Look very closely at the bonnet badge on the front of this stylish silver racer and you might be able to pick out that it’s green and yellow. That means only one thing – a new car from Lotus. Reviving the name Elite, which first appeared in the late Fifties and ran through into the Eighties, and at 4.60 metres long, this is a biggest car the Norfolk company has produced since the Esprit. Should Lotus be doing stuff this size? Or should it stick to smaller cars like the Elise and Exige, and leave this sector to Aston Martin and others? It’s clearly something bosses have thought long and hard about. The press statement states: “There will always be those who believe that Lotus should stick to small sports cars but we didn’t take the decision to design something like the Elite lightly, it’s based on months of careful research and planning. It’s worth noting this sector has been very successful for us in the past and now the Elite raises the benchmark higher still.” A front-mid-engined 2+2 with rear-wheel drive, it’s powered by a 5.0-litre V8 developing 620bhp. Interestingly there’s the option of a hybrid powertrain with an F1-style KERS regenerative braking / energy capture system. Expect a top speed of around 3.6 seconds. Start saving for the £115,000 price tag – you’ve got more than three years before this car is due for launch!
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