Lotus 131 reveal

[BertBert]

Europa Jon said:

4 cylinder Merc motor? Surely a Volvo one would be more likely? (Both owned by Geely).

I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I'm plumping for Merc

[mathubbard]

Geely own 10% of Daimler (Mercedes)

[Ved]

Looks like it's happening next Tuesday at 12pm with an embargo for 12:15 the same day, although that information isn't on the page now.

https://drivingtomorrow.lotuscars.com

admin / admin does work

Edited by Ved on Friday 23 April 11:50

[BertBert]

Ved said:

admin / admin does work

Doesn't seem to now!

[Ved]

Sorry that should have been 'doesn't' work . My typo.

[BertBert]

Ved said:

Sorry that should have been 'doesn't' work . My typo.

I thought it strange that they would have left that open

[snotrag]

Ved said:

Looks like it's happening next Tuesday at 12pm with an embargo for 12:15 the same day, although that information isn't on the page now.

https://drivingtomorrow.lotuscars.com

admin / admin does work

Edited by Ved on Friday 23 April 11:50

Anyone else watching this video?!


(It was advertised to make it look like a live broadcast but its a pre-record. And you can FFWD it or see how long it is!)

[snotrag]

"Type 131, our last Gasoline car"

Direct quote from the CEO!

[snotrag]

4 new architectures

Hypercar (the evija, already shown)
Sportscar (The 131, what we are about to see)
Electric Premium (?)
Electric Sportscar (?)

[Ved]

What a load of tosh this was. Nothing on 131, no photos, nothing on the engine, just a lot of justification and marketing. July 6th better be a lot better and for, ya know, people who want to buy stuff.

[snotrag]

Some further info - paraphrased what I just heard -

"The new sportcar arcitechture continues to use the mid mounted engine and aluminium chassis...

... it is evolved to give us our first new car for 2021"


The use of the word evolve, again auggests that this really is a stopgap using some existing stuff, so a mini-evora might be along the right lines I think.

They are really not giving much away so far.

[Fishlegs]

Waste of bloody time.

[snotrag]

New non hybird engine.


So whos got a state of the art petrol engine out? Koreans maybe?

[Fishlegs]

Volvo, innit.

[snotrag]

Ah yea, obviously.

This thing, maybe...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_Engine_Archite...

[BertBert]

I thought we'd worked all this out already! It's based on the Evora chassis. Toyota+manual box or 2.0 trubo merc motor with slushbox. swanky interior from the merc parts bin and a body shape styled a la Evija.

[Fishlegs]

I missed that. Merc 2.0 turbo does sound quite plausible. More so than anything in the Volvo lineup.

[BertBert]

I ran out of interest less than half-way through! But the whole presentation made the 131 definitely feel like an interim step. But maybe it is a good test of their ability to carve out a better place where they want to be in the market. Higher price, higher volumes, plusher interiors with loads of tech whilst still maintaining lightness, driver involvement and fantastic chassis dynamics. Sounds easy when you say it like that!

[Fishlegs]

I think that's exactly what they're doing. Moving upmarket to test the waters.

I can't find any info to back up the Merc engine idea though...

[BertBert]

Fishlegs said:

I can't find any info to back up the Merc engine idea though...

I can't reveal my sources