The 2014 Lotus Esprit may be powered by a 640-bhp Lotus-built V-8.
After taking in that large (carbon-fiber?) fixed wing, let your eyes move down to the mammoth, multi-level rear diffuser fitted to this test car. The entire rear looks wider than before, even the taillights have a cleaner and more integrated design. A true rear window has also been fitted, which should greatly improve rear visibility.
According to our sources, many of the design changes are due to the Exige moving to the same chassis that can be found under the Evora 2+2.
The Exige will likely share the same normally-aspirated and supercharged versions of the 3.5-liter V-6 found in the Evora and Evora S. Based on the performance figures of the current Evora, the lighter Exige should have no problem zipping to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds or less.
Intelligent Precision Shift
The 2012 Evora IPS has Lotus’ first automatic transmission since the Excel SA back in the 1980s, and it’s likely to account for some 60 percent of Evora sales worldwide.
Intelligent Precision Shift (IPS) might sound highly technical, but it’s simply an Aisin-supplied 6-speed torque convertor automatic with actuators and shift strategy developed by Lotus. It also adds 110 lb. to the Evora’s 3165-lb.curb weight, but at 5.3 sec. to 60 mph and a 155-mph top speed, it hasn’t eaten that greatly into the car’s performance.
