• Lotus and Britishvolt sign MoU to collaborate on advanced EV technology
• Partnership to co-develop innovative EV package to power new generation EV sports car
• Design sketch provides first clues to new Lotus EV sports car

Hethel, UK – 28 January 2022

Lotus and battery cell expert Britishvolt have signed an MoU to collaborate on the research and development of advanced new EV technology.

The partnership will focus on the co-development of an innovative new battery cell package to power the next generation of electric sports cars from Lotus. The package is set to feature in a new sports car, powered by Britishvolt cells and utilising advanced electric propulsion technologies developed by Lotus. An official design sketch provides the first clues to a new Lotus EV sports car.

Britishvolt is the UK’s foremost investor in battery cell technologies and associated R&D to create homegrown intellectual property. Key focuses of the partnership will be fast-charging, optimising energy density and weight reduction.

Development work on the project will benefit from the close proximity of Lotus and Britishvolt’s R&D centres of excellence in the West Midlands, the UK’s ‘golden triangle’ of battery excellence. The Lotus Advanced Technology Centre (LATC) opened in Wellesbourne in 2020 as the global headquarters of Lotus Engineering, the consultancy division of the business.

The collaboration with Britishvolt is another significant development in the ongoing transformation of Lotus, from a UK sports car company to a global and all-electric performance car business and brand. It follows a £100m investment by Lotus in its UK facilities, which includes manufacturing centres at Hethel for the Evija pure electric hypercar and Emira sports car – future-proofing the world-renowned and innovative UK high-performance auto sector and the thousands of jobs that it supports.

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, commented: “Lotus is delighted to be collaborating with Britishvolt to develop new battery cell technology to showcase the thrilling performance that a Lotus EV sports car can deliver. These are the first exciting steps on the journey towards an all-new electric sports car from Lotus, and yet another step towards the transformation towards sustainable, renewable electricity stored in batteries.”

He added: “Last year we committed Lotus to a pure electric future, and in the first month of this year we announce another significant step on that journey. In the coming months we will be unveiling the Type 132, an all-new and all-electric Lotus SUV and we’ve confirmed three more EVs are on the way.”

All future Lotus cars will be pure electric and inspired by the Evija, deliveries of which commence this year as the world’s first British electric hypercar.

Britishvolt is on target to responsibly manufacture some of the world’s most sustainable, low carbon battery cells on the site of the former Blyth Power Station coal stocking yard located in Cambois, Northumberland.

The development is a major boost for Northumberland, and indeed the country, and will bring around 3,000 direct highly-skilled jobs and another 5,000+ in the associated supply chains.

Advanced works started on the site on September 6, 2021, following a unanimous planning decision approval earlier in the year. The project will be built in phases, to keep up with technology advancements, and will have a total capacity of over 30GWh by the end of the decade onwards.

• Lotus is the first automotive brand globally to move its entire home market network to full agency agreement across all vehicle lines
• 13 retail agencies with a restructured authorised repairer network now in place
• Restructure completed ahead of Emira customer deliveries later this year
• UK network ‘open points’ soon be fully covered by new Agent appointments

(Hethel, UK – 18 January 2022) – Lotus has completed the restructure of its UK retail network with an agency agreement now in place across 13 sites.

It means Lotus is the first automotive brand globally to be live in its home market with this new retail sales model, across all vehicle lines. This pioneering approach is in the spirit of the Lotus brand, reinventing the retail experience for its customers through a direct relationship that puts them at the very heart of the transaction.

Timing of the restructure is linked to the ongoing transformation of Lotus from a UK sports car company to a truly global performance car business and brand. In December 2021 it was announced that production of the Elise, Exige and Evora had ended, so the restructured UK network is in place ahead of the start of production of the Emira in the coming months.

Geoff Dowding, Executive Director, Sales and Aftersales, Lotus, said: “This UK network restructure marks a watershed moment for Lotus as the transformation of the business and brand continues. We now have the right partners in the right locations with the right business model, and again Lotus is pioneering. We are the first OEM to have an agency agreement in place right across the UK network.”

He concluded: “This is an exciting development and it’s just the start: we will be announcing several more in the coming weeks and months.”

Eleven of the 13 agency locations also operate as an authorised repairer, while the remaining two are supported by three standalone authorised repairer sites.

All 16 UK sites will soon feature the exterior signage elements of the new Lotus retail identity – launched last year – and will be adding interior elements throughout 2022.

Trevor Weller, Director, Global Retail Development, explained that the UK network ‘open points’ will soon be boosted by more new appointments where it is in the interest of our customers. “We are extremely close to finalising new agreements in North London, Manchester, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, Milton Keynes, Sussex, Newcastle and Sheffield. These new locations will enable Lotus to maximise coverage across the whole of the UK, and provide an excellent customer experience, allowing potential customers across the UK easy access to experience the new product range that starts with the Lotus Emira sports car later this year.”

• LTCC leading design on Type 132 and other all-electric lifestyle cars from Lotus
• Head of studio is Ben Payne, overseen by Peter Horbury and in close collaboration with Russell Carr
• Creative philosophy inspired by progressive start-ups and design agencies
• Based in Warwickshire, in the UK’s automotive heartland

(Hethel, UK – 12 January 2022) – From the start of 2022, the Geely design studio in Warwickshire has a new name – the Lotus Tech Creative Centre Limited (LTCC).

It is already playing a key role in the ongoing transformation of Lotus from a UK sports car company to a global performance car business and brand.

The LTCC team continues to be led by highly experienced designer Ben Payne in the role of Managing Director / Head of Studio. He commented: “More than just a traditional automotive design studio, the LTCC philosophy is inspired by the mindset of start-ups and creative agencies – open, progressive, and pioneering. Our vision is to nurture a culture for diverse creative minds to meet and empower each other beyond the classic automotive structures and processes.”

Based in the UK’s automotive heartland, LTCC is a world-class automotive design facility delivering the complete range of disciplines – design strategy, exterior and interior design, user interface and user experience design, visualisation, studio engineering, digital and physical modelling, plus colour, materials and finish. It has everything to support Lotus’ expanding design workstreams.

Under Ben’s guidance, the LTCC team has taken the lead on creating a highly desirable range of all-new, all-electric lifestyle cars for the next generation of Lotus customers. 

Together they have taken the core principles and Lotus DNA from more than 70 years of sports car design and evolved them. The result – which will receive its world premiere in the spring – is the first ever performance SUV from Lotus, the Type 132, and it will be followed by a four-door sports coupe (Type 133) and a smaller SUV (Type 134) in the coming years.

LTCC is working in close collaboration with the design team at Hethel, led by Russell Carr, which will continue to spearhead Lotus’ global sports car programmes. The Type 135, the first EV sports car from Lotus, is already in development.

Overseeing the work of both design studios is Peter Horbury, appointed Senior Vice President, Executive Advisor, Design at Lotus last September. He commented: “LTCC and Lotus Design at Hethel are now aligned as creative centres of excellence to develop and deliver the Lotus design vision. They are already collaborating closely with the other Lotus facilities around the world, such as Lotus Tech HQ in Wuhan, China, and Lotus Tech Innovation Centre in Raunheim, Germany.”

• Worldwide sales of 1,710 new cars in 2021, up from 1,378 in 2020
• Increase of 24% as customers snap up final versions of Lotus Elise, Exige and Evora

(Hethel, UK – 7 January 2022) – Lotus has revealed its best annual global retail sales performance since 2011. The outstanding figures prove worldwide excitement about the brand’s transformation is translating into customers buying cars.

Retailers sold 1,710 new cars in 2021, the year the iconic Elise, Exige and Evora ended production. That compares with 1,378 sales in 2020, an increase of 24%. The Elise was the global top-seller as fans sought to secure a piece of automotive history via the highly specced Sport 240 Final Edition and the Cup 250 Final Edition models.

Sales performance was impressive across the globe. In Europe, the UK was up 29%, with Belgium the star performer up 37%. North American retailers covering USA and Canada were up 111% year-on-year, which was also their best performance in 10 years.

Records were broken in the Asia-Pacific region, where Japan had its best year since 2015, Australia since 2018 and Hong Kong since 2014. Qatar, which has been selling Lotus since 2016, had its best year ever. Further evidence of the ongoing transformation of the business came in Bahrain, Thailand and New Zealand, where Lotus sold its first new cars for at least seven years.

Geoff Dowding, Executive Director, Sales and Aftersales, Lotus, commented: “Our global retailers have risen to the challenge of giving the Elise, Exige and Evora the send-off they deserved. It means we’re in great shape for 2022 to focus on the all-new Lotus Emira, our last petrol-powered sports car and the best of breed.”

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, added: “In difficult circumstances our retailers have delivered what was asked of them and more. It’s testament to their hard work, and that of our manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution teams around the world. A huge thank you to everyone involved – what a way to move into the era of Emira.”

The top 10 Lotus markets globally were:

(Hethel, UK – 22 December 2021) Today, Lotus commemorates the last of the Elise, Exige and Evora sports cars.

The trio were photographed on site with many of the Lotus team who contributed to the design, engineering, assembly and sales of the cars.

Between these three model lines and over the course of 26 years, a total of 51,738 cars will have come off the production line. Combined, they represent almost half of the total production of Lotus in its 73-year history. In addition, 9,715 sports cars were built for Lotus’ third-party clients, including GM and Tesla.

From 1996 to 2000, the first-generation Elise and Exige sports cars were built in a small assembly hall at Hethel alongside the Lotus Esprit. The current assembly lines, which were installed in 2000, will be dismantled and replaced with all-new state-of-the-art facilities in support of the all-new Emira factory. Full Emira production begins in the spring, after the prototype and test phases currently underway are completed, taking Lotus sports car production into an exciting, high-tech and semi-automated era, and increasing capacity up to 5,000 units per year on a single shift pattern.

The last examples of the Elise, Exige and Evora models are reserved for Lotus’ growing heritage collection.

Joining the collection will be the last Elise, a Sport 240 Final Edition finished in Yellow and the last of 35,124 cars; the last Exige, a Cup 430 Final Edition in Heritage Racing Green – number 10,497; and the last Evora – a GT430 Sport finished in Dark Metallic Grey – the last of a production run of 6,117.

The Elise and Exige sports cars are built around the Lotus ‘small car platform’. On the same platform, and also manufactured by Lotus at Hethel were the Opel Speedster / Vauxhall VX220 (7,200 cars built between 2000 and 2005) and the Tesla Roadster (2,515 cars built between 2007 and 2012). Therefore, including the Lotus 340R, Europa, 2-Eleven and 3-Eleven cars, this brings the total Lotus small car platform production volumes to 56,618 cars.

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, said: “First of all, I would like to thank the Lotus team who have worked on the Elise, Exige and Evora over the years and who are now transferring to Emira and Evija manufacturing. I would also like to convey enormous gratitude to all the customers of the Elise, Exige and Evora over the last 26 years for their passion, enthusiasm and support. These customers have given our ‘three Es’ true cult status – usually reserved for long-out-of-production classics. As we say farewell to the last few cars, we look forward to the Emira and Evija in the all-new factories at Hethel and sub-assembly facilities in Norwich, which introduce greater efficiencies and automation, higher quality and flexibility and the hugely exciting next chapter in our Vision80 strategy.”

Russell Carr, Design Director, Lotus Cars, added: “These iconic cars have not only played a huge role in Lotus’ 73-year history but have also been ever-present in my daily life. Together with the Lotus design team, I have lived and breathed these cars for over 26 years. We will miss them, but a bit like Christmas, once it’s over, the excitement for the next one starts to build – and that’s what’s happening now at Lotus with the Evija, Emira and forthcoming Type 132. 2022 is going to be a great year as a new Lotus generation swings into action.”

Gavan Kershaw, Director of Vehicle Attributes, said: “The Elise, particularly, has been a huge part of my life. It was conceived when I had just finished my apprenticeship and I was working  in the vehicle workshops helping to build early prototypes. The Exige will always remain close to me, as the development programme was the first that I worked on as an engineer and I also won the British GT3 championship in a race version. The Evora is also hugely important as it showed that you can have high performance and award-winning handling without sacrificing the longer-journey GT ability. I have first-hand experience of this as I won the British GT4 championships in one and I will never forget leading the technical programme for our Evora Le Mans campaign where we achieved a podium.”

Richard Rackham, Head of Vehicle Concepts, who was vehicle architect on the Lotus Elise and part of the team that pioneered extruded and bonded aluminium technology in the automotive industry, said: “The impact of these three cars has been spectacular over the years, technically, structurally and dynamically. But all technologies and innovations move on and, if you had asked me of my proudest moment four years ago, I would have, without hesitation, said the Elise chassis. However, this has been usurped by our new Project LEVA architecture for our new range of electric sports cars, starting with the Type 135 in a few years’ time. This is now the zenith of Lotus architectures as it has moved the technology game so much further. There is a lot to look forward to.”

The elder of the ‘3Es’ trio, the Elise, has been part of the automotive landscape for more than 25 years. Click here for 25 examples of the huge impact and lasting legacy of this amazing little two-seater.

Next out of the Lotus stable is the Emira, the critically acclaimed new mid-engineered sports car from Lotus. Launched last July at Hethel and on a world tour ever since, it’s the last petrol-powered car from Lotus. Joining the first electric Lotus – the Evija hypercar and the most powerful production car in the world – will be the all-electric Type 132, Lotus’ first SUV, which will be revealed to the world in the spring.

• Fitting tribute to high-profile year that includes development and commercialisation of four new dedicated Lotus vehicle architectures
• Judges full of praise for broad range of innovation including work on next-generation electric vehicles
• Consultancy division of Group Lotus also successfully collaborated on Extreme E and Olympic track bike during 2021
• 2022 set to be another pivotal year in the transformation of Lotus

(Hethel, UK – 20 December 2021) – Lotus Engineering, the consultancy division of the business, has been named ‘Dynamics Team of the Year’ at the prestigious Vehicle Dynamics International Awards 2021.

It’s a fitting tribute to what’s been a hugely productive and high-profile year for the team, as Lotus transitions from a UK sports car company to a global performance car business and brand.

The prize was voted for by a jury of more than 20 expert automotive media from all over the world. It’s led by Adam Gavine, Editor, Vehicle Dynamics International, who commented: “The dynamics specialists at Lotus Engineering have perhaps never been busier. We have honoured them for their broad range of innovation, their work across a wide variety of new vehicle architectures and engineering disciplines, and their work in developing the next generation of pure electric vehicles for the all-electric future of driving.”

Picking out examples of Lotus Engineering’s successful 2021, the judges were full of praise for the development and ongoing commercialisation of four new Lotus vehicle architectures, first announced in April. These will underpin every new Lotus for the foreseeable future, including the Type 132, Lotus’ first SUV; the Evija all-electric hypercar; and the Emira sports car, the company’s last petrol-powered model and best of breed. Customer deliveries of Evija and Emira will begin during 2022 while Type 132 arrives the year after.

The judges also paid tribute to the work done by Lotus Engineering in delivering the innovative lightweight electric vehicle chassis that is to underpin the Lotus Type 135, the pure EV sports car scheduled for launch in 2026. The platform has been developed through Project LEVA (Lightweight Electric Vehicle Architecture), a Lotus-led research programme to accelerate the development and commercialisation of all-new lightweight structures for next-generation battery electric vehicles.

The vehicle architecture – revealed in detail in September – is highly versatile, fully adaptable to provide a platform for a range of electric vehicle types with variable layouts, wheelbase lengths, battery sizes and configurations. Pioneering engineering means the vehicle structure doubles as the battery enclosure, with an integrated electric drive unit which eliminates the need for subframes and optimises the multi-link suspension components.

This innovation means the die-cast rear is an impressive 37% lighter than that found on the Lotus Emira V6. As such, this architecture is the blueprint for the next generation of electric sports cars, and Lotus has already announced collaboration with Alpine on new models for both brands.

Other Lotus Engineering projects hitting the headlines during 2021 included the team’s involvement as technical partner to Jenson Button’s JBXE race team in the pioneering Extreme E global off-road race series. Collaboration with British Cycling and others led to the Hope / Lotus bike, seen by a TV audience of billions during August as the Great Britain Cycling Team won seven medals to top the table in track cycling at the Tokyo Olympics. The bike’s revolutionary front-end design, featuring wider-than-usual forks to improve aerodynamics, was developed by Lotus Engineering.

This year saw the consultancy officially relocate from Lotus’ historic HQ in Hethel, Norfolk, to the new Lotus Advanced Technology Centre (LATC). It’s a dedicated centre of excellence in the Midlands – the UK’s regional hub for performance engineering, motorsport and advanced automotive businesses – and is part of the University of Warwick’s Wellesbourne Campus.

Mark Edwards, Executive Director responsible for Lotus Engineering, commented: “This award is a huge honour which recognises the exceptional year that our consultancy has had. It’s a fitting tribute to everyone involved, and I know it will give them renewed focus for 2022, which is set to be another pivotal year in the ongoing transformation of Lotus.”

Lotus has released a new film of the Lotus Emira in action, showing the eagerly anticipated V6 First Edition being put through its paces by Gavan Kershaw on the iconic Hethel test track.

Gavan, Director, Attributes & Product Integrity, Lotus Cars, leads the dynamic development of every Lotus and is part of the highly experienced team which engineers in the thrill of driving.

Amid some sideways action, he explains the Emira’s outstanding performance on both the track and the road, adding: “With the 3.5-litre V6 configuration and the supercharger, you start an acceleration from as low as 1,500rpm and the car just pulls and pulls and pulls, getting stronger and stronger as the revs increase. This is what a real sports car feels like.”

Gavan also expands on the car’s intuitive driving performance, plus the four different driving modes – Tour, for maximum stability and control; Sport, for increased body slip and throttle response; Race, with even greater motorsport-derived dynamics and a revised instrument cluster; and Fully Off, where the stability control is completely disengaged.

He concludes: “The whole package is tuned to give you maximum reward and confidence. It’s ‘For The Drivers’.

The global Lotus community is saddened to learn that Hazel Chapman, the wife of Colin Chapman and co-founder of Lotus, has died aged 94.

Her contribution to motorsport and the motor industry in the latter half of the 20th century should not be under-estimated. She was a successful racing driver, a shrewd businesswoman and the rock upon which the Lotus foundations – since 1948, when the very first Lotus car was made – were built. Her involvement in the development of the Lotus business was almost without equal at the time, in a world where women so often played second fiddle to their husbands.

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, commented: “This is a very sad day for everyone around the world associated with Lotus. Without Hazel Chapman there would be no Lotus. The entire Hethel team, and those working at our facilities around the world, send their sincere condolences and best wishes to the Chapman family.”

Hazel Williams was born on the 21 May 1927 in North London. She met Colin Chapman at a dance in 1944 when he was just 16 and she a few months older. As the couple’s relationship developed, Hazel’s parents allowed Colin to build what became the first Lotus – the Mark 1 – in the lock-up garage at the back of their house in Hornsey.

Colin gained a commission into the Royal Air Force, so Hazel continued with the building of the Lotus Mark 1 and then the Mark 2. Competition success in races entered by Hazel and Colin resulted in new commissions for their automotive services. With Hazel’s commercial acumen, their first Lotus business was formed on 1 January 1952. It became a limited company later in the year, funded by payment of £25 from Hazel herself.

Hazel and Colin married in 1954 and as the business grew Hazel took a seat on the board of a number of their companies, including Lotus Cars, Team Lotus and Lotus Components.

She was not only an astute businesswoman but took on a matriarchal role within the organisation, the epitome of the phrase ‘Behind every strong man is a stronger woman’. She prided herself of working with almost every Lotus Formula 1 driver including iconic motorsport names such as Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Jochen Rindt, Emerson Fittipaldi, Mario Andretti, Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna. She was also a founder of The Dog House women’s motorsport club.

Widowed in 1982, Hazel recognised that Lotus Cars needed new ownership to secure its future and played an instrumental role in its sale. She became a Director of Classic Team Lotus, the Chapman family business which preserves the cars and legacy of the brand’s global racing success.

Hazel maintained a close interest in all things Lotus, for example, she ‘signed off’ the 100,000^th Lotus road car in 2018. Tradition dictated that Hazel was always shown the latest Lotus road car prior to it being unveiled to the public. That wonderful custom continued into the modern era, and she viewed the Lotus Evija with her son Clive Chapman two weeks before its debut in July 2019.

Lotus in the Peak 2022 takes place over the weekend of 8th to 10th July 2022.  We are very proud to announce that this year’s event is in aid of Rainbows Hospice for children and young people with life limiting illnesses.  Have a look at rainbows.co.uk/about-rainbows to see the incredible work they do.  All profits will be passed on to this very deserving charity.

The event has a similar format to previous years but with the main event on Sunday 10th returning to Chatsworth House, as one of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire’s chosen supported charities for 2022.

The best way to enjoy LitP is to make a long weekend of it and enjoy the Peak District and Derbyshire Dales to the full as follows:

The weekend starts on the evening of Friday 8^th with the LitP barbeque at Oakhill hotel in Cromford.  Oakhill is a charming Georgian hotel set in beautiful grounds with plenty of room to park safely. There is also a small camp site attached. Early bookings are advisable - please mention Lotus in the Peak. Other hotels, B&Bs and campsites to suit all budgets are available in the immediate area - search for accommodation in Cromford, Matlock Bath and Wirksworth.

Saturday is a free day to do as you please - the Peak District and Derbyshire Dales are very popular tourist destinations with lots to do and see.  Take a walk through the beautiful countryside and have a pub lunch, or visit one of the many local tourist attractions such as Hassop Hall, Bakewell with its picturesque riverside walk, shops and cafes, Castleton and its show caves, Matlock Bath with its cable cars, hire a bicycle on the High Peak trail, or visit the brand new Great British Car Journey museum at nearby Ambergate. If you can’t wait until Sunday to take your Lotus out for a drive then you can join in our ‘Pootle in the Peak’, or simply explore on your own. Round off a perfect day with a drink or two at Oakhill with fellow Lotus owners.

On Sunday the fun starts early with guided Lotus-only runs through the beautiful and spectacular Peak District. These runs are part of what makes the Litp format unique and are very popular - with over 100 lotuses taking part it makes for quite a sight.  

There are three routes to choose from, each with a different start point and of different length. Routes are carefully designed with the benefit of local knowledge to make the most of the best roads that the Peak District has to offer. Cars are split up into manageable groups of 10 or less, each group having its own group leader. An early morning start ensures that the roads are as clear as possible so that you can enjoy the drive without the nuisance of too much traffic. Once on the move a tried and tested run format means that you cannot lose your way and can drive at your own comfortable pace.  The LitP runs are MSA approved and we take great care to ensure they run safely and smoothly.

All runs and groups converge mid-morning for a breakfast stop at Hassop Station Cafe at which point Lotus drivers not booked on a run are welcome to join us.

After breakfast it's time to gather everyone together for the Grand Procession. Up to 150 Lotus cars make their way along public roads the short distance to the Chatsworth estate, where we have exclusive entry via the ‘Golden Gates’ allowing the last mile of the now Lotus-only procession to approach the House and the LitP area in spectacular fashion.

 If you do not wish to take part in a run or the procession, we would still be delighted to welcome you into the Lotus only parking from 10.30am onwards. If you have friends or family attending in an 'ordinary' car there is plenty of additional parking close by. Attendees can visit the House, the gardens, the shop and restaurant, and the excellent adventure playground for children.

At the LitP show & picnic site the Lotus cars are informally parked around the club marquee and amongst the various trade and club stands. The site is a large, mostly flat grassed area situated directly in front of the House and by the riverbank.  The morning is spent admiring the cars and chatting with Lotus friends old and new.  An excellent gourmet picnic lunch box is available to pre-book but of course you can bring your own or buy lunch from Chatsworth. There will be a refreshments stall on site.

After lunch we have the prize giving for the popular 'Car of the Day' competition, the LitP raffle draw (with a host of impressive Lotus prizes), the charity auction and presentation of the Mark Hodgkinson trophy.  Activities and a quiz are organised for any children attending with prizes also given. 

This year we hope to have our most impressive array of Lotus cars ever.  We are particularly keen to invite along owners of historic and rare examples of Lotus road and racing cars.  If you have a barn find we would love to see it! 

Although organised by Midlands Lotus Owners Club this is an event for all Lotus owners and all Lotus owners’ clubs. We would love to see as many club stands as possible.  If you wish to discuss details of club stands please email the organisers at deanbower1969@outlook.com

Trade stands are welcome – we don’t charge a fee but do ask for a voluntary contribution towards our supported charity Rainbows.  If you wish to discuss your trade stand please email the organisers at deanbower1969@outlook.com

• Two iconic British brands collaborate on bespoke lightweight technical driving jacket
• Norton & Sons, iconic 200-year-old Savile Row tailoring business, now led by designer Patrick Grant
• Unique handcrafted garment ‘For The Drivers’, available exclusively to customers of £2million Lotus Evija hypercar
• Timeless design draws on both brands’ core values of light-weighting, performance-oriented contemporary design and sporting durability
• Watch an exclusive film about the project at https://youtu.be/iCe3BUhEZJY

(Hethel, Norfolk / Savile Row, London – 21 October 2021) – Bringing together the very best in British craftsmanship, Lotus has collaborated with globally renowned Savile Row tailor Norton & Sons to create a unique lightweight luxury driving jacket.

It is arguably the world’s most exclusive driving jacket. It is only available to customers of the Lotus Evija, the world’s first British all-electric hypercar, who will spend in the region of £2million to have the chance to buy the garment.

The jacket’s classic design draws on the core values and DNA inherent in every product that both Lotus and Norton & Sons create – performance-oriented, lightweight contemporary design, advanced technical materials and sporting durability.

Norton & Sons was founded in 1821, exactly 200 years ago, and in the 1860s moved to its current address at 16 Savile Row, in the heart of London’s Mayfair district. Every Lotus Evija customer, male or female, is offered a personal appointment at the shop, where they will experience the unique luxury of the Norton & Sons bespoke service. With outstanding attention to detail, they will be measured and fitted and a unique pattern for their driving jacket will be drafted by hand by Norton & Sons’ master cutter. Each jacket will be individually hand-cut and hand-sewn, with the resulting garment being as unique as each Lotus Evija. It is the ultimate driving jacket to complement the ultimate road car.

The jacket’s unique design was created jointly by Norton & Sons Design Director Patrick Grant and Lotus Design Director Russell Carr. Together they drew inspiration from the Lotus Evija hypercar and the car company’s glorious and successful racing heritage.

The jacket is made from a superfine lightweight water-resistant merino wool/nylon technical textile manufactured in Italy by Loro Piana, and features state-of-the-art Cobrax and Riri hardware. The overall shape echoes that of Team Lotus pitlane jackets of the early 1970s, seen at the racetracks of the world and worn by Lotus founder Colin Chapman and iconic motorsport heroes of the era including Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti.

The shape of the front pocket outlined with twin red stitching is drawn from the striking design of the Lotus Evija’s ‘ribbon’ tail light. Detailing on the nape of the neck, both inside and outside the jacket, repeats that motif and features a golden number 16 – the Savile Row address of the Norton & Sons’ shop. Other tributes to Lotus heritage include three underarm ventilation eyelets inspired by the Lotus Elan 1600 triple tail light design.

The technical eyelet knit lining is breathable, perforated to reduce weight and includes a pocket perfectly sized to take the Lotus Evija key. There is also a unique label celebrating the collaboration; it features the Norton & Sons wordmark, the Lotus roundel and strapline ‘For The Drivers’, and a new silhouette of the Lotus Evija hypercar penned by Anthony Bushell, the car’s lead exterior designer.

Patrick Grant, best known as a judge on hit BBC TV Show The Great British Sewing Bee, commented: “When I was a kid, Lotus was the sports car everybody wanted. It was what James Bond drove and was the dominant team in Formula 1. To get the chance to explore the extraordinary Lotus racing archive, and to design a piece of clothing that takes its inspiration from such iconic 1960s and 1970s designs, was both a challenge and a thrill.”

Russell Carr added: “We wanted to work with Patrick and the Norton & Sons team to create the ultimate driving jacket for Lotus Evija owners. I’m delighted with the result, which exemplifies everything Lotus and the Evija stand for – premium British craftsmanship and quality, exceptional performance and a timeless design.”

• Lotus wins national award, voted for by The Times, Sunday Times, The Sun and Driving.co.uk
• Lotus commended for “impressive additions to its range and pioneering exciting new product development”
• Judges commented: “The Evija and Emira are simply sensational… the future is bright”
• Award collected at London ceremony by Lotus Design Director Russell Carr

(Hethel, UK – 11 October 2021) – “The future is bright for one of the world’s most iconic car brands” – the words of Rob Gill, Motors Editor at The Sun, as Lotus was honoured as ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ at the News UK Motor Awards 2021.

The prestigious award was presented by respected political journalist and Times Radio presenter John Pienaar at an exclusive ceremony, and collected on behalf of Lotus by Design Director Russell Carr.

The judges included a number of highly respected motoring writers and commentators. Together they felt Lotus was a worthy winner as it has… “continued to up its game in the last 12 months, making impressive additions to its range and pioneering exciting new product development”.

On behalf of the judges, Rob Gill commented: “We are starting to see the first harvest from Geely’s huge investment in Lotus and, wow, the Evija and Emira are simply sensational. The Evija is the perfect blend of art and science, the Emira is a shrink-wrapped supercar, and the transformation of the historic Hethel HQ will warm the heart of every true car fan.”

He concluded: “The workforce has doubled to 1,700 people, Delia Smith is running the kitchen, and the famous old fountains have been switched back on again. The future is bright for one of the world’s most iconic car brands.”

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus, said: “This is a massive honour for Lotus, and a tribute to everyone working tirelessly at our facilities all round the world to transform our business and brand. That transformation got underway with the launch of the world’s first British electric hypercar – the Evija – and was followed by its younger sibling – the Emira – revealed in July to a reception that’s been nothing less than sensational. Things are moving fast at Lotus, so watch this space – there is so much more to come.”

Collecting the award, Russell Carr commented: “Rob Gill’s reaction when he visited Hethel recently suggested we are doing something right – he seemed very impressed with all we have achieved, from the new design language on our cars to the refurbishment of the site. I didn’t expect it to lead to this wonderful award, but we’re very honoured and proud that all the hard work and achievements of Lotus in the last couple of years have been recognised in this way.”

The Motor Awards is in its fourth year and brings together the collective expertise and audiences of The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun, Driving.co.uk and talkSPORT. Rob Walsh, Automotive Director, News UK, commented: “Motors is a cherished subject here at News UK, a love shared by our editorial teams and our readers and listeners. The ambition is therefore to celebrate motoring best in class and support the automotive industry during challenging economic times.”

• World premiere for innovative new lightweight EV structure
• Developed through Project LEVA research programme, rear structure is 37% lighter than on Lotus Emira V6
• Will be integrated into Lotus electric sports car architecture
• Versatile architecture supports multiple layouts, wheelbase lengths, battery sizes and configurations – view an animation at media.lotuscars.com 
• Technology on display at Cenex LCV event on 22/23 September

(Hethel, UK – 21 September 2021) – Just weeks after Lotus confirmed it will be launching a new family of EV performance cars, it has given a world premiere to the innovative new lightweight chassis technology that will underpin the electric sports car in the range.

The new structure has been developed through Project LEVA (Lightweight Electric Vehicle Architecture), announced last October by Lotus. Project LEVA is a research programme that’s accelerating the development of all-new lightweight structures for next-generation battery electric vehicles.

Today Lotus can reveal it’s this structure developed through Project LEVA which will be integrated into the company’s new architecture for electric sports cars. Thanks to the innovation of Lotus and the Project LEVA partners, the rear structure is 37% lighter than it is on the Lotus Emira V6. It means Lotus now has the ‘blueprint’ for the next generation of electric sports cars, for future Lotus products and for the Lotus Engineering consultancy to commercialise.

The Project LEVA lightweight chassis technology is being shown at the Low Carbon Vehicle event staged by Cenex, the UK’s Low Carbon and Fuel Cells Centre of Excellence, at Millbrook Proving Ground, Bedfordshire, UK, on 22/23 September.

A new animation from Lotus reveals how the technology will form part of the new electric sports car chassis, illustrating the versatile nature of this all-new Lotus-developed vehicle architecture. It is fully adaptable to provide a platform for a range of EVs with variable layouts, wheelbase lengths, battery sizes and configurations.

As the animation shows, all three layouts feature a common lightweight die-cast rear sub-frame with multiple interchangeable components. This is the Project LEVA innovation, and it means a single vehicle architecture can accommodate two different types of battery configurations:

• ‘Chest’ layout, where the modules are stacked vertically behind the two seats. A chest layout is a ‘mid-mounted power pack’, ideal for sports car / hypercar vehicle types where a low overall ride height and low centre of gravity are required, and as seen on the Lotus Evija pure electric hypercar.
• ‘Slab’ layout, where the modules are integrated horizontally under the cabin. This is most suitable for vehicles where a higher ride height and a taller overall profile is required. It is often referred to as a ‘skateboard power pack’ layout.

The innovative new subframe features cylindrical battery cells for high energy density, with the option of a single or twin electronic drive unit (EDU) to support. Cold cure, spot bonding and advanced weld processes mean reduced environmental impact during assembly.

This unique degree of flexibility and modularity in wheelbase and propulsion solutions will be the genesis for a wide variety of electric vehicle applications. These could be for the eagerly anticipated Lotus electric sports car – scheduled for launch in 2026 – as well as for third-party clients through Lotus Engineering.

Funding for the project came in part from the Advanced Route to Market Demonstrator programme (ARMD). Awarded by the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the programme is delivered on behalf of the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) by Cenex.

Richard Moore, Executive Director, Engineering, Lotus Cars, commented: “Project LEVA and the electric sports car architecture are perfect illustrations of the innovation which continues to be at the heart of everything Lotus does. Today’s EVs are heavy in comparison to their ICE equivalents, so the ARMD funding has helped Lotus to innovate earlier in the product cycle and develop a new vehicle architecture that targets lightweight and performance density from conception. Rather than developing a single vehicle, it means Lotus now has the ‘blueprint’ for the next generation of electric sports cars, for future Lotus products and for the Lotus Engineering consultancy to commercialise.”

Project LEVA has been led by engineer Richard Rackham, Head of Vehicle Concepts, Lotus. Richard is best known for his revolutionary work on development of the extruded aluminium Lotus Elise architecture 25 years ago. Richard commented: “Project LEVA is as revolutionary now as the Elise architecture was in 1996. In true Lotus spirit, significant weight savings have been achieved throughout, with a focus on ultimate performance, efficiency and safety being engineered into the structure from the outset – for example, by utilising the vehicle structure as the battery enclosure, having an integrated EDU, eliminating bolt-on subframes and optimising the multi-link suspension components.”

 On Project LEVA, Lotus has collaborated with supply chain partner Sarginsons Industries and leading academics from Brunel University London to harness the full ‘light-weighting’ potential of the vehicle architecture.

Today’s announcement is the latest in a series detailing Lotus’ transition to an all-electric brand:

• January 2021: Lotus announced it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Alpine, the performance car division of Groupe Renault, to study a number of areas of cooperation, including the joint development of an EV sports car.
• April 2021: at the Driving Tomorrow global strategy conference, Lotus confirmed the E-Eports vehicle architecture was one of four Lotus-developed chassis that would underpin future models.
• August 2021: Lotus confirmed it would be launching a new electric sports car in 2026 – Type 135 - which is intended to be manufactured in the UK.
• Today: Lotus gives a world premiere to the innovative new chassis technology that will underpin that electric sports car.

The next stage of the project is for Lotus to continue development of the all-electric vehicles which will be built on this innovative and market leading new architecture.

Also on the Lotus stand at Cenex is the Lotus Evija, the world’s first pure-electric British hypercar. The car, an engineering prototype, will be ‘naked’ with several body panels removed to allow visitors to see key components and systems.

• Packed with desirable technology, infotainment and comfort features, UK cars will cost £75,995
• Supercharged 3.5-litre 400hp V6 with six-speed manual transmission as standard, optional six-speed auto with paddleshift
• Four option packs included in the spec, plus unique First Edition badging
• Choice of six vibrant exterior colours, with more to follow next year
• Updated Emira V6 First Edition configurator now live at www.lotuscars.com – images taken from it accompany this news release

(Hethel, UK – 20 September 2021) – Lotus has confirmed the price and full specification of the all-new Emira V6 First Edition. The car, fully loaded with a host of desirable technology, infotainment and comfort features plus unique badging, costs £75,995.

The price in major European markets has also been released, including in Germany where the car is €95,995. Prices in other international markets, including USA and China, will be released in the coming weeks. Production of the Emira V6 First Edition will start in the spring, with the ‘i4’ four-cylinder First Edition arriving in the autumn.

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, commented: “The Emira is the most accomplished Lotus we've ever made, and to celebrate and reward our keenest early customers, we want to make the first cars extra special to own. The features have been carefully selected by our design team to make for a truly special and distinct First Edition.”

The Emira is an all-new mid-engine premium sports car that perfectly embodies the ongoing transformation of the Lotus business and brand. It features all the hallmarks that the automotive world has come to expect from a Lotus – striking design, thrilling dynamic performance delivering best-in-class ride and handling, outstanding aerodynamics and an unrivalled experience ‘For The Drivers’.

Building on the legacy of the Elise, Exige and Evora, the Emira represents a quantum leap forward for Lotus. Those instantly recognisable brand signatures and core values have been combined with a paradigm shift in levels of practicality, comfort, functionality and technology. The Emira has been developed on a new lightweight bonded aluminium chassis – technology pioneered by Lotus and which remains an intrinsic part of the company’s sports car DNA.

Powering the V6 First Edition is the much-loved and Lotus-honed 3.5-litre supercharged V6 engine, mid-mounted behind the two seats. Developing 400hp, it’s mated to a six-speed manual gearbox with a visible gearchange mechanism and hydraulic power-assisted steering.

The car rides on 20-inch ultra-lightweight V-spoke forged alloy wheels. They’re diamond cut to create a premium two-tone finish, though silver or gloss black versions are available as a no-cost option. Two-piece brake discs with branded calipers are part of the First Edition spec, plus a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

The First Edition comes in one of six vibrant paint colours: Seneca Blue – which was seen at the car’s launch in July – plus Magma Red, Hethel Yellow, Dark Verdant, Shadow Grey and Nimbus Grey. More colours will be available during 2022.

Exterior details include LED lights all round, a titanium exhaust finisher, heated power-fold door mirrors and rear parking sensors. The Lower Black Pack is fitted as standard, which means the front bumper air blades, front splitter, side sills and rear diffuser are all in finished in gloss black.

There are seven interior colour choices, all available at no extra cost. They are red, black, grey and tan Nappa leather, as well as black Alcantara with either red, yellow or grey stitching. Satin chrome trim finishers, white interior mood lighting and Lotus-branded sill kick plates complete the premium look.

The heated seats feature 12-way adjustability and two memory presets linked to the door mirrors (driver’s seat only). Climate control, cruise control, keyless start and selectable drive modes are all included.

Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and satellite navigation (in selected markets) are integrated into the Emira V6 First Edition, supported by Bluetooth and USB/12v sockets. The 10-channel/340W premium audio system has been developed in partnership with respected British brand KEF and includes DAB digital radio. All functions are accessed through a 10.25-inch centrally mounted touch-screen, with driver feedback through a 12.3-inch TFT instrument cluster ahead of the multi-function steering wheel.

Three more option packs are fitted as standard to the car, making four in total. The Drivers Pack gives customer the choice of Tour or Sport suspension with Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport tyres, or Sport suspension with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres.

The Design Pack adds privacy glass, sports pedals, a black Alcantara headliner, and the choice of black, red, yellow or silver painted brake callipers. Lotus-branded footwell mats are also included. The Convenience Pack adds front parking sensors, rear reversing camera, rain-sensing wipers with aero blades, auto-dimming mirrors and a rear luggage storage net.

Options available at extra cost include a six-speed automatic gearbox with paddle shift (£1,800 / €2,600 in Germany); and the Black Pack, which colours the roof, cantrails, mirror backs, rear Lotus badge and exhaust finisher (£1,200 / €1,370 in Germany).

Production of the Lotus Emira V6 First Edition will start in the spring, with the ‘i4’ four-cylinder First Edition arriving later in the autumn. An entry level Emira – priced from £59,995 – will be available during 2023.

An updated version of the Emira First Edition configurator is now live at www.lotuscars.com, allowing customers to fully spec their car. Images taken from the configurator accompany this news release.

LOTUS EMIRA V6 FIRST EDITION TECH SPEC

*subject to homologation

• Lotus reveals all-new, competition-spec Emira GT4 contender
• Follows recent technical partnership with Extreme E racing team JBXE
• Hand-built GT4 race car features unique new motorsport livery
• Developed in partnership with RML Group
• Another milestone in ongoing Lotus transformation

(Hethel, UK – 8 September 2021) – Lotus, one of the most famous names in world motorsport, has revealed an all-new competition-spec GT4 challenger and at its core is the critically acclaimed Emira sports car.

The culmination of more than 70 years of innovation on the road and track, it marks the start of an exciting new era in performance GT racing for Lotus.

Developed in collaboration with project partner RML Group, the race-ready concept is yet another milestone in the transformation which is taking place in every area of the Lotus business and brand.

Following the July launch of the Lotus Emira and its dynamic debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed, Lotus and RML Group are committed to writing a successful new chapter in the legendary Lotus motorsport story.

Most recently, that has been via the Evora GT4, which won prestigious races and championships including in British GT, Dubai 24hrs, Barcelona 24hrs, European GT, Sepang 12hrs and the Pirelli World Challenge.

Almost all modern Lotus road cars have had race-ready siblings and the Emira is no exception. Each customer car will be a homologated performance machine, hand-built with lightweight motorsport components and equipment to meet the latest safety regulations.

The Hethel-based development team has focused on precision engineering to deliver outstanding dynamics and high-speed stability. The advanced composite bodywork makes the car exceptionally lightweight and, coupled with Toyota’s race-proven 3.5-litre V6 engine and optimised GT4 aerodynamics derived from the road-going Emira’s advanced exterior design, the Emira GT4 promises to be more than competitive.

Richard Selwin, Race Programme Manager, Lotus, commented: “The all-new Emira GT4 is an exciting next step following the hugely successful launch of the Emira road car. We have worked hard with the team at RML Group to ensure this next-generation of Lotus GT car will deliver race-winning performance.”

Simon Holloway, Commercial Director, RML Group, commented: “We are delighted to be collaborating with Lotus on the all-new Emira GT4 Concept. Both companies have a long and successful motorsport pedigree, and to bring that together at such an exciting time for Lotus is a welcome validation of our vision and values.”

Gavan Kershaw, today the Director of Vehicle Attributes for Lotus but previously a GT championship-winning driver of Lotus race cars, has been involved in the development of the Emira GT4 from the start. He commented: “The all-new chassis on which the Emira has been developed is the perfect starting point for a high-performance race car. Everyone at Lotus is so excited to be returning to world motorsport and to be doing so with such a competitive race car.”

Lotus has been synonymous with racing success ever since the Mark I, a trials car hand-built by founder Colin Chapman in 1948, and the company has pioneered many of the technical innovations which make racing the thrilling sport it is today. The impressive roll-call of honours includes seven Formula 1 Constructors' titles, six Drivers' Championships and the Indianapolis 500.

The return to world motorsport is a key pillar of the company’s transformation. Earlier this year Lotus Engineering, the consultancy division of the business, became technical partner to JBXE, the Extreme E race team led by F1 world champion Jenson Button.

The Lotus Emira GT4 will be officially launched later this year at an event on the Hethel test track, the iconic 2.2-mile circuit which has hosted the development of some of the world’s most famous race cars.

Lotus aims to build a limited number of Emira GT4 race cars for the 2022 season, increasing production for 2023 in line with global demand. Interested parties are invited to contact the Lotus motorsport department directly via motorsport@lotuscars.com

Lotus Emira GT4 tech spec and target performance data

                                                                                                 ^{*Subject to balance of performance}

(Hethel, UK – 6 September 2021) – Group Lotus announces that Peter Horbury has been appointed Senior Vice President of Design.

Commenting on Peter’s appointment, Group Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng said: “Peter Horbury is a globally renowned designer and I am very proud to have him on the Lotus team.  In his role he assumes global oversight for design across the broadening Lotus portfolio covering both cars and the Engineering consultancy. Peter is a hugely valuable advocate for Lotus, working alongside me at the highest levels within Geely.  Russell Carr continues his great work as Design Director, working alongside Ben Payne as head of a new Lotus studio in Coventry UK – together leading the global Lotus design language into a very exciting future led by Peter and an expanding international team of designers.”

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, added: “Peter Horbury has been a fantastic advocate for Lotus since we became part of the Geely family. We’re looking forward to working closely together to deliver a new generation of cars to the world – retaining the famous Lotus magic, but with broader horizons and appeal than ever before.”

Peter Horbury said: “Ever since I visited Hethel after Lotus’ acquisition in 2017, I have watched very fondly as the Vision80 plan has started to come to fruition. I am delighted to now have the opportunity to further support that vision, working closely with the team to deliver a new generation of global Lotus products and to expand the Lotus design network around the world.”

• Global ‘intelligent technology’ subsidiary of Group Lotus launched
• Will accelerate innovation and oversee manufacture of exciting new Lotus lifestyle models for global markets
• Four new electric models from Lotus in next five years – including all-new electric sports car in 2026
• Lotus SUV – the Type 132 – will be first, launching in 2022
• All-new factory operational in China later this year, Lotus Technology HQ opening in 2024

(Wuhan, China – 31 August 2021) – Lotus Technology has officially launched its global headquarters with a ‘breaking-ground’ ceremony in Wuhan, China.

Lotus Technology is a new division of Group Lotus, a global ‘intelligent technology’ subsidiary which augments the brand’s DNA and technology accumulated over the 73 years that Lotus has existed. Its role is to accelerate innovation in the fields of batteries and energy management, electric motors, electronic control systems, intelligent driving, intelligent manufacturing and more.

The new Lotus Technology headquarters will be completed in 2024.  An all-new Lotus factory, to manufacture Lotus electric vehicles for global markets, will open later this year.

Eric Li, Chairman of Geely Holding Group, and Feng Qingfeng, CEO of Group Lotus, attended the event. They were joined by Li Bin, founder of NIO, who is an investor in Lotus Technology. They revealed top level details of the Lotus product plan for the next five years, developed jointly by Lotus Technology and the highly experienced Lotus team in the UK.

In 2022, Lotus will debut an E-segment SUV codenamed Type 132. It will be followed in 2023 by an E-segment four-door coupe, Type 133, and in 2025 by Type 134, a new D-segment SUV. This trio will be joined in 2026 by an all-new electric sports car, Type 135.

The new models are in addition to the Evija all-electric hypercar and the Emira, the last petrol-powered sports car from Lotus, which will both be built at Hethel, UK.

In the field of intelligent drive, Lotus unveiled the concept of ‘track-level intelligent drive’ as a 10-year technological development target. The new technology’s aim is to assist drivers to perform as well as an F1 driver on track, while increasing driver safety and improving performance on the road through advanced software and hardware. The result is a more rewarding and reassuring experience in any environment.

The development of the brand’s new premium lifestyle vehicles will take place on the Lotus Premium architecture, one of the four new vehicle platforms announced at the Driving Tomorrow global strategy conference in April. The Premium architecture supports a wheelbase range from 2,889mm-3,100mm and could be further expanded in the future. It supports the development of all types of passenger vehicles from C+ to E segments. Using 92-120kWh batteries, it is compatible with the industry’s most advanced 800-volt high-speed EV charging system. Products developed on this platform will be capable of 0-100km/h acceleration in under three seconds.

Vision80 is the ongoing strategic plan which outlines the transformation of Lotus ahead of its 80th birthday in 2028. The establishment of Lotus Technology marks a crucial step on that journey of global expansion, and on the road to an intelligent and electric future. In the era of intelligent electric mobility, Lotus will once again set the standard for performance, redefining the relationship between man and vehicle, and help the global automotive industry in accelerating the pace of its transformation. 

Since being founded by Colin Chapman in 1948, Lotus has led the industry in innovation with its commitment to pure driving, outstanding ride and handling, lightweight technologies and world-class aerodynamic engineering. Today, with the backing and global resources of Geely Holding Group, Lotus benefits from new capabilities in R&D, manufacturing and supply chain management, enabling it to provide global customers with a more innovative and exciting driving experience.

The new Lotus manufacturing plant in Wuhan will open later this year, complementing existing UK sports car manufacturing and performance facilities in Hethel and Norwich. It is being built with the world’s most advanced manufacturing technologies to become a global centre of excellence for Lotus’ premium lifestyle models. Covering an area of over 1 million m2 with an investment of over 8 billion RMB (£900m), the plant has the capacity to ramp up to production of 150,000 vehicles a year.

The new Lotus plant is the first in the world with an integrated intelligent test track. It features an advanced system whereby vehicles can be transported into workshops using autonomous driving technology without any human intervention. It is designed to accommodate vehicles driving at speeds up to 140mph (230km/h) through 16 corners.

Working hand in hand, China-based Lotus Technology and the UK-based Lotus team are at the core of Group Lotus’ future development strategy. Lotus in the UK will be responsible for the development and production of sports cars and the Evija electric hypercar, as well as co-ordinating global sales for the Lotus brand. Lotus Technology in China will be responsible for integrating a new generation of lifestyle products, bringing together China’s EV and manufacturing specialisms, UK’s design and advanced performance centres and Germany-based R&D resources (Lotus Technology Innovation Centre, Raunheim), as well as the global development and production of premium intelligent drive technologies. Together the China and UK teams will empower Group Lotus’ transformation towards an expanded, intelligent and electric future. 

Feng Qingfeng, CEO, Group Lotus, commented: “This is an important day in the transformation of the Lotus business and brand. Lotus Technology will accelerate the innovation which has always been at the heart of the business. Together the China and UK teams will empower our journey towards an expanded, intelligent and electric future, achieving the ambitions and goals that have been in the making for 73 years of the Lotus brand.”

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, commented: “Transforming Lotus from a UK sports car company to a truly global performance car company has always been at the core of Vision80. The launch of Lotus Technology is a major milestone on the road to making that a reality, while adhering to the unwavering Lotus principles of pure performance, efficiency, motorsport success and, above all, being ‘For the Drivers’.”

Li Bin, the founder of NIO, has become an investor in Lotus Technology. Lotus and NIO share many common interests in the field of intelligent electric mobility. In the future, both parties may explore opportunities for mutually beneficial industrial cooperation.

The global automotive industry is undergoing profound changes today. As the world’s largest and fastest-growing electric vehicle market, China plays an important role in the transformation of the global automotive industry. With its brand mission of always being ‘For The Drivers,’ Lotus will be centre stage, redefining the standards for an intelligent and electric future. 

(Monterey, California, USA – 16 August 2021) – As the sun sets on the 2021 Monterey Car Week, Lotus Cars reports a week of debuts, track action, commercial success and another wonderful time spent with friends old and new in California.

Commenting on the week’s festivities, Lotus Cars USA’s Jim Carter said: “Monterey Car Week never fails to deliver.  2021 marked Lotus’ return after the Evija hypercar debut here in 2019, and with the three debuts at the Quail on Friday, we topped off the week in grand style.  The reception to the returning Evija, in a new F1 inspired guise was rapturous.  Emira’s US debut was met with great excitement and considerable demand for our first new sportscar for over a decade.  While the Radford Type 62-2 was an absolutely stunning addition to the week.”

Joining the Lotus and Radford team on the stand at The Quail was Martin Waide, the man who designed the original Type 62 in 1969 for Team Lotus. Martin has met with the Radford team throughout the design of their car and most recently gave his final approval of the new 62-2.

Radford co-owner and former Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button added: “Monterey Week was where any Lotus fan’s dreams came true this year.  What a line up!  Evija and Emira – both of which I’m adding to my collection – looked and performed outstandingly, and I had the privilege of putting Emira through its paces at Laguna Seca during the week – that was a real treat.  I am also so proud of the Radford team for bringing our 62-2 to life here this week – it’s a stunning piece of coach building and engineering and a beautiful and contemporary tribute to the 1960s original – as I said – any Lotus fan’s dream come true!”

Ant Anstead, TV’s ‘Master Mechanic’ and co-owner of Radford added: “What a week it has been!  It really is the stuff of fantasy to be at the heart of a festival like Monterey Car Week, among friends, with a car designed, engineered and built together with those friends.  It has been an extremely proud moment for us all to share the Radford 62-2 with the world, the interest and reception for the car has blown us away.  Thanks also to the Lotus team for their partnership and all the support here this week.”

• Lotus fan and customer filmed driving Emira round iconic California circuit
• Emira joins Evija and Radford 62-2 at The Quail on Friday 13 August

(Monterey, California, USA – 12 August 2021) – Fresh from its triumphant world debut last month, the Lotus Emira is making its first appearance in the USA… with a very special driver at the wheel.

Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button put the all-new petrol-powered sports car through its paces at Laguna Seca Raceway.

 Like Lotus, Jenson was in California for Monterey Car Week, the Radford 62-2 – a reinterpretation of the Lotus Type 62 to be manufactured using Lotus technology – recently received its world premiere ahead of making its public debut with the Emira on the Lotus stand at The Quail, A Motorsport Gathering. 

Jenson Button stated after his drive that “This is such a great circuit, most road cars on tracks don’t work, but this does.”

The Emira is an all-new mid-engined sports car that perfectly embodies the ongoing transformation of the iconic British sports car manufacturer. Its striking design is delivering exotic supercar appeal in sports car segment, with inspiration from the Lotus Evija hypercar clear in its fluid surfaces and crisp feature lines.

Two petrol engines are available, including a new-to-Lotus 2.0-litre turbocharged ‘i4’ from technical partner AMG as well as the much-loved and characterful 3.5-litre supercharged V6 from the critically acclaimed Evora GT.

A choice of manual, automatic and Dual Clutch Transmission is available, with power output from 360 to 400 hp at launch. All versions will hit 0-62mph (0-100km/h) in less than 4.5 seconds.

The USA is a key market for the Emira as Lotus transforms into a truly global performance car company, and Lotus retailers across the country have already seen strong demand from potential customers.

The Lotus Emira will be joined by the Lotus Evija hypercar and the Radford 62-2 at The Quail: A Motorsport Gathering on Friday 13 August. All three will be part of a press conference held at 9.15am PDT (GMT-8) on the Lotus stand.

• New Lotus Emira to make US debut at world famous auto festival in Monterey
• Evija gets striking new livery, inspired by iconic Detroit GP-winning Lotus Type 99T
• Type 62-2, coachbuilt by Radford, also revealed in California this week

(Monterey, California, USA – 9 August 2021) – The recently unveiled Emira, the last petrol-powered car from Lotus and the best of breed, is making its US debut at Monterey Car Week.

The flagship event for Lotus will be at The Quail: A Motorsport Gathering. The Emira will also make its dynamic debut at the legendary Laguna Seca Raceway for a very special celebrity track day – more details of that will follow later this week.

The Lotus Evija pure electric hypercar is also taking centre stage in California with a striking all-new livery that will resonate strongly with US motorsport fans. Yellow with blue accents, the colour scheme is inspired by the iconic Lotus Type 99T from 1987 – the car in which Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna was victorious at that year’s Detroit Grand Prix.

The 99T featured pioneering computer-controlled active suspension which allowed it to ride the bumpy and technically demanding downtown street circuit. The race win has become legendary in F1 circles, showing Lotus’ innovative approach and the car’s outstanding technical capability. It was also the last Lotus win for Senna.

It’s the second time the Evija has appeared at Monterey Car Week. Just weeks after it was unveiled in July 2019, California was the first stop on at world tour that also took in Japan, China and the Middle East.

The Evija has a packed schedule for its latest trip Stateside. On Saturday it supported the world premiere of the Radford 62-2 at the Lyon Air Museum, Santa Ana. The car – limited to just 62 examples – is based on the Lotus Type 62 and being manufactured using Lotus technology.

At the museum the car was shot by world renowned photographer Larry Chen, before the Radford unveil event.

From Monday to Thursday, the Evija – the world’s most powerful production car at more than 2,000 PS – has a full diary of private meetings with American depositors and prospective customers. On Friday it’s taking centre stage at the The Quail: A Motorsport Gathering at Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel Valley.

The recently unveiled Emira, the last petrol-powered car from Lotus and the best of breed, will also be at The Quail. Before that it’s heading to the nearby Laguna Seca Raceway for a very special celebrity track day – more details of that will follow later this week.

The Lotus pairing of Evija and Emira will also be joined at The Quail by the Radford 62-2. All three will be part of a press conference held at 9.15am PDT (GMT-8) on Friday 13 August on the Lotus stand.

• All-new Lotus retailer in Kingdom of Bahrain first to showcase versatile new global retail identity
• Showroom design language draws on Lotus’ design and engineering prowess
• Fully adaptable for all retail environments and markets

(Hethel, UK – 4 August 2021) – You’ve seen the all-new Emira sports car, now see where it’s going to be sold. The first Lotus showroom in the world to feature the brand’s striking new retail identity is fully operational and open for business.

The showroom is in the exclusive Moda Mall shopping complex in Manama, the capital city of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the Middle East.

The new Lotus retail identity is based on a design language and philosophy for Lotus retail environments worldwide that draws directly on the company’s design and engineering prowess. Sculptural and artistic in its execution, it captures the energy of the brand as it transforms from a UK sports car company to a genuine performance car player on the world stage.

The exciting new Bahrain showroom development has provided a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate how the concept is designed to work with, and within, the retail spaces it finds itself, yet clearly making the brand’s presence felt amongst its competitor set.

Its role is to support the welcoming and knowledgeable staff, and to provide a contemporary stage for this pivotal moment as the Lotus product range begins to expand with all-new models. Agile, beautifully crafted and utilising the latest technologies, the new retail identity delivers an integrated physical and digital experience of the Lotus brand and product.

Geoff Dowding, Executive Director, Sales and Aftersales, Lotus, commented: “We are delighted to be working with our dealer partner Adamas Motors at the all-new retail site in Bahrain. It is the perfect location for the world debut of our new retail identity and it looks brilliant.”

He added: “Our new identity has been designed to adapt to the different markets that Lotus sells in around the world today – and will sell in tomorrow – and to reflect the cultural nuances and different consumer preferences in those markets. The inherent flexibility of what we have created will be perfect for all environments, whether they’re solus or multi-franchise, urban or out-of-town, high street or shopping mall, single or multi-storey, pop-up, seasonal or permanent.”

Lotus Bahrain is operated by Adamas Bahrain Motors Company WLL, part of a highly respected automotive retail business with a wealth of experience in selling performance, premium and luxury cars across the Middle East and Asia.

Karl Hamer, CEO, Adamas Motors, commented: “Adamas Motors Bahrain is extremely excited and proud to bring a brand new concept in car retailing to Bahrain with Lotus Cars, in our department store-like showroom situated next to the high-end fashion parade in Moda Mall. We believe this will deliver high levels of customer satisfaction and a truly engaging experience, normally more associated with luxury product retailers.”

Moda Mall is the most premium shopping destination in Bahrain. It is located inside the Bahrain World Trade Center, an award-winning 50-storey twin-tower skyscraper and the most iconic building in Manama. The Lotus showroom is located near the main entrance in a high-visibility / high-footfall location, close to valet parking and grouped with stores of other premium and luxury brands. It’s the perfect position for Lotus, which is returning to the Middle Eastern kingdom after more than a decade away.

Taking centre stage in the showroom until the arrival of the Emira is the critically acclaimed Lotus Evora GT, a car which has won universal praise from motoring media in the USA where a near-identical model is on sale. Also available will be the Lotus Exige Final Edition, which feature an enhanced specification over the standard Exige. Production of this thrilling ‘race car for the road’ ends later this year.

• Project team from Lotus consultancy explain how bike’s innovative front end improves aerodynamic performance on track
• Lotus helped develop pioneering forks and lightweight handlebars
• See the new film on YouTube and media.lotuscars.com

(Hethel, UK – 12 July 2021) – While the Lotus Emira was inevitably the star of the show at last weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, another performance machine was getting plenty of attention.

The Hope / Lotus track bike – developed in part by Lotus Engineering, the consultancy side of the business – was also on the Lotus stand. It has been created to help the Great Britain Cycling Team win medals.

Lotus Engineering has today released a new film about its involvement with the project. Three members of the team explain why the bike’s innovative front-end design makes it so different to anything that’s come before it in the world of track cycling. Striking new images of the Hope / Lotus bike have also been revealed.

One of the three is Richard Hill, chief aerodynamicist at Lotus, who has led development work on the bike’s aerodynamic performance. He commented: “I think the advantage that Lotus brings to bike design is that we’re not bike designers. We’re not engrossed in that industry, so we look at things from a very purist point of view. It’s the way Lotus has always approached every project for any external client.”

The pioneering design is based on optimising the aerodynamics of the bike and rider together rather than independently. The Lotus-developed wider-than-usual position of the forks means they’re directly in front of the rider’s knees, helping air to flow around the rider. The seat stays at the rear of the bike, also wider than on any other track bike, assist with the reattachment of that air to create the best possible profile for the bike and rider combined.

Lotus has also helped to develop two designs of lightweight handlebar, for sprint and pursuit races. Titanium and aluminium, both 3D-printed, as well as carbon fibre, are at the heart of these components. The innovative design and advanced materials make the forks and bars very light, as well as improving stiffness and front-end feel to boost rider confidence.

The bike is a true Lotus in every way – optimised aerodynamics, light weight, advanced materials and exceptional handling, all combining to deliver outstanding performance. Lotus has worked on the project with Hope Technology, which has supplied the bike’s frame and wheels, and engineering partner Renishaw.

• Less than 48 hours after its world premiere, all-new British sports car was a major draw with show-goers
• Crowd control measures in place all day on Lotus stand as visitors flock to see the Emira
• ‘Central Feature’ sculpture brought to life with Lotus cars via innovative augmented reality technology
• Lotus celebrated as ‘Featured Marque’ at this year’s Festival of Speed

(Hethel, UK – 9 July 2021) – Unquestionably the star of the show, the Lotus Emira has made its dynamic public debut at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

In front of tens of thousands of passionate motoring fans, the all-new Lotus sports car took part in the Hill Climb, visited the Michelin Supercar Paddock live stage and took part in the spectacular Lotus Moment parade in front of Goodwood House – complete with Lotus-themed yellow and green fireworks.

Huge numbers of visitors came to the Lotus stand to see the Emira up close. Such was its popularity that crowd control measures had to be implemented within minutes of the Goodwood gates opening at 7am, and a queueing system to access the stand was in force all day. Many were keen to discuss details of the car’s spec and place their Emira order via www.lotuscars.com.

The Emira was also driven by the Duke of Richmond, the organiser of the Festival, with Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, in the passenger seat.

All the action came less than 48 hours after the Emira’s world premiere at Hethel, Norfolk, on Tuesday night, live in front of invited guests and to all corners of the globe via a livestream broadcast.

Lotus is the ‘Featured Marque’ at this year’s Festival of Speed, and the Emira was joined on the stand by an Evija all-electric hypercar, an Elise Sport 240 Final Edition and the track bike developed in part by Lotus Engineering for British Cycling.

This year’s Festival celebrates the peerless sporting and technical achievements of Lotus, and is the theme of the Festival’s ‘Central Feature’ – the dramatic art installation which is always created directly in front of Goodwood House.

Called the Lotus ‘Aeroad’ and viewed digitally via a smartphone app, the sculpture uses the latest augmented reality technology to allow users to watch four iconic Lotus cars speed through the air on a virtual racetrack. The app features an 'at home' mode for fans unable to attend in person, giving them the opportunity to launch a virtual version of the sculpture, plus the racetrack and cars. Once launched, users can take a photo or record a short video of their journey round the augmented track and save it to their device to share.

Matt Windle commented: “Our stand staff didn’t stop talking to people about the Emira all day. So many had watched the livestream on Tuesday, love the way the car looks inside and out, and wanted to share how thrilled they are to see the transformation that is taking place at Lotus. We had an amazing day at Goodwood and are looking forward to the rest of the weekend.”

• Capsule collection of Lotus X Léger cycling kit will premiere at this weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed
• Lotus X Léger to collaborate on new range of performance bikes
• New track bike developed by Lotus Engineering, Hope Technology and Renishaw also on Lotus stand at FoS

(Hethel, UK – 8 July 2021) – Lotus is excited to announce an exciting new multi-layered partnership with premium cycling apparel brand Léger Los Angeles. It begins with the launch of a capsule collection of Lotus X Léger cycling jerseys, the announcement of future collaboration on cycling accessories and a new generation of performance bikes.

During this weekend, the collection of cycling jerseys will be on display on the Lotus stand at Goodwood Festival of Speed. Each features the iconic Lotus roundel, and in line with the key principles of both brands, are lightweight and aero efficient, incorporating Léger’s seamless sleeve transition and breathable back-panelling.

Léger is a premium cycle clothing brand established by 2009 FIA Formula 1® Drivers’ World Champion Jenson Button and fellow racing driver James Rossiter, who raced for Lotus in the FIA World Endurance Championship from 2012 to 2014.

Lotus X Léger is today also announcing its intention to develop a range of precision-engineered bikes with input from Jenson and James. Both are experienced triathletes and cyclists, and come with extensive knowledge and passion from their respective motor racing careers. Creative expertise and technical excellence will come from Lotus Engineering, the consultancy division of the business.

Whilst this family of bikes is only at concept stage, it is a further demonstration of Lotus Engineering’s desire to push the boundaries of bike design, bringing its automotive precision and passion to two wheels and the pelotons of the world.

Creating these concept bikes together is a natural extension of both brands’ core shared values. They will have high-end performance at their heart, being lightweight, stiff, and highly aerodynamically efficient.

Lotus has a highly successful history in cycling through Lotus Engineering, including the development of the iconic LotusSport bikes for gold medal-winning cycling legend Chris Boardman at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona (Lotus Type 108), and in the 1994 Tour de France (Lotus Type 110) where he won the prologue time trial to take the famous yellow jersey.

Also on the Lotus stand at this year’s Festival of Speed is the innovative new track bike which Lotus Engineering has helped to design, develop and engineer to deliver outstanding performance for British Cycling athletes. The project is a collaboration between Lotus, bike component builder Hope Technology and engineering firm Renishaw.

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, commented: “Lotus has always been at the very cutting edge of lightweight racing performance with its cars, and now – after more than 25 years away from cycling – we’re collaborating to apply the same Lotus core values to the  nnovative new track bike for British Cycling and now this partnership with Léger. It’s another exciting development for the Lotus Engineering consultancy.”

Jenson Button, Founder, Léger Los Angeles, commented: “James and I founded Léger with the aim of creating the best engineered cycle clothing possible and it has been amazing to work closely with the team at Lotus to launch this capsule collection. We are also really excited to have announced the future concept bikes, and we can’t wait to continue this development journey with Lotus, sharing our joint passion for precision engineering”

Today’s announcement sees an extension of the relationship between Lotus and Jenson, who are already working closely on two other projects. Lotus Engineering is Technical Partner to JBXE Racing, Jenson’s Extreme E race team which secured a podium finish at the Ocean X Prix in Dakar in May. They have also partnered on the debut model for the relaunched bespoke coachbuilder Radford, as they reimagine the Lotus 62 which will be built using Lotus technology.

To learn more about Lotus Engineering please click here.
To learn more about Léger please click here.

• All-new sports car has pride of place on the Lotus stand as FoS celebrates Norfolk company as its ‘Featured Marque’
• All-electric Lotus Evija hypercar also making its Festival debut
• ‘Central Feature’ sculpture promises high levels of interactivity for fans on site or attending digitally using advanced AR technology
• Lotus-developed track bike also on the FoS stand until Sunday

(Hethel, UK – 7 July 2021) – Fresh from a triumphant world premiere on Tuesday evening, the Lotus Emira makes its dynamic debut at the 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The all-new sports car, which goes into production later this year, has pride of place on the Lotus stand and is taking part in numerous runs up the iconic Hill Climb throughout the weekend. The Lotus Evija, the all-electric hypercar and the world’s most powerful production car, is also making its debut at the Festival of Speed.

Lotus is the ‘Featured Marque’ at this year’s Festival, which starts tomorrow (Thursday 8 July) and finishes on Sunday. The whole event celebrates the peerless sporting and technical achievements of Lotus. Both the Emira and Evija are taking part in Batch 6 of the Hill Climb, which is for ‘Supercars and First Glance’. Each car will compete twice a day, once in the morning and again in the afternoon. A Lotus Elise 240 Sport Final Edition and an Elise S1 are also involved.

Celebrating Lotus is the theme of the Festival’s ‘Central Feature’ – the dramatic and often highly imaginative art installation which is always created directly in front of Goodwood House. This year’s sculpture is also highly immersive, with greater-than-ever levels of accessibility for those attending the Festival both in person and digitally from all corners of the world using the latest augmented reality (AR) technology.

Inspired by Lotus founder Colin Chapman's philosophy of ‘simplify then add lightness’, it employs the engineering concept of ‘tensegrity’ – a structural principle which creates exceptionally strong and rigid structures for their mass. Its shape evokes the ‘rooster tail’ airflow analysis of the Lotus Evija, and features the longest cantilever of its kind anywhere in the world. The impression is of a structure made more from air than actual material.

‘The Lotus Moment’ is being staged every lunchtime and is another must-see. A parade of Lotus vehicles old and new, it will include the Emira and Evija and culminate in front of Goodwood House with fireworks and cannon fire.

Festival visitors will be able to get up close and personal with the Evija and Emira – the most accomplished Lotus ever – on the Lotus stand, which is close to the Main Bridge opposite Goodwood House. Another Emira will be a regular visitor to the Michelin Supercar Paddock live stage, adjacent to the Hill Climb start line.

The third car on the Lotus stand is an Elise Sport 240 Final Edition. It’s the amazing first prize in a competition being staged by Norwich City Football Club’s Community Sports Foundation. Last month it was announced that Lotus had extended its relationship with the club and has signed as the new front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2021/22 Premier League season.

The final exhibit on the Lotus stand is unique… in that it has two wheels rather that four. Lotus Engineering, the consultancy division of the business, has collaborated with partners to develop a new track bike to help British Cycling win medals.

Simon Clare, Executive Director, Marketing, Lotus Cars, added: “Car fans all over the world have been looking forward to the 2021 Festival of Speed, having been deprived of major motoring events for so long. Whether you attend in person or are watching from home we wanted to make the Lotus experience as immersive as possible and an event to remember. From the central feature AR experience, the virtual Lotus stand online or the continuous updates across our social channels, fans will be able to enjoy the experience from anywhere in the world. Our headline billing as ‘Featured Marque’ is crowned by two of the most hotly anticipated cars, the Emira and Evija, making their Goodwood debuts. All-in-all, the Festival is the perfect representation of the future of Lotus and I’d urge everyone to get involved.”

• Sensational Emira debut staged at Lotus’ historic home, significantly upgraded with new facilities and all-new sports car factory
• Emira ‘unboxed’ live in front of more than 300 guests
• Jenson Button, F1 World Champion and Lotus customer, was surprise special guest with world-exclusive first Emira test drive
• Global online audience of thousands included 131 Lotus ‘superfans’ who appeared live on-screen at the event
• Next stop for the Emira – dynamic debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend

(Hethel, UK – 7 July 2021) – It was another night for the Hethel history books as resurgent British sports car manufacturer Lotus gave a world debut to the all-new Emira. It was staged live in front of an on-site audience of VIP media and honoured guests, with tens of thousands more viewing the simultaneous online broadcast from all corners of the world.

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, told guests: “The Emira is an absolute game-changer for Lotus. It’s a hugely significant milestone in our path to becoming a truly global performance car brand. It’s a new sports car – our first in many years – and what an offering it is from Lotus!”

The hour-long live-action unveiling was centred on the iconic Hethel test track and culminated in a high-octane lap of the north circuit by an Emira – officially the last petrol-powered car from Lotus. That lap drew to a close on the steering pad, directly in front of the audience as they witnessed the ‘unboxing’ of another Emira.

Former Formula 1 World Champion and Lotus customer Jenson Button was revealed as the evening’s special guest. A film of him putting the Emira through its paces on the Hethel track was played, with Jenson delivering his exclusive ‘first drive’ review live to the audience.

Jenson commented: “It’s being called a junior supercar but it would give a lot of supercars a run for their money… and it’s more comfortable than most of them! The Emira is exceptional and I’m a big fan.”

The Emira premiere was broadcast live via the Lotus website and social media platforms. In a nod to global travel restrictions, Lotus had invited scores of international Lotus ‘superfans’ to be involved in the premiere. Exactly 131 of these owners and enthusiasts were selected to be part of a high-tech real-time ‘fan wall’ which appeared on the box’s TV screens. The number 131 reflected the Lotus type number allocated to the Emira before it was officially named.

Despite the time differences, Lotus retailers across the globe – from China and Japan to North America and Europe – staged parties in their showrooms, inviting valued customers and Emira prospects to watch the event live. In addition, highlights from the broadcast are being played through the next week on billboards internationally – at London’s busy Liverpool Street station, where the train line from Norwich ends in London, and in downtown Los Angeles.

The evening’s entertainment was hosted by popular motoring presenters Andy Jaye and Helen Stanley, with catering provided by another Norfolk legend, chef Delia Smith. Guests were also treated to a parade of historic Lotus cars on the test track, including an Elan S3 and company founder Colin Chapman’s Turbo Esprit.

As well as providing a platform for the Emira’s debut, the event was designed to turn the spotlight on Hethel itself – upgraded as part of a £100million-plus investment in Lotus’ UK operations. Guests took part in a walking tour of the site to see the transformation, which includes the all-new production line and paint shop where the Emira will be built, starting later this year.

As the event closed, Matt Windle commented: “What an amazing night we’ve had and what a fantastic way to launch the Emira. We have a sensational new sports car – the most accomplished Lotus ever – and we’ve unveiled it at a rejuvenated Hethel, a site still changing every week because of our investment. Together they are the perfect illustration of the ongoing transformation of Lotus.”

Next stop for the Emira is this weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, where the car will make its public dynamic debut. Lotus is the ‘Featured Marque’ at this year’s event, which means the ‘Central Feature’ – the giant sculpture outside Goodwood House – will celebrate Lotus.