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Lotus Lambda SUV to be announced before new year – report

The lightweight sports car maker is rumoured to be preparing a new model for release in the coming months.


Lotus may be about to announce a brand-new SUV, according to Dutch publication AutoWeek.

The Lotus SUV – which is expected to be named Lambda – will be based on the same architecture as the Volvo XC40.

Citing Chinese sources, the Dutch website reported the SUV will be revealed by Lotus before the end of the year.

The iconic British company, famed for its lightweight sports car creations, is majority-owned by Chinese car giant Geely, which also owns Volvo.

While the prototype (pictured above) uses a camouflaged Lynk & Co 01 body – another Geely-owned brand – patent images revealed the Lotus Lambda will feature a coupe-style rear-end, suggesting it may be a competitor to the BMW X4, Mercedes-Benz GLC, and Range Rover Evoque.

In November 2018, a coupe version of the Lynk & Co 01 was spied in heavy camouflage – however, it's possible this may have actually been the Lotus Lambda caught in testing.

Unconfirmed reports out of China stated the Lotus will compete with the Porsche Cayenne Coupé and BMW X6, suggesting the SUV will be significantly larger than its Volvo XC40 and Lynk & Co 01 cousins.

Before departing the company, former Lotus boss Jean-Marc Gales told UK publication TopGear in 2017 the forthcoming SUV would remain true to the brand's philosophy.

"It will be lower, wider, a lot lighter and much better handling than existing SUVs or crossovers," Mr Gales said at the time.

When the Lotus Lambda prototype was first spotted in June 2019, it was speculated the model used either a plug-in hybrid or all-electric powertrain, hinting at a new direction for the British sports car brand.

Last month, a fully-electric coupe-like concept was revealed by Lynk & Co.

As SUV models have done for a number of other car companies in the past, the Lambda may provide a much-needed source of revenue for Lotus, giving it the freedom to develop lightweight sports cars to replace its ageing model line-up.

The first mention of a Lotus-developed SUV came in 2006 with the APX concept (for Aluminium Performance Crossover), which was claimed to be a development mule for a new versatile platform. While variations of the initial concept were shown, no production model eventuated.

Lotus Cars Australia has been contacted and this story will be updated with the company's response.


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Ben Zachariah

Ben Zachariah is an experienced writer and motoring journalist from Melbourne, having worked in the automotive industry for more than two decades. Ben began writing professionally more than 15 years ago and was previously an interstate truck driver. He completed his MBA in Finance in early 2021 and is considered an expert on classic car investment.

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