Lotus Elite To Debut In Paris

New Lotus Elite combines V8 and hybrid technology for supercar speed and style.

PARIS – Sept 23, 2010: Days ahead of the official unveil at the Paris Motor Show, the sun has started to rise on the dawn of a new era for Lotus Cars. The new Lotus Elite will redefine ‘modern classic’ with a combination of stunning looks, exciting new technology and exhilarating performance.

The Lotus Elite is the first of the new generation of Lotus cars and a taste of what’s to come from Lotus in the future.

Elegant has a number of definitions and synonyms, including dignified grace in appearance, movement, or behaviour, superb taste in design, style; the ultimate refinement.

The groundbreaking new Elite is that and more. Its compact yet chic body is elegance incarnate. It’s not only exquisitely elegant, in keeping with Lotus’ core values, it’s a car of substance incorporating some of the very latest technological innovations Lotus has to offer. The slick retractable hardtop version and the optional use of hybrid technology with KERS are typical examples of Lotus tailoring technology to deliver perfect performance.

Dany Bahar, CEO of Group Lotus said: “There’s no denying that the Elite is breathtakingly beautiful to look at, but it’s so much more than that: it’s a car that over-delivers in all other aspects as well. One could say it’s a car of perfect contradictions; it’s compact yet spacious, high performing yet low emitting, lightweight yet still reassuringly solid.

“It’s a car that we are exceptionally proud of at Lotus and we truly believe that there is nothing else like it out there both in terms of styling and performance.

“Make no mistake, there’s a definite market requirement for the Elite – it’s the ultimate sports car, with comfort and space. 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 is 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 again.”

The Lotus Elite is an innovative, exciting GT that will set a new standard in design, performance and emissions. And it’s not all about sleek lines and stunning bodywork with this particular 2+2. What hides beneath its shark like exterior perfectly complements the aesthetics.

A front-mid positioned 5.0-litre V8 engine delivering up to 456kW and 720Nm will offer scintillating performance. Predictions and expectations are that the Elite will accelerate from 0-100km/h in the 3.5-3.7 second range, on the way to a top speed of 315km/h, firmly putting the Elite into supercar territory.

Heralding a new era of Lotus performance, the 5.0-litre V8 engine is assisted by a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) as seen in Formula 1, harnessing energy normally wasted during braking into an extra power boost.

The Lotus Elite is scheduled for production in 2014, and Australian pricing will be confirmed closer to the on-sale date. The Elite will be officially unveiled to the press and the public at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, starting September 30.