Lotus Now 100% Proton

[Hedgerley]

Just read in Evo that Proton has bought the 4% of Lotus it didn't own from Artioli - they now own 100% of the company. On top of the recent rights issue the new investment allows Lotus to clear most of its debts and get on with new model development. Evo reckons the M250 is back on track with a revised concept (hopefully engineered for global markets this time) to appear as early as next years Geneva show.

Maybe at last they have the stability and resources to knuckle down and go after Porsche and the Italians.

[ErnestM]

I heard that Lotus are actually working on the underpinnings of a vehicle that will be customized to provide for the following markets:

1. A replacement for the Elise
2. An M250 "type vehicle" (6 cylinder mid engine etc)
3. A replacement for the Esprit

I'll have to figure out were that came from and then post the link to the story...

ErnestM

[hungryjim]

1. Hopefully there will be an elise S3 - with bigger engine and folk are going to kill me! supercharged to become more grown up. The Elise should go to perfecting its refinement ie equipment,sport tourer as standard etc. as it probably will never regain the charm that the S1 did, it would just have soo much style - and would take the Italians/Germans.
The M250 should replace the Esprit but in a V8
A smaller Nimbler car should be brought in under the elise with a inline 4 like the first elise was!

[wongmic]

why go the way of the supercharger...
if Honda owned Lotus instead of Proton they would put in a proper engine (an Integra type-R or S2000 VTEC unit) and u'd have one sorted road/track scorcher...

as much as i like the k-series (i have a rover) it's bore size was originally designed for 1.4/1.6 unit and the cost of tuning the 1.8 to produce serious horses is just not economical (or reliable?) in my opinion.