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Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid to Debut at Geneva Motor Show

Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid teaser – Click above to enlarge

Lotus has just formally introduced a new 400-plus horsepower sportscar concept. That news in and of itself would be enough to pique our interest, but the rest of the car's spec sheet makes the Evora 414E Hybrid an astonishingly intriguing concept vehicle. As you surely surmised by now, this two-seat sportster is a hybrid, specifically an extended-range electric vehicle that features a pair of rear-mounted electric motors and a 1.2-liter three-cylinder gas-powered engine. Why not fully electric? According to Lotus:

With regard to the total lifetime CO2 emissions of the vehicle, including the energy required to manufacture and run it, the range extender solution has a lower overall CO2 footprint than a fully electric car of comparable performance and operating range running with a larger battery.

That 47-horsepower gasoline engine never actually sends power directly to the Evora 414E Hybrid's wheels. Instead – as with other cars such as the 2011 Chevrolet Volt and the Fisker Karma – the mill is used to recharge the onboard 17 kilowatt-hour lithium polymer battery pack, which is centrally mounted down the middle of the car for optimal weight distribution. That battery pack can provide up to 35 miles of gasoline-free driving per full charge.

Because each rear wheel has a separate connection to its own electric motor, Lotus has programmed in torque vectoring for stability control of the vehicle. This means that a complex set of software algorithms can provide the same kind of benefits as rear-wheel steering and exaggerated toe-in without the expense or efficiency losses of a mechanical system. Each rear wheel puts down 204 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque.

Further, though the actual transmission has only one forward ratio, Lotus has programmed in seven artificial "gears" that the driver can row through via a set of column-mounted paddle shifters. Also included is the HALOsonic Internal and External Electronic Sound Synthesis technologies from Lotus and Harman International that pipes artificial sound to both the cabin and outside to pedestrians. Want more? There's plenty to be gleaned in the exhaustive press release that you'll find after the break. Sadly, just one lone copper-topped teaser image, which you can enlarge by clicking above.

[Source: Lotus]

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First "Naomi for Haiti" Lotus Specials Fetching Big Bucks at Auction

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions, Charity, Celebrity Design

A Lotus may seem like an exotic supercar, but the superlight British machines never approach the six-figure prices you'd expect from the likes of Ferrari or Lamborghini. But even that can change in the name of good will.

The first three examples of the special-edition "Naomi for Haiti" Lotus Evoras, created in conjunction with supermodel Naomi Campbell on which we reported recently, went up for auction during London Fashion Week, fetching prices in excess of GBP 300,000, or nearly $500,000 American. Campbell's boyfriend Vladimir Doronin got his hands on the first one. The remaining five examples are up for auction now at naomiforhaiti.com, with bidding ending on February 28.

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Lotus and Naomi Campbell Team Up for Haiti Relief

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions, Charity, Celebrity Design

Lotus isn't the first to pitch in for the relief efforts in Haiti. And godwilling, it won't be the last. But it is the latest, and every bit helps. The British sportscar-maker has teamed up with supermodel Naomi Campbell for a limited run of special Evora sportscars that will be auctioned off, with proceeds going towards relief on the disaster-struck Caribbean island.

Each of the eight examples of the "Naomi for Haiti" edition Lotus Evora gets a special paintjob designed by Campbell and Lotus, bearing the Haitian flag, coupled with a special interior and all the options. The first example will be auctioned off live during London Fashion Week, with the seven remaining examples up for grabs at naomiforhaiti.com.

Gallery: Lotus Evora "Naomi for Haiti"