Lotus to Jump Into Lions Den by Launching a New Supercar in 2020

Lotus will end an 11-year streak of no new models with a double whammy in 2020, spearheaded by a supercar.
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Legacy British sports car manufacturer Lotus confirmed in January that three new models will be introduced early next decade: Two sports cars in 2020 and an SUV around 2022. A new report reveals that one of said sports cars—the company’s first new models since its Evora in 2009—will, in fact, be a supercar.

This news comes via British publication Autocar, which cites Lotus CEO and lead foot Jean-Marc Gales, who confirmed the news Tuesday. The main detail confirmed about the supercar is its origin from the company’s traditional design philosophy, as defined by Lotus founder Colin Chapman’s famous directive: “Simplify, and add lightness.”

A series of fragmented statements were quoted, with Gales stating that the unnamed supercar will occupy “an upper segment, above the Evora,” justifying the company’s reach for more capacious pockets as a reaction to the swelling supercar and premium market. Gales promises that the supercar will “take the Evora a step further,” and will exemplify “efficiency, aerodynamics, agility, and braking working together in balance.”

Minor details of the supercar’s construction and engineering have been confirmed. The car’s frame will be constructed from aluminum, with a front subframe constructed either of aluminum or composites. Its rear subframe will be steel. 

Despite being a subsidiary of Geely, parent company of Volvo, Lotuses in the near future are expected to continue using Toyota engines. The brand will likely pluck parts from the Geely bin for the supercar, such as up-to-date wiring systems and a TFT LCD dashboard, however.

Regardless of the price segment targeted by Lotus with its supercar, it’s expected to face fierce competition. Some of the gatekeepers of the supercar club are the $161,800 Porsche 911 Turbo and the $188,600 McLaren 570S, both of which enjoy strong sales and positive reviews. 

To enter the supercar market today is to jump into a lion enclosure after rubbing oneself down with bacon grease. Lotus will need to pull no punches if it wishes to survive by selling to the spoilt-for-choice one percenters.