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2014 Lotus Elite Unveiled

Today is clearly Lotus day here at CarAdvice. Five new models have been unveiled and to finish the range is the new Lotus Elite.


This is yet another Lotus model that has come back from the dead. The original Elite came about in 1957 and was again reincarnated in 1974 as a four-seat two door sports car that lasted till 1982.

The new Lotus Elite, expected for release in 2014, will also be a two-door four-seater sports car, however  now it will be capable of going from 0-100km/h in 3.7 seconds.

It will be powered by a 5.0-litre V8 that produces 456 kW and 720 Nm of torque. The same engine will be used in the new Esprit and Eterne.

Lotus says that it has spent considerable resources making sure there is a market for the Elite, pointing out that in the past up to 20 percent of all Lotus' built were 2+2.

There’s no denying that the Elite is breathtakingly beautiful to look at but it’s so much more than that, it’s a car that over delivers in all other aspects as well. One could say it’s a car of perfect contradictions, it’s compact yet spacious, high performing yet low emitting, lightweight yet still reassuringly solid. It’s a car that we are exceptionally proud of at Lotus and we truly believe that there is nothing else like it out there both in terms of styling and performance." Dany Bahar, Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus.

The new Lotus Elite weighs a hefty 1,650kg, will be driven via the rear-wheels and is expected to come in both petrol and hybrid powerplants. Lotus will make use of a "Hybrid gearbox with integrated electric motors" to deliver power from the V8.

  • Layout 2+2 seater, front-mid-engined, rear wheel drive
  • Engine Petrol, hybrid optional
  • Hybrid technology Hybrid gearbox with integrated electric motors and KERS
  • Cylinder V8
  • Capacity 5.0 litre
  • Power/Torque 465 kW / 720 Nm
  • Rev limit 8,500 rpm
  • 0-100 km/h 3.7 seconds
  • Top speed 315 km/h
  • CO2 approx (CO2/km) 215 g/km**
  • Weight 1,650 kg
  • Seats 2+2
  • Transmission Full Hybrid transmission
  • Drive RWD
  • Start of production Early 2014
  • Enters the market Spring 2014
  • Price indication Circa £115,000 ($189,00)

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