Lotus considering developing its own V8 and V6 engines for new mdoels
Lotus’ CEO Dany Bahar says that Lotus is planning to power the new Esprit with its own design for a V8 powerplant. He said that Lotus engineers are currently studying the feasibility of production an all-new V8, which would appear on the 2012 Esprit coupe and a V6 for the new Elan and other models.
“We have done three engines for other manufacturers; why not do it ourselves?” he said. “The engine is the heart of a sports car; we should do our own product.”
Wolf Zimmerman, Lotus’ engineering chief, said that the Esprit will share a common platform, brakes, suspension and electric systems with other models. Bahar went onto say that the customer reaction to the new Esprit being powered by a Toyota V8 was also behind its decision to study the possibility of producing its own engine.
“In the mind of sports-car enthusiasts, Toyota power might not be good enough,” he said. A final decision is expected to be taken at the end of January.
Refresher: Power for the Lotus Esprit comes from a 5.0L V8 engine making 620-hp allowing for 0-60 mph to come in less than 3.4 seconds with a top speed of 205 mph. The tech specs also include a KERS, Formula 1-style brake energy regeneration system as an option. The system will absorb and discharge electrical energy to provide an extra acceleration boost through an electric motor. Weight comes in at around 3,190 pounds.
Lotus Esprit Concept:
– By: Omar Rana
Source: AutoCar
