New Lotus Elite revealed

Lotus Elite Concept Paris

Lotus has revealed the Lotus Elite Concept which will show at Paris. A front-engined V8 hybrid delivers up to 600bhp with low emissions.

We knew Lotus were intending repositioning themselves as an East Anglian Aston Martin. Thanks to a clumsy PR stunt by Lotus we were pretty sure we’d see the direction at the Paris Motor Show. Tick all the boxes. The Lotus Elite is going to be reborn as an upmarket, front-engined 2+2.

Lotus has revealed the 2011 Lotus Elite, which as expected is very much a move upmarket. And as you would expect it’s going to use Toyota power but not – or at least not yet – the mad lump from the Lexus LFA. Instead it looks like it’s getting the V8 from the IS-F which has been Lotus tweaked and fettled to deliver up to 610bhp.

But the power isn’t just pure V8 power; it’s hybrid V8 power. The Lexus V8 will get a pair of electric motors bolted to the front wheels and driven through the same epicyclic gearbox as the V8. The electric motors will give the potential for a KERS style power boost on demand.

Performance is expected to be on the good side of good, with Lotus predicting a 0-60mph of around 3.5 seconds, but with emissions at a low 215g/km. Exact performance and emissions will depend on which model the buyer chooses. It looks like there’s going to be a standard model with around 540bhp and an R or S model with over 600bhp.

It also looks as if the IS-F V8 is going to get forced induction, but it also looks as if Lotus hasn’t yet decided whether that will be a turbo or a supercharger.

The new Lotus Elite looks impressive, but it also seems a long way off being completed. This is very much a concept – and at this stage it seems to be a concept without an interior – with a lot of broad brush strokes and very little fine detail.

Still, looks promising. As long as the build quality is there.