Group Lotus is set for a bright future with a greatly expanded and extended car model

programme and new opportunities for the engineering business on a re-aligned basis.

Following a major review of the entire business and with the full support of the Lotus Group

International Limited (LGIL) holding company board, Lotus intends to launch two additional

new models over the next three years. This is in addition to the new Esprit, which will top the

range as the company's future flagship sports car.

The two additional models will be a new mid-range Lotus set for launch in December 2008 and

a Lotus/Proton high-performance model, due in May 2008. The flagship Esprit replacement,

whose introduction has been extended to incorporate more Lotus "DNA" and other

enhancements to meet the changing needs of the global marketplace, will be unveiled in

December 2009.

The review also highlighted opportunities for growth in the engineering consultancy business,

including expansion in new markets, joint ventures and strategic alliances.

Mike Kimberley, Chief Executive Officer, Group Lotus said: "We are very pleased to

have secured LGIL Board approval for a high-level five-year strategic business plan –

the first such approved plan that this company has had in the last six years. We have

some great opportunities ahead of us and some already under way. It's a very bright

future but we have to work hard to bring all the opportunities to fruition."

The current Lotus model range includes the award-winning and class-leading Elise and Exige

with the recently-introduced Europa S. The three new models, all to be sold through the Lotus

dealer network, will address new market segments and allow Lotus to extend its appeal to a

wider customer base. Development work on two of the three new models is already ongoing

and will increase significantly in future months.

Responding to a general economic downturn in certain key markets, Lotus has recently

reduced production of its iconic Elise and Exige models. It also expects to 'right-size' its

workforce to match capacity with global demand and to minimise overheads.

Mike Kimberley concluded "Like many other carmakers we need to tighten our belts in the

short term. It is essential we respond fast to market conditions while we drive forward this

exciting long-term plan. Our shareholder Proton has been and is very supportive of Group

Lotus plc, with strong backing for our realignment plans."

http://www.midlandslotus.co.uk/forum/uploa...pr_download.pdf

The announcement was made by the Lotus Group International Limited (LGIL) holding

company board on 20 September at the same time as Mr Kimberley was outlining the sports

car maker's new high-level strategic five-year business plan.

A highlight of the plan, which has the holding company board's full support, is the introduction

of a new mid-range Lotus set for launch in December 2008 and a Lotus/Proton highperformance

model, due in May 2008.

Mike Kimberley was the managing director of Lotus in the Colin Chapman era and took over

as CEO after Chapman's tragic death in 1982. The holding company invited him to return to

Lotus in May this year in an acting role to review the Group business and operations.

Mike Kimberley, CEO, Group Lotus plc said: "I'm honoured that the main Proton holding board

has put their faith in me. Lotus has always shown great innovation and vision; as a team at

Lotus, we are all determined to realise the company's full potential and justify Proton's

confidence in us."

http://www.midlandslotus.co.uk/forum/uploa...pr_download.pdf

Lotus's dominant performance at the top of the GT3 class. In the first qualifying session for

Round 11, Gavan Kershaw put in a spectacular lap to record the third quickest time of the

session behind the Le Mans-winning Panoz car of Hines/Kimber-Smith and the third-placed Le

Mans Ferrari 430 of Niarchos/Mullen. Barrie Whight recorded another sensational lap in

second qualifying, going fourth fastest overall, putting him only one second behind the

Porsche 997 GT3 of Cocker, and handing Lotus grid slots at the head of the field for both of

the day's rounds.

Race 1 (Round 11) provided further action on the banked Rockingham circuit which saw the

new straight out of the box Lotus Sport of Exige GT3 of Paul Whight and new-boy Russell

Treasure storm up to eight place after starting fourteenth on the grid. This was partly thanks to

the Lotus Sport Exige GT3 being the only car on the grid capable of going round the

Rockingham banking at full throttle gaining an extra second per lap over its fellow competitors.

Individual performances from Lotus Sport Cadena drivers handed the team second, third and

fourth positions in Round 11 of the GT3 Driver's Championship.

From fourth on the grid, race 2 (Round 12) saw Barrie Whight putting in a strong drive to pick

up a place to power ahead of the Porsche 997 GT3 of Machitski/Cocker. Kershaw then held

3rd place right to the chequered flag to take third place overall for Round 12 of the British GT

Championship, rounding off the weekend's impressive points haul. Duos Paul Whight and

Russell Treasure and Sam Blogg and George Mackintosh finished in eleventh and twelfth

place overall, which put Lotus Sport Cadena in first, third and fourth place respectively in the

GT3 Driver's Class for Round 12.

Commenting on the dominant Lotus performance at Rockingham, Paul Whight, Team Principal

of Lotus Sport Cadena explains: "despite some technical issues, the Lotus Sport Exige GT3

was very much on a level playing field with the higher-powered competitors in the

championship such as those of Porsche and Ferrari, which shows how much progress we

have made with our development programme. It has also enabled us to consolidate our lead at

the top of the GT3 drivers and team championships which is very encouraging going into the

next race at the legendary Brands Hatch circuit."

GT3 driver's championship leaders Sam Blogg and George Mackintosh have now completed a

total race distance 3500 km in their Lotus Sport Exige without incurring any technical

problems. Lotus leads Barwell Motorsport by 18 points in the GT3 Team classification. Rounds

13 and 14 of the British GT Championship will be held at Brands Hatch, Kent on 27 August,

2006.

http://www.midlandslotus.co.uk/forum/uploa...pr_download.pdf

Lotus Cars Ltd, the sportscar division of Group Lotus plc, is pleased to announce the appointment of Richburg Corporation Limited for the retail of Lotus cars in Hong Kong.

Mike Kimberley, CEO of Group Lotus plc comments "I would like to welcome Richburg Corporation to the Lotus family and brand. The Hong Kong market is strategically important to us and we are pleased to have teamed up with such an enthusiastic and professional organisation. Looking to the future, we are expanding our line-up to include new products such as a mid engine supersports car which will introduce the Lotus marque to a discerning and individualistic group of Lotus fans and driving enthusiasts."

Eric Wong, Chairman and CEO of Richburg Corporation commented: "We are very excited to be able to offer these superb Lotus sportscars to Hong Kong drivers and those who appreciate fine and innovative engineering in our market. Richburg's profile and strength has always been its unique ability to retail innovative and high profile car brands in Hong Kong. Our marketing plan is to re-launch Lotus into the fast lane, highlighting the brand's philosophies in building lightweight, agile and innovative performance cars and its British engineering and manufacturing heritage."

Eric Wong continues: "Our first allocation of nine cars are being hand built by Lotus as we speak and will be shipped to Hong Kong soon. The new Elise R and the new Exige S will be available from launch in October 2006 with pricing from HK$ 585,000 for the Elise R and HK$ 715,000 for the Exige S. The new Europa S and the new entry level Lotus Elise S will join the range in early 2007."

The new Lotus showroom will be at Shop A, 128 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong, and the new Lotus Service Centre will be at Unit 2, G/F, Chaiwan Industrial City, Phase 2, 70 Wing Tai Road, Chaiwan, Hong Kong.

Richburg Corporation has pledged HK$ 10 million to re-establish the Lotus brand, dealership, and the parts and service network to underline its commitment to the brand and its future customers. The new facilities will all be in line with the corporate image and training standards set out by Lotus Cars.

Do you own a Lotus?

Do you want to feedback your views direct to the company?

Then this is your opportunity to tell us what you think of our products and services. Your views as a Lotus owner are very important to us and any feedback you can give is greatly appreciated. The questionnaire will take approximately 10 minutes to complete and will help shape our Company's future direction.

http://www.grouplotu...surveyform1.php

in Brooklands Soapbox Derby

The Lotus Type 119c soapbox, which topped the timesheets in the 2004 Goodwood Soapbox

Challenge, claimed its second consecutive title and record in the Brooklands Soapbox Derby,

at the Brooklands circuit in Surrey, on 16 July 2006. This earns Lotus a place in the history

books as being the most successful soapbox racing team ever in UK downhill gravity racing

competition.

Paul Adams, who was once again at the wheel of the Type 119c closed-cockpit "streamliner,"

dominated the practice run on the historic course from the very start, finishing ahead of closest

rivals and last year's competition winners, Lola Cars, by posting a fastest time of 72.4

seconds, just 0.6 seconds shy of last year's record.

The pace-setting performance continued, breaking the 2005 record in the very first of six

competitive runs with a time of 68.5 seconds, leaving second placed Lola 1.8 seconds adrift in

the opening round. It then proved difficult for both Lola and the remaining entrants to match

the blistering pace of the Lotus. Adams, having mastered the sweeping curves and the historic

banked section, went on to smash the record further in the second official timed run with an

even faster time. He set a new course record of 67.7 seconds, 4.1 seconds quicker than last

year's top time, reminiscent of the stunning performance at Goodwood in 2004.

Not taking any chances until the chequered flag, the Lotus continued to battle, and posted a

time on the final run which was within just 0.10 seconds of the new record. In only the second

race on the Brooklands circuit since 1936, the Lotus team mounted the top step of the podium

to aptly receive the winner's trophy from Sir Richard Noble, who successfully piloted Thrust 2

to the Land Speed record in 1983, before becoming Project Director for the Thrust SCC Land

Speed Record in 1997.

Commenting on the day's racing in the Brooklands Soapbox Derby, Paul Adams explains

"Taking a second win in the Type 119c is very special, and I am extremely proud to be

bringing another trophy back to Hethel. It is a testament to all the hard work and dedication of

all those involved at Lotus. The racing was both fun and very close, which I thoroughly

enjoyed. It is a great event."

The Lotus Type 119c will continue to be used for marketing activities as a demonstration of

capability of Group Lotus.

Prices announced for the New Lotus Europa S

pr_download.pdf

Lotus Europa S Specifications, Technical Details and Options

pr_download.pdf

Lotus Exige S Specifications, Technical Details and Options

pr_download.pdf

The Type 1 Lotus Watch

pr_download.pdf

The New Lotus Europa S - 'Business Class by Lotus'

pr_download.pdf

The Lotus Exige S – breathtaking performance from the

fastest accelerating Lotus ever to come off the production line

pr_download.pdf

The New Lotus Elise S : Lotus Re-Enters the Mainstream Sportscar

Market with a Vengeance!

pr_download.pdf

Lotus Elise S Specifications, Technical Details and Options

pr_download.pdf

Lotus continues to dominate GT3 Class in British GT Championship

A full strength Lotus Sport Cadena made the 'long trek' from Hethel to Snetterton ready to make battle

with the Barwell Motorsport Aston Martin DBRS9s and, for the first time, the Ascari KZ1s of Damax. As

well as the third Exige, the team brought along a healthy lead in GT3 to be defended and, rather less

welcome, an awful lot of extra weight.

Despite the team's support for the series (and being the only entrants in the class for the last two

meetings), the organisers deemed a concession to be unnecessary and applied the full handicapping

criteria. Thus, both #19 and #20 would be carrying an extra 60kg, while one of the much heavier Barwell

cars would carry 30kg; the second Aston and the Ascaris would have no extra weight at all. It didn't take

a genius to work out who had got the raw end of the deal here, but at least the field of seven GT3 cars

would mean that full points would be up for grabs, rather than the half points awarded at the French and

Irish races. Sam Blogg and George Mackintosh arrived in Norfolk with a seven point championship lead

over Barrie Whight and Gavan Kershaw, with Chris Randall and Paul Whight a further five points

behind.

With the three cars being at different stages of development, Gavan Kershaw (smiling as ever, above)

decided that it was time to be Mr Motivator. In testing on Friday, he drove all three cars around the track

and got them all in to the 1:12s; thus demonstrating that, while nobody knows a Lotus like Kershaw,

there was no major advantage enjoyed by any one car over the others. This gesture enthused the team

and drivers and everyone went to work with a spring in their step. The Lotus Roadshow added to the

sense of occasion at the team's local track.

Car #18 – Paul Whight/Chris Randall

The plan originally was for this car to be the third new chassis by this stage in the season, but with so

much development happening on the #19 car (whereby any successful enhancements would be

transferred to the other cars) the decision had been made to postpone the switch. As had been shown

by Gavan Kershaw earlier, the old 'test hack' still had plenty of speed in it and the 90 minute free

practice in the Saturday morning sun went well. Apart from one thing; "All three cars have had noise

issues," explained Paul Whight. "It's not the volume, but the high pitch of the exhaust note that's the

problem with us." With the 'noise police' insistent on changes being made, silencers had to be modified

or replaced; "Our car has ended up with a length of pipe sticking out of the back of the exhaust – if the

Porsches get as friendly as they normally do, they're going to be finding holes in their exhausts!"

laughed Whight.

With Snetterton being a power circuit, and very different from Pau and Mondello, there was no great

expectation of running at the front of the field. However, Chris Randall was very positive about one

particular aspect of the car's performance; "The brakes are fantastic," he declared. "What we lose in the

straights, we make right back up on the brakes!"

Free practice saw the car running comfortably in the 1:14s and able to dip into the 1:13s, despite

running on old rubber on narrower rears than the Kershaw car; nine inch rears compared to the #19's

new ten inch wheels. "I've done a 1:13 dead on old rubber. If I can get into the 12s in qualifying I'll be

happy; if not, I'll have a very long face," said Chris Randall.

The younger of the two Group C drivers qualified first, and he achieved his aim on only his second lap.

Three rapid laps delivered first a 1:12.855, then a 1:12.639, before finally a 1:12.559. This was good

enough for tenth overall and fifth in class and Randall was very happy with his pace.

Paul Whight managed to set his fastest time (1:15.543) on his first lap in the second session. However,

on his second lap he pitted to have some set-up changes made and, with there being only 15 minutes

available in which to qualify, found that he was unable to improve in the time left once he resumed.

But the car was in good shape and would need nothing more than tinkering before the afternoon's race,

which would begin ten minutes ahead of schedule at twenty past four, in glorious sunshine.

The weather may have been glorious, but, alas, the #18's race was not. Chris Randall had barely found

his feet when a gearbox mount gave way (in previous races a weak spot on the Exige had been the

engine mounts, but these had been reinforced) on lap three. With most of the race ahead, Randall had

no choice but to back off the pace and switch to a survival strategy.

His pace in the circumstances was impressive. Having got used to the problem, he managed to get the

car moving again mid-stint and at one point reached the 1:14s; but he was losing ground all the while.

He kept it going to the pitstop window and Paul Whight took over. The car pitted on lap 27, but it was

clear that the problem was getting worse all the time. Lap 29 was a 1:19, followed by a 1:23. Whight

tried to go faster and brought the time down to 1:18, but that was more than the car could take and it

coasted to a halt across the line.It was to be a busy night for the Lotus Sport Cadena mechanics, one

that saw the engine and gearbox replaced. Such was the scale of the job that repairs were only just

completed in time for the second race, early on Sunday afternoon.

The one opportunity to test the repairs (warm-up) had come and gone a long time previously. But at

least the car was in the race. With the race start being shortly after lunch, the sun was at its hottest and

it was very warm indeed in the car. Paul Whight was starting a long way down the grid after the

qualifying issues, but it seemed to be going okay. The car was able to circulate in the 1:15s consistently,

but didn't seem able to go any quicker; and so it proved. A clutch problem was preventing the driver

from changing down more than one gear at a time and this cost the car time on every corner.

Whight pitted on lap 24 and handed over to Chris Randall. Although able to go a bit faster (getting into

the 1:14s), the same problem was hampering progress, much to Randall's frustration. But worse was to

follow as a CV joint failed soon afterwards and the car was out for the second time. On both occasions,

the #18's race had lasted 32 laps.

"It's been a turbulent weekend," mused Chris Randall afterwards, "but despite all the mechanical

problems, we've shown the car is capable of being quick on a power circuit. We were monstering the

Porsches!"

Car #19 – Barrie Whight/Gavan Kershaw

After the great leap forward that had been Mondello Park in June, the drivers of #19 were looking

forward to a good tussle with their GT3 foes; GTC had been beaten in Ireland, so it was now a case of

racing against their peers in the new category.

Things rarely stand still in the world of Lotus Sport Cadena and the car was sporting a number of

enhancements that had been applied in the workshops in the three weeks since the last race. As well as

the ten inch width rears, the car had a new diffuser, new barge boards and various other tweaks; the

pace of development on the car is unrelenting.

"The car's mechanically sound and both Gav and I are happy that what's been done to the car is

working," said Barrie Whight after free practice; a session that had seen the car set the eighth fastest

time overall with a 1:11.638. "We're not off the pace as much as we'd feared."

"We're not happy that we've got GTC cars overtaking us on the straights," added Gavan Kershaw, "but

nobody's going through the corners faster than us. I'll be looking for P3 in qualifying; if we do that, we'll

have done all we can do. The one thing we know for sure is that the car is consistent over a race

distance."

Before qualifying began, Kershaw was delighted to note during the driver briefing that Barwell

Motorsport was treating Lotus Sport Cadena very much as a direct competitor. The Exige may not yet

be homologated for FIA GT3, but the Aston Martin team has clearly been keeping an eye on its rival's

progress over the past few weeks. Qualifying probably did little to allay Barwell's fears as Kershaw put

his rubber where his mouth is and planted the Exige on the fourth row of the grid; third in GT3 with

1:11.763. He may have been a second off the #66 Aston Martin's pace, but that car was carrying no

ballast and no GT3 equivalency formula yet exists in BGT; in other words, this was not a race of equals.

Next up was Barrie Whight for qualifying for Sunday's race. With the two Ascaris having their faster

drivers in the seat, it was no surprise that they took the two top places in class. But things were close for

third spot.

On a busy track, Whight was struggling to find the space for a clear run and a fast time. On two

occasions he backed right off in his quest for the space, but it just wasn't there. His fastest lap came

two-thirds through the session at 1:13.721. Paul Drayson, meanwhile had made the most of his first lap

and recorded a 1:13.699. This was to remain his best lap and so Whight missed out on third by four

hundredths of a second.

Gavan Kershaw's start at Mondello Park had been fantastic, with a cheeky blast up the inside at the first

corner leaving him second overall; what could he do here? His goal of moving up through the field was

made considerably easier by first Chris Niarchos starting from the pitlane in the GT2 Ferrari and also by

the kill-switch tripping on Phil Keen's Eclipse Mosler. Stuart Turvey made a poor start in the #45 Ascari

and Kershaw now just had Jonathan Cocker's #66 DBRS9 ahead of him. Rather as the laws of physics

state that a bumble bee shouldn't be able to fly, so the laws of racing say that an Exige shouldn't be

able to monster an Aston Martin on a power circuit. But it took Kershaw until only the third lap to do just

that and local hero was through into the class lead; "I'll bet they weren't expecting that!" said the Lotus

man.

Despite his power advantage, Cocker could not regain the place; but help was to come from a third

party. A spin had dropped David Dove's Ferrari a long way back and the leaders were soon lapping the

red car. Unfortunately for Kershaw, as he tried to do the same, the cars touched and the Exige spun

back down the field. Although recovering quickly, Gavan had lost a lot of ground and was now behind

both Ascaris. Worse still, the second Aston was right on his tail and lapping quicker.

This four way battle continued up to the pitstops. The Aston swept by the other three cars, but Kershaw

was able to take the #90 Ascari and close on to the tail of the #45. Before he could make a move,

however, both Ascaris pitted for their driver changes. Unfortunately for the Lotus, both cars rejoined the

track just in front and he would now have to race the KZ1s' faster drivers. Kershaw closed as the

Ascaris came up to speed, but he couldn't get through. For several laps, the Exige was right behind his

two rivals into Russell Bend and on lap 24 he made his move; "…….and then I was in an Ascari

sandwich, and there was a bit of rubbin'," was how Kershaw described the moment, one that saw his car come off worst. A spin across the grass was the immediate result of the contact, but the car was out,

the gears refusing to work for the driver.

As with the #18 sister car, an engine and gearbox swap would be required. Unlike the other car, the #19

was able to take part in warm-up, but the sight of Dave Kershaw kneeling at the back of the car after the

session looking at the gearbox and shaking his head did not auger well. "The gearbox isn't right, but

there's no time to change it," explained Gavan Kershaw. "We can race, but it's a question of how long it

will last." These weren't ideal circumstances for Barrie Whight to start the race in, but at least he would

get a race, unlike on Saturday.

Whight's start was as assertive as Kershaw's had been and he wasn't hanging around for three laps

before getting the Aston, doing the deed on the first lap. The Chelmsford driver then spent the next

dozen laps with a big angry green machine in his mirrors, but he wasn't fazed and was able to keep the

Aston at bay.

But it wasn't just the DBRS9 that Whight was fighting; "The tyres lasted for 15 minutes and then I had

understeer into Sear Corner followed by massive oversteer out of Coram," explained Whight. "I'm not a

drifting champion like Gav, but I was coming through Coram sideways; I was on the limit every time just

trying to get round." Unfortunately for Whight, he went over the limit on lap 13 and spun. Only ten

seconds were lost, but the Aston was now ahead.

Whight carried on and handed the car over to Gavan Kershaw without further problems. The Ascaris

were well out of range by this point, but it was still conceivable that the #66 could be caught once more

and a Kershaw charge is virtually guaranteed. But not today, alas; "A supercharger pipe came loose,

otherwise I would have been after him," reflected Kershaw afterwards. The car was into the 1:12s

before the problem and its fastest lap came on lap 29; but with the problem costing him several seconds

per lap, all the Norfolk driver could do was bring the car home to fourth place.

After such a weekend, it would be reasonable to find two disappointed drivers; but not a bit of it. "Okay,

it's been a little bit frustrating, but it's easy to see the positives," began Barrie Whight. "We have moved

forward," agreed Gavan Kershaw. "It's been great to see all the local support here," continued Whight.

"We've had 250 Lotus employees come to cheer us along and the interest from the factory has been

tremendous. There's been a real big-meeting atmosphere about it today."

#20 Sam Blogg/ George Mackintosh

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" is George Mackintosh's summing up of the #20 Exige. The car with the least

amount of development of the three finds itself leading the way in the GT3 championship after an

unbroken run of points finishes. "The strategy so far has been to finish and Sam and I are coming round

to the idea that perhaps we should just carry on as we're going, rather than look for more and more

speed with new mods. It seems to be working so far!"

Free practice on Saturday morning saw 39 trouble free laps completed by the two drivers, with both able

to dip into the 1:14s quite comfortably; the fastest time of the morning being a 1:14.177. In the

qualifying session that afternoon, Sam Blogg was able to beat that time by two tenths; his 1:13.992

being just three tenths off the #66 Aston Martin and 15th fastest overall. "That was a good qualifying

session," said the youngest of the Lotus drivers (right). "We're beginning to get nearer to the pace of the

#19 car. Earlier, George Mackintosh had enjoyed a trouble free qualifying, staking out his claim to an

11th row slot for Saturday's race with a 1:15.615.

The London-based Scot's race was a curious one. Whereas normally there would be much to-ing and

fro-ing mid-pack, here he found himself embroiled with just one car for the full extent of his stint, this

being the #16 Motorbase Porsche. Initially falling behind, Mackintosh rallied and retook the spot midway

through his stint. Thereafter he kept ahead and pressed on towards the pitstop.

When Sam Blogg took over, he too found himself with nobody to fight with. This didn't appear to bother

him, however, as he got his head down and buried the throttle. He upped the race pace to the 1:15s and

just had a blast; "I really enjoyed it; really good," he said later. "I had no issues with the car and the tyres

were consistent through to the end; the Avons were working well. I just stayed on the pace."

For the first time this season, the pair found themselves without silverware at the end of the race, but

they had finished (unlike the two other Exiges) – 12th overall and fifth in class - and picked up more

valuable points. They had also managed to shed 20kg of ballast for the second race.

While the numbers 18 and 19 cars were being rebuilt on Sunday, there was absolutely nothing to be

done on the #20 car and the two drivers busied themselves by cleaning the car and entertaining visitors.

By the time the Sunday race started, the heat was intense; what was it like in the car? "Not too bad,"

said Blogg, "there's some ducting in the car." Mackintosh (left) had another way of dealing with the heat;

"You've got so much adrenalin pumping at the start that you forget about the heat. It's only later in the

race when you begin to notice it."

Even with the heatwave, Sam Blogg found his tyres to be on the cool side at the start of the race; "I

struggled to get heat into the tyres at the beginning. But when they came in I began to catch up again."

As was the case with Mackintosh in the first race, Blogg found himself embroiled in a private battle with

a GTC car; this time it was the #70 Ferrari of Calum Lockie. The gap ebbed and flowed until Blogg

made a move stick on the 14th lap.

Once past the Ferrari, the Exige stayed ahead until the pitstop, even with a touch of understeer. George

Mackintosh took over, but found that he was having to contend with the car's only gremlin of the

weekend; "We had an electronic problem on the gear shift that was costing a second/second and a half

on each lap; the kind of thing that sometimes develops at the changeover. So it was back to heel 'n toe."

With his pace curtailed, it was a case of bringing it home; although he did depose the David Dove

Ferrari (this time driven by the team owner) once more. The car's 100% finishing record had been

maintained.

The points haul from the weekend was enough for the pair to maintain a seven point lead at the top of

the championship, but they now had Aston Martin driver Leo Machitski closest to them. With Barwell's

future commitments unclear, things were still looking good for the Lotus drivers.

It had been a mixed weekend for Lotus Sport Cadena, but crucially the project had once again proved

itself to have moved forward. The last word goes to Gavan Kershaw.

"We need to do some tyre work and things like that; but the main thing is that GT3 doesn't seem like

such a big challenge now. British GT3 is beatable, and we're confident that we'd be midfield if we were

running in the last race of the FIA series." Rockingham is next; a circuit seemingly made for the Lotus

Exige.

I have other details if needed.

LOTUS CUP EUROPE - WHAT IS IT?

The Lotus Cup Europe series started in 2004 as a direct response to customer

and Lotus dealer interest in a 'fun' but professionally-run motorsport

series in Europe.

The series is designed to offer Lotus owners the opportunity to experience

some tremendous European circuits with like-minded enthusiasts - and the

series continues to grow year-on-year with two different types of

competition offered, Race and Regularity.

The Lotus Cup Europe is one of the few series that follows the genuine Cup

principle whereby competitors can drive their cars on the public roads to

the event and then take part in a competition on track.

For the serious racer, there are 100-mile Race events run at the majority of

the Cup events and these are open only to competitors (and race licence

holders) with a Lotus Exige Cup car.

For the non-race licence holder, Regularity events are a feature of all Cup

weekends. Regularity is for road legal cars only and is open to all types

of Lotus Elise, 340R and Lotus Exige. Competitors are assessed on

consistency of their lap times as against outright speed. ALL YOU NEED IS A

ROAD LEGAL CAR, A CRASH HELMET AND YOUR ROAD LICENCE AND YOU CAN PARTICIPATE

IN REGULARITY! And every single competitor gets a trophy at the prize

presentation on the day.

The Race events are typically run over a two day weekend, with two 25 minute

qualifying sessions followed by a 100 mile race.

Regularity events run to a single-day programme and normally consists of two

25 minute training sessions, followed by a 30 minute Regularity event.

Both Race and Regularity take place over the same Lotus Cup Europe weekend.

Co-ordinated by an external Cup organisation, Lotus Cup Europe is part of

the European GTP weekends. Fully supported by ourselves, Lotus Cars Ltd,

the series has a permanent external championship co-ordinator and a

dedicated promoter based at Lotus HQ in Hethel, England - that's me!

Lotus Dealers plays a central function in both the Race and Regularity

series and is the direct contact point for the customer. Registration and

entries are available at the official participating Lotus Cup dealer; the

Lotus Exige Cup car is only available from the official Lotus Cup dealers.

For you nearest Official Lotus Cup dealer, please visit: www.lotuscars.co.uk

or if you wish to discuss the purchase of a Exige Cup car, please call Lotus

Sport direct on 01953 608183.

We have four events left this season:

ASSEN - Luxembourg, 19th/20th August - REGULARITY ONLY

DIJON - France, 16/17 September - RACE & REGULARITY

MONZA - 30 Sept/1 Oct - RACE & REGULARITY

MAGNY COURS - 14/15 October - RACE & REGULARITY

There is a very reasonable cost for entering the Race or Regularity events -

650 euros for Race and 350 euros for Regularity (at each event).

I do hope this is something that might be of interest to you and your

members. REMEMBER, YOU CAN ENTER REGULARITY WITH YOUR ROAD ELISE OR EXIGE

AND YOUR DRIVING LICENCE ONLY! These events are great fun, with a lunch BBQ

provided on race day and much support for new drivers. I will be at all the

events with an Engineer from Lotus Sport to assist with any engineering or

handling problems you might have on the day.

Do come and join us!

Championship at the Pau circuit in southern France during the weekend of 05 June 2006,

Lotus Sport Cadena now heads both the GT3 Driver's Championship with the driver pairing of

Sam Blogg and Paul Mackintosh, and the GT3 Team Classification by six points, over second

placed Barwell Motorsport fielding the Aston Martin DBRS9.

Gavan Kershaw and Barrie Whight took pole in the Lotus Sport Exige GT3 for the first of the

two races, but after a closely fought battle on the tight and twisty circuit, it was the Lotus duo of

Chris Randall and Paul Whight who claimed first place in the GT3 Class. In the second race,

after starting behind the two other Lotus entries, Gavan Kershaw and Barrie Whight

complemented their pole position in race 1 with a class win and a ninth place finish out of 32

runners in the overall standings, finishing above both Ferrari and Lamborghini.

Reflecting on the strong performance at Pau, Paul Whight, Team Principal of the Lotus Sport

Cadena race team explains: "The car has been superb, and this gave us the chance to use

different set up variations during the weekend which certainly paid off. The Lotus Exige GT3 is

getting smoother and we are seeing a continuous improvement in its handling. The team

continues to be excited about the ongoing development of the race car, and our relationship

with Lotus is starting to blossom."

Rounds 7 and 8 of the British GT Championship will be held at Mondello Park, Ireland on 25

June, 2006.

competitive appearance at the Brooklands Museum Soapbox Derby on 16 July, 2006. The

Type 119c soapbox is the reigning champion and record holder of the challenging 0.7 mile

descent at the Goodwood festival of Speed Gravity Racing Club Soapbox Challenge.

Following the omission of the popular downhill event from the Goodwood Festival of Speed

line-up since 2004, attention has turned to the Extreme Gravity Racing (XGR) Series in the

USA, and the UK-based Brooklands Soapbox Derby which ran for the first time last year.

The closed-cockpit Lotus Type 119c "streamliner" features an aerodynamically-efficient ultralight

carbon-fibre monocoque, remaining true to the "performance through light weight"

philosophy of Lotus founder Colin Chapman. It will be lining up on the grid once again against

familiar automotive constructors such as Lola, Vauxhall and Ford as well as entries from

schools, colleges and privateers.

Paul Adams, who successfully piloted the Lotus Type 119 soapbox to victory in the Roadster

Class at the Goodwood event in 2002 and who clinched the overall win in 2004 with the 119c,

will be returning to the driving seat hoping to lift a third trophy. On being back behind the wheel

after a two-year break, Paul Adams explains: "I am really excited to be able to race at such a

historic circuit and be reunited again with past competitors, which will certainly make for some

good and fun racing. We will be shaking down the car on the Hethel Test Track, so that I can

familiarise myself once again with the controls, oil the nuts and bolts and blow off the

cobwebs!"

Teams will race from the top of the Test Hill of the Brooklands circuit, which then leads on to

the exciting banked section before the Finish Straight in front of the paddock. The record, held

by Lola Cars for descending the course, is 71.8 seconds, and competitors are expected to

reach a top speed of around 35 mph.

Notes:

Team members

Paul Adams, 26 – Pilot

Billy Carroll, 28 – Engineer/Running gear

Dave Larkman, 35 – Engineer

Simon Wittenberg, 26 – PR/Commercial Activities

from the 16 of September 2006. The car will be fully equipped, including driver and passenger

airbag, air conditioning, satellite navigation and full leather interior. Metallic Paint and Lifestyle

Paint colours are the only cost options. The recommended retail prices for the following countries

are as follows and include local taxes:

Belgium

Recommended Retail Price – 51,100 RRP

Metallic Paint – 950 RRP

Lifestyle Paint – 1,450 RRP

France

Recommended Retail Price – 50,600 RRP

Metallic Paint – 925 RRP

Lifestyle Paint – 1,425 RRP

Germany

Recommended Retail Price – 49,100 RRP

Metallic Paint – 910 RRP

Lifestyle Paint – 1,390 RRP

Italy

Recommended Retail Price – 52,100 RRP

Metallic Paint – 932 RRP

Lifestyle Paint – 1,426 RRP

The Netherlands

Recommended Retail Price – 66,603 RRP

Metallic Paint – 1,275 RRP

Lifestyle Paint – 1,908 RRP

Switzerland

Recommended Retail Price – SFr 72,100 RRP

Metallic Paint – SFr 1,280 RRP

Lifestyle Paint – SFr 2,050 RRP

UK

Recommended Retail Price – £32,995 RRP

Metallic Paint – £595 RRP

Lifestyle Paint – £1,009 RRP

Euros before local taxes:

Recommended Retail Price – 41,500.00 RRP

Metallic Paint – 776.47 RRP

Lifestyle Paint – 1,188.10 RRP

Recommended retail prices for other countries in Europe and non-European countries will be

issued shortly. However, please note that the Europa S will not be sold in North America (USA

and Canada).

About the Lotus Europa S:

The new Lotus Europa S, a Grand Tourer (GT) inspired two-seater, will provide Lotus customers

a spectacular sportscar with significantly enhanced levels of touring and cruising capability, as

well as higher levels of comfort and refinement to complement the simplicity of the Lotus Elise

and Exige models.

The Europa S follows the core Lotus philosophy of performance through light weight, enabling

this refined and high-performing GT car to weigh a mere 995 kg, making it class - leading in this

respect. This low weight has been obtained through the clever use of advanced and high-tech

materials including an extruded and bonded aluminium chassis, composite body panels and a

very advanced composite energy absorbing front crash structure.

When compared to the award-winning Lotus Elise, the Europa S has a larger boot / luggage

compartment and easier cabin access, resulting from lower chassis sides and a higher roof line.

Combined with a full leather interior, Satellite Navigation and driver and passenger airbags all as

standard, Lotus has created it's interpretation of a "Business Class" driving experience, which

remains true to the Company's design philosophy.

The new mid-engine coupe will deliver high levels of performance from a high torque (272 Nm or

200 lbft at 5000 rpm) 2.0-litre turbo engine producing 147 kW (197 hp or 200 PS) at 5400rpm.

The Lotus Europa S achieves around 90% of its maximum torque at only 2000 rpm to give classleading

levels of acceleration from low engine speeds, propelling the car from 0 – 100 km/h in 5.9

seconds (0 - 60 mph in 5.6 seconds), and 160 km/h (100 mph) in 13.6 seconds.

Maximum speed is 240 km/h (150 mph). Being a Lotus, the Europa S has a competitive power to

weight ratio of 198 hp / tonne (205 PS / tonne or 148 kW / tonne).

of Lotus Cars USA, Inc.

Hethel, England – May 26th, 2006 – Group Lotus plc, announced today that Robert A.

("Bob") Braner has been appointed to the position of President and CEO for Lotus Cars USA,

Inc., with immediate effect.

Mike Kimberley, Chairman of LCU and CEO of the parent company Group Lotus said; " I'm

delighted to welcome Bob to Lotus; he's both expert and passionate about the business of

great driver's cars. He will spearhead the expansion of our dealer franchise and our customer

base in North America, as we prepare to launch our new high performance sports car in

2008."

Bob Braner brings to Lotus over 30 years of retail automotive and distribution experience that

culminated in the position of President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini USA, Inc. He has

most recently completed the restructure of Broadleaf Capital Partners, Inc., as its Interim

President and CEO. Broadleaf Capital is a publicly traded diversified investment holding

company that provides finance and management services to small and medium sized

companies with the objective of entering the public market.

"This is a very exciting and dynamic time for Lotus Cars worldwide," said Braner, "both the

Elise and Exige have already made a huge impact in the USA with their sensational driving

and ownership experience. I look forward to leading the team here as we work to expand the

brand's position, appeal and reach. We are also looking to further enhance the value of the

Lotus retail dealer franchise, as we move towards the launch of our new super-sportscar.

John English, past President and CEO at LCU, who has been with the company throughout

the launch of the Elise and Exige said; "Lotus is an inspirational brand with thought-provoking

products and a proud heritage of many performance innovations. In 2005 Lotus Cars USA

had record car sales with over 2400 new customers finding out for themselves what makes

the Lotus brand very special in comparison to other sports cars. I am very pleased to have

played a major role in the success of the Elise and the launch of the Exige. It has been

exciting and gratifying for me to know that new Lotus owners have a great deal of satisfaction

and enjoyment with their cars."

Mike Kimberley further stated: "I would like to thank John English for his contribution to Lotus

to date. He is a very skilled automotive professional and under his leadership we have seen

the brand grow over the last 2 years. We very much appreciate his dedication, commitment

and contributions to Lotus."

headquarters at Hethel in Norfolk U.K. This car, which is expected to enter production in

Spring 2008 will be positioned at the higher end of the Lotus range and will occupy the sector

vacated by the Lotus Esprit that finished production in 2004.

The decision to assemble the new car at Hethel follows an extensive evaluation of a number

of manufacturing locations around the world by Group Lotus and its shareholder Proton

Holdings Bhd.

Lotus has worked at improving the efficiencies and flexibilities within the manufacturing

facility over the last 18 months to maintain its position as a leading niche manufacturer within

the UK and Europe.

Over the next few months, Lotus will be undergoing a small re-organisation process within

the manufacturing facility to further improve the efficiencies and flexibility at Hethel. This will

lead to further improvements and gains leading up to the start of production.

Mike Kimberley, Chief Executive for Group Lotus plc says:

"We are very pleased that Hethel has been confirmed by the Board of Directors as the

manufacturing location for this vital new car. However the decision to choose Hethel has not

been taken lightly and was influenced not only by our past achievements, but also by firm

future commitments to improve the efficiencies and flexibilities within our manufacturing

facility. We have a lot of work to do between now and the start of production and this will

demand much commitment and hard work from us all at Lotus."

The Hethel manufacturing facility is regarded as one of the finest facilities of its kind in the

world, an accolade reinforced by the award of "World Class Manufacturer of the Year 2005"

by The Manufacturer Magazine.

The Automotive Academy (the eastern spoke of which is located at Hethel) will be used

extensively to train Lotus staff to further improve flexibility and efficiencies.

Tyres British GT Championship debuting at the scenic and demanding Donington Park Race

Circuit meeting on 21 May 2006.

The third Lotus Sport Exige GT3, race number 18, will be driven by Paul Whight and Chris

Randall and will join the pairings of Barrie Whight and Gavan Kershaw in car number 19 and

George Mackintosh and Sam Blogg in car number 20.

Testing of the prototype Lotus Sport Exige GT3 has progressed steadily and successfully at the

official test session at Silverstone and at the challenging Lotus test track at Hethel, Norfolk.

Results are encouraging and further testing is planned in the next two weeks with the prototype

and the first two Lotus Sport Cadena race cars both at Hethel and at Snetterton.

Whilst the third car is being built, Paul Whight and Chris Randall will race the prototype Lotus

Sport Exige GT3, ensuring that a full complement of three cars will line up on the grid at

Donington.

The Lotus Sport Cadena race team is based at the Group Lotus headquarters in Hethel,

Norfolk in a newly-converted workshop facility. The team has access to the established Lotus

Sport expertise and infrastructure, in addition to the all important 2.25 mile Lotus Test Track.

This will be used as part of the team's testing programme throughout its maiden season in this

year's Avon Tyres British GT Championship, with an eye on entering the FIA GT3 European

Championship in 2007.

Commenting on the announcement of the three car team, Paul Whight, Team Principal for

Lotus Sport Cadena said: "I am very pleased that we have a third car in our line-up and I am

very excited to be one of the drivers. This will be a development year for both the team and the

Exige GT3 and although Lotus Sport Cadena isn't an official factory team, we have a very close

relationship with Lotus. I would like to thank Lotus Sport for building the cars in such a short

time and for the loan of their prototype Exige GT3 – I hope that we can do the Lotus brand

proud for our debut!"

Executive Officer of Group Lotus Plc. Mike currently chairs the Executive Committee of Lotus

Group International Limited (LGIL).

Given his vast experience and expertise in the automotive industry, Mike is a natural choice

to manage the company and he will be supported by the existing management team at the

Company and will continue to draw upon the support of the shareholder, Proton Holdings

Berhad (PROTON), the ultimate holding company. His priorities will include improving the

overall performance of Lotus as well as preparing and strengthening the specialist car

company and high-technology engineering and consulting company to compete in a wider

market and on a broader business base globally.

Proton strongly believes that Lotus has a critical role to play in the Proton Group to enable it

to become a successful automotive engineering and manufacturing group and a prominent

brand globally. Hence, Proton will continue to provide strong support to Lotus and its group of

companies. In view of the above, Proton has set up a special team to provide close and

specialist support to Mike and the management at Group Lotus Plc, to address the key

opportunities for Lotus for the future.

Kim Ogaard-Nielsen, former CEO of Group Lotus Plc, has stepped down to pursue his other

entrepreneurial interests. Kim joined Group Lotus Plc in November 2004 and has presided

over a number of projects during the past eighteen months. Lotus would like to record its

thanks to him for his service to the company during this period.

Speaking from Lotus headquarters at Hethel today, Mike Kimberley said, "All specialist sports

car companies operate in volatile and highly competitive markets. However, sales of the Elise

are moving ahead in the USA and are being further enhanced by the new introduction of the

Exige model. I can assure our customers, business partners and all who watch this iconic

marque with interest, that Lotus is a highly valued and integral part of the Proton Group."

Notes:

Michael J Kimberley's background:

Mike Kimberley has been associated with the LOTUS brand for over 22 years, since joining its

founder, the late Colin Chapman in 1969. He worked his way up the Company, was appointed as the

Managing Director of Lotus Cars Ltd. between 1976 until 1983 and became the CEO of Group Lotus

Plc between 1983 until the end of 1991.

Mike is a well-respected veteran of the automotive industry, having spent over 30 years with various

world-renowned automotive companies including General Motors, Jaguar and Automobili Lamborghini

SPA.

Two of his major achievements were the rejuvenation of Group Lotus Plc following the tragic loss of its

founder, Colin Chapman in the late 1982 and the revival of the Italian supercar maker, Automobili

Lamborghini SPA, in 1994.

More recently, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of Group Lotus plc as well as Lotus Group

International in August 2005. Mike Kimberley also chairs the Executive Committee of Lotus Group

International.

About Group Lotus plc:

The main operating subsidiary of Group Lotus plc is Lotus Cars Ltd, which has two operating divisions

- Lotus Cars and Lotus Engineering.

Lotus Engineering provides comprehensive and versatile consultancy services to many of the world's

OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, offering a full engineering service from initial concept and project design

through development to full production prototype build.

Lotus Cars builds and commercialises Lotus sports cars, Elise and Exige; and manufactures the

advanced composite front and rear crash structures for the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish.

The Exige Cup car is available in two versions, 190 and 240 hp. Both feature the Toyota-supplied 2ZZ-GE engine in either naturally aspiratedor supercharged forms.

Lotus Cup Europe continues to grow with two types of competition, Race and Regularity. Regularity events are open to all types of Lotus Elise, 340R and Lotus Exige road legal cars with competitors being assessed on consistency of their lap times as opposed to pure speed. The Regularity event is a single-day programme and normally consists of 2 x 25-minute training sessions followed by a 30-minute Regularity event.

The 2006 season will continue in the same format as last year whereby Race events will take place on the same weekends as Regularity. These races will be 75-minute format and are only open to those with a Lotus Exige Cup car

The Lotus Dealer plays a central function in the Race and Regularity series and is the direct contact point for the customer. Registrations/entries can only be completed at the official participating Lotus Cup dealer. The Lotus Exige Cup car is only available at the official Lotus Cup dealers. All events are co-ordinated by an external Cup organisation with the official support of Lotus Cars Ltd.

http://www.grouplotus.com/generic/generic....=13&page_id=338

vehicle rolls off the production line today.

The Lotus Elise 'Load Lugga' is an Elise-derived flatbed that seeks

to secure a slice of the ever-growing worldwide market for sportscar-derived

pickup trucks.

Utilising a Briggs and Stratton pull-start diesel engine, uniquely

supercharged by Lotus's own engineers, the Elise 'Load Lugga' is the first

Lotus to marry advanced 4-wheel drive technology with the Lotus design

philosophy of 'performance through lightweight'. A useful 5kg payload,

together with an optional towing hitch offering a further 10kg of

load-hauling capacity, ensures the new Lotus will be equally at home

carrying a small bag of sugar as an expanded polystyrene surfboard.

With carbon fibre roof rails and perforated aluminium bull bars

ensuring the new Elise derivative looks the part without compromising

performance, hopes are high that 0-60mph acceleration is less than 3

seconds, and will have flatbed fans reaching for their chequebooks.

An active payload management system, linked to the engine's oil

pressure control module, optimises ride and handling round even the sharpest

bend, while big chunky tyres increase ground clearance to an

all-terrain-conquering 4 inches.

Trevor Houghton-Berry, Lotus Head of Commercial Operations looked to

the future 'The Elise 'Load Lugga' is our first move into the lucrative LCV

market and certainly lives up to the Lotus philosophy of 'change the rules'.

We like trucking and we like to truck!'

Mark O'Shaughnessy, Lotus USA Sales and Marketing Director

commented, 'We can no longer ignore Lotus's big opportunity in the pickup

market - we want a slice of the action and are gunning for a 0.0026% market

share this year and 0.0027% next. The Elise 'Load Lugga' will be known as

the F1.50 stateside and we are set to take the market by storm. 200 Lotus

Elise F1.50's in the first year? Bring them on.........'

Sounds good

after the signature of a two-year deal between Cadena and Lotus Sport, the performance arm

of Lotus Cars) has announced that it is to be based at the Group Lotus headquarters in Hethel,

Norfolk.

Situated in a newly-converted workshop facility, the team will have access to the established

Lotus Sport expertise and infrastructure, in addition to the all important 2.25 mile Lotus Test

Track. This will be used as part of the team's testing programme throughout its maiden season

in this year's Avon Tyres British GT Championship, with an eye on entering the FIA GT3

European Championship in 2007.

Commenting on the move to the Hethel site, Paul Whight, Team Principal of the new racing

outfit explains: "It is important that we work in close collaboration with Lotus Sport in what will

be a development year for both the team and the Exige GT3. Although Lotus Sport Cadena

isn't an official factory team, we have a very close relationship with Lotus and by basing

ourselves at Hethel it reinforces our long term commitment to Lotus and to the Avon Tyres

British GT Championship."

Lotus Sport Cadena will field four drivers to contest the 2006 British GT series, all having raced

previously in Lotus racing cars. Cadena Lotus Sport Elise British GT driver Barrie Whight will

once again be partnered by Gavan Kershaw, Principal Vehicle Dynamics Engineer for Lotus

Engineering and driver of the Lotus Sport Elise in 2004 and the Mosler MT900R for the Cadena

GTC team during the 2005 season. George Mackintosh, who claimed last year's Yokohama

Mid-Engined Sportscar championship in a Lotus Elise, and Sam Blogg who took second place

in the series also competing in a Lotus Elise, complete the team's second pairing.

The opening round of the 2006 Avon Tyres British GT season takes place at Oulton Park on

the 16th and 17th of April, with subsequent visits to high profile national circuits, Mondello Park

in Ireland and Pau in France.

APX by Lotus Engineering (APX stands for "Aluminium Performance

Crossover") is the first example of a complete vehicle built on the innovative

Versatile Vehicle Architecture (VVA).

APX is a demonstration of Lotus Engineering's ability to create innovative and exciting, high

performance products through its world class capability in Vehicle Design, Performance

Powertrain Engineering and niche vehicle development, the first production car from this

technology will be the new Lotus mid-engine super sportscar.

It is a 7-seater (in reality a 5 + 2 with the two rear seats being occasional) four-wheel drive

"Crossover" vehicle with a front mounted 300 hp supercharged V6 petrol engine. Weighing in

at just 1570 kg and with a power to weight ratio of 191 hp per tonne, the APX has sportscar

like performance of 5.4 seconds to 100 km/h (5.0 seconds to 60 mph) before reaching a top

speed of 245 km/h (152 mph). These performance figures are as good as the highest

performing 4x4 "Crossover" vehicles from other brands with up to 195 hp per tonne. Crucially

though, whereas those vehicles need higher output engines to compensate for heavy weight,

APX does not. Combined fuel consumption for APX is estimated to be 8.7 litres / 100 km (or

32 mpg) – impressive on its own and more so when compared to its production rivals which

often consume more than 13 litres per 100 km (22 mpg).

APX is manufactured predominantly from aluminium in the form of high-pressure die-cast

corner nodes, stampings and extrusions. It uses advanced assembly techniques, including

adhesive bonding, self-piercing rivets and flow-drill screws for construction – joining

techniques that Lotus calls Riv-Bonding. Lotus has optimised the use of these technologies

thus significantly reducing the number of mechanical fixings within the monocoque structure.

This has reduced the level of investment required in manufacturing equipment.

APX is not just a Lotus Engineering concept, but a feasible prototype close to

production; it is not a concept indicating a strategic direction of Lotus Cars; it is,

however, a brilliant demonstration of VVA and the skills of the team from Lotus Engineering

into what is regarded as the future of niche vehicle manufacture. APX is production feasible as

all the components can be made cost effectively and in high niche volume (up to around

30,000 per year).

APX is powered by a V6 engine has been designed by Lotus Engineering's powertrain

division. The directive for Project NEF was to produce a high performance prototype engine

without the need to resort to exotic materials or manufacturing technology, allowing

manufacture around the world.

APX's engine is a supercharged 3 litre (2996 cc, Bore: 88 mm, stroke: 82.1 mm) V6 DOHC

engine, mounted longitudinally in the front of the vehicle.

Performance of the engine is maximum power of 224 kW (300 hp, 304 PS) at 6250 rpm and a

torque of 360 Nm at 4500 rpm.

Like the vehicle, the engine not just a Lotus Engineering concept, but a feasible prototype

close to production, however it is not a concept indicating a strategic powertrain

direction of Lotus Cars. The engine is production feasible and it is expected that the

commercialisation of this engine will be of interest to the automotive clients of Lotus

Engineering.

Simon Wood, Director of Lotus Engineering explains the rationale behind building APX: "the

first production car from Lotus to use the Versatile Vehicle Architecture will be the new mid

engine "super sportscar", which will go into production in 2008. Lotus Cars customers eagerly

await this vehicle that will be a class-leading and phenomenally high performing car. However,

we wanted to demonstrate the true versatility of the VVA technology, and what better way than

to build a type of car that no one would expect from Lotus – a 4-wheel drive "Crossover"

vehicle. I am delighted with this vehicle and we believe that this technology and strategy is

what the motor industry must follow to be able to produce niche vehicles efficiently and

quickly.

Simon Wood continues; "There is already a great deal of interest in both APX and VVA

technology from our client base and we will work hard to see how Lotus Engineering can help

them with their strategic product solutions".

APX by Lotus Engineering in more detail

Background

At the Geneva International Motorshow 2005 Lotus Engineering showed the first example of a

VVA understructure. This understructure is the basis for APX.

Traditionally OEMs seeking to gain competitive advantage through exciting niche vehicles

have to either design a new platform or share one already available. Engineering a bespoke

low-volume platform is an expensive, time-consuming solution, whilst sharing a mainstream

chassis normally results in compromises in performance and design.

Lotus Versatile Vehicle Architecture (VVA) has been developed to bridge a gap in the

investment-volume curve to exploit the benefits of producing at medium volumes but for niche

markets, thereby giving the best chance of business case success and favourable returns.

The key to the VVA architecture is the high-pressure die cast corner nodes that are combined

with bonding, mechanical fasteners, extruded and pressed aluminium. Lotus Engineering is a

world leader in aluminium, steel and composite body engineering, joining techniques, and

vehicle systems integration. The innovative VVA technology offers a fast-to-market, costeffective

approach to differentiated niche products by spreading the development, investment

and bill of materials burden across a range of niche vehicle variants, without the compromise

that stems from conventional 'platform sharing'.

The philosophy is based on the commonality and versatility of key elements of the vehicle

structure and body systems across a 'family' of niche vehicle variants, with a combined annual

production rate of up to around 50,000 units. Structural components common to each family

member are arranged in different configurations in each variant around the ingenious corner

nodes.

The great advantage of this technology is that it can be used by one OEM looking to develop a

range of niche products, or by a group of OEMs looking to share investment, but still retain a

high degree of end product separation.

The Engine – 300 hp, 3-litre V6

APX is a front engined and four wheel drive "Crossover" vehicle for occasional off road use.

The V6 engine has been designed and developed by Lotus Engineering's powertrain division.

The directive for the project was to produce a high performance prototype engine without the

need to resort to exotic materials or manufacturing technology, allowing manufacture around

the world.

The supercharged V6 is part of a family of normally aspirated and supercharged high

performance engines which includes 2.2 litre and 3.0 litre normally aspirated derivatives. All of

these engines are at the prototype stage and are production feasible, but are not currently

planned for production.

The engine is production feasible and it is expected that the commercialisation of this engine

will be of interest to the automotive clients of Lotus Engineering.

APX's engine is a supercharged 3 litre (2996 cc, Bore: 88 mm, stroke: 82.1 mm) V6 DOHC

engine, mounted longitudinally in the front of the vehicle. It uses a Rootes-type supercharger

with a compact air – to – water Laminova – type charge cooler with separate parallel coolant

system using its own water pump and heat exchangers allowing a charge temperature

reduction of approximately 50 degrees Celcius.

Performance of the engine is maximum power of 224 kW (300 hp, 304 PS) at 6250 rpm and a

torque of 360 Nm at 4500 rpm. 80% of peak torque is between 1500 rpm and maximum revs

of 6500 rpm.

Like all products from Lotus, it follows the adage of "performance through light weight", in that

the engine weighs just 171 kg (fully dressed, dry weight). This gives a phenomenal specific

output of around 1.31 kW/kg (1.7 hp/kg). Specific performance is 74.6 kW / litre (100 hp / litre,

101.3 PS / litre).

This light weight comes from using cast lightweight aluminium alloy cylinder block (with thin

wall iron liners), aluminium cylinder head, and an aluminium structural oilpan, able to support

the front drive shafts. The oilpan also includes coolant and lubrication channels to the oil

cooler and filter, and an electronic oil level and temperature sensor. Even the pistons are

lightweight – with each on weighing just 454 grams!

The construction of the V6 engine is arranged around the two banks of cylinders at an angle of

75 degrees with a compact cylinder offset of just 32.5 mm. This allows the engine to be

compact, with good vibration characteristics, eliminating any requirement for balance shafts

and the related extra cost, weight, height and complexity.

The Engine Management System uses a state of the art 32 bit ECU processor capable of over

200 million calculations per second. The ECU is Euro IV / E-OBD and LEV/OBDII compliant.

And of course the engine satisfies the European End of Life Requirements (ELV) with respect

to recyclability and recovery.

The V6 engine is an example of extensive research into "engine downsizing by Lotus

Engineering's Powertrain Team. Engine downsizing is the concept of using advanced

technologies to enable a small engine to produce the power and torque of a much larger

engine, with the obvious reduction in fuel consumption and emissions. One of the key

demands of the automotive industry is to produce engines with not only low emissions and

high fuel economy but also extremely good performance. These two demands for performance

and economy are not normally compatible unless there is a significant change in the engine

development strategy.

Like the vehicle, the engine not just a Lotus Engineering concept, but a feasible prototype

close to production, however it is not a concept indicating a strategic powertrain

direction of Lotus Cars. The engine is production feasible and it is expected that the

commercialisation of this engine will be of interest to the automotive clients of Lotus

Engineering.

Vehicle Structure:

Prior to design release for the manufacture of this vehicle, the project was subject to industry

standard engineering processes to ensure a quality product. Industry standard APQP

processes have tracked and validated CAE (Computer Aided Engineering - Computer analysis

for strength, durability, crash performance, Vibration, Aerodynamics, Fluid Flow etc), NCAP

targets for crash, pedestrian impact, torsion, bending and modal stiffness targets, full static

and dynamic CATIA V5 DMU (Digital Mock Up - Digital build of the car to demonstrate the

vehicle build and prove the fit of each part) to minimise build issues and the full suite of

Material and Process simulation and validation to confirm manufacturing feasibility.

This coupled with tolerance analysis, full DFM/DFA (Design For Manufacture/Design For

Assembly) and advanced joining technology research has been delivered in a true

simultaneous engineering environment. The vehicle build proved very successful with only a

handful of build concerns. A number of assembly validation builds were eliminated form the

project saving both time and cost essential for niche vehicle projects needing 'Right First Time'

design and engineering philosophies to overcome tight project constraints.

All significant components and structural items are made from Aluminium. This means that

APX weighs in at a sector leading light weight of 1570 kg so even though it is not a Lotus car,

it adheres rigidly to the fundamental core values of the Lotus brand of "Performance Through

Light Weight". Of course lightweight structures are Lotus Engineering's forte and this is the

industry recognised area where the greatest improvements in performance and fuel economy

can be gained.

Understructure Construction

The understructure is riv-bonded aluminium, consisting of high-pressure die-castings,

stampings and extrusions, and uses advanced assembly techniques, including adhesive

bonding, self-piercing rivets and flow-drill screws for construction.

The self-piercing rivets are used in a similar way to spot welding on a conventional steel shell,

with the flow-drill screws used for single-sided access on closed sections. Both suffice to hold

the structure together during the adhesive cure cycle, and contribute to the performance of the

structure during both static and dynamic impact conditions. The heat-cured high strength

structural adhesive is the main joining medium, and used in combination with the mechanical

fasteners, produces an immensely strong, durable joint and a lightweight shell with exceptional

torsional stiffness.

The whole vehicle is 4697 mm long and 1852 mm wide. Wheel base is 2700 mm and track is

1554 mm (front) and 1556 mm (rear).

The Design

The brief for Lotus Design was to create a visually arresting " Jekyll and Hyde " car that fulfilled

the needs of practical and flexible everyday transport but also provided the enthusiast with a

focused driving machine. As with all crossover vehicles the solution is tailored to a specific

niche buyer who will instantly identify with these unique attributes.

Russell Carr, Chief of Design for Lotus explains: "We saw the customer as a sportscar

enthusiast who, with a typical family of 2 young children, occasionally wants to carry four or

five adults in addition to their children. To facilitate this a third row of fold flat coupe style rear

seats are accommodated within the cabin."

The flexibility of the VVA platform system enabled the Lotus Design Studio a rare opportunity

to create a highly tailored solution that would meet, both, the complex requirements of the

occupant and technical package as well as being aesthetically pleasing. The car has to look

and feel like a sportscar but accommodate a 5 + 2 seating package.

Exterior Design:

Russell Carr explains the exterior design philosophy: "We wanted the design to communicate

the driving experience of the car, which is characterised by extreme power, performance and

grip. Therefore the form language had to convey strength and velocity whilst looking planted

to the road. As with all designs the essences of strength and movement are generated from

stance and proportion which are, on this car, characterised by an extreme cab rearward,

teardrop like silhouette and prominent wheel arches The illusion of speed is further

communicated by a taught, fluid form language within which feature lines and surfaces stretch

seamlessly from the penetrative nose to the boat - tail rear end. Power is re- enforced by a

prominent hood line, similar to classic front engined sportscars, and flared arches, whilst

strength is given by a deep bodyside and coupe style slim glasshouse."

Interior Design

The brief for the interior of the car was to create an environment with the visual drama of a

sportscar but with a high degree of functionality and a contemporary sense of luxury.

Russell Carr explains further: "We started by working with the engineering group to optimise

the driving position and major controls. Then we created memorable features and controls that

combine intuitive function with a unique design and high quality materials. This is evident in

the design of the HVAC control, the start button and instrument pack. The latter communicates

the cars sporting personality through a distinctive sports bike look which mixes analogue and

digital displays within a high quality aluminium casing."

The digital screens of the instrument pack have multi-functionality enabling major data,

including Satellite Navigation, to be placed logically in front of the driver. Great care was taken

in developing the grains, textures and material finishes to ensure an ambience of sportiness

and contemporary luxury.

Example VVA families

The following represents illustrative VVA families that could be achieved:

Family A

Front engine 4WD crossover 15,000 / year

Mid engine RWD supercar 5,000

Front engine RWD coupe 10,000

Front engine RWD saloon 20,000

Family B

Front engine FWD coupe 10,000

Front engine 4WD SUV 25,000

Family C

Mid engine RWD coupe 5,000

Front engine FWD saloon 25,000

Front engine 4WD crossover 30,000 – i.e. APX by Lotus Engineering

The New Lotus Europa S - 'Business Class by Lotus'

Overview

The new Lotus Europa S, a Grand Tourer (GT) inspired two-seater, will provide Lotus

customers a spectacular sportscar with significantly enhanced levels of touring and cruising

capability, as well as higher levels of practicality and refinement to complement the simplicity

of the Lotus Elise and Exige models.

The Europa S follows the core Lotus philosophy of performance through light weight, enabling

this refined and high-performing GT car to weigh a mere 995 kg, making it class- leading in

this respect. This low weight has been obtained through the clever use of advanced and hightech

materials including an extruded and bonded aluminium chassis, composite body panels

and a very advanced composite energy absorbing front crash structure.

When compared to the award-winning Lotus Elise, the Europa S has a larger boot / luggage

compartment and easier cabin access, resulting from lower chassis sides and a higher roof

line. Combined with a full leather interior, Satellite Navigation, driver and passenger airbags

and carpets all as standard, Lotus has created a "Business Class" driving experience which

remains true to the Company's design philosophy.

The new mid-engine coupe will deliver high levels of performance from a high torque (263 Nm

or 194 lbft at 4200 rpm) 2.0-litre turbo engine producing 149 kW (200 hp or 203 PS) at

5400rpm.

The Lotus Europa S achieves around 90% of its maximum torque at only 2000 rpm to give

class-leading levels of acceleration from low engine speeds, propelling the car from 0 – 96

km/h (60 mph) in around 5.5 seconds, and 160 km/h (100 mph) in around 14 seconds.

Maximum speed is approximately 225 km/h (140 mph). Being a Lotus, the Europa S has a

competitive power to weight ratio of 201 hp / tonne (204 PS / tonne or 6.68 kg/kW).

The introduction of a GT-inspired car, represents both an important and unique addition to the

Lotus product range, as Clive Dopson, Managing Director of Lotus Cars, explains: "The launch

of the Europa S re-affirms our position as an innovative player in the highly competitive

sportscar marketplace. It allows Lotus to extend its product appeal beyond our traditional

customer base, and provides yet another demonstration of the key Lotus brand attributes and

high levels of quality for which we are particularly proud."

Trevor Houghton-Berry, Head of Commercial Operations for Lotus Cars explains further the

positioning of the Lotus Europa S: "No longer will the outrageous fun and exhilaration of

driving a true Lotus require Lotus customers to make such significant compromises when it

comes to the practicality of living with their 'pride and joy' on a daily basis. The purity and

simplicity of the Lotus Elise and Exige ranges is now perfectly complemented with the arrival

of the new Europa S - a car which stays true to the Lotus philosophy of 'Performance through

light weight', but recognises that for some, the Elise and Exige experience may sometimes

prove just a little too 'extreme'!"

Full production of the Lotus Europa S is scheduled to commence in July 2006 at the awardwinning

and world-class Lotus manufacturing facility at the Lotus Headquarters in Hethel,

Norfolk, UK.

The Lotus Europa in more detail

The project and testing programme

The Lotus Europa S went from concept to production in just 28 months. This rapid

development was down to the capabilities of the Lotus Engineering and Lotus Manufacturing

divisions.

Extensive testing was conducted around the world in hot and cold climates, high humidity, city

and urban environments as well as on the freeways and autobahns around Europe. Also used

was the demanding 4 km (2.25 mile) Lotus test track and the roads around the Hethel

headquarters – regarded by many as some of the world's most demanding with an almost

unique variety of surfaces and conditions.

However, engineering a vehicle is only one of the challenges to developing a successful

product. The Europa S was developed for manufacture by the team responsible for what is

regarded by many as the finest niche vehicle and low volume manufacturing facility in the

world. This manufacturing facility, based at the Lotus Headquarters in Hethel, England

currently produces 4000 to 4500 cars per year (with the Elise and the Exige). The Europa S

will reach maximum volume rate in late Summer 2006 after a steady volume ramp up starting

in late Spring 2006. Volumes are expected to be in the order of 500 cars per year but this

figure is flexible and volumes can be rapidly altered to meet demand when required.

Lotus Manufacturing and Supply Chain

Lotus uses a worldwide network of high quality suppliers who not only have excellent products,

but are also willing to work with Lotus to produce components specifically designed and

developed to meet the exacting requirements of a Lotus vehicle. With the Europa S

programme, special attention has been paid to broadening this supplier network in South East

Asia, resulting in the body panels for example, being produced in Malaysia through a new

partnership between Lotus and a leading local aerospace manufacturer.

Such activity has been strongly supported by Proton, the parent company to Lotus, who

continue to provide assistance in this region.

Lotus remains committed to using environmentally friendly high solids water based paints, and

each car is carefully inspected to ensure an "A1" class finish.

Each car goes through a number of quality checking stages before being delivered to the

customer – these quality standards are world class - Lotus was the first vehicle manufacturer

and engineering consultancy in the world to be awarded the prestigious QS9000 which is

linked to ISO9001/2000.

It is this attention to detail that lead to Lotus to be awarded the prestigious 'World Class

Manufacturer of the Year' award in 2005.

Each Europa S will take about 3 ½ days and 130 man-hours to build.

Tony Shute, Head of Product for Lotus Cars explains the concept behind the new product:

"The Europa S has allowed Lotus to exploit its extensive capabilities in developing a

sophisticated GT-inspired car which successfully complements the range of existing cars. The

'Grand Tourer' concept underpinning the Europa S provides the driver with a refined

environment, incorporating innovative styling features which do not compromise the superior

performance and handling that is synonymous with the Lotus marque."

Chassis

The market and customer requirements for a GT-inspired car are quite different to the current

range of Lotus cars, the Elise and the Exige. Therefore the challenge for the Lotus engineers

was to design a car that could be constructed around the extruded and bonded Aluminium

chassis - similar to that used in the Elise and Exige – but which also incorporates significantly

enhanced levels of practicality, refinement for the occupants and increased touring and

cruising capability.

The chassis for the Lotus Europa S weighs just 68 kg while maintaining high levels of stiffness

and strength. To make access to the cockpit easier for driver and passenger, the sills, when

compared to the Elise and Exige have been lowered by 40 mm (1.6 inches) and reinforced to

maintain chassis stiffness. Again, when compared to the Elise and the Exige, the door glass is

50 mm (2 inches) higher giving a total door opening access for the driver and passenger of an

additional 90 mm (3 ½ inches).

The engine is mounted to a lightweight and strong, galvanised steel subframe. The lightweight

steel wishbones are also mounted to this steel assembly.

The Lotus vehicle dynamics team were set a tough challenge to produce a ride and handling

package for the Lotus Europa S that combines compliance and comfort with the legendary

Lotus agility, responsiveness and handling.

Steve Swift, Head of Vehicle Engineering explains the relationship between ride and handling

for the Lotus Europa S: ""The Europa is a true GT concept and the ideal companion for a long

journey home."

Elegant and lightweight 17" diameter wheels front and rear are shod with bespoke Bridgestone

Potenza tyres (175/55 R17 on the front and 225/45 R17 on the rear).

Brakes

The light weight of the Lotus Europa S contributes to the high performance braking capability

through Lotus/AP-Racing twin-piston fixed aluminium alloy brake calipers at the front and

Brembo single-piston sliding calipers at the rear. The 282 mm diameter ventilated discs are

linked to a servo-assisted, 4-channel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS).

Interior

First and foremost, the Europa S is a car that is the Lotus take on the GT concept. As a high

performing sportscar it needs the driving tools to help it be a leader in its class. The driving

position is the same as in the Elise and Exige, a small ergonomically shaped steering wheel is

located to hand and the lightweight steel and extruded aluminium pedals are positioned to

make heel and toe changes easy. ProBax seats help to significantly improve the postural

position of the driver and passenger by maintaining the natural curvature of the spine, so

improving comfort and improving the body's blood flow.

The interior of the Europa S is a luxurious environment for a Lotus. A leather interior (black or

black with tan) comes as standard. This leather interior extends not just to the seats, and

steering wheel but also the centre console and door inserts (perforated leather). Carpet lines

the floor area and part of the chassis' sides – in fact the only area where carpet or leather is

untrimmed is on the footplate just forward of the seats.

Other standard interior equipment includes driver and passenger airbags, air conditioning, a

Satellite Navigation system with CD/MP3 player with the speakers mounted in the rear bulk

head and on the top facia panel, central door locking and electric windows.

Furthermore, as the Europa S is so highly equipped there are no additional cost options, other

than premium paint or custom colours.

Safety systems

The key aspect to enjoyable driving is safety. The chassis is very strong and stiff, creating a

safety cell around which are clad lightweight energy absorbing composite crash structures and

body panels. The front crash structure is made from an advance lightweight composite

material which is 3-4 times more energy absorbing than the equivalent structure in steel.

Coupled with the driver's and passenger's airbags, the Europa S has tried and tested active

and passive safety systems.

The light weight of the Europa S is significant in reducing occupant injury. By being so light,

there is less energy to dissipate in the event of a crash, when compared to a much heavier

sportscar.

But of course the best way to remain unhurt in an accident is to avoid the accident in the first

place. Like all Lotus cars, the Europa S has high levels of grip, predictable, responsive

handling, incredible ABS-assisted braking performance and almost peerless feedback to the

driver about how the car is behaving in a variety of driving conditions.

Styling

Russell Carr, Chief of Design for Lotus led the design team in producing an elegant, beautiful

and sophisticated GT-inspired car.

It was important that the essence of current and classic Lotus products be captured in the

design of the Europa S.

Describing the Europa S, Russell Carr, Chief of Design for Lotus says: "The form of a design

should reflect the spirit of the car, and the Europa S is no different. Where the rebellious trackfocused

personality of the Exige is characterised by shrink-wrapped athletic forms

communicating agility and power, the Europa S has a more fluid, understated language

reflecting its more sophisticated persona."

Carr continues: "The Europa from the late 1960s and early 1970s was a great design in its

own right - elegant, purposeful and effective. However, we did not set out to bring the classic

Europa design up to date, but instead started with a clean sheet to produce a characterful car

worthy of being called a Lotus."

Engine and powertrain

The new mid-engine coupe will deliver high levels of performance from a high torque (263 Nm

or 194 lbft at 4200 rpm) Ecotec Z20LER 2.0-litre (1998 cc) turbocharged engine producing 149

kW (200 hp or 203 PS) at 5400rpm. A bespoke engine management system completes the

engine unit.

The Lotus Europa S achieves around 90% of its maximum torque at only 2000 rpm to give

class-leading levels of acceleration from low engine speeds, propelling the car from 0 – 96

km/h (60 mph) in around 5.5 seconds, and 160 km/h (100 mph) in around 14 seconds.

Maximum speed is 230 km/h (143 mph). Being a Lotus, the Europa S has a competitive power

to weight ratio of 201 hp / tonne (204 PS / tonne, 6.68 kg/kW)

An aluminium 6-Speed gearbox joins the engine to an open differential.

Heritage

The first Lotus Europa was first introduced in 1966 and by the time it finished production in

1975, a total of 9887 examples had been built. These Europas used a Renault engine in the

early versions and the later models (the Europa Special) used the Lotus Twin Cam engine

producing up to 126 hp. The Lotus Europa was regarded as one of the finest handling

sportscars of its time and was Lotus' first mid-engine road car.

Market position

The Lotus Europa S is a key vehicle in the Lotus product portfolio. Enthusiastic and keen

drivers for whom performance and track day competitiveness are the most important criteria

are likely to venture down the Exige route, where as those drivers who are willing to sacrifice

the extra 5% of track day performance for a more GT type drive, extra space and more luxury

are likely to opt for a Europa.

Pricing and Timing

The Europa S will be sold in all markets where the Lotus brand is present, except for the USA

and Canada.

Final pricing and full specifications will be announced closer to the on-sale date, but the price

is expected to be in the region of £33,000 (49,000) depending on individual market taxation.

The Europa S is expected to go on sale in the UK in September with other markets from

November.

Predicted Performance figures:

Target acceleration

0 to 96 km/h (60 mph): 5.5 seconds (approximately)

0 to 160 km/h (100 mph): 14.0 seconds (approximately)

Maximum speed: 230 km/h (143 mph) (actual)

Satellite Navigation note:

Individual market availability is dependant on CD mapping

fastest accelerating Lotus ever to come off the production line

Summary

A small lightweight sportscar weighing just 935 kg (2057 lbs), powered by a 162.5 kW

(218 hp, 220 PS) high revving supercharged engine, giving a zero to 100 km/h time of

just 4.3 seconds (0 – 60 mph in 4.1 seconds). It comes straight off the production line

and isn't an "aftermarket special".

Is this the quickest ever real-world production car?

It is certainly the quickest Lotus production car - so far!

The Lotus Exige S is the latest addition to the Exige range and is a real sportscar that

redefines the term "Extreme Performance". With 90.5 kW / litre (121.4 hp / litre, 123 PS / litre),

it is one of most powerful production cars in the world for its engine size but most importantly it

has full type approval for all the markets in which it will be sold. The Lotus Exige S is not a

limited edition, nor is it an aftermarket special – it is manufactured from start to finish in the

world leading and award winning Lotus Manufacturing facility at Hethel, Norfolk.

Because the basic car is so immensely strong but lightweight (935 kg, 2057 lbs), giving a

power to weight ratio of 173.8 kW/tonne (233.2 hp/tonne, 236.4 PS/tonne), performance is

phenomenal, with 100 km/h being reached from a standing start in 4.3 seconds (0 – 60 mph in

4.1 seconds) and 160 km/h (100 mph) being reached in 9.98 seconds (estimate) before

topping out at 238 km/h (148 mph). Inspite of this phenomenal performance the fuel economy

is impressive with an official combined figure of 9.1 litres / 100 km (31.0 mpg) - extra urban is

an impressive 7.2 litres / 100 km (39.2 mpg). Lotus believes that there is no car on sale

anywhere in the world that has such good performance combined with such good fuel

economy! Not that many customers will be buying this car principally for its fuel economy!!

Being a Lotus, straight-line performance is not the most important factor, but every day driving

on normal roads, or around a circuit is. There are very few cars on sale today that can match

the speed, agility and safety of the Exige S in both day to day and track or circuit driving.

However the Exige S is not just a track day warrior. It is a sportscar that would be at home on

the backroads, freeways and autobahns, as well as on city streets. With an extremely

"torquey" engine and the classic Lotus suspension set-up of soft compliant springs and firm

controllable dampers, the driving experience is an uncanny combination of telepathic-like

handling with a taught and comfortable ride. There is really no car that handles quite like a

Lotus.

Clive Dopson, Managing Director of Lotus Cars says, "The Exige S represents the ultimate

"extreme" production Lotus, with performance that trumps other supercars costing twice or

even three times as much. That it does so with the fuel economy of a family hatchback, stands

as a testament to the Lotus concept of performance through light weight. Its an unbeatable

package and an unbeatable drive."

The Lotus Exige S in more detail

The Driving Experience

For what is probably the quickest "real world" production car, the driving experience has to be

pretty special. The lightweight composite seats with ProBax technology hug the driver and

passenger giving the right amount of support and security to cope with acceleration, braking

and cornering forces of well over 1g. The steering wheel is a small off-centre leather clad unit

(both the airbag wheel and the non-airbag wheel) and is set in just the right position for

comfort, driver dexterity and feedback. The gear stick is located just 15 cm (6 inches) from the

steering wheel for quick, accurate and safe gear changes and the lightweight steel and

aluminium pedals are located in just the right position for heel and toeing. The Lotus Exige S

doesn't have a multitude of user adjustment to the wheel or seat position – Lotus believes that

the driving position is pretty close to perfect anyway!

What does acceleration feel like in a Lotus Exige S? First of all the feeling of acceleration is

mildly addictive. Few vehicles, aside from racing cars, motorbikes and extreme theme-park

rides, can pull this amount of g-force under acceleration, braking and cornering. This gives a

safe, but fun (even exhilarating) experience that you can only get from such a finely honed

sportscar.

The Engine

The heart of the Exige S is a Roots-type supercharger and air to air intercooler attached to the

tried and tested 4-cylinder, 1.8 litre 2ZZ-GE VVTL-i engine. Using a development of the

supercharger and intercooler package developed first for the already legendary Lotus Sport

Exige 240R, the Exige S has peak power of 162.5 kW (221 PS, 218 hp) at 7800 rpm, 215 Nm

(158.6 lb ft) of torque at 5500 rpm (but 80% is produced at just over 2000 rpm). Maximum

engine speed is 8000 rpm (8500 rpm transient for up to 2 seconds). 162.5 kW (218 hp, 220

PS) is the figure that has been achieved by Lotus Engineers whilst retaining full vehicle type

approval for the markets in which it is sold.

A slightly redesigned air intake and roof scoop has been added to the Exige S to ensure that

the air to air intercooler works as efficiently and effectively as possible in all climates and

environments.

A single oval exhaust exits from the centre of the undertray.

Aerodynamics is the key

The Lotus Exige S uses the same aerodynamic package as the standard Exige. Like all Lotus

cars, the Lotus Exige S isn't all about straight-line performance.

The Lotus Exige S is one of the quickest cars on normal roads and also around a circuit. Key

to this incredible performance is the aerodynamic package, which creates 41.2 kg (90.64 lbs)

of downforce - 19.3 kg (42.46 lbs) at the front and 21.9 kg (48.18 lbs) at the rear - at 160 km/h

(100 mph). This downforce ratio between front (47%) and rear (53%) is balanced and remains

constant at the speeds of which the Exige S is capable.

This class leading aerodynamic package is provided through the contribution of the following

components:

· Completely flat underside of the car – provided by the elegantly simple, strong yet

light weight extruded and bonded aluminium tub

· Anodised rear diffuser which helps promote the "Venturi effect" underneath the car

· Deep front splitter which sits just 108 mm (4.3 inches) from the ground (giving just

enough ramp angle clearance) whilst still maintaining the aerodynamic properties

and, of course, the aggressive stance.

· Fixed rear wing that is set at the optimum 11.5 degree angle for the best compromise

between downforce and drag.

The Legendary Chassis and Body

The Lotus Exige S is built around the revolutionary and award winning extruded and bonded

aluminium tub, with a light weight steel rear subframe, as used in the Exige. The chassis tub

itself weighs just 68 kg (150 lbs) and has a stiffness of 10,500 Nm per degree.

The body of the Lotus Exige S remains unchanged from the Exige as it is already a winning

formula that is both effective and stunning to look at.

However, the key body components of the rear wing, front splitter and side air intakes are

body colour coded to differentiate it from its naturally aspirated cousin.

Closely Related to the Lotus Sport Exige GT3.

At the end of 2005, Lotus developed and built the Lotus Sport Exige GT3 to suit the new FIA

GT3 sportscar championship regulations. Weighing in at just 750 kg and producing around

285 hp, the Lotus Sport Exige GT3 is suitable for this new power to weight ratio racing.

The Lotus Sport Exige GT3 also uses a Roots type supercharger, an air-to-air intercooler (both

are race prepared) and the 1.8 2ZZ-GE VVTL-I engine. The base engine and supercharger

system is identical in the Lotus Exige S.

So with the Exige S acting as the base, a competitive GT3 sportscar has been successfully

developed!

Engine Down-Sizing is key to the Exige S

One of the key demands of the automotive industry is to produce engines with not only low

emissions and good fuel economy but also extremely good performance. These two demands

for performance and economy are not normally compatible unless there is a significant change

in the engine development strategy.

Lotus Engineering's Powertrain Division, has been conducting extensive research into "engine

downsizing". Engine downsizing is the concept of using advanced technologies to enable a

small engine to produce the power and torque of a much larger engine, with the obvious

reduction in weight, fuel consumption and emissions.

Lotus has recognised that there are changing market and legislative demands in this area, and

has developed a solution to the problem: supercharging a high compression ratio and high

speed engine.

Lotus Engineering had to ensure that there were minimal changes to the normally aspirated

2ZZ-GE engine, which arrives fully dressed from Toyota for the Exige and the Elise 111R. The

lightweight 2ZZ-GE engine, with a compact metal matrix composite alloy cylinder block, is a

perfect unit on which to conduct the necessary research, as it runs to a high 8500 rpm, with a

very high compression ratio of 11.5:1. The only changes needed to be made to the engine

were the addition of a low pressure supercharger (and the longer drive belt that this requires),

the intercooler and a new intake manifold, plenum and induction system.

An electronic drive-by-wire throttle ensures the quickest engine response possible whilst

keeping the emissions clean and as low as possible, to meet relevant legislative demands.

The Roots-type supercharger (with a sealed-for-life internal mechanism meaning that it does

not require the use of the engine's oil) is run from the crankshaft, and has an integral bypass

valve for part load operation.

Charge air (air under pressure from the supercharger) is cooled through an air to air

intercooler (the cooling air enters via the redesigned roof scoop) before being fed into the

engine itself. All charge air ducting has been kept as short as possible with large diameter

pipes making sure that the bends in these ducts are not too tight, to the benefit of throttle

response and efficiency.

The whole vehicle has been tested extensively around the world in hot and cold climates as

well at renowned proving grounds and testing facilities.

The Lotus T4e Engine Management System.

The Lotus T4e Engine Management system is used in the Lotus Exige S. This engine

management system has been programmed to optimise the supercharged engine.

The lightweight C64 six-speed gearbox (with an aluminium casing) is fitted with the closest

ratios and gearset afforded by the transmission. The gearbox offers a fast, precise and light

gearshift, ensuring drivers have total control and flexibility to apply the power exactly as and

when required.

Equipment and Options

ProBax Seats

ProBax seats help to significantly improve the postural position of the driver and passenger by

maintaining the natural curvature of the spine, so improving comfort and improving the body's

blood flow.

Touring Packs

The Touring Pack includes electric windows, black suede effect interior with leather highlights,

full carpet set, high specification DAB Radio and CD/MP3 player, sound insulation, auxiliary

front driving lamps and interior stowage net.

The Super Touring Pack includes the contents of the Touring Pack plus an upgraded interior

trim with driver and passenger airbags, high specification leather covered steering wheel, front

speakers located in the fascia top panel, engine start button, trinket tray stowage unit, cup

holder, leather handbrake sleeve, leather handbrake gaiter and gear shift knob and

embroidered logo premium floor mats.

Sports Packs

The Sports Pack includes switchable Lotus Traction Control (LTC) - see later for a full

explanation of LTC. In addition, it is equipped with sports seats and a T45 steel roll-over hoop

and harness bar for the aftermarket fitment of four point harnesses for track use only.

The Super Sports Pack includes the contents of the Sports Pack plus black coloured ultra

lightweight seven-twin spoke forged (6.5J front, 7.5J rear) alloy wheels (giving an unsprung

weight saving of 2.7 kg (6 lbs) for each front wheel and 1.3 kg (2.8 lbs) for each rear wheel –

compared to the already lightweight cast wheels), track suspension with Eibach springs and

Bilstein one-way adjustable dampers – with a single adjuster for bump and rebound – and

adjustable ride height), adjustable front anti-roll bar and a double-shear rear traction control

arm brace.

Stand alone options

Lotus Traction Control and Limited Slip Differential

A switchable Lotus Traction Control System (LTC) is available for the Exige S. The LTC works

through the Lotus T4e Engine Management System to reduce power when required to

maintain traction. 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 8 km/h (5 mph) and

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

with an illuminated button, which is located adjacent to the gear lever. A Torsen type limited

slip differential (LSD) is also available for tight and twisty driving (such as in auto tests). The

LSD is only available if LTC has been specified and is not available by itself.

Air-conditioning

Air-conditioning is available as a cost option (standard in some markets) and weighs in at a

featherweight 15 kg (~33 lbs).

A Comprehensive Range of Colours

The range of colours, from standard solid shades to metallic and fashionable lifestyle colours

is available. Colours include black, shades of silver, shades of blue, a vivid Aspen White, non

metallic British Racing Green, a hot Chilli Red, a high metallic Solar Yellow and a harmonious

Autumn Gold.

The total number of colours available is 20, excluding the bespoke custom colours.

Market Positioning and Pricing

The Lotus Exige S, being a fully homologated vehicle for the markets in which it is sold,

introduces a more powerful and higher performing series production variant of the Exige to the

market. The rest of the Exige range consists of the 141 kW (189 hp, 192 PS) Exige, the Lotus

Exige Cup 190 and its supercharged variant the Exige Cup 240 (both of which are developed

and converted by Lotus Sport, the performance arm of Lotus Cars) and the Lotus Sport Exige

GT3 (developed and built by Lotus Sport specifically for the FIA GT3 championships).

The Lotus Exige S is priced at:

UK: £33,995 including VAT (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price)

Mainland Europe: 44,147 Euros excluding individual market taxes (Manufacturer's

Suggested Retail Price)

Japan: JYP 6,909,000 including tax (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price)

Market Availability

UK: March / April 2006

Mainland EU: April / May 2006

Japan and APac: May / June 2006

USA: There are currently no plans to launch the Exige S in the USA market

The Type 1 Lotus Watch is the first wrist watch to be created by Lotus Design, the famous

design studio responsible for all Lotus current and future products, as well as numerous client

programmes.

The quartz analogue chronograph watch is a bespoke timepiece which is infused with Lotus

core values through its appearance which is highly technical, yet clean, stylish and elegant.

However, the Type 1 Lotus watch is not a mere branding exercise; it was designed by Lotus

Design, and boasts beautifully crafted components. These include an orange anodised

aluminium crown guard mounted on a high power black dial with the Lotus roundel, taking

inspiration from precision automotive and race parts used in the modern day Lotus sports car.

Reflecting on the design, Barney Hatt, Principal Designer of Lotus Design, and originator of the

Type 1 Lotus Watch, explains: "Lotus has always been about innovative engineering solutions

presented in the most elegant form whilst avoiding superfluous detail. Highly machined

aesthetic forms underline the precise nature of the watch which are balanced by the use of

tactile materials."

A high precision quartz movement, a three-dial 1/10th of a second stopwatch timing system (up

to one hour), and a calendar mechanism promote sophistication. The stainless steel casing

completes the technical flowing profile of the watch, and is finished with an etched logo of Lotus

Design on the rear of the case. This is equally complemented by a comfortable and durable

high-density resin adjustable strap with a stainless steel buckle.

Commenting on the introduction of the first "in house" designed Lotus watch, Russell Carr,

Chief Designer of Lotus Design explains: "This is the first time Lotus Design has had the

opportunity to play such a significant role in the development of a non-automotive product.

Whilst there are factors specific to watchmaking which we have had to learn, we wanted the

Type 1 Lotus Watch to be essentially like our cars: to create desire through emotional and

unique forms that remain honest to the functionality of the product."

The Type 1 Lotus Watch, manufactured by Time Products (UK) Ltd, will be available from 10

February, 2006at a Recommended Retail Price (RRP) of GBP 175 incl. VAT. Full specification

and purchase details can be found at the online Lotus webstore (www.lotuscarswebstore.co.uk)

or from the UK dealer network. The new timepiece will make its official public debut on the

Lotus stand (stand 1255) at the 76th International Motor Show in Geneva between 28 February

– 12 March, 2006.

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