Paris2010

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

\

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

Continue reading “High-Output Lotus Evora S and Automatic to Debut at Paris Motor Show”

2011 Land Rover LRX to Debut at Paris Motor Show

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Production 2011 Land Rover LRX rendering – Click above to enlarge

Is the world ready for a kinder, gentler Sport Utility Vehicle? Land Rover is betting on it, and the rugged British off-road brand will reportedly debut its hotly anticipated LRX at the Paris Motor Show later this year. Shortly thereafter, the production LRX will make its North American debut in LA. According to Automotive News, the LRX will go on sale in the third quarter of 2011.

We first saw the LRX Concept at the 2008 edition of the Detroit Auto Show, where it was generally well received by both the press and the showgoing public. The LRX is expected to be Land Rover's most efficient model and is likely to be offered with some sort of hybrid powertrain.

Late last year, Autocar reported that Land Rover's first hybrid drivetrain would include a 3.0-liter diesel V6 engine mated up to a 25kW electric motor. The system would be a full parallel hybrid, meaning it could operate on any combination of gasoline or electricity using its onboard lithium ion battery pack.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req'd]

Source

Tags: Land Rover, land rover hybrid, land rover LRX, Land Rover LRX COncept, land rover range rover lrx, LandRover, LandRoverHybrid, LandRoverLrx, LandRoverLrxConcept, LandRoverRangeRoverLrx, LRX, lrx concept, LRX Hybrid, LrxConcept, LrxHybrid, paris 2010, paris motor show, paris motor show 2010, Paris2010, ParisMotorShow, ParisMotorShow2010, range rover, range rover lrx, RangeRover, RangeRoverLrx