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On the heels after local Volvo S90s will now be Chinese-made, Lotus brand will also be made in a Geely plant in China. Not surprising, both Volvo and Lotus are owned by Geely --------------- BEIJING/SHANGHAI: The Chinese owner of Lotus plans to start producing the British sports car brand in China for the first time with the opening of a new 9 billion yuan (US$1.3 billion) factory in Wuhan city, company job advertisements and government documents showed. The previously unreported plans are Zhejiang Geely Holding Group's first move to shake up the British brand since its purchase of a majority stake in 2017. The move is in line with Geely's ambitions to build more up-market cars and throw off its reputation for copycat designs and shoddy quality. For Lotus, it could mean greater production volumes and new models such as SUVs to boost sales. "For Geely, going high-end can help it take more market share," said Alan Kang, Shanghai based analyst at LMC Automotive. "Geely needs to do that to better compete with global brands." Lotus cars are currently built in Norfolk, England. Geely and Lotus said in a joint statement that while Norfolk was Lotus's manufacturing home, a key part of the firm's strategy to revive the brand was expanding the brand's manufacturing footprint globally. "Details on additional locations and models will be confirmed in due course," the company said in an e-mail to Reuters. The planning authority of Hubei province, whose capital is Wuhan, last month approved Geely's plans for the plant. The factory will be able to manufacture 150,000 cars annually, according to a document posted on the authority's website. The Wuhan Development Zone, where the factory will be based, said in a statement posted on its website last month that production at the plant would include "Geely's Lotus project". The Wuhan Development Zone did not respond to Reuters' request for comment. The documents did not say when the plant would start operations. The facility is approved to build all-electric battery cars, electric hybrids as well as combustion engine cars like Lotuses. Job advertisements on Geely's website show the automaker is looking to fill at least 20 Wuhan-based roles for the Lotus project. LUXURY AMBITIONS While is not clear what portion of the new Chinese production line would be devoted to the British brand, greater production volumes would be consistent with Geely's stated ambition to grow the market for Lotus by broadening its line-up. Geely sold only 1,630 Lotuses globally in 2018. Lotus currently produces models such as the Evora and Elise. James Bond famously drove a Lotus Esprit in 1977's "The Spy Who Loved Me", and Lotus once boasted a Formula One team until it was sold to Renault for just one pound in 2015. But in a major break with the past, two sources familiar with the matter said Lotus would likely make luxury SUVs instead of sports cars during the Wuhan plant's initial phase. One of the sources said Geely wanted to emulate premium carmakers like Porsche , whose luxury SUV models were selling well in China. The share of luxury SUVs in China's overall passenger car market grew from 4.07 percent in 2014 to 5.01 percent in 2018, according to data from consultancy J.D. Power. Geely has forecast flat sales this year after the Chinese auto market contracted for the first time in more than two decades in 2018. The company has made waves in the auto world with its US$9 billion purchase of a stake in Germany's Daimler AG and its US$1.8 billion acquisition of Sweden's Volvo. It bought 51 percent of Lotus from Malaysian automaker Proton in 2017. Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/british-lotus-cars-to-be-made-in-china-at-new-geely-plant-11133856

Lotus has released a lightweight version of the already featherweight Elise called the Elise Club Racer edition. At 876kg it is 24kg lighter than the normal production Elise and aside from a Caterham 7, it could well be one of the lightest road legal car you could buy in the market today. Of course, in the early 1980s, a Honda Civic weighed almost as much (or as little). Such is automotive progress as cars get heavier due to safety legislation requirements as well as the need for more luxuries. So the already back to basics Elise loses another 24kg by getting rid of the normal sized battery for a lightweight one and the removal of soundproofing material. Not something rocket science but something basic and rudimentary. Of course the lightweight battery may cost more and the Lotus will be much more noisier. But all the more better for the driver to feel as one with the car. More noise could mean more mechanical noise and for some it may be irritating but for an enthusiast or someone attacking a track on a track day this could mean more feedback. You can hear the engine note rise and fall better as well as hear the tires at work better so that you may predict what may happen next. But the Elise Club Racer has more driving goodies. It also has a new setting for the Elise's Dynamic Performance Management system (DPM) that can change the suspension rates and the addition of an adjustable anti-roll bar allows for better tuning and better overall control. It also helps the driver tune the car to suit circuit work or for the drive back home after the track outing. The DPM works with new Eibach springs and Bilstein shock absorbers. A lot of higher end stuff for Lotus' most basic sports car. 24kg of weight loss will not mean that the Club Racer will beat the heck out of the stock Elise. It may be a hair's length ahead of the stock Elise's 0-100km/h sprint. The 1.6liter Toyota engine still has the same 134bhp engine and this should chop of 0.1seconds from the standard 6.5seconds to 100km/h. But this car should handle better. The Club Racer will come in 6 colors, from Sky Blue, Ardent Red, Aspen White, Carbon Gray, Matt Black and Saffron Yellow. Some are different from the normal Elise color palette. It will go on sale in the UK soon and prices start at

Now that Lotus have announced their latest, if not greatest models I have noticed that all of the look strikingly similar to one another. Is it just me? I don't think so. I think you readers would too. What I do know is that I wrote about the Elite, mentioning that it looked Maserati-ish and it had a touch of the recently departed Toyota Celica from some angles. The thing was at that point of time, Lotus only released details on that one car. Now that it has announced the new Elise, Esprit, Elan and the Eterne as well, I now noticed that all the cars look the same. Some may have an extra door or two, some may have a longer rear end that would accommodate a larger V8 engine (Esprit), some may be entry level but after looking at the photos of of especially the Elite, Elan and Elise I find that they actually look very similar. Too similar to be exact. Of course some may argue that the current Elise and Exige look the same. They should as they are the same car. One with a roof, one with a removable targa roof. The Evora looks similar, but it has a longer wheelbase and slightly different front and rear design cues so you will never mistake it for the smaller Elise/Exige models. The unpopular Europa also looked like a proper Lotus, but didn't look similar until you couldn't tell one Lotus from the other. It looks like things have changed. If I didn't look at the number plates, I may have not bothered to tell the difference from one new Lotus to another. I suppose while the designs are cutting edge and modern, I also mentioned that the Elite looked like a Celica; ergo very Japanese looking. Like origami. And therefore very non-European? This is the question I now ask. Are the new Lotus too similar and not as unique as the older, current models? If so then this new business model of high end, high tech cars may not work. Uniqueness sells supercars and sports cars. So far the Lotuses look good if it stands on its own, but five similar looking models on the motor show stand? I doubt it. Of course we can hope that these new Lotuses will handle lovingly well. That fact may be unique enough to most.

The new Lotus Elise probably has the lowest CO2 for its performance for any gasoline high performance sportscar in the world. The body

[extract] Lotus is going full swing in its push upmarket. It has now revealed the new Elite concept car ahead of its official unveiling at the Paris Motor Show. This marks another model launch at this prestigious motoring event and it also marks the third Lotus carrying the

The "added lightness" mantra is well-known in performance circles--cutting weight helps everything about a sports car, from acceleration to braking to handling. Now, it seems to help out in emission figures as well. Lotus announced the 2011 Elise scored 46.6 mpg and a mere 239 grams of CO2 emissions per mile, making it the cleanest and most efficient gasoline-powered car in its performance category. When the revised Lotus was revealed in February, it was announced that it would be powered by the Toyota sourced 1ZR-FAE 1.6-litre engine with Valvematic and Dual VVT-I, producing 134 bhp and 160 Nm. At the time, Lotus estimated the fuel economy and emissions improvements to be around 23 percent and 13 percent respectively. Gains were also made thanks to improvements in aerodynamics, which cut drag by four percent. 134 bhp might not sound like a barnstormer but it projects the 1,934 pound Elise from 0 to 60 mph in 6.0 seconds. For comparison, the 2010 Toyota Prius, which takes just under 10 seconds to reach 60 mph, manages a slightly better 50 mpg combined rating, and emits 148 grams of CO2 per mile. However, it requires a much more complex hybrid system to do so, thought it has a back seat. Even if the 2011 Lotus Elise isn't the greenest car on the planet, it certainly proves that you don't have to give up fun to go green.

The Elise is entering the 2011 model year with a host of updates including styling and mechanical tweaks, as well as the introduction of a new entry-level model with a Toyota-sourced 1.6-liter gasoline engine. The facelifted model is distinguished by the new fascia featuring a redesigned hood, new bumper with a wider grille, and reshaped headlights incorporating LED daytime running lights for the first time. The restyled rear bumper and engine cover along with new alloy wheel designs complete the aesthetic upgrades. More important changes are found under the hood with the 2011 Elise gaining a new entry-level 'S' model powered by a Toyota-sourced 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, which enables the revised Eliase to do the century sprint in 6.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 200km/h. This new engine is 200cc smaller than the outgoing Elise S 1.8L model and produces the same output (134HP at 6,800 rpm) but slightly less torque (160 Nm vs 172Nm). However, it offers an improvement in fuel economy of more than 23%. Both the 189bhp 1.8L 'R' and 217bhp 1.8L supercharged versions boast better fuel economy and emissions as compared to the outgoing models. Finally, all 2011 Elise models benefit from a new six-speed manual gearbox. Perhaps, Lotus should consider developing a twin-clutch equipped Elise to cater to buyers who want the convenience of an automatic transmission with negligible reduction in performance.

Just read a review on Lotus Elise that comes with a bolted supercharger. With the supercharger, the horsepower has increased from 189 to 218 and reducing the time of century sprint to 4.5s. This is comparable to most sports cars such as Ferrari. However, Elise is not known to have good build quality for its interior parts. At $233,800 with COE, it is consider a steal. So will you purchase one? More info at http://www.lotuscars.com/elise_220.html

STOMPer JT sent these photos of the scene of an accident involving three cars at the junction of Clementi Road and Ulu Pandan Road at about 4am today (14 Oct). "Three-car collision between a Lotus Elise, Nissan and a Mercedes cab at the junction of Clementi Road and Ulu Pandan road occurred about 4am on 14th Oct 2007," the STOMPer said in an email today. "There were bad injuries but no casualties during the time when the ambulance arrived," JT said. STOMP contacted the Police, which said it received a call at about 3.50am about an accident involving three cars at the junction of Clementi Road and Ulu Pandan Road. "Two passengers were sent to the National University Hospital. Both were conscious," a spokesman said. http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/viewPost6039.aspx

400hp on a 2000lbs car. http://www.cpdserver.com/elisetalk/video/F...fed400-spin.wmv

The Lotus Elise is a true sportscar that has taken the world by storm, winning countless awards for handling, innovation and just pure fun. The Elise was first unveiled at the Frankfurt Motorshow in 1995 before entering production with first deliveries in August 1996. Since then, over 17,000 Elises have been built - some achievement for a car that was originally designed to be built in volumes of only 700 a year! The Elise was designed as a sportscar to be appreciated by real driving enthusiasts, fashion leaders and those who really appreciate technology and innovation. The Lotus Elise introduced a range of technologies that revolutionised the automotive industry; such as a chassis made from extruded and bonded aluminium, a composite energy absorbing front crash structure and light weight composite body panels. The whole car weighed in at half the weight of an average family saloon. This light weight bestowed the car with phenomenal acceleration and handling. In 1996 the Lotus Elise was easily pulling 1g in steady state cornering with standard production tyres and a 0-100km/h in 5.9 seconds. In 2000 Lotus introduced the second generation Elise. This evolutionary car, arguably one of the most important cars in Lotus' fifty-two year history, added to the technology introduced on the Elise in 1996. It was a big stride forward, achieving the quality standards expected of a world leading sportscar manufacturer and globally respected engineering consultancy. This Elise introduced industry standard quality, much of it based upon the learning gained from working with Lotus' global motor industry partners. All Lotus Elises are hand assembled by skilled craftsmen at Lotus' headquarters in Hethel, England. Each Elise takes about 100 man-hours to build and the final product is fine testament to the skills of Lotus. The Legendary Chassis During the early days of the original Elise development programme, Lotus searched for an appropriate and available chassis technology for its new lightweight sportscar. Unable to find a suitable technology, and unwilling to compromise, Lotus set out to change the rules. Lotus engineers looked outside the automotive industry and brought together aluminium extrusions and modern aerospace bonding techniques to produce a lightweight and exceptionally rigid structure. The ground-breaking epoxy-bonded aluminium tub chassis, unveiled in September 1995 represented a breakthrough in sportscar technology. The structure is an assembly of individually extruded lengths bonded together by epoxy resin adhesive, a world first in automobile manufacture. The adhesive used to bond the Lotus chassis achieves exceptional strength with the ability to absorb the most extreme loads, pressures and forces that it may encounter. Never before had a modern vehicle's chassis been bonded together. The bonding of lap joints provides a superior joint to traditionally welded butted joints (with bonded joints, there is no distortion of the material's integrity at the join). Self-pierce rivets further increase the structural integrity through reducing material 'peel' in the most severe of impacts. The chassis received modifications in 2000, including lower, reinforced longitudinal sills to improve the access into the cockpit. Now with the introduction of the VVTL-i power unit, further enhancements have been made to the rear of the chassis structure. Utilising experience gained from the development of advanced lightweight steel, a new highly efficient rear subframe offers increased strength. In keeping with Lotus' philosophy, this structure is an elegant integrated single solution for the engine cradle and improved suspension and exhaust silencer mounting points. Ride and Handling That Sets the Benchmark The aluminium chassis allows vehicle dynamics engineers at Lotus to continue to set standards by which all other sportscars are judged. Indeed, the Elise continues to build on the multi-award winning ride and handling for which it has become renowned the world over. Lotus has taken a no-compromise approach in carrying over these philosophies to the Elise 111R. The development team has succeeded in creating a car that leaves the driver craving more time in the cockpit and more road on which to enjoy the thrill and engagement of each journey. Run in parallel to Lotus' USA (Federal) Elise programme, the 111R faced a gruelling development programme exceeding 500,000 miles throughout 2003 that took the car across Europe and the USA. This has resulted in an exciting and progressive ride and handling package that integrates the constituents that make up the dynamics characteristics, tuning them to work in harmony with each other, the driver and the road. For the Elise 111R, the Eibach coaxial coil springs and Bilstein high pressure monotube gas dampers have been retuned and optimised to maintain the Elise's trademark agility, body control and poise while improving the isolation of both smaller and larger impacts. The unique Bridgestone Potenza RE040 tyres (175/55R16 front and 225/45R17 rear) have been carried over from the Lotus Elise and the Elise 111S. The Lotus Ride and Handling team have maximised the ability to hone the chassis and tyre characteristics to ensure that this latest and highest performing version of the Elise holds true to Lotus' values of peerless ride and handling and pure driving fun. An ABS System Like No Other The servo-assisted four-channel system individually monitors and distributes braking force to each wheel as required, enhancing braking performance and minimising stopping distance. However, Lotus has specifically tuned the initiation point to allow a skilled driver to maximise the potential of the braking system through the utilisation of forward weight transfer. In the event of the driver demanding more braking performance than is possible, only then does the system intervene to optimise the force generated at the wheel. Power to Weight in Abundance Lotus undertook a thorough and exhaustive evaluation of a wide range of state-of-the-art engines. Toyota's 2ZZ-GE 1.8 litre 4 cylinder 16-valve VVTL-i engine and C64 six-speed gearbox was chosen as an outstanding package, excellently suited to the Elise. This engine has breath taking power and torque characteristics, and critically for a Lotus, is lightweight, featuring a compact metal matrix composite alloy cylinder block. A bespoke exhaust system has been developed for the Elise 111R with the twin exhaust pipes exiting through the rear diffuser. Lotus subjected the 2ZZ-GE to a rigorous testing and development programme covering a wide range of extreme climate conditions from the Arctic Circle to the Arizona and Nevada deserts, and at altitude in Colorado. Furthermore, the engine management system, bifurcated exhaust downpipe, and bespoke gearshift mechanism are designed and developed by Lotus, resulting in a power unit perfectly integrated with the Elise's chassis and dynamics. Lotus has tuned the engine to suit the very essence of the Elise by employing a brand new, custom-engineered Lotus T4 engine management system (EMS). The software for the EMS was designed and developed by Lotus specifically for the Elise 111R. All calibration and validation work was undertaken solely by Lotus engineers, ensuring that the Elise performs as a true Lotus should. Toyota's world-renowned VVTL-i system allows the engine management system the flexibility to select the optimum camshaft profile, lift and timing across the full range of engine operating conditions. This interaction between the Lotus T4 EMS and the VVTL-i system gives the Elise its optimum linear torque characteristics, peaking at 181Nm (133.5 lb.ft) @ 6800rpm coupled with the peak power of 192 PS (189hp, 141kW) at 7800rpm. The all-aluminium lightweight Toyota C64 six-speed gearbox is fitted with an all-new Lotus designed and developed shift operating mechanism. With the closest ratios and gearset afforded by the transmission, the gearbox offers a fast, precise and light gearshift, ensuring drivers have total control and flexibility to apply the power exactly as and when required. True to Colin Chapman's philosophy of performance through lightweight, the power density available from the Toyota power unit gives the Elise a staggering 223PS/tonne (220hp/tonne, 164kW/tonne) and a 0-100km/h sprint in 5.2 seconds (0-60mph in 4.9 seconds)! Proof, if needed, that there actually is a substitute for "cubic inches"! The Interior As soon as a driver sits behind the wheel of a Lotus, they instantly know that they are in something special. From the composite sports seats that hug the driver under the g-forces that are experienced on cornering, acceleration and braking, to the race designed steering wheel and the extruded aluminium pedals perfectly suited to both cruising as well as hard driving - the Elise is a car that invites to be driven. The twin instrumentation dials show road speed and engine speed (for the 111R, now showing to 10,000rpm) and are updated for 2004 across the whole of the Elise range, with clearer graphics and orange back lighting which is proven to be easier on the eye. Links between the Elise and the track have always been strong, and the ambience of the facia and trim with the chassis tub sides provoke a strong sense of being seated in a racing derived but comfortable cockpit. A four speaker Blaupunkt stereo system with CD player is provided as standard along with a radio receiver wiring loom including dipole aerial kit located in the front of the Elise 111R. Equipment Standard equipment for the Elise 111R includes: half leather interior, sun visors, central door locking, Blaupunkt Lausanne radio CD-R/W player and Blaupunkt high performance front and rear speakers Optional equipment includes a Touring Pack, which provides a combination of options designed to increase comfort and convenience, while still maintaining the essence of a Lotus sports car. This pack includes: Auxiliary front driving lights, a choice of either full leather or Alcantara trim, a soft-top with sound and thermal insulation, electric windows, an upgraded Blaupunkt Woodstock DAB radio, CD-R/W and MP3 player, interior stowage net, sound insulation, and full carpet with a lightweight aluminium passenger footrest. Other options also include metallic paint, air-conditioning and a body coloured hard top.

http://www.supercars.net/PicFetch?pic=2003_lotus_elise_135r-1.jpg http://www.supercars.net/PicFetch?pic=2003_lotus_elise_135r-2.jpg http://www.supercars.net/PicFetch?pic=2003_lotus_elise_135r-3.jpg Developed by Lotus Sport and Performance in conjunction with the Lotus Ride and Handling team, the Lotus Sport Elise 135R has been designed to provide ultimate performance both on and off the track. Engine, suspension, wheel and tyre upgrades all contribute to what can only be described as the ultimate road and track Elise. Offering a more direct feel, the 135R affords the enthusiast driver with more immediate and sharper responses, developed to deliver exceptional driver involvement. Engine The power output of the engine is 135bhp. This has been achieved by modifying the ports of the cylinder head to improve gas flow, mixture and cylinder filling. The standard intake manifold has been replaced by a cast alloy version as used on the 111 range. Alongside a reprogrammed ECU these modifications further improve the Elise's engine breathing' allowing the driver to explore maximum engine revs in all gears increasing driver enjoyment, especially during track use. Suspension Lotus' world famous Ride and Handling team has developed an optimum set-up for both road and track use. The Elise's Bilstein dampers have been re-calibrated to give stiffer bump and rebound settings. The dampers are also fitted with adjustable upper spring platforms threaded onto the damper itself, offering a wide range of settings for any use. A stiffer adjustable anti-roll bar has also been fitted to provide optimum steering response. Wheels & Tyres The Lotus Sport Elise 135R is fitted with O.Z. Racing one piece lightweight cast alloy 16-spoke wheels. While the rear wheel size remains unchanged the front wheel size has increased from 5.5 inches to 6.5 inches to give a more positive turn-in during track conditions. The O.Z. wheels are fitted with Yokohama AO48 tyres which have been developed in conjunction with Lotus to suit the requirements of the performance driver, with special emphasis on track use. Body Externally the 135R will be recognisable by its striking colour and decals. Available in two new colours only, Silver Mica and Blue Mica, the 135R is fitted with two Lotus Sport 135R decals above each side repeater lamp and a larger decal at the rear. The F1 style diffuser has been utilised to accentuate aerodynamic performance. Interior Fitting its special edition status, the 135R has a bespoke interior limited to this model only. The instrument binnacle and column cowlings are trimmed in blue Alcantara, as are the seats with additional carbon leather trim and unique embroidery. Blue footwell carpets, embroidered with the 135R logo, are removable for track days. Story by Lotus Cars