Lotus to build own V8 for Lotus 'More Authentic' than 458 or MP4-12C

New Lotus Esprit will get a Lotus developed V8

Dany Bahar – Lotus CEO – says Lotus are to build their own V8, and that the new Esprit will be more authentic than a 458 or MP4-12C.

We thought Lotus were mad brave to announce to the world last year that they were turning themselves in to an East Anglian Aston Martin with a completely new range of much more expensive cars. But now we hear they’re also going to produce their own V8 engine. Wow.

True, Lotus did historically make their own engines – and very good they were too – but modern Lotus has made very effective use of Toyota’s engines in the Elise and its spawn.

In fact, when Lotus rolled out the Esprit and Elan and Eterne… and a whole raft of Lotuses beginning with ‘E’, the V8 installed was a 5.0 litre V8 from Toyota rather than the V10 Lexus LFA which we’d expected.

Sadly, Lotus has already backtracked on their new car range, and it seems all that is actually in the pipleine is a new Esprit. Which has been in the pipeline since the last Esprit bit the dust in 2004. So actually, nothing’s really changed.

Except now it seems that the new Lotus Esprit – if it ever arrives – won’t be getting the Toyota V8, but will instead get a new Lotus-developed V8. Which is a good move, although it would have been good to see the LFA V10 in the Esprit.

Is it cost? Perfectly possible. Toyota could want just too much for their halo V10, but they’ve managed to shift 500 LFAs at over £300k on the back of it. Which would make you think Lotus would have plenty of room to play on costs.

It could also be just a game by Dany Bahar. He seems keen on big gestures with seemingly little substance. The new range of cars is a case in point, as perhaps is the new Lotus V8. Especially as it’s only a few weeks since Dany was busy telling us Lotus needed to be bought by a big player to have any sort of future. So how are they going to build their own V8?

And talking of big claims, Dany Bahar has this week been busy telling us that the new Lotus Esprit will offer a more authentic driving experience than either the Ferrari 458 or the McLaren MP4-12C, and will get KERS technology which will add to the driving experience.

He also said that Lotus would gobble up McLaren and Ferrari and rebadge them as Lotus, and that their are Fairies in the garden at Hethel.

Or did we just make that bit up?