Lotus was forced to axe the Lotus Elise and Exige from the U.S. lineup due to the expiration of a smart-airbag exemption and the discontinuance of its Toyota-derived 1.8-liter motor. After producing a couple farewell packages, Lotus unveiled a revised Exige S for the European marketplace that features a Lotus Evora S-derived 3.5-liter supercharged V-6 producing 345 hp—nearly 100 more horsepower than the Exige S260. It appears the Europeans won’t get all the fun as Lotus has confirmed with us that the new Exige will be coming stateside as a track-only car featuring full roll cage, racing seats and harness, electrical cut-off switch, et cetera and will be priced in the area of $85,000–$90,000.

Despite being 300 pounds heavier than its predecessor, the new Exige S is expected to get to 60 mph from a stop in as little as 3.8 seconds and hit a top speed around 170 mph. This is a few ticks of the stopwatch faster in the zero-to-60-mph time and a massive 20 mph faster in top speed compared to the outgoing car. In addition, the car also features a Dynamic Performance Management (DPM) system with three distinct driving modes: Touring, Sport, and stability control off. We also anticipate the Race Pack function to come stateside, offering a launch control system and optimized track-suspension setting for better traction out of corners.

Follow the jump to read more about the 2012 Lotus Exige.S.

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As a special tribute to the Lotus-Renault Formula One racecar, Lotus will offer a special Evora limited to just three units. Mixing black, gold, and red to form a striking design, the Lotus Evora Grand Prix (GP) is based off the sporty 345-hp Evora S. It comes standard with the Premium Pack in SeudeTex, Tech pack, reverse camera, and special rims. The car will cost £69,950 plus delivery in the U.K., £7,500 more than a base Evora S.

[via AutoCar]

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Lotus will bring its City Car concept to the U.S. market under the Ethos name for around $45K in the not-too-distant future. Although no final dates were provided, we think it will be after 2012, in late 2013, maybe even as as a 2014 model. First shown at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, the City Car concept was designed to compete with Aston Martin Cygnet and other upscale city cars.

Lotus is currently contemplating two power plants. A series hybrid powertrain like the concept or fully electric motivation like the Nissan Leaf or Tesla Roadster. In the end, both may be available at different price points.

Follow the jump to read more about the Lotus Ethos.

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Due to Toyota's discontinuance of the 1.8-liter four-cylinder 2ZZ engine, the Lotus Elise and Exige will no longer be available in North America (although it will continue in other markets). Lotus is saying farewell to the Exige and Elise for North America with three limited Final Edition vehicles.

Lotus will say goodbye to the Elise with 15 Elise SC Final edition models. It features matte black details on the exterior and interior, a high level of standard equipment, and a base price of $57,500.



The Final Edition Exige models will be available in two basic color flavors: a Matte Black Final Edition and every-other-color S260 Final Edition. The Exige Matte Black Final Edition is equipped with the S260’s supercharged and intercooled 257-hp engine but wears an exclusive matte black paint finish and comes equipped with black Alacantara sport seats. It will be limited to 25 units at a base price of $69,900.



The 30 Exige S260 Final Edition units will come in the full array of Lotus exterior colors and be priced from $67,500.

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A collaboration between Lotus and Mansory brings us a highly customized Evora. It is not the extreme facelift for the Evora that was being rumored on the Internet.

The Lotus web site has been completely revamped in preparation of the "new era" of cars it will be offering. We also found a few new photos of the five concepts it unveiled at the Paris Motor Show. Follow the links to view all the Lotus Elite pictures, Lotus Eterne pictures, Lotus Esprit pictures, Lotus Elan pictures, and Lotus Elise pictures.

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Below is a video of the upcoming Lotus Elite driving with its top both up and down. Read about the 2014 Lotus Elite here.

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Lotus has taken the wraps off five new concept cars that it brought to the 2010 Paris Motor Show. The first one is the 2014 Lotus Elite, which we already covered; the other four are all new or totally revised models. We told you that a new flagship designed to run with the Lamborghini Gallardo and Ferrari 458 Italia was on its way from Lotus. The new Lotus Esprit Concept will see production for the 2013 model year and will cost somewhere near $175,000 to $200,000. It is powered by the 5.0-liter V-8 engine from the Lexus IS F, which has been placed behind the passenger’s cabin and supercharged to 620 hp. The two-seat 3,190-pound car can accelerate 0–60 mph in 3.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 205 mph. View more pictures of the Lotus Esprit Concept here.

Another car that is set for 2013 production is the Lotus Elan. Where the Lotus Esprit will compete with some of the most sought after cars this world currently has to offer, the Elan will go a little more downmarket and be priced at $118,000 to compete against the amazing but more everyday exotic offerings like the Porsche 911 Turbo and Maserati GranTurismo S. It weighs a skimp 2,849 pounds, is powered by a 450-hp supercharged 4.0-liter V-8, and switches gears via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The two-seat car can accelerate 0–60 mph in 3.5 seconds—same as the Lotus Esprit Concept—and on to a top speed of 193 mph—a bit less than the next flagship Lotus. View more pictures of the Lotus Elan Concept here.

The Lotus Elise Concept was the third new offering on the Lotus stand. It brings the least-expensive Lotus model to a whole new level of refinement and excitement. Besides its new sexy skin, the Lotus comes equipped with a 320-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine moving 2,409 pounds through either a six-speed manual transmission or paddle-shifted automatic. Lotus says it will go from a standstill up to 62 mph in 4.3 seconds. The Lotus Elise may see production as soon as 2015. View more pictures of the Lotus Elise Concept here.

The last new Lotus concept was the Eterne sedan. Offering seating and easy access for four people, the Eterne follows the Porsche Panamera and Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG Aston Martin Rapide into the four-door coupe marketplace with a price of $190,000. It is powered by a 620-hp 5.0-liter V-10, also found in the Lotus Esprit concept. Running through either the rear wheels or, as an option, all four wheels, it is good for 0–60 mph in 4.0 seconds and on to a top speed of 196 mph. A hybrid powertrain will be offered as an option. View more pictures of the Lotus Eterne Concept here.

If these concepts do move into production, it will spell a whole new era of expansion for the brand. It will allow the eccentric manufacturer to better compete against its more conventional rivals. It will also punish the Lotus faithful as they watch their once beloved nameplate move to more ergonomic and user-friendly offerings. What the new Lotus lineup could lose in out-of-this-world performance, extremely light weight, and panache it will make up for with more everyday usability and more widespread appeal.

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Lotus’s new Elite stems from a vow it recently made to build cars that will compete directly with Lamborghini and Ferrari. The rear-wheel-drive Lotus Elite is a 2+2 powered by a 5.0-liter V-8 engine from the Lexus IS F in a front-mid-engine layout for better weight distribution. The engine is connected to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission hiding electric motors and an optional F1 KERS-like system to enhance performance, increase fuel mileage, and provide an on-demand 50-hp boost. The Elite will produce 542 hp in normal trim and up to 612 hp (the same as the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano) in an anticipated R version. Lotus estimates that its new flagship will have a zero-to-62-mph time of 3.7 to 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 196 mph.

As the specs show, the Lotus Elite will be unlike any other Lotus model when it goes on sale in spring of 2014. It will be producing more much more horsepower than the Lotus Elite, Exige, or Evora. It will also weigh more than the other cars as well thanks in part to the concept’s retractable hardtop. The Lotus Elite will tip the scales at 3,638 pounds. That’s 500 more pounds than the base Evora and a whopping 1,600 pounds more than the Exige and Elise cars. It will also become Lotus’s longest model, stretching out 10 more inches than the 2+2 Evora. Although the Lotus Elite may bring new buyers to the brand, will its move away from extremely low-weight automobiles alienate current customers?

The styling of the Elite is a big step away from the characteristics found throughout the current Lotus lineup. Lotus is calling its new design elegant, explaining that it has a dignified design and is of ultimate refinement. Lotus hopes the Elite will impress people with its performance and captivate them with its looks. It will need to in order to compete with other cars priced near $180,000.

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Lotus’s plans to compete directly with Lamborghini and Ferrari will come to fruition very soon with the unveiling of a new high-performance supercar in the same league as the old Esprit. How soon? Just go to www.grouplotus.com to get the official countdown (almost exactly 17 days from now at the time of this writing). An engine (either another use for the V-10 found in the Lexus LFA or possibly a reworked 5.0-liter V-8 from the Lexus IS F) producing 500–600 hp and moving a normal Lotus low weight of a bit more than 3,000 pounds ensures its spot in the supercar world. Pricing will put it in the same league as the Ferrari 458 Italia, Lamborghini Gallardo, and McLaren MP4-12C. No word if the car will revive the Esprit nameplate.

[via InsideLine]

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