One of the best-attended stands of the 2010 Paris Motor Show, the Lotus platform revealed five of the most exciting prospects for production in the next five years – the Esprit, Elan, Elise, Elite and Eterne.
The most-anticipated of all was undoubtedly the Esprit, which features aggressive styling and the 5,0-litre V8 from Lexus’ IS-F super saloon – all in accordance with the Hethel-based company’s efforts to stack up to real supercar rivals such as Ferrari and Porsche. In addition to the 400+ kW on tap, the Esprit will also be fitted with an F1-style KERS unit that stores braking energy – available as a power boost at the touch of a button.
Next up is the Elan – basically a smaller Esprit with another Toyota-sourced engine, this time in the form of a supercharged 4,0-litre V6 , providing grunt in excess of 330 kW. The Elise, the company’s staple for the last decade, will be available in coupé and roadster form and will be powered by a 2,0-litre, forced-induction four-cylinder unit that produces approximately 238 kW and 330 N.m of torque. The Elite, Lotus’ very own pukka gran turismo, will also feature a V8.
The most unexpected model has to be the Eterne, a 1 800 kg saloon with the option of a Hybrid gearbox with two integrated electric motors and KERS to go with the same unit in the Esprit.