Tag: lotus

Lotus Cars and Lotus F1 embroiled in naming rights dispute

Filed under: Motorsports, Government/Legal, Lotus

Stick with us here, because this is going to get a little complicated. We have on the one hand Lotus Cars and Group Lotus. On the other we have the current Lotus F1 team. The former – producers of such sportscars as the Elise and the new Elite – is owned by Malaysian state automaker Proton. The former is also Malaysian-owned, but by businessman Tony Fernandes (pictured above, owner also of Air Asia), and uses the name Lotus under license from Proton.

Still with us? Hold on. We recently reported that the F1 team that currently runs as Lotus Racing was switching its name to Team Lotus. That name, which was used on the famous grand prix team of yore, was claimed by one David Hunt (brother of the late world champion James Hunt), who acquired many of the assets of the old team. Fernandes wanted to bridge that gap, and acquired those rights from Hunt. Thing is, Group Lotus (the automaker and engineering firm, not the F1 team) disputed Hunt’s claim on the name in the first place.

As a result, Proton has now terminated its licensing agreement with Fernandes, demanding that his outfit cease using the Lotus name – in any permutation, be it Lotus Racing, Team Lotus or any derivation thereof. Fernandes, girded by his rights acquisition, isn’t likely to back down, and we’re smelling a messy legal battle ensuing. So keep your eyes peeled on this space, and follow the jump for official statements from both outfits.

[Source: Lotus | Image: SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty]

Continue reading Lotus Cars and Lotus F1 embroiled in naming rights dispute

Lotus Cars and Lotus F1 embroiled in naming rights dispute originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Trio of FIA GT4 Lotus racers at the ‘Ring

Filed under: Motorsports, Convertible, Performance, Videos, Lotus, Racing

Lotus 2-11 at speed on Nurburgring

Lotus running the FIA GT4 Championship at The ‘Ring – Click above to watch videos after the jump

PistonClash Productions has done its thing at the Nürburgring again, this time capturing some of the best of Lotus racing the FIA GT4 Championship. A pair of 2-Elevens and an Evora play the starring roles, with the sounds of race exhaust, rain, passing and a little bit of driver commentary for support.

You’ll find a teaser, a short and a ten-minute doc after the jump. Enjoy. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

[Source: PistonClash via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Trio of FIA GT4 Lotus racers at the ‘Ring

Video: Trio of FIA GT4 Lotus racers at the ‘Ring originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lotus gifts Toyota an Elise with last 2ZZ engine

Filed under: Japan, Lotus, Toyota

Lotus CEO Dany Bahar presents Akio Toyoda with a Lotus Elise R – Click for high-res gallery

The last Toyota 2ZZ-GE VVTLi four cylinder engine has been built, and Lotus got it. Lotus CEO Dany Bahar and Toyota Motor Corporation president Akio Toyoda came together at the British Embassy in Tokyo for a celebration where Toyota was presented with an Elise R carrying the engine by Bahar. The shindig marks a new chapter in the two companies’ partnership, one that will allow Lotus to create powertrains that are more exclusively its own in future cars with the continued cooperation of Toyota.

Designed for Toyota by Yamaha, the 2ZZ-GE engine owed a lot to motorcycle engine practice, and the wide-angled valves and variable valve timing and lift system enabled the high-revving engine to develop 100 horsepower per liter, and even more when supercharged. Power levels floated between 160-180 hp naturally aspirated and as much as 250 when supercharged and intercooled.

The question now is what engine Lotus and Toyota will cook up to take the place of the 2ZZ-GE, now that its veteran power unit has been retired. We should find out more on that front at the upcoming Paris Motor Show. Follow the jump to see the press release.

Gallery: Lotus gets the last Toyota 2ZZ-GE engine

[Source: Lotus]

Continue reading Lotus gifts Toyota an Elise with last 2ZZ engine

Lotus gifts Toyota an Elise with last 2ZZ engine originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Goodbye Lotus Racing-Cosworth, hello Team Lotus-Renault

Filed under: Motorsports, Lotus, Renault, Racing


Lotus-Cosworth T127 – Click above for high-res image gallery

What’s in a name? Maybe not as much as there is in an engine, but given its misfortunes so far this season, the Lotus F1 team is on the verge of changing both.

One of three new entries on the grid, Lotus has – like HRT and Virgin – failed to score a single championship point so far this season. Some of the races it has failed to start, others it has failed to finish, but of those completed, Lotus has yet to place better than 13th. That’s still better than either HRT or Virgin could manage, but Lotus is determined to do better next year, and to that end is making a couple of changes.

Despite a three-year contract with Cosworth – the engine supplier also powering the aforementioned other newcomers as well as Williams – the first of the changes will have Lotus switching to Renault motivation for next season. Notwithstanding some noteworthy reliability issues, Renault-powered cars (including front-runners Red Bull) have fared far better than those employing Cosworth engines.

The other big change may seem less substantive, but was probably just as complicated to orchestrate. Dropping the Lotus Racing moniker currently in use, the team is set to switch to the Team Lotus name for next season. What’s the difference, you ask? Team Lotus was the name used during the (previous) team’s heyday, when the likes of Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Stirling Moss, Emerson Fittipaldi, Mario Andretti, Nigel Mansell, Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet drove the iconic green-and-yellow (and even more iconic black-and-gold) cars to 79 checkered flags and seven world championships. The name belonged in the interim to David Hunt, brother of the late world champion James Hunt, but has now been acquired by the Malaysian outfits backing the new Lotus team.

Gallery: Lotus T127 launch

[Source: Autosport (1) (2)]

Goodbye Lotus Racing-Cosworth, hello Team Lotus-Renault originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Sep 2010 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Lotus bringing a pair of front-engine hybrids to Paris Motor Show

Filed under: Hybrid, Paris Motor Show, Lotus

Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid

Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery

In addition to the pair of Evoras being introduced at this year’s Paris Motor Show, Lotus will also be unveiling two front-engine hybrid vehicles, in keeping with the automaker’s promise to offer more gasoline/electric sports cars. Edmunds’ Green Car Advisor reports that one of these hybrid cars will be a four-door hatchback and the other will be a two-door coupe.

Lotus debuted its hybrid concept earlier this year in the form of the Evora 414E Hybrid (pictured), but unlike the mid-engine concept, the two front-engine models will utilize a 47-horsepower 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine specifically designed to provide power to electric-drive hybrids.

We’ll have the full details direct from the Paris show later this month, so stay tuned.

Gallery: Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid

[Source: Green Car Advisor]

Report: Lotus bringing a pair of front-engine hybrids to Paris Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #193 – Hot Mustangs, Volt Mileage, 1 Series M, Mazda design and Lotus Evoras

Filed under: Aftermarket, Podcasts, Etc., BMW, Chevrolet, GM, Honda, Lexus, Mazda

Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!

Chris, Sam, Alex and Dan convene for Episode #193 of the Autoblog Podcast. We cover the Ford Boss Mustang and Roush supercharger package, the latest Chevrolet Volt fuel economy dust-up, the BMW 1 Series M Coupe, Mazda’s apparent new design language and the Lotus Evora S and Evora IPS. We finish it off by talking about snow tires, that most summery of topics. It’s an a quick 51 minutes, See you next week!

Autoblog Podcast #193 – Hot Mustangs, Volt Mileage, 1 Series M, Mazda design and Lotus Evoras

In the Autoblog Garage:

Honda CRZ
Lexus RX450h

News:

  • BMW 1 Series M Coupe
  • Volt sub-30 mpg claim
  • Mazda Shinari concept
  • Roush Mustang supercharger
  • Lotus Evora S and IPS

Hosts:
Dan Roth, Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Shunk, Alex Nunez

Runtime: 50:59

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Review the show in iTunes and take our survey

Autoblog Podcast #193 – Hot Mustangs, Volt Mileage, 1 Series M, Mazda design and Lotus Evoras originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lotus Evora GT4 and Cup cars take to the ‘Ring and Laguna

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Lotus, Racing

Lotus Evora Cup Car GT4 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Lotus has set about proving that the Evora is more than just a pretty face, just recently putting its Evora Cup GT4 and 2-Eleven GT4 racers through their paces at the infamous Nürburgring and most recently at Laguna Seca. Both cars were hooned ’round the Green Hell by none other than Olie Hancock, the Lotus rookie test driver. The company didn’t release any lap times for either car, but we’re guessing the two are plenty quick. Lotus has entered the Evora Cup GT4 in the European GT4 Championship, where it will campaign against the best and brightest of the sports car world.

In order to get the car fit for battle, the company trimmed a total of 441 pounds from the car’s curb weight, landing the track-going Evora at just 2,623 pounds. Throw in a 360 horsepower V6 and you’ve got yourself a recipe for tarmac glory.

Meanwhile, a total of four 2-Eleven GT4 racers will be entered into the same championship, two of which will be campaigned by NFS Racing Dubai. The other two will be flying under the Scuderia Giudici banner – the team that currently leads the GT4 Super Sports category.

Hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: Lotus Evora Cup GT4 Race Car

[Source: Lotus]

Continue reading Lotus Evora GT4 and Cup cars take to the ‘Ring and Laguna

Lotus Evora GT4 and Cup cars take to the ‘Ring and Laguna originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Lotus Esprit to use LFA V10, V8 in lesser spec

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Paris Motor Show, Lotus, Rumormill, Luxury

Lexus LFA engine

Now this is a rumor. According to the crafty crew at Inside Line, Lotus is set to release details on its planned resurrection of the long-dead Esprit at this year’s Paris Motor Show. Even better? There’s some indication that the top-of-the-line model may pack the same heavenly V10 found in the current Lexus LFA. Oh yes, we’re excited. Inside Line spoke with someone at Lexus who’s cozy with the deal who hinted that the 552-horsepower 10-pot would find its way into the car in order to help it better compete with the likes of Ferrari. That’s right, kids; Lotus is movin’ on up.

There’s also word that lower-rung trims will receive the same 5.0-liter V8 found in the Lexus IS-F. With 416 horsepower, that lump is no slouch. Both engine choices would seem to dovetail with the close partnership we’ve seen between Lotus and Lexus parent company Toyota in the past, and with new Lotus CEO Dany Bahar (formerly of Ferrari) clamoring for ever more powerful, upscale models, all of the puzzle pieces seem to be falling into place.

Still, that’s almost way too much awesome for most manufacturers to handle. Fortunately, the Paris show is just a handful of weeks away, so we should know which parts of this rumor are solid in short order.

[Source: Inside Line]

Rumormill: Lotus Esprit to use LFA V10, V8 in lesser spec originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lotus reveals Evora S and Evora IPS ahead of Paris debut

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Paris Motor Show, Lotus

lotus evora s

Lotus Evora S and Evora IPS – Click above for high-res image gallery

Not long after Lotus accidentally leaked its plans to unveil two new Evoras at this year’s Paris Motor Show, we now have the full details weeks before the dynamic duo make their public debut. The Evora S and IPS (which stands for “Intelligent Precision Shift” or “automatic transmission” in layman’s terms) will nicely fill out the Evora range, and we’re aching to get our hands on the former.

For the Evora S, Lotus has tweaked the Toyota-sourced 3.5-liter V6 to produce 345 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque – gains of 69 hp and 37 lb-ft over the standard car. The run from 0-60 happens in just 4.8 seconds and top speed has been raised to 172 miles per hour. What’s more, the Evora S comes standard with a sport button that allows the driver to control the throttle response and activate an exhaust bypass valve. On top of that, pressing the magic switch increases the rev limiter and changes the stability control settings, and we imagine that the end result is more than pulse-quickening.

On the tamer side of things, Lotus is also offering the Evora IPS with its new six-speed automatic transmission, featuring both fully automatic and manual shift modes. The two-pedal Evora uses paddle shifters to control gear selection, and buttons are housed on the center console to switch between the standard PRND drive modes. Power has not been changed for the Evora IPS, and thankfully, Lotus has managed to develop a slushbox that doesn’t add any weight to the Evora. After all, lightness is key.

We anticipate a full raft of high-resolution photos to be released closer to the official Paris show debut, but for now, scroll through the small gallery below and follow the jump to read the official release from Lotus.

Gallery: Lotus Evora S and Evora IPS

[Source: Lotus]

Continue reading Lotus reveals Evora S and Evora IPS ahead of Paris debut

Lotus reveals Evora S and Evora IPS ahead of Paris debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Lotus Evora S looks great in red

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Paris Motor Show, Lotus

Lotus Evora S – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Paris Motor Show in just over a month is shaping up to the be one of the biggest shows for Lotus in many decades. While the highlight is expected to be a new supercar successor to the departed Esprit, it apparently won’t be alone. At least two additional occupants of the Lotus stand have been accidentally confirmed, including an Evora Automatic and a hotted-up Evora S.

This second iteration of the newest Lotus is expected to receive a supercharger bolted to its 3.5-liter Toyota V6 boosting it up to 350 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque. The brakes and thermal requirements of the base Evora have reportedly been sized for more powerful models so they won’t need upgrading for the S.

A prototype of what’s believed to be the Evora S was caught outside the Nürburgring this week preparing for its public debut. The only notable visual difference for the S appears to be a more prominent rear diffuser. Check out the little red devil by taking a closer look at our high-res gallery below.

Gallery: Spy Shots: Lotus Evora S

[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: Lotus Evora S looks great in red originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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