of a variable compression ratio engine concept suitable for production. A multi-cylinder version is practical for a wide variety of vehicles and offers greatest benefit to C and D class passenger cars which can take advantage of the low cost architecture and significantly improved fuel economy and emissions. We are continuing our discussions with other manufacturers and eagerly anticipate the development of multi-cylinder demonstrations of this revolutionary engine configuration."

The Omnivore engine concept achieves wide-range HCCI combustion and low CO2 emissions through the application of a simple wide-range variable compression ratio mechanism, itself facilitated by the adoption of the two-stroke operating cycle. Technologies combined in this package are all synergistic and provide a route to the efficient use of alternative fuels, accelerating the displacement of fossil fuels.

Jamie Turner, Chief Engineer of Powertrain Research at Lotus Engineering said: "The automotive industry, including Lotus Engineering, has quite rightly advocated engine downsizing for four-stroke engines. This is as a result of the dominance of the four-stroke cycle in the automotive world and its generation of throttling losses at part-load, where vehicles run most of the time. The two-stroke cycle, conversely, does not suffer from significant throttling losses and in many ways is a more natural fit for automotive use. With the thermodynamic disadvantages of throttling losses removed, the two-stroke engine is free to be sized according to its improved part-load fuel consumption. Downsizing therefore isn't vital and, due to the improved light-load efficiency and emissions performance we see with Omnivore, this technology approach and 'upsizing' could permit a more efficient engine."

The initial Omnivore programme has been in collaboration with Queen's University Belfast and Orbital Corporation Limited Australia, with sponsorship from DEFRA/DECC and DOE NI through the Renewables Materials LINK programme. Future work by Lotus Engineering will concentrate on further investigating the operation on gasoline and alternative renewable fuels such as ethanol and methanol, with more in-depth analysis of specific test points.

Technical Detail

Omnivore Summary

The Omnivore engine concept features an innovative variable compression ratio system and uses a two-stroke operating cycle with direct fuel injection. It is ideally suited to flex-fuel operation with a higher degree of optimisation than is possible with existing four-stroke engines.

The engine concept features a monoblock construction that blends the cylinder head and block together eliminating the need for a cylinder head gasket, improving durability and reducing weight. In this case, the application of a monoblock is facilitated by the absence of the requirement for poppet valves. A novel charge trapping valve in the exhaust port allows asymmetric timing of exhaust flow and continuous variation of the exhaust opening timing.

The Omnivore engine uses the Orbital FlexDI fuel injection system which produces fine in-cylinder fuel preparation irrespective of fuel type and, together with air pre-mixing, allows efficient two-stroke combustion and low-temperature starting, whilst offering singular opportunity for advanced HCCI control.

The variable compression ratio is achieved by the use of a puck at the top of the combustion chamber. This simple, yet effective system moves up and down effecting the change in geometric compression depending on the load demands on the engine.

Engine Concept Features

Monoblock

The monoblock incorporates the cylinder head, the cylinder barrel and the inlet ports, together with mounts for the variable compression ratio system and the charge trapping valve housing. It also contains the non-moving location of one of the two possible injector mounting positions provided for research purposes. The other injector position is in the variable compression ratio puck. The monoblock is mounted on the upper crankcase, which is a common component with all of Lotus' single-cylinder research engines. The engine carries a full primary and secondary balancer system. The monoblock is water-cooled by an electric water pump.

Computational fluid dynamics is used extensively to ensure effective cooling of the monoblock, a feature assisted by the removal of the cylinder head gasket, inherent in such architecture. The chief advantage of a monoblock construction in any engine, aside from the bill of materials and assembly benefits, is the reduction of bore distortion afforded by the removal of cylinder head bolts. This is especially important in piston-ported 2-stroke engines.

Variable Compression Ratio Mechanism

The primary component of the variable compression ratio mechanism is what is termed the 'puck', or a moveable junk piston in the cylinder head. In the case of the research engine, this puck is driven in and out by a double-eccentric mechanism itself comprising proprietary parts. The puck itself does not move at engine speed. In addition to the spark plug, the puck carries one of two possible injector positions. It is water-cooled and carries simple piston (or 'junk') rings for primary sealing, and an 'O'-ring towards the top for final sealing.

The variable compression ratio system is controlled by an electric motor and worm drive arrangement at the front of the engine. Because there are no poppet valves in the engine, it is clear that the puck could be of a large diameter and since there is no need for valve cut-outs in the piston crown, the minimum volume of the combustion chamber can be much smaller than has been the case in variable compression ratio engines shown to date. When the puck is in its innermost position, its surface is essentially coincident with that of the combustion chamber squish band and this yields the highest compression ratio of 40:1.

The combustion chamber geometry necessarily alters as the puck is moved to vary the compression ratio. The chamber geometry in Omnivore was therefore chosen on the basis of 2-stroke experience in spark ignition operation. Consequently, the puck is positioned in the cylinder head in such a way that the non-moving squish band directs cooling flow towards the spark plug. The puck is water-cooled from the main engine cooling circuit.

Charge Trapping Valve

The charge trapping valve is caused to oscillate by a short articulated connecting link from an engine-speed eccentric shaft itself rotated by a belt drive from the crankshaft. A simple charge trapping valve mechanism provides for asymmetric exhaust timing and hence a modification of the original piston-ported two-stroke operating cycle. Fitting an articulated link between the eccentric shaft and the trapping valve actuating arm affords the opportunity independently to vary the opening and/or closing point. In this 'variable' form, at light load, the charge trapping valve can be made to control exhaust port opening, to maximize expansion in the cylinder, and the blowdown period can be optimised. The position of the control arm is controlled by the engine management system. All charge trapping valve components and their configuration have been analysed kinematically, and since they operate with modified simple harmonic motion, they do not suffer from jerk stresses.

Other Components

The cranktrain of the engine comprises an 86 mm stroke crankshaft, a trunk piston of 86 mm bore and a connecting rod with 195.5 mm between centres. The piston carries four piston rings: two pegged half-keystone compression rings which traverse the ports in the upper section, and a Napier scraper ring and U-Flex oil control ring in separate grooves in the lower portion. These are not pegged since they do not have to traverse the ports. In this manner, the working chamber is completely sealed from the crankcase and hence wet-sump lubrication can be employed.

Since this is a research engine, it is cooled by an electric water pump with a separate electrically-driven oil pump used for lubrication. Scavenge air is provided externally. For convenience, air for the Orbital air-assist DI system is provided from the factory air supply regulated to 6.5 bar maximum air delivery pressure. Note that in any multi-cylinder application it is envisaged that all these subsystems would be incorporated into the engine in the normal manner.

Lotus to drive the award-winning Lotus Evora

Martin Brundle, one of

the most talked about legends in British

motorsport recently spent a day at the world-renowned

Group Lotus UK headquarters, sampling a piece

of Lotus heritage and driving the firm's

latest offering, the all new Lotus Evora.

Brundle called on Classic

Team Lotus where Clive Chapman (son of Lotus'

founder Colin Chapman) showcased some of

his Father's much loved Formula 1 projects.

Brundle also toured the state of the art

manufacturing facilities and sampled the

Lotus Evora for the first time around the

famous Lotus test track.

It was fantastic for

the Lotus workforce to see Brundle passing

through; regularly holding court with the

eager employees, happy to sign autographs

and answer any questions posed. Dany Bahar,

CEO of Group Lotus said: "It is an

honour for Lotus to host Martin Brundle,

one of the most respected and popular names

in motor sport. It was an incredible opportunity

to demonstrate our exciting array of vehicles

and the work of our talented employees to

one of the most esteemed analysts in the

automotive arena and I am delighted with

his positive responses." Brundle was joined by

his son Alex, one of the rising stars of

the Formula Two Championship, proudly following

in his fathers motor sport footsteps and

dreaming of a future in Formula 1. Martin

Brundle thoroughly enjoyed his visit to one

of the world's most iconic automotive

marques, commenting: "I remember first

visiting Hethel in the 1960s, when my Father

drove a Lotus Cortina. I am equally impressed

now as I was then and as a Norfolk man, I

am delighted Lotus is performing so well.

I was pleased to see my old friend Gino Rosato

and after hearing more about the future plans

from Dany Bahar and his team, I am looking

forward to the forthcoming products to come

out of Hethel."

Brundle was further impressed

with the new Lotus Evora: "I was especially

keen to drive the Evora after reading so

many positive magazine reports. On a wet

track, the cornering grip and particularly

the braking performance deeply impressed

me. It's a quality sports car."

by Top Gear magazine and online teams as

the best Sports Car of the last 12 months.

The Top Gear Awards,

now in their 10th year, searched for the

most exciting and innovative sports car of

this year. The awards are not only well established,

but are also truly global, running across

24 international editions and Top Gear websites

in the UK, US and Australia.Conor McNicholas, Editor

of BBC Top Gear magazine commented "It's

pretty, quintessentially British, fast and

handles like a dream. Evora takes Lotus to

a new place in terms of quality but more

importantly delivers a sports car rush that

puts other marques to shame."

Dany Bahar, CEO of Group Lotus plc said,

"I am delighted that the Evora has won

the Top Gear award for Sports Car of the

Year 2009. Top Gear is very well regarded

around the world and it is a fantastic achievement

for all who have worked on the Evora to win

such a prestigious award."Dany continued, "I

am particularly pleased that the Top Gear

team commented on the huge improvements in

quality at Lotus, confirming that the Evora

is an exciting supercar that can also be

used for every day driving."

This accolade adds to

the awards haul for the Evora, which includes:

• Autocar magazine

– Britain's Best Driver's

Car 2009

• Car magazine –

Performance Car of the Year 2009

• European Aluminium

Awards 2008 - Overall Jury Prize - Lotus

Evora Aluminium Structure

• EVO magazine –

Car of the Year 2009

• iMotor - Overall

Winner - Most Rated Car of 2008 Lotus Evora: 205 g/km CO2

32.5 mpg (8.7 litres

/ 100 km) - Combined Cycle 22.8 mpg (12.4

litres / 100 km) - Urban Cycle 43.5

mpg (6.5 litres / 100 km) - Extra Urban Cycle

Lotus Scoops EVO Car of the Year Double

The Lotus Evora takes the title of 'EVO Car of the Year

2009', with the Lotus 2-Eleven winning the prestigious 'EVO Track Car of the

Year 2009' competition.

For the 'EVO Car of the Year 2009' test EVO

Magazine took a fleet of the world's most desirable driving machines to the

sensational roads of the Isle of Skye in Scotland, to evaluate the cars over a

three day and 1000 mile test route.

The Lotus Evora, along with cars from manufacturers

including Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche and Aston Martin were put through their

paces on the challenging and technical roads by the EVO team. In the Car of the Year test, the group of 13

cars were whittled down to the top 5 and then scored out of 100, with the Lotus

Evora beating all other entrants

with an impressive score of 96.0. John

Barker, Motoring Editor said of the Evora "It's a magical thing across the

ground, deft like an Elise, with exceptional poise and feel. What was telling

for me was that, getting into it after any of the other finalists, it was even

better than I remembered: a bit smoother, a bit quicker and even sweeter

dynamically, too. It's a beguiling car."

David Vivian, Contributing Editor, commented, "A quite

brilliant car and worthy winner."

The 'EVO Track Car of the Year 2009' event swapped the

dramatic scenery and challenging gradients for the more familiar, but fast and

demanding West Circuit at the Bedford Autodrome.

The Lotus 2-Eleven along with eleven other cars competed for

the title of 'EVO Track Car of the Year 2009'. The test group contained some of

the most exciting track cars on sale today, including hot hatches, track focused

supercars and exotic track machines.

In the Track Car of the Year competition the cars were each

timed around the West Circuit and compared subjectively to find a winner.

On the way to winning the competition the 2-Eleven posted

the second fastest time and closely matched the criteria set by the judges of

providing entertainment, being rewarding and a challenge to drive.

Roger Green, Track Test Editor, when commenting on the

2-Eleven said "Every single judge described (the 2-Eleven) as 'superb' in their

assessment notes."

Henry Catchpole, Road Test Editor, stated that "It's

fabulous. It takes the habitability, finish and dimensions of the road car and

adds the dynamics and awesome gearbox of a race car."

Luke Bennett, Operations Director of Lotus Cars Limited said

that "I am delighted that the Evora took the title of "EVO Car of the Year 2009"

and it is made even better that at the same time the 2-Eleven has won the Track

Car of the Year competition. The Evora and 2-Eleven offer very different

ownership propositions; however both have the same Lotus DNA and each reward the

driver with a great Lotus driving experience."

Luke went on to say "It is a great endorsement for Lotus

cars that the most refined car in the product line up is picking up awards at

the same time as the most extreme car in the range, illustrating the great

wealth of engineering and manufacturing expertise at Lotus."

Lotus Evora: 205 g/km CO2

32.5 mpg (8.7 litres / 100 km) - Combined

Cycle

22.8 mpg (12.4 litres / 100 km) - Urban Cycle

43.5 mpg (6.5 litres / 100 km) - Extra Urban

Cycle

The iconic British sports car manufacturer opens its doors for an exclusive behind the scenes tour of the site and a virtual drive around the famous Lotus Test Track.

Lotus invited Google to record a testing session of selected Lotus cars and to give fans of the legendary British sports car brand a chance to look around normally hidden areas of the Lotus Headquarters in Hethel, Norfolk. On the Lotus test track, sharp eyed Street View users will spot the Lotus 2-Eleven being driven quickly and enthusiastically (just as it is intended to be!), a research and development Lotus Exige 265E which is fuelled by sustainable, environmentally friendly ethanol and a number of prototypes of the new Lotus Evora.

Nigel Marshall, Head of Facilities Management for Lotus said, "We decided to give Street View users an opportunity to look around part of the Lotus HQ and to virtually drive the Hethel Test Track. Only a select number of drivers have driven the Lotus circuit over the years, but now anyone can get a closer look at where some of the most iconic British sports and racing cars have been tested and developed. To see some dynamic track driving of the Lotus 2-Eleven just check out the North Hairpin!"

Matthew Prestopino, Google's Head of Street View Operations in Europe said, "Being invited to come and drive alongside some of the UK's coolest cars was a real treat. This is the first ever circuit in the UK to be photographed for Street View and car fans are going to love taking a virtual tour and locating their favourite Lotus cars in action on the track".

The Street View of the Lotus Headquarters can be viewed here: http://3.ly/LotusCar...oogleStreetView

Users can access street-level imagery of the Lotus site by zooming into the lowest level on Google Maps, or by dragging the orange "Pegman" icon on the left-hand side of the map onto a blue highlighted road such as the Lotus test track.

During a recent trip to catch-up with old friends Villeneuve spent a day at Group Lotus' UK head quarters where the 1997 Formula 1 World Champion was presented with a chronicle of Lotus' rich history, from its founding years with a tour of Colin Chapman's first workshops, to a session in the firm's latest offering, the award winning Evora, on Lotus' own test track.

It was a rare chance for Clive Chapman (son of Lotus' founder Colin Chapman) to share with Villeneuve some of his father's much loved projects and the two exchanged stories of the days they respectively shared with their fathers when they were competing in Formula 1.

It was a great moment for the Lotus workforce to see Villeneuve passing through the manufacturing facility often stopping to take in the detail of the process and to pose for photos and autographs. Recently appointed CEO of Group Lotus, Dany Bahar, was keen to stress the importance of this exciting visit to boost morale saying, "Jacques' visit is an honour for Lotus and Lotus is a team. Our people are a blend of talent and expertise combined with passion for our brand. Our highlights are theirs, so this is a special day for us all."

Villeneuve was delighted to have spent the day at the home of one of Britain's most revered motorsport marques and commented, "It has been a great day for me to catch-up with my friend Gino Rosato in his new role at Lotus and to see where the magic of Lotus comes from. My first toy car as a child was a replica model of Emerson Fittipaldi's Lotus 72, I could say his name before I could say my dad's! I really enjoyed watching them racing when I was a boy. It has been a really fun trip for me, to see the people working to build the Evora was particularly nice."

Following Villeneuve's drive of the Evora he passed comment to the engineering team responsible for developing the car. Villeneuve, impressed with the performance of the car, concluded "It's a really nice car, fun and comfortable to drive".

Lotus Engineering and Harman International have developed technologies to synthesise external sound on electric and hybrid vehicles to counteract the growing concern these 'quiet' vehicles pose to pedestrians and cyclists. A simulation of a real engine sound is used on the 'HALOsonic' Hybrid technology demonstrator vehicle, making it instantly recognisable that the vehicle is in motion.

Electric and hybrid vehicles, a favourite choice of the environmentally conscientious have recently come in for criticism from blind and partially sighted people. Due to the almost silent operation of hybrid vehicles at slower speed when running on electric power, the independent travel of the blind and partially sighted may be put at risk as they cannot hear these quiet vehicles as they approach, making crossing a road or walking through a car park hazardous.

The Solution

The 'HALOsonic' Hybrid technology demonstrator uses a standard Toyota Prius, one of the highest volume and most advanced hybrid vehicles to demonstrate the sound synthesis application and compensate for the lack of engine noise emitted by the vehicle when running on an electric motor. What has resulted is the same environmentally conscious hybrid vehicle, without the potential risk to pedestrians and cyclists.

The solution that Lotus has devised is a novel reapplication and development of its Electronic Sound Synthesis technology. This is a part of the Lotus suite of patented active noise technologies which comprise three main systems, Active Road Noise Cancellation, Engine Order Cancellation and Electronic Sound Synthesis.

The Technology

External Electronic Sound Synthesis provides specified electronic sound models which can be applied to an external speaker system to improve pedestrian safety. This is especially important for electric and hybrid vehicles which can be difficult to hear at lower speeds due to their drive mechanism. A synthesised sound, dependant on speed, is projected from speakers at the front and rear of the vehicle, making it instantly recognisable that the vehicle is in motion.

To synthesise the engine sound, a road speed signal is taken from the vehicle and a waterproof loudspeaker system is positioned behind the grille allowing the sound to emanate from the front of the vehicle. The sound can also be synthesised from the rear of the vehicle in the same way, allowing warning when the vehicle is reversing. When a car is operating on the electric motor only, throttle and speed dependent synthesised sound projects an engine sound in front of the vehicle. The technology was designed around the behaviour of a conventional engine, using an existing engine sound which makes it instantly recognisable with the pitch and frequency helping to identify vehicle distance and speed.

If the hybrid's engine starts operating, at higher speeds or throttle demands or lower battery levels, the control system automatically stops the external synthesis. When the powertrain control system switches the car back to running on the electric motor only, the synthesis controller instantaneously sets the system running again. It is all completely automatic and the driver hears almost none of the additional sound. In order to generate a realistic engine sound, recordings of a suitable donor engine are made and analysed to establish the characteristic frequencies at different engine speeds. These frequencies are then entered into the synthesis controller in the form of a 'voice' which outputs the sound through an amplifier and out through the loudspeakers. Alternatively, more futuristic sounds for electric vehicles can be created using sampled sounds and generated waveforms.

HALOsonic

The HALOsonic suite of patented noise management solutions comprises three main systems, each of which can be used individually or in combination.

The first two systems are Active Road Noise Cancellation (ARNC) and Engine Order Cancellation (EOC). Both of these look to reduce noise levels in the cabin, particularly at frequencies that are audibly unpleasant. In the case of road noise, the system reduces broadband noise levels at frequencies below 250Hz whereas EOC tackles harmonic frequencies generated by ignition events in the engine.

Input signals from the engine (for EOC) or sensors mounted to the suspension system (for ARNC) are fed into the electronic controller, as are sound signals, measured by microphones located in the cabin. The software algorithms of the controller then calculate what sound is needed to provide cancellation and the speakers of the in-car entertainment system are used to put this into the cabin. All this takes just a few hundredths of a second and repeats and adapts constantly through the complex control system, seamlessly and instantaneously adapting to changes in speed or road condition. The cancellation system operates on the input signals so other noise in the vehicle such as the audio system and speech are not interfered with or cancelled. The result is a quieter, more pleasant cabin.

The third system is electronic sound synthesis, the purpose of which is to enhance the sound in the cabin, or enhance the sound at the front of the vehicle to increase pedestrian safety. The control system uses engine speed signal, a throttle position sensor and the in-car entertainment system to add sound. In this way a car could be made to sound sportier or be given the pleasing sound characters of, say, a flat 6 or V8 engine. Coupled with EOC and ARNC, the interior sound in the cabin can be tuned to enhance the driving experience and match the brand attributes of the vehicle.

Images here:

http://www.midlandslotus.co.uk/forum/index...=sc&cat=174