Tell Me I'm Wrong...

[Eric]

If this isn't the best back-end you've ever seen then I'll eat my carbon fiber cuff links (yes, genuine Lotus CF ones). Remember - keep it clean!!

 

But I'm now thinking that this could actually be the car that Lotus really needs to build next. I direct 911 rival, but with Porka humbling performance, and a suitably competitive price tag, could just be the answer to their accountant's prayers.

 

Get the Elan back on schedule and make a killing (well, a lorry load of cash anyway)...

 

[P4N Lotus]

It's possible , originally the plans for this were to replace the evora as it sits on the same chassis as the evora. I think the Elite and the Eterne may also be possible as they both are essentially the same car I think. What ever they do next it will be a cost effective solution, my gut feelings are they probably won't bring out any new models for a while, n will probably see the Elise, exige and evora just having new engines, hybrids and eletric variants of existing cars, got to bare in mind that what ever they do will be accommodating for worldwide market as they are selling more cars to places in Asia and North America now.

 

I'd personallylike to see a little abit more power, little it less weight, bit more aggressive looking (think the cupR pull this look off really well) in all the models, without making them uneconomical to run and make sure they are road legal. That Elise cupR is looking mean.

[Martin 111S]

Tend to agree, but please Lotus, please get a new name. Elan just sounds sooo....... naff

[DeanB]

I don't think Lotus should build anything too close to a Porsche in concept. Porsche have economies of scale that give them a design and development budget Lotus can only dream of, meaning they would have to drop the ball in a pretty big way not to build a better car than Lotus overall. Plus they have their own really sweet engines and a genuine, recent-times motorsport pedigree.

 

In my opinion Lotus needs to find niches. The Elise is one such, hence why it has done well. No-one else makes a car with the Elise's particular set of compromises. The four cylinder Exige the same.

The six cylinder Exige is also pretty unique because it does what a 911 GT3 does but for two thirds the price - meaning you can forgive it the odd 'quirk'.

 

A forty grand properly lightweight 2 +2, with a front mounted supercharged four cylinder motor would be good, but not easy to do I guess. It wouldn't need to be really quick in a straight line, instead achieving speed over a lap because of it's light weight as a Lotus should. It would be a more efficient and cerebral car that might even tempt people to buy them as a demonstration of their discernment.

 

I would also like to see a new entry level Elise with a really lightweight engine (maybe eve

n a three cylinder) with 120ish bhp and weighing no more than 750 kg wet and having a very basi spec

 

 

I could go on and on on this topic but I will shut up before I get really boring.

 

P.S. Please ignore the typos as I can't seem to edit on my phone.

[scatty]

^{it looks like an evora rear end.... still very nice...}

 

 

^{price is critical....}

[Martin R]

All new Elise is next on the VVA platform i believe

[Reg]

You're wrong!

 

[Phil S1]

 

I would also like to see a new entry level Elise with a really lightweight engine (maybe eve

n a three cylinder) with 120ish bhp and weighing no more than 750 kg wet and having a very basi spec

 

 

Ford and Caterham are already going down this route:-

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ford/60038/ford-10-litre-ecoboost-road-legal-racer

 

http://uk.caterhamcars.com/cars/seven-160

 

But I reckon there's still room for something a little more refined from Lotus.

 

Maybe they need to start thinking about carbonfibre tubs too instead of aluminium. The Alfa 4C is bound to take some of the Lotus market.

[jonnyfox]

Furai closely followed by the P1, Chomp chomp ;-)

[Eric]

Mmm, some very interesting feedback.

 

The current crop of Lotus Cup R models are racers only, so although they are technically interesting, they're very firmly stuck in a low volume, niche market.

 

And yes, niche markets are good(ish) but never going to make any serious money to plough back into product development. Porsche know exactly how to do it. Desirable products manufactured "cheaply" to provide huge margins. Cash then flows back into the company to sustain future development and give the punters exactly what they want - higher quality, more performance, higher efficiency, etc etc.

 

I still think the 911 would be a good target for the "Elan" (or whatever it would be called), especially since Lotus was well in its way to developing a new in-house engine range that could have produced a modular V8 (and maybe a V6 variant?).

 

The 4C is getting some really bad press at the moment thanks to Alpha skimping on the "important" bits. Spending all that money on a carbon tub was always going to be risky to say the least, so they've had to compromise on engine and suspension. Good news for Lotus, since it still leaves a gap for a really well re-engineered Elise.

 

A much lighter Elise would be good but haven't we already seen how far they can take the current architecture with the 2-Eleven? Taken right back to the bone, you tend to end up with a car that's pretty much unusable as a road car (unfortunately).

 

And old Esprit vs new Elan - hmmm, will have to think about that one. Not for too long mind...

 

PS Donato Coco stiil a genius imho

[DeanB]

I agree Porsche know how to do it. Simply copying them isn't an option thougb because Lotus doesn't have the money needed to design and engineer a car as good, in conventional terms at least, as theirs.

 

Where Lotus can score points is by building a different type of car. Really lightweight is a no-brainer, but they could look at different powerplants as well including e.g small turbo engines.

I hear what you say about the 2-11, but that car weighs similar to an s1 Elise because it has a relatively heavy engine and gearbox (also abs, brake servo). It's not the architecture that is limiting. Surely there must be some smaller, lighter engines out there?

[Steve J]

The Elan 2+2 was the only one of the new designs which I had a hope of parting money for (second hand though obviously).

More roomy inside than the Evora and much better looking, more powerful, better interior, hopefully decent build quality too.

 

They need to build cars which people with money will buy. The rest of us will then buy when they're cheaper second hand.

So unfortunately unless we're prepared to buy new Lotus's at £50K+ I don't think we're going to do much for their profits.

[DeanB]

I personally would love a genuine 2 + 2 Lotus. Something my wife, two kids and I could all go out in. A mid engine is difficult to package in a 2 + 2 though. With decent rear seats the proportions are horrible (Ferrari Mondial?). A front engined rear driver would be better, and would be a less demanding car to drive - not so tricky near the limit.

[Elaine]

And old Esprit vs new Elan - hmmm, will have to think about that one. Not for too long mind...

 

 

 

That Elan looks like somebody has melted it with a blow torch.

The S4s Esprit has the far better arse out of the two*. And it still does nearly 170mph top end. Not to mention that they're going up in value all of the time, so we defo won't be buying another new Lotus just yet... We'll wait for the new Esprit.... If they ever get around to building it. not holding my breath

 

*And nothing beats a S4s with the V8 rear light conversion. ♥

 

E.

[Eric]

 

 

That Elan looks like somebody has melted it with a blow torch.

The S4s Esprit has the far better arse out of the two*. And it still does nearly 170mph top end. Not to mention that they're going up in value all of the time, so we defo won't be buying another new Lotus just yet... We'll wait for the new Esprit.... If they ever get around to building it. not holding my breath

 

*And nothing beats a S4s with the V8 rear light conversion. ♥

 

E.

 

Oooh, well, back in the 70s I guess the Esprit did look quite cool, and if vintage is your thing then I suppose it may still appear cool(ish).

 

But, unfortunately, the reality is that the Esprit is now a very dated design and no amount of lighting can disguise that. Sorry Elaine!!