Lotus to build the Opel Speedster/Vauxhall VX220
18 October 1999
At the 1999 London Motor Show Lotus will announce it has been commissioned to manufacture the new Opel Speedster/Vauxhall VX220. Lotus also built the original concept that debuted at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show. Lotus worked with designers and engineers from the Opel/Vauxhall International Technical Development Center in Ruesselsheim, Germany, from the start of the project. This group created the Geneva Show car and its production twin. Powered by GM's new 2.2-liter ECOTEC four-cylinder engine, the Speedster/VX220 will go into production in summer 2000. This is an exceptionally quick turnaround, coming just over one year after the concept was unveiled to the world. Said Chris Knight, CEO of Group Lotus, "We are looking forward to building the Opel Speedster/Vauxhall VX220 at our Norfolk headquarters. This exciting new vehicle will bring cutting edge technology to a new sector of the sports car market." Lotus to Increase Manufacturing Capacity Lotus is investing £6.0 million over the next six months to dramatically increase the manufacturing capacity of the company's Norfolk facilities. After expansion, Lotus will have the potential to build 10,000 cars per year. This investment has been made possible by Group Lotus' growth over the past two years. This investment comes on top of the £19 million spent by the company to add the Lotus Research and Development Centre, 20 new engine test cells, a body-in-white studio, a £1.5 million paint shop, upgraded computer equipment, and a comprehensive staff training package. This is in addition to the purchase of the assets of MGA Developments - now Lotus Body Engineering - in Coventry, England. LBE specializes in producing full-scale models and prototypes. Lotus Expands Diesel Engineering Lotus and Powertrain Technology Ltd. (PTL) have joined forces to expand their diesel engine research and development capabilities. Diesel engines now account for more than 25-percent of Lotus' powertrain business. AC: Powered by Lotus Lotus and AC Cars of Surrey, England, are working together to optimize the Lotus Type 918 V8 for use in the AC Ace and the AC Aceca. These front engine, rear drive sports cars will add the compact, twin-turbocharged, 3.5-liter Lotus V8 to their lineup. First installed in the Lotus Esprit V8 in 1996, the Type 918 V8 was designed from the outset for multiple applications, and use by other manufacturers. The AC Ace and AC Aceca are the first non-Lotus vehicles to use the Type 918 V8. Lotus Tweaks Proton GTi Lotus engineers worked closely with Proton to produce the GTi in just 15 months. The result is a 'hot hatch' with unrivaled aerodynamic stability and downforce, plus the handling, dynamics, and grip customers expect from Lotus. LOTUS LINKS WITH PTL FOR DIESEL RESEARCH Powertrain Technology Ltd. (PTL) and Lotus Powertrain Engineering have joined forces to expand their diesel engine research and development capabilities. The 12-person strong PTL design team brings experience in direct injection technology for both diesel and gasoline engine applications. Based at Shoreham, Sussex on the south coast of England, PTL expects to grow to 30 staffers. This expertise will be combined with the knowledge the Lotus Powertrain Engineering's staff of 400 has in the design and development of volume production engines for major OEMs. Said David Taitt, Head of Powertrain Engineering at Lotus, "Diesel engineering has been growing strongly at Lotus over the last two years and now accounts for more than 25% of our business. Our partnership with PTL is one of strategic importance; greatly enhancing our capacity and capability to exploit Lotus brand values of innovative, elegant, lightweight technologies in this major growth area." According to John McClelland, Director of PTL, forging this alliance made perfect sense. "We recognize Lotus' ability to combine powertrain and vehicle engineering skills to bring projects from the concept stage through to mass production. Lotus offers the PTL team the opportunity to participate in exciting projects, at the leading edge of technology, which PTL could not undertake alone." Lotus Powertrain Engineering is the largest division in Lotus Engineering, the automotive engineering consultancy division of Group Lotus Ltd. By the end of 1999, 10-percent of all of the new cars sold in Europe will be powered by Lotus-designed engines
