Lotus Evora

[Gast]

Voor de introductie van het laatste geheel nieuwe Lotus model moeten we 13 jaar terug naar 1995 toen de Lotus Elise het sportauto segment kwam verrijken. We hebben er dus even op moeten wachten, maar deze maand zal Lotus op de Motorshow in Londen een nieuw model voorstellen dat nu enkel nog bekend is onder de projectnaam “Eagle”. Om ons alvast een beetje op te warmen heeft Lotus nu een eerste foto vrijgegeven.

Onder de kap van de lichtgewicht Eagle vinden we een potente 3,5 liter V6 met 280 pk die garant zal staan voor all-round dynamische prestaties, zoals Lotus dat zelf zegt. Op de Nürburgring zal de 2+2 Eagle volgens zijn ontwerpers sneller zijn dan de Elise en op hoge snelheden stabieler zijn dan de Exige.

Volgens plan zullen er jaarlijks 2.000 stuks worden gebouwd en de eerste exemplaren zullen in de lente van volgend jaar worden afgeleverd.

[Gast]

The New Distinctive, Mid-engined, 2+2 Sportscar from Lotus

Eagerly anticipated and making its official global debut at the British Motorshow in London on July 22nd, the first all-new car from Lotus since the iconic Elise in 1995, will enter the sportscar market as the only mid-engined 2+2 in production.

The new car, which is known only by its project name ‘Eagle’, is a more holistic offering than the Elise and Exige models that have been so massively popular with track day enthusiasts. The car, the name for which will be announced at the British Motorshow on 22nd July at an 11:30 press conference, is designed for people who desire exotic sportscar characteristics of stunning design, exclusivity, dramatic proportions and performance. Project

Eagle also offers real-world usability and a unique sense of occasion. Powered by a 3.5-litre V6 producing 280 PS, the new car employs innovative lightweight chassis technology to ensure visceral all-round dynamic performance, in keeping with the great Lotus tradition. Even in the very early stages of development testing, Lotus ride and handling engineers report that it is considerably faster around the famously demanding Nürburgring circuit than the Elise and more stable at speed than the Exige.

Inside, Project Eagle cocoons occupants with a sumptuous leather surfaces juxtaposed with contemporary high-tech features. With driver focused instrumentation the driver sits in cockpit-esque surroundings. A beautifully appointed dash boasts tactile details such as flush-mounted controls that glow with blue LED haloes and a stylised speedometer and rev counter ensuring that controls are both attractive and accessible.

Styled in-house by Lotus Design, the Project Eagle’s sleek, sophisticated and attention-snaring lines brilliantly disguise its ability to accommodate passengers in the rear of the cabin, giving the car the external characteristics of a small, nimble sportscar whilst belying its internal space. As well as being sold in a 2+2 configuration, the car will also be available as a purely twoseater, the space in the rear being allocated to luggage storage. Other derivatives are also planned for the future, including a convertible and an ultrahigh performance version.

Deliveries of Project Eagle will begin in Spring 2009, and with only 2000 of the hand crafted cars planned each year, this exclusive and unique car is creating a real stir with celebrity enthusiasts around the world. Hollywood actor and car enthusiast Patrick Dempsey is just one of the high profile collectors who are on the waiting list for a test drive.

Mike Kimberley, CEO of Group Lotus plc, had this to say about the new model: “Project Eagle is the biggest milestone Lotus has achieved since the Elise was born 13 years ago. We are currently working at broadening the appeal of the Lotus brand through an aggressive 5-year model plan of which this car represents the first exciting step.”

.....

[Gast]

Ik vind hem wel nice, maar de Exige blijft koning.

[Gast]

en quanta costa?

[Gast]

en quanta costa?

No more than 2000 Eagles a year will be built at Lotus's HQ in Hethel, Norfolk, and prices are expected to cost £45k when sales start in spring 2009. One of the internal mantras when developing this car was '911 car for Cayman cash', which positions it pretty neatly.

BRON

[Gast]

Beetje Farboud invloeden, maar het einderesultaat mag er zeker zijn.
Eindelijk weer een lotus met V6...

[Gast]

neus precies van een F430

[David67]

Komt de nieuwe Esprit volgend jaar? Die ging toch motoren van BMW krijgen als ik me niet vergis.

[Lotuzzz]

Het jammerlijk afgevoerde M250 project (concept daterend van 2000) dan toch een beetje werkelijkheid geworden... jammer genoeg iets 'slicker' allemaal.




Maar de Eagle biedt een véél betere eerste indruk dan de Europa

[Gast]

meer info en foto's hier te vinden:

http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2008/07/lotus-eagle-new-22-sportscar-with-280hp.html

[Jocar]

Inside story: Lotus Eagle

Lotus, at last, is bound for the big time. On the 22 July at the London motor show, it will reveal this revolutionary £45,000, mid-engined, 2+2 coupé, codenamed the Lotus Eagle.

This is the car that Lotus believes will take it right to the heart of Porsche territory and transform Lotus Cars into the vibrant, 5000-cars-a-year manufacturing business that successive bosses have wanted for so long.

The 280bhp, 3.5-litre V6-powered coupé is being launched in both 2+2 and 2+0 forms. It takes Lotus back into the 170mph league it vacated when the Esprit ceased production in 2004.

Due in showrooms in early summer next year, the car’s real handle – a new ‘E’ name never before used by Lotus – won’t be revealed until the London show. Three names are still under consideration, and a decision will be made at the very last minute.

Design

The new coupé’s wheelbase is just 275mm – around 13 inches – longer than that of the Elise, but into that space goes an extra 75mm of driver’s seat travel, a V6 engine instead of an in-line four and enough rear legroom for a 5ft-tall female passenger.

Despite the fact that the overall length is 4344mm – 80mm shorter than a Porsche 911 – the safety structure waltzes through today’s toughest crash tests, and the boot can house a full set of golf clubs. “We set out to build a Tardis,” says Kimberley, “and I think we’ve succeeded.”

There’s nothing too radical about the interior, but it’s far classier and more comfortable than anything Lotus has done before. A key part of interior designer Anthony Bushell’s job has been searching out and negotiating with suppliers of prime-quality trim materials; Lotus is determined to convey longevity and class in the Eagle interior.

Body, chassis

The Eagle chassis uses Elise principles; it’s a self-supporting, bonded and riveted structure that combines folded sheet aluminium and extrusions.

This time, however, it is made in three pieces. A rear structure houses the V6 engine and impressively compact double wishbone rear suspension. A bolt-on front structure carries the double wishbone front suspension and provides a crash structure, which has proved a huge success in crash testing.

The Eagle suspension is the same ultra-modern assembly of forged aluminium wishbones, coil-over shock absorbers and specially designed uprights shown in Geneva earlier this year.

Some pretty extreme testing of the car at the Nürburgring has established, according to engineering director Roger Becker, that the car is already “a peach” to drive.

Engine, performance

Lotus has a close relationship with Toyota (which supplies its Elise engines) so it’s no surprise that the Eagle uses a 3.5-litre, Toyota-sourced V6. The electronic engine controls are Lotus’s, however, allowing it to have a sportier-than-Camry character.

Again, there is scope for development (the cleverly packaged engine bay is believed to have room for a supercharger) but for now Lotus believes that 280bhp in a car weighing less than 1400kg car is enough. The engine drives through a Toyota six-speed transmission, but this isn’t a link that Toyota makes in its own cars, so Lotus has engineered the clutch and gearchange.

The car is usefully faster around a track, we hear, than key rivals such as Porsche’s Cayman S. We suggested 165-170mph as a top speed and a 0-60mph time in the five-second bracket, and no one disagreed. The car is also expected to be easier on fuel and produce less CO2 than £50,000 performance cars usually do.

The future

Lotus planners foresee an eight-year life for the Eagle, and will launch a drophead version between two and three years into the car’s life. As with the Elise, there will be other versions of the car, which is even more versatile in its structure than its smaller sibling.

The Eagle will be made on a new production line alongside the Elise at Hethel, at a volume of around 2000 a year. Assembly of fully fledged production models will start at the very end of this year, with a target for first customer delivery of 1 May 2009.

At that stage, according to Mike Kimberley, Lotus will have changed its centre of gravity completely, while staying entirely true to its principles.







Bron: [www.autocar.co.uk]

[Gast]

Dat interieur ziet er mij eerder iets uit voor een boot...

[Gast]

Dat interieur ziet er mij eerder iets uit voor een boot...

t is dan ook maar ne middenklasse-wagen eh

[Gast]

t is dan ook maar ne middenklasse-wagen eh

En dat is een excuus om minder mooi te zijn?

[Gast]

En dat is een excuus om minder mooi te zijn?

Kwestie van budgetten he.
Waarom is een Porsche 911 mooier dan een Toyota Yaris?

[Gast]

Bron: [www.autocar.co.uk]

Check that out!

Prachtige auto, i love it. En dat interieur is superzalig.

[Gast]

Beetje Farboud invloeden, maar het einderesultaat mag er zeker zijn.
Eindelijk weer een lotus met V6...

Farboud IRAN POWER .

[Gast]

Farboud is dikke crap, dit hier niet.

[Gast]

Liever een oude Esprit V8

[Gast]

Farboud is dikke crap, dit hier niet.

Hier ga ik niet op in .