subject: Lotus At Paris Motor Show 2010 PART 1 [print this page] After a significant absence in the world of auto industry, Lotus is back offering a solid presence at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. The company brought no more than five concept cars to the show. From all the cars presented, the revival of the famous Esprit is the most interesting. This is the prequel to the 2013 model that Lotus will launch. The Esprit Concept is inspired by the original car with a central position of the engine although it will not be the turbocharged four-cylinders that powered the original car; this concept comes with a supercharged V8 5.0 liter. Some people say that this car resembles to the Lexus IS-F while others strongly affirm that it is one of the most beautiful cars presented in Paris this year. This new two-seater with its powerful V8 engine is capable of outputting 620 horsepower and it will need only 3.5 seconds to reach 60 mph from 0. Top speed is somewhere around 205 miles per hour. Lotus plans to bring the concept to the streets in 2013 with an estimated price of $175,000. Another model unveiled at Paris is the Eterne model which is a four dour super saloon, designed to rival with the Porsche Panamera and the Aston Martin Rapide. It comes with a Lexus-based V8 engine which will allow the car to reach 62 mph in less than four seconds while the top speed is about 315 km/h. Emission levels of the Eterne will be 220 g/km co2 and the car will feature the KERS system which is implemented in Formula 1. The KERS is actually integrated in the hybrid gearbox with integrated electric motors. Expected sales should start somewhere in 2015. The Lotus Elise Concept was also shown in Paris and it features a 320 bhp turbocharged 2.0 four-cylinder engine from a Toyota. It will feature a six speed manual and optional paddle-shifted automatic transmission and a 2,409-pound curb weight. It will reach 62 mph in 4.3 seconds and estimated retail price is $55.000. The revival of the Elan model was brought to Paris with the Lotus Elan Concept. The car will be launched in 2013 with an estimated retail price of $118.500. It will be powered by a V6 4.0 liter 450 horsepower supercharged engine with a seven speed dual-clutch gearbox from Toyota. The car reaches 62 mph in 3.5 seconds and an impressive top speed of 193 mph. Lotus also promises that a hybrid will be available using a Kinetic Energy Recovery System similar to those seen in Formula One a season ago. The Lotus Elite is a 2+2 supercar designed to rival the Aston Martin DBS, the Porsche 599 and the Mercedes SLS AMG. The car comes with a 5.0 Toyota powered V8 engine with a mid-front placement to improve the overall handling of the car. Destined to be either supercharged or turbocharged and fitted with Lotus-developed computer controls, the engine will make up to 612 horsepower and 531 lb-ft of peak torque in its ultimate form, allowing the Elite to hit 60 mph in about 3.5 seconds and keep on charging up to 196 mph. As you can see, Lotus came back with five new concepts that amazed the entire world by their beauty and raw power. In 2-3 years we will be able to drive these amazing cars, if we can afford them of course.
