Lotus unveils hybrid Elite

[Right Lane Cruiser]

The hybrid vehicle will be made both as a fixed-head coupe and with a retractable hard-top.

Vinod - AUTOMOTTO - September 20, 2010

Which would you rather have? This Lotus or the Fisker Karma? --Ed.

Another car added in the list of vehicles unveiled before their debut at 2010 Paris Motor Show is Lotus Elite. The hybrid car has a 2+2 seating arrangement and is equipped with monster 5.0 liter V8 engine producing a mammoth 620 PS and 720 Nm of torque, reminding us of Aston Martin’s DB9. The car is able to sprint from 0-100km/h in 3.5 to 3.7 seconds with its top speed locked at 315km/h.

Lotus’s elite is a hybrid car (optional) linked to a hybrid transmission comprising two electric motors and an epicyclic gearbox and is directly aimed at challenging Porsche, Ferrari and Aston Martin brigade with a price tag touching the £100,000-plus sector. The rear wheel drive weighs 1650kg and has a 215 g/km CO2 emissions level. If we compare these figures to DB9, they are 80kg and 40% less respectively.

Featuring a front mid mounted engine structure, Lotus Elite measures 4.60m in length (10cm less than DB9), 1.90m in width and 1.32m in height. The vehicle will feature Lotus’s own-design touch-screen for... [Read More]

[RobertSmalls]

A Lotus that weighs 3600lbs? That's not my idea of a fun car. I'll pass.

[topcfo]

Karma for me thank you!...The Lotus looks like a Hyundai with a bigger price tag

[msantos]

Hummm...

215 g/km CO2 may be OK when compared to a traditional super car but not quite there in my books at least.
Also, it sure weighs a lot for a car this small but we have hybrids that weigh a fair bit and can still punch out excellent MPGs. Despite this handicap, I expected lotus to make up for it in other ways. Unfortunately, I see nothing remotely exotic in their hybrid implementation that will redeem this car in my eyes. I guess it was not designed for folks like me either.

Even though the bottom line still plays a strong hand, sometimes it is not about the money at all. Its the principle of the exercise (or lack thereof) that makes it miss the mark.

Cheers;

MSantos