Lotus trials with 2.5-litre V6 Toyota Camry engin

[akd]

Just found this on Autoexpress website

"Loads Of Trouble, Usually Serious? That won't be the case with the next Lotus Elise - it will be powered by a paragon of reliability. Thanks to our network of top spies, Auto Express can exclusively reveal that the Norfolk firm is trialling a fleet of Elises fitted with 2.5-litre V6 Toyota Camry engines

Cars using the experimental powerplant have been spotted near Lotus's Hethel HQ, while further development vehicles are disguised behind Vauxhall VX220 bodywork - the two models are built side-by-side on the same production line. If the V6 gets the go-ahead, it could spell the end of plans to introduce a turbocharged Elise, as the performance will satisfy driving enthusiasts.

Lotus has also hinted that the car's bodywork could be restyled by the end of next year in a bid to move the range upmarket and rival the likes of the Porsche Boxster and TVR Tamora. The V6 is set to cost from £30,000 and could be on sale by the end of 2003. "

Sounds good - maybe that bit of extra grunt that some people are looking for !

[gfoz]

Nice find akd!

Not knowing that engine, can anyone hazard a guess at what that will do to the weight, the BHP or the '0-60'?

gfoz

[Roadrunner]

Just hope they don't get carried away with ever more vents and bolt-on's. Whatever happened to Lotus's pledge to keep the classic looks of the Mk1 so we had a British classic, like the germans have the 911.

[roulli]

[ like the germans have the 911.

you mean "had" the 911.
IMO the s2 is a far more classic car than the Porsche 996, both in direct comparison with elise S1 resp. Porsche 993.

Cheers
Patrick