Paris Motor Show 2010 - Lotus Elan Concept
Lotus stun the world with ambitious model launch program: Lotus Elan Concept
If the Paris Motor Show threw up a couple of headline grabbing supercars you’d be happy, curious and envious. Jaguar delivered with their amazing C-X75 electric/turbine hybrid and Lamborghini with their carbon-with-everything Sesto Elemento concept. You’d be stunned if any manufacturer launched two concepts. But five? That’s what Lotus did and blew the press’s mind in the process. Much has been written about the feasibility of this production plan and we don’t have a view other than it seems over-ambitious. The bucket principle says that if you work in a company and ask for ten buckets of whatever to match your needs you’ll get five delivered. Is this the case with Lotus? If we get to see even three of these in the real world within the proposed time schedule we’ll be amazed and happy. All five and we’ll be stunned and elated!
Paris Motor Show 2010 Lotus future model lineup
Don’t forget though, that the first model to go on sale is the Elan a whole 3 years away, so there is plenty of time for the designs to evolve or change substantially. Also the show cars may have been part of a giant focus group rather than a fixed agenda.
Schedule:
Elan 4.0 litre V6 – summer 2013
Elite 5.0 litre V8 – spring 2014
Elise 2.0 litre straight 4 – spring 2014
Esprit 5.0 litre V8 – spring 2015
Eterne 5.0 litre V8 – spring 2015
(more…)
The 2011 price limbo does at least get you some extra power and features. Engine output soars to 530PS (390KW)/6,400rpm, launch control gets tweaked, body mods up front incorporate LED running lights and aerodynamic slats, but what caught our eyes in the spec is the addition of automatic decoupling of the 4wd system below 6MPH for tight turns. Not a headline feature, but a measure of the fabulous attention to detail Nissan engineers have put into this car. Numerous other mods complete the package: more details below
