World first for an automotive manufacturer as Lotus unveils
entire new product line up and introduces the world to the
new Lotus lifestyle.
We did it! At exactly 16.45 CET on September 30th 2010, via a live global
webcast, surrounded by the world?s press, Lotus made the ultimate statement
of intent. Five new cars, two evolutions of existing models and a concept car. A
new 360° motorsport programme featuring IndyCar, Le Mans, GP2 and
much more. A sumptuous new magazine. A flashy new website. And a range
of merchandise featuring not one, not two, but three separate clothing ranges.
There?s so much to take in that we thought we?d keep the post event words
simple. But for those who need details, fear not, we have a lovely media site
where you can get all the information including technical specifications (see
notes to editors). For now though, we?re going to let the man behind the
vision do the talking, here?s what Lotus CEO Dany Bahar has to say:
The New Lotus Esprit (5.0 litre/V8/620 PS), the icon is back: ?The Esprit is
the ultimate supercar. There?s a fine balance between acknowledging the
greatness of the past whilst at the same time rapidly leaping forward to the
future and ensuring that this car not only does the name Esprit justice but also
the Lotus brand. I think we?ve managed to find the balance and in doing so
created a new icon, a car people will find hard to resist. The design is
aggressive, you have to see it to appreciate how low and wide the proportions
are but it still retains a level of dignity, of class and most of all exclusivity. I?m
very proud of this car.?

The New Lotus Elan (4.0 litre/V6/450 PS), the end of compromise: ?Perfect
for both road and track, the Elan not only ticks all the boxes, it creates new
ones too. It will convert people to Lotus, it will also go a long way towards
dispelling the old misconceptions about this class, that in order to have high
performance you must sacrifice usability ? those days are gone. Once you
drive an Elan you won?t look back, it will give you things you didn?t even realise
you were missing ? that?s the essence of Lotus and the Elan perfectly captures
that spirit.?

The New Lotus Elite (5.0 litre/V8/620 PS), a new British expression of
exclusivity: ?The Elite is breathtakingly beautiful but it?s so much more than
that. One could say it?s a car of perfect contradictions, it?s compact yet
spacious, high performance yet low emissions, lightweight yet still reassuringly
solid. It?s a car that we are exceptionally proud of at Lotus and we truly believe
that there is nothing else like it out there both in terms of styling and
performance. There will always be those who believe that Lotus should stick to
small sports cars but we didn?t take the decision to design something like the
Elite lightly, it?s based on months of careful research and planning.?
The New Lotus Elise (2.0 litre/inline 4/320 PS), the grown up: ?We worked
very hard on getting the Elise 2015 exactly right, it?s our entry level car so it
needs to give a proper introduction to the Lotus driving experience. The Elise
you can buy now is still a fantastic car and Lotus remains very proud of it, but
this is a natural progression for us moving forward. The Elise 2015 will also be
class-leading in terms of performance and efficiency but it will do more than
that, it will take the Elise model to the forefront of its class across the board. It?s
the next generation Elise for a new generation of Lotus drivers.?

The New Lotus Eterne (5.0 litre/V8/620 PS), the statement of intent: ?The
Eterne is sensational to look at and as with the rest of the range it also over
delivers in all other aspects as well. Similar to the Elite, it?s a car of perfect
contradictions, it?s compact yet spacious, high performance yet low emissions
relatively lightweight yet still reassuringly solid. The biggest difference between
the Eterne and it?s class competitors is that it?s not an evolution of an existing
two-door model, it?s a deliberate and considered stand-alone creation. It?s the
ultimate four door sports car.?

The Concept City Car: ?Lotus Design has created a vehicle that condenses
the essence of Lotus into a low carbon city car, with many inspired design
touches. The progressive technology from Lotus Engineering gives the car an
advanced drivetrain that can be operated in Zero Emissions EV mode or run on
its flex-fuel engine. As you would expect from Lotus, the City Car concept is an
exquisitely designed, highly efficient vehicle with class leading performance - in
this concept car, Lotus Design and Lotus Engineering have provided the
perfect solution for life in the contemporary city environment.?

The Evora S: ?It?s the next level of Evora experience. It communicates with
you better, the suspension setting has been fine tuned for added power and
control so it responds even more to direction. It?s an instinctive car, the
experience is pure. We were proud of the Evora but we?re even prouder of the
Evora S, I feel it does the Lotus experience true justice. The really great thing
is that as we move forward the standard Evora should also benefit from some
of these developments.?

The Evora IPS: ?The Evora IPS is set to broaden the appeal of the Evora and
reach out to a slightly different market. We hope it will be popular with
established automatic locations such as Asia, the Middle East and the US. It?s
been a long time since Lotus created an automatic and we?ve spent a great
deal of time refining this one to make sure that it perfectly complements the
Evora driving experience.?
The Magazine: ?In order to do our very special brand justice, just as with our
new cars, we?ve brought together the great and the good from the magazine
industry to bring you a work of reading glory, we?re not only a car magazine,
we?re a lifestyle choice and over the coming pages you?ll find a collection of
intriguing articles highlighting the very best of British culture accompanied by
fashion and sublime photography. The magazine isn?t a glorified sales pitch, it?s
the gateway to the new Lotus world, it?s a sneaky insight into our game plan.
Lotus rules apply. Come join us on our journey. Don?t be left behind.?
The Website: ?The website is our shop window to the world and should
provide the first taste of the new Lotus lifestyle. We have worked exceptionally
hard to make sure we achieve the perfect look and feel to match our new range
of cars ? people will visit www.lotuscars.com and find so much more than just a
website selling cars!?
The Merchandise: ?Welcome to the world of Lotus, where style is more than a
simple trend. As with our cars we aim to break new ground in traditional areas
offering an interpretation of Lotus lifestyle that is true to itself. Product is key.
The focus is on product uniqueness. Lotus is once more synonymous with
excellence. The product range reflects the diversity and values of the brand in
every detail. The Lotus merchandise collection reflects all facets of the brand in
three different lines: Originals, Heritage and Performance.?

Lotus Media Center