Reborn Lotus Esprit could have 375kW hybrid V6

Thursday, 19 March 2020

Watch Lotus launch its first all-new car in more than a decade - the $3.1 million Evija all-electric hypercar.

The successor to the Esprit badge has been linked with a hybrid V6 powerplant using Japanese and Swedish technology.

Long-time partner Toyota will supply the 3.5-litre V6, while Geely family member Volvo will help out with the electrification side of things. Seems like a strange way to go about it to us, why not use Toyota technology the whole way or, alternatively, eke some more watts out of Volvo's twincharged T8 powertrain?

In any case, a report from Autocar UK reckons the modern Esprit could take power over the 375kW mark and be the last car to be based on the aging Evora platform. It will slot in above the Evora, rather than directly replace it.

This is the Esprit Concept from 2010, which was meant to be powered by a Toyota V8 and go on sale in 2013. It never happened but it's not terrible on the eyes, is it?

It's unclear how electrified the new model will be but Lotus will use knowledge gained from the all-electric Evija hypercar to extract as much performance as possible while keeping kerb weight down. It is also unknown if the Toyota combustion engine will be naturally aspirated or feature forced induction.

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The new Esprit will be a mid-engined two-seater with a decent amount of interior space to create the most 'usable Lotus on sale.' Regardless of how usable it might be, it will still be a dab hand on the racetrack, being a Lotus and all.

Interestingly, the report didn't say if the 'Esprit' badge will actually be used on the new model. In any case, the car will represent a spiritual successor if not direct.

Lotus had previously revealed an Esprit concept at the Paris Motor Show in 2010, with intent to sell in 2013, but it never happened. That model would have arrived with a supercharged Toyota 5.0-litre V8 making 410kW in base form and as much as 462kW in the Esprit R. It remains to be seen if the new hybrid model will end up matching those outputs or not.

We should see the car in the first half of 2021 as the first new Lotus since the the Evora. It will bridge the gap between the older models still on sale and all-new cars developed from the ground up. These models could include a revived Elan as well as models in other segments, like the much-discussed Lotus SUV.