“It’s exceptional and I’m a big fan” – the words of former F1 world champion Jenson Button after more than 30 laps of the Hethel test track during the launch celebrations for the all-new Lotus Emira.

A film of his exclusive world-first test drive was played to the on-site audience and tens of thousands of viewers from around the world watching the livestream on the Lotus website and social channels.

Jenson commented: “You always expect a Lotus to have good mechanical grip through the low-speed corners but there was plenty of downforce in the high-speed corners too. That means the feeling of great balance is the same no matter how you’re driving it. It’s exceptional and I’m a big fan.”

Finding the right position when behind the wheel for the first time is key for every driver, not just the professionals, and Jenson said once he’d done that the Emira “just felt right”. He added: “The overall position of the gearstick in relation to the wheel, the pedals, everything was where it should be and that gives you great confidence from the start. I love the infotainment system too, which has everything you need and is really simple so you can get back to the important part, which is the driving.”

The everyday useability of the Emira didn’t pass him by either, thanks to the high levels of comfort, functionality, technology and practicality. “The Lotus purists will love it, and the thing that people new to Lotus will love is the premium quality of the interior. When you’re in there you’re immersed in the seat and cockpit, and there’s a lot of lower back support so it will be comfortable for long journeys. That’s going to surprise people.”

Jenson said one element of the car had stunned him. “I’m still in shock at the price. Starting at under £60,000 it’s fantastic and means so many people are going to have the opportunity to experience it first-hand. 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!”

Jenson is a long-time Lotus fan and customer of the all-electric Evija hypercar. In March this year it was announced that Lotus Engineering, the consultancy division of the business, is collaborating as Technical Partner to JBXE, Jenson’s Extreme E race team. A Chief Engineer with expertise in electric powertrains joined the team for the second round of racing in Senegal last month, helping JBXE to finish on the podium for the first time.

In May there was news of further collaboration when bespoke British coachbuilder Radford – with which Jenson is involved – announced its first limited-edition project would be a modern rework of the iconic Lotus 62 sports car, created using Lotus technology.

(Hethel, UK – 6 July 2021) – Receiving its world premiere at Hethel, Norfolk, on the evening of Tuesday 6 July, the design of the Lotus Emira is beautiful, timeless, memorable and modern. Above all, it looks like a Lotus, with optimised proportions and an athletic shrink-wrapped body which visually describes Lotus’ legendary agile driving characteristics.

Led by Russell Carr, Design Director, Lotus, the lead exterior and interior designers of the Emira are Daniel Durrant and Jon Statham. Combined, they have close to 40 years of experience in the Hethel design studio and have worked on countless other projects. Those have been both for Lotus and for clients as part of the consultancy services offered by Lotus Engineering.

The Emira is the first Lotus sports car to carry the new design language showcased on the award-winning Evija hypercar. It’s a contemporary look with sculpted surfaces and technical detailing, delivering exotic supercar appeal in the sports car segment. A new and more premium approach for Lotus in terms of forms and materials, it is also a leap forward in interior refinement and technology.

Below, Daniel and Jon explain their work on the all-new Lotus Emira.

Q&A with Daniel Durrant

Age: 40

At Lotus: Senior Designer, worked at Lotus for 12 years

On Emira: Overseeing design and development of the exterior

Lotus CV highlights:

(2014) – Lotus Exige LF1 Special Edition
(2015) – Lotus Evora 400 exterior programme
(2017) – Lotus Exige 430 Cup

How did it feel when you were selected for the role on the Emira?
I was thrilled to have my theme selected for the Emira. I have worked on many Lotus programmes in the studio, so to take the lead exterior design role was an amazing opportunity and a huge responsibility. I am a Lotus fan and our products are very special.

When did you start work on the Emira?
My first sketches were done back in 2018.

Where did your inspiration come from?
It came from all over. The Evija was a strong reference point, and Lotus has a rich technical and visual library to draw from. I like the shapes seen in military fighter jets. There’s often a softness to their overall surface forms but with taught creases. Shapes found in nature can also be a great inspiration – an attacking shark nose or the muscular haunches seen on a pouncing cheetah, for example.

Can you describe the exterior of the car in five words?
Sculptural, athletic, agile, elegant, alive.

What’s your favourite part of the car?
I think that the sculpture around the body side air intake is my favourite. The surfaces are incredibly three dimensional and designed to channel the airflow into the bodyside duct. There aren’t many cars in the world with this amount of form and drama in them, technical and beautiful. We always intended the Emira’s design language to be that of a baby supercar.

What has been the biggest challenge on the Emira?
It’s been finding the right balance of sportiness and sophistication from a visual perspective. It needed to look light, focused and agile without ever looking too aggressive or intimidating. It also needed to look premium without being too conservative. From a technical perspective, the sensor positions and ADAS radar module were the trickiest parts to incorporate. The front end is extremely low to the ground – just as a Lotus should be – but this creates challenges when it comes to positioning them. These components are very small but devilishly awkward.

Can you describe what the design process has been like?
As a team we followed the regular Lotus design process, going from theme sketches, scale models and eventually to a full-size clay model. We tried many design ideas through the process before the final theme was chosen, and the technical and aerodynamic package evolved along the way as we honed the design. We always wanted close visual and philosophical harmony with the Evija. It was important that both products looked related to each other, but also performed technically in their own way given they’re very different cars. Overall it’s been rewarding and, as with anything that’s worth doing, challenging at times. Getting to this point, where the car is going into production, is very satisfying.

Why do you think the Emira is important for Lotus?
It shows that we can appeal to a broader range of customers while retaining the spirit of what makes it a true sports car.

What’s next for you in Lotus design?
It’s on to the next project which, of course, I can’t tell you anything about. It’s going to be exciting though.

Q&A with Jon Statham

Age: 54

At Lotus: Interior Design Manager, worked at Lotus for 24 years

On Emira: Overseeing design and development of the interior

Lotus CV highlights:

2000 – Lotus Exige Mk I
2002 – Lotus Esprit facelift (lead exterior designer)
2006 – Lotus 2-Eleven (lead exterior and interior designer)
2016 – Lotus Exige 430 and Evora 430

How did it feel when you were selected for the role on the Emira?
I consider it a privilege to work on such an important car for Lotus. To be involved in the full development programme, from initial sketches to production, has been challenging and rewarding in equal measure.

Why do you think the Emira is such an important car for Lotus?
I see the Emira as a big step forward on many levels. We’ve had a massive push on quality, technology, functionality, useability, desirability – it’s all there. It has a contemporary interior with good proportions. It isn’t too hardcore and will have broad appeal whilst still being ‘For The Drivers’.

Where did your inspiration come from?
The Lotus Evija has obviously been a massive inspiration for the whole team, but there are also elements of the S1 Esprit in there.

Can you describe what the design process has been like?
I feel really proud of my small team and how effective we have been. Jennifer Andriamamonjy’s interior theme was the one chosen and manages to blend sportiness with modernity and quality. Harvey Rabenjamina has worked really hard on steering wheel and seat design. A shout-out to our digital modellers and studio engineer Josh Router also deserves a mention. Together we have worked quickly and efficiently, all pulling in the same direction.

What has been the biggest challenge on this project?
We started work on the car in November 2018 and from the outset we knew that interior packaging would be the tricky element. We wanted the Emira to have outstanding ergonomics to make it as engaging as possible, and to do that while finding space for all the components was the challenge.

What is your favourite part of the car?
Above all else, I’m very proud of the cohesive nature of the interior design. It just exudes quality. I also think the instrumentation graphics are spot-on and perfectly suit the character of the car. Lotus has created its first ever digital design team to develop the HMI and we’ve worked closely with them. I’m really happy with the results.

What is next for you?
I have learned a lot from this programme working in what is effectively a new team. It will be good to take this experience into the next programme.

• All-new mid-engined sports car perfectly embodies ongoing transformation of iconic British sports car manufacturer
• Striking design, delivering exotic supercar appeal in sports car segment
• Inspiration from Lotus Evija hypercar clear in fluid surfaces and crisp feature lines
• Developed on Lotus’ recently announced Sports Car Architecture
• Two petrol engines available, including new-to-Lotus 2.0-litre turbocharged ‘i4’ from technical partner AMG
• Much-loved and characterful 3.5-litre supercharged V6 from Exige and Evora to feature as ‘First Edition’ range-topper
• Manual, automatic and Dual Clutch Transmission to maximise global appeal
• Power output from 360 to 400 hp at launch
• 0-62mph (0-100km/h) in less than 4.5 seconds
• Top speed of up to 180mph (290km/h)
• Target weight of 1,405kg in its lightest form
• Prices will start from under £60,000 (under €72,000)

(Hethel, UK – 6 July 2021) – The Emira is an all-new mid-engined 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.

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars commented: “The Emira is a game-changer for Lotus. It stands as a beacon of everything we have achieved to date in the transformation of the business, the embodiment of our progress. It is a highly significant milestone on our path to becoming a truly global performance car brand.”

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. That innovative vehicle architecture is wrapped with a bold and sculpted design using cues clearly developed from the Evija. Key dimensions of the Emira are length 4,412mm; width 1,895mm; height 1,225mm; and wheelbase 2,575mm.

First customer cars will start to be delivered around the world from next spring. Powering the Emira will be a choice of two petrol engines, both globally respected for their performance characteristics. At launch, the first cars will be available as limited-production ‘First Edition’ models powered by the much-loved and Lotus-honed 3.5-litre V6 which cut its Hethel teeth powering the Exige and Evora.

From summer 2022, the first new Lotus sports car engine for more than a decade makes its debut, with the Emira powered by AMG. The new-to-Lotus AMG unit is a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder ‘i4’ from the performance division of Mercedes-Benz.

Working with Lotus for the first time, AMG has come on board as technical partner on the Emira programme, with some fundamental changes made to the in-line four-cylinder set-up for its Lotus debut. Transverse-mounted and delivering rear-wheel drive, the unit has been modified with a new air intake system and new exhaust to suit the character of the Emira. The second engine is more familiar, the 3.5-litre supercharged Toyota V6 that is so loved by drivers of the Exige and Evora. Cars will be available with a manual, automatic and Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT).

Across the Emira range, power output will between 360 and 400bhp at launch, with 0-62mph (0-100km/h) acceleration in less than 4.5 seconds and top speeds of up to 180mph (290km/h). Maximum torque will be 430Nm and CO2 emissions will start below 180g/km. The car has a target weight of 1,405kg in its lightest form, and prices will start at less than £60,000 (less than €72,000).

Manufacturing will take place at Lotus’ famous home in Hethel, Norfolk, following more than £100million of new investment in the company’s UK facilities. The highly skilled operations teams will be supported by new processes and technologies to enhance production efficiency, volume capability and overall quality.

Matt Windle added: “The Lotus Emira is the most accomplished Lotus road car ever to roll through the Hethel factory gates. Beautifully proportioned with a stunning design inspired by the Evija all-electric hypercar, it’s the perfect package. The Emira is a junior supercar with all the thrills and head-turning characteristics found in the greatest Lotus cars, but at the same time is an everyday sports car that’s high on comfort and functionality, packed with the latest technology demanded by the discerning driver.”

Lotus retailers around the world are now taking deposits for the Emira. A digital visualiser showcasing the car’s striking design is live at www.lotuscars.com. The Emira will make its public dynamic debut this coming weekend at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (8-11 July).

Lotus Emira in detail

The Emira is the first all-new Lotus sports car to be delivered under Vision80, the strategic plan which is guiding the transformation of Lotus as it moves towards its 80th anniversary in 2028. It is a truly global model, engineered to sell in all major markets around the world. Acting as a catalyst to further enhance brand awareness globally, it’s spearheading the repositioning and expansion of the Lotus retail network ahead of the arrival of a family of new vehicles.

Pronounced ‘Eh-meer-ah’, the word features in numerous ancient languages and often translates as ‘commander’ or ‘leader’. It’s highly appropriate as this is the exciting new sports car leading Lotus’ last hurrah with internal combustion engines, before fully embracing electrification and a new era for the brand later in the decade.

Exterior design: delivering exotic supercar appeal in the sports car segment

The Emira is the first Lotus sports car to carry the new design language first showcased on the award-winning Evija hypercar. It’s a contemporary look with sculpted surfaces and technical detailing, delivering exotic supercar appeal in the sports car segment. A new and more premium approach for Lotus in terms of forms and materials, it is also a leap forward in fit and finish.

Led by Russell Carr, Design Director, Lotus, the creative team has succeeded in designing something beautiful, timeless, memorable, modern and that looks like a Lotus. Its optimised proportions and athletic shrink-wrapped body visually describe Lotus’ legendary agile driving characteristics.

Russell commented: “The Emira captures the visual drama of an exotic supercar, with great proportions, wide footprint and a cabin that sits low down between muscular haunches. Add in that it’s practical enough to be useable every day, of the highest quality and accessibly priced, and it’s undoubtedly a compelling and seductive alternative to the existing sports car competition. The Emira is re-introducing our brand to a new global audience while still offering all the thrills to engage the most ardent driving enthusiast.”

The influence of the Lotus Evija is plain to see through the fluid surfaces and crisp feature lines. The lineage is even more obvious on the prominent leading edge of the bonnet, shrink-wrapped cabin that’s tapered to the rear, sculpted doors and vents cut into the muscular rear haunches. The unique-in-class exit vents, integrated into the bonnet to guide airflow over the car and optimise aerodynamics, are also derived from the Evija.

Vertical all-LED headlamps are standard across the range, with a wing-inspired twin blade design also familiar from the Lotus hypercar. The bonnet houses the current iteration of the iconic Lotus roundel, its first appearance on a new Lotus sports car and slightly larger than on previous models.

Looking at the Emira in profile, the sculpted section cut into the door leads air flow towards the intake ahead of the rear wheel. This serves a dual purpose, providing air for the engine but also to cool it. The Emira name badge is visible from the side, integrated into the C-pillar. All wheels are 20-inches in diameter; as standard they will be fitted with a Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport tyre, while a Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 is a cost option available in conjunction with the Lotus Drivers Pack. Both tyres have been specially developed for the Emira by their manufacturer.

At the rear, the Lotus wordmark dominates the integrated bumper, above a body coloured panel that’s clearly inspired by the rear of the Evija. At each end is an exit vent for air from the wheel arch. Each corner has a flat C-shaped LED light cluster linked by a slimline high-level brake light. Below is a black section housing twin exhaust pipes either side of the number plate and with an air diffuser underneath to aid downforce.

Efficient aerodynamics has been at the heart of the Lotus brand since the company was founded in 1948. It is a philosophy inextricably linked to delivering outstanding performance whether a car is on the road or race track. Simplicity is at the core of the Emira – there are no active aerodynamics as clever engineering means they’re not needed. It is the only model in its class to create passive downforce that’s precisely balanced between the front and rear axles at all speeds, perfectly tuned to the weight distribution and suspension geometry of the car. It means as downforce increases with speed, generating exceptional grip through corners, the handling characteristics remain constant, precise and predictable.

Richard Hill, Chief Aerodynamicist, Lotus Cars, commented: “At Lotus, development of any new sports car is never focused solely on either aerodynamics or vehicle dynamics. It’s about creating that unique harmony of natural forces that is ‘Lotus dynamics’ – a sprinkling of magic dust that creates a thrilling driving experience that’s unrivalled in the automotive world. The Emira has that magic and more.”

Chassis and powertrain: advanced new platform mated to high-performance engines

The Emira is built on the recently announced new Lotus Sports Car Architecture. It uses the same pioneering Lotus bonded extruded aluminium chassis technology which debuted on the Elise. However, for the Emira, every dimension is different to any previous Lotus chassis and it is fabricated in an all-new facility – Lotus Advanced Structures – in Norwich, just a few miles from Hethel.

The car has two defined chassis and suspension settings. Tour is tuned for everyday road use, delivering the optimum blend of Lotus dynamic performance and handling with a more comfortable ride. Sports is available with the optional Lotus Drivers Pack and provides a slightly stiffer suspension set-up for enhanced dynamic capability and feel. Hydraulic steering provides excellent feedback for the driver.

Two petrol engines are available, a Lotus-engineered 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit from technical partner AMG, and the much-loved and characterful 3.5-litre V6 from the Exige and Evora. Each is calibrated by Lotus to provide a unique and distinctive character for maximum driver engagement.

Gavan Kershaw, Director of Vehicle Attributes, Lotus, commented: “The 2.0-litre is the world’s most powerful production in-line four-cylinder unit mated to AMG’s acclaimed DCT with paddleshifts and driving modes. It’s high-performance, hugely efficient thanks to cutting-edge technology, and delivers low emissions and linear performance. On top of all that, it’s been tuned in-house by the hugely experienced Hethel engineers to deliver that distinctive Lotus experience.”

He added: “The Emira has a wider track than any recent Lotus road car, enhancing stability, delivering exceptional road-holding and the sensation of a very low centre of gravity. It is a true Lotus sports car that builds on the legacy of the Elise, Exige and Evora.”

Interior design: a huge step-change for Lotus

Lotus car interiors have always been famed for putting the driver at the very centre of the experience, with pure ergonomic design and instruments carefully placed for the most intuitive use. The Emira follows these principles to the letter to create a modern cockpit environment with the essential controls to hand and minimum distraction.

What’s new about this next-generation Lotus sports car is immediately obvious – the huge step-change across all aspects of the cabin, from the contemporary design and quality of materials to the increase in storage space, exceptional fit and finish, attention to detail and abundant advanced technology now integrated.

The wraparound nature of the dashboard as it blends into the door trim creates a cossetted feeling that makes the driver feel at one with the car. The raised gear shifter only enhances that emotion. There are a high number of soft-trimmed surfaces, showcasing premium British craftsmanship that conveys ultimate sportiness. They blend perfectly with modern technical finishes to create a premium experience for the driver – ‘technology with soul’ – and there are details added in tribute to the heritage and sporting success of Lotus. Examples include the positioning of the gearstick on manual cars, which echoes that of the iconic Esprit, and the semi-exposed gear linkage visible at the base of the centre console on V6 manual cars, as on the Elise and Exige. Adding to the sense of theatre is the protective red cover over the start/stop button.

The two seats have been designed to combine exceptional lateral support for high-speed cornering with total comfort for long distance journeys. There is four-way electric adjustment on the standard seat, with the option to upgrade to a premium sports seat with 12-way electric adjustment for both the driver and passenger. All seats are unique to the Emira. The dramatic supercar-like low stance of the car has been achieved while matching best-in-class ingress/egress and headroom.

Also unique to the Emira is the flat-bottomed sports steering wheel with metallic spoke detail and integrated controls. The interior features ambient and wraparound lighting as well as map lights.

Features available on the Emira include keyless go, cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, electric folding door mirrors, rear parking sensors (with front sensors as an option), auto-dimming rear view mirror, curtain airbags, launch control (as part of optional Lotus Drivers Pack), and a stolen vehicle tracker.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) available on the Emira include adaptive cruise control, anti-collision system, fatigue alert, road sign information, vehicle speed limiter, lane departure warning, rear cross traffic alert, lane change assist.

An everyday sports car that sets new standards for practicality, comfort and functionality

Richard Moore, Executive Director, Engineering, Lotus, commented: “Lotus customers around the world have rightly come to expect outstanding dynamic performance from our sports cars, and they will undoubtedly get that with the Emira. Like every great Lotus it has that element of theatre, for example, the visible gearshift mechanism on manual cars and the exposed throttle actuator in the V6 engine bay.”

He added: “What will surprise and delight sports car customers the world over is the level of practicality, functionality and comfort which sets new standards for Lotus.”

From the very first discussions Lotus wanted the Emira to be an ‘every day’ sports car, delivering a usability and practicality to support that with levels of comfort and desirability for total comfort over long-distance cruising. To that end, it sets new standards for Lotus and is better than ever for the tallest and shortest drivers. There is more space between the occupants as well.

The glass area has been designed to provide good all-round visibility for daily use. Acknowledging that some owners will drive their Emira in a spirited way, and even on a circuit, the view forward – particularly of the haunches – supports highly accurate placement of the car through corners.

Access to the car’s infotainment system is via a 10.25-inch centrally mounted touch-screen, with an additional 12.3-inch TFT driver’s display behind the steering wheel. All content is exclusive to Lotus has been designed and developed by an in-house team. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are integrated as standard.

Also exclusive to Lotus is the availability of a 10-channel premium sound system from highly respected British brand KEF. This is the company’s first ever automotive partnership and features its signature Uni-Q™️ technology, a unique configuration which dispenses with separated tweeter and mid-range, instead combining both into an acoustically idealised single unit. Finished with a distinctive bespoke speaker fret design, Uni-Q covers the entire mid and high-frequency sound spectrum from a single point in space, delivering a more coherent, hyper-realistic sound experience.

Storage is vital in sports car and the Emira’s cabin has been exceptionally well thought out. It has twin central cup holders with a phone storage slot between them, and door bins that can accommodate a 500ml bottle. Practicality also comes from the glovebox, trinket tray ahead of the gearstick, armrest between the seats with USB and 12v ports, plus a console net for bottles or documents.

Luggage or other large items can be stored behind the two seats (208 litres) or in the boot to the rear of the engine. This space (151 litres) will take a standard-sized flight case or a set of golf clubs.

Built at Hethel in an all-new manufacturing facility

Lotus sports cars have been built at Hethel since 1966. Following more than £100million of UK investment by Lotus, production of the Emira will take place in all-new state-of-the-art factory. The Emira will remain ‘Handmade in Hethel’, supported by new processes and technologies that will enhance efficiency and build quality – a genuine ‘best of both worlds’ solution.

An all-new paintshop features robotic application – a first for Lotus that will improve quality, capacity and process repeatability. It includes many innovative technologies such as a combined primer and clearcoat line. There is a new semi-automated body assembly system, with robots being used to apply adhesive. Vehicle bodies are transported around the main assembly area on Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs). Emira production actually begins at Lotus Advanced Structures (LAS), an all-new facility in nearby Norwich where chassis fabrication and front-end assembly takes place. The launch of the Emira has created more than 200 new operations roles at Lotus.

Digital visualiser online at www.lotuscars.com

Lotus retailers around the world are now taking deposits for the Emira, and the first customers will take delivery next spring.

A digital visualiser showcasing the car’s striking design is live at www.lotuscars.com featuring the six exterior paint colours available at launch – Hethel Yellow, Shadow Grey, Magma Red, Nimbus Grey, Dark Verdant and the launch finish of Seneca Blue. Seven interior colours are available – Black Nappa leather, Red Nappa leather, Grey Nappa leather, Tan Nappa leather, Black Alcantara with grey stitch, Black Alcantara with red stitch and Black Alcantara with yellow stitch. There are five wheel choices – cast 10-spoke, gloss black 10-spoke, silver forged V-spoke, gloss black forged V-spoke and diamond cut forged V-spoke) – with four brake caliper colours – black, red, yellow and silver.

Lotus Emira range technical specification

One of the most eagerly anticipated new car launches of the year will take place tomorrow as the covers come off the all-new Lotus Emira.

The perfect illustration of the ongoing transformation of the Lotus business and brand, the Emira is an all-new mid-engined premium sports car that will be built in a new factory at Hethel, Norfolk. The site has been rejuvenated as part of a £100millon investment in Lotus’ UK operations.

To find out more, join Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, and special guests for the world premiere of the all-new Lotus Emira. The event will be broadcast live online at www.lotuscars.com and on Lotus’ YouTube and Facebook channels from 7.30pm BST on Tuesday 6 July.

With the Tokyo Olympics now less than a month away, Great Britain Cycling Team riders using the Hope / Lotus track bike in the quest for gold have been speaking about what it’s like to be on such as revolutionary machine.

Rio 2016 Olympic gold-medal winner Katie Archibald, Ethan Vernon and Jack Carlin are all featured in a new film created by Lotus. Jack explains how, when fractions of a second are the difference between winning and losing, this innovative new bike could give him that edge.

Ethan notes it’s so different to anything else on the track and that it feels special when he’s riding it. Katie speaks about how thrilled she was when she saw the uniquely wide fork design and how the Lotus name – with its successful history in Olympic track cycling – resonates with people.

It’s the innovative front end to the bike which Lotus and its partners on the project believe will make the different in the Izu Velodrome when the track cycling takes place from 2-8 August.

The design is based on optimising the aerodynamics of the bike and the rider; the 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 usual, assist with the reattachment of that air to create the best possible profile for the bike and rider together.

Lotus has also helped to develop two designs of lightweight handlebar, sprint and pursuit, which are integrated into the front end of each bike. Titanium and aluminium, both 3D-printed, as well as carbon fibre, are at the heart of these components. Lotus has worked with Hope Technology, which has supplied the bike’s frame and wheels, and engineering partner Renishaw.

The bike is a true Lotus in every way – optimised aerodynamics, light weight, advanced materials and exceptional handling, all combining to deliver outstanding performance.

Also riding it in Tokyo will be husband-and-wife team Jason Kenny and Laura Kenny, who are hoping to make history by confirming themselves as the most successful female and male British Olympic track cyclists ever. Rider Ed Clancy is aiming to win his fourth consecutive team pursuit gold medal.

Lotus’ history in Olympic track cycling is legendary. The Lotus Type 108 – also known as the LotusSport Pursuit Bicycle – is arguably the most famous bike ever made, and an example is held by the Science Museum in London. British cyclist Chris Boardman rode it to gold in the men’s individual pursuit at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. It was the first British medal in an Olympic cycling event for 72 years.

See the new film on YouTube here.

Barbara Garcia, Head of Manufacturing Programmes at Lotus, has won the Autocar Great Women: Rising Stars Award for Manufacturing.

As part of the prestigious Great Women in the British Car Industry Top 100, run by Autocar magazine and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the awards celebrate female talent from across the motor industry.

The Manufacturing category was one of the most competitive, and was open to anyone whose role encompasses manufacturing for a car manufacturer or a supplier, covering small or large-scale manufacturing and ranging from prototype to full-scale assembly.

In announcing Barbara Garcia as the overall winner in the Manufacturing category winner, the judges said: “In a really strong category, Barbara impressed us with the way she’s already made such an impact at Lotus, despite only being there for just over a year. Her ambition stood out, as well as her ability to work outside her immediate sphere of responsibility to deliver innovative solutions, while remaining within budget, a vital skill for the manufacturing sector.”

Charlie Overton, Director, Manufacturing Engineering, Lotus, and Barbara Garcia’s manager, said, “This award is 100% deserved, and recognition for the outstanding job that Barbara has done as we move towards production of the Emira in an all-new factory at Hethel in Norfolk.”

Barbara Garcia said: “First of all, I was delighted even to be nominated for the award, but to win the Manufacturing Category overall was a complete surprise, especially in such an important and competitive category. I am thoroughly enjoying being part of the much bigger team across the business who are all working so incredibly hard to put the new Lotus Emira into production, and the recognition that this award gives is greatly appreciated.”

In addition, four other Lotus colleagues were shortlisted in the awards. They are Sharon Suresh Kumar, Senior Commodity Manager (Manufacturing category); Clare Sisson, Group Financial Controller; Gillian Maclean, Head of Engineering Finance; and Kennedy Spaxman, Engineering Financial Analyst (in the Operations category). This is a great celebration of the female talent at Lotus and highlights the wonderful work the Women’s Community is doing to support Lotus to be more representative of the communities in which it operates.

Autocar magazine and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) launched the Autocar Great Women: Rising Stars Awards to celebrate female talent from across the motor industry. The categories are Aftersales and Workshop, Design, Manufacturing, Marketing, Mobility and Digital Solutions, Operations, People Development, PR and Communications, Purchasing, Sales and Vehicle Development.

To find out more about the Autocar Great Women: Rising Stars 2021 awards, visit the www.autocar.co.uk/greatwomen/2021/winners

Another milestone in Lotus’ Vision80 journey is reached as Emira pre-production gets underway and further details of the substantial investments made in UK operations are revealed.

Total investment in UK facilities now stands at more than £100 million, which includes two new production halls at the company’s iconic home in Hethel, Norfolk. One is now in pre-production for the Emira, the all-new Lotus sports car to be unveiled at Hethel on Tuesday 6 July. The other, for the Evija all-electric hypercar, has completed prototype production and first customer cars will be built later this year.

Hethel – the Lotus Advanced Performance Centre – has also benefitted from an all-new high tech automated paint shop, a retail design studio to highlight the new visual identity for the business’s expanding retail network and a new on-site restaurant. This follows investment made last year to upgrade the legendary Lotus test track and equip engineering workshops with equipment to further support electric vehicle development.

The workforce at Lotus’ Norfolk sites at Hethel and Norwich has almost doubled since October 2017 when Geely became the majority shareholder. With the launch of Emira, Lotus is creating more than 200 new operations roles and recruitment is now under way.

Additional investment has been made at Lotus’ other UK sites, including all-new facilities in nearby Norwich, and in the Midlands in partnership with the University of Warwick.

Every pound spent has been with the clear target of further enhancing the technology, quality, efficiency and sustainability behind production of Lotus cars and the services offered by Lotus Engineering, the consultancy division of the business.
 

Details of the investment by Lotus include:

Investment in Sports Car Operations, Hethel (all-new factory for Emira production)

All-new paint shop: This state-of-the art facility supports robotised paint application, a first for Lotus in more than seven decades of car manufacture that will improve quality and through-put of vehicles. It also features other innovative technologies, such as a combined primer and clearcoat line. The system is highly efficient; dry filtration uses 60% less energy than a wet system, while an electrostatic primer on body panels will reduce paint usage by 30-40%. Installation is almost complete and the facility has been locked down during May while deep cleaning takes place. ‘Dry’ commissioning will commence shortly so the physical systems – eg, conveyors, transfers, lifts, ovens – can be tested. ‘Wet’ commissioning will follow later in the summer.

All-new framing line: Now operational, the framing line is building car bodies as part of Emira pre-production, with robots applying bonding agent to the sides, roof and cantrails.

All-new Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs): AGVs allow for the highly efficient movement of cars in build on set routes around the factory, allowing operations colleagues to focus on assembling the vehicles. Routes are easily reprogrammed, creating a flexible and future-proof approach to Lotus sports car manufacturing. Each AGV has a height adjustment system so operators can position the car on it at exactly the right ergonomic height for them.

All-new main assembly hall: The centrepiece of Hethel’s upgrades is the most visible, adjacent to Potash Lane and obvious to anyone visiting the factory. The all-new 12,000m2 main assembly hall is the size of 1.5 football pitches, with a glass-walled mezzanine operations deck above. All station gantries have now been installed. Wheel Alignment and Headlamp Aim (WAHA) equipment, a Vehicle Configuration and Test System (VCaTS), monsoon water test booth, rolling road and fuel fill area are all installed and will be commissioned by the end of June.

The entire Sports Car Operations production facility is powered by 100% renewable electricity thanks to a partnership with energy supplied Centrica.

David Hewitt, Executive Director, Operations, Lotus, said: “The move to a part-robotised production is the right one for Lotus as we launch the Emira. Everything is about repeatability and efficiency to drive quality. Our workforce is incredibly skilled, and robots help them to deliver the consistency we need at the volume we need it.”

David added: “Our cars will remain ‘Handmade in Hethel’, though our people will be supported by new processes and technologies that will only enhance efficiency and build quality. It is a ‘best of both worlds’ solution.”

There is further investment at Hethel in the Evija production hall, where the project team is ramping up work as the car moves towards full production later this year. In addition, Hethel now has an all-new restaurant for both Lotus colleagues working on site and any visitors. Lotus has partnered with another iconic Norfolk name – TV chef and author Delia Smith – to provide a high-quality and value-for-money catering service.

One end of the restaurant building is now home to the Lotus Retail Design Studio, showcasing the company’s new visual identity for showrooms. This is now being rolled out in Lotus retail outlets around the world.

Investment at Lotus Advanced Structures (LAS), Norwich

All-new fabrication facility: Announced in July 2020, LAS is Lotus’ new fabrication facility in Norwich, just a few miles from Hethel. Consolidating chassis assembly from Lotus Lightweight Structures in Worcester with subframe and fuel tank assembly from another facility in Norwich, relocating both into LAS will increase efficiency and dramatically reduce logistics costs and transport emissions.

The chassis and front-end assembly line, including robot bonding agent application, is now operational at LAS, supplying components for the pre-production of Emira. Eight new CNC milling machines are being installed, plus four more transported from Worcester. A new laser cutting machine is being commissioned to manufacture fuel tanks, rear subframes and many of the steel and aluminium components used on the vehicle.

All-new Lotus Learning Academy: The launch of the Emira is creating more than 200 new operations roles at Lotus and recruitment is now under way. These colleagues are among the first to pass through the all-new Lotus Learning Academy, which is based at LAS.

Investment at Lotus Advanced Technology Centre (LATC)

Investment has taken place at LATC, an engineering base for the business in the UK’s Midlands. The region is a focal point for automotive and engineering performance innovation, and so is the perfect location for Lotus’ high voltage development and testing centre. It’s also the ideal home for the Lotus Engineering consultancy. Announced in July 2020, LATC is on the Wellesbourne campus of the University of Warwick.

The investment in Lotus’ UK facilities dates back to 2018, the year majority shareholder Geely and minority shareholder Etika approved Vision80, the strategic plan for the transformation of Lotus ahead of its 80th birthday in 2028.

In numbers: new Lotus Sports Car Operations building at Hethel

14,800 bricks

11,500 erection bolts

10,260m² of steel, primed and painted

6,542m² of roof sheets

5,377m² of fire protection paint

3,890 sections of steel framework, weighing 48 tonnes

3,500 tonnes of stone for levelling

2,344m² of waterproof membrane

1,555 wall cladding sheets

1,348m³ of concrete slab floor

1,100 metres of electrical ducting

816m of drainage pipes

172 glass windows

156m² of blockwork inner skin

99 LED lights

71 opening vents

47 manhole inspection chambers

14 personnel entry / exit points

5 roller shutter car entry / exit points  

Group Lotus announces that Mark Farries has been appointed Chief Financial Officer (CFO), replacing incumbent, Robert Gong, who is returning to Geely’s HQ in China (Lotus majority shareholder). 

Farries, 44, joined Lotus earlier this year as Head of Commercial Finance. He brings a wealth of international experience from across the automotive business, having worked for Bentley, Jaguar Land Rover, and most recently within the Geely group at LEVC.

Commenting on his appointment, Mark said: “The transformation of Lotus is well under way and the period ahead is going to be hugely busy and exciting for all involved. I’m delighted to be appointed CFO at this pivotal time in this iconic brand’s development. My thanks to Robert Gong who I’ll be replacing as he resumes responsibilities at Geely.”

Born in Coventry, Mark has spent his career working with some of the biggest brands in the automotive industry, with multiple positions held overseas before returning to the UK where he is now based.

• Top Gear magazine’s ‘Electric Awards’ names Lotus Evija ‘The One to Watch’
• Evija hypercar prototype tested at the iconic Lotus test track in Hethel, Norfolk
• Eight-page article praises the electric hypercar’s unique Lotus ‘feel’

(Hethel, UK – 29 April 2021) – The Lotus Evija has been named as ‘The One to Watch’ in Top Gear’s second ever Electric Awards.

The all-electric hypercar was recently tested by Top Gear magazine editor Jack Rix on the test track at Lotus HQ in Hethel, Norfolk, and his article is published over eight pages in the May issue.

Rix calls the Evija not just a halo car for Lotus – “a signpost for the future of the company” – but labels it “a flagbearer for really fast electric vehicles as a whole”.

The Evija, which will go into production later this year, is the world’s most powerful car. It has an output of more than 2,000 PS from its all-electric, all-wheel drive powertrain. Rix notes it can accelerate from 124mph to 186mph (200 km/h to 300 km/h) in just three seconds, half the time it takes a Bugatti Chiron to do the same.

Rix was driving an Evija prototype restricted to 1,600 PS. “It’s light on its feet, playful with the instant mash of acceleration even a naturally aspirated engine could only fantasise about.” He’s also full of praise for the work of the project development team, saying the core Lotus DNA is obvious right from the first corner. “The steering is superb, light and darty around the dead-ahead, then loading up according to wheel angle and speed.” He concludes that “Lotus is on the brink of something special.”

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, said: “Of all the EVs in development around the world, it’s an honour to be recognised by the Top Gear team as ‘The One to Watch’. Validation work on the car continues apace, and we resumed our world tour with the car last month. We look forward to showing it to more people in the physical world in the coming weeks.”

• Ongoing transformation of Lotus to include new approach to retailing cars
• Will incorporate physical showrooms and the latest digital technology
• Images and films of Lotus new retail identity available here

(Hethel, UK – 27 April 2021) – Lotus will in future embrace a 360-degree omni-channel approach as part of its new retail strategy, incorporating the whole spectrum of customer interactions, from the traditional and physical to the modern and digital.

The most obvious example of this is the launch of a stunning new Lotus retail identity programme, now being rolled out in showrooms across the world. The first location to feature this exciting new Lotus look and feel is complete and open for business in Manama, the capital city of Bahrain, in the Middle East.

Uniquely Lotus and defiantly disruptive, the new retail identity draws directly on the brand’s design and engineering prowess to create a bold and original new showroom environment that’s sculptural and artistic in its execution.

Geoff Dowding, Executive Director, Sales and Aftersales, Lotus, said: “Launching an all-new visual identity for our retail partners is another hugely exciting step in our transformation of the Lotus brand. 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.”

Trevor Weller, Director, Retail Development, Lotus, added: “The retail concept has been designed to adapt to the different markets that Lotus sells in, to reflect the cultural nuances and the different consumer behaviours. We are also working towards a digital store, which we are looking to pilot during the course of next year.”

Geoff Dowding added: “We have some stunning new products coming and this will bring a host of customers to the Lotus brand for the first time. The enhancements we’re making to our retail environment will give all our customers the best possible experience. We know that we have to do business with customers in a different way and we will over time implement a more direct transactional model.”

• “Results to date have seen the expansion of our global landscape, while remaining true to the original intention and foundation of the brand, namely that we are ‘For the Drivers’. Now it’s time for more people to enjoy more products and more services from Lotus.” – Mr. Feng Qingfeng, CEO, Group Lotus
• “Now in its fourth year, our transformational Vision80 plan is very much on track and we are making great progress” – Matt Windle, MD, Lotus Cars
• Lotus reveals further details on transforming the business, revolutionising the product range and delivering results every year
• Eagerly anticipated new Lotus sports car, codenamed Type 131, is named and will be unveiled on 6 July
• Thrilling new Lotus performance cars will be built on four new platforms – Hypercar, Sports, Premium and E-Sports – as brand’s product-led offensive accelerates
• Performance, Intelligent Technology and Sustainability are core values driving the business forward
• Lotus Engineering consultancy revitalised with new HQ, new collaborations and all-new technology roadmap – EAS-IP – revealed
• New digital sales strategy revealed
• Watch the Driving Tomorrow presentations here

(Hethel, UK – 27 April 2021) – Four new vehicle architectures, a technology roadmap, a fresh global retail identity and the name of an all-new car – Lotus has delivered a series of major news announcements about the ongoing transformation of its business and brand.

Heralding a new dawn for Lotus Cars and Lotus Engineering, the news was broadcast across the world via Driving Tomorrow, a global virtual conference from Lotus at www.DrivingTomorrow.LotusCars.com.  

Outlining strategic direction and including new product announcements, it is a status update  on Vision80, the plan launched by Lotus in 2018 soon after the company’s 70^th anniversary. Based on three key pillars – transforming the business, revolutionising the product range and delivering results every year – Vision80 commits Lotus to meet its transformational targets by the time of its 80^th birthday in 2028.

And the verdict could not be clearer. As Lotus enters the fourth year of that plan, the transformation is on track and the company has emerged from a challenging 2020 intact and making great progress.

Matt Windle, Managing Director of Lotus Cars: “Our ongoing Vision80 plan to transform Lotus is on track. This year is a pivotal one for Lotus, particularly with our sports cars we reach the end of one era and begin another. The spirit and passion that gave the world the Elise, Exige and Evora will live on in the next generation of cars – cars like the all-new Lotus Emira.”

Lotus Emira: making its world debut on 6 July

Lotus has confirmed more details of its all-new sports car, to date known only by its codename Type 131 and now confirmed to be the Lotus Emira. Pronounced ‘E-meer-a’, the word features  in numerous ancient languages and often translates as ‘commander’ or ‘leader’. It’s highly appropriate as this is the exciting new sports car leading Lotus on a journey to a thrilling new future.

The Emira will be unveiled on Tuesday 6 July at the Lotus Advanced Performance Centre, Hethel, Emira’s production home, and will make its public dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on 8-11 July.

Lotus has also confirmed that, contrary to media speculation, the car will not be a hybrid. The Emira will be powered by a choice of internal combustion engines – the last time Lotus will launch an ICE car – with an exciting new powertrain partnership. The additional powertrain option will be new to Lotus, highly efficient, use cutting edge technology and be tuned to help deliver that distinctive Lotus experience.

With a distinctive new sports car design influenced by the Lotus Evija hypercar, Emira marks the acceleration of the brand’s product-led offensive into a new era of contemporary design, highly efficient powertrains, and everyday usability coupled with explosive performance. 

More details on the Lotus Emira will follow in July when the car is revealed.

Four new Lotus architectures to deliver thrilling new Lotus cars

The Emira is being built on one of four new Lotus architectures. Working collaboratively with colleagues in Europe and China, Lotus engineers have developed a dedicated family of structural platforms for the brand. Exclusive to Lotus within the Geely group but available to other OEMs through the Lotus Engineering consultancy, these four architectures will underpin the eagerly anticipated next generation of Lotus performance cars.

1) Sports car architecture: Referred to internally as the Elemental architecture, this is the platform on which the all-new Lotus Emira will be built. Flexible, lightweight and featuring the signature Lotus extruded aluminium technology, this sports car platform is a massive step-change technically. Every dimension is different to previous generations of Lotus sports cars.

2) Hypercar architecture: The Lotus Evija is the first vehicle to be built on this Extreme platform and goes into production later this year at Hethel. Despite travel restrictions limiting testing opportunities around the world, progress on the car has not stopped. Several thousand kilometres of engineering development and validation testing have taken place in the UK. Lotus is also working with an advanced simulator company, allowing the Evija team to run endless simulations in the virtual world. This enhances confidence in passing project milestones with real-world development vehicles and creates programme efficiencies.

James Hazlehurst is the lead dynamics engineer on the Evija and said the team has been  focused on making this most extreme and unique of cars feel like a Lotus. James explained: “A key marker for any Lotus is the ’50-metre test’, where within the first 50 metres of driving any of our cars you can feel the immediacy of the steering response and the connection to the road. Damping that’s perfectly balanced between handling and ride comfort, and a powertrain that responds directly and proportionally to your throttle demand, are key elements of this. All of this should be before you’ve travelled faster than 30mph or above 0.1g acceleration in any direction.”

Evija owners will be the first Lotus customers to benefit from what3words (W3W) technology available on the car. W3W divides the world into 3 metre x 3 metre squares and gives each a unique combination of three words: a W3W address. For example, ‘hotspots.punters.race’ is the W3W address for the entrance to Lotus HQ at Hethel. The Lotus Emira will also benefit from this system, which is a far more accurate location system than the traditional postcode.

3) Premium architecture: The first ever truly global automotive architecture from Lotus, the Evolution platform will be the basis for an all-new range of lifestyle vehicles from the company. Building on the launch of the Emira, these cars will catapult Lotus into a new era of higher retail volumes and significant revenues. The architecture has been defined and designed in the UK, supported by collaborative work with teams in China, Sweden and Germany. It is ‘born British, raised globally’.

4) Electric sports car architecture: In January this year Lotus and Group Renault’s Alpine brand announced a new partnership. The Lotus Engineering consultancy is leading development work on a new vehicle platform – known internally as E-Sports – and from that will come new products for Lotus and Alpine. 

Matt Windle commented: “The E-Sports architecture will be flexible and modular, and will generate an exciting new sports car for the Lotus brand, with contemporary styling, class-leading ride and handling, explosive performance and that unmistakable Lotus character – a pure dynamic experience that is ‘For The Drivers’. I have challenged our teams to target the same weight as our latest combustion engine sports cars.”

Lotus in 2021: Performance, Intelligent Technology and Sustainability
The ongoing transformation and expansion of Lotus under Vision80 comes from a position of confidence  in Lotus’  identity as a vital brand with its eye firmly on the future and global growth. In 2021 there are three core values driving the business forward – Performance, Intelligent Technology and Sustainability.

Performance
The heart and soul of Lotus has always been driven by a dedication to class-leading performance, proven wherever possible in the motorsport arena. It is part of the Lotus DNA and will always guide the company’s progress in developing new technologies for its cars and for those of other brands. Performance of Lotus cars has always come from the first principles set down more than 70 years ago – innovative thinking around light weight, exceptional ride and handling, and advanced aerodynamics.

Intelligent Technology
Consumer demand for technology is a fact of today’s automotive landscape, and Lotus is embracing that completely. Richard Moore, Executive Director, Engineering, Lotus, commented: “Technology is the currency of luxury and desirability in today’s new cars. Lotus will re-set what it means to be a British premium automotive brand through development and adoption of innovative and intelligent technology.”

An all-new technology road map of five principles – dubbed EAS-IP – has been created by Lotus to guide this work:

• Electrify: A pure electric future for Lotus, as first demonstrated by the Evija hypercar, has been part of the Vision80 strategy from the start. After the Lotus Emira, every new Lotus car will be electric.
• Amplify: Lotus is committed to delivering innovative and engaging technologies. It will dial up the importance and prevalence of technology in its new product range. In tandem with performance, this will drive the desirability of future models.
• Simplify: It was Lotus founder Colin Chapman who famously said the key to performance was to ‘simplify and add lightness’. Nothing has changed. Lotus technology will be an enabler, and will simplify the driving and ownership experience for customers.
• Intensify: Lotus is fast developing a reputation as a world leader in Human Machine Interface (HMI), User Interface (UI), and User Experience (UX). With every new product launch, the role of innovative new technology will be intensified.
• Personify: Lotus will use technology to give its new models an identity, a brand character that will become part of the company’s DNA. Lotus cars will be customisable through technology, mirroring and adapting to each customer’s tastes.

Sustainability
In addition to the principles of sustainability in terms of environmental and corporate responsibility, in which Lotus is making great strides through accelerated electrification and a journey to net-zero underway with energy partner Centrica, sustainability as a business is also a critical part of the strategy. 

Thanks to Vision80 and the progress made since its launch, and the support of its shareholders Geely and Etika, the long-term foundation and sustainability of the Lotus business is taking shape. As the company progresses towards its 80^th anniversary in 2028, the health, stability and sustainability of Lotus will successfully deliver the three key priorities of Vision80. Lotus will transform its business, revolution its product range and deliver results every year. The growth of Lotus is already sparking a new generation of Lotus cars, which will lead to an increase in vehicle sales worldwide.

Being part of the Geely group of companies gives Lotus access to a vast range of skills and expertise. Hubs spread across the globe create the new Lotus map of the world, allowing the company to draw upon deep resources and skill bases as part of the Geely group:

• Hethel: The Norfolk site in England is the home of Lotus, the heart and soul of the business. It is the location of the Lotus Advanced Performance Centre, where the brand’s sports cars are designed, engineered and manufactured.
• Wellesbourne: Announced last year, the Lotus Advanced Technology Centre is on the Wellesbourne campus of the University of Warwick. The UK’s Midlands region is a focal point for automotive and engineering innovation, and is the perfect location for Lotus’ high voltage development and testing centre and the home of the Lotus Engineering consultancy.
• Gothenburg: Home of the Geely Innovation Centre Sweden – Uni3 by Geely Campus, CEVT and of Geely Design.
• Frankfurt: Geely Auto Technical Deutschland (GATD) research and development facility focussing on new propulsion systems and next-generation mobility technology.
• USA: The world’s largest market for sports cars, with strategic bases for Lotus in Detroit and Los Angeles.
• China: The home of Geely, the operational headquarters of the entire group of companies and the world’s leading market for vehicle electrification.

A new Lotus retail strategy and enhanced multi-channel customer journey
In addition to the development of new Lotus models and technologies, Lotus is also transforming how it takes its innovations to market.

The most obvious example of this is the launch of a stunning new Lotus retail identity programme, now being rolled out in showrooms across the world. The first location to feature this exciting new Lotus look and feel is complete and open for business in Manama, the capital city of Bahrain, in the Middle East.

Uniquely Lotus and defiantly disruptive, the new retail identity draws directly on the brand’s design and engineering prowess to create a bold and original new showroom environment that’s sculptural and artistic in its execution.

The new retail identity is integrated into a 360-degree Lotus digital brand experience for customers, part of a seamless multi-channel retail strategy. Working with new retail partners, it will take Lotus to more global markets than ever before.

Geoff Dowding, Executive Director, Sales and Aftersales, said: “Launching an all-new visual identity for our retail partners is another hugely exciting step in our transformation of the Lotus brand. 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.”

By adopting a multi-channel approach in its new retail strategy, Lotus will embrace the full spectrum of interactions and transactions with the brand, from the traditional and physical to the modern and digital.

Geoff Dowding explained: “It’s about offering a combination of online and offline retail experience. Looking, feeling, seeing, interacting and at the same time having the ability to do this 24 hours a day and maybe even conclude a transaction in the middle of the night, anywhere in the world. New generations of buyer and different models of ownership are bringing about this change and fast, particularly in some of the newer markets for Lotus such as in China. It’s about layers of choice, over and above what we are offering today – in different markets, in different cities, in different stores. Our customers will have their relationships with the brand, and they will have their relationships with the retailers – multi-channel and all about choice.’  

Concluding the Driving Tomorrow conference, Matt Windle said: “Our transformation is well under way, and this year it really begins to accelerate through a product-led offensive. Evija goes into production, Emira is launched, and a new suite of four dedicated vehicle architectures is confirmed to further catapult Lotus into new markets, new segments and new volume territory. Our global expansion is continuing at pace, with Hethel still very much the heart and soul of the brand, but with a whole new Lotus map of the world to draw upon and to capitalise upon. And finally, new relationships with customers old and new get underway through the evolution of our retail strategy as we embark on volumes, markets and segments never seen before in the Lotus business. Lotus has a famous history of fast-paced exploits and successes on the racetracks. In the future, that fast pace of change is translated to the roads and to the global automotive market of tomorrow.”

• New HQ in the Midlands – Lotus Advanced Technology Centre to open this year
• View the new facility here
• New high performance vehicle architectures in advanced stages of development
• Lotus technology roadmap will guide consultancy’s work

(Hethel, UK – 27 April 2021) – Lotus Engineering, the consultancy side of the Lotus business, is going from strength to strength under the company’s Vision80 transformation strategy.

Key to its rebirth as a force in global automotive engineering has been its ongoing transition to a new home. Announced last year, the Lotus Advanced Technology Centre (LATC) is on the Wellesbourne campus of the University of Warwick. The UK’s Midlands region is a focal point for automotive and engineering innovation, and is the perfect location for Lotus’ high voltage development and testing centre. That makes it the ideal home of the Lotus Engineering consultancy.

As part of the Driving Tomorrow global digital conference, Lotus Engineering has released a new architect’s animation what LATC will be like when complete. More than 100 employees will be based there initially, with capacity for another 200 when the facility's development is complete.

Client confidentiality is at the heart of its work, though details of a number of high-profile partnership projects are in the public domain. These include:

• JBXE: Lotus Engineering is technical partner to JBXE, the Extreme E race team launched by former F1 world champion Jenson Button. The team will benefit from Lotus Engineering’s expertise and motorsport experience.
• British Cycling: An innovative aerodynamic profile for the new track bike to be ridden by Team GB athletes at this summer’s Tokyo Olympics. The work has been led by Lotus Engineering.
• Project LEVA: Short for Lightweight Electric Vehicle Architecture, Project LEVA is a collaboration led by Lotus Engineering that is targeting the acceleration of and innovation behind new lightweight structures for next-generation battery electric vehicles.
• Project BattCon: Lotus Engineering has launched a pilot containerised battery testing facility to assess energy storage solutions for the booming EV sector. It means the consultancy can carry out various battery cell, module and pack characterisation tests, performance evaluations, and component and lifetime testing under controlled conditions for its clients.

Uday Senapati, Executive Director, Corporate Strategy and Product Management, Lotus, said: “Lotus Engineering has partnered with some of the best-known companies and created numerous iconic products. These projects are an excellent calling card for the skills, resources and experience of our consultancy – bringing in new partnerships from all around the world, be they OEM, start-ups or special commissions. Such partnerships continue to play a vital role in the journey of Lotus Engineering.”

Further growth for Lotus Engineering is being driven by access to the four new Lotus structural architectures. Working collaboratively with colleagues in Europe and China, Lotus engineers have developed a dedicated family of structural platforms for the brand. Exclusive to Lotus within the Geely group, they are available to other OEMs through the Lotus Engineering consultancy.

• Sports car architecture: Referred to internally as the Elemental architecture, this is the platform on which the all-new Lotus Emira will be built. Flexible, lightweight and featuring the signature Lotus extruded aluminium technology, this sports car platform is a massive step-change technically.
• Hypercar architecture: The Lotus Evija is the first vehicle to be built on this Extreme platform and goes into production later this year at Hethel.
• Premium architecture: The first ever truly global automotive architecture from Lotus, the Evolution platform will be the basis for an all-new range of lifestyle vehicles from the company. The architecture has been defined and designed in the UK, supported by collaborative work with teams in China, Sweden and Germany. It is ‘born British, raised globally’.
• Electric sports car architecture: The Lotus Engineering consultancy is leading development work on a new vehicle platform – known internally as E-Sports – and from that will come new products for Lotus and Alpine. However, it is also commercially available for other OEMs to use.

A new technical roadmap for Lotus will also help guide the work of consultancy. Dubbed EAS-IP – it recognises that demand for technology is a fact of today’s automotive landscape.

• Electrify: A pure electric future for Lotus, as first demonstrated by the Evija hypercar, has been part of the Vision80 strategy from the start. After the Type 131 product line, every new Lotus car will be electric.
• Amplify: Lotus is committed to delivering innovative and engaging technologies. It will dial up the importance and prevalence of technology in its new product range. In tandem with the famed Lotus DNA ‘For The Drivers’ , this will drive the desirability of future models.
• Simplify: It was Lotus founder Colin Chapman who famously said the key to performance was to ‘simplify and add lightness’. Nothing has changed. Lotus technology will be an enabler, and will simplify the driving and ownership experience for customers.
• Intensify: Lotus is fast developing a reputation as a world leader in Human Machine Interface (HMI), User Interface (UI), and User Experience (UX). With every new product launch, the role of innovative new technology will be intensified.
• Personify: Lotus will use technology to give its new models an identity, a brand character that will become part of the company’s DNA. Lotus cars will be customisable through technology, mirroring and adapting to each customer’s tastes.

Richard Moore, Executive Director, Engineering, Group Lotus, said: “This is a hugely exciting time for Lotus Engineering. News of the transformation of Lotus is  common knowledge across the automotive world, and the consultancy is in great demand from clients eager to tap into the passion, expertise and commitment which has run through this consultancy for more than 40 years.”

• “The thrill of immediate torque, coupled with a lively rear axle and recognisable Lotus agility, makes Evija an unbelievable package already, and that’s just a prototype” – Matt Windle summarises his driving impressions during Evija prototype testing
• “We’re now 80% through the development programme, and the last 20% is where the magic happens! Refining attributes like ride, handling, steering feel and ultimately, full power. It’s an amazing machine at 80%, at 100% it is going to be truly mind-blowing’ – Gavan Kershaw

( Hethel, UK – 27 April 2021) – As the Evija hypercar programme approaches the final straight before entering production, the Lotus testing team and Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, give their impressions on EP1 – one of several prototypes and the most developed in terms of performance attributes.

Matt Windle said: “We have different prototypes focusing on different areas of development.  One for build and tech, another for battery management, the other for motors and so on.  EP1, which I have driven most recently, is the performance prototype and it does not disappoint. We are still some months from entering series production, but already EP1 has that unmistakable Lotus ‘feel’. Unquestionably a unique and extreme hypercar, but still, somehow, a Lotus. I’m so excited and extremely proud of what the team has achieved.”

Gavan Kershaw, Director of Product Attributes and Lotus’ legendary chief test driver, said: “We’re 80% there – in terms of power, in terms of batteries, motors, body.  Now, the remaining 20% is about adding the magic, for everything to work in harmony in that unique Lotus way, to deliver the driving experience that we want and that we can be super-proud of.  And by proud, I of course mean, mind-blowing. It is a hypercar.”

James Hazlehurst, Lead Vehicle Dynamics Engineer, added: “As we enter the final straight of the development programme and start to unleash full power and torque, we are fast-completing the base vehicle dynamics and turning on the active systems one by one – torque vectoring, active aero, traction control and so on – to confirm everything behaves and works together as expected. Then we start to tune the drive modes, delivering the distinctive characteristics for each of the settings. We’ve been doing some of this virtually, working with a simulator partner, and now, as the world is beginning to slowly open up, we’re able to put these learnings into practice in the physical world.”

Louis Kerr, Chief Platform Engineer “We’re lucky in that we have our very own 2.25-mile test track, FIA compliant, literally 50 yards from where I’m sat in the all-new Evija assembly hall.  I’m not sure many other manufacturers in the world can say that. The car has been designed without any constraints. We have pushed the boundaries of technology and materials at every opportunity, used the best technical partners, applied the latest technology – some of which is only currently available on a Formula One car – and on top of all that we have the most power-dense powertrain in a car. Already it is the fastest road car around the Hethel track, and some legendary cars and drivers have been setting records around here for many years. We’re already going quicker than expected, and in addition we’re looking to exceed the targets we’ve set ourselves on the project in terms of power and torque capacities to absolutely maximise the performance envelope of the car.”

Concluding, Gavan Kershaw said: “The Evija is an absolutely phenomenal drive. It has Formula One accelerations but in a closed cockpit, so it’s like a little Group C racer but with the torque and instant delivery of all the power, all the torque and the very latest toolbox of electronic aids. You genuinely start to believe you can defy physics – it fires you around corners like a catapult.”

• Emira means ‘commander’ or ‘leader’ – highly appropriate for this new Lotus sports car
• Name had been ‘hidden in plain sight’ in social media teaser film in recent days
• All-new Lotus design language inspired by the Evija all-electric hypercar
• World debut of Lotus Emira on Tuesday 6 July

(Hethel, UK – 27 April 2021) – Lotus has today confirmed the name of its eagerly anticipated all-new sports car will be EMIRA.

The news was confirmed during the Driving Tomorrow global digital conference broadcast. To date it has been known only by its codename, the Lotus Type 131.

The name had been teased by Lotus in a film on social media in recent days. It was ‘hidden in plain sight’ as part of a pattern of dots and dashes designed into the central line on a road. Those with knowledge of Morse Code could have spotted that it spelled Emira. Today, 27 April, is the anniversary of the birthday of Samuel Morse, inventor of Morse Code.

Pronounced ‘E-meer-a’, the word features in numerous ancient languages and often translates as ‘commander’ or ‘leader’. It’s highly appropriate as this is the exciting new sports car leading Lotus on a journey to a thrilling new future.

The Emira will be unveiled on Tuesday 6 July at Hethel, Norfolk – where the Emira will be built – and will make its public dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on 8-11 July.

Lotus has also confirmed that, contrary to media speculation, the car will not be a hybrid. The Emira will be powered by a choice of internal combustion engines – the last time Lotus will launch an ICE car – with an exciting new powertrain partnership. The additional powertrain option will be new to Lotus, highly efficient, use cutting edge technology and be tuned to help deliver that distinctive Lotus experience.

With a distinctive new sports car design influenced by the Lotus Evija hypercar, Emira marks the acceleration of the brand’s product-led offensive into a new era of contemporary design, highly efficient powertrains, and everyday usability coupled with explosive performance. 

Speaking about the Emira, Matt Windle said: ”It’s the most accomplished Lotus for generations – the perfectly packaged, powered and formed sports car. Beautifully proportioned, shrink-wrapped, but with comfort, technology and ergonomics built in. With a design inspired by the Evija all-electric hypercar, it’s a game-changing Lotus sports car.”

More details on the Lotus Emira will follow in July when the car is revealed.

Lotus retailers in the UK are scheduled to fully reopen on 12 April 2021 and will do so with a significantly enhanced Lotus Approved programme.

‘Lotus Approved’ status can now be applied to any Lotus car up to 20 years of age provided it meets a strict set of criteria. These include comprehensive technical checks coupled with outstanding vehicle preparation, delivering a high-quality and consistent standard of pre-owned car throughout the Lotus network.

Attractive flexible finance will be available on all vehicles, and for many customers Lotus Approved will provide the most affordable entry point into Lotus ownership.

Geoff Dowding, Executive Director, Sales and Aftersales, Lotus, said: “The relaunch of the Lotus Approved programme is another significant milestone in the transformation of our business. This is a win-win scenario for everyone; for customers new to the Lotus brand it delivers added value and peace of mind, and for our retailers it’s an opportunity to expand their customer base.”

Key features and benefits of the enhanced Lotus Approved programme are:

• Minimum 12-month warranty
• Full service history + HPI / Experian vehicle history check
• Vehicle Identity Check with Mileage Verification
• Multi-point vehicle inspection by a Lotus factory-trained technician
• 10-mile road test by a Lotus factory-trained technician
• Appropriate service and MoT if due within three months
• MoT Test Cover policy
• Full vehicle valet
• 12-month breakdown cover

In addition, every Lotus Approved car comes with a complementary Certificate of Provenance. This provides detailed vehicle information documents plus a selection of Lotus collectables, including an engraved aluminium plaque, a leather Lotus keyring, a presentation tin of four badges and a Lotus ink pen, presented in bespoke Lotus-branded gift box.

The Lotus Approved programme is being relaunched in the UK first and will expand into Europe and other international markets later this year.

JBXE Racing is delighted to announce Lotus Engineering as the latest addition to its family of partners. The world-renowned British engineering consultancy, part of Group Lotus, joins as Technical Partner, supporting Jenson Button’s Extreme E team in this radical new electric off-roading series.

Highly respected for its dedication to cutting-edge technologies and motor racing pedigree, Lotus Engineering is internationally recognised for driving innovation in the automotive industry and beyond. JBXE Racing looks forward to working together with Lotus Engineering to promote electrification and highlight the importance of sustainable solutions to help protect and preserve the planet.

JBXE Racing team founder and 2009 FIA Formula 1 Drivers’ World Champion, Jenson Button, and multiple Scandinavian Touring Car race-winner, Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky, are preparing to compete in the opening race of the 2021 Extreme E Championship later this week – the Desert X Prix takes place from 03 - 04 April in AlUla, Saudi Arabia.

Jenson Button said: "Lotus is a great British brand that is inextricably linked to motorsport, so we are delighted to welcome Lotus Engineering to JBXE. Extreme E is a unique and exciting formula, full of "world firsts" and challenges, and to announce that a brand such as Lotus Engineering is coming on this journey with us is a proud moment for myself and the team. We are very excited about our new technical partnership and can’t wait to show what we can do in the first race this weekend.”

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, commented: “We are on the cusp of an exciting new era of electrified motorsport, and we’re delighted to support the JBXE team as Technical Partner. The complex technicalities of EV racing present a fascinating challenge, and using our learnings from more than a decade of electrifying sports cars – most recently with the Lotus Evija hypercar – we can bring valuable knowledge to the team.”

He added: “As the consultancy arm of our business, Lotus Engineering is growing from strength to strength with multiple major projects underway and a new home at the Lotus Advanced Technical Centre in Warwickshire. Supporting the JBXE team is another valuable demonstration of Lotus Engineering’s wide portfolio of interests – in this case, electrified motorsport.  We look forward to sharing the journey together and experiencing the next phase of electric racing with an equally admirable sustainability agenda.”

Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of Extreme E said: “It’s fantastic that Lotus Engineering is entering Extreme E alongside Jenson Button’s JBXE team. The long-term success of our series relies on bringing in top automotive manufacturers to utilise our extreme racing platform as a testbed for accelerating electric mobility innovation for the wider industry. Lotus Engineering brings a wealth of experience in electrification and will no doubt prove a huge asset to the JBXE team. Welcome to the Extreme E family Lotus!”

• Patrick Patrikios works with world-famous artists and on Hollywood movie soundtracks
• Lotus Type 49 provides inspiration for Evija soundscape to create blueprint for company’s future electric cars
• Patrick explains creating the sounds of the Lotus Evija at https://youtu.be/yZkmuLcTNKM and www.media.lotuscars.com 

(Hethel, UK – 10 March 2021) – Lotus is working with a renowned British music producer, inspired by the engine note of the iconic Type 49, to develop a range of sounds for the all-electric Evija hypercar.

Patrick Patrikios has written and produced for Olly Murs, Sia, Britney Spears, Pixie Lott and numerous other world-famous stars. He was Brit Award-nominated in 2018 for his collaboration with Little Mix, and the tracks he’s worked on have been streamed more than a billion times.

“We wanted to create a soundscape for the Evija that was recognisably and distinctively Lotus,” said Patrick. “I sat with the development team at Hethel and discussed what that should be. We wanted something intrinsically connected to Lotus so we could set an audio blueprint for its future electric cars.”

Patrick loved the idea of using a famous Lotus as a starting point, and what better example than the Type 49 – one of the most iconic race cars of all time. He explained: “There’s a purity to that V8, a raw edge and an emotion that stirs something in your soul, just like the best songs.”

The process began with the recording of a Type 49, which Patrick fed into his computer. In digitally manipulating the sound he and the Lotus team realised that slowing the engine note down created a similar frequency to the natural driving sound produced by the Evija’s advanced all-electric drivetrain.

“I adjusted the replay speeds and digital filtering of the Type 49 to generate a soundscape for the Evija – it was a very organic process,” said Patrick. “We all wanted something to spark an emotional connection between car and driver. Sound is hugely influential when it comes to creating and forming emotions, to enrich that bond that’s such a critical part of the Lotus experience.”

Patrick concluded: “I love that the sound from one of the most iconic Lotus race cars of all time has been the inspiration for its newest. There’s a symmetry to it which is beautiful.”

Welshman Patrick has been a Lotus fan since childhood thanks to his car-loving father. An Evora driver, he splits his time between Los Angeles and the UK. His body of work includes Hollywood movie soundtracks as well as songs from internationally renowned recording artists.

Patrick’s primary task was to craft the Evija’s external noise as it begins to deliver its immense ‘0-186mph (300km/h) in under nine seconds’ acceleration. However, using the Evija soundscape he created, he has also developed chimes and tones for everything from the activation of the indicators to the seatbelt warning.

Few race cars from any motorsport brand are as celebrated as the Lotus Type 49. It won on its first Formula 1 outing, the 1967 Dutch Grand Prix, with legendary driver Jim Clark at the wheel, and a Type 49 was on pole position at every race for the rest of the season. The following year Graham Hill won the F1 Drivers’ Championship in a Type 49.

Only 12 examples were ever made, and the car will be forever associated with two world debuts. The Type 49 was the first to use the all-new Lotus-developed Cosworth-Ford DFV engine that would dominate the Formula 1 grid for more than a decade, and it also marked the first appearance of the iconic red, white and gold colours of Lotus sponsor Gold Leaf, one of the most recognisable motorsport liveries of all time.

Lotus has won a prestigious Sword of Honour from the British Safety Council. The sports car maker was one of only 66 organisations worldwide that received the award in 2020, and one of only two car manufacturers.

The Sword of Honour is given to companies which have demonstrated excellence in the management of health and safety risks at work. The scope of the award covers all Lotus’ UK sites – company HQ at Hethel, Norfolk; Vulcan Road and ASO in nearby Norwich; plus fabrication operations at Wellingborough and Worcester.

In order to compete for a Sword of Honour an organisation first has to achieve the maximum five stars in the British Safety Council’s health and safety management audit scheme – something which Lotus completed last October.

Lotus has also demonstrated to an independent panel of experts that it has achieved excellence in health and safety management. This covers every aspect of the business, from the production line to the boardroom.

Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of the British Safety Council, added: “I would like to congratulate Lotus for its steadfast dedication to keeping its workplace safe and healthy. This year presented an additional and significant challenge in the form of Covid-19 and I pay tribute to Lotus for its hard work and commitment through these challenging circumstances.”

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, commented: “We are delighted to receive this award from the British Safety Council. It is testament to the hard work and commitment of not only our Safety, Health & Environment team, but everyone employed at Lotus. These issues are hugely important to Lotus as we continue to transform the business and are everyone’s responsibility.”

• Design study reveals electric race car for 2030
• E-R9 is “partly driven like a car and partly flown like a fighter jet” – Richard Hill, chief aerodynamicist, Lotus
• Active aero package includes ‘morphing’ body panels and aerodynamic control surfaces
• EV powertrain with torque-vectoring from Lotus Evija further developed to be driver-adaptable on the move
• Name, year and colour scheme all carefully chosen in tribute to Lotus’ racing heritage
• Find out more about the exciting future of Lotus Engineering on the US LOT Blog

(Hethel, UK – 16 February 2021) – Lotus has unveiled the E-R9, a dramatic new design study for a next-generation pure electric endurance racer that could be on the starting grid of circuits around the world for the 2030 season.

Finished in striking black and gold – a clear nod to Lotus’ pioneering motorsport heritage that led to 13 Formula 1 championship titles – the EV features a sleek fighter jet-style canopy centrally mounted in a delta-wing upper body. Innovations include advanced active aerodynamics with ‘morphing’ body panels and vertically mounted control surfaces to assist with high-speed cornering.

The E-R9 has been developed by Lotus Engineering, the globally renowned consultancy division of the business which delivers projects for external clients. The car has been created as a technology showcase of its philosophy, capability and innovative spirit in the fields of advanced electrified powertrains and aerodynamics.

E-R stands for Endurance Racer, while 9 is the car’s competition number carefully chosen in tribute to Lotus’ racing past. It was in a Lotus Mark IX that the race team made its debut appearance at the Le Mans 24 Hours, with company founder Colin Chapman among the drivers competing. The year was 1955, meaning the E-R9 race car concept – if raced in 2030 – would be in celebration of the Mark IX’s 75^th anniversary.

The E-R9 was developed by the engineering team of Richard Hill, chief aerodynamicist at Lotus, and Louis Kerr, principal platform engineer on the Lotus Evija pure electric hypercar as well as technical director, GT, Geely Group Motorsports International. Visually it was brought to life by the Lotus Design team, led by Russell Carr, Design Director for Lotus.

Richard Hill commented: “What we’ve tried to do is to push the boundaries of where we are technically today and extrapolate into the future. The Lotus E-R9 incorporates technologies which we fully expect to develop and be practical. Lotus has an amazing history of developing unique solutions, and we’ve done it many times in motorsport and with our road cars.”

Chief among the car’s aero innovations are its ‘morphing’ body panels. Located across the delta-wing profile, this adaptability – where active surfaces can change their shape and attitude to the air flow either at the press of a button by the driver or automatically according to performance sensor inputs – would deliver minimum drag on the straights and maximum downforce in the corners. Vertical control surfaces at the rear would generate aerodynamic forces to help the car change direction, without the limitations of grip at the tyre contact patch. The result is a racer that’s partly driven like a car and partly flown like a fighter jet.

The Lotus E-R9 features an advanced electric drivetrain powering each wheel independently, a system enhanced with torque-vectoring. It builds on technology already integrated on the Lotus Evija pure electric hypercar, though for the E-R9 would be fully adjustable by the driver on the move.

Louis Kerr commented: “Battery energy density and power density are developing significantly year on year. Before 2030, we’ll have mixed cell chemistry batteries that give the best of both worlds, as well as the ability to ‘hot-swap’ batteries during pitstops.”

Further details and more images of the Lotus E-R9 can be found in the March issue of evo magazine. On sale from today, it includes a 32-page supplement dedicated to the past, present and exciting future stories of the Lotus Engineering consultancy.

From the pioneering work of Colin Chapman in the early 1950s, via countless projects which the team has worked on in the decades since – some never revealed before – it’s a fascinating glimpse into a business which has done more than most to shape the automotive industry today.

For more on the exciting future of Lotus Engineering, read this post on the US LOT Blog by Dan Burge, Commercial Director of the business.

• British all-electric hypercar honoured as ‘Product Design of the Year’ at the International Design Awards
• Awards recognise, celebrate and promote global design visionaries
• Jury names Evija “the world's most premium sustainable car”
• All-new ‘Evija in London’ images released to celebrate the award at www.media.lotuscars.com

(Hethel, UK – 11 February 2021) – The all-electric Lotus Evija hypercar has been recognised in the prestigious International Design Awards (IDAs), winning the ‘Product Design of the Year’ category.

Established in 2007 by a group of leading international designers, visionaries and entrepreneurs as a response to a lack of pure design awards in their field, the IDAs have a truly global profile. They celebrate smart and sustainable multi-disciplinary designs, promoting outstanding creativity while uncovering emerging talent.

The award was presented to Lotus after being selected by a panel jury representing each of the five diverse IDA disciplines – Architecture, Fashion, Interior, Product and Graphic Design. The jurors evaluated entries from more than 80 countries, each exhibiting the highest standards of design. The Evija was honoured for its breathtaking ability to stretch boundaries of automotive design.

Members of the IDA jury commented that the Lotus Evija “paves a way towards a more sustainable future whilst embodying an exceptional aerodynamic aesthetic”, and that “its seductive style elevates the Evija to be the world's most premium sustainable car”.

The Lotus Evija was built with a simple goal – to be the absolute pinnacle of world-class engineering and the most powerful performance car ‘For The Drivers’. It harnesses Lotus’ technical expertise, fine-tuned over more than seven decades, to create a masterclass of automotive excellence.

Russell Carr, Director of Design, Lotus, said: “Everyone at Lotus is honoured to receive this award. The Evija is an incredibly important car for Lotus; it is inspired by our innovative past and is the ultimate statement of intent for our ambitious and exciting future. It also sets the standard for a new Lotus design language.”

To celebrate the IDA award, Lotus has released a set of new images of the Lotus Evija. Shot on the streets of London prior to the current UK lockdown restrictions, they reveal every facet of the hypercar’s stunning design. Find them at www.media.lotuscars.com

This year marks the end of an era for Lotus Cars. As the business moves towards an exciting future as outlined in recent announcements, time is being called on production of the iconic Elise and the genre-creating Exige, after 25 and 21 years respectively.

In honour of these two legendary models, Lotus has announced a range of five new Final Edition cars which have higher power, greater standard specification and – in true Lotus style – light weight.

These cars are the ultimate versions of the Elise and Exige, and mark the pinnacle of technical development to showcase more than two decades of engineering excellence. To be built in limited numbers, each is a fitting tribute to performance cars that are, almost uniquely, legends in their own lifetime.

Five new variants – two Elise and three Exige – have been created and Lotus is anticipating high demand from global markets as customers rush to buy a slice of history. They are available with unique paint colours, new exterior decals, new wheel finishes, new trim and Final Edition badging.

The improvements continue under the skin, a fact reflected in new names which reveal higher power outputs on three of the five – the Elise Sport 240, Elise Cup 250, Exige Sport 390, Exige Sport 420 and Exige Cup 430.

The Elise and Exige Final Edition cars are on sale now, with the MSRP for selected markets listed below. For other markets please contact the appropriate official Lotus Cars importer.

As revealed last month, the Lotus Evora has also entered its final year of production. Further announcements about plans to celebrate this model will be announced in due course.

The Lotus Elise Final Edition range in detail

The Elise is a truly iconic Lotus, with 2021 serving as the 25th and final year of production. These two new Final Edition cars are a fitting tribute, and the exclusivity and rarity will no doubt ensure high demand and guarantee future classic status. They retain all the core values and features that have made the Elise such an iconic car – a small, light and agile two-seater powered by a supercharged and chargecooled 1.8-litre, four-cylinder mid-mounted engine.

As standard, both Final Edition cars receive the most extensive list of interior and exterior features ever. The biggest change is the all-new TFT digital dashboard with the choice of two screens, one with a conventional set of dials and the other a race car-style with digital speed read-out and an engine speed bar.

The steering wheel is of a new design and clad in leather and alcantara. It features a flat base to create better leg clearance for taller drivers and to aid ingress and egress. Every car comes with a Final Edition build plaque, plus new seat trim and stitch patterns.

A new selection of colours has been introduced for both the Elise Sport 240 and the Elise Cup 250, harking back to some of the iconic colour schemes from the Elise and Lotus’ past. These include Azure Blue, the colour used in the first production car images for media in 1996; Black, the brand colour of the motorsport division when the company ran the successful Autobytel Lotus Elise Championship race series; and Racing Green, an homage to the colour of the original car unveiled at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition

The Elise Sport 240 Final Edition gains an extra 23bhp from a revised calibration and so replaces the Sport 220. Delivering 240bhp and 244Nm of torque, the engine has been tuned to provide stunning real-world performance and class-leading efficiency. The 0-60mph sprint is completed in 4.1 seconds thanks to a power-to-weight ratio of 260bhp per tonne. CO2 emissions of 177 g/km are extremely low for the performance on offer.

The car comes with 10-spoke Anthracite lightweight forged alloy wheels as standard (6J x 16” front and 8J x 17” rear). They’re 0.5kg lighter than the wheels on the Elise Sport 220 and shod with Yokohama V105 tyres (195/50 R16 front and 225/45 R17 rear).

Further weight savings can be achieved with an extensive range of optional carbon fibre panels, including sill covers and engine cover, lithium-ion battery plus a lightweight polycarbonate rear window. With all the lightweight options chosen, the mass of the Elise Sport 240 reduces further from 922kg to 898kg.

Lotus Elise Cup 250 Final Edition

Key to the Elise Cup 250’s performance are its aerodynamics and downforce linked to its power and light weight. With aerodynamically optimised components such as the front splitter, rear wing, rear diffuser and side floor extension, this Final Edition car produces 66kg of downforce at 100mph and 155kg of downforce at is maximum speed of 154mph.

The car is shod in new 10-spoke Diamond Cut ultra-lightweight M Sport forged wheels (7J x 16” front and 8J x 17” rear) with Yokohama A052 tyres (195/50 R16 front and 225/45 R17 rear). The extensive list of standard equipment includes Bilstein sport dampers and adjustable anti-roll bars, to help maximise the aerodynamic downforce available and boost grip whilst maintaining the legendary Elise handling. Also fitted as standard is a lightweight lithium-ion battery and polycarbonate rear window.

Other lightweight carbon fibre options, as on the Elise Sport 240 Final Edition, are available reducing the mass to an unladen weight of just 931kg.

The Lotus Exige Final Edition range in detail

The Exige range is celebrated in its final year of production with three new models – the Exige Sport 390, Exige Sport 420 and Exige Cup 430.

Like the Elise, new equipment for this final year of production includes unique paint choices, new decals and two new wheel finishes. All versions of the Exige also come with the TFT digital dashboard, Final Edition build plaque, new steering wheel, plus new seat trim and stitch patterns.

All models are powered by a 3.5-litre supercharged V6 with a baffled sump, mounted in a lightweight and rigid chassis that provides thrilling acceleration and instant response. Pure unassisted steering offers exquisite feedback and vivid communication at all speeds. The Exige benefits from a bespoke version of Lotus’ pioneering bonded aluminium chassis, a unique rear subframe and forged aluminium double wishbone suspension at the rear.

Like the Elise Final Edition range, the Exige is also available in a selection of new colours representing significant cars in its history. These include Metallic White, from the unveiling of the V6 Exige at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2011, and Metallic Orange, which was used on the first press fleet car in 2000 and the and the Exige GT3 concept from the Geneva Motor Show 2007.

Lotus Exige Sport 390 Final Edition

The new Exige Sport 390 replaces the outgoing Exige Sport 350. The power increase of 47bhp comes from a revised calibration linked to the Edelbrock supercharger with chargecooling, to produce 397bhp and 420Nm. Linked to a light weight of 1,138kg, the Exige Sport 390 accelerates to 60mph in just 3.7 seconds before reaching a top speed of 172mph.

The advanced aerodynamics are carefully balanced, generating 70kg of downforce at the rear and 45kg up front for a total of 115kg at top speed. To put this power on to the road, the Exige Sport 390 has 10-spoke silver lightweight forged alloy wheels (7.5J x 17” front and 10J x 18” rear) and Michelin PS4 tyres (205/45 ZR17 front and 265/35 ZR18 rear).

Lotus Exige Sport 420 Final Edition

The Exige Sport 420 Final Edition gains an extra 10bhp and replaces the outgoing Sport 410. It is the fastest Exige available, topping out at 180mph, with 0-60mph completed in 3.3 seconds. With its light weight of 1,110kg and 420bhp (giving a power to weight of 378bhp per tonne) and 427Nm from the supercharged and chargecooled V6 engine, coupled with a flat torque curve and maximum power available to maximum revs, the Exige is regarded as the most complete driving car of its class.

The list of standard equipment is impressive. Front and rear Eibach anti-roll bars are adjustable and the three-way adjustable Nitron dampers allow for different high and low speed compression settings. The car rides on 10-spoke Anthracite lightweight forged alloy wheels (7.5J x 17” front, 10J x 18” rear) with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres (215/45 ZR17 front and 285/30 ZR18 rear). Stopping power comes from AP Racing brakes with forged, four-piston calipers and two-piece J-hook brake discs. With a higher thermal capacity and improved bite, these discs offer improved debris clearance and reduced vibration for more consistent pedal feel and greater, fade-free performance.

Lotus Exige Cup 430 Final Edition

The Cup 430 remains the range-topping Exige. Already legendary in its short lifetime, it is regarded as being one of the world’s quickest real-world sports car. It is not just suited to its driver’s favourite road, but also at home on a challenging circuit.

Chargecooled for a consistent 430bhp and capable of generating 171kg of downforce, this is the road and track car to rule them all. The radical aero package is not for show; the Exige Cup 430 generates as much downforce at 100mph as the Exige Sport 390 does at 170mph. Weighing just 1,110kg the power-to-weight ratio hits a staggering 387bhp per tonne. With 440Nm of torque from 2,600rpm, 0-60mph is completed in 3.2 seconds on the way to a top speed of 174mph. Downforce is balanced at all speeds, with the car generating 76kg at the front and a further 95kg at the rear, giving a total of 171kg.

Everything about the Exige Cup 430 is focused upon performance whether that’s driving on the road or track.

Every car comes with motorsport-grade carbon fibre panels include the front splitter, front access panel, roof, diffuser surround, enlarged air-intake side pods, one-piece tailgate and race-derived rear wing. In addition to revised steering arm geometry to increase bump steer, handling characteristics can be altered via the Nitron three-way adjustable dampers (high and low speed compression plus rebound adjustment) and Eibach adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars, both as standard. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres (215/45 ZR17 front and 285/30 ZR18 rear) are fitted to ultra-lightweight 10 spoke diamond cut lightweight forged alloy wheels (7.5J x 17” front, 10J x 18” rear).

Braking comes via forged, four-piston AP Racing brake calipers and higher thermal capacity two-piece J-hook brake discs front and rear. The system is designed to give improved bite and reduced vibration, delivering consistent pedal feel and fade-free stopping power lap after lap.

With a high-flow titanium exhaust system as standard, the Cup 430 sounds like no other supercar at speed. Motorsport-derived variable traction control linked directly to the ECU helps maximise traction on corner exit by managing the giant surge of torque. It’s controlled via a six-position rotary switch located on the steering column. Only active with the ESP stability control switched off, the five pre-set traction levels are displayed on the instrument cluster.

When production of the Lotus Elise, Exige and Evora end later this year, the final combined production total will be in the region of 55,000 cars. Together they account for more than half of Lotus’ total road car production since the first Lotus in 1948.

Lotus-Elise-and-Exige-Final-Editions-press-release.docx Lotus-Elise-and-Exige-Final-Editions-Technical-Specifications.xlsx

Following the news today that Phil Popham is to step down from his position at Lotus, the company confirms that Matt Windle, Executive Director, Engineering, is the newly appointed Managing Director, Lotus Cars.

Welcoming Matt into his new role, Phil Popham said: “Matt is an excellent fit for the senior leadership role at Lotus. He has been an excellent colleague to me since I joined the company, and is a popular and very effective member of the Lotus Executive team. He’s a long-standing ‘Lotus Man’ and I’m proud to welcome him as my successor. We will continue to work closely together in the coming weeks as I hand over the reins and pass the baton on to the next phase of the Lotus story.”

The handover process is underway, with Matt’s appointment as Managing Director effective immediately.  Phil Popham will remain with the company until the end of March 2021.

Matt Windle, 49, started his career with Lotus in 1998 as a CAD designer. Before re-joining the company to head up the Engineering division in 2017, Matt worked internationally with both high and low-volume manufacturers, including Caterham, Tesla and Volvo. With more than 30 years’ automotive experience behind him, Matt’s most recent role saw him utilise rich technical expertise and leadership experience to head up both the Lotus engineering department and the Lotus Engineering consultancy. In his new role as Managing Director, Matt will lead Lotus in to the next chapter of its continually innovative and exciting 73-year history.

Commenting on his appointment, Windle said: “It is an honour to be appointed Managing Director of Lotus. Of the many manufacturers I have worked with over the years, Lotus has been the one closest to my heart. I have a history with the company dating back more than 20 years and I really know my way around the business. This period since 2018 has been the most exciting of my career and the scale of the global opportunity ahead of us is both inspiring and all-consuming.

He added: “I am proud to follow Phil into the leadership position and he has left a great foundation for me and the team to build on. I thank Phil for his friendship and support of the past years. I am proud to represent our shareholders Geely and Etika as I continue to work with our talented and dedicated team to fulfil the ambition for this wonderful brand and business around the world.”

Mr. Feng Qingfeng, CEO, Group Lotus, added: “Our future is extremely bright indeed, with new designs, new technologies and new markets for us to leverage with this precious brand. I thank Phil Popham for his dedication in bringing new stability and governance to the business following the restructure of 2018. I also welcome Matt Windle into the role of Managing Director. I very much look forward to continuing to work with him and the UK team as we expand both Lotus and Lotus Engineering across the world into a new era for the business.”

The first two projects that Lotus Cars will see through to completion under Matt Windle will be the Evija electric hypercar and the all-new, yet to be named, Type 131 sports car.  Both will be built from new factories at a comprehensively revitalised Hethel UK headquarters, and both are programmes Matt knows intimately from his tenure at the head of the Engineering function.  Look out for news on both these vehicles and more in 2021.

New leadership appointments for the Engineering department and consultancy at Lotus will be the subject of a future announcement.

Phil Popham is to step down from his position as Lotus Cars CEO.

Phil, who joined Lotus in the year of its 70th birthday in 2018, has decided to leave the company to pursue personal projects.

He has guided the company through a truly pivotal period in its history, bringing new governance and direction to the business following its restructuring under the stewardship of Geely.

Lotus Cars’ Vision80 strategy has been implemented under Phil’s watch, which will see transformational change across the company in its eighth decade of automotive innovation.  Hethel in Norfolk – Lotus’ home and headquarters since 1966 – has undergone a complete transformation with unprecedented investment during Phil’s tenure, with wholesale upgrades across the site, a new sports car factory and hypercar assembly now ready for operation.

In 2019, Phil spearheaded the launch of the Lotus Evija – the world’s first all-electric British hypercar. In his own words, he described Evija as “a calling card for what is to come from Lotus in the next decade. It signals a new tech future, a new design direction and a new dawn for our 70-year-old-start-up.”

Phil also guided the company through an extremely difficult year in 2020, carefully managing Lotus’ approach and strategy in response to the pandemic as it has continued to disrupt much of the world. The business has entered 2021 very much on track and intact, despite the significant challenges of the past 12 months.

Phil will now spend some time passing the baton on to the next phase of the Lotus story. The Lotus Cars family around the world – US LOT – wishes Phil every success in his future endeavours.

• New series sports car production confirmed for Hethel, UK
• £100m+ investment into all-new manufacturing facilities
• Further job creation to support increased volumes
• End of production planned for Evora, Exige and Elise in 2021

(Hethel, UK – 25 January 2021) – A new series of sports cars is confirmed, with prototype production of the Lotus Type 131 to commence this year from a world-class manufacturing facility in Hethel, Norfolk.

The new manufacturing investment is part of Lotus’ Vision80 strategy, which will also see the relocation of two Lotus sub-assembly facilities into one efficient central operation in Norwich city to support higher volumes.

To accompany the £100-million-plus investment into Hethel’s facilities, Lotus will be recruiting some 250 new employees. This is in addition to the 670 to have joined Lotus since September 2017, when shareholders Geely and Etika took ownership of the company.

New recruits are required for roles in engineering and manufacturing for both Lotus Cars and the world-renowned engineering consultancy, Lotus Engineering – which opens its Advanced Technology Centre in Warwick later this year.

To acknowledge the forthcoming family of performance cars, Lotus has released an image that hints at the new generation of products that will follow Elise, Exige and Evora, which have entered their final year of production in 2021.  A full programme of activities is planned to celebrate the current range of three sports cars, starting with the elder, the iconic Lotus Elise.

The Lotus Elise was unveiled in 1995, revolutionising the low volume sports car industry with its pioneering use of extruded and bonded aluminium, high-tech composites and lightweight knowhow.

Using the technology pioneered in the Elise, the Exige, launched in 2000, quickly became the epitome of the ‘race car for the road’.  The Exige demonstrated a rare ability to give the driver an involving yet accessible experience on the road, while still managing to lap the most demanding tracks of the world quickly, with the safety and progressiveness expected of a Lotus.

The Evora, unveiled in 2008, returned Lotus to the lucrative super-sports car sector as an award-winning and versatile road car that was more driver-focused than its peers. In motorsport, the Evora was successful too, winning national GT championships around the world and gaining a podium at Le Mans.

Future Lotus cars are taking this learning and further developing it to ensure the preservation of that all-important DNA, with the overriding criteria of being ‘For The Drivers’.

Phil Popham, CEO, Lotus Cars, said: “This year will be hugely significant for Lotus with new facilities coming on stream, a new sports car entering production and new levels of efficiency and quality that only a new car design and factory can deliver. Despite the continuing global challenges, Lotus has emerged from 2020 strong and on track in the delivery of our Vision80 business plan.” 

He added: “As our Vision80 strategy illustrates, Lotus is all about looking forward, and our future is full of continuous innovation. In 2021, however, we will be reflecting on the legacy of our current range, starting with the Elise, a sports car that genuinely revolutionised the automotive industry, not only because it is a legend-in-its-own-lifetime but also for its impact on car design and technology.”

Matt Windle, Lotus’ Executive Director, Engineering, said: “Our renowned team of engineers, designers and technicians who are working on the new cars are acutely aware of the legacy from the Elise, Exige and Evora.  Indeed, many were around when Elise was being developed. Members of our team, old and new, are now busy blending the learnings of the past with the innovations of today and tomorrow, to ensure our future cars truly move the game on but remain firmly committed to Lotus values.”

The Elise, Exige and Evora have contributed greatly to the Lotus business over the years, and by the time the last of these models leaves the assembly line, they will have sold a combined circa 55,000 units.

Lotus has created multiple automotive legends over the last 73 years, and with the Evija hypercar and new Type 131 sports car, a new dawn of innovation and legend-making is breaking over Hethel.

• New Norwich facility begins production of iconic lightweight Lotus chassis
• Programme to move Lotus’ lightweight structures and steel fabrication units to one facility nears completion and on time
• New facility to employ 125 staff 

(Hethel, UK – 21 January 2021) – The first extruded and bonded aluminium chassis to be built at Lotus’ new manufacturing facility at Hurricane Way, Norwich, has been completed.

The unit, a chassis for the legendary Lotus Elise, was built for the validation and quality checking of the new manufacturing process. Although not destined for a final vehicle, it will remain at the factory for testing. As chassis manufacturing volumes grow steadily over the next few months, it will help ensure that the processes adhere to the globally recognised quality standards expected.

The new 12,300 m² facility has the capacity to build several thousand chassis per year. It will produce around 1,500 units for the Lotus Elise, Exige and Evora during 2021.

Set to employ 125 highly skilled operatives, technicians and engineers, the site also houses the welding and fabrication of sub-frames, suspension components and other key parts for Lotus cars.

The investment from Lotus, which has its headquarters and sports car manufacturing 10 miles away in Hethel, Norfolk, further demonstrates its commitment to the region.

Lotus announced in July 2020 that as part of its expansion programme it had outgrown existing facilities in Worcester and Norwich, and so would bring together both production processes into one new combined location – Hurricane Way, in the north of Norwich. Tooling has already been upgraded in readiness for a new range of Lotus sports cars to be launched in the coming years.

David Hewitt, Executive Director of Operations, Lotus Cars, said: “The production of this first lightweight chassis is a significant landmark for the new Hurricane Way facility. I would like to thank everyone who has worked extremely hard to ensure that, despite challenging circumstances, it is up and running and on schedule.”

He continued: “In parallel, we are close to finishing our new assembly facility at our Hethel HQ. By the end of the year, the whole of Lotus’ sports car manufacturing facilities and processes will be either new or vastly improved. This will give us solid foundations to maintain our leadership in the rapidly changing low volume automotive assembly industry.”

Those interested in joining Lotus should visit uslot.lotuscars.com