Lotus

Rare Ferraris, Bentleys, Astons & More at Gooding's Amelia Island Sale

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions, The Classicist

Ferraris, Bentleys, Astons and More at Gooding's Amelia Island Sale

Back in December my colleague Noah Joseph previewed some of the notable early consignments at Gooding & Company's Amelia Island sale. Now with the auction date of March 11 looming we have details on starring lots added in the interim. Recent additions to the stunning lineup include an extraordinary "barn find" 1955 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback with coachwork by H.J. Mulliner; a highly-original and unrestored 1961 Aston Martin DB4 Series IV; and a 1962 AC Cobra. They join other incredible offerings including a 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV Prototype, a 1963 Lotus 23B and a 1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso (above).

"A true connoisseur's car, the Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback has a place in the world's finest collections," says David Gooding, President and founder. "This recently-discovered, two-owner R-Type is the ultimate collector's Bentley for its role in luxury motoring history and sophisticated performance specification." Gooding have not released estimates for the Bentley or Miura, but expect the bidding to be fierce. Meanwhile the Aston Martin's estimate is $425,000 - $475,000; the AC Cobra $450,000 - $550,000; the Lotus $175,000 - $225,000; and the Ferrari 250 GT Lusso $600,000 - $750,000.

Gallery: Gooding & Co. Amelia Island 2011

1955 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback

Tags: AC Cobra, Amelia Island, Aston Martin, Aston Martin DB4, Bentley, car auction, classic cars, collector cars, Ferrari, Ferrari 250 GT, Gooding Company, Gooding and Co., Gooding and Company, Lamborghini, Lamborghini Miura, Lotus, luxury cars

Lotus Elise Club Racer

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

In addition to the Mansory Evora which Lotus will unveil at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, the British sportscar-maker will also lift the curtain on a new version of the Elise roadster called the Club Racer.

The stripped-out Elise sheds 52 pounds off its already spritely curb weight, and gets a new sport setting for the Dynamic Performance Management system, giving the driver-focused roadster an even bigger performance advantage. Pricing comes in at £27,500.

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Tags: 2011 geneva motor show, Elise, geneva, geneva 2011, geneva motor show, Lotus, Lotus Elise, Lotus Elise Club Racer

Lotus Evora by Mansory

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

With the Geneva Motor Show fast approaching, Lotus has announced a new version of the Evora. Made in partnership with the typically outlandish customizer Mansory, the special Evora is meant to demonstrate what the aftermarket has to offer its customers.

Little in the way of details were offered at this early juncture, but from the pair of photos released, it's clear that Mansory has outfitted the Evora with an array of carbon fiber parts and body panels.

Gallery: Lotus Evora by Mansory

Tags: 2011 geneva motor show, evora, geneva, geneva 2011, geneva motor show, lotus, lotus evora, mansory

Lotus to Launch Lotus Originals Lifestyle Brand

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Luxury Cars & Autos, Men's Style, The Classicist

Famed British sports car marque Lotus has a super-stylish history, with the likes of James Bond and Steve McQueen among its best known enthusiasts. Now the storied firm, founded in 1952 by Colin Chapman, is looking to reclaims some of that former glory with a new lifestyle brand set to launch in February. Dubbed Lotus Originals, the diverse offerings will include everything from leather jackets and blue blazers to bags and backgammon sets. The company's motor racing and sports car heritage were used as inspiration for the collection, with tire tread patterns, vintage Lotus logos, racing stripes, car silhouettes and numbers relating to the dates of famous Lotus racing victories of the 1960s and 70s appearing on certain items.

"Our goal with the Lotus Originals concept was to create a range of apparel and accessories that really capture the true spirit of our iconic British brand," notes Lotus' Wiebke Bauer. "Lotus Originals isn't just for traditional car enthusiasts, on some of the pieces the branding is very subtle allowing the style and quality to shine, so we hope that it will appeal to a much broader audience. We have developed a collection that is luxurious in a classic, understated way so it is easy to wear every day yet still make you feel part of our very special brand." The Lotus Originals collection will be launched exclusively online at www.lotusoriginals.com on February 23 during London Fashion Week with a London flagship store slated to open later in the year. Check out the gallery for a preview.

Gallery: Lotus Originals

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Tags: James Bond, London, Lotus, luxury cars, mens style, motor racing, sports car, Steve McQueen, UK

England's Finest at Gooding & Company's Amelia Island Auction

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

Last year at the Amelia Island auction, Gooding & Company auctioned off over $16 million in classic automobiles at the annual event, including a $2.75 million 1931 Voisin and a $1.7 million '61 Porsche RS61 Spyder formerly owned by Sir Stirling Moss. Next year's event is still months away, but early consignments are already coming in, shaping the event up to look like a veritable celebration of Britain's finest.

First up is a rare alloy-bodied 1949 Jaguar XK120, the first to come to the United States and the only one made in Blue Sheen paint, projected around the $375,000-$550,000. The 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Sedanca Drop Head Coupe pictured aboce, one of only four made with Gurney Nutting coachwork, is estimated to bring $400,000-$500,000. Finally comes a '62 Lotus 23B with considerable racing pedigree projected at around $200,000. With more consignments coming in, the auction is set to take place on Friday, March 11, 2011 at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation.

Gallery: Best of Britain at Gooding & Co. – Amelia Island 2011

Tags: 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Sedanca Drop Head Coupe, 1949 Jaguar XK120 Alloy, 1962 Lotus 23B, Amelia Island, auction, Gooding, Gooding and Company, Gooding Company, Jaguar, Jaguar XK120, Jaguar XK120 Alloy, Lotus, Lotus 23B, Rolls-Royce, Rolls-Royce Phantom II, Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Sedanca Drop Head Coupe

Lotus Steals the Show in Paris with Five New Concepts

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

A major international auto show like the one currently under way at the Port de Versailles in Paris is typically flush with exciting new debuts and concept cars to delight the senses. Some of them we know about in advance, while others come as a bit of a surprise. But Lotus caught the world completely off-guard at this year's salon by unveiling not one, not two, but five new vehicles. Each is styled around a common design ethos, and points the way forward for the British sportscar-maker. Follow the jump to see what they had in store for us.

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Tags: 2010 paris, 2010 paris auto salon, 2010 paris auto show, 2010 paris motor show, elise, esprit, lotus, lotus elan, lotus elan concept, lotus elise, lotus elise concept, lotus elite, lotus elite concept, lotus esprit, lotus esprit concept, lotus eterne, lotus eterne concept, paris, paris auto salon, paris auto show, paris motor show

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Osirec Ancient Egypt Themed Watches

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

New in 2010 is a watch brand started by two French brothers with a passion for Egypt called Osirec. The brand follows design themes set forth by ancient Egypt. As such, you'll find some popular ancient Egypt imagery on the interesting dials of their Lotus and Horus timepieces. This includes a periphery ring lined with hieroglyphics.

Aside from the artistic dials, the watches themselves have a classic sport style to them. Cases are steel and 42mm wide. Crystal is sapphire, and the cases are water resistant to 100 meters. Osirec interestingly uses very large chronograph pushers in addition to a nicely sized crown - though I would have liked the crown to have some thematic imagery on it. Inside the watches are Swiss ETA 7750 automatic chronograph movements that have been decorated with perlage polishing.

The watches are available with and without rotating diver's bezels. Without a rotating bezel they have smooth polished bezels. Osirec watches come leather straps available in a few different colors. The brand will offer their full collection of timepieces online via their website. Price for Osirec Lotus and Horus watches will be about $2,000. Sales start online at the end of October, 2010.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: Orisec Ancient Egypt Themed Watches

Tags: ancient, egypt, egyptian, horus, lotus, orisec, review, watch, watches

Lotus Unveils Paris-Bound Elite

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Lotus is about to embark on a new direction,and this is the model which will spearhead it. Aptly called the Elite, this is a new kind of Lotus, and will debut at the upcoming Paris Auto Salon next week.

Unlike the brilliant, but cramped, mid-engined vehicles currently in the Lotus stable, the Elite is a commodious 2+2, its engine mounted up front, yet close to the vehicle's center, with a retractable hard-top. The 5-liter V8 comes from the Lexus IS F, providing enough power (611 horses, to be precise) to propel the Elite to 62 mph from a standstill in 3.6 seconds and on to a top speed approaching 200 mph.

Although this model – set to debut next week in Paris – is technically a concept, a production version is expected to arrive on market by 2014 with a £115,000 ($180k) price tag.

Gallery: Lotus Elite

Tags: 2010 paris auto salon, 2010 paris motor show, elite, lotus, lotus elite, paris, paris 2010, paris auto salon, paris motor show

Rumormill: Lotus Esprit Successor Could Debut at Paris with Lexus LFA engine

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

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On September 30 at 4:45 pm CET, Lotus will hold its biggest auto show press conference in many years at the Paris Motor Show. In addition to the new Evora S and automatic transmission versions, Lotus is expected to finally unveil the oft-delayed successor to the Esprit. For several years in the mid-2000s, there were rumors that Lotus would use a V8 from either Audi or BMW to power the new Esprit.

However, in recent years, Lotus has used Toyota engines exclusively in the Elise, Exige and now the Evora. It just so happens that Toyota has a new engine in its arsenal that would be ideally suited to a new supercar, the 552 horsepower 4.8-liter V10 from the recently launched Lexus LFA.

According to Inside Line, the V10 would power the premium version of the Esprit while base versions would use a variant of the 416 hp 5.0-liter V8 from the Lexus IS-F. Regardless of the engine choice the new Esprit and the Lotus brand as a whole are expected to move upmarket to compete with the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini.

[Source: Inside Line]

Tags: lotus, lotus esprit, lotus esprit lexus engine, lotus esprit lexus lfa v10, lotus esprit lfa v10, paris, paris motor show, Paris2010, ParisMotorShow

High-Output Lotus Evora S and Automatic to Debut at Paris Motor Show

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

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

Next month's Paris Motor Show will be one of the busiest events for Lotus in many years as it unveils two new variants of the Evora and at least one other car expected to be the all-new Esprit. Lotus has revealed details of the new S and IPS versions of the Evora ahead of the show. The Evora S is a higher-performance version of the recently introduced mid-engine sports car that bumps the 3.5-liter Toyota-built V6 from 276 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque up to 345 hp and 295 lb-ft.

In addition to the extra power, the S also gets an upgraded suspension for more precise handling and larger cross-drilled brake rotors to scrub off the speed when needed. A sport pack includes a driver controlled button to manage a bypass valve in the exhaust system and speed up the throttle response.

Anyone that's been paying attention to Lotus is undoubtedly aware that it mostly builds hard-car sports cars. Automatic transmissions have not been part of the Lotus lineup since the Elite was discontinued in 1982. The Intelligent Precision Shift (IPS) option adds a Toyota six-speed automatic modified with a Lotus-developed control system to the base Evora. Steering wheel mounted paddles provide the driver with full-manual control of the gearbox.

Gallery: Lotus Evora S and IPS

[Source: Lotus]

Tags: Lotus, Lotus Evora, lotus evora ips, lotus evora s, paris, paris motor show, Paris2010

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Lotus Offers Limited Edition F1-Style Racers for $1 Million Apiece

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Sports

Got a need for speed and a million bucks burning a hole in your pocket? Lotus has just the thing: a new limited edition Formula 1-style racecar for motorsports enthusiasts and gentleman racers. Just unveiled at the Monterey Motorsports Pre-Reunion in California, the Lotus Exos Type 125 is a Formula 1-inspired track car pairing F1 design and technology with a 650 hp Cosworth V8 engine. Only 25 examples will be built and sold at $1 million apiece, forming a new race league for owners that will also help Lotus develop a new F1 program. With a carbon fiber monocoque chassis and F1 styling, the car also features carbon ceramic brakes and carbon fiber pushrod suspension. Purchasers will be founding members of the exclusive Exos Club, which includes driver training overseen by a team of Lotus engineers, race drivers, mechanics, physical trainers and even physicians – just like the pros.

Tags: California, carbon fiber, Formula 1, Formula One, Lotus, Monterey, motor racing, motorsports, racecar, racing

Automotive Elegance at London's Salon Privé

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events

The Salon Privé, Europe's finest and largest dedicated display of supercars, exotics, classics and luxury goods set up English garden party style, graced the lawns of London's famed Hurlingham Club last week. An exclusive selection of luxury goods was on display alongside a seven-category Concours d'Elégance showcasing modern and classic motors. Jaguar made in impressive showing with a special marquee featuring many of the firm's iconic models in its 75-year history. Rolls-Royce exhibited the new Ghost alongside the Phantom and its new bespoke picnic set. Morgan showcased the Aero Supersports, Bentley showed off the new Muslanne, Aston Martin had a Rapide on display and Lotus brought along the Evora. Classic Ferraris, Alfa-Romeos, Bugattis and more rounded out the alluring eye candy to the obvious appreciation of a stylish audience.

Gallery: Salon Prive 2010

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Tags: Aston Martin, Bentley, classic cars, Concours delegance, Ferrari, Jaguar, London, Lotus, luxury goods, Rolls-Royce, Salon Privé, supercar, UK

The Classicist: Caracalla Bagaglio Commemorative Motorsport Collection

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Men's Style, The Classicist

Caracalla Bagaglio Commemorative Motorsport Collection

Simon Jordan takes his supercars seriously. He is the director of Cortese, an independent Ferrari and Maserati showroom located in Bath, UK on the Priston Mill Estate, where you can pick up an F430, Testarossa or GranSport as well as classic and racing models. It also houses his vast collection of Ferrari and Maserati memorabilia, including a library of books, pictures and models dating back to 1947. For Jordan, thoroughbred automobiles are a way of life. Hence he has also created Caracalla Bagaglio, a line of Italian leather goods designed to complement the world's greatest cars. The line takes its name from the Terme di Caracalla race circuit in Rome, where Ferrari won its first race in 1947, and its main range is the Commemorative Motorsport Collection featuring leather bags and holdalls dedicated to pivotal moments in racing history.

Skilled artisans hand make each bag in Tuscany from the finest leather in a process of craftsmanship passed down over generations. Each piece relates to the history of famous race car marques, drivers and racing numbers, and are endorsed by racing legends such as Sir Stirling Moss, Niki Lauda and Emerson Fittipaldi. Each piece closely matches the color (interior or exterior) and racing livery of the car it's designed to celebrate. The Moss No. 7 bag (priced at £295) for example, commemorates Sir Stirling Moss's victory at Goodwood in 1961 driving the legendary Ferrari 250 SWB bearing the number 7, Moss' favorite. Finished in dark blue leather to match the original paintwork it features Moss' official signature embossed into the white center panel, and Moss himself owns one of the bags.

Gallery: Caracalla Bagaglio Motorsport Collection

JPS Fittipaldi No. 6 (1972 'Type 72' Lotus F1)

Cortese 56 (1947-2007 Ferrari 60th Anniversary)

Tags: bags, Caracalla Bagaglio, Ferrari, Italy, Jaguar, Le Mans, leather, leather goods, leathergoods, Lotus, Maserati, motor racing, motorsports, Porsche, racecar, racing, Simon Jordan, Sir Stirling Moss, Stirling Moss, supercar, Tuscany, UK

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Caterham Seven Lambretta Special Edition

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Few icons are as quintessentially British as the Union Jack and the Caterham Seven. Originally engineered by Lotus, the 7 is still built by British sportscar-maker Caterham, and has now been outfitted for a special edition by British fashion house Lambretta.

The special Seven features a Union Jack motif, complemented inside by a red, white and blue color scheme. Power comes from a modest 1.6-liter Ford inline-four with 125 horsepower driving through a five-speed manual transmission. Which may not sound like much, but given the Caterham's low curb weight, it's still enough to drive it to 60 in six seconds flat.

The Caterham Seven Lambretta Special Edition sells in the UK for £26,995, equivalent to about $42k.

Tags: 7, caterham, caterham 7, caterham seven, caterham seven lambretta special edition, lambretta, lotus, lotus 7, lotus seven, seven, special edition

Hennessey Introduces the Venom GT

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The Lotus Elise is one of the most nimble, agile sportscars on the market. The one thing keeping it from taking on the big boys is a relative lack of power: the smallest of sportscars from Lotus use small Toyota-sourced four-cylinder engines. Leave it to Hennessey to find the solution.

The American tuning house best known for modifying Dodge Vipers to 1000+ horsepower capacities has just rolled out the Venom GT. Work starts with the Lotus chassis, which is chopped up and reformed with a longer wheelbase capable of accommodating a much larger engine. A Corvette engine, in this case: to be specific, the supercharged LS9 V8 from the all-conquering Corvette ZR1. Hennessey then further tunes the engine to 725 horsepower, with the addition of a pair of turbochargers bringing output up to 1000 or 1200 horsepower, according to the buyer's specifications.

The power is handled by a six-speed manual transmission, programmable traction control and a fully adjustable suspension, and kept in check by massive 15-inch carbon-ceramic brakes. Only ten units will be built each year, starting at $630,000.

Gallery: Hennessey Venom GT