New Models
New Models

Lotus: All-new petrol sports car coming in 2021

The Evija isn't the only Lotus coming soon. The British brand has confirmed it's readying an all-new sports car for 2021.


Lotus Cars will expand its model range with a new, yet-to-be-revealed sports car while also diversifying into new segments.

With just three models currently in its stable – Elise, Exige and EvoraLotus Cars regional director for Asia Pacific and China, David McIntyre, confirmed the Chinese-owned British carmaker will reveal an all-new model in 2021.

The company sold 1519 cars globally in 2019, and while that represented 23 per cent growth year-on-year, the small-scale manufacturer admits it needs larger volume to become a sustainable and profitable business.

“Fifteen-hundred-and-nineteen units is a very small number globally and it doesn’t allow us to achieve some of the economies of scale that we need to be a long-term sustainable, independent, and profitable business. So we need to go into new segments to be able to that," McIntyre told media.

“We have new products coming, we’re going into new segments, but we’re not going to talk about those until they’re actually available.”

While he wouldn’t be drawn on whether the company had plans for an SUV in its future portfolio, McIntyre did confirm the next model in the brand’s range would stick close to the hearts of Lotus purists around the world.

“We have said the next product will be a sports car and it will be revealed at some point next year – and it will come with an internal combustion engine,” he said.

“We also need to bring in new technologies and revitalise the brand. And I think the presentation of the Evija was a real statement of intent – we can do new things, we can go into new segments, that we can build a hypercar. But hypercars are not going to deliver the volume either.

“So we will go into new segments. We have some great product planned; we can’t talk about them yet. But we do know we need to go into new segments to deliver significant growth.”

Previous – unconfirmed – reports have stated Lotus will revive the Elan nameplate on a two-seat convertible sitting above the Elise which, ironically, replaced the Elan in 1995.

The Elan would reportedly be built on the all-new lightweight, rivet-bonded alloy core platform that is set to replace the brand’s existing two platforms.

Additionally, the first production examples of the Lotus Evija – the brand’s all-electric $3 milllion, 1470kW hypercar – are slated for first customers by the end of the year.

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Rob Margeit

Rob Margeit is an award-winning Australian motoring journalist and editor who has been writing about cars and motorsport for over 25 years. A former editor of Australian Auto Action, Rob’s work has also appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Wheels, Motor Magazine, Street Machine and Top Gear Australia. Rob’s current rides include a 1996 Mercedes-Benz E-Class and a 2000 Honda HR-V Sport.

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