-
4 Attachment(s)
Lotus Elite Concept 2010
2014 Lotus Elite
The Lotus Elite name has been used for three vehicles from Lotus Cars.
[URL="http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/showthread.php?p=401081"]Lotus Elite type 14 158-1963[/URL]
[URL="http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/showthread.php?p=986135"]Lotus Elite type 75 and 83 1974-1982[/URL]
[COLOR="Red"]Lotus Elite Prototype 2010[/COLOR]
[quote]….enjoy the new British Expression of Exclusivity
Ten days ahead of the official unveil at the Paris Motor Show the sun starts to rise for the dawn of Lotus’ new era - the Elite will redefine “modern classic”.
So here it is, the Lotus Elite, the first taste of what’s to come from Lotus in the future. Look up elegant in the dictionary and you’ll find variations on the following 1. dignified grace in appearance, movement, or behaviour, 2. superb taste in design, style and 3. something elegant; the ultimate refinement.
The ground-breaking new Elite is exactly that. It’s compact yet chic body is elegance incarnate. It’s not only exquisitely elegant, in keeping with Lotus’ core values, it’s a car of substance incorporating some of the very latest technological innovations Lotus has to offer. The slick retractable hard top version and the optional use of hybrid technology with KERS are typical examples of Lotus tailoring technology to deliver perfect performance.
Dany Bahar, CEO of Group Lotus said: “There’s no denying that the Elite is breathtakingly beautiful to look at but it’s so much more than that, it’s a car that over delivers in all other aspects as well. One could say it’s a car of perfect contradictions, it’s compact yet spacious, high performing yet low emitting, 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.
“Make no mistake, there’s a definite market requirement for the Elite – it’s the ultimate sports car feel with comfort and space. 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. It’s worth noting this sector has been very successful for us in the past and now the Elite raises the benchmark higher still.”
Set for release in spring 2014, this is an innovative, exciting GT that will set a new benchmark in design, performance and emissions. And it’s not all about sleek lines and stunning bodywork with this particular 2+2, what hides beneath this shark like exterior perfectly does the aesthetics justice. A front-mid positioned 5.0l V8 engine delivering up to 620 PS meaning drivers can expect to go from 0-100 km/h in approximately 3.5 to 3.7 seconds.
Elite Specification (Production Intent Prototype)
Layout: 2+2 seater, front-mid-engined, rear wheel drive
Dimensions: Length: 4.60m
Width: 1.90m
Height: 1.32m
Engine: Petrol, hybrid optional
Hybrid technology: Hybrid gearbox with integrated electric motors and KERS
Cylinder: V8
Capacity: 5.0 litre
Power/Torque: 620 PS / 720 Nm
Rev limit: 8,500 rpm
0-100 km/h: 3.5 to 3.7 seconds
Top speed: 315 km/h
CO2 approx (CO2/km): 215 g/km (Using optional hybrid)
Weight: 1,650 kg
Seats: 2+2
Transmission: Full Hybrid transmission
Drive: RWD
Start of production: Early 2014
Enters the market: Spring 2014
Price indication: Circa L115,000[/quote]
-
Welp, that's Lotus ruined. And to make matters worse, they've urinated on the original Elite from a great height.
See also: [URL="http://sniffpetrol.com/2010/09/20/lotus-announces-new-idea/"]Sniff Petrol[/URL].
-
From Lotus perfection:
[quote]Weight: 503.5 kg[/quote]
To weird '70s 'excess':
[quote]Weight: 975 kg[/quote]
to...
[quote]Weight: 1,650 kg[/quote]
[quote][size="5"]Weight: 1,650 kg[/size][/quote]
[quote][SIZE="7"]Weight: 1,650 kg[/size][/quote]
!!!
How the mighty have fattened.
-
Well that's sad, i was kind of exited while looking for the weight and then - 1650kg! WHAT?
-
Thats the Hybrid technology kicking in then. Surely it'd be more fuel efficient if you removed the 300kg of heft that a Hybrid system adds.
Having said that, It's a nice looking car, Comparisons with the Celica aside, it should be a winrar.
-
It looks nice, kinda like an Aston with some Mazda or Maser or something mixed in....
but yeah, 1600+ kg is stupid for anything with Lotus name on it...
-
[quote=IBrake4Rainbows;948495]Thats the Hybrid technology kicking in then. Surely it'd be more fuel efficient if you removed the 300kg of heft that a Hybrid system adds.[/quote]
That and the retractable hardtop. Theyr'e calling both of those things optional in the bumf, which makes me wonder if the porky weight figure is with or without.. Hopefully with, obviously.
-
[quote=f6fhellcat13;948486]From Lotus perfection:
To weird '70s 'excess':
to...
!!!
How the mighty have fattened.[/quote]
In my book, that's still lighter than anything in the 600 hp league. I understand your complaints, though.
-
[quote=Commodore GS/E;948515]In my book, that's still lighter than anything in the 600 hp league. I understand your complaints, though.[/quote]
No it isn't.
Macs, Zondas, Enzos and Carrera GTs amongst others disagree.
In any case, not interested at all in this.
-
Unless he meant "GTs" Which this would be consider as "light". I am pretty sure 599s or DBS of the world are over 4000lbs..
-
I think that (officially) the 599 GTB is 1620kg. I'm pretty confident that the Aston is quite a lot heavier though.
-
It's ok, nice and sleek but it seems to lack that wow factor that should come w/ a car w/ that much power. Confused why they used the Elite namesake tho, waaaaaayyyy to big and heavy as others have mentioned.
-
[quote=Commodore GS/E;948515]In my book, that's still lighter than anything in the 600 hp league. I understand your complaints, though.[/quote]
zr1?
I agree with the detractors. This is not what made me fall in love with lotus. And frankly, most supercar buyers dont give a crap about fuel economy. Lotus' cars in the past weren't light for fuel economy purposes, they were light because lighter is faster and fuel economy was just a convenient side effect of lightness.
I love the fact that lotus is providing this car with adequate power compared to its competition (cough evora cough) but besides that, I'm very disappointed with this car and if this is the direction that lotus is heading, im very disappointed in that also.:(
-
The Evora is getting a supercharger, so that should help. What's really bumming me out is that this probably means there's no new Esprit coming... :(
-
Ye of little faith. the Evora is a bit of a disappointment, and it's unlikely they'll abandon the Mid-Engine layout for a while. This is complimentary, not either or.
-
This car may be good, but it won't be a good Lotus.
-
[quote=Ferrer;948519]No it isn't.
Macs, Zondas, Enzos and Carrera GTs amongst others disagree.
In any case, not interested at all in this.[/quote]
You don't even have to go that exotic. Since when have American cars (Corvette and Viper) become the light weights? Compared to a [I]Lotus[/I]?
And it's not even a real 4 seater for that weight, it's described as just a 2+2. A Mustang GT weighs less and gives you 4 full seats. Granted there's a bit less power, but it also costs a heck of a lot less if this is aimed at the 6 series.
This is worse than a porsche SUV. This is... [I]wrong[/I].
-
Yeah it's heavy. It's not an elise or exige. Its more in the Esprit line of lotus. Hopefully they do come up with a successor to the lightweight hornet themed cars, since this isn't, but I think on it's own, it's a worthy car.
-
They are supposedly moving upmarket, so the lightweight cars of the past may be going by the wayside. Sad times indeed. Hopefully they keep a model or two light for the pure and Locust...isti.
-
I was hoping they were making a new Esprit... a new light weight super car... something like a Gallardo/458 Italia competitor, not a big GT... kinda disappointed.
-
[quote=Kitdy;948581]They are supposedly moving upmarket, so the lightweight cars of the past may be going by the wayside. Sad times indeed. Hopefully they keep a model or two light for the pure and Locust...isti.[/quote]
The problem with that is they never do. As the rest of the brand moves upmarket they never keep selling something as pure as the earlier cars.
-
[quote=wwgkd;948592]The problem with that is they never do. As the rest of the brand moves upmarket they never keep selling something as pure as the earlier cars.[/quote]
Porsche has the GT3 still.
-
[quote=digitalcraft;948574]Yeah it's heavy. It's not an elise or exige. Its more in the Esprit line of lotus. Hopefully they do come up with a successor to the lightweight hornet themed cars, since this isn't, but I think on it's own, it's a worthy car.[/quote]
The Esprit never weighted more than 1350kg. Even with a twin turbo V8.
-
[quote=Kitdy;948593]Porsche has the GT3 still.[/quote]
Which is heavier and available with a lot more luxury items than earlier models. Plus I'm not convinced the next model will survive as well as this one. I think the fact that this engine isn't compatible with the PDK may have helped the cause.
Edit: Also, the 911 hasn't really made a huge move upmarket, and the GT3 has been the homologation model for a while. Which probably helped dampen the corpusculence a bit.
-
As Wouter's article says, it's a rival for the 6-series, which is about the same weight. Hardly heavy for its class, and a god-damn miracle for a hybrid.
And then look at it in perspective and you'll realise how anal you're all being:
The Elise S2 is 65% heavier than the Lotus Elan S1.
The new Elite is 57% heavier than the previous Elite.
Yes. New cars are going to be heavier (Safety, Emissions regs etc etc). Because of these regulations it is unavoidable. And yes, a car with a 600bhp engine is going to be heavier than a car with a 2-litre engine. You can't make a sports tourer with a tiny little torqueless engine because of the compulsory weight of airbags etc etc. And unfortunately there isn't a market for a sports tourer which has little torque, a 120mph terminal speed and a slightly over-average acceleration (ie. hot hatch, low-end saloon territory) when in the same bracket you can get a 180mph German luxury car.
Making a lightweight sports tourer today would result in a car which was below average in every field. And not making a sports tourer at all would put Lotus in the same predicament as TVR.
-
Never let the facts get in the way of nostalgic bollocking, :Exige:.
Nothing will ever be as good as it once was, back in my day, etc...
-
[quote=IBrake4Rainbows;948615]Never let the facts get in the way of nostalgic bollocking, :Exige:.
Nothing will ever be as good as it once was, back in my day, etc...[/quote]
But bitching about Lotus is very much like punching my metaphorical child in the face. In return, I stick my metaphorical genitalia of knowledge through your letter-box and piss luke-warm facts onto your carpet.
-
My letter box isn't in my front door, but now my phone bill is all soggy and suspiciously warm.
Thanks for that.
-
[quote=:Exige:;948616]But bitching about Lotus is very much like punching my metaphorical child in the face. In return, I stick my metaphorical genitalia of knowledge through your letter-box and piss luke-warm facts onto your carpet.[/quote]
Glorious.
-
[quote=:Exige:;948614]And then look at it in perspective and you'll realise how anal you're all being:
The Elise S2 is 65% heavier than the Lotus Elan S1.
The new Elite is 57% heavier than the previous Elite.[/quote]
That's one way of looking at it.
Another way of looking at is comparing contemporary Lotuses (Loti?) with competition. Offhand, I'd say the Elise is quite light compared to it's competition, the Elite is well... Probably light for a GT hybrid, but compared to straight up non-hybrid GTs? Not ultralight.
Also, consider that the S1 Elan began production in 1967, while the old Elite Type 75 began production in 1974, when cars were getting fatter. I don't know if that's a fair comparison is what I am saying.
I see your point, but it isn't so clear cut I don't think - I would say there are flaws in my argument as well. I mean, I can understand why people are upset about this.
The idea that Lotus is moving upmarket, away from their tradition is not what the Lotus faithful want.
-
I read elsewhere that the weight figure is without the optional hybrid system. Not sure about the fancy sliding roof.
-
I'm sorry but modern trends or not a [I]non-light[/I] Lotus is like a reliable Alfa Romeo.
It just doesn't make sense at all.
-
But those qualities are also incompatible with modern car sales and development.
a 2-tonne lotus (if the hybrid system is not included as part of the weight measurement) is a travesty, punch in the face and piss in the letter box, nonwithstanding, thats a travesty on a Bentley, for christ sake.
-
For a car that sexy I dont care what badge it wears.
-
[quote=:Exige:;948614] And yes, a car with a 600bhp engine is going to be heavier than a car with a 2-litre engine. [/quote]
it wouldn't need 600hp if it wasn't so heavy
/catch22
-
What about a 2 litre engine with 600Hp?
What then?
-
-
Sorry right, Keep forgetting some people care about logetivity.
IT doesn't cross the mind of an import jockey.
-
because imports break so much anyway? :p
-