Higher Education by Romain Drapri
Lotus Evora FIA GT
Location: Paris
A Lotus Evora GT2 prototype, based heavily on the Evora Enduro GT concept seen during this year’s Geneva Auto Show, was spotted doing laps.
Lotus’ new range of cars, which was unveiled at the Paris Auto Show last autumn, will be powered by a bespoke range of engines and not the Toyota-Lexus based units originally envisioned.
Talking to Road & Track’s European editor, Ian Adcock, at the 2011 Geneva Auto Show, Lotus CEO said that feedback from the Paris and LA shows, as well as a questionnaire to over 1000 potential customers had persuaded Lotus management team to change its engine strategy, “People didn’t want engines based on production units, they wanted unique Lotus powertrains.”
He revealed that the engines – an inline four (320-340 bhp), V-6 420 bhp and V-8 570-580 bhp – will be designed around a modular concept, with a claimed 60% commonality, allowing them to be assembled on one production line at Hethel.
