2010 Naomi for Haiti Lotus Evora Sports Cars

In response to the horrific natural disaster that has crippled the nation of Haiti, Naomi Campbell together with Lotus Cars will be auctioning eight special edition "Naomi for Haiti" Lotus Evora sports cars, with the proceeds from the auction going to help the relief effort in Haiti on 12th of January 2010.

2010 Naomi for Haiti Lotus Evora Sports Cars

The Lotus Evora Naomi for Haiti has to be one of the most expensive special edition ever to come out of the company's plant. The firs two Lotus Evora Naomi for Haiti units have been auctioned for more than 300,000 GBP each at The Fashion For Relief Event. The first Lotus Evora Naomi for Haiti was bought by Naomi Campbell’s boyfriend, Vladimir Doronin for no less than 320,000 GBP.

The remaining five Lotus Evora Naomi for Haiti will be auctioned starting from today on the supermodel's website at www.naomiforhaiti.com. The highest bidders and the new owners of the remaining five Lotus Evora Naomi for Haiti cars will be announced at the Lotus press conference on the 2nd of March at the Geneva Motorshow.

The Lotus Evora is a very desirable, multi-award winning, high performance, mid-engined sports car that presents a fantastic piece of design to bid on. The “Naomi for Haiti” Evora sports car has been specially designed by Lotus Design Director Donato Coco and reflects Naomi’s design direction. The bespoke styling combines the flag of Haiti with a dramatic colour scheme and the cars include a full range of options, meaning these cars will all become desirable collectors items.

The “Naomi for Haiti” Evoras will be auctioned at Naomi Campbell's Fashion for Relief TM charity fashion show on the 18th of February at the London Fashion Week venue at Somerset House. The remaining “Naomi for Haiti” Evoras will be entered into an auction run on the “Naomi for Haiti” website Charity Auction - Naomi For Haiti and bidding will commence at 0800 GMT on the 19th of February and will end at 1200 noon GMT on 28th of February 2010.

According to Naomi, Lotus Cars has been Fashion for Relief’s biggest supporter and has been instrumental in helping us to raise crucial funds for The White Ribbon Alliance and its partners in Haiti. Still according to her, to have Lotus on board supporting Fashion for Relief is very important to Sarah Brown, myself and everyone at The White Ribbon Alliance and we are truly very grateful.

Naomi Campbell says, "I am deeply saddened by the recent tragedy in Haiti. So many have been killed and severely affected by the earthquake - women and children in particular are most vulnerable in disasters. Fashion is universal, personal and touches everyone. I am delighted that Lotus Cars is supporting my Fashion for Relief TM charity and I am sure with such generous help we will raise crucial funds to help save the lives of women and children."

Lotus CEO, Dany Bahar said “It was a great pleasure for Lotus to work with Naomi and the White Ribbon Alliance for this excellent cause and we are delighted that by working with Naomi, our suppliers and the generosity of the bidders, we have been able to raise such a significant sum of money to help those in need during this difficult time.”

It was announced on March 11, 2010 at the 80th Geneva Motor Show that the eight special editions of the Lotus Evora Naomi for Haiti have achieved in excess of €1.4m at auction.

Lotus Engineering demonstrates the lightweight future of the passenger car

Lotus Engineering conducted two studies to look at the possibility of developing passenger vehicles from 2017. The specialised lightweight sports car maker says its long-time philosophy of weight reduction will benefit potential customers in the areas of fuel consumption and C02 emissions.

company engineers discovered that by improving the aerodynamics by 80 counts, the car netted a six mile per gallon improvement in its highway fuel economy rating (note: a "count" is a thousandth of a point of a Cd number, so reducing a Cd of 0.150 by 50 counts would give you a Cd of 0.100). On the flipside, taking out 400 pounds of stuff only improved the car's highway mpg by one mile a gallon, though that's largely because of the Newtonian "an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force" hubbub.

The interior systems include 50% lighter seats, climate control hardware, navigation electronics and others. There is a high level of component integration for space maximisation and weight minimisation. An example is the audio/ air conditioning/navigation touch screen which also contains the shifter and parking brake functions. Chassis and suspension components are to be downsized, the glazing and width of the windscreen possibly reduced and replaced with an appropriate, lower weight substitute.





Press Release

• Study by Lotus Engineering concludes that a vehicle mass improvement
  of 38% versus a conventional mainstream vehicle can be achieved at only
  3% cost.

• Efficient design and lightweight materials significantly reduce CO2
  emissions.

Lotus Engineering has conducted a study to develop a commercially viable
mass reduction strategy for mainstream passenger vehicles. This study,
released by the International Council on Clean Transportation, focused on
the use of lightweight materials and efficient design and demonstrated
substantial mass savings. When compared with a benchmark Toyota Venza
crossover utility vehicle, a 38% reduction in vehicle mass, excluding
powertrain, can be achieved for only a 3% increase in component costs using
engineering techniques and technologies viable for mainstream production
programmes by 2020. The 2020 vehicle architecture utilises a mix of stronger
and lighter weight materials, a high degree of component integration and
advanced joining and assembly methodologies.
Based on U.S. Department of Energy estimates, a total vehicle mass
reduction of 33% including powertrain, as demonstrated on the 2020 passenger
car model, results in a 23% reduction in fuel consumption. This study
highlights how automotive manufacturers can adopt the Lotus philosophy of
performance through light weight.
Dr Robert Hentschel, Director of Lotus Engineering said: "Lighter
vehicles are cleaner and more efficient. That philosophy has always been
core to Lotus' approach to vehicle engineering and is now more relevant than
ever. Lightweight Architectures and Efficient Performance are just two of
our core competencies and we are delighted to have completed this study with
input from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency to provide direction for future CO2
reductions. We believe that this approach will be commonplace in the
industry for the future design of vehicles."
The study investigated scenarios for two distinct vehicle architectures
appropriate for production in 2017 and 2020. The near-term scenario is based
on applying industry leading mass reducing technologies, improved materials
and component integration and would be assembled using existing facilities.
The mass reduction for this nearer term vehicle, excluding powertrain, is
21% with an estimated cost saving of 2%.
A benchmark Toyota Venza was disassembled, analysed and weighed to
develop a bill of materials and understand component masses. In developing
the two low mass concepts, Lotus Engineering employed a total vehicle mass
reduction strategy utilising efficient design, component integration,
materials selection, manufacturing and assembly. All key interior and
exterior dimensions and volumes were retained for both models and the
vehicles were packaged to accommodate key safety and structural dimensional
and quality targets. The new vehicles retain the vision, sight line, comfort
and occupant package of the benchmarked Toyota Venza.
Darren Somerset, Chief Executive Officer of Lotus Engineering
Incorporated, Lotus' North American engineering division which led the
study, said "A highly efficient total vehicle system level architecture was
achieved by developing well integrated sub-systems and components,
innovative use of materials and process and the application of advanced
analytical techniques. Lotus Engineering is at the forefront of the
automotive industry's drive for the reduction in CO2 and other greenhouse
gas emissions and this study showcases Lotus Engineering's expertise and
outlines a clear roadmap to cost effective mass efficient vehicle
technologies."
Mass and Cost Summary

Base Toyota Venza excluding powertrain		Lotus Engineering Design
System	Weight (kg)	2020 Venza		2017 Venza
		% Mass Reduction	% Cost Factor	% Mass Reduction	% Cost Factor
Body	383	42%	135%	15%	98%
Closures/Fenders	143	41%	76%	25%	102%
Bumpers	18.0	11%	103%	11%	103%
Thermal	9.25	0%	100%	0%	100%
Electrical	23.6	36%	96%	29%	95%
Interior	252	39%	96%	27%	97%
Lighting	9.90	0%	100%	0%	100%
Suspension/Chassis	379	43%	95%	26%	100%
Glazing	43.7	0%	100%	0%	100%
Misc.	30.1	24%	99%	24%	99%
Totals	1290	38%	103%	21%	98%

The full report, entitled ‘An Assessment of Mass Reduction Opportunities for
a 2017 - 2020 Model Year Vehicle Program' can be found at the following
link:
http://www.theicct.org/documents/0000/1430/Mass_reduction_final_2010.pdf
ENDS
The 2020 Passenger Car Technical Detail
Body
The body includes the floor and underbody, dash panel assembly, front
structure, body sides and roof assembly. The baseline Toyota Venza
body-in-white contained over 400 parts and the revised 2020 model reduced
that part count to 211. The body-in-white materials used in the baseline
Venza were 100% steel, while the 2020 model used 37% aluminium, 30%
magnesium, 21% composites and 7% high strength steel. This reduces the
structure mass by 42% from 382 kg to 221 kg.
The low mass 2020 body-in-white would be constructed using a low energy
joining process proven on high speed trains; this process is already used on
some low volume automotive applications. This low energy, low heat friction
stir welding process would be used in combination with adhesive bonding, a
technique already proven on Lotus production sports cars. In this instance,
the robotically controlled welding and adhesive bonding process would be
combined with programmable robotic fixturing, a versatile process which can
be used to construct small and large vehicles using the same equipment.
Closures/Fenders
The closures include all hinged exterior elements, for example, the front
and rear doors and the rear liftgate. One alternative approach included
fixing the primary boot section to improve the structure, reduce masses and
limit exposure to high voltage systems. A lightweight access door was
provided for checking and replacing fluids.
The closures on the baseline Toyota Venza were made up of 100% steel. The
low mass Venza closures/fenders would be made up of 33% magnesium, 21%
plastic, 18% steel, 6% aluminium with the other 22% consisting of multiple
materials. The mass savings are 41%, a reduction from 143 kg to 84 kg.
Interior
The interior systems consist of the instrument panel, seats, soft and
hard trim, carpeting, climate control hardware, audio, navigation and
communication electronics, vehicle control elements and restraint systems.
There is a high level of component integration and electronic interfaces
replace mechanical controls on the low mass model. For the 2020 model the
instrument panel is eliminated replaced by driver and passenger side modules
containing all key functional and safety hardware. A low mass trim panel
made from a high quality aerated plastic closes out the two modules. The air
conditioning module is incorporated into the console eliminating the need
for close out trim panels; heated and cooled cupholders are integrated into
the HVA/C module. The audio/HVA/C/Navigation touch screen contains the
shifter and parking brake functions and interfaces with small electric
solenoids. This eliminates conventional steel parking brake and shifter
controls and cables as well as freeing up interior space.
The front seats mount to the structural sill and tunnel structure
eliminating conventional seat mounting brackets (10 kg) and the need to
locally reinforce the floorpan. The composite front seat structure utilises
proven foam technology; the seat mass is reduced by up to 50%. The rear seat
support structure is moulded into the composite floorpan eliminating the
need for a separate steel support structure. The front and rear seats use a
knit to shape fabric that eliminates material scrap and offers customers the
opportunity to order their favourite patterns for their new vehicle. Four
removable carpet modules replace the traditional full floor carpeting; this
reduces mass and allows cost effective upgrading of the carpet quality. The
floorpan is grained in all visible areas. The 2017 production interior mass
was reduced from 250 kg to 182 kg with projected cost savings of 3%. The
2020 production interior mass was 153 kg with projected cost savings of 4%.
Chassis/Suspension
The chassis and suspension system was composed of suspension support
cradles, control links, springs, shock absorbers, bushings, stabilizer bars
and links, steering knuckles, brakes, steering gearbox, bearings, hydraulic
systems, wheels, tires, jack and steering column.
The chassis and suspension components were downsized based on the revised
vehicle curb weight, maintaining the baseline carrying capacity and
incorporating the mass of the hybrid drive system.
The total vehicle curb weight reduction for the 2020 vehicle was 38%,
excluding the powertrain. Based on the gross vehicle weight, which includes
retaining the baseline cargo capacity of 549 kg and utilising a hybrid
powertrain, the chassis and the suspension components were reduced in mass
by 43%, with projected cost savings of 5%.
Front and Rear Bumpers
The materials used on the front and rear bumpers were very similar to the
existing model to maintain the current level of performance. One change was
to replace the front steel beam with an aluminium beam which reduced mass by
11%. The use of a magnesium beam was analysed but at the current time
exceeded the allowable price factor.
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning
The air conditioning system was integrated into a passenger compartment
system and an engine compartment system. This section addressed the under
hood components which included the compressor, condenser and related
plumbing. The under hood components were investigated for technologies and
mass.
The study showed a relatively small mass difference for the underhood air
conditioning components based on both vehicle mass and interior volume.
Because of the highly evolved nature of these components, the requirements
for equivalent air conditioning performance and the lack of a clear
consensus for a future automotive refrigerant, the mass and cost of the
Toyota Venza compressor, condenser and associated plumbing were left
unchanged for both the 2017 and 2020 models.
Glazing
The glazing of the baseline vehicle was classified into two groups: fixed
and moving. The fixed glass is bonded into position using industry standard
adhesives and was classified into two sub groups: wiped and non wiped.
Factors involved in making decisions about glazing materials include the
level of abrasion it is likely to see during the vehicle life, the
legislative requirements for light transmissibility, the legislative
requirements for passenger retention and the contribution it will make to
interior noise abatement.
The specific gravity of glass is 2.6 and the thickness of a windshield is
usually between 4.5 mm and 5 mm, therefore the mass per square metre of 5 mm
glass is approximately 13 kgs. The high mass of glass provides a strong
incentive to reduce the glazed area of the body, reduce the thickness of the
glass and find a suitable substitute that is lighter. Fixed glass on the
side of the vehicle offers the best opportunity for mass reduction.
The mass of the baseline glazing was retained for both the 2017 and 2020
models; this was a conservative approach. It is possible that coated
polycarbonate materials may become mainstream in the 2017 - 2020 timeframe
for fixed applications.
Electrical/Lighting
The estimated mass savings for using thinwall cladding and copper clad
aluminium wiring, as used on the 2017 model was 36% versus the baseline
model. The lighting technologies section reviewed included diodes, xenon and
halogen. The study also reviewed a variety of wireless technologies under
development for non-transportation applications that could be used in this
time period pending successful development for mobile applications.

Lotus Evora Enduro GT Concept

Lotus has unveiled the new Lotus Evora Enduro GT race car at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland. The Evora Enduro GT Concept is the base car for the new Lotus GT2/GTE car that will be racing in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup this season and is an evolved version of the Lotus GT4 Endurance. Lotus Motorsport, under the supervision of lead designer Nicola Scimeca developed the new car.

The vehicle rides on 18 inch forged alloys wrapped in 24/64-18 - 27/65-18 tires front and rear, while providing the necessary stopping power is a performance brake system with 22 mm race pads, two piece aluminium belled discs and 6 piston callipers at the front and 4-piston calliper at the rear.

Powered by a mid-mounted 4-litre DOCH V6 VVT-i engine, naturally aspirated and tuned by Cosworth, the Lotus Evora Enduro GT Concept develops 440 bhp @ 7,000 rpm and 460 Nm of torque @ 5,500 rpm.

The rear wheels get their power from the engine through an XTRAC 426 six-speed sequential gearbox. An optional pneumatic paddle-shift system can be fitted. Handling comes down to a forged double wishbone layout, four-way adjustable Ohlins TTX36 dampers, coaxial coil springs, increased camber, and adjustable anti-roll bars. Mated with racing slicks, it should prove formidable, especially with its mid-engine layout.




Press Release

Evora Enduro - GT Concept

The Evolving Evora

The Evora Enduro - GT concept car is an evolved version of the podium placing Evora GT4 Endurance. The Enduro has been developed by Lotus Motorsport under the expert eye of Lead Designer Nicola Scimeca.

The Enduro will be the base point from which the GT2/GTE homologated cars for FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) and ACO (l'Automobile Club de l'Ouest) endurance racing will be built.

Lotus Motorsport intend to contend the following endurance events this year:

• 23 – 26 June 2011 Nürburgring ADAC 24 Hour Race (GER)
• 28 – 31 July 2011 Spa 24 Hour Race (BEL)
• 8 & 9 October 2011 Silverstone 24 Hour Race (GB)

The 24 hour races in Dubai and Daytona are on the list for 2012.

The Evora Enduro can be bought by private individuals and adapted for racing.

2010 Lotus Sport Cars T127 Formula One

2010 Lotus Sport Cars T127 Formula One

Lotus has just unveiled its 2010 Formula 1 car, after 15 years one of the most successful names in Formula One returns to the grid with the launch of the Lotus T127. Backed by the Malaysian government, the new Lotus team will field two cars, driven by Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen. Lotus the T127 will be one of several cars using the latest Cosworth V8 this year.

2010 Lotus Sport Cars T127 Formula One

2010 Lotus Sport Cars T127 Formula One Racing is backed by the Malaysian Government - where Lotus owner Proton is based - securing the rights last year to the team's name and legendary green and yellow colours. Mike Gascoyne, technical chief for the T127, admitted the car was designed very quickly, the team revealing its car mere weeks ahead of the 2010 Bahrain F1 Grand Prix.

The Lotus T127 is powered by a Cosworth engine - another name returning to the sport cars after an extended absence - and will use an Xtrac transmission, in line with all 2010 teams, will be running on Bridgestone tyres.

2010 Lotus Sport Cars T127 Formula One

2010 Lotus Sport Cars Elan Concept

2010 Lotus Sport Cars Elan Concept

At Paris Auto Show 2010 Lotus automaker manufacture has display six new models super car sport. One of the six models is the Lotus Elan Concept. 2010 Lotus Elan Concept Cars, a high performance sports car, is the beating heart of the new Lotus line-up and thanks to some clever innovations the Lotus Elan also has everyday usability too.

2010 Lotus Sport Cars Elan Concept

Elan is expected to go to production in summer of 2013 and will be available for purchase in fall of 2013. Like the Evora, the Lotus Elan features 2+2 seating, suggesting that the new Evora may not really have a long life at Lotus. Prices for the production Elan are estimated to start around $118,500 ( £75,000 ).

Lotus Elan Concept Power is provided by a mid-mounted 4.0-liter V6 engine with 450 PS (331 kW / 444 hp) and 465 Nm (343 lb-ft) of toque. It is backed up by a seven-speed DCT transmission, which enables the 1,295 kg (2,855 lb) car to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 310 km/h (193 mph). If that fails to attract your attention, perhaps you’ll be interested in the hybrid variant which will have CO2 emissions as low as 199 g/km. With performance specs like that, there's a little double that Elan is supercar.

From a styling perspective, the Elan is built like an athlete with a muscular physique and perfect poise. It’s a thoroughbred, rigid with tension, ambitious and addictive, nothing but best in class will suffice for this car.

It’s not enough to simply provide performance and exceptional looks, innovation is also integral to the Elan’s appeal. In keeping with the rest of the new Lotus range, the Elan features optional hybrid technology with KERS.

2010 Lotus Sport Cars Elan Concept

Dany Bahar, Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus, said: “If there was ever a car to make you drive the long way home, it’s the Elan. Perfect for both road and track, the Elan not only ticks all the boxes, it creates new ones too.”

“The Elan will convert people to Lotus, I would challenge people not to become addicted to driving it. It will also go a long way towards dispelling the old misconceptions about this class, that in order to have high performance you must sacrifice usability – those days are gone.”

“Once you drive an Elan you won’t look back, it will give you things you didn’t even realise you were missing – that’s the essence of Lotus and the Elan perfectly captures that spirit.”

2010 Lotus Sport Cars Elan Concept

Paris Auto Show: 2013 Lotus Elan【Video】

Lotus has unveiled the 2013 Elan, The 2013 Lotus Elan will go into production in the summer of 2013 and will be put on sale in the fall the same year. The 2013 Lotus Elan is powered by a smaller engine than the previous two model. It has a 4.0 liter V6 pressure charged engine capable of delivering up to 450 PS and taking into consideration its relative light weight of 1,295kg. Planned to be produced in summer 2013, the 2013 Elan will feature a 2+2 variant and optional hybrid technology with KERS. The car will enters the market in autumn 2013 with price indication approximately £75,000.

Also shared with the Esprit is a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox and optional kinetic energy recovery system or KERS. Peak output is rated 450 horsepower and 343 pound-feet of torque, which is significantly lower than the Esprit’s 620 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque, however, the Elan is not too far off the pace thanks to a lighter kerb weight of just 2,885 pounds. Lotus claims a 3.5 second time for the 0-60 mph run and a top speed around 190 mph.

Production will start in Summer 2013 with deliveries in Autumn 2013. Expected price tag is £ 75,000 (€ 87,000).






Press Release

The End of Compromise

As the old saying goes, you can't have your cake and eat it. In the past we were educated to believe we can't have it all. But that was the past. Today's driver demands more and the 2013 Elan delivers.

The 2013 Elan is the beating heart of the new Lotus line-up. It's a high performance sports car, that much is clear, it's a Lotus after all, but thanks to some clever innovations the 2013 Elan also has everyday usability too.

With a 2+2 variant, the 2013 Elan should be the only car you need.

Set for release during the second half of 2013, the 2013 Elan features a 4.0 liter V6 pressure charged engine capable of delivering up to 450 PS and taking into consideration its relative light weight of 1,295kg, the 2013 Elan's performance edges on supercar.

From a styling perspective, the 2013 Elan is built like an athlete with a muscular physique and perfect poise. It's a thoroughbred, rigid with tension, ambitious and addictive, nothing but best in class will suffice for this car.

It's not enough to simply provide performance and exceptional looks, innovation is also integral to the 2013 Elan's appeal. In keeping with the rest of the new Lotus range, the 2013 Elan features optional hybrid technology with KERS.

Dany Bahar, Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus, said: "If there was ever a car to make you drive the long way home, it's the 2013 Elan. Perfect for both road and track, the 2013 Elan not only ticks all the boxes, it creates new ones too."

"The 2013 Elan will convert people to Lotus, I would challenge people not to become addicted to driving it. It will also go a long way towards dispelling the old misconceptions about this class, that in order to have high performance you must sacrifice usability - those days are gone."

"Once you drive an 2013 Elan you won't look back, it will give you things you didn't even realise you were missing - that's the essence of Lotus and the 2013 Elan perfectly captures that spirit."

One car, zero compromise.

2013 Lotus Elan Specifications

• Layout 2 seater (optional 2+2), mid-engined, rear wheel drive
• Engine Petrol, hybrid optional
• Hybrid technology Optional KERS
• Cylinder V6
• Capacity 4.0 litre
• Power/Torque 450 PS / 465 Nm
• Rev limit 7,800 rpm
• 0-100 km/h 3.5 seconds
• Top speed 310 km/h
• CO2 approx (CO2/km) 199 g/km**
• Weight 1,295 kg
• Seats 2
• Transmission 7 Speed DCT
• Drive RWD
• Start of production Summer 2013
• Enters the market Autumn 2013
• Price indication Circa £75,000

*Please refer to the ‘Further Information' section in the Media Kit for information relating to this specification
**Using optional hybrid